Dear Readers,

I have loved writing these stories, I have always thought there was more to Henry's phobia, Edwards promise that he would always 'go' first, and Gordon's monologue. Please be aware this story is around the holocaust. Yes, I'm aware that Bergen Belson does not have a rail line near by.

Chapter 4

Henry's sad story.

The next morning, Henry was no where to be found. He didn't sleep in his berth, even his drivers had trouble finding him. He didn't stop, unless he really had to, and when he did, he just repeated

"Leave me alone"

Clearly this engine wanted to be alone. Everyone wanted to tell the engine how brave he was and that he's a hero.

Thomas had to do something, the only option was to tell the fat controller. He talked over with Annie and Clarabell, they were against talking to the fat controller.

"Sometimes Thomas, the past should stay in the past" Annie chimed.

"Something is wrong, Henry looks in pain. I have to help him" Thomas retorted back.

"Do what you think is right" Clarabell answered. Thomas would not give up.

Thomas rolled into Knapford station, the Fat Controller was in his office. Thomas told his crew to get Sir Hatt. Sir Hatt was sat at his desk, paper work was spread everywhere. Since he had taken over the railway, it had expanded, got it out of debt, and he was working on the final details of the celebration, when there was a knock at the door. He put his paperwork down, and waited for whom ever was to come in.

It was Thomas's crew, this was certainly going to be interesting Sir Hatt mused. Thomas should have been at the docks helping James. Thomas crew told sir Sir Hatt that Thomas wanted a word, and it wasn't going to be a short one. As he got his coat, he knew this was serious. Thomas never asked him for a word before.

"Well, Thomas what's going on?"

Thomas told Sir Hatt, all about Edwards story and Gordon's too. Then he mentioned about Henry, and how the engine was practically scared of anyone talking to him. It was getting out of hand and he needed help. After taking everything in, Sir Hatt wiped his brow.

"Oh, bother"

This certainly needed looking into, he thanked Thomas for bring this to his attention. He told Thomas to go directly to the docks and continue his day.

He sat back in his chair and opened a drawer, inside he grabbed a massive metal hoop with loads of keys on. Out of them he picked a very old and sturdy key. In his office was a very old cabinet, files with information on all the engines. He pulled out Edwards, Gordon's, and Henry. The paper had turned to a weird yellow colour. In front was the order forms and certificates of when the engines had first arrived, after that it was their respective forms of when they had been called up in the war. Edwards had an account, and paper clippings of a date in May. He read the article, and part of it Thomas didn't know. Edward had killed a German plane crew, but saved the citizens of Great Waterton. The headline read,

'The engine who saved us'.

Next he turned to Gordon's and Henry both had parts which were heavily redacted, this wasn't good. He poured over the wording that was left, but nothing of worth was left. Sir Hatt found the number for the national archives, and picked up the telephone.

Afterwards he asked to borrow Spencer from the Duke of Boxford. He told Spencer this was of the utmost importance, and he had to hurry and be as quick as he could be. Spencer was confused, Sir Hatt didn't t take a carriage, he claimed into Spencer's cab, and poured into his papers.

At the end of the line in London, Spencer had to rest, and have a drink. Sir Hatt raced off into the crowd. After a hour or so, Sir Hatt ran back into the cab and ordered Spencer to race back home. The crew worked in silence, while Sir Hatt read some more papers he groaned and looked shocked as spencer was comfortably puffing across the country, the driver turned to the shocked face of Sir Hatt and asked what was wrong.

"It's Bergen-Belsen" Sir Hatt whispered, knowing Spencer would be listening.

The driver turned to the fire man and told him to keep piling in the coal, and to Spencer to get moving.

When Sir Hatt arrived at Knapford station, he shakily walked to his office. His assistants noticed, the change in the man.

"Hello, this is Sir Topham Hatt. I need Thomas now, he is to pick me up at Knapford station, and tell Henry to wait at the nearest station to him, I need to talk to him, goodbye" He ordered on the telephone in his office.

Sir Hatt turned to his assistants and asked where Henry was. That poor engine, it explained everything. His assistant brought a strong coffee and a sandwich while he waited for Thomas. This poor green engine had to endure so much no wonder he'd become so frightened of everything. To make matters worse, everyone had laughed at him for it, including himself.

Thomas arrived with his child like beaming face, Sir Hatt walked onto his cab his face forlorn. The trip was silent as Sir Hatt tried to find a apology suitable, but nothing was right. In frustration he wished he had listened to Dowager Hatt, that woman was always right and there would be no living with her now.

Thomas arrived at the station where Henry was waiting, he looked so nervous, and scared. The Fat controller got out and ordered everyone to stay where they were. Thomas's driver and fire man headed into the station for a cup of tea. The fat controller walked on to the bridge, and over to the other platform where Henry was waiting. Thomas tried to listen, but could all he could do was watch Henry, a few minutes later Henry cried. It wasn't a few tears but lots, Thomas could see a flood of pain behind those tears. What on earth was the fat controller saying to him?

Thomas felt he had to help, but he was stuck. Thomas concentrated, if Gordon could move on his own, then just may be Thomas could. Thomas concentrated, brake off, steam to full, Thomas felt his wheels, turn he commanded them. He looked back at Henry who was in floods of tears.

