~1955~
It was dark evening on Sodor, autumn time had arrived and now the green leaves were turning organs and yellow. With the flowers dying out and brown earth fields were seen across the island.
Henry waited next to the first platform at Tidmouth. He was to take the final passenger train for the night before Edward and Gordon's night train services.
The big green engine was waiting at the platform patiently, when he heard a familiar voice.
"Hullo Henry! Been a while, hasn't it?"
Henry beamed brightly, his mood shone up so fast that it could beat an the Mallard.
"Wilbert Awdry!" exclaimed Henry, "yes of course it has been so long!"
Wilbert chuckled. "Listen," he said, "I'll be taking the train to Vicarstown, so when you get there, I want to have a private conversation with you at the sheds there."
"I wonder why?" chuckled Henry.
Wilbert smiled, but as he got into a coach, it changed to pitiful glance at the green engine.
Henry stormed the island, his speed ever increasing as he travelled along the mainline. He reached the station at the other end of the line just before the moon had risen from the sea.
But when as he was waiting for the passengers to disembarked, he saw a London Midland engine with BR green, standing sadly in the old station pilot siding.
"What's up with them?" he pondered. Then the stationmaster came up to his crew.
"I'm sorry about this," he said, "but right now an engine was going to take a train to Glasgow but has failed, you're the only engine available so you'll have to take it."
Henry gaped. "I can't," he said, "I have trains here to look after!"
"I'm sorry," replied the stationmaster, "but right now these passengers need to get to their destinations and with how British Railways is showing the public on how 'reliable' they are, we need this urgently. Don't worry control will have everything sorted after you've returned when you reach the end of your trip."
Henry sighed, and stubbornly agreed. Wilbert was surprised to see Henry back down into another train half an hour, especially one that was heading in the direction of the mainland.
"Sorry Wilbert," apologised Henry, but engines breaking down and all sorts. Can the news wait."
Wilbert looked at Henry, then smiled. "Of course," he said kindly.
Henry smiled back, and with a blast of his whistle, he left the station with long and heavy train. Wilbert watched with his glasses sparkling under the moonlight.
***
I and the most of the other engines were a bit shocked on Henry leaving to go to Scotland for a while. But once being told on why, we understood.
We just continued our daily routines with even not having Henry.
Eagle the midland engine tended to help out on the work whilst the fleet had lost an engine. Even Ava was allowed sometimes encase necessary.
A week later we were still managing to keep the workload going. One night, I was in the yards with Peter and Ava. I was to take a small handful of goods until I reached Killdane, where one of the electric engines would take the rest on down their branch line.
Peter and Ava were just there to see me off and have small talk. Well only one for talking.
"Y'know," started Peter, "that the Americans do this trick or treat thing for halloween."
"Really?" I replied, "what's it all about?"
"Well children will go in costumes around their neighbourhood, go around to houses and ask for sweets and all sorts," answered Peter.
I rolled my eyes with a chuckle. "Oh dear," I said, "that would be troublesome over there, just buying sweets for strange children in costumes to take them away!"
Peter laughed. He then looked over at Ava, who had remained solemn. "Ava?"
The western tender engine jumped, she grinned brightly. "You startled me!" she said, "now what were you saying."
I sighed with a faint smirk, lightly on my lips. "I guess I better be off," I said, "I'll see you two later!"
"Yes of course!" called Peter, "goodbye Duck!"
I puffed down the mainline, sometimes stopping unless I was to shunt my trucks into sidings at stations or because of signals, waiting to give the all clear.
I was soon pat halfway and had just gone past Maron station. "I don't need to stop at Cronk," I said to myself, "so you'll just go past and get to Killdane straight away, then a lovely refill of coal and water and then I head my way back to Tidmouth."
I soon came to the viaduct, which headed over a ravine with a reasonable river with hard rocks that any engine, built with the strongest metal, could be killed instantly.
I went around the bend, and headed straight towards it.
Suddenly, the air became oddly cold all of the sudden and the some other reason, it got darker too.
"Did you notice that driver?" I called.
"That it just got darker? Yeah."
I began to head onto the viaduct. But as I did, I began to hear screaming. Yells of horror and oh it was just horrible.
"What is happening?!" I yelled.
My driver and fireman couldn't answer for the sound was deafening their own ears, whilst the twisted voices went down my funnels and bounced around in my smokebox.
"ARGH!!" I came to a sudden stop, not even slowing down, I, going at forty-five miles an hour, just stopped on the middle of the viaduct. I gasped in shock, whilst my crew were taken down to the ground, getting knocked out by hitting my hard, metal controls.
"Rich! Gareth!" I cried. Then I saw something, appear, it seemed to be a red sparks, just coming out of nowhere, in the middle of a viaduct, up in the air.
My eyes widen as more appeared and eventually. The sparks took shape of an engine, it came charging at me. I yelled loudly as he came screaming wildly to me. But when it touched me, it immediately disintegrated. I suddenly felt myself shot forwards, I felt lucky when my driver became conscious and manage to stop only a few miles away from Killdane.
A big, navy blue electric engine was waiting in the yards impatiently for me to arrived. I came charging in and came to a sliding stop. Bashing the trucks too.
The electric engine stared. "What's up with you?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said immediately, "just thought I was... late."
"Well you would've," sighed the electric engine, "I thought you would've never make at this point."
"Am I late?"
"No, just in time," said the electric engine.
"Ross," I growled.
"What! When an engine isn't early, they're late!"
I whooshed steam at him and puffed off.
