That night, Stephanie could not sleep as she lay silently in her bed, staring up at the ceiling of her hospital room.
Everything around her was peaceful and still, except the sounds of the clock on the wall that ticked continuously.
Sometimes, even if she was just a little tired, she would eventually go to sleep after getting comfortable in her hospital bed.
But since she is in a different country that was not on the map and in an unfamiliar room, she was hesitant to fall asleep comfortably.
Everything around her seemed different from how she used to be, from the 'language' people speaking, and how… strange they were.
She does not know why she could not sleep now that she is out of harm's way for now.
But something inside her kept telling her she was not out of harm's way yet, feeling like there could be something else wanting to attack her for no good reason.
She stared up at the ceiling, still thinking to herself about the unfamiliarity of her new surroundings.
Stephanie continued thinking about what would happen next until she heard the familiar sounds of a steam locomotive.
Instantly, she froze, feeling half scared and half curious about the steam locomotive she saw yesterday morning.
Her mind thought about the steam locomotive smiling at her with a beaming grin which made her shudder slightly with fear and feeling creeped out from the terrifying and uncomfortable grin until she thought of the words "Hello, there," from the steam locomotive that spoke to her.
It seemed terrifying for Stephanie to hear those words from a steam locomotive that has a face to her in person.
But at the same time, it seemed comforting for her to hear them.
Nevertheless, she still does not know what could happen next if she trusts the live steam locomotive with naïve trust, making her anxiety grow more and more at the thoughts.
Stephanie only remembers the faces of Dowager Hatt and the nurse, who she is trusting slowly, but does not know if the steam locomotive is one of them.
But on the other hand, the steam locomotive seemed to be friendly by how he greeted her when she looked out the window again.
Taking a deep and silent breath, she sat up from her bed and gently pushed the blankets off her body, revealing her slim body covered with a blue hospital gown the nurses gave her for the night to recover.
She shifted her legs over the edge of the bed and placed her bare feet on the ground, hesitating for a moment, rethinking her decision.
Of course, she was anxious to meet a talking steam locomotive, but she was curious to meet him.
He did greet her through the window by mouthing the words, "Hello, there." to her.
The hair on the back of her neck prickled as her anxiety made her think of being kidnapped if she looked out the window.
Or worse, getting yelled at by a nurse working overnight if she produces too much noise.
Picking up Dowager Hatt's handkerchief from the counter table beside the bed to use for steadying her nerves down, she picked herself up from the bedside.
This time, she was not shaking from the lack of strength.
Glancing down at her arm, she noticed she still had the needle inserted in her arm, so she took the stand in her hand as the other was holding Dowager Hatt's handkerchief tightly.
Gradually, she walked over to the window, feeling more and more nervous about meeting the steam locomotive, but she took another deep and gentle breath and continued moving forward.
Once she was close to the window, she slowly opened the curtain from blocking the window slightly, peeking out a little from the thin crack between the two sheets.
It was pitch-black outside, but many lamps were glowing in the darkness, revealing the desolate streets and sidewalks without humans outside at this time of night.
But there, on the railway on the platform, was the same steam locomotive.
The blue steam tank engine that she had seen in the morning.
He was waiting there at the station, glancing around in the darkness with his lamp off.
The driver and fireman were inside the cab, glancing around and mostly waiting patiently for something to happen.
Until his eyes moved up to the window where Stephanie was peeking out.
It caused her to gasp softly and move back in startlement, withdrawing the curtain over the crack.
She nervously bit the bottom of her lip about her decision until the sounds of a steam locomotive puffing forward went through the air before stopping directly where the window is.
The hair on Stephanie's arms stuck up when she realized the steam engine that had a face was directly in the same spot as it was with its ordinary routine of transporting passengers.
"Psst! Psst!" a voice spoke. "Hey! Hey, you!"
The voice sounded muffled slightly through the glass of the window, almost like what she heard from yesterday.
Now that he is close to the window, Stephanie could hear his voice without the noises in the daylight.
She jolted a little from the sudden voice coming from him on the other side of the window, surprised to hear him speak.
Half suggested that there be a microphone or something that would allow him to speak with the face.
But it proved he was physically speaking.
Instantly, Stephanie softly whimpered to herself as she gritted her teeth, worried about being caught by either the nurses or the villagers around.
