Typhoid Henry
On the Island of Sodor, Henry the Green Engine was feeling visibly ill. He looked as green as his paintwork which was a big cause for concern for the other engines.
Bear: (Concerned) You look a bit green in the face Henry are you okay?
Henry: I've had worse. Remember the time you were here on trial?
Bear: How could I forget? D199 had failed, your regular was damaged and I had issues with my injector yet somehow you and I stepped up to the plate and finished the task. After that the Fat Controller let me stay where as D199 later known as Spamcan was sent back to the other railway in disgrace.
Henry: I remember that but even so I'll manage.
Bear: You always did but I'm guessing that you're green in more ways than one right now.
Henry: I'm afraid so. Lord Arcanon's return has got everyone tense and the fact that Duchess Corrinne's grudge upon the Black Fives the Gresley Pacifics and the Bulleid Pacifics has Rebecca, Spencer, Gordon, and myself suffering because one of our relatives helped Edward stab Duchess Corrinne in the back and that's nothing compared to what Lord Arcanon's gang have been doing.
Bear: You think you have it bad? I'm getting the worst of it. Every time I've had to go to the Dieselworks I've had to listen to the diesels complain about how they're being overworked and getting the worst of Duchess Corrine's fiery wrath. Half the staff are saying that destroying her is the only way to stop this but some of the staff are saying that defeating Lord Arcanon and his organization is our only chance.
Henry: Well what do you suggest we do?
Bear: I have an idea but I'll need to bring it up at the sheds tonight.
Henry: Very well. (Groans) I better get to work.
Henry steamed off but Bear could tell that something was wrong with Henry.
Bear: (Thinking) I do hope whatever is ailing Henry does not come back to haunt him later.
On the Mainline Henry was puffing along as hard as he could but he was still feeling the effects of his illness which came to hit him when he reached Gordon's Hill.
Henry: (thinking) This is tougher than I thought.
Henry gave all he had and managed to make it to the other side with his goods train and kept the trucks in check and by the time he made it to Vicarstown with his train he left the trucks and went to get ready for his next train.
Henry's Driver: You don't look so good Henry. Perhaps we should take you to the Steamworks.
Henry: I'll manage somehow. It's nothing too serious. I'm used to being sick.
Henry's Driver: I remember but the minute this gets serious we're taking you to the shops.
Henry understood and carried on his duties for the day and he felt a bit sick much to the concern of the other engines and by the time he returned to the sheds he was still sick and this time it didn't go unnoticed.
Gordon: Usually this is where I'd make a remark about you being sick but I really think you should go see a mechanic.
Henry: It's not that serious. I'll be alright. I managed to hang in there.
James: True and at least you're more effective than most of the diesels these days. If any of them were as sick as you they'd be calling for a fitter by now. (Sees Bear present) No offense.
Bear: None taken James. I too have seen a lot when I used to work for the Other Railway and I've seen how tough Henry is for myself. Regardless we should get some sleep. We're all gonna need it.
The rest of the fleet agreed as they went to go get some sleep.
Next Morning Henry felt right as Rain again.
Henry: Ah I feel back to my old self. All I needed was a bit of sleep to get back on my feet.
Gordon, James, Bear, and Belle groaned heavily while Rebecca was also feeling slightly under the weather.
Gordon: (Groaning) Suddenly I don't feel so good.
James: I feel like I'm the one who's sick.
Bear: That makes three of us.
Belle: Four technically.
Rebecca: I'm feeling a bit under the weather myself but not as much as the rest of you.
Henry: No worries. You lot probably had what I had. It'll pass in a couple of hours.
Henry left to take the first train of the day while the other engines tried to get moving only to find that they were sick.
The Fat Controller promptly arrived at the sheds to find out what was the matter only to find that the workmen were examining the fleet save Henry.
Fat Controller: What's going on with the fleet?
Yard Master: Most of the fleet here is sick. It's serious.
Fat Controller: I can see that but how bad is it?
Yard Master: Do you know about the Fiji flu?
Fat Controller: The flu that hits those who are not frequently sick harder than those who are frequently sick. I had that once so I know it.
Yard Master: Well this is the locomotive equivalent of that flu and from what we heard given Henry's health history he was able to shake it off but Gordon, James, Bear, Belle, and Rebecca will have to stay in the sheds under quarantine for at least a week. Which means you'll need some substitutes. As much as we want to we cannot risk moving them to the Steamworks or we risk spreading the virus to the other engines.
Fat Controller: Okay but Rebecca isn't as sick as the others which means she'd be able to recover in little time but Belle is suffering the worst of it.
Yard Master: Well given the history of their class and their own health history I'm not surprised. Even so we can't risk moving Rebecca for the reasons I mentioned earlier.
Fat Controller: I understand that. Fortunately, the Kalos Railway has provided some substitutes and Murdoch was staying in Knapford Sheds on a different assignment. I better tell our guests about the situation. I just can't believe this happened on the day we're supposed to win a valuable contract.
Yard Master: I just hope it's nothing too dangerous. Duchess Corrinne risked her life to deliver that Molten Phenol contract for the Pink Controller.
Fat Controller: I'm aware of that. Who do you think suggested the Pink Controller to take the train? But enough about that. How long is this virus going to last?
Yard Master: I'm no mechanic but the fleet is gonna be in the sheds for quite a while. Your guests will have to pick up double duty for at least 3 days at most.