***
I didn't sleep well that night, and kept it secret. But when I came to Knapford junction to give some empty wagons to them, I gave in once Toby noticed something wrong and Percy persuading me.
I explained it all to them, Percy was in awe whilst Toby was unsure.
"That's very... abnormal," he said, "are you sure that's what you saw?"
"Positive!" I cried, "I would never imagined that sort thing!"
"What's all this about?"
I looked over to see Thomas entering the station with his coaches behind him.
"Nothin-"
"Duck says he saw a ghost!" exclaimed Percy quickly.
Thomas laughed almost immediately. I rolled my eyes whilst Toby gave a scowling look at the small engine who blushed wildly.
"A ghost?" said Thomas, getting out of his fit. "Well Duck! And I thought you thinking Duck was a good name! Now you thinking off ghosts! Pah!"
"This is serious Thomas," said Tony sternly, "you must understand, Duck won't think of imagine these things up, and it doesn't even sound like a ghost!"
"Then what was then?"
"Red sparks floating in the air, on the viaduct! It took a form of an engine, it made me... it made me..."
"It made him stop suddenly!" continued Percy, "and he said he was going at forty-five miles an hour!"
Thomas scoffed. "That's nonsense," he said, he then looked over at Duck. "Do you have another train to take tonight then?"
"Yes," I replied, "it'll be going to Kellsthorpe Road though."
"I'll take it then," said Thomas boldly, "let's see if you're telling truth."
Duck watched crossly, as Thomas puffed out of the station to the water tower nearby. Toby sighed, slightly annoyed with Thomas.
"Sorry Duck," he said, "Thomas' ego has taken a rise... again."
I smiled. "It's fine, really," I replied, "I don't think Thomas ever took a liking to me anyway."
I started to head back to Tidmouth, bunker first. Unbeknownst got me, Percy and Toby looked at each other with knowing glances.
***
Thomas the Tank Engine waited in the yards, only Gordon was there to see him off. The two engines hadn't seen each other for a while and it was nice to talk to each other again.
But the news of the red sparked ghost came quickly around the island. Thomas was glad that Gordon also found it ridiculous.
"Duck just finds things boring when it gets quiet in the yards," said Gordon, "he just wants gossip to come around."
"It could hit international," Thomas added, "if he is lying, which would be the case - he should shut up before he get embarrassed by the press finding out he was faking it!"
"Indeed," agreed Gordon.
"But it's true!" Gordon and Thomas groaned as they looked back to the line of trucks.
"All the trucks from that train say it was real!" exclaimed the truck, who had yelled out previously.
"Yeah!" said another, "they all keep saying the exact same thing that waddling pannier is talking about!"
It was a few seconds of a pause. Then Thomas whistled loudly. "Of course! It makes perfect sense!"
"It does?" said Gordon.
"The trucks set Duck up!" explained Thomas, "tricked him! Fooled him! Duck is a bit... delusional."
Gordon sighed. For some reason, he didn't see that as the true reason. I was grateful that he knew I wouldn't believe the trucks, even though he did believe the trucks later on, in a later year.
Thomas had soon left with a smug look on his face. "Wait till a see Duck," he said triumphantly, thinking he had solved the case of the red sparked ghost.
He did the task of what I would've done, with eagerness to get to the viaduct. He even rushed past Maron, almost teaching his top speed.
"Slow down Thomas!" called his driver, "We don't want to get knocked out and be sent for the hospital for the night!"
Thomas sighed, my fireman had been taken to hospital for hitting his head too hard on some of my controls and was still in there, whilst I had a relief.
The tank engine slowed down, but grumbled as he did so. He soon came to the bend before the viaduct. "Here we go," he smirked slyly, "I won't be scared, I'll be brave and bold! That sounds so dumb actually, I'll never say that again."
He focused hard as his wheels spun along the bending rails. Trucks clattering behind, whispering anxiously behind Thomas.
Thomas sighed, the trucks were ruining the silence. He just finished going round the bend now and was just heading towards the viaduct straight.
One of the trucks moaned in fear. "WILL YOU-"
Thomas stopped speaking suddenly. Air had became incredibly colder than before. His driver immediately applied the brakes to slow Thomas down, and put his hand on the control lever so to switch so the tank engine will be in his own control.
Thomas then noticed that his surroundings had became pitch black, only the viaduct was seen. He began to slowly puff across it, he was at a crawling pace now. He looked down the ravine, he felt like if he fell down it, it will be forever bottomless. His driver than switched Thomas to control and the tank engine soon came halfway across.
Then all of a sudden, Thomas stopped. His driver and fireman held firmly onto the sides of cab, none being knocked out. The trucks gasp and cried out in fear.
Thomas began to shake. "Th-there's no such thing as ghosts!" he quavered.
"Or is there?"
Thomas jumped. "WHO'S THERE??!!" he yelled.
He tried to move further through the darkness, but he could barely move, even with him under his own control. The driver and fireman ducked down and tried to hide in the cab, in fear of their lives.
"Thomas, the tank engine! It's been a while."
"WHO ARE YOU?"
"Ahhh, you have forgotten me. Shame, after all, the accident I was in should've made you all suffer!"
Thomas gasped. "S-S-"
He could barely finished as a demonic laugh came echoing through the valley.
"It's me."
The sound of a familiar, yet impossible to be heard whistle echoed around Thomas. The tank engine shivered with fear. Then red sparks came from nowhere and began to dance at the end of the viaduct.
"Help!" shrieked Thomas, "someone!"
The sparks then began to form the shape of an engine, then black dust began to cloud the red sparks to give it more of a form.
"Beware!" echoed the voice, coming from the engine, "for the spectre of the viaduct won't stop, until his revenge!"
