Chapter 4: New Friends on Wheels
Percy was now chuffing and puffing his way back to Tidmouth sheds, with Ralph White & his fireman, along with Ralph's long-lost daughter: Carrie White. Despite them all learning of the recent terrible events that she had caused, they knew Carrie didn't commit them just to be evil, she had been pushed too far… Percy & Carrie did both worry how they were gonna tell the other engines of what she had done, But Ralph reassured them both, that they wouldn't think any less of her…
As Percy approached Tidmouth Sheds, he puffed up and stopped just before the Turntable & the sheds, where several other steam engines were…
"Hello everyone." Percy greeted to all his friends and fellow engines.
"Hello Percy." The other engines greeted back, as Ralph, his fireman & Carrie exited Percy's cap…
"Hello everyone." Ralph also greeted his steam engine friends.
"Hello Ralph." The engines greeted Ralph back.
"Who's your new passenger, Percy?" One of the engines asked, the Blue Tank Engine, with red stripes/trim, and with the number 1 on his side tanks.
"Thomas, everyone, me and Ralph have just discovered a surprising truth… Our new passenger, Carrie here… is Ralph's long-lost daughter." Percy announced, as all the other engines were surprised.
"You have a daughter, Ralph?!" The Big Blue Express engine, with red stripes/trim, and the Number 4 on his tender, asked in major surprise…
"Yes, Gordon, Carrie is my long-lost daughter, the daughter I never knew existed…" Ralph replied, while trying to keep Carrie calm… "I know this because she has photo of her and her mother, who happens to be my ex-wife Margaret…"
"How did Carrie get here anyway?" The Red Mixed Goods engine, with yellow stripes/trim, and the number 5 on his tender, asked in concern…
"I came here… because I was running away…" Carrie replied nervously.
"Running away? What from?" The Big Green engine, with red stripes/trim, and the number 3 on his tender, asked in concern and worry.
"Well engines… Carrie ran away, because of the same reason I ended up here: Margaret had been abusing Carrie…" Ralph said with worry, which sent a wave of shock through all the engines…
"What?! That's just horrible…" The Blue Mixed Goods engine, with red stripes/trim, with the number 2 on his tender, said with shock and sorrow for Carrie…
"It's worse than that… Because of how I treated by my mama, I ended being bullied by everyone at school… But then on Prom Night, 15 nights ago… They all met their demises…" Carrie said nervously…
"What do you mean Carrie? What happened to them?" Thomas asked with worry and concern…
"I… I… I killed all of them… They pranked me as I was crowned queen of the prom… They killed my prom date… Then I let my anger get the better of me… and I used my powers… and made sure none of them survived…" Carrie squeaked with worry, almost about to cry, as Ralph comforted his broken daughter…
The engines were even more shocked, not just from Carrie's actions, but from what she had told all of them, they were more shocked at how Carrie had been treated by everyone around her…
Ralph then explained to the engines, the rest of the details of what had happened with Carrie, which made the engines very cross… but not with Carrie…
"That's Disgraceful!" Gordon said sternly.
"It's Disgusting!" James added in sternly too.
"Those people are Despicable!" Henry finished sternly too.
"How could that many people be so cruel, just to someone like Carrie?" Thomas asked in sorrow for Carrie, especially after learning that the of her deceased prom date was also Thomas...
"Unfortunately, Thomas, there are lots of people who are still like that in the world, even to this day…" Ralph replied.
