Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

Mabel's Choice

It was night time on the Island of Sodor and many of the engines were asleep. Among them was Mabel the white jubilee engine who after a long hard day's work was finally getting some rest. She was so fast asleep that she couldn't hear a deep booming horn in the distance. It was the booming horn of someone she knew well and someone who her trusted carriage Bucket knew well too. He wasn't sleeping though and was wide awake, looking out worried to the tracks in front of him, fearing the arrival of the booming horn.
"Oh dear." Bucket muttered to himself quietly as the horn was only getting louder with each sounding. Whoever it belonged to was clearly getting closer and Bucket was beginning to get scared but he could see that all around him no-one else was awake.
"Come on." a voice then huffed in the distance. "You can do this." they added as one last boom of the horn was heard. Bucket thought it would wake everyone else up but it seemingly didn't. He was very confused. Was he the only one hearing it? Surely not? Bucket kept pondering for some time but then came the answer to his question as slowly but surely, an engine appeared in front of him…

"It can't be." Bucket gasped, although to be truthful he wasn't really shocked as to who was in front of him.
"Hello Bucket." smiled back a weary looking Horatio, who both Mabel and Bucket were great friends with back on the Mainland. He looked ragged and worn out, more so than usual, but he was still smiling through it all. His notorious engine problems hadn't come to the fore yet and Bucket was still trying to piece everything together in his mind. Why had his friend come to Sodor? Why had he done this? Bucket didn't get the chance to ask as Horatio moved towards him slowly before his driver popped out of his cab and coupled the two of them up, face to face.
"What are you doing?" Bucket then asked, trying not to talk so loudly it would stir Mabel. This was a bad move though as Horatio didn't answer and his driver returned to the cab. Horatio's engines were still whirring quietly and before Bucket knew it, he was slowly being pulled away from the shed with his old friend facing him directly. "Horatio!" the carriage said in a hushed voice once more. "What are you doing?"
"Can't….explain…." huffed Horatio. "Not now." he added as he pulled Bucket away as slowly and as quietly as possible. Bucket wanted to shout out and call for help but he was being pulled by a friend. He felt very conflicted. He just kept looking round hoping he could tell where he was being taken but it was so dark that it was impossible for his old eyes to make out the Sodor surroundings.
"Please explain." Bucket then called out to his friend.
"Soon." promised Horatio. "Soon..." he added, although this time more ominously.

Rattling down the line, Horatio had picked the perfect time to take Bucket as the lines were practically empty. Dimly lit rail lines also prevented signalmen from getting a good view of him too but Bucket's shape was recognisable to many, even if he'd only been on Sodor a short time. The first to notice Bucket being dragged down the line was Toby but Horatio rattled past him and Henrietta so fast that Toby couldn't believe his eyes.
"Was thought who I thought it was?" Henrietta asked Toby.
"I think so." the tram answered back as Bucket sped further down the line with Horatio working hard to get to wherever he wanted to go. They were spotted just moments later by Mavis though who was on her way out of Centre Island Quarry with some empty trucks when Bucket and the dark green diesel passed her by.
"Help!" Bucket managed to cry out as he passed her by at speed. Mavis was in complete shock.
"Bucket!" she cried. "We need to follow him." she then ordered to her driver.
"But we can't reverse down the lines with these trucks." he said. "You know the rules, but I can phone for help." he added.
"Please do." said Mavis as her driver rushed to the nearest telephone box and rang the Fat Controller's office phone. Predictably, the Fat Controller didn't answer as he was home asleep in bed but a passing porter rushed in and picked up the phone.
"I see." he said after being briefed about the situation. "Gordon will be here at the station any second now, I will let him know." and the porter kept his word. Gordon arrived moments later on the last stop of his through the night express and was shocked when the porter told him what had happened.
"Is Mabel ok?" he asked.
"I don't know." answered the porter.
"Does she know?" Gordon then probed.
"I don't know." the porter replied again. Gordon almost went red-faced with rage and after being uncoupled from his carriages, he rushed towards the sheds to wake up Mabel.
"I thought this would happen." Gordon said to his driver. "I knew they'd come back eventually. We need to keep her safe."

