Wow, November 16th 2016 was the last time I posted a story for this series, and now it's May 5th 2017. Yeah, I can hear you readers screaming at me for taking so long. Believe me, I'm not happy with how long it took. Originally meant to be coming out in December, this final part of the Small Railway Misadventures series of stories in this season was pushed back due to the work on a Christmas novel, and when I thought I had the perfect story before, looking it over, I realised it was terrible. (sighs) Oh well, no use in complaining now, the 8th episode of this season is finished and ready for your viewing pleasure. Also, I'm happy to announce that the next four stories to follow will be about Bear the Mainline Diesel in 1995. That ought to be interesting. Again, sorry for the delay, but the story is here now, hope the waiting period will be worth it.
The Untold Sudrian Stories
Season 1-Episode 8: Rex and the Paintballs (1995):
Jock was the subject of everyone's jokes for several weeks. Mike even joked about how Jock needed to lose weight before he breaks anymore turntables. At least, he did before Jock brought up the Wolf incident again, which shut him up good and proper.
One evening, the Small Controller came up to speak with the Small Railway's engines.
"As you engines know, 1995 marks the 50th anniversary since the Thin Clergyman's first book was published, and the Fat Controller is arranging for a big party to be held at the big station, with a royal person coming as a special guest. Since the Small Railway is a part of the series of books too, I'm going to allow two of you engines to go to this celebration."
"Only two? But why Sir?" asked Bert, "why not three?"
"Because I can only spare two engines, we're short of power right now, and I don't know if Frank will be repaired by that time." He then looked to Mike, Rex and Jock, "I will decide on which engines will go, and that's only if you behave yourselves."
The engines promised to be as good as gold, but they hadn't counted on a few troublemakers coming to the railway.
Mike was making his way down to the ballast mines the next morning. He was enjoying his run, and was thinking up new ways to tease Jock that evening. As they puffed along though, Mike's Driver heard something.
"What was that?" he asked out loud.
"What was what?" Mike asked.
"That rustling sound from the nearby bushes."
Mike rolled his eyes, "oh give it a rest already. Yes I got scared by a wolf, but it won't happen again, I can promise you that."
"No that's not it, listen," said his Driver. Mike went quiet and listened. Sure enough, he too could hear some rustling coming from the nearby bushes, followed by some snickers.
"That's not an animal," he said, "it's sounds more like..."
Suddenly without warning, three troublesome lads stood up and started shooting paintballs right at Mike. His Driver crotched down to avoid fire, but they got him and Mike good. They shot at them until their paintball guns were empty, then they ran away.
"Are you alright?" Mike asked his Driver.
"Yeah, they only shot me a few times," then the Driver looked at Mike, "oh dear, looks like you got it worse Mike. Your paintjob isn't as nice now."
And indeed it wasn't. Besides his usual red paintwork, there were orange, green and blue paint spots all over him.
"Why those little buggers, they ruined my paintwork!" groaned Mike.
"Be glad they didn't hit anything else, like your whistle. You wouln't want to lose that again, now would you?"
Mike shuddered, remembering when he lost his whistle.
He and his Driver continued on to the next station, and from there they told the Stationmaster of the situation. He went and phoned the police, and they went out looking for the boys, but couldn't find them.
It was late evening by the time Mike had finished his day's work and returned to the sheds, still covered in his unusual paintjob. Rex was chuckling to himself, but didn't say anything as the Small Controller was there, along with a policeman.
"Did you find the little runts that did this?" Mike's Driver asked.
"Sadly no," said the police officer. "We searched around the area, and even asked many of the locals, but we've found nothing. Rest assured though, we will find them and we will make sure this doesn't happen again."
The officer turned to leave, and the Small Controller walked over towards Mike, "my word, it's lucky those vandals didn't cause any damage with this stupid little stunt."
"Yeah, what were they thinking?" Bert asked crossly. "Are they as stupid as Frank's relief driver?"
"Who knows Bert, but until those lads are caught, I want all of you to keep a good look out."
The engines and crews promised to keep a good look out. The Small Controller left, and Rex's teasing began, "deary me Mike, you look like you belong in a fruit salad."
Mike scowled at Rex, "you wouldn't think it was funny if it happened to you."
"Well if those silly lads tried that with me, I'd just wheesh steam at them and send them packing."
Bert and Jock sighed and rolled their eyes. Mike said nothing more, he knew it was pointless to convince Rex that it could happen to him.
The next morning, Rex was at the station with six passenger carriages behind his tender. Today there were lots of visitors coming to visit the Small Railway, and the Small Controller had asked for the engines to take an extra carriage in their trains so no one would be left out. Rex didn't mind, he was looking forward to seeing all the happy faces of the passengers.
Nearby, James was grumbling about his goods work, "dirty trucks, dirty..."
"Sidings, we get it James," called Rex. "Now do us all a favour and shut up."
James fumed and went back to work. Moments later, Oliver arrived with Isabel and Dulcie, and surpisingly, he even had Toad. Rex was surprised to see Toad at the end of the passenger train.
