Chapter Twelve: The Aftermath

"Ow… huh? Where am I? Why is it so dark and quiet?"

"Ah, James! You're finally awake, my friend."

"Victor? Victor, where are you?", James asked as he tried to look around.

"I'm down here.", Victor replied as he gave James a warm smile.

However, when James looked down, he saw nothing but darkness. This frightened him, "Victor! I can't see you! Where am I?"

As James began to panic, Victor tried to calm him down, "Woah, don't worry, amigo. You're safe and getting repaired at The Steamworks.

"The Steamworks?", James raised an eyebrow as he began to frown, "No! This got to be some sort of nightmare! I'm not at The Steamworks, and you're not the real Victor! I'll close my eyes and open them again!"

Victor frowned in concern as he realised what was wrong with James, "James. I am real, and you are in The Steamworks."

James refused to believe it as he closed his eyes shut and told himself that it was all a dream and he would wake up. However, when he opened his eyes again, he met the same result. Nothing but darkness and the same voice from Victor. This frightened James, "Victor? Why can't I see anything?"

Victor sighed and took a deep breath, "James… I don't know how to explain it, but… you're… b-b-b-blind."

"Blind?", James gasped in horror, "Oh no! Now I won't be able to see again or be really useful or see my shiny red paintwork!"

Victor immediately calms the red medium tender engine down, "Calm down, James. You're only temporarily blind."

"Temporarily?", James questioned before he asked nervously, "For how long? Days, weeks, months, or years?"

"I'm not sure, James, but I can assure you that you're only temporarily blind."

"B-but… how is this possible?", James asked as he began to build some tears up.

"Because when you got into an accident, you bumped your head really hard, and that's what caused you to go blind.", Victor explained, "It happens to humans, but it can happen to engines as well, although you're the first one to experience this."

James didn't feel better from that, but only worse, "So, what would happen to me?"

"Since your damage is moderate, you'll be here for three days before you come out and go to therapy."

"T-therapy? For what?", James began to sob.

"Don't cry, James. You're getting therapy to help you work again while you're blind. You'll be doing some simple tasks before you can regain your eyesight.", Victor assured James as they heard a familiar whistle, "Ah, looks like you got a visitor."

James wasn't eager for a visitor at this point as tears escaped his now blind eyes as now he won't get to do his jobs, see his paintwork, see Thomas, his friends, and Cara. Cara. How was she doing? Did she witness with her blind eyes of him being in a severe accident? Wherever she was, he didn't want her to see him crying.

Just then, James heard the same whistle again as he heard the puffing noise was getting closer. James knew he was on ground level, but he didn't exactly know where he was. Was he on the turntable or not? So, he waited until he heard a familiar voice, "Oh, James… I'm sorry I couldn't save you on time."

James sighed sadly as he closed his teary eyes, "It's… it's not your fault, Edward."

Edward couldn't help but feel sorry for James but wasn't aware that James was blind. However, Edward spoke again, "Cara is back home with her mother."

James gasped as he felt grateful to have a friend that helped him and took Cara back home safely, "H-how is she?"

"She's fine. Although she was shaken and was worried about you, we assured her that you'll be just fine."

"I'm not fine…", James muttered under his breath as he looked away, even though he couldn't see.

"I know, James, but you'll be fixed in no time.", Edward gave the young engine a warm smile.

"Not my eyes, though.", James sighed sadly.

"Your eyes? What happened?", Edward asked worryingly.

"I-I can't see. I'm blind.", James choked on his own tears as he began to cry.

Edward gasped silently as he watched James cry so hard. James usually doesn't often cry but seeing him upset made the wise engine's firebox dim as he tried to comfort him by slowly approaching him, "Oh, James. It's alright. You'll get better soon."

"But… what if I don't see you again?", James asked with such concern.

"Even if you don't gain your eyes, you're still more than capable of working, and you don't need your eyes to be useful or see the beauty.", Edward explained kindly as his buffer touched James as a way to comfort him like a hug.

"I wish I could see again!", James sobbed harder.

"Shh, it's alright.", Edward tried to console him, "You'll get better, with or without your eyes."

There, James sobbed for good five minutes before he began to wind down and sniffed his remaining tears, "I'm sorry, Edward."

Edward gave James a gentle, sad smile, "There's no need to apologise. Your feelings are valid, and you have the right to cry."

This made James feel a bit better as he gave his slight smile, "T-thank you. You're such a great friend to have… Old Iron."

Edward knew that James said it as a nickname as he now takes it for granted. Edward made a slight chuckle. Just then, Victor came in, "Sorry to interrupt, but Thomas will be on his way to visit, and your time for a visit is up, Edward."

The blue engine understood as he looked at Victor with a "thank you for letting me know" look before turning his attention again to James, "Don't worry, James. You'll be better in no time. You'll see."