The black of night had mostly vanished when Gordon arrived at the sheds. Mabel was still asleep and looked peaceful but Gordon couldn't hold back any longer. His crew knew this wasn't the right thing to do but they whistled Gordon as loudly and as longly as they could. It woke everyone in the surrounding area up within seconds.
"Gordon!?" said a shocked Mabel. "What? What's the matter?" she then asked groggily as nearby engines were moaning about being woken up. Gordon explained everything and Mabel's face sunk into immediate sadness.
"It's Horatio." she said. "It could only be him. He'd be the only friend daft enough to try this."
"But why?" Gordon asked. "Why would he steal Bucket in the middle of the night?"
"To save him." said Mabel. "He'll be coming for me any second now. I can see it happening. He wants to take me home."
"But do you want to go home?" Gordon then asked, looking over his friend anxiously. Gordon had loved having a new friend in Mabel and deep down didn't want to lose her. He looked anxiously at her, eagerly waiting her reply.
"I don't know." she admitted quietly. "I really don't."

Meanwhile, on a small siding hidden away past Centre Island Quarry was Horatio with Bucket. They'd uncoupled now but were still facing one another. Bucket couldn't hide the disgust in his face from his close friend though. What he'd done was completely beyond comprehension.
"Explain." Bucket then said sternly towards Horatio. "Explain this."
"Home." answered Horatio kindly. "It's where you and Mabel want to go, isn't it? I came to rescue you and take you home. I think that deserves some thanks, not your hostility."
"You kidnapped me in the middle of the night." Bucket pointed out to the green diesel. "Do you understand how bad this looks?"
"Probably not," admitted Horatio. "But everyone wants you back home. Cressy, Arnold, me, the lot of them."
"But not Mr Bamm." said Bucket. "He'll have us scrapped if we go back."
"Then he'll have to scrap all of us." said Horatio. "I came here through the night to rescue you. I did this under the cover of night without him knowing. He'll probably want to scrap me too now. He won't have a leg to stand on if we all refuse."
"And what if Mabel doesn't want to go home?" Bucket then asked.
"She will." Horatio said firmly. "I know she will." he added as the sun began to rise across Sodor…

With the new morning came a search party comprising of Gordon, Mabel and Edward. Mavis was also sent to search the quarry as she was the last to see Bucket before he vanished but she was having no luck. Troublesome trucks who may have seen Bucket being taken away weren't talking to her and she was getting frustrated.
"A carriage is missing." she said. "And you don't want to help us find it?"
"Carriage smarriage!" laughed the trucks as Mavis continued her search. The quarry was vast with many old sidings no longer used. Many had had the lines pulled away but some were still in use. They went on for what seemed like ages.
"This is going to take forever." she said to her driver.
"And that's if they are here." he said to Mavis. "They could have left under our noses." Mavis sighed. She knew that was very possible and away from the quarry Mabel was beginning to think that Horatio had probably gone with Bucket back to the Mainland.
"If he knows how much Mr Bamm doesn't want us back, then Horatio wouldn't risk it so much." she said to Gordon as they searched along the line.
"So he is a good diesel?" Gordon asked.
"Yes," replied Mabel as she tried to hold back her emotions. "Other than Bucket, he's the closest friend I've got."
"And what about me?" Gordon then asked quite selfishly. He then smiled cheekily at Mabel to try and help her.
"Oh Gordon." she smiled. "You are a good friend, but I don't know you like I know Horatio."
"Oh..." said Gordon as he felt rather put out. "Oh."