The red sparks and black mist then pounded the rails and charged at Thomas. The blue tank engine watched in horror.
"HELP!!!" he cried one final time, and shut his eyes, waiting for terror he would occur.
But another sound was heard, it sounded like something burst, but Thomas didn't dare open his eyes. But when he did, he was surprised to find himself still on the viaduct, with nothing else on it at all. The darkness soon showed the stars and moon, and the air became less colder than before.
Thomas than shot forwards, just the exact same way as I did. But once his entire train went off the bridge, the momentum stopped and Thomas went back to his crawling pace when he went over the viaduct. But the tank engine didn't keep that speed, and pounced off, not even daring to look back.
***
Unlike me, Thomas didn't dare go back down the mainline the next morning, and refused to move out of the sheds at Kellsthorpe Road. The Fat Controller decided to check his number one engine later on, when he got word that Thomas' crew's family had filed a complaint of the driver and fireman barely even coming back that night. It was found out that they had stayed in Thomas cab the entire night, and refused to move only for keeping Thomas' fire going until his steam would finally die out when dawn came.
"What's the matter Thomas?" asked the Fat Controller, "you looked like you've seen a ghost!"
Thomas looked down at his controller and blinked a couple of times. The Fat Controller sighed. "This is ridiculous," he said, "first Duck, and now you! I can't have engines get scared of some bumps in the night on the viaduct Thomas! We have a railway to run after all!"
Thomas remained quiet and looked away. Some workmen managed to get Thomas' crew out of the cab and took the shaking men to the nearest hospital to be checked over. The Fat Controller left too, he had to keep the railway running and decided that Thomas will stay out of action for the day.
***
The trucks weren't as quiet as Thomas though, they screamed and yelled about it to the other trucks and soon people and engines heard about the event that unfolded that night.
I returned to Tidmouth after midday, Gordon was there, he had just returned from pulling the express and looked cross.
"Where have you been?" he asked sternly.
"Helping on the Ffarquhar branch line for the morning," I replied, "with Thomas not in service today, there'll be some backlog today with only Toby and Percy running the line."
Gordon groaned. "I don't understand it," he said.
"Understand what?"
"Before Thomas was about to leave, he was sounding like it was nonsense! But after the run, he won't barely get out of Eagle's shed! It's not like Thomas to believe in the supernatural."
"I don't too," I replied, "but yet it seemed so... real!"
Gordon then stared at me, suspiciously. "You saw something on the viaduct the night before Thomas did," he said.
"Yes," I confirmed, "I'm confident with that."
"And yet, you were completely fine! Well not totally, you were quiet until Toby talked to you."
"I was," I agreed, understanding where the big blue engine was going. "And yet, Thomas seems traumatised with his."
"Plus all the trucks from both your trains are saying the same thing too," added Gordon.
Both of us stared at each. We didn't say anything else, and went our separate ways until next time we'd meet. But we did know something was up.
***
At the end of the day, Gordon came to pick up Thomas and take him to Tidmouth. His driver and fireman were needed to go to a clinic to have their mental health be regained after last nights horrors and this meant that a relief crew will be taking place whilst Thomas and I will switch places until his crew returned.
Eagle had already shunted Thomas into place for Gordon to push from behind and as the big engine coupled up, he felt Thomas' buffers were cold.
Eagle watched from nearby. "He's been like this all day," he said to Gordon, "he's been resting, but when he has been, he's just shivers and whimpers."
"I see," said Gordon, collection all the information into his smokebox. "Thank you Eagle. I'll take it from here."
He began to push Thomas back to Tidmouth. Eagle felt a little concerned.
***
Thomas began to agitated when going coming towards the viaduct. "It's getting darker," he said nervously to Gordon, the first time speaking throughout the entire day. "Could you go a little faster?"
"I don't think I will," replied the big engine, "you need to relax little Thomas."
"Well I can't unless I'm heading to that hell hole!"
Gordon sighed. "What did you even see there that made you all frightened up?"
"It was him."
"Him?" repeated Gordon, "and who is him?"
"Well who else might it be?" exclaimed Thomas.
"I don't know Thomas, I have no idea!" growled Gordon.
"Well you'll see," replied Thomas stubbornly.
Gordon made the wise choice to subside and carry on puffing towards the viaduct. At last when he got there. He felt a force. He gritted his teeth and winced a tiny bit, Thomas' eyes began to shake in fear.
"Well, hear we go," he said to Gordon.
Both engines crossed the viaduct. The evening had suddenly darkened quicker but they both could still see the sun going down. The air was colder, but not as cold than Thomas expected. Gordon then felt a force that was making him beg to stop, it was like chains grabbing his wheels and trying to hold him back from moving any further.
The big engine growled. "More power driver!" he yelled.
His driver obliged, and Gordon managed to continue.
"Ah Gordon, so big, so strong, so proud. You never give up, don't you?"
Gordon eyes widen. He recognised that voice, oh too well.
***
I was buffering up to Annie and Clarabel, ready to take the return train to the top station. I then the power of steam coming from the mainline. I raised an eyebrow, whilst passengers looked too.
The next thing I saw was Gordon shrieking, with Thomas in front. The big engine applied his brakes hard, he rushed past me and came to stop outside the platform. He began to reverse, quickly.
I stared at Gordon as he came to stop right near me.
"I see you're eager for something," I said, it was for a slight joke but Gordon ignored it completely.
"It's all true!" he panted.
"All true?"
"The viaduct Duck," groaned Thomas, his wheels ached from being pushed at full speed from the place he had just mentioned. "He's seen it all!"