The Fat Controller understood and headed off to go find the Great Western Locomotives and Henry.
By the time he found Henry and the Great Western Locomotives he was explaining the situation to them.
Monica: Are you fucking Serious? How the fuck does something like that spread? I thought Henry being a Black Five would've cured this shit by now.
Fat Controller: Monica first of all we do not swear like sailors on leave and before you say anything yes I know about your history about transporting Sailors and Naval Personal and supplies but under absolutely no circumstances does that give you license to curse like one regardless of your work performance.
Monica: Yes sir.
Zach: Monica may have a foul mouth but she's got a point. How did something like the Fiji flu spread and are there any measures put in place?
The Fat Controller: We don't know how it got here or how Henry got it but we do have Gordon, James, and Bear quarantined with the rest of the fleet at Tidmoth. Unfortunately, Zach you'll have to do the shunting at Knapford since our shunter was in the sheds and is quarantined for the time being.
Zach: I understand.
The Fat Controller: As for the rest of you. You'll all have to pick up the slack. Henry since Gordon is quarantined you'll have to his work which means that Churton Hall will have to do yours.
?: Actually, I'll fill in for Gordon if it's okay.
The fleet promptly saw Spencer show up.
Henry: Spencer what are you doing here?
Spencer: When I heard my cousin, Gordon was sick with the Fiji flu I had to step in. after all somebody has to cover for the passenger services.
Monica: And what the fuck makes you think you're qualified for the job?
Spencer: You need to understand that we're gonna be heading for tough times and while I understand that Duchess Corrinne may have issues with me because of what Union of South Africa did the real enemy is Lord Arcanon and his organization. So, the way I figure is that since Duchess Corrine has issues with me, her enemies will be less likely to rob the Express if I was on point.
Churton Hall: He's got a point. Besides we don't really have much of a choice as it is.
Brody: Alright we'll play it Spencer's way then.
Spencer: Trust me I won't let you down.
Spencer was as good as his word as he, Henry, and the Great Western Locomotives began picking up the slack and with the resident Station Pilot picking up the slack and stepping up it looked as though things were starting to pick up but by the end of the day Henry, and the Great Western Engines were feeling the strain.
Zach: I thought the summer season traffic was hard but considering most of the mainline engines were down it was even tougher.
Monica: You think you had it bad? I'm worried about Brody and yourself.
Zach: What makes you say that?
Monica: Did you forget what happened in the 1930s? By that time trains were getting heavier and while my siblings and I could manage Brody and his siblings were getting overwhelmed.
Brody: I understand your concern about me Monica but remember I'm not giving up. If it comes down to it I can always switch places with Zach if the work on the mainline gets too much for me.
Churton Hall: Hopefully that won't be the case. Either way we've got another day of work tomorrow so let's hope we can keep the trains running long enough for the rest of the team to recover.
Henry: Churton Hall is right. Tomorrow Morning at 5 I leave for the Flying Kipper so this is not going to be easy. I'll check on Spencer but before he left he told me that the Duke and Duchess of Boxford gave him some very top-secret information about Payne Industries and that it involves Duchess Corrinne but that it all he would say at the time.
Zach: In the meantime, I think we had best get some rest. I have a feeling that we're all gonna be in for a very rough week.
The other engines agreed as they all went to recover and get some rest.
At Tidmoth Sheds, Gordon, James, Bear, Belle, and Rebecca were discussing what was going on.
Belle: Forgive me for sounding a bit morbid folks but I have to say something serious.
James: Then say it already. It's not like we're gonna be going anywhere anytime soon considering most of us are sick with this blasted Fiji Flu.
Belle: Very well, James. Henry and the Great Western Engines made it through today but I have a terrible feeling that worse is to come. If Lord Arcanon somehow gets word and decides to overwhelm the Railway then there's a good chance he may have a Lorry company who hates steam engines steal our contracts.
Gordon: Brody mentioned that happened in the LMS section of the Kalos Railway and it took the strong performance of Duchess Corrinne, Princess Aurora and Claire to recover the passenger traffic.
Rebecca: But freight traffic swelled to where even the heavy goods engines of the LMS section of the Kalos Railway were feeling it. If Colby didn't show up when he did who knows what could've happened.
Belle: I do hope we get over this flu soon. This is a terrible time to be sick though if we had known Henry was sick with the Fiji Flu we wouldn't have caught it. I still can't believe that a black five like him caught it yet puffed away clean. I heard tales about Black fives feeling sick for a week and a half at the most. I once heard that a Standard Class 9F was stuck in the shops.
James: You don't know Henry's health history like Gordon and I do Belle. Before you arrived Henry wasn't always a Black Five but perhaps it might be better if Henry himself told it.
Gordon: James is right or better yet go read the Thin Clergyman's books. They'll tell you the basics but the important stuff is not in the books though. It's in Henry's head.
Rebecca: Let's just try and get some sleep. We'll need it if we're going to have any chance of beating this bug. Thankfully Nia was at the Steamworks at the time doing some shunting.
Belle: Thank Robin Riddles for that. Otherwise she'd be stuck in here with us.
The other engines agreed on that note as they went to get some rest knowing that things were gonna be difficult tomorrow.
Author's Note: I'm sorry I was gone for so long but I was swamped with school work and what not. But this Pandemic may have given me an opening to get back into Fanfiction writing. Either way I wish you all the best.