Author's note: This is my first post. After watching Thomas and friends journey beyond sodor, I decided to write a story about what happened at the steel works before Thomas and James went back home. I hope you enjoy.
It had been an extremely chaotic day at the steel works. There was bashing cars around and crashing into things. Some lives were even put at risk. Thomas nearly got killed by almost falling into the melting pot. And Hurricane would have been melted if Merlin did not save him.
But after all the action had finally died down, everyone started to get things settled out. Frankie and Hurricane finally had some help that would want to stay, and the experimental engines finally had a job they could do. Even after everything got settled between everyone there was still a lot to get cleaned up. So James and Thomas decided to stay and help the others get everything cleaned up. Especially since Hurricane was now currently out of commission.
"How are we going to get Hurricane fixed if he can't move and his wheels are melted? James asked.
"There is a maintenance area where he can get repaired. The problem is getting him there without causing more damage to his wheels and undercarriage," Frankie replied, still trying to calm herself down a little bit after being in a state of panic and shock when the slag started to melt Hurricane.
"I think I have an idea," Thomas smiled. Everyone then looked at him with confused looks. "I was accidentally picked up by a magnet when Theo and I pushed some cars off the rails by mistake. We could use it to move Hurricane over to the lift. We can also use it to put me back on the tracks," he added.
"There is one problem with that idea though," Frankie stated. "The cars are on top of the control panel. We can't move the magnet if we can't control it."
"We can use some of the hooks used that carry the vaults of molten steel and slag around to pick them off the panel," Hurricane suggested.
"That could work," Thomas said looking up at the ceiling where the hooks were.
"Before we take care of that," Frankie started, "we need to get the spilled slag cleaned up and quick. Its cooling down, but its still really hot, and can still melt anyone's wheels who moves into it by accident." She then noticed Merlin backing away from it a little to prevent his own wheels being melted into the ground.
"First things first, to prevent the possibility of any more slag spilling onto the ground, lets get all of it disposed of, while the slag that is already spilled gets cleaned up," Hurricane ordered while looking behind him. Lexi decided that she would take it to the slag heaps since she decided that if she was going to work here, she might as well give it a shot.
"I suppose I could take the slag to the heaps," she said as everyone started to go look for things to clean up.
"How are you going to push the cars up safely? You don't have any front hitches or front buffers for that matter," Theo stammered. "Pushing me and a few flatbeds is one thing, but pushing ladle cars is another. The weight might damage your cowcatcher."
"I can push them up backwards then," she said a little annoyed. "And before you ask how I am going to be able to see where to stop, the workers will be able to tell me when and where to stop." She then rolled back out of the building to look around for another way to access the ladle cars. Theo gave off a nervous sigh, then went off after her with James to see if he could actually do anything like Merlin stated just a bit earlier.
(work still in progress)
