The New Addition
…
One late morning, in the home of Sir Topham Hatt, small engines Edward, Gordon, Henry, and James were in their room, playing on their small railway playset.
They were quietly minding their own business until a call came from downstairs.
"Edward! Gordon! Henry! James! Come down here!" - came the voice of Sir Topham Hatt.
Confused, but obedient, the four tender engines left their room, and slid down the ramp on the stairs, and went to the living room.
Once there, they saw Sir Topham Hatt sitting on the couch, with a medium sized box next to him on the floor. When he saw the engines, he smiled.
"Ah, there you are!" He said jovially.
The four exchanged slightly confused glances before they smiled at the man.
Edward moved forwards, and gently pushed at the box, wordlessly voicing his question.
"Oh, yes. What's in the box." Sir Topham Hatt chuckled.
Quietly, he opened the box, reached in, and, to the engine's astonishment, Sir Topham Hatt pulled out- another engine.
This engine was small, the others saw. He had no tender, only six small wheels, a short stumpy boiler, a short stumpy dome, and a funnel to match.
They also saw this new engine looked nervous, yet happy.
Gently, Sir Topham Hatt placed the new engine on the ground- he teetered a bit, before regaining balance.
"This is Thomas." Sir Topham Hatt said, gesturing to the small engine. "He'll be joining us once the railway is started, and he is going to live here as well."
The small engine, who was painted in a teal green livery, smiled at them, before weeshing at them in a friendly manner.
James was appalled. This engine was smaller than him! While he may have been a little bigger than Edward, he was always considered the baby- the one who everyone paid attention to. Now this new engine was for sure going to steal his spot..!
James frowned deeply at this.
He didn't like the new engine. He huffed and angrily went back upstairs squeaking to himself.
Gordon stared at the smaller engine in shock, before moving towards him. Once he was right in front of Thomas, Gordon pushed him.
Thomas whined.
Immediately, Gordon felt a smack land on his boiler – not hard enough to hurt, but certainly hard enough to make him back away.
"Gordon! That is not how we treat anyone!" Sir Topham Hatt scolded. "Let alone anyone new. Go to your room." He demanded.
With a blush of embarrassment on his face, but no remorse in his eyes, Gordon left.
Thomas looked down. This meeting was not going well.
But suddenly, he heard a friendly, but shy weesh near him.
Thomas looked back up to see a green tender engine with the number '3' painted on his sides, nervously smiling at him.
Thomas smiled back, and blew his whistle – a high pitched but quiet whistle.
The green tender engine whistled back. It was low, but friendly.
Sir Topham Hatt smiled. "That's Henry." He said, smiling towards the green tender engine. "The two engines that left were James and Gordon. And this – is Edward." He said, gesturing to the blue tender engine.
Edward smiled.
Thomas smiled back.
Edward moved up to him, and gently tapped his buffers against Thomas'. It wasn't a push – it was more along the lines of a hug.
Thomas smiled again, steam weeshing out from under his wheels. At least two of the engines liked him.
And despite the cold greetings he received from the others, Thomas would make it his mission to become their friends.