Chapter Two: The Red Engine and The Girl

The school bell chimed loudly and quickly as all the students dashed out of the door, eager to go home and be with their family or hang out with their friends. They were screaming in joy as many tried to navigate through the crowd to find their friends so they could chat about how their day went. Cara was the last one to exit from the facility as she headed towards where the kids were running to the platform with a small sigh.

She was having mixed feelings flowing in her. It was a mix of relief, sadness, and fear. Although she enjoyed today's education, especially with Mrs. Woodwind's music class, she couldn't help but feel unsettled whenever she stepped out of the classroom. She was used to many unexpected events, yet she was used to it. However, she took a deep breath as she used her white cane to feel her surroundings and followed the voices of the crowded children as she made her way to the platform.

As she did so, she heard a whistle that she never expected. It sounded familiar, yet it was odd as she thought it would be the same engine to pick her up from school. This puzzled her before she heard the kids screaming in delight and joy. What was going on, and was it something eventful?

Right beside the platform, an awful metal scratching noise was produced from the wheels braking too sharply as the red engine squinted his eyes while gritting his teeth. Once the engine was at a complete stop, he opened his eyes and announced with such pride while tooting his whistle, "Ta-da! Here's James!"

"Oh, look! It's James!", exclaimed one of the students.

"James is really here today?", asked another student.

With all those comments, the kids swarmed towards the splendid engine like a bunch of bees as they cheered and admired his paintwork. James loved getting compliments, yet he enjoyed making the children's dreary day brighter. As the kids greeted James, Cara slowly approached the crowd, but she avoided getting in the middle of the group as she needed space to get to the coaches.

This event was unexpected, yet it wasn't as bad as she expected, the worse like getting bullied or losing her braille books. However, she felt lucky yet uncertain. Hearing the kids going wild made her sweat a bit as she shook. To regulate her anxiety, she took some deep breaths as she waited patiently for the kids to hop on board the coaches so she could enter as well.

While this occurred, James felt prouder than ever as he watched all the kids entering inside the coaches with such thrill and excitement. However, what he didn't expect was that he spotted one girl with a pair of dark glasses and a white cane standing far from the once crowded place. She looked frightened a bit as James raised his eyebrow in confusion. He assumed that she didn't like the crowd and hoped to cheer her up with his presence.

Unfortunately for him, the girl walked slowly yet steadily towards one of the coaches' doors as James gasped in surprise. He ended up giving the now long gone girl a slight frown as he felt offended. Usually, many kids would recognise him and wouldn't waste a moment to visit him. However, he tried to brush it off, despite feeling a bit hurt as he rolled his eyes and blew his whistle. There, he was making his way back to Knapford Station with the kids screaming from behind with such joy.

As the coaches clicky clack down the track, Cara decided to read her English book by reaching into her lively backpack and felt her way to find the book. It took a bit longer as instead of searching it with her very own eyes, she relied on her fingers to feel certain bumps called "Braille" to read the book. Finally, after a minute of digging in, Cara felt her English book as she grabbed it and began to open it. There, she traces her fingers to read as she allowed herself to be on her own with the book and words while feeling the breeze blowing from the open window.

While reading, she can't help but feel somewhat bothered with today due to daily events she was used to, yet it bugs her. Still, Cara decided that since she was nearly home, she shouldn't worry much as pretty soon, she would meet up with her mother and Stella and get to do the things she enjoyed, mainly playing her acoustic guitar. Besides, her day wasn't that bad, but deep down, it did hurt her. Regardless, she continued to read at her own pace until she arrived at her destination.

Meanwhile, James was puffing down the track as he tried to enjoy the warm sunshine that made his paintwork gleam as the calm wind blew against his face. However, he couldn't stop thinking about the girl who didn't greet him as he felt highly offended, "How come she didn't notice me? What's got into her?", he thought to himself with a massive frown and raised eyebrow, "Does she have any manners or does she think something else is more important?"

With those thoughts and questions in his mind, he tried his best not to allow it to affect him, yet he couldn't help but start wondering. Why was the girl ignoring him? There, he sighed to himself before he decided to toot his whistle to Percy, who was puffing down the track to the opposite side to clear his mind off. Just one rude person shouldn't affect his day at all.

After travelling through many small stations and big fields, James arrived at Knapford Station, but unlike last time, he applied his brakes appropriately as it didn't produce any awful noises. Once James parked at his destination, he pulled out a huge grin of satisfaction as all the children departed from the coaches, and some even thanked James for the ride, to which James tried to act modest. Once the kids ran to their parents or friends, James spotted the same girl with the white cane hopping off as she rejected the offer of support from the porter.

James looked at her with a big frown and slightly narrowed eyes as she casually walked past him without acknowledging him or at least thanked him for the ride. As he watched, he mumbled under his breath, despite it being clear and audible, "Ugh! I don't get it. How come she didn't notice me, or is she ignoring me? If so, I say that's absurd."

As he commented, the girl stood at her track as she heard his voice. There, she faced him with a slight frown of confusion. With that occurring, James quickly analysed the girl who didn't acknowledge him when suddenly he looked carefully at the two main features. Her dark pair of glasses and her white cane. He swore he had seen it before, but when?

