Replaced
...
Fearless Freddie is an ancient steam engine on the Island of Sodor and he is also an old friend of Sir Handel. He is very fast for his age, strong and proud, but he also doesn't like being left out of things.
One Wednesday, Freddie was summoned to have a word with the Thin Controller at Skarloey Station. Freddie was surprised, but nevertheless, he made his way there and found Mr Percival waiting for him.
"Yes sir?" He asked somewhat nervously.
"Freddie, I'm afraid I need your help down at the Blue Mountain Quarry. Rusty's been taken ill- his diesel oil was contaminated. So you're needed to fill in for him there today." The Thin Controller explained gravely. Although he was sad at what had happened to the cheerful and clever little diesel, Freddie was thrilled at the opportunity to work somewhere new with his friends. "Yes sir!" He trilled.
"That's a good engine," Smiled Mr Percival. "Now hurry along- the other engines will need you." He added, not unkindly.
"Yes sir! Right away, sir," Answered Freddie, and he raced off as fast as he could to the Blue Mountain Quarry, where his friends were eagerly awaiting his assistance.
...
Meanwhile, the engines were upset what had happened to Rusty. Poor Luke in particular was very distraught at the fate that had befallen their dear comrade.
"Poor Rusty," Luke whispered sadly. "He looked so ill..."
"Cheer up, Luke- he just needs a change of fuel and a good clean, that's all!" Skarloey told him, in an attempt to reassure the youngest of the fleet.
"But that could take a whole day." Rheneas frowned. "And even if not, we'd still need another engine to help us for a few hours."
Just then, a loud whistle startled the engines from their conversation, and they looked up to see that it was none other than Fearless Freddie himself!
"Don't worry my friends- I'm here to help you!" Freddie announced boldly, blowing on his whistle loudly.
"Freddie!" The engines gasped, surprised to see him. They had expected Mighty Mac to come and help them, but nonetheless, they were pleased to have Freddie helping them out in a situation like this.
"Are you here to fill in for Rusty?" Luke inquired.
"Yes, I am, Lucas!" Freddie told him, beaming a big, broad grin.
But poor Luke just frowned in confusion on hearing Freddie say this. He was pleased that Freddie was helping them out, but why did Freddie call him Lucas?
"My name's Luke, not Lucas," He corrected politely. "If you don't mind me saying so."
"Oh, sorry Luke!" Freddie answered, laughing. "I do apologise- I've only seen you once when you came to our railway. And in my defence, I only saw you briefly."
"Fair enough," Conceded Luke casually.
"So, Skarloey, what are my duties for here, then?" Freddie asked jovially, looking to his friend.
"Well, you need to work with Owen the Incline to help lower trucks of stone." Rheneas cut in, before his brother could get a word in edgewise.
"Sounds easy enough," Freddie answered.
"Come on, I'll introduce you," Offered Luke kindly.
"Very well then, if you insist." The older engine told him, and he found himself being led away by an excited Irish Wren locomotive.
"Luke seems very keen," Observed Sir Handel.
"He always is." Peter Sam replied. "Even in his darkest times, he was never selfish- and that's still the case now."
...
Luke introduced Freddie to Owen, and the two got on famously. After Luke made his way back down to the Lower Terrace of the Quarry, Freddie soon found himself being questioned by the incline.
"So, Freddie, how long have you known the engines?" Owen asks curiously, looking over at Freddie with a friendly expression.
"Well, except for Luke, pretty much a few years." He answered. "Sir Handel I can remember in particular. I'd been working here for a while, and then I was loaned to another railway for 2 months. But the work was pretty tough, but I got home in one piece. However I needed an overhaul, due to my old age- plus the work I did when I was away, so I ended up in the works for an extensive overhaul. I met Sir Handel in there, and he told me about his time on the Talyllyn Railway in the 1980s. We've been friends since."
"I see," Murmured Owen thoughtfully.
From down below, Freddie saw Luke helping out Sir Handel, whose trucks were being difficult and refusing to budge.
"Thanks Luke! You're the best!" The blue engine told his friend as he felt his trucks moving again.
"It's nothing really, Sir Handel." Luke confessed bashfully, and he whistled goodbye as he hurried off to return to his own jobs.
Watching this encounter made Freddie feel upset- he hadn't seen much of Sir Handel now that he was still working on the Skarloey Railway, and he felt as though Luke was taking his place.
"Er, Owen, do you know why they brought Luke in, instead of getting another engine from the Railway to come here and help out?" He asked.
At this, Owen began coughing uncomfortably. "Well, the thing is, Freddy- I heard it was because the Thin Controller felt that a younger engine was capable of the work."
"But I am capable!" Spluttered Freddie. "I may be old, and not as fast as I was in my youth, but"-
"Of course, I don't mean that in an offensive way." Owen continued. "I expect the Thin Controller..." But he didn't know how to continue his statement, which only made Freddie feel even more jealous of the little green engine.
...
