WHATEVER HAPPENED TO SMUDGER?

CHAPTER 11: Holding My Thoughts in My Heart

The hiss came again, this time almost despairing. The two small engines shivered. Smudger's eyes darted to the line right next to him, where the hiss seemed to come from. "Who's there?" he whispered quietly.

"Are you one of Mr. Chitana's engines?" came a whisper from the between the piles of scrap.

EM reversed a little, still frightened. "Erm…yes, we are," he said, trying to sound brave.

"Thank goodness," the voice said, "Push those trucks out of the way, I can't see you."

Smudger nodded nervously and shunted the scrap-loaded trucks out of the way. There, hiding by the remains of a station, was a very large engine. It looked like a massive block with twelve wheels. The engine was covered in coal and looked miserable.

"I'm 36002," he said, "I'm all out of coal and have no more steam."

Smudger decided not to ask about the coal and steam, mainly because he suspected the engine to be a diesel, but instead asked, "But what on Earth are you doing here?"

"Escaping. Running. Hiding."

"But from what?" asked EM.

"Scrap."

EM's boiler paled a little. Smudger noticed, and wondered if he had a bad experience with scrap. But Smudger's mind suddenly trailed off to Sodor. He began to wonder if any of the other engines survived the cutter's torch…

He shook a horrible image of a scrapped Duke out of his head and sighed. "Alright," he whispered, "We're going to get you out of here, but you have to look like you're ready for scrapping and were taking you away."

EM chocked and stared at Smudger "Are you crazy!" he nearly yelled. His driver and fireman quickly hushed him.

Nobody spoke after that, but instead hurried to work. 36002's driver and fireman helped chalk "SCRAP" all over him, while Smudger's driver and fireman quickly coupled Smudger behind the big engine. EM was coupled behind him, and 36002's driver and fireman quickly collected several documents, such as scrap orders and engine statistics.

With some effort, EM and Smudger began to push the massive engine towards home. Suddenly a diesel shot past, stopped, and quickly ran off, blaring its horn loudly.

"Take no notice," muttered Smudger, but suddenly a light shined in the window of the station ahead. A tall, gruff man stepped out and glared at the unusual sight.

"What's this?" he snorted, "One American Narrow Gauge engine and a Japanese Narrow Gauge engine stealing an engine worth nothing? I will not allow it! I'm a foreman damnit; I have to put my foot down!"

Smudger's driver nodded to the fireman grimly, and then stepped out of the cab, holding some paperwork. "Sorry bud," he said, "But it's all for us. See for yourself."

The foreman glared and looked at the paperwork. 36002's crew huddled together in the front cab, hardly daring to breathe.

The foreman laughed and shook his head. "So, it seems that this Bulleid Leader is a year late for scrapping?"

"Erm…yes," said the driver, "why?"

"Well," said the foreman with a grin, "I'd get millions off this scrap heap, and by law I can make sure that none of these engines leave here tonight, so back off the engine and be on your way."

36002 chocked. Smudger glared. "This guy's a lunatic…" he muttered under his breath.

"Look, we didn't come here for nothing," said the driver firmly, "so we'll be taking this engine now, if you don't mind."

"I do," snarled the foreman, "Which is why I'm going to call the cops on you."

He walked away with a cruel laugh. 36002 was devastated. After a whole year of running for his life, he wasn't going to make it. A single tear ran down his cheek, which collected some of the dirt and soot on his face.

Smudger felt terrible. He knew he had to do something. He knew that he couldn't just leave a fellow engine to die…

The foreman arrived, red in the face and pretty cross. "The cops said that everything's in order," he grumbled, "The engine's yours." He shouted out to the guard, and a shrill whistle blew. Smudger sighed in relief, and the three engines set off into the night.

"Now that was too close," laughed EM as the three left the yard toward the border.

"I've had worse," said 36002 with a grin, "I was almost completed when I was sent off to be scrapped. Some kind society rescued me though, and put me into working order. But they didn't turn out to be as kind as I thought, because they ended up trying to sell me off to various different scrap yards…"

It was a warm, calm morning as the three headed home.

The sun was rising just over the horizon as the three puffed through the valley toward home. The sun shone on them brightly as they rounded the bend and headed for the main line shed.

The shed was empty as they arrived. 36002 was pushed onto a turntable, then after being spun around to face the other way, was eased gently into the shed.

"Why'd you turn me?" asked 36002, "I didn't need it."

Smudger smiled. "Just thought you'd enjoy the view," he said with a grin. He could hear an engine whistle loudly across the valley. He suddenly realized who it was. "Oh wait, Royal's heading home today!" he said, "I gotta go, I have to help escort him to the station!"

Smudger and EM called out "Goodbye!" and hurried off toward home. 36002 chucked. "They're like little kids…" he said thoughtfully as he watched the two scamper away.

He looked up at the morning sun and his worn eyes twinkled as for the first time in years, he smiled as he dozed in the sun.

TO BE FRIGGIN CONTINUED