"I know we normally don't take passengers in brake vans, but these ones insisted on riding in Toad," Oliver explained to Rex. "Besides, when they brought up the time Percy took those foreign visitors in his brake van, the Stationmaster gave in and let me have Toad for this run."
"What about Douglas? Doesn't he need Toad?" asked Rex's Driver.
"Oh he'll get Toad back later today. It's only because there was no more room in Isabel and Dulcie."
Oliver's passengers soon climbed into the carriages, but there was a problem. There were so many of them that they would need an extra coach. Rex puffed off and soon returned with another coach.
"Seven coaches, that's sure to be a challenge without an extra engine to help," said the Driver.
"Don't worry, I can handle it. After all, I'm not the type of engine who cries wolf or breaks turntables."
Both Jock and Mike were nearby, and both engines glared at Rex.
Once all was ready, the guard blew his whistle and Rex started away. His wheels slipped a bit on the rails, but he soon got a good grip and started away, grinning broadly, "don't go crying out wolfs and breaking turntables," he called teasingly to Mike and Jock.
"Oh give it a rest already," snorted Jock.
At the place where Mike had been ambushed, the three young boys were waiting with their paintball guns. They were ready to fire at the next train that passed. Soon, they heard Rex coming.
"Here comes another sucker, get ready," snickered one of them.
One of the boys chuckled and prepared to fire. However, he was chuckling a little too loudly and as a result, Rex heard them. A smirk came to his face, "oh no you don't," he said firmly. As he came up to their spot, he suddenly let off steam and surronded the boys. He laughed loud and long and didn't stop wheeshing steam until the last coach had cleared the area.
"Oh bother," groaned one of the boys, "that stupid steamer blocked our view-point."
"Don't worry, we'll get him next time," said another.
But they wouldn't. During the return journey, Rex spotted them and once more wheeshed steam at them. They fired off their paintballs, but since they couldn't see anything, they ended firing at each other instead of Rex.
Rex felt proud of himself, "nothing to it, those little brats will think twice before messing with my trains ever again."
The boys did think, but not in the way Rex was thinking. They thought about paying Rex out for wheeshing at them, and then thought about using something else instead of paintballs. Since they were running out, they decided to use some of the ballast along the lineside.
"This will be fun," they snickered.
They waited and waited, and soon they heard a familar puffing sound. It was Rex with another group of passengers, "I don't think I'll need to wheesh this time," he said to his Driver, "I'm sure I sent those boys packing."
"We'll see Rex," said his Driver, "they could very well be hiding and waiting for us."
"Well even if they are, they've used up all their paintballs on themselves, so what else can they shoot at me?"
They were due to find out. As they came into view, there came a rustling sound from the bushes, but before Rex could react, the three foolish boys appeared and started shooting at him. Instead of getting painted, he was getting dents from all the rocks.
"Ohh! Ouch! Ow! Cut that out!"
Suddenly, he felt something cold and wet dripping down. His Driver stopped the train and dropped his fire, "what are you doing? We need to get away from them!"
"They've made a hole in your boiler, you're not going anywhere anymore."
Rex groaned as more ballast stones flew his way. However, they would stop in a hurry as someone stepped out from the train, and it wasn't an ordinary passenger. It was the police officer from the night before.
Earlier, Rex's driver had radioed Control and the officer decided to ride the train to see if he could see the boys.
"Oh crumbs, I think it's time we split," groaned one of the boys.
They did try running, but the officer was quick on his feet and soon blocked them. They tried running another way, but some of the passengers got off the train and helped to block them. The boys threatened the passengers by pointing their paintball guns at them, but they were useless as the guns were empty.
"Right lads, you're under arrest for damage to railway property," said the officer. "You have the right to remain silent."
"Ohh!" groaned the boys.
Rex's Driver, unhurt from the attack, radioed Control and in no time at all, Bert arrived and pushed the train with all the passengers, including the troublesome lads, to the next station. At the station, the officer took the boys to the stationmaster's office to wait for the next train to arrive, and to take them back to the yards and his patrol car. Bert shunted Rex to a siding, and took the train the rest of the way. Rex said nothing.
It was later when Mike arrived with an empty coach for the officer and the boys, and to collect Rex.
"Well Rex, what was that you were saying? These kinds of things can't happen to you? I think it can happen to any engine, wouldn't you agree?"
Rex said nothing, and neither did the boys. They all remained silent as they went back to the yards.
"Are these boys the ones that attacked Mike yesterday?" the Small Controller asked when they arrived.
"They are indeed," answered Mike.
"Right, well I say you lads are going to have alot to answer for," said the officer, and he lead them away to his patrol car.
The Small Controller turned to Rex, "I heard you wheeshed steam at the boys, and while you might think that will help, as proven today, it doesn't. It's better to report them, and let the professionals handle the situation."
"Yes Sir, I'll remember that," sighed Rex. And judging from the way Mike was chuckling, Rex knew the other engines would never let him forget anyways.