"Turn wheels," he said gritting them through his teeth.

Slowly his wheels turned and he pulled up besides Henry.

"Please sir, I don't want to remember" Henry pleaded

"Henry, please I just want to help you. I can't do that, if I don't know what happened" Sir Hatt reasoned.

"Please Henry," Thomas asked

"Thomas!" Both Henry and Sir Hatt exclaimed. "You've moved!"

Thomas turned to the teared stained engine,

"Please, Henry. We only want to help"

Henry gave in, could he really say no to an engine who moved on his own?

After I saved all those people, I learned that Gordon had been found and was still alive. I saw so happy to hear he was alive. I knew he going back to Sodor, after his bravery.

I was pushed on, and stayed with the army. Most of the time I was carrying tanks and weapons to the front and bringing back the injured. Except for one time in 1945, there was heavy fighting around the time of Winsen. We told to keep away from an area called Bergen-Belsen, something to with a diseases.

Some time in the middle of April, we finally arrived. It was hell on earth. I have never seen horror like it, skeletons walked the earth. A rotten smell filled the air, there were no birds, no trees and nothing grew. Death was ever present, and it made my boiler run cold. The troops that discovered that place hurried to the supplies I brought. The skeletons moved, hovered even. There was one mum...

She ran up to my driver crying, shouting for milk for her baby. The mum handed over the small thing wrapped in a rag. My driver, unwrapped the small rag, only to discover it was dead, it had been dead for some time by the sight of it. The mum screamed and then fell to the floor where she stayed there for hours. My driver saw at least 10,000 unburied bodies, left in the open air.

After all my supplies were unloaded, i begged to go back to get more. No one would let us go, I guess they needed the man power. My driver complained endlessly about the bugs, he often hung his clothes as close as he dare to my fire, to get rid of them. The people were moved to out side the camp, the looks on their faces was priceless, I guess they were prisoners for a long time.

One little girl, who was five at the time, was so small I thought she three. She came up and touched my wheels. I've never seen a child look at me so puzzled. She was terrified when I spoke to her, I asked her where her family were, she couldn't answer. I tried to talk to her, but she wouldn't talk, so I sang a tune. It seemed to work, and she would climb up and sit on my buffer. I would tell her tales of Sodor. After a day went, she told me her name was Jane, I would let her climb in my cab to keep her warm and also to keep her safe. There were some revenge attacks, and I wanted to make sure she was safe.

A few days later, I had go back for supplies. I could tell Jane was nervous about me leaving but I really wanted to get more food and blankets for everyone. I told her I would be very fast. I've never raced like it, I pushed every piston and every puff of steam to get there and back.

By the end of the day I had made it back, my Pistons ached, and it was very hard work pulling all the heavy equipment. While the people were being unloaded and the bulldozers and the digging equipment I looked for Jane. I couldn't see her, I was so worried.

The next morning she appeared, seeming distressed. They were digging mass pits and using the machines to bury the mass dead. Perhaps her family were being moved, or its just the shock of people being kind. I told her to get in the cab if she felt cold. She just looked at me as if staring into the void.

The next day I had a special run, my crew went to find coaches and I've never seen them so silent. I was told not to go into or near the shed. I asked Jane what was in there. All she said was

"It's the others, some like you"

I wished, I had never looked.

Tears flowed from Henry's face, he started to sob. Thomas tried to console him.

"The trucks were, full. There were engines too, but they were..."

"They must have refused, and well..."

Henry bravely carried on.

After Jane had told me, I was so curious. So I tricked my driver into letting me see, I thought nothing could have worse than what I had seen already but I was wrong.

Inside were trucks full of rotten bodies, but there were was an engine, all its living parts had been carved out, and left on the floor. Instead of a face there was a metal cover. I could tell they had used the engine while it was dead.

These people were monsters.

That night my driver and I lied to everyone, We raced to find, more food, more blankets, anything we could get my hands on. Many people gave what they could when we told them our story, and with the rage and anger I had, I sped back to the camp, not caring what happened to me. I just needed to help her. On the way back it started to rain, and when I got back to the camp, the mud was everywhere. The rain just turned up more bodies, things had gone from bad to worse. After the rain stopped a fresh out break had occurred, and I never saw Jane again she must have died.

"...She died because of a few drops of rain. It broke my heart sir.

The only reason why, Jane was there was because her parents were Jews, I've never understood why a child could have been there. She must have died from the Typhus that spread quickly, it killed over 9000 people before I was transferred out"

Sir Topham Hatt, took his hat and coat off, he climbed on to Henry and tried to smooth the engine.

"Dear henry, can you forgive me for walling you up in that tunnel? If I had known, then I would have done a lot different."

"It's ok sir, there was no way, you weren't to know. I was being very silly"

"But it wasn't without reason" Sir Topham Hatt felt disappointed with him self.

Sir Hatt turned to Thomas, and in his most authoritative voice said,

"Not a word, to any engine."

"Yes, sir. Oh, and tell Toby he has to look after your branch line. You, Thomas will stay at Knapford station until I need you"

Thomas peeped in agreement.