Chapter 2: Trying to do something right
Carrie was still walking nearby the branch line, trying to head towards the village that she was originally heading towards. Despite seeing all the wonders of her new home, she felt she did not deserve to join in and enjoy, knowing she was on the run from all she had committed back home in Chamberlain, and believing her soul was damned for what was left of her life… and beyond… and could never let go of what she had done, whether she genuinely wanted to commit such an atrocity, or she was just pushed too far… Bit in some ways, Carrie felt that living in solitude was her punishment…
(A little while later…)
Carrie eventually reached the village where she needed to scavenge more supplies to survive, not that she felt like whether she wanted to truly live or die, knowing it was wrong to steal, but with all she had been through, she really didn't have much other choice… Carrie also felt that even her punishment could be, she could not die until she had done something right… but again, she had no idea… what to do… whether she was damned for her wrong doings… or could somehow find a path to forgiveness or redemption… But for now, Carrie had no idea what she genuinely wanted, between living & dying…
As Carrie looked around for stuff to scavenge, her self-conflicting began kicking in again, on one hand, she felt she needed to steal & scavenge to survive, but on the other hand, she knew if she continued these acts, she would be no better than when she destroyed her prom, and could be wanted by the authorities here too… Before Carrie felt she would cause a scene, she quickly and immediately turned and left the way she came, deciding to have to try and survive on what she had for now, and decide what to do tomorrow…
Carrie was walking soon back walking past the branch line she followed earlier towards the village. As Carrie came to a part of the track, where there was a steep embankment of woodlands on the opposite side of the track, she suddenly noticed the some of the embankment was moving down towards the track on its own, like it was crumbling… when suddenly as some of the trees came closer and closer towards the tracks, until the tumbled over onto the tracks, covering them, along with a rapid mountain of soil and earth, causing Carrie to gasp…
Carrie observed the amount of mess covering the tracks, when she suddenly realized, if any trains were coming down the tracks, there would be an accident. It would be bad enough if it were a goods train, but even worse if a passenger train cloud be coming down the line…
*Memories of Carrie's prom Massacre replay through her mind*
Realizing of what could come at any moment, along with she had caused before, Carrie then quickly climbed over the fence, before looking both ways down the line, hoping no trains were coming… but as Carrie got on to the tracks, to her horror, she heard a train whistle in the near distance, along with his chuffing and puffing coming fast… & recognized the whistle & chuffing and puffing noises, as s belonging to the little green saddle tank engine…
For a moment, Carrie panicked, knowing she did not have a red flag or anything red to warn and stop the train… But then Carrie realized, as soon as the train was close enough, she would have to use her powers, to try and stop it. Carrie was reluctant to her own idea, but it was either let there be an accident, or try preventing it…
(Meanwhile, further down the line…)
The little green saddle tank engine, whose name was Percy, was chuffing and puffing happily, with a train of 2 small red branch line coaches, full of happy passengers, along with a brake van, while his crew were keeping eyes on the tracks ahead, as well as shoveling coal into his firebox, unaware what was around the soft bend ahead…
But as Percy began curving round the bend, he thought he could see a landslide ahead, so he blew his whistle long and loud to alert his crew. His driver then reduced steam to slow Percy down, but he was still going too fast, when he also saw someone standing in front of the landslide…
Carrie then launched her arm in front of her, causing Percy's brakes to slam on by themselves, as Percy suddenly stopped right in front of Carrie, who was only an inch from Percy's buffers, causing Carrie to faint & fall unconsciously onto the tracks…
"Are you alright Percy?" Percy's driver called, as he and his fireman got out of his cap, to inspect the landslide…
"Yes, I'm ok, I'm glad you managed to apply my brakes before we could hit the landslide." Percy replied gladly…
"I didn't apply your brakes… they just slammed on by themselves, strangely…" Percy's driver replied in confusion, before noticing the girl lying in-front of Percy on the tracks…
Percy's driver and fireman suddenly rushed, and carried the girl of the tracks, before checking if she had been hit…
"Miss? Miss?" The driver asked the girl, hoping she was not injured, as Carrie gave an unconscious groan…
"She's ok, she's just unconscious, she must have fainted from getting that close to Percy's buffers…" The fireman replied with relief.
"Let's get her into Percy's cab, we'll take her back to Tidmouth station, and inform Sir Topham Hatt of the incident." The driver said.
Percy's driver and fireman then carried the unconscious girl up into Percy's cab, when the driver noticed a photo fall out of one of the girl's jacket pockets…
After loading Carrie into Percy's cab, Percy's driver went to retrieve the photo that fell out her pocket… but as he picked up the photo, his eyes widened from the photo. The photo was of Carrie with Margaret, which caused the driver to gasp, as he recognized Margaret on the photo… he then turned the photo over to see some writing on the back: 'Me and Mama'.
"Ralph? Ralph, are you ok?" Percy asked curiously.
"Uh Yeah, sorry…" the Driver, whose name was Ralph, replied regaining his senses, he then put the photo in his coat pocket, before boarding Percy's cab, before Percy then began chuffing and puffing back towards Tidmouth Station…
(Later, back at Tidmouth…)
The Fat Controller (Sir Topham Hatt), was in his office, when he received a call about the landslide, and that Percy was on his way back, but also informing him of their unknown passenger…
"I'll be right there…" The Fat Controller replied, as he put on his top hat, and made his way to the platforms outside, just as Percy reversed into Tidmouth Station…
"Hello Ralph, what's happened?" The Fat Controller asked in concern.
"There's been a landslide on the branch line, not far from lower Tidmouth. We were lucky that we stopped before we hit it…" Ralph replied in explanation.
"That's good, I'll send Edward with a cleanup crew immediately." The Fat Controller sighed with relief. "You also mentioned about Percy seeing someone on the line when you saw the landslide…"
"Yes, a girl, she tried to stop us from crashing into the landslide, but she fainted from getting only a inch close to Percy's buffers…" Ralph replied, as he helped his fireman carry the still unconscious Carrie out of Percy's cab…
"Best bring her into my office." The Fat Controller said, as he, Ralph and his fireman rushed Carrie into the station office…
They lay Carrie on a sofa in the Fat controller's office, letting her wake up under her own steam…
"Do you know who she is? Any idea where she's from?" The Fat Controller asked in concern.
"I think I do. I found something that might give us a clue…" Ralph replied, as he pulled out the photo, he picked up earlier.
Ralph then showed the Fat Controller the photo of the girl with her mother, who Ralph recognized as Margaret white…
"Isn't that Margaret? You're ex wife?" The fat Controller asked in concern.
"Yes… but if Margaret is this girl's mother… She could be my daughter…"Ralph said, as his eyes widened while looking at the girl, as Carrie started waking up…
To be continued...