WWII: A Railway Series Tale

Chapter IX - The Struggle

The cavalcade journeyed to the end of the line. Surprisingly, Packard and his crew didn't leave them, even when there were roads that went away from the rails.

"Are you sure you're allowed to travel on our rails?" Bridget asked cautiously. Kelly smirked, "No one said we couldn't."

"Road and rail all go to the same place, dinnae, Kelly?" Patrick asked with a raised voice. Kelly sighed, "Indeed they do, Paddy. Lower your voice, will you?" he answered.

Not long after, they reached Vicarstown. Sure enough, Henry was dozing. He seemed to have stayed awake all night, and roused when he heard the group arrive. "Oh, thank Godred you're safe....." he trailed off, confused by the newcomers. "I don't think we've met before..." he began.

"I'm Kelly. Nice to meet you, Henry. The engines told me we'd be meeting you here." the mobile crane interrupted kindly. Henry sighed, "I've been up all night wondering what you three were getting yourselves into." the green engine told Gordon, Thomas, and Bridget.

They told Henry all about the plane that chased them into the tunnel. When they finished, Henry wore a warm smile. "Well, I'm glad all of you are safe. Especially you, Gordon. What would we do without our main express engine, hmm?" he asked Gordon jokingly.

"Well...We'd have to make sure James never gets it, that's for sure." Gordon guffawed. Thomas smiled widely. He trundled away to the sheds for a nice rest. As dawn began to break, he looked around him. This was where he started as the station pilot. It seemed like only yesterday. Thomas idled calmly as his fire was put out and his boiler cooled. He watched the sun try to creep out from the horizon. His eyes twinkled. Maybe, just maybe... He could go back to how it used to be, before the war came.

Thomas the Tank Engine yawned as his eyes began to shut. He fell asleep dreaming about the good days. He wanted to have them back more than anything. But you and I both know that you can't turn back time, no matter how bad you want to.

-

Over the next few weeks, the railway began to repair the damage caused by the attack. The tunnel had to be strengthened to prevent any further collapsing. The Fat Controller, Mr. Watson, and the Sudrian Squadron were working together to protect the island once more. Commander Packard had been helping a woman who had lost her library in the attack. She grew fond of the commander, and that fondness sparked a relationship between the two. She loved to read, and she loved children, while James was strong, helpful, and very smart. If you heard it from Patrick the Lorry, the two were a match made in heaven.

Despite the improvements, all was not well in the high hills of Sodor. The manager of the Mid-Sodor Railway had yet again found life hard on his little railway. The bitter cold winter brought less passengers and even less goods.

He walked home after catching the evening train. Bridge Street was his stop. He stepped off the train and walked over the bridge to the village. The manager stopped at the local apothecary shop, in the hopes of buying some medicine for a cold that was being passed around the village. To his surprise, he was met with the Butcher. "Ezekiel! It's your wife! She's not well again! Hurry home! I've sent for the doctor ages ago, don't dawdle!" he told the railway manager. The manager's face went pale. Ezekiel ran as fast as he could, the warmth of the village lights were not enough to relieve him of his tragic thoughts. His wife had been bedridden for a few months prior. Recently, her health had been improving, and the doctor allowed her to roam the house like usual, but an errand boy was called to manage her errands in the village, from grocery shopping to postal jobs.

Ezekiel burst through the front door of the house, running to his spouse's bedroom. The doctor was tending to her illness. "The tuberculosis has returned. She's burning up." he told Ezekiel, who put his hand across his wife's forehead. "Jane, how are you?" the railway manager asked his wife, trying to stay positive. Jane stirred, "I've been better," she coughed. "Yourself?"