"As much as what you did was highly wrong, Carrie, but those who hurt you, they had it coming." Edward said, trying to help calm Carrie…
"If that was us, Carrie, we'd want to show them what happens when do wrong things like what they all did to you…" Gordon also added in, as James and Henry agreed with him…
"Ok, ok guys, that's enough, Carrie's been through quite a lot as you have all heard, let's not make her feel unwelcome here…" Ralph reassured the engines… "Besides, Carrie will soon be joining the railway…"
The engines sorrow for Carrie soon turned into delight, knowing they were now getting a new recruit to the railway…
"In that case, Carrie, welcome to Sodor!" Thomas declared, as he and the other engines blew their whistles long and loud, giving Carrie a heartwarming welcome…
(Meanwhile, Back in Chamberlain…)
At the local cemetery, people were gathered round, as a coffin was being lowered into the ground, crying… upon the coffin lid, as well as the gravestone before it, was written:
Thomas 'Tommy' Everett Ross
1995 – 2013
Beloved Son & Boyfriend…
Will be Deeply Missed…
Among those who were attending Tommy's funeral, were his parents, his best friend: George Dawson, along with his girlfriend: Erika Gogan, who both also survived the prom massacre, Rita Desjardin, was also in attendance, as well as Sue Snell and her family…
Since the Black Prom Massacre, from just over 2 weeks ago, there had been funerals held, for all those who died, most being those of Chris Hargensen, and all her friends, who all bullied Carrie White… Despite her friendship towards them, Sue attended none of their funerals, especially Chris's funeral, knowing if she hadn't been so cruel and selfish with her prank on Carrie that night, those who died would still have been alive today… Sue didn't even attend Margaret's funeral, knowing her religious and fanatical ways, was what made Carrie a target of bullying and abuse… Sue decided to only attend Tommy's funeral, knowing he wasn't part of Carrie's humiliation, as well as that if Chris didn't kill him, none of what happened, would have happened…
Between watching Carrie be swallowed into the ground with her mother and her home, and now, Sue had spoken out at the White's Commission, telling them of all she witnessed that night, as well as stating that blame for what happened, was everyone's fault… But when Sue saw when they the authorities were digging through the wreckage of the white's residence, Margaret's body was recovered… but Carrie's body, was nowhere to be found… this made Sue, shocked, worried, and wondering: Was Carrie truly dead? or was she by some hope still alive?
Sue only told her family & Rita, that Carrie's body was nowhere to be seen, found of heard of, Sue also told them that she thought Carrie could still be alive, but wasn't sure where she could be…
Rita was also wondering that if Carrie was still alive, where could she have gone… between the massacre and now, she quit her job as gym teacher, feeling she had failed not just Carrie, but everyone… she too didn't attend the funerals of those who died, except Tommy's too…
After Tommy's Funeral, burial, wake, then returning home, Sue's mother: Eleanor, her father: Andrew, sat both Sue and her sister: Sierra down, to tell them something…
"Sue, Sierra, we know times right now are extremely hard for you, especially for you Sue, after everything that has happened recently… but there's only one solution we can think is best for you…" Eleanor calmly explained to her 2 daughters…
"What do you mean?" Sue asked in concern and worry…
"There's not really any other options… but we're gonna be moving away from here… After all that's happened, it wouldn't be a good idea to stay here… We've also quit our jobs here, as part of this…" Andrew explained further…
"Where will we be going to?" Sierra asked in concern and wonder.
"We're moving to a far away island called Sodor, it's somewhere between the United Kingdom & the Isle of Man…" Andrew continued to explain calmly, as Sue looked down in sadness…
"Sue, sweetheart, we understand it's hard for you, but I'm sure Tommy wouldn't want you to be stuck here in sadness… & I'm pretty sure Carrie would think the same…" Eleanor calmly explained to her grieving daughter…
"I understand mom, I know you're right about Tommy's thinking, but I just can't stop thinking about, where Carrie could be… but I probably should forget about her… I'll probably never know where she is… Or ever see her again… if she is still alive…" Sue replied, almost in tears.
"You don't have to forget about her sweetheart; besides, I should tell you, that Rita is moving to Sodor as well, George & Erika are too…" Eleanor replied, keeping her daughter clam…
Sue was still sad, knowing she would be leaving Tommy behind… but at least, she didn't have to be stuck in chamberlain, where all those who hurt Carrie, and betrayed Sue, just to humiliate Carrie…
To be continued…