"All? It's barely night time!"
"I didn't see it," said Gordon, snapping a quick glare at Thomas. "But I did hear it."
"Hear?" I questioned, "like the screeching and groaning of someone in agony?"
"What? No!" exclaimed Gordon, "I heard a voice."
"The exact same voice I heard when I went across the viaduct," added Thomas.
"I've heard it before," Gordon continued, "he knew my name and I know his."
"Beg your pardon?" I said, "you know this... thing."
"Thing? More like ghost!" said Gordon.
"I don't know why he's appeared now," said Thomas, "but it makes total sense for him to be there."
"Who are we're talking about?!" I cried out.
"...Right of course you weren't hear at the time," said Thomas, he was going to continue, but Gordon cut him off, more frantically speaking than Thomas' semi-relaxed tone.
"He was apart of the worst accidents on the island!" Gordon said, "he fell from the viaduct in 1924 and once ran the Kirk Ronan line before Eagle!"
"WHO IS HE?!" I asked, loud enough and more frustrating for Gordon to actually listen.
"Like I said," he replied, "the engine who fell off the viaduct. Samson!"
***
Whistles and shouts were heard across the yards. Either the whistles from the ex-North Western Railway, or ex-London, Midland & Scottish Railway, and even ex-Great Western with my whistle still not been replaced by a Sudrian tone one.
"This is absorbed Gordon!" cried James, "first Duck, then Thomas, and now you! Whatever is this railway coming too!"
"Trust me James," said Toby, "you would be the exact same if you went along that viaduct at night."
"Poh," scoffed James, "you all are just maniacs!"
"Oh shut up James," growled Eagle, "you're becoming very dislikable around here."
"Because I'm thinking this realistically," James snapped, "would you believe it? An engine that died thirty-two years ago comes back now? I mean, seriously?"
There was silence around the sheds. Nobody said a word, all whistle had stopped blowing after James' speech. The red engine groaned crossly, then turned his eyes to Gordon.
"If Henry was here he'll understand that this is a bunch of... of... malarkey!"
"Well this isn't James," said Gordon, "and you won't understand about what has happened with us when Samson died that day."
"So... when did he die?" asked Percy.
"1924 Percy-"
"No I mean, what month, and what day!"
Gordon pondered. "I don't really remember," he said.
"October, the thirty-first."
Everyone turned to see Edward puff in. His face... agitated, like he was in an aftermath from all the shock that came to him when it was revealed that the spectre on the viaduct was really an engine from a forgotten time.
He looked around every single engine. "That is the night of halloween, his death day."
"And that's tomorrow!" exclaimed Percy.
"Well done Percy!" called James, "you can tell what date it is!"
"Shut your gob James," wheeshed Eagle. James growled crossly.
"Let's think this the easy way then," he said, "since every engine that works on these parts of the Sudrian rails, of has history with this... hoax! Firstly, it's been more than three decades since his death, why would he appear now? And secondly, demons don't exist, I mean nobody has encountered them at all in this world!"
"Well we did encounter a demon," said Thomas.
"Those were probably delusions!" replied James, "and what about my first reason them hmph?"
"Apparently in London," I began, engine's eyes all staring at me. "That it takes time for a soul to reattach itself. It's said how brutal the kill is, the quicker it shall be. This engine must've had a horrific fate."
"Smashed into a pointy boulder face first," spoke Eagle, "he was cut up on the spot, nobody dared to bother how to do it. The scrappers just cut until the shell could be take up the embankment."
"The demon must also feel resentment, anger and sorrow," I carried on, "so much for someone that it would power his soul to reattach."
"Well there's an explanation to this," said Toby, "but we just need to know how to get rid of him!"
"We could always try talking?" said Percy.
"Or just get everyone from Vicarstown? Y'know, it's in the name."
"Hahaha, very funny James," said Thomas.
James harrumphed.
"Y'know James?" sighed Gordon crossly, "if you're just going to bug us about this why don't you just shut up and leave?"
"That seems fine to me!" replied James, "anyone with actual sense can bloody well join me if they like?"
No said anything, only flares were given to the red engine.
James rolled his eyes. "Suit yourselves," he mumbled and puffed off.
Thomas took a deep breath. "He surely is in a mood," he huffed out.
"Don't know why he's like that," said Toby.
"Maybe because of his experience in the first world war?" questioned Peter, "we all know he's quite sensitive to those sort of subjects."
"I honestly don't know," said Edward, "but right now, we have to focus on Samson. Any ideas?"
"Well..." said Toby shyly, "I might have one."
"It's going to be than no plan at all Toby," replied Gordon, who saw under Toby's shyness. "Give is what you think we should do!"
"Thank you Gordon," smiled Toby, then turned back to the fleet of engines at the sheds. "We'll know what vicars do when there's demons about, don't we?"
***
Toby explained the plan to us all, and we arranged ourselves to do which job.
We all huddled together in the shed that night too.
Frighten on whether that Samson would come knocking at the shed doors. James didn't return, probably went to the Sudrian Fort to see his beloved engine. Once it was daylight, we went off to work.
None of us said anything, but I felt the tension and nerves within the air when we were around each other. By evening, Gordon and Thomas were at Vicarstown, Peter also. But the big engines' conversation wasn't what you'd expect.
"I'm sorry Gordon," said Peter sympathetically, "but I just got to make sure she'll be fine."
"Peter," groaned Gordon, "we need you with us. You're the engine that would help us at this time."
Peter sighed. "Gordon," he said, "but as you may have noticed, Ava hasn't been herself for a while. It might even be this Samson that's possessing her!"
