WHATEVER HAPPENED TO SMUDGER?
CHAPTER 4: Run With Us
The boat has a special elevator dock in the cargo hold, so Smudger could come up and look outside.
The young American engine could see very far out, and was amazed on how big the ocean was. He could see very far off lands and other boats farther away. A friendly tugboat named Sunshine even said, "Hullo!" as they past a big port.
As they sailed onward to his new home, Smudger looked into the sky, wondering what awaited him beyond the ship. He knew that there were vast worlds out there, many still unexplored.
One night, he was allowed to come out of the cargo hold, and he sighed as he looked up at the night sky. It was a beautiful night. The dark sky was covered in beautiful shining stars and a glistening full moon, which reflected in the water, creating a beautiful site.
His driver was awake and saw Smudger and smiled. He climbed into his cab and inched Smudger forward toward the edge and stopped him. Smudger looked down at the water, and saw himself looking back at him.
"Her driver?" he asked.
"Hmmm?" mumbled his driver sleepily.
"What happens…after this?" Smudger asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Well…after I go to Japan…will I be scrapped?"
His driver chuckled and patted Smudger's boiler. "That, my dear engine is up to fate to decide," he said with a soft smile.
Smudger nodded and looked up at the sky as his driver reversed him safely back onto the elevator platform. As he was lowered safely back down into the cargo hold, Smudger was thinking to himself lots of questions, and I'm sorry to say many of them have gone unanswered.
A few days later, Smudger's ship pulled into a port. There was a small town there, filled with people going here and there, cars driving around and, for whatever reason, soldiers with their small buggies.
When the ship docked, several cranes were set up and Smudger was lowered onto the ground. He was surprised that the yellow lorry that arrived to collect him looked very cross with him.
Smudger was eased onto a flatbed and the lorry drove him away. As they drove through the bustling streets, the lorry spoke.
"Now listen here," it snarled, "Since you're new, you might not fit in, but you never will, so don't try anything."
Smudger was a bit surprised. "Um…what do you mean?"
The lorry sighed. "You know you're in Japan, right?"
"Yeah."
"And you're an American engine."
"Yeah, so what?"
"We're in the middle of a war with America."
"Oh..." Smuder said.
The lorry finally pulled up by a small shed. Inside were three other engines. All were asleep and covered in large white sheets, so Smudger couldn't identify them. Smudger was lowered back down to the rails and eased gently into the shed.
His driver and fireman soon arrived and covered Smudger in white sheets as well, then they went away to find a place to live. Smudger felt very lonely and suddenly remembered Duke, Stuart, and Falcon. He snorted and shook his head, trying to get them off his mind.
It doesn't matter," he muttered to himself, "It's not like I'll ever see them again."
How wrong he was.
TO BE FRIGGIN CONTINUED