The first thing Devin notices he arrives at the park with Annie, Mike, and Milo is that Joyland is awake—the loudspeakers blasting summer music. Fred Dean meets them at the wide-open gates, wearing the fancy suit he reserves for special VIP guests. He greets Annie like a visiting queen, and then he shakes hands with both Mike and Milo.

Lane runs the Choo-Choo Wiggle. He is wearing an engineer’s cap instead of his bowler, but he wears it tilted at the same cocky angle.

Mike goes on a few rides. He is starting to tire when he and Annie mount the merry-go-round. Fred Dean tells Devin to meet them at the Ferris wheel, and Devin knows just what’s expected of him. Devin gets into his Howie costume for the last time. As Annie, Mike, and Fred approach the wheel, Devin leaps from cover and goes into his Howie dance. Then, he throws his arms wide, and Mike falls into them, telling Mike he is a really good Howie.

Their final ride is the Carolina Spin. The wheel carries Devin, Mike, and Annie up until the world opens beneath them with the ocean on one side and the North Carolina lowlands on the other.