Fractured Ch. 4

A.N. Thank you, RSlikestoread, for the chapter name! (Erg… I wish I could write better…)

The next day, around eight in the morning, laughter could be heard from the Steamworks. James, Henry, and Thomas were all awake, and James was telling Thomas about the time when Henry wouldn't leave a tunnel due to rain.

"Haha… hehe…" Thomas giggled breathlessly as he tried to catch his breath, still being held one foot in the air by a crane. Thomas took a few deep breaths, before looking down at Henry who was blushing madly, but still smiling.

"Henry- did you really hide in a tunnel because of some rain?" He asked.

"Yes Thomas-" Henry admitted after a moment. "I did."

"But it's only water Henry." Thomas smiled. "The same as-" But suddenly, there was a crash.

Kevin happened to be carrying some steel poles that were to be used for some new lamp lights. But like always, he stopped too recklessly, causing his hook to lurch forward, dropping the flatbed, and scattering the poles all over the ground onto the tracks in front of him.

Victor happen to be moving down those same tracks and he had to brake quickly so to avoid rolling onto the poles and derailing. The amount of force he had to put into stopping caused a horrifying metallic squealing sound to echo throughout the Steamworks.

The noise not only terrified the three engines, but terrified workers who were making new bolts. It caused them to jump, and they nearly fell off the platform they were standing on. However, they were able to catch themselves on the railing before they fell. The bolts on the other hand, weren't so lucky.

They fell off the little dustpan like tool they were cooling on and to the floor. Unfortunately, they were freshly made bolts- still white hot from just being pulled out of the molds.

Compared to the bolts, the ground was quite cold, so when the bolts hit the ground, they started to crack, squeal, and pop- like a hot kettle on a stovetop and popcorn.

Suddenly, Thomas eyes widened.

That cracking noise…

The cracking noise.

Thomas found himself no longer safe in the Steamworks with his friends- he was back, coupled up behind the Express moving faster than he ever had in his life, alone, afraid, and in pain.

He felt the wind whip harshly across his face and boiler like someone slapping him repeatedly.

He could hear Gordon laughing and feel him speed up every time he begged the bigger engine to stop.

"Stop! Stooop!"

"Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"

He could feel the excruciating agony of his wheels cracking beneath him; it was horrible.

His wheels felt like they were on fire- the searing, white hot sting he felt that day would always be on his mind, he knew. No matter how much therapy he did.

And he could hear Gordon's evil laugh as he was being tormented.

Thomas eyes were wide with fear, tears were streaming down his face, his mouth was open, letting out sobs and whimpers, and he was shaking.

James looked up at Thomas in worry. "Thomas?!"

James' cry immediately caught everyone's attention.

Quickly, Thomas' driver and fireman ran to their small tank engine.

"Thomas!" His driver called out in fear. "Thomas! Thomas, please answer us!"

Henry and James looked at each other before coming to a silent decision.

Quickly, they breathed in, and blew their whistles as loud as they could, hoping that would catch the attention of the little blue tank engine.

It did.

Thomas screamed as he was harshly dragged out of the memory and back to reality. He looked around in fear and hast, trying to comprehend where he was.

"Thomas!" James called out. "Thomas, Thomas calm down! You're ok!" He said, trying to reassure his friend.

Thomas didn't answer as he closed his eyes, and started to breathe deeply, before starting to sob.

"Thomas…" Henry said softly, worried for his small friend; but Thomas didn't respond.

"Ah… looks like we'll have to scrap these bolts, and start over." A worker said, picking up a semi-cool, bent, broken, and cracked bolt with his gloved hand, while examining it.

"Those noises…" James mumbled to himself before slowly putting the pieces together. "Oh Thomas…" He said, looking at the small tank engine. "They scared you."

After a moment, Thomas opened his eyes, to look at James. "Can we just… do my therapy?" He asked quietly, his voice eerily low and monotone.

James felt his boiler quake in uncomfortableness, but slowly, he agreed. "Alright…"

Quickly he left to turn around, then backed up into the Steamworks once more, before coupling up to the crane, and quietly leaving, with Henry following.

When they reached the yard, James quickly moved out of the way so Thomas could be set on the tracks.

Thomas clenched his eyes shut, expecting to feel pain but- there was none.

Slowly, Thomas smiled again. "I-It didn't hurt!" He smiled in joy, seemingly forgetting about earlier in the Steamworks.

James, Henry, and Thomas' crew all smiled as well. "We're making progress." His driver said in adoration towards his small engine.

"So Thomas." Henry said. "How far do you want to try today?"

"Maybe… fifteen feet?" Thomas asked.

James smiled. "We'll see how you do."

But, before Henry could even begin to move backwards, the sound of a low whistle could be heard from the distance.

Suddenly, out came Gordon, thundering down the line near the yard, pulling the Express, a very boastful smirk plastered on his face.

"Express coming through!" He boomed grandly, speeding down the tracks, making them vibrate as he moved.

Thomas eyes instantly widened, and he screamed in fear.