"Yes and?"
"Well, well..." Peter stammered, red spread to his cheeks. "I'm just worried about her. Have you ever felt worried about so someone so much, that you can't leave them until you feel they're safe or better?"
Gordon paused, then sighed. "Alright then," he replied, "be quick back to Tidmouth then. We don't want you to get caught on the viaduct tonight."
Peter smiled. "Thank you."
He puffed off, light engine and rushed past Thomas. The tank engine was on one of the arrival and departure tracks, waiting for Gordon to get ready.
He was surprised to see the 8F rush by him with no hello like he usually would. Gordon the big engine came up alongside.
"Where's he going?" asked Thomas, directing his glare to Peter who had just turn a corner and out of site.
"Peter's worried about Ava," replied Gordon, "he wants to make sure she's alright tonight."
Thomas scoffed. "He doesn't hide his feeling to her very well," he said, "and we needed another engine as well to come on him our side of the viaduct too."
"I've actually got a backup engine if either Peter and I couldn't make it," admitted Gordon.
"Really?"
"Oh yes," Gordon replied, "my driver just went to him to tell him and his crew that he'll be joining us."
"And who is him?" asked Thomas, suspicious on how Gordon wasn't looking best pleased.
"We know him," said Gordon, "but we don't have a great bond with him."
Thomas' brow furrowed, thinking on who it would be. He was so focused that he didn't hear the sounds of an engine approaching them. Until he heard the voice.
"Well hello Thomas and Gordon!"
Thomas' face dropped. He looked over to see Reginald the Euston Engine puff up to them.
"It's been a while hasn't it," Reginald continued , "when was the last time I was on this island? Two years ago I believe."
"Yes," said Gordon, "so my driver has told you what we're up against tonight."
"Well of course," snorted Reginald.
"Are you in?"
"Well I have nothing better to do! Then sit with those... dirty branch line engines-"
"Thanks a lot Reginald, clearly not showing how grateful you are on not sleeping in a siding than a shed!"
"I was only here to pull a train to Vicarstown," replied Reginald, glaring daggers at the tank engine. "Then sleep here for the night and go home next day. Not chase a blooming demon off a viaduct straight after arriving here!"
"You've been here two hour Reginald," signed Gordon, "don't you know how time tables work?"
Before Reginald could reply with a remark, Gordon interrupted.
"Go and find a turntable and turn around," he ordered, "then meet us back here."
Reginald would've said something else, but with how Gordon was looking at him, he decided not to. He puffed off, muttering under his breath. Thomas then looked back at Gordon.
"Him?!" he cried loudly.
"Only engine that's strong enough to not be busy with other matters or willingly help us," replied Gordon, "to be honest Thomas, I'm not happy with the idea either, he's a twat, yes, but he's strong enough to help keep Samson trapped from heading to the mainland."
Thomas harrumphed, and remained quiet until Reginald returned back the other way.
They soon started off, Reginald beginning to ask the question even before they exited the yard to the mainline.
Unbeknownst to them, the familiar engine in red watched them. He sighed and rolled his eyes. He then heard the trodding of stones and looked up to see a man he knew all too well walking up to him.
A little while later, Gordon, Thomas and Reginald were coming time the viaduct.
"So we're on this end of the viaduct," explained Gordon, "and Eagle, Edward and Duck are on the other."
"Why is this unbalanced?" asked Reginald.
"Because Samson will more predictably try and get to the mainland when he could be able to fully reattach his soul and be free from the viaduct."
"Right, who's Duck?"
Thomas rolled his eyes. Gordon sighed. "A new engine, now shut up!"
They rounded the final corner to the viaduct. Suddenly, Gordon felt his wheels be dragged by a strange force. He grunted and applied his breaks. He was slowing, but wasn't suppose to slow this slow!
Gordon braked harder, his driver even considering to take over the controls. But Gordon managed to stop he and Thomas just a few yards from going over the viaduct.
Thomas sighed with relief.
Suddenly, Reginald bashed Gordon from behind, making Gordon skid way further than he should've.
Gordon looked furious. "What are you doing?" he whispered, trying to calm himself so to make sure Samson wouldn't hear them.
"Some force thingy court me and couldn't stop properly," replied Reginald.
"That makes sense but why are you behind us, when you're suppose to be next to us!"
"You never said anything about that!"
"Oh shut up and go back to the nearest points to switch onto the other track. And hurry!"
Reginald grumbled back down the line. Meanwhile, Eagle, Edward and I were all on the other side of viaduct. Seeing Thomas and Gordon arriving gave us some relief, but not being able to see Reginald was a bit worrying.
"Think something's wrong?" asked Eagle.
"I don't know," Edward answered, "but I don't think it really matters anyways!"
I looked at each other, I was right behind Eagle who Edward was next to. "What do you mean by that Edward?" I asked, the blue engine never really spoke liked that, it was less... energetic and more sadder and nervous.
I couldn't be able to see his face,band never really asked what was on his face. But he only replied.
"My train was the one that crashed into Samson, I was too careless to-"
"Edward," interrupted Eagle, "you do know that the coupling to the front truck on your train was faulty."
"Yes, but I should've checked, I could've done anything to that to stop it from happening," cried out Edward sadly.
I looked over towards the sun, it was now being swallowed up by the near by the hills and would gone by a few minutes.
"It wasn't your fault Edward," sympathised Eagle, "don't blame it all on yourself."
A few minutes later, the sun had completely went down. The air suddenly went colder, and surroundings we could've seen from a few yards away, we couldn't. Only the viaduct and the embankment, as well as Thomas and Gordon.