Later, he was allowed down from the Upper Terrace as it was lunch break for the workmen, and although Freddie wanted to stay away from Luke as much as possible, Owen insisted that perhaps he and Sir Handel would benefit from a catch up, he changed his mind and went down anyway.
"Hello Freddie!" Sir Handel greeted eagerly, as his friend joined the group of engines already gathered near the turntable.
"Hello Sir Handel!" Freddie replied in kind. He really was pleased to see his old friend again, and it looked like Sir Handel was pleased to see him, too. Maybe he had just overreacted before, about Luke replacing him. Yes, that was it- he'd just been silly.
"I haven't seen you in a long time," Sir Handel commented.
"Likewise, old boy," Freddie replied warmly.
"So how are you enjoying your work here at the Quarry?" Sir Handel asked.
"It certainly makes a change from all my normal duties back on the Skarloey Railway," Answered Freddie. "And Owen's a very agreeable chap, I must say." He added with a smile.
"Yes, he is!" Luke piped up eagerly. "He and Merrick are my best friends here!"
Freddie gave Luke a discerning look upon hearing him say this statement.
"I am sorry to say this, but I don't appreciate other engines butting in on conversations." He said.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Freddie," Luke replied, going red in the face. "I didn't mean to be rude."
"Yes- he just gets excited sometimes." Sir Handel explained hastily, but Freddie heard enough.
He wasn't normally stern with other engines, but his time here was making him feel insecure about his position as a Really Useful Engine and Sir Handel's friend.
He wasn't enjoying his time here at all- why couldn't he go back and work with Duke and Mighty Mac? He felt they liked him better.
"Freddie, are you okay?" Sir Handel asked in concern.
But the other engine ignored, and hurried off towards Owen to start work again. He rushed past Paxton who had been late from coming back from Brendam Docks.
"Gosh, what's gotten into him?" Paxton asked innocently.
"I don't know," Sir Handel answered gravely. "He's never been like this before."
But they heard a strange whimpering noise, and when Sir Handel looked round to ask Luke what that was, he found that the little engine had disappeared.
"Where did Luke go?" He asked Paxton.
"I think he was heading...yes I see him! He's heading for the tunnels! I can't see why, though. It's dark in there."
"Maybe that's what he needs right now," Sir Handel said, quiet despair lingering in his voice.
...
Meanwhile, Freddie was silent towards Owen as he brought full trucks of stone to the incline.
"Did I say something to offend you, Freddie?" Owen asked him in concern. "You've barely spoken since you came back here."
"It's nothing," Freddie sighed.
"Come on now, I know better than to believe that. You can talk to me, you know." Owen said sympathetically.
"Owen, I think I may be... no, it can't be. I never am."
"Never what, though?" His driver inquired.
"Jealous," Freddie answered.
His crew looked at one another. "Well, jealously is a complicated emotion to think about, as it can mean that you may be a bit jealous that someone is better at something than you but you can accept it and even use it as a motivator to improve, or it can potentially destroy friendships." His driver continued.
"Yes," His fireman agreed. "I've had a few messy examples with it myself. I never imagined myself to get jealous- ever, in my boyhood days, but when I was a teenager, well, I was both giving and receiving jealousy."
"Did it get any better?" Freddie asked quietly.
"Well, it did...I mean, I did lose a friend to it, but on the whole, I was able to work things out with my friends and we're still close today."
"And how did you work it out?"
"Well, we talked, of course." His fireman answered, patting Freddie's side comfortingly. "And that's exactly what you need to do with Luke."
...
Meanwhile, Luke was in the tunnels again, with Peter Sam and Sir Handel trying to coax him out.
"Come on, Luke, you can't stay in there forever," Peter Sam said reasonably.
"I did it before." A voice in the tunnel reminded him sadly.
"Well, yes, but this is different. Besides, how do you even know that he doesn't like you?"
"Well, he started acting strange after I showed up and interrupted your conversation." Luke sniffed. "I didn't mean to interrupt, honest!"
"I know that, Luke- you're not that sort of engine." Sir Handel replied soothingly. "We'll find out what's going on and then this can be sorted out. Are you going to come out now?"
"I doubt it, but thanks anyway." Luke replied.
"Well, this isn't working," Sir Handel muttered to Peter Sam.
"I'd best tell Mr Bailey- maybe he'd know how to help!" His friend offered, and with that, he made his way over to see the foreman.
...
Unfortunately, Mr Bailey didn't know how to get Luke out either. He tried coaxing and a bit of pleading, but the little engine wouldn't budge from his spot.
Eventually, he had to give up, as he refused to get an engine in there and pull him out- he was still traumatised by that incident when Duncan attempted to pull out of the tunnel and to the Steamworks in his early days at the quarry.
"We'll leave him for now, but do check on him if you can." Old Bailey told them. "I know it's not ideal, but he's very upset."
The two engines solemnly agreed to look out for their friend, and after saying goodbye to Luke and promising to come back when they could, they left to carry on with their jobs.
...
"I...don't know if I can face Sir Handel now." Freddie fretted. "I mean, I know it could have been worse, but I was much nicer to Luke last time..."
