Chapter 3: An unexpected turn of events
As Carrie slowly began to awaken from her unconsciousness, The Fat Controller, Ralph, and his fireman, watched her as she began to sit up. Ralph was the most curious and nervous about who this girl was, knowing that Margaret White was her mother, with the likelihood, the young teen could be his daughter… But it was not just these theories and beliefs regarding Margaret that made Ralph nervous…
As Carrie was sat up, groaning with her eyes closed, and putting her hand on her head, trying to remember what had happened…
*Carrie remembers trying to stop the green tank engine, before blacking out from nearly hitting his buffers*
Carrie's eyes then shot open, like waking up from another of her Prom Nightmares, before slowly looking around to see where she now was, until she saw the Fat Controller, Ralph and his fireman standing near her. Carrie then gasped and tried to back away in worry…
"Hey, Hey, it's ok, take it easy kiddo…" Ralph said calmly to try and not startle her
"It's ok miss, you're in safe hands, you're not in any trouble…" The Fat Controller also said, trying to calm the worried girl.
Carrie was still worried and alert, but decided to take a chance, and see who these people who found her were, as well as where she was… but then Carrie noticed Ralph holding her photo of her and her mother…
"Oh, I'm sorry, this fell out your pocket when carried you into Percy's cab after you fainted." Ralph apologized, as he gave the photo back to Carrie.
"Percy? Is that the little green steam train's name?" Carrie asked in surprise.
"Yeah, you were lucky you didn't get hit by his buffers. What's your name anyway?" Ralph asked the shy teen.
Carrie was nervous to respond at first, worried incase they may have seen or heard of the disaster she had caused, but knew she could not hide her name…
"Carrie…" Carrie squeaked nervously.
"Hello Carrie, my name's Ralph." Ralph replied calmly, still trying to see if secretly she was his child…
"My mama told me my dad was called Ralph." Carrie replied with a small smile.
"Your father, Ralph, if you don't mind me asking Carrie, what happened to him?" The Fat Controller asked in concern.
"Mama told me… he died in a construction accident, in 1995, before I was even born…" Carrie said in sorrow, at the thought of never knowing her father…
"He didn't Carrie… Your father didn't die in that accident…" Ralph replied, trying to shock Carrie, knowing she was definitely his long-lost daughter, that he never knew or met...
"What do you mean?" Carrie asked in concern.
"He came here to Sodor, many years ago, and he now works as an engine driver, mainly Percy's driver…" Ralph continued his words, making Carrie realize who the man Infront of her truly was…
"You're… You are… You're my…" Carrie uncontrollably stuttered in shock.
"Yes Carrie… It's me, I'm Ralph White, I'm your father." Ralph calmly replied, almost crying himself, knowing he was a dad along, and never knew…
As much as Carrie was surprised & shocked that she had found her long lost father, she was also extremely worried, thinking of what he and everyone he knew, would think once they uncovered the Black Prom Massacre, and that she was the cause of it, along with what happened to her mother… But in that moment, Carrie felt she had no choice but to take another grave risk… & confess everything…
"I must ask Carrie if you're from chamberlain, what are you doing here on Sodor all by yourself?" The Fat controller asked in concern.
"Yeah Carrie, why? Does your mother know you're here?" Ralph also asked his long-lost daughter in concern too…
"Dad… She… she's dead… Mama's dead…" Carrie squeaked about to cry.
As Ralph heard those words, he felt mortified, not for Margaret, but for Carrie, as he gave Carrie a tight hug, feeling that the whole world had been horrible to the child he never knew existed and was his…
"I'm so sorry Carrie…" Ralph replied, almost crying himself…
"You shouldn't be dad…" Carrie squeaked in guilt…
"Why Carrie?" Ralph asked in concern…
"Mama didn't die of a natural cause…" Carrie replied in more guilt to come… "It was me… I killed her, I'm the reason she's gone!"
Ralph was then more mortified, as he heard his daughter confess the truth… but he kept calm, knowing, and believing Carrie would never do something like that for no reason…
"Why did you do it? Was she horrible to you? Did she hurt you?!" Ralph asked in a worried tone, as Carrie reluctantly showed her arm, leg and back, where Margaret stabbed her, which Carrie bandaged up during her escape from Chamberlain, leaving both Ralph & the Fat Controller in shock...