Then the sparks appeared, forming an engine, then black mist came. It covered the red, sparking lines.
There was a bang! We all jumped in terror, as Samson fully showed himself to us. His iris completely black, and his pupils glowed red, at Thomas the tank engine and Gordon the big engine.
"Hey all!" he said demonically, "nice to see you again."
He shot forwards at light speed coming straight towards Thomas and Gordon. Both engines gasp in horror. But as Samson was about to get off the viaduct, a clear white sheet of shield blocked him from touching Thomas' buffer.
Samson growled angrily. "Oh of course, now fully attached yet aren't I?"
"You know why we're here Samson," called Gordon from behind Thomas, "leave and never return."
Samson cackled a laugh. "Why should I?"
"Because you're not wanted here, you had your life, now except your death."
"Bullshit."
Silence came among the valley, Samson's red eyes glowed within the darkening sky.
"A demon's soul can't be unattached," he said wickedly, "there are a few... ways to do it."
"Haha, why don't you tell us then!"
Samson laughed harder, his voice echoing out of his mouth.
"Thomas the tank engine," he said, "it's been a while, then again, I never really saw you out of your station."
"Run my own line now," sniffed Thomas, trying not to show the fear within his eyes. "And what's happened to yours? Got given it the day after your crash!"
Samson's smiles snapped to a frown. He turned around, and sped to the speed of light to the other side of the viaduct. The clear white shield sparkled as he came a centimetre close to it. He glared at Eagle, right in the eyes.
"Red bastard managed to get my branch line so quickly."
Samson looked at Edward, not saying a word, and then looking behind to see me.
"Ah, you must be that engine I saw from a few nights ago. And by the looks of that emblem on your tanks, I guess the fat hat never learnt on building his own engines."
"A lot of things have changed since you've gone Samson," said Edward, "it's best if you don't jump to conclusions."
Samson sneered at the blue engine. "That's lovely Edward," he said, "now toddle off now would you? I ain't got time for a ghost expert."
"Your a demon Samson," replied Edward, "now tell me, how are you even a demon?"
"Like all demons arrive," replied Samson, "but it's a lot harder for engines. Imagine how long big blue trying to get his soul back together again?"
"Yeah," said Eagle, "totally."
"Now, onto what I want to talk about," smirked Samson, "it'll only take a few more minutes before be fully completely attached my soul."
"Then what?"
"Then," Samson chuckled, glaring his glowing red eyes at me. "I'll be free from this hell viaduct! Go and create chaos on the mainland and be-"
"That's your plan?" asked Eagle, "sounds quite stupid if you ask me!"
Samson was taking about. "Say that again," he dared.
"You death or something?" sniggered Eagle.
Dark mist came out of Samson in random places. "You trying to aggravate me?"
"Nah, aggravating you is like saying dam in front of a vicar," chuckled Eagle, "you were a joke back then Samson!"
We all knew the plan, Toby explained to us that either side must aggravate Samson and make him so furious he would chase Eagle, Edward and I go him and Percy, who were at Cronk station.
And by the looks of things, it was working. Eagle was saying things that made the demon's eyes glow bright red.
"-I mean come Sammy!" carried on Eagle, he pulled a bigger smirk than before at Samson. "How would people be scared when they see your ugly miniature form!"
Samson bashed into the viaduct last shield. "Shut up." He all but growled.
"Ohhh, was that a threat!" sniggered Eagle, "you feel really threatening, but by the looks of things you can't even make it out a a tiny thin shield!"
Samson yelled a massive roar, similar to the ones I heard when I went onto the viaduct. I quivered, in fear.
Edward sighed. "Stop this Eagle," he said. He then looked over at Samson, who was staring daggers at Eagle.
"Please stop this Samson," Edward asked politely, "we can help you if you let us."
Samson looked up and down at Edward and sniffed. "No one can help me Edward," he replied, "but I can help you."
"Buzz off will ya Samson," scowled Eagle, wheeshing steam furiously. "Nobody even ca red about you after a week!"
Samson glowed brightly. The moon shone brightly with the stars to help decorate the sky.
"No one even cared about you, even when you were alive!"
"Eagle..."
"No wonder the cut up your remains on the spot! It wasn't a shame m, it was relief so not to put up with you!"
Samson shut his eyes tightly. "Shut up!"
"And to think even someone such a Satin would've given you a chance to be a demon. Such a waste and embarrassment to the demon king himself."
Samson reopened his eyes. This time, his pupils were redder than before, and the middle of them, glowing yellow too.
"I said. Shut. The fuck. UPPPPPP!!!!"
Dark mist whooshed out of him, with red sparks being sprayed from all directions with the mist. They all hit the shield, which glowed white every time when it was hit.
I suddenly noticed something. The shield had grown weaker, and now was going to break apart with cracks being seen through like a window.
"Fellas!" I called to Edward and Eagle, "I think it's best that we go now!"
"No!" cried Edward, "What have you done Eagle!"
"Told him the truth," said Eagle, and he began to puff backwards, bashing into me too and shoving myself away. Edward looked back, Samson still screaming out the mist and sparks, he too began to follow.
On the other side of the viaduct, Thomas was squinting his eyes, see the red sparks had caught the blue engines attention.
"What's he doing?" pondered Gordon.
"I don't really know," replied Thomas, "but, I predict, he's trying to bring down these barriers."
"Guess they've managed to provoke him then," said Gordon, he then realised something and began to pump steam into his pistons. "He'll be chasing after them then, and we'll be ready to chase him."