"Hey!" the same voice spoke, sounding a little louder but still quiet. "Are you still awake?"
Stephanie continued staying where she was for a moment before gathering some courage and peeked out from the window again, looking down at the steam locomotive.
When she glanced down at the steam locomotive again, he was still there, patiently waiting for her to move the curtain back more.
Biting the bottom of her lip nervously again with her front teeth, Stephanie felt like she wanted to run away from the window and go back to sleep on the hospital bed to forget what she had witnessed.
Instead, she took another gentle and deep breath before fully opening the curtain, revealing herself to the steam locomotive on the other side.
After revealing herself to the steam locomotive, the steam locomotive smiled at her gently and said quietly, trying not to accidentally wake up the neighbors, "Can you open the window?"
Stephanie looked confused for a moment as she gently pushed the other side of the curtain, glancing around for what to unlock the window.
She noticed a latch between the windows that could unlock the window to talk to the steam locomotive.
Using her right hand as she released it from the pole of her drip bag and placing Dowager Hatt's handkerchief down in front of her, she slowly and quietly unlocked the latch that kept her window closed as it clicked gently.
After the lock of the window clicked open, she slowly and carefully opened the window, feeling a gentle wave of semi-cold wind blow at her, causing her to shudder slightly.
Then, after the window had been opened, she peered her head out fully, looking down at the little steam locomotive as she picked Dowager Hatt's handkerchief back up from the windowsill in front of her.
"Hello, there." the steam locomotive spoke, smiling gently towards her.
He had said that same line to her again when Stephanie had first met him!
Stephanie first felt startled when the steam locomotive talked to her, but she kept still on her spot, smiling nervously with her lips before waving her free hand towards him.
This was a little weird on Stephanie's half of her mind about talking to a supposed non-alive steam locomotive.
But on the other hand, it seemed familiar to her since she typically talked to people.
"What's your name?" The little steam locomotive softly asked. "My name is Thomas. Thomas the Tank Engine."
A slight smile appeared on Stephanie's face before hesitating for a moment.
She felt doubtful to introduce herself to a steam locomotive that had a face and could talk to her.
Thomas noticed her expression, looking confused for a moment before realizing something.
"Are you mute?" He asked, sounding slightly confused.
Stephanie perked up a little after he had asked if she was mute, shaking her head no.
"Then why didn't you tell me your name?" Thomas asked.
A slight blush appeared on her face, glancing away from him shyly as she gently drummed her fingers against the ledge of the window.
Thomas noticed her expression, chuckling to himself softly as she perked a little in confusion, mostly wondering if there was something on her body that sticks out the most.
"I think you're a little shy, aren't you?" he asked, smiling slightly.
Stephanie nodded her head, still not looking at him eye-to-eye and feeling downright stupid for hesitating for a long time without properly introducing herself.
Thomas giggled softly again before saying, "It's okay. I sometimes meet shy engines too. Edward, a friend of mine, was shy too when he first met me."
Stephanie perked up a little more as she turned her attention back around to Thomas, feeling more comfortable as she listened to him talk.
It still feels a little strange for a steam locomotive to talk to her, but she soon started getting used to it since tonight was the first time she encountered one.
"Oh, I was wondering something," Thomas spoke as Stephanie leaned out a little to hear what he was asking for. "Could you ask Dowager Hatt if you could have a look around Sodor? It could be a little easier for you to be more comfortable for you since this place is different from you."
Stephanie was surprised when Thomas asked her if she could ask Dowager Hatt if she could have a look around Sodor to make her comfortable from missing her home.
But she wanted to feel comfortable to make others think she is an obedient child, so she nodded her head.
"That's great!" Thomas beamed before starting to puff away from the station. "I'll see you tomorrow!"
Stephanie smiled slightly nervously before sighing and moving back into her room, closing the windows before latching the lock back into place.
She felt a little confused about why Thomas acted friendly towards her but shrugged to herself mentally, assuming that all steam locomotives like him are company-loving on this island.
Stephanie was about to stand up from the seat but noticed that she was already tired from moving a little.
Instead, Stephanie laid back down on the window sill and got comfortable, being careful with the syringe inserted in her arm.
After getting comfortable, she pulled the blanket over her body and slowly fell asleep near the window, as the distant sounds of Thomas' chuffing lullabies her back to sleep.
