The warm California sun cast a golden glow over the outdoor museum as you and Neela wandered through its sprawling exhibits. Each section was filled with fascinating pieces of history, but the highlight of the day was the massive, old-fashioned train parked near the center of the grounds.

“Whoa,” you said, stopping in your tracks as you caught sight of it. The locomotive gleamed under the sunlight, its polished metal and intricate details making it look like it had just rolled out of another time. “That thing looks so real!”

Neela smiled, pulling out her phone to snap a few pictures. “It’s incredible. I feel like we just stepped into a movie set or something.”

You walked closer, running your hand along the smooth metal of the train. “Imagine how cool it would’ve been to actually ride on one of these back in the day.”

“Or terrifying,” Neela added, peering up at the massive wheels. “Can you imagine sitting up front while this thing barreled down the tracks at full speed? No thanks!”

You laughed, hopping onto the platform beside the train. “Come on, Neela, live a little! Pretend you’re a daring train conductor.”

She rolled her eyes but climbed up after you, mimicking a dramatic pose with her hand on an imaginary throttle. “All aboard!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the museum.

The two of you spent the next few minutes exploring every part of the train, from the engineer’s cabin to the passenger cars, joking and imagining what it would’ve been like to travel in such a grand way.

As you leaned against the side of the train, Neela snapped another photo of you. “Alright, little brother, smile. This one’s going on my Instagram.”

“Why do I have to smile? You know I hate pictures,” you grumbled, but you couldn’t help cracking a grin when Neela pointed the camera at you and said, “Say ‘choo choo!’”

The picture turned out perfect—your laugh caught mid-smile as Neela cracked up behind the camera.

“This place is amazing,” Neela said, her voice quieter now. “Thanks for coming with me, Jake.” Neela said