"She tried to kill me… she stabbed me… thinking I was the Devil… I retaliated…" Carrie replied in stutters…
"Oh Carrie…" Ralph said in horror and sorrow…
"You still shouldn't feel sorry for me… Mama wasn't the only person who died because of me… and all in the same night…" Carrie continued to confess…
"Who else?" Ralph asked in concern.
"Those who bullied me at school… during prom night, 15 nights ago… I went to Prom with Tommy Ross, he was the boyfriend of a girl who once bullied me: Sue Snell… she asked him to take me instead of her, to make up for everything she had done wrong… But, Chris Hargensen, found out…" Carrie explained nervously, as Ralph cut in, as soon as he heard the surname: Hargensen…
"Hargensen? I knew that family was trouble from the start…" Ralph said with a slight growl, not at Carrie…
"She and all the popular girls rigged the prom king and queen votes, so we'd win… only so they could prank me… they poured blood me & and played a video they'd recorded of my first period incident… then they killed Tommy… Then I killed all of them… practically destroying the school in the process…" Carrie continued to explain, almost breaking down, but she tried to stay strong, knowing she couldn't hide anything…
"Oh Carrie… I'm so sorry…" Ralph said in sorrow for what the world had made his long-lost child do, while showing no signs of hate or anger to her…
"Sue tried to help me after I killed mama… But I made the house collapse… I got Sue out safely, knowing she had tried to help me, but hoped that would be the end for me… but I survived… I was so scared, I could not face up to what I had done… so I ran away, not caring where I would end up, as long as I was gone… Then I ended up here…" Carrie finished her story… "You shouldn't feel sorry for me… You should turn me in…"
"You're definitely true about what should be done, especially about something as big as that Carrie… But I am not going to… not like this, not to you, not my only child…" Ralph said with sorrow for Carrie, knowing after all that she had gone through, she didn't deserve to spend the rest of her live still suffering…
"But Dad, people are dead because of me, my own mother Included... I am no better than Chris… I'm just a cold-hearted killer…" Carrie said in confusion…
"You're not a killer Carrie, you're not cold hearted, if you honestly were a killer, you'd never admit to anything you just told us like that straight away." Ralph replied with understanding. "I know it's hard for you, after all you've been through, and because it's not long happened… But I also know… despite the scale what you have done, there's always a chance you can redeem yourself…"
"How dad? I cannot go back and save those I killed… As much as I wanted them to stop bullying me, I went too far… and I cannot redeem or even forgive myself for any of that…" Carrie said, looking at her father in slight disbelief…
"Carrie, I was the same when I left Chamberlain… I did not want to leave, but after what your mother was being like to me… I could not live with it that way… So, after that incident back in Chamberlain, I took the chance to get away from her…" Ralph replied, opening himself to his daughter, as Carrie began to think more…
"Kind of like I did, after I tried to end my life?" Carrie said, trying to return the comfort to her father.
"Yeah… If I honestly knew Margaret was pregnant with you, Carrie, I would have waited, and then I would have taken you with me, even if I had resorted to kidnap… I know it would be wrong, but your mother wasn't a good person…" Ralph replied, almost crying himself, as Carrie took in everything, she had learnt of her father… making her think more than what her mother had restricted her to…
"I'm sorry dad… In that case… after all you have been through… after all I have been through and have done… If you can get over the past… I'll try and do the same…" Carrie said nervously but with sudden realization & determination…
"I think that's a very wise choice Carrie." The Fat controller said with a smile, as Carrie and Ralph gave another hug. "Also, Carrie, I can see as you haven't necessarily completed you school grades, you may struggle with finding a job… but I do have a new recruitment apprenticeship that I think would be good for you, if it's your choice…"
"What's that sir?" Carrie asked nervously but kept calm.
"Carrie, how would you like to take part on a special apprenticeship of work on my railway? Your father can also help you." The Fat Controller asked Carrie, as he handed Carrie a leaflet, containing all info about the course, as Carrie took a moment to see what she could do…
"Sir Topham Hatt, I accept your offer." Carrie said with determination, as she and Ralph smiled and hugged again, as well as The Fat controller smiled too…
To be continued…