As Gordon rushed past him, it triggered something inside Thomas.

Something that Thomas didn't understand.

It made Thomas feel shattered, fragile, and battered.

Something inside him broke.

Out of fear or pure instinct- maybe both, Thomas rushed backwards as fast as he could- and immediately regretted it.

He screamed again- but in pain. His wheels were still quite sensitive, and he nearly fell off the track he was on from the force.

Not only did he go much too fast, way too soon, but he also rammed into something. It made pain shoot up through his entire body, causing him to shake in pure agony.

"THOMAS!"

He heard his friend's cries of fear, along with his crew's, but before he could respond, however-

"Hey! Get away from us!" Came a high pitched voice along with grumbles of anger from behind the tank engine.

Thomas screamed even louder as he was suddenly pushed harshly away from whatever he rammed into, causing him to launch forwards.

"Troublesome trucks!" He heard Henry scream in anger.

Thomas tried desperately to put on his brakes to stop, but that only made his fear, tears, and screams worse.

"Thomas! Thomas, hang on!" He heard James yell.

But sluggishly, Thomas began to slow down.

Thomas was shaking to the core, in both pain and fear, and he was sobbing loudly.

But his crying hitched as he felt a familiar, burning sensation in his wheels.

Then, a noise rang out through the air that Thomas knew all too well.

'CRACK!'

Thomas' eyes widened. "James!" He cried out in terror and desperation. "James please, help me! Don't let me-" But he was cut off by stabbing pain, and the sound of even more cracks.

Like on the day of his accident, there was one more final deafening 'CRACK!' before Thomas started falling over.

"NO!"

"THOMAS!"

Thomas could hear everyone's cries as he fell over, while all he could do was scream as loud as could, as he fell off the track, and onto his side.

However, when he fell over, Thomas didn't just fall onto rock and gravel- he fell on nails and broken glass- and it only made his suffering worse.

His wheels were still halfway intact, but they were still falling apart, onto the track below him, and he was screaming.

Not only where his wheels broken again, but glass and nails where now digging harshly into his body and face.

"Make it stop! Make it stop! It hurts!" Thomas screamed, wanting to somehow get rid of his misery.

"Thomas!" Then James steamed forward, with Henry behind him, once again pulling Judy and Jerome.

"James…" Thomas gasped, feeling the energy slowly leave his body. "Please… h-help me…"

James then quickly moved forwards, letting Henry come into view.

"Oh cinders and ashes… Thomas…" Henry gasped, his breathing uneven as he stared down at his small quivering friend.

Everything was quiet as Thomas lifted in the air.

But as he was lifted, this time, he didn't hesitate to scream.

The glass and nails were shoved harshly into his body and face- and it hurt so badly.

When he was lifted into the air, it caused the wind to brush his body, making the glass and nails tingle his body, making Thomas feel like he was being burnt.

"Don't- don't worry Thomas! We'll fix you! You- you'll get better!" Henry called out shakily to Thomas as he rushed back to the Steamworks.

Thomas only clamped his eyes shut, trying desperately to ignore the pain coursing throughout his body.

When they reached the Steamworks, Thomas was quickly, but gently, hoisted up into the air by another crane, while workers started examining him.

Nails and glass were sticking out of Thomas' body and face. It looked as though they were a part of him- melded into his body, and yet, they looked so foreign.

Thomas wheels were still breaking apart, falling onto the track below him.

All the while Thomas had his eyes shut, and was sobbing quite loudly, as his driver and fireman did their best to comfort him.

A worker sighed. "We can't do anything now…" He said. "The wounds are too fresh... we'll only cause him more pain. Besides, if we try to do anything now, the pieces would most likely break, and be stuck- then we really couldn't help him…"

"So you're just going to leave him like this?!" Henry gasped.

The worker looked up at Henry. "Would you rather he be in more pain?"

Henry looked down at the track below him, and bit his lip. "No…"

"Then we have to wait." The worker said. "I'm sorry…" He mumbled before leaving.

After the workers left, a heavy, uncomfortable silence fell over the room.

"Thomas…" His driver started, reaching out for him, but Thomas clamped his eyes shut harder, clenched his teeth, and let out an angry- albeit terrified- growl of warning.

His driver exhaled sadly, and withdrew his hand, before backing away.

James bit his lip. "Thomas, please…" But Thomas huffed.

"Go away James." He mumbled lowly, opening his eyes as best he could, and looking to the side.

James' breathing became uneven. "Thomas please!" He begged. "I just want-"

"I don't CARE what you want! Just GO AWAY James!" Thomas yelled, anger swirling in his eyes as he glared down at the black painted tender engine.

James backed up in alarm at Thomas' tone. Without realising it, a few tears escaped his eyes as he stared longingly at the blue tank engine.

"As you wish, Thomas…" He finally said after a few moments, before backing out of the Steamworks with Henry and Thomas' crew following.

But as his friends and crew left, Thomas couldn't help but stare after them, fear replacing the anger, as he silently screamed for them to come back.

"Help me…"