Back at the quarry, Mavis had called upon Edward to join her in her search and look down the many numerous sidings there were. Some were obscured by shrubbery and others blocked by rocks but they did their best to clear the way. The hot sun was now baking down on them and was making their work even harder than it should have been though.
"This...is….exhausting." said a visibly worn out Edward as he pushed away more rocks in his way.
"If we find Bucket, then it's worth it." Mavis replied as she biffed rocks clear of her siding. Edward agreed and they carried on pushing and searching for what seemed like hours with no luck. They were prepared to give in but then suddenly, they struck gold and found the exact siding needed.
"Bucket!" called out Edward as he saw Mabel's trusty carriage on the line, as if he was waiting for passengers at a station platform.
"Is that you Edward?" called Bucket with relief clear in his voice.
"It is." smiled the blue engine as he rushed over to Bucket but as Edward approached he noticed that Bucket was all alone. "Where did the diesel go?" he then asked nervously, expecting him to appear at any moment.
"I don't know." said Bucket. "But I think he's gone after Mabel."

Bucket's fears were right as Horatio had slipped out of the quarry unnoticed and was now charging down the line in search of his other friend. He was now all out in the open for everyone to see and as he passed engines and diesels, they tooted and whistled loudly to get everyone's attention.
"He's here!" called out James as Horatio raced past him and Percy.
"The mean diesel." muttered Percy. "Leave Mabel and Bucket alone." he added as Horatio continued to race. His engines didn't feel like they were going to overheat at all. This was unusual for him, maybe it was the adrenaline of the moment carrying him along, but Horatio felt brand new.
"I will take you home." he said firmly as he raced along, garnering more whistles and horns as he rattled on by. However, Gordon and Mabel were so focused on their search that they didn't hear any of the nearby noises. They were completely oblivious to it all until Mabel's tender suddenly got a big bump.
"Ow!" she cried.
"What's happened?" Gordon asked.
"Horatio happened." Gordon's fireman answered as he looked out of the cabin to see Horatio had bumped into Mabel's tender and was now using all his strength to push her along the line. He was trying to gain total control of her.
"Please stop!" Mabel called out to her friend as her wheels squeaked under the strain.
"But I have to take you home." said Horatio. "I have to. You more so than Bucket." he added as he continued to push. Mabel's crew were frantically trying to force her brakes into action and stop being pushed by Horatio but he was pressing so much that they couldn't slam her brakes at all. Her bright white wheels were grinding on the lines and some sparks were beginning to fly as they carried on but Horatio seemingly didn't care. Gordon did care though.
"Leave her alone." he ordered. "You can't do this." he added as they odd-looking chase upped its speed along the line. Gordon whistled loudly to Horatio to make him answer.
"And what would you know?" Horatio eventually asked. "Who are you?"
"I am Gordon." boomed the big blue engine proudly as he was still keeping pace. "I am an express engine who has looked after Mabel since she came here. She is a great friend of mine and I think she is a great asset to this island. Her owner wants her scrapped, the Fat Controller does not. We want her here." he added with a smile towards his friend.
"Is this true Mabel?" Horatio then asked.
"Yes." she eventually said. "Of course it is. I like it here. I feel welcome and wanted. Of course I miss home but I have a new one here. Please just stop." she added as Horatio suddenly began to slow down.
"You need to decide then." said Horatio. "Slow down and we'll decide." he added as Mabel looked to Gordon nervously…

