Unlike the rest of the train’s passengers, she knew who she owed her life to. When she erased him, there would be no one left whoremembered what Q had done for the train. His sacrifice would go unnoticed just like all the invisible battles people waged every day. Getting out of bed. Smiling. Taking a breath. Invisible victories for invisible people with invisible pain, where the only prize up for grabs was the chance to do it all over again the next day.
Lily walked through the mouth of the cave, greeting passengers as she made her way to the congee buffet. Today, she was a middle-aged woman with shoulder-length brown hair. She nodded at Raya and Dev.
“Lily doesn’t like smiling much before her shift, does she?” Raya had stopped trying to call the conductor anything else. Even when she looked nothing like the fiery-haired woman who had welcomed her on board, to her, the person behind Lily’s new eyes looked the same. “It’s almost as if her smile is set on a timer.”
“I wouldn’t feel like smiling much either if I had to do what she does every day.” Dev popped a dumpling into his mouth. “It can’t be fun making sure that everyone’s happy and following the train’s rules.”
Raya warmed her hands around her cup and stared into her tea.
“I’m sorry Q got turned into an Echo,” Dev said quietly.
Raya nodded, looking forward to the day when she could believe this story. “I’m sorry too.”
“I don’t think I would have invited him to join maintenance, though,” Dev said.
“Why not?”
“Q would make a better conductor than a plumber.”
“Really?” Raya tried to imagine Q in the conductor’s crisp uniform. She got as far as the third button of his black blazer before the image of him leaping from the boarding car shattered all other imaginings of him like glass.
“It was obvious how much he loved being on the train. Not every passenger feels that way when they board. When I boarded, I—” Dev’s eyes widened.
Raya touched her chin. “Do I have something on my face?”
“I knew it.” Dev laughed, slapping his knee. “I knew you looked familiar. I did see you when I boarded.”
“That’s not possible. You boarded the train long before I did.”
Dev shrugged. “Since when did the rules of time apply to the Elsewhere Express? I admit that I don’t have the best memory, but I’m right about this. And I can prove it. Meet me at my compartment after my shift.”
Dev’s compartment moved around a lot on account that it dangled from the collar of one of Mr. Goh’s cats. The interior of the compartment was identical to Raya’s except for its walls. Photographs covered it from ceiling to floor, surrounding them with stolen shots of conversations, smiles, and faraway stares.
“I know.” Dev smirked. “It isn’t for everyone.”
“It looks great.” Raya smiled, keeping her eyes away from a photo of her and Q on the beach.
“The hum of the Elsewhere Express is what I enjoy most about it,” Dev said. “You can feel it in the air. It reminds me that I’m never alone. And never will be.”
“Did you worry about being alone before boarding the train?” Raya said softly.
“I couldn’t tell you.” Dev’s gaze wandered over a photograph of a crystal fountain. Stars flowed out of it like a liquid sky. “I took Mr. Goh’s tonic as soon as I found my compartment. That’s the clearest memory I have about my first night on the train. The tonic tasted like the worst thing you can imagine, but after I drank it, I had the best sleep of my life. I’ve heard that he’s improved its taste so that it no longer makes you gag. At least, not right away. What did you think of it?”
Raya clutched her tote’s strap. “I haven’t taken it yet.”
“Maybe you should.” Dev eyed her bag. “It helps with shoulder and back pain too.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take it before joining the crew. The job will have my full attention.”
“I’m excited for you to join us. You’ll make a great addition to the team. And I’m happy you stopped by. Is there anything I can help you with?”
“You were the one who asked me to come over, remember? You said that you wanted to show me proof that you had seen me before.”
“Oh. Right. Sorry.” Dev laughed, shaking his head. “I’m not making it any easier for you to believe me, am I? Luckily, I don’t have to rely on my memory for proof. I have photographic evidence to back me up.” He chuckled, leading her to a wall by the dresser.
Raya’s eyes flitted over the collage, unsure where to look.
“There.” Dev pointed to a photograph of a ship’s deck. “See?” Red battened square sails billowed against a halved sky. A woman, standing in profile, looked up at a bamboo mast. The image was small and slightly blurry, but it left no doubt about who she was. Her lavender hair, tied back in the silk scarf Q had given her, stood out. Wind whipped loose strands against her face and scented the compartment with the sea.