"Well, you can sort this out." His driver reminded him firmly. "Remember what Elvis said- you need to talk to Luke."
"Yes, Freddie, you do." Owen chimed in.
"Okay, I'll do it," The old engine decided, and he started to make his way down the hill.
...
When he arrived, however, he realised with dismay he had no idea where Luke was. The only green engine he could see milling about was Peter Sam, so that meant Luke was either hiding, or...
'What if he's left?' Freddie thought in a panicked voice.
"Hello Freddie!" A friendly tone called behind him, making him jump- but it was just Paxton.
"Paxton, you scared me!" Freddie complained harshly, and instantly winced at the sound of his voice, but the gentle diesel missed it completely.
"Is something wrong? You look very tense." He told him.
"Yes. I think- no, I definitely- made a mistake and I need to sort something out with Luke. I owe him an apology." Freddie explained.
"I see! Well, when he's upset, he usually hides in the, um, that back tunnel over there." He looked over at it, and sure enough, Freddie saw a faint lingering of steam in the tunnel mouth. It looked like a dragon, he noted. He felt that Sir Handel would love to trick George into thinking that dragons were real, but he knew he was side tracking.
"Thanks Paxton!" He called out, and hurried over to the tunnel in question.
"Luke, can I talk to you, please?" He requested softly.
A quiet wheesh was all he could hear in the tunnel. He took this to be a good sign, and continued speaking.
"Luke, I just want to say that I'm really, really sorry for before. I was jealous of you."
"Why me, though?" Luke asked from inside his cave. "I don't have anything for anyone else to be jealous of."
"I just... well, I was talking to Owen and he told me about why you came to Sodor, and I felt that I was losing my youth. In fact I still am." He joked, and he gave a brief smile to try and lighten the mood, before continuing. "But it was my friendship with Sir Handel I became worried about. He's one of my closet friends, you see, and we've been friends for years. I didn't want to lose that."
Silence...then...
"I would never consider taking anyone's friends from anyone else." Luke said, his voice trembling. "I didn't have a good start on Sodor. I thought I was indirectly responsible for sending an engine to the scrapyard, and I was terrified to admit what I'd done for fear of leaving Sodor forever. But Skarloey, Rheneas, Sir Handel, Peter Sam Rusty and Duncan were all kind to me. They made me feel at home, made me laugh, and helped me when I cried..." He trailed off, and although Freddie couldn't see his face, he could tell that the young engine was smiling at the memories.
"They became a family to me. Even when I thought I would be rejected by all who met me, they proved that they definitely know what it means to be a good friend. I could never ever expect myself to pay back every act of kindness they shown me during that time- and they're still my friends now, even after I was exonerated from the incident- it turned out the engine was Victor from the Steamworks, and he told me it was all an accident and that I wasn't to blame."
Freddie was smiling now, except he also had tears in his eyes.
"That's the saddest story I've ever heard, Luke, but I'm glad it all worked out in the end. I became friends with Handel because he was due in there for repairs to his brakes. I was in there too, getting an overhaul and I smiled, and said hello. He didn't say much at first, but as he got stuck there for a while we just started chatting. He told me about some of his adventures in Wales, like how he wore an eyepatch."
He heard a giggle from within the blackness. "I never heard about this!" Luke exclaimed.
"Well, he did, believe it or not. Anyway, we just sort of got on, even though we had workmen telling us that we were an odd pair."
"Well, so are Rheneas and Skarloey." Luke added with a hint of glee. "Yet they get along just swell."
"Anyway, seeing as we diverted from the subject, I'm... really sorry Luke. I didn't mean to get jealous. I just... well, I didn't want to lose friendships and sit on the side-lines, you know?"
"I know what you mean. During my time in the tunnels, I thought I would lose my friends as keeping my secret got very overwhelming for them- but they never gave up on me, and Sir Handel wouldn't give up on you, either."
...
Luke was right- when Freddie explained everything, with Luke by his side, Sir Handel was stunned.
"I never pinned you as the type to get jealous." He said.
"Well, my crew taught me that it is a very difficult emotion to deal with." Freddie replied. "I'm sorry, Sir Handel. I didn't mean to act so...off, but I didn't know how to deal with being jealous, and I just couldn't stand thinking about it."
"That's alright. I just wish I noticed sooner." Sir Handel replied. "I feel bad now."
"Please don't worry, my friend," Freddie reassured. "I had a hard time realising that jealousy was the problem to start with, plus Luke and I talked it over."
"And we're friends now!" Luke added happily.
Sir Handel smiled. "I would never change anything about our friendship, Freddie. I admire you for your bravery and the fact that you always help your friends no matter what."
"Thanks, Sir Handel," Replied Freddie, smiling broadly. "I feel a lot better now."
And so Freddie worked hard at the Blue Mountain Quarry for the rest of the day, and the next morning. After talking to Rusty, Freddie went home to the Skarloey Railway, content he still had his friendship with Sir Handel -and even a new friend he was looking forward to seeing on the Skarloey Railway again someday soon- Luke, the little green engine of the hills.