The other engines all chuffed to the quarry to begin work- and of course check on their friend as soon as their fireboxes were burning and sizzling fiercely the following day.
"I hope he's okay," Tutted Peter Sam in concern, his brows furrowed.
Skarloey wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say, so he said nothing. They all fell silent as they proceeded through the arch entrance to the quarry.
"It's too quiet!" Grumbled Sir Handel. "Where is he? He's usually gambolling along the line like a cheery devil this time in the morning!"
"Well, it might be because he's not feeling well again," Suggested Skarloey, and he heard Rheneas suddenly slam his brakes on behind him in shock.
"Luke's ill? Why didn't you tell us?" His brother asked- both concerned and panicked.
"It just slipped my mind, Rheneas. I was going to say something, but"-
"How could you forget about Luke?"
"I didn't forget him, Rheneas- I just forgot to say he wasn't well!" The older engine countered, before a loud horn blast interrupts their squabbling.
"Well, we haven't got time to stand to stand round and argue- we need to see if Luke's okay!" Rusty reminded them, to which they all murmured in agreement.
They looked round for their friend, but he wasn't in his tunnel, and he wasn't anywhere to be seen, either. This increased their concern for little Luke.
"He wouldn't leave the quarry, would he?" Questioned Peter Sam to Sir Handel, to which his best friend just glared.
"We made him leave before." Sir Handel pointed out. "Remember? We took him to the Mid Sodor."
"And he ended up rescuin' that idiotic generator." Duncan grumbled. "Far is he, anyway?"
"You mean Smudger? He's at the Steamworks." Sir Handel said.
"Nae him, ye idiot- I meant Luke!" The Scottish tank engine yelled. At an attempt from Skarloey to quieten down things before they got out of hand, Duncan continued to resist, ending in all the engines arguing, save for Rheneas, who had heard a quiet chuffing noise from the tunnel.
He saw a pair of wide, frightened eyes staring out of the tunnel mouth. "Rheneas, why are they fighting?" A timid voice questioned softly from within.
"Don't worry, Luke. They'll work it out." The older engine assured kindly. "How are you feeling, old friend? Do you feel any better?"
"Worse."
"How is it so, Luke?"
Luke hesitated. He wanted to admit that he was feeling suicidal, but he didn't know how to explain what he nearly did. He suddenly yawned from exhaustion, and he saw Rheneas smile affectionately at the adorable action.
…
Later, Rheneas was bringing up some empty trucks to the Upper Terrace for Rusty and Owen, when he passed Merrick talking to Peter Sam below.
"Hello, Merrick!" He tooted cheerfully.
"Hey, Rheneas," But the crane didn't sound very cheerful, for some reason, which made the old engine frown. "Merrick?"
"Listen, Rheneas, I don't feel comfortable mentioning this, but you…should speak to Luke-please. Do it today."
Rheneas was puzzled by the warning. "What do you mean, Merrick?"
"Luke…Luke attempted to commit…suicide." The red crane finally managed with a raspy voice, and 'Gallant Old Engine' gasped.
….
'Suicide…suicide…he…he tried to commit…suicide…'
Rheneas' funnel was swirling with echoes of Merrick's voice long after he returned to the Lower Terrace. Oh, how could this happen? They knew that Luke was in great pain, but he never thought someone as dear and sweet as Luke would want to die so badly.
The fact he actually attempted to…no, he couldn't even bring himself to conceive the scenario. As he backed down on some trucks, he heard someone shouting at him.
"Hey, those aren't yours! I'm meant to be taking that stone to the transfer yards! You've got empties!"
"I'm sorry, Sir Handel." Rheneas replied quietly….and he suddenly realised his cheeks were unusually moist and his vision had become very blurry.
"Gee, Rheneas, I was just reminding you what trucks you were pulling," Said the blue engine, stricken with guilt and alarm.
But before the older engine could say anything, he heard a third and familiar voice say;
What's going on here?"
…
Skarloey misread the entire situation, and he thought that Sir Handel had been picking on Rheneas. He told the younger engine off for bullying, before looking at his brother.
"Are you alright?"
"For buffer's sake, no I'm not!" Rheneas burst out through sobs. "I appreciate you're just looking out for me, Skarloey, but I'm not crying because of what Sir Handel said! Must you make things worse?"
This hurt Skarloey's feelings. He didn't mean to upset his brother, and he was just trying to help.
"I'm sorry for getting you into hot water, Sir Handel," He began. "And I'm sorry too, Rheneas, for making a mistake trying to help you."
And he chuffed away, leaving a tearful, heartbroken Rheneas in his wake.