This train station is a forest. Bright green bushes and flowers are basking in the morning sunlight. Right where the train tracks should be is a pathway that’s been paved clean. I’m staring at everything in confusion when Orion snaps a picture of me.

“How does this train station operate?”

“It’s no longer a train station. It’s a park called the High Line.”

It’s not ringing a bell. “I’ve never heard of it.”

“It opened last summer. There’s more to come, but they have huge plans to grow this park. I thought you should see what they got so far.”

This city is so huge that even someone who’s been excited to move here didn’t know about this place. What other wonders are out there that I’ll never see? Not even just in the city or the state or the country. The whole world. I kind of wish I could go into space and do a lap around the planet. Then I could say I saw it all. I can’t imagine NASA is going to launch a Decker into space unless it’s a suicide mission, so I’m going to enjoy this slice of the world I never even knew existed.

“It’s really gorgeous,” I say as we walk down the pathway.

“And kind of creepy too, right? Like we’re on the set for some postapocalyptic movie.”

“What made you think to bring me here of all places?”

“Don’t punch me in the face, but I thought it might inspire you on your End Day.”

“In what way?”

“Way back when, this area was called Death Avenue. Hundreds and hundreds of people were getting straight wrecked by the trains, it was bad. It got to a point where they—I don’t remember who they were, but someone—hired fucking cowboys to stop people from trying to cross the tracks. Like, legit dudes on horses.”

“You’re making this up!”

“I shit you not! They—again, I don’t know who they are—decided to elevate the tracks. Then the rest is kind of a blur.”

“Pardon my English, but you’re a shitty historian.”

Orion laughs. “I’m not trying to compete on Jeopardy! or anything.”

“Alex Trebek would have you banned for answering every question with a swear word.”

“For fucking real.”

I stumble onto the train tracks, the plants growing around them like a garden bed.

This place is really something.

“You still haven’t told me how this is supposed to inspire me today.”

“I was about to before you started hating on my storytelling.”

“I apologize for expecting you to be a know-it-all. I guess everyone needs a flaw.”

“My heart is a pretty huge flaw.”

“It won’t be for much longer.”