Changes in the Wind - Part III: Gordon and the Extinct Ones

Chapter 12: Final Run

The diesel who were there between the steam engines all looked at each other with curiosity and a little confusion. Their eyes returned to Gordon as he ventured forward. "I was rude to our dear friend BoCo," he said, looking over to the big diesel, "and instead of leaving me to a grim fate, he came and saved me, risked his life for me, and for that, I am forever grateful to him. And not just to him, but for all of you! You all came and rescued us! Helped us, saved us. And for that, you have my gratitude and respect for the rest of my days."

All the diesels muttered to each other again, but instead of looking back at Gordon with confusion, they gave happy smiles and bright looks. Highlander grinned for the first time in a long while. "Thank you, Gordon," he said, "we shall park the engines here and discuss whether we should stay here or return to our depot. I fear that the diesels here will not be all too comfortable staying on the mainland after today's events and I will allow them the choice to stay here or not."

Highlander then rolled away, the cavalry of engines following swiftly behind. BoCo grinned at Gordon, and the other big engine grinned back at him, with a quick wink at him. Suddenly, as the last few engines left, screams came from nearby. Gordon's smile quickly turned to a frown as he looked to see a woman on the platform screaming loudly, with porters coming to check on her, her trembling finger pointing down the line. Gordon looked to see one single Warclaw coming down the track, its claw up and its teeth gritted together.

"Great scot!" cried Mount Callim in alarm, "it must have followed you all the way here!"

"Protect the engines!" called a diesel, who was sitting in front of the broken engines at the platform, and the other engines also protecting them all grew stern faces, but all looked fearful in their eyes. Gordon could tell that they feared for their lives. More and more people came to the mainline's sides to see the monstrosity of what they had created as it slowly crawled up to the station. It then stopped a few hundred yards away from it. It glared coldly at all the engines, then began to move closer, it growl viciously.

"Stop!" demanded Gordon, "not one more wheel turn!"

The Warclaw halted but continued to growl loudly. Other engines began to come back to the station and soon the station, points leading to the station, and entrance to the yard were packed with engines, steam, and diesel. Edward and Thomas looked worriedly nearby, they have experienced the wrath of Warclaws.

"I have never seen one look so... emotional," said Thomas.

"...I have," said Edward, a pained expression coming to him, remembering his own experience.

Gordon pretended to not have heard them and cleared his throat. "The law prohibits you from entering this station," he called to the Warclaw, "you cannot come here."

"I can," snapped the Warclaw.

The robotic voice was gone, a more desperate tone of voice came from the Warclaw, his red eyes still glaring at the engines, who gossiped to each other about the unnatural behaviour of the Warclaw. The drug was not affecting him anymore. "I recognise your face," said Gordon slowly, "you were one of the Warclaws who caught me that evening with the other three engines, I also saw you run back into the designated yard when we faced off last evening as well."

"One?" said Mount Callim, "were there others who ran?"

"No," snapped the Warclaw, "just me now. I watched Diesel 11 run back into the yards with me, she died there and then. The first of us, falling to our mind."

The Warclaw looked like it was about to grieve, and before Gordon could open his mouth to speak, the Warclaw reposed himself and returned to glaring at the engines with a burning rage. "You all couldn't submit!" he yelled, "could not accept change! Could not accept that you all will die and be replaced by more modern machines!"