Suddenly, it occurred to him. The way she walked cautiously with her white cane leading the way and how the porter asked her if she needed help. This could only mean one thing as he gasped. Realising his behaviour, his narrowed eyes changed into a frown as he commented sadly and with such guilt, "Oh, you're blind. I'm sorry about that."

This made the girl tilt her head slightly in confusion as she asked, "W-why are you apologising?"

James flustered as he felt terrible to make a wrong assumption of her being rude as he explained, "Well, I thought you were rude on purpose from not thanking me, but… when I realise that you're blind, you just can't see me and I-I made a wrong assumption."

The young girl listened as she ended up giving him a small warm smile to which James didn't expect as he thought she would be offended or upset, "I understand, and I'm sorry for not acknowledging you. I just have to hurry to my mother, or she would be worried.", she explained her reason before she added, "Plus, I'm not blind."

James raised his eyebrow with a puzzled look on his face as he didn't expect this blind girl to say she wasn't blind, even though clearly she's blins and nothing could change that fact, "T-then what?", he asked her with such confusion and curiosity.

"I just can't see things that others can see, but I can see things that others can't.", she replied with a bubbly tone in her voice and a beaming smile.

James was now stumped ad this point, "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, to be honest. I think many people are blind to the fact that beauty comes from the inside, like being a good person or having a special talent.", she replied with such wisdom that was so beyond her years, "Sometimes, people easily jump to conclusions about someone when they shouldn't."

This made James' mouth agape in awe and surprise as usually someone with more experiences or old age would carry such wisdom, but this girl seemed to know a lot, even more than James or perhaps even more than Edward. Despite this, James still felt sorry for her as he knew that blind people struggle in many aspects of life based on his experience of seeing blind people needing extra support or care.

However, before James could speak, the girl finished her sentence, "Besides, I don't need any pity as I'm just as capable."

"Really?", James asked inquisitively, despite James being surprised himself for being that curious.

The girl nodded in response with a hum, "It's true."

James was now more intrigued about this blind girl as something about her knowledge and showing no signs of being sad about her condition, for he needed to know more. He doesn't understand why a disabled person could be happy when he thought their lives were complicated and unfair. Despite that, something about the aura of the girl's kind and honest nature made him somewhat understand her.

However, before one of them could talk, a voice called out at a distance, "Cara!"

Cara turned her head towards the voice nearby and cupped her hands to make a megaphone shape, "I'm coming, Mother!"

Just before Cara left, she faced back to James, remembering where his voice was as she began to apologise again for not acknowledging, "Again, I'm sorry for not responding, James. I just got a lot in mind. Next time, I'll promise to thank you or anyone who takes me.", she spoke with such honesty and sincerity.

This made James gasp in surprise, for she knew her name, "How did you know my name?", he asked in awe.

Cara giggled, "By my ears, of course. I can recognise someone's voice easily as my ears are my eyes."

With that, she waved at James and bid him goodbye, "Thank you, James. I hope to meet you again."

There, Cara used her white cane to lead the way to her worried mother as James watched with wide eyes. This afternoon was so unexpected, yet it was in a good way. He didn't expect to get an education on Cara's condition. Yet, there was so much more to learn and understand, "I-I just don't get it. How can she be happy yet blind? She won't be able to see things like flowers or dogs or even people and engines?", he thought to himself before he sighed and gave her a gentle smile.

With that, James watched the now long-time girl with a gentle smile before he waited for the coaches to be uncoupled. He admitted that he felt exhausted for the day as he decided to visit Thomas at The Steamworks before getting a fresh wash down before heading back to Tidmouth Sheds. Thankfully, The Fat Controller didn't plan any more tasks for him, and now he can check on his Thomas and get some earned rest.

As James left Knapford Station, Cara managed to navigate her way through the crowd of parents with their children when she kept hearing her mother's voice, "Cara! Sweetheart! Where are you?"

"Over here!", Cara yelled in reply as she followed her mother's voice direction.

There, Cara's mother headed towards her daughter as she embraced her with a hug, "Oh, Cara. You nearly got me worried. I thought you got hurt or lost, dear. What happened?"

Cara looked at her mother with a smile and replied, "Well, I talked to someone, and he was curious to know about my condition, and I apologise to him for not acknowledging him."

This got Cara's mother surprised, "Oh. I'm surprised someone wanted to understand you. Must have felt great, but you know better than talking to strangers."

Cara shook her head, "He's not a stranger, Mum. I know him."

"Who?", Cara's mother asked in curiosity as she was slightly concerned about her daughter's safety, for Cara didn't have many friends.

"His name is James.", Cara replied with a beaming smile, "The red engine based on what many would describe him in the past."

Cara's mother sighed in relief before she spoke gently and kindly to her daughter with a warm smile, "Alright, let's go home and you can tell me more about your day."

With that, Cara's mother asked if her daughter wanted her hands to be held. Cara accepted it as she trusted her mother. There, she grabbed her mother's hand, feeling safe and secure as the two headed their way to Wellsworth so they could be home and be away from the loud and crowded station.

As they walked, Cara thought to herself, "I'm surprised that someone would want to know about my condition without judging me. Many would always pity me or tell me that I couldn't do it. James seems nice. I hope I can meet him again."