Thomas rolled his eyes and smirked. "He won't know what hits him them."
Gordon grinned back too. "No. No he wouldn't."
The entire barrier broke from the other end, and so did the one on the other side, Gordon pushed Thomas hard and the two of them charged after Samson.
The demon engine had paused, seeming to catch his breath. He would've refocused though, cause as Thomas and Gordon were about to hit him, he shot forwards and after us three.
What we all calculated was that Samson wasn't going his light speed as he did on the bridge. We all wondered why, but we knew he wasn't doing this on purpose, and gladly so.
We all but tore down the line, with Eagle helping me to keep up with the pace, whilst Edward rushed close behind. Samson followed at unnatural pace to his class basis. Whilst Thomas and Gordon riding behind us all, the big engine not going to his full speed.
"Come on Gordon!" shouted Thomas, "I know this isn't your top speed!"
"Me too!" replied Gordon, "but if I go too fast, your axle boxes will probably be damaged and I don't want that!"
"Well we need to go faster!"
Both engines then heard a familiar whistle that we weren't expecting to see on this night. Gordon's crew looked back and gasp.
"It's Henry!" cried the driver.
He was right, the green engine thundered down the line next to Thomas and Gordon, right where Reginald was suppose to be. He came up to the two engines.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" he called, "I've only been away for a few days and there's now demons haunting the viaduct?!"
"Not anymore!" Gordon called back, "now we've got a demon on the loose!"
Henry looked to where Gordon was glaring at. "Is that... Samson?!"
"Yeah, we'll explain later," replied Thomas, "now go on Henry! Show him how you've changed!"
The pistons that belonged to Henry beards harder and the green engine charged after Samson.
***
Toby and Percy were at Cronk station, both on the same line, Toby at front, and Percy at the back.
The two lines switched to a junction with two sets of track carried on down the mainline and the other pair went into a yard. There was also a loop track, so to allow engines to come off the mainline and wait until higher up trains go past them on their line.
"When will they show?" asked Percy.
"Soon," murmured Toby.
They then heard the beating of engines, then the screeching of brakes and I came from within the darkness with my back lamp glowing red as I came to a stop right next to Toby and Percy on the other platform. The points changed, and Eagle came across the junction and stopped right afterward going over it before entering the yards. The points were already set for Edward as he came across them and slowly puffed next to Eagle. Both old engines looked exhausted, with their old age they weren't meant to go that fast. Neither was I, but I wasn't suppose to go up to those speeds anyways!
Once the points were switched back for the mainline, Toby moved forwards.
"He's here earlier than expected!" I yelled to the tram engine.
"Makes the job easier then," replied Toby, as Samson charged through the darkness.
Samson hit Toby. But the reaction for it wasn't what the engines expected, red sparks clashed through golden sparks, and both demon and tram engine went backwards, Samson more from how fast he was going. Both engines remained unscathed, Samson looking furiously.
"How?" he demanded.
"Simple," replied Toby, "get a vicar to make an engine holy to god himself. Well, I joined Christianity now."
My jaw dropped. First demons and now gods and angles.
The rest of us had the same reaction. Samson glared angrily at us all. He being on the same track as Toby was like small old engines going to fight. But it was like that anyways.
Henry then suddenly appeared out of nowhere and came to a jolt right near Samson. Steam hazing wildly from his steam pipes.
"Hello Samson," he said, "yeah it's me Henry, I've changed a lot. You look you've changed too, but for the worse by the looks of things."
Samson then heard and pumping and moving pistons. He looked at all the engines and their crews who were either standing by the engines, in their cabs or on the station platform. He chuckled loudly.
"Good luck on getting me out of him," he all but said.
He ran backwards, red sparks flew out of him and he became mist. Right in front of Thomas. Gordon's speed stopped and he flung right backwards, like he hadn't been going the other direction at all. Thomas stayed still and Toby's eyes widen.
The mist had disappeared when going across Thomas' body. The tank engine looked up at Toby with a look on his eyes that he already knew what was about to happen.
"I feel weird."
The groaning of metal and screeching came all too suddenly. Thomas's crew flew out of their engine as Thomas' cab crushed inwards with nothing to show of the reason. His body began to vibrate, so quickly that only blurs were seen of him moving about. His face began to mash up, changing his face whilst he screamed in pain. His paintwork, slowly changing from that blue everyone had known to love, into a shiny silver. His red lining becoming bloodier, and his number one always changing from zero, to nine ever so quickly.
His face mangled so much that he it wouldn't even be called a face, for his right eye split in half, flesh taking over the gap the eye had created. His lips weren't even lips with flesh going over them making the top one fatter and fatter with his teeth and tongue not to be seen whilst he screamed in agony.
"GET OUT OF HIM YOU FUCKING SOCIOPATH!!" yelled a voice.
James came onto the loop track with Reginald carrying along behind him and go instead behind Henry's tender. The red engine stopped next to the green engine and Samson could all but stare at them both with wicked face that he was creating.
"No. He is mine to keep now."
The voice coming from the misshapen mouth sounded like Samson who was draining Thomas' screams. He sounded like he was having the time of his life and not even getting any pain from it.
"Now, now everyone. Let us all calm down."
Everyone looked to see the man everyone thought to not see tonight, come out of Henry's cab and walked right in front of the possessed, vibrating tank engine. His vicar robes shown to everyone that this means he was here to help them all, Wilbert.
Samson growled from out of Thomas' deformed mouth.
"Get out of Thomas' body," said Wilbert, "by the looks of things he strong and you're weak. You should've stayed on that viaduct a little while longer."
He turned to Eagle. "Did he break the barrier?"