When the strange chase had seemingly come to an end, Mabel, Gordon and Horatio found a suitable place to have their discussion. They were soon joined by the arrival of Bucket though who was pushed into view by Edward. Mabel was relieved to see him once again, even if they'd only been separated for a few hours at most.
"Bucket!" she exclaimed loudly. "I felt so odd being on the line without you."
"And I felt odd without you." the carriage smiled back as his passenger door opened and a familiar face appeared. It was none other than the Fat Controller and he looked far from impressed.
"Seems we've had another of Mr Bamm's engines come without much notice then." he said as he looked over Horatio. "I'm not in need of any new diesels to be honest though." he added.
"I came to take my friends home." Horatio said to the Fat Controller. "They don't belong here."
"So you want to take them home and have them scrapped?" asked the Fat Controller. "Mr Bamm, Teddy, has got rid of them because he has no money left. I have friends in good circles who have told me as much. He has to sell and sell fast. You Horatio along with all of the other engines on his line will be sold."
"That's not true, sir." said Horatio stubbornly, although deep down he knew this was the truth. Back home he'd heard Mr Bamm talking about selling engines some time ago but never thought it might actually happen. He'd dismissed it then and wanted it not to be the case now.
"I'm afraid it is." boomed the Fat Controller. "I may have many more engines than Teddy but I run an efficient line that brings in the money to keep all these engines here. Teddy hasn't done that. He needs to sell now and scrap. And some engines, or should I say diesels, are worth a lot more for scrap than anything else." he added as he looked over Horatio one more time.
"But I'm the pride of the railway." said Horatio.
"Expensive though." observed the Fat Controller. "Maintenance is a costly thing with you. So, I'm giving you a chance Horatio. If you let Mabel choose and if she stays, then I will find someone to take you on. You won't be scrapped and nor will your friends back home. I have many business associates who will gladly take on more engines, so you will have a home."
"But I won't be with my friends." the green diesel retorted. "I came all this way to take them home."
"But I don't want to go home." Mabel then said, plucking up the courage in front of her friend. "I meant what I said Horatio. I want to stay here.""Me too." added Bucket. "We've made many new friends here, you will in your new home too." Horatio looked sadder than he had ever before. All his effort had seemingly gone to waste. He couldn't believe it. He thought his friends would come back with him, but now he was going to be all alone. He was struggling to comprehend it.
"Are you sure?" he asked in one last-ditch attempt to Mabel.
"Yes." she replied, her bottom lip beginning to quiver with emotion. "I've made my choice."
"Oh." sighed Horatio. "Oh..."

Dejected, Horatio stayed alone for some time while Mabel and Bucket talked and the Fat Controller took a trip in Gordon back to his office to sort out arrangements for all of Mr Bamm's engines. He thought it would take a long time but it proved to be one of the easiest set of phone calls he had ever made. Call after call went better than first thought and engine after engine was purchased and set for a new home. There was even a buyer for Horatio – a small town line in the Midlands who needed a new diesel – so things were all arranged. The Fat Controller couldn't believe it.
"That went well." he said to himself after putting down the phone on the latest deal. "Very well." but just as his smile went very wide across his face, his phone rang. It was Teddy Bamm.
"You didn't have to do this." he said quite sadly to the Fat Controller.
"And you didn't have to threaten engines with the scrapheap." replied the Fat Controller. "To be blunt Teddy, I hope you never run a railway again as I can't keep taking in engines of yours. Although, to be fair, Mabel is an excellent engine." he added as he slammed down the phone and sighed with relief. Mabel was officially his and Sodor had a proud new engine properly on its lines.

That evening, Mabel and Bucket said their final goodbye to Horatio who still looked glum despite getting a new home upon his return to the Mainland.
"Give our love to everyone before you go." said Mabel. "It'll mean a lot if you can."
"I will." said Horatio quietly. "I promise." he added as he looked to Bucket one last time. "We've been through a lot, eh Lionel?" he then joked.
"Indeed." smiled Bucket who still kept his real name close to his chest. "I'll miss you, but this has to happen."
"And I accept that." said Horatio as he blasted his horn one last long time. "Goodbye." he added before finally departing for the Mainland. Mabel was struggling to hold back her emotion while Bucket was doing his best to console her. As Horatio left sight for the very last time, Gordon appeared.
"My, we've been a lot since you came here." he joked to Mabel.
"Indeed we have…friend..." Mabel replied. Gordon could only smile and as the sun began to set, the three chatted for ages and talked about Sodor and about life on the Mainland.

Mabel would never forget her time there and would never forget the likes of Horatio. But she had a new home called Sodor where she had many new friends. Thomas, James, Henry and Edward were among them, but for her and Mabel, Gordon was the best friend they could possibly have and they hoped he'd be their best friend for many more years to come…