With that, Edward went on the turntable and went on his way back to Tidmouth Sheds as Thomas came by and visited James. Thomas was more worried as he asked James if he was alright. James tried to calm his blue tank engine down by saying he was okay but explaining he couldn't see.

There, Thomas comforted him, and he made James feel better. Once it was done, Thomas had to depart his way so James could get some rest and be fixed tomorrow. James bid farewell and goodnight before he began to feel tired, "But… what if I'm not strong and capable without my eyes? I'm not like Cara…"

Meanwhile, back in Cara's bedroom, the little girl sobbed into her pillow as she began to worry about James. She remembered hearing the awful crashing noise, and hearing James' last scream was terrifying. She felt somewhat grateful for not actually seeing the aftermath, but she can't help but wonder what was wrong with her best friend.

As she cried so hard, her mother stepped in and tried to console her daughter, "Oh, sweetheart.", she spoke gently as she sat on the bed.

"Why did this have to happen?", Cara asked as she turned her head to her mother with teary eyes.

"I don't know, but Ryder and Carter did tell me that a boy did fiddle around his control and caused James to become a runaway train."

"A boy?", Cara thought to herself before she gasped in horror, "Trent!"

There, Cara asked another question, "Did they catch him?"

Rayne shook her head sadly, "I'm afraid not, Cara, but they are trying to investigate it, and when they do find him, he will pay the consequences. However, they only concluded it was an accident."

An accident? Cara begged to differ as she remembered being called names while she and her dog were held captive by her bullies until Stella broke loose and protected her from her bullies. Cara didn't think it was an accident. She thought it was on purpose. Perhaps they wanted to break their friendship or cause more trouble, and they did an excellent job at hurting James. She thought to herself that out of all people or engines, why James?

There, she sniffed and asked, "Do you think James will be okay?"

Rayne gave her a sad smile and hugged her precious daughter, "Of course, my dear. Believe me, they will fix him in no time, and you'll get to visit him again. I promise."

This made Cara feel a bit better as she smiled, "Thanks, Mum."

"No problem, sweetheart.", Rayne replied as she wiped the remaining tears on her cheeks and smiled, "Dinner is ready, so when you're ready, please meet me at the kitchen."

However, Cara didn't feel hungry at this point, especially because she was still worried about James, "No thanks, Mum… I'm not hungry right now."

"Okay, love, but please do when you're ready.", Rayne replied as she hopped off the bed and left her room with the door wide open.

Once Rayne was gone, Cara went to the window and placed her chin on her resting crossed arms as she looked up. The window was slightly open as the cool breeze hit her tear-stained cheeks as she sighed sadly, "Oh, James. I'm so sorry that this happened to you."

With that, tears once escaped her eyes as she began to cry. Luckily, Stella entered the room and nudged Cara. Cara gave her canine companion a sad smile as she hugged her tightly and sobbed, "James… please get better."

Darkness hit at The Steamworks as James struggled to sleep. He couldn't stop worrying about Cara or the uncertainty of his future. After struggling to sleep, he opened his wide eyes as he began to pant. Whatever scared him made him nearly jump off the track. However, he looked up, despite not being able to see a thing, and sobbed, "Cara… I'm so sorry… I wish I could see you again."

With that, James sobbed silently alone in The Steamworks as he wished days could go by and hopefully gain his eyesight back and see everyone again, especially his best friend, Cara. James rather have company than be alone in the darkness and has to rely on hearing for the rest of the days. James wished that he could go back in time or for some miracles.

As James sobbed, someone came in, "James? Are you okay?"

James gasped as he looked to his left and heard a familiar voice, "No… Victor… I'm not okay…"

Victor sighed sadly as he understood James' pain, "I know you're in a tough situation, but I promise you will get your eyesight back soon."

"But when?", James asked quietly.

"I don't know, but be patient, my friend. Remember, patience is a virtue.", Victor reminded James.

"I disagree.", James sighed as he looked up, "I just wish I could see the stars, my shiny red paintwork, the beauty of life, and my friends."

Victor understood as he tried his best to console him, "James. I know how you feel, but time is of the essence right now. All you can do is hope for the best and try to get through the challenges without seeing."

This made James feel slightly worse, but he thanked Victor. Victor was glad he could support James as much as possible, for he knew James too well. After exchanging a sad smile, James explained to Victor that he needed some sleep as he began to yawn from having a restless sleep and crying. Victor respected his request as he bid James goodnight in Spanish. Once Victor was gone, James looked down as tears escaped his eyes again and sobbed hard, "Why me? Why? Why does everything have to happen to me? Just why?"

After James sobbed for ten minutes, his weary eyes got the better of him as she slowly but surely began to close his eyes. Once he closed his eyes shut while a frown on his face, he hoped and dreamt that everything would get better for him, and hopefully, he would be able to see the beauty again.