"He broke the barrier," replied Eagle.
Wilbert shook his head. "You're not suppose to do that," he said, "that isn't right, you've made yourself powerless now, and by the looks of things, you are still in trying to possess Thomas."
Samson's growl was even louder than before. The left eye that was unharmed had now turned into one of Samson's demon eyes. The nose not going in on itself with sounds of the flesh bumbling making me cringe at the sound.
"One last chance," said Wilbert.
"I'll never get out of this body. EVER!!"
"Then forgive me then."
Wilbert pulled out the cross from under his robes. And held it up in front of Samson.
He murmured a few words and the exorcism started. With shrieks coming from Samson's voice now, Thomas' metal shell began to creak and groan with it going in and back out of itself. The silver and blue clashing into each other now, the zero then becoming more and more frequent than the other number digits, and finally with a slash of gold and red sparks, Thomas was shot backwards right into Gordon's buffers again.
Whilst Samson just stood there. He opened his eyes. Then he gasped and screamed an awe full sound in horror. As his once old demonic body, was now replaced by Thomas'. The silver paintwork was now in place with bloody red stripes and a number zero on each side of his tanks, red lining bleeding down them.
His face, a mangled form of his, Thomas and the deformed face they've made. I'll let your imagination go wild with what it looks like cause it was indescribable now.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY BODY??!!"
Wilbert sighed. "You were still in the process of possessing Thomas," he explained, still calm as he always was in serious situations. "Because of this, you gave great pain to Thomas and so you were taking too long that you would've been possessing a dead shell of an engine that would never move again."
Thomas' crew rushed to see if their engine was alright, to see if the mangled mess he was had disappeared.
The tank engine looked mostly back the way he was before Samson tried to take over his body. His face normal, and his metal shell was fine. The only thing was his paintwork was all scratched from all the bending and crunching Samson was doing to him.
Samson growled viciously again to all the engines.
"Samson, please," said Edward more confidently, "let us help you."
"NEVER!!"
"Fine," said Wilbert plainly, "I've got no choice but to destroy your soul."
He then pressed the cross to his lips, muttered words that no machine would understand. He threw the cross right at Samson, and with a shriek if terror and pain, a golden glow appeared before the demon. And with another yell that I still remember from that viaduct, he disappeared. The cross fell to the ground, the bright glow gone.
Wilbert picked it up from the ballast and checked all over.
"Is... is he g-gone?" whimpered Percy.
"Not sure Percy," replied Wilbert, "but let's hope so. If does come back, well, I don't know what to do next."
He then turned to Toby. "I guess you got your holy spell given to a local vicar?" he asked.
"Yes," replied Toby, "the vicar of Ffarquhar gave it to me before we left to come here. But it was just the one protection I had for the demon to hit me. Luckily, he was too crazy to think properly."
I then looked over to James and Henry. "How did you arrive?" I asked.
"I came back to the yards just after Thomas, Gordon and Reginald left," replied Henry.
James explained it all to me whilst I refuelled. By then, he told me what he was going to do. Take Wilbert and sort the matter himself.
"I thought you didn't believe in demons?" peeped Percy.
James sighed. "Wilbert did some convincing to help you guys out," he answered, "and by the looks of things, I do believe in them now."
"James suggested when Wilbert return that I'll take him on my cab," continued Henry, "when we came to the nearest set of points to switch tracks to the viaduct, Reginald was there. We both soon rushed after you guys and now here we are!"
"Yes we are," said Reginald, "that was insane!"
"It was."
All the engines, crews and vicar looked to see Thomas slowly waking up. His eyes droopy and the usual light grey face was completely pale.
"After all," the tank engine continued, "who'd had thought that Thomas the tank engine would be challenged by a demon?"
Black blood came out of his mouth in huge chucks and Thomas went back into being unconscious again.
***
It was a while until we all got over that particular night.
Some nights were worse than others, but we would sometimes get nightmares of Samson coming back to haunt us all.
Thomas has the worse of it though, he had to spend an entire fortnight at the works until he was better with his physical state. His mental state took longer though with having nearly a nightmare every single night.
Percy and Toby comforted while he went through this and the tank engine was eventually sent to the Brendam Branch to help Edward, who was also having the worse of it.
But with the help of Wilbert, both of them excepted on what happened a few weeks later and soon back to their old selves again.
Wilbert also helped some of us through the time as well. But he eventually would have to return to mainland England and left four weeks after the events which occurred on the Island of Sodor.
Ava didn't get better after Samson's defeat and would remain she was. Peter still had a close eye on her and would try his hardest to help her get better. Reginald left the same time around Wilbert. Shockingly, Gordon even thanked the Euston engine and they left on good terms.
I probably never bring this up again in my life, since it just brings back too many horrible memories. But just remember this, if you ever feel scared or lonely, just know that friends and colleagues will be beside you no matter what happens and that we all take of each other. As one.
A/N: I can't believe I did it! Took me a while but ah well. This is probably the longest story in a season to date and hopefully last in this book. Cause I am not doing this again.
Well I hope you all enjoyed this story.
And for your questions:
This was nearly at 9000 words.
Yes Samson was turned into Timothy.
Yes, Thomas puked black blood out of his mouth.
Was I trying to make scary? Maybe. It was more about mystery than horror. But I was trying to give you the scary image of Samson trying to possess Thomas.
Ava and Peter's arc won't be continuing on in this book, but in the next book for this big tale!
And Samson will return...
The next episode will be called: A Controller's Fleet. It'll probably be long as well, but not as long as this one!
Thank you all! And I'll see you all later!