It was the morning of Christmas Eve on the Island of Sodor, and the coming daylight dawned over the landscapes. Snowflakes were falling heavily, but gracefully from the sky full of white clouds and a few slivers of grey clouds too. There was no wind or trouble to worry about at all. Just the night before, Thomas and Emily had exchanged most lustful and steamy Christmas love to each other after waiting an entire year. Now Christmas Eve had arrived.
In Knapford Sheds, perfectly cozy and snug, Thomas and Emily were still fast asleep, snuggling and cuddling away with their faces pressed together so softly and warmly. As the coming daylight showed through the windows, Thomas' eyes began to open. His mind began to ring to the fact that it was now Christmas Eve. He smiled and woke up more...then stared at the beautiful, sleeping face pressed right to his.
Emily was still sleeping perfectly right there, not moving in the least. All Thomas could hear was her soft, quiet breathing as she held such a lovely smile. He fondly remembered all they had done right here the night before. He smiled and peeked down to her buffers, remembering how he had kissed them at her most adorable offer. Then he looked up again and felt the coming desire to kiss her good morning. He puckered his lips, leaned in and very softly pressed them to her cheek and began to kiss her.
"Mmm...T...Tommy..." Emily moaned blissfully in her sleep as she felt her cheek press inward and feel lovely and warm.
Thomas let go and let her cheek puff out again slowly, then he watched dearly as she began to stir. As he gave her a kiss on her other cheek, her lips curled upward, making her smile bigger. Then her eyes began to flutter open. After such a deep and warm sleep with Thomas, she opened her mouth and let out such a deep, lowly yawn. Her lovely, warm breath drifted along Thomas' face, making him shudder most comfortably until Emily looked at him again.
"Oh...Thomas," she smiled happily.
"Good morning, Emily," Thomas whispered sweetly. "Happy Christmas Eve."
"Mmm...my perfect Thomas," Emily whispered as she planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "Mmm...Ah. Happy Christmas Eve to you."
"It's here, Emily," said Thomas. "Christmas Eve has returned...for both of us to be together."
"Yes, Thomas..." Emily whispered. "You've given me all the presents I could hope for last night...but the best present of all is that you're here again."
"You're the best present I could ever ask for, Emily," Thomas smiled. "I love you, my Christmas angel."
"Oh, I love you too, Thomas, my Christmas star," Emily cooed as she and Thomas leaned in and kissed to their lips for a wholesome minute.
When both engines let go again with a smile, they noticed they had to get to work.
"Now, Emily. We'd best be on our way today," said Thomas. "Think of the work that has to be done on the last day before Christmas."
"Oh, yes, Thomas," Emily agreed. "And look outside. The snow is falling quite steadily. We'd better have our snowploughs fitted."
"Right away, Emily," said Thomas.
And with that, both engines came out of Knapford Sheds and into the cold, snowy air of Christmas Eve, and just some distance away in the yards, their snowploughs were ready to be fitted right on. Soon enough, Emily's emerald snowplough was fitted on, as was Thomas' snowplough. After spending the previous Christmas in Australia with Shane, with no snow at all, Thomas had forgotten a little about the heavy, uncomfortable feeling snowploughs gave him, but he didn't care anymore. He was back on Sodor with Emily this year.
"Well, Emily," said Thomas. "Christmas Eve is here...and so is the snow. Unlike my 'Kangaroo Christmas,' as it were."
"Yes, Thomas," said Emily. "With you back here again, I can only wonder what today and tomorrow may bring us all."
"Whatever it is, it's sure to be merry, Emily," said Thomas.
At that moment, the Fat Controller came by with an energetic spring in his step.
"Hello, Thomas and Emily," he said. "Christmas Eve is here, and there is some important work to be done in order to spread the good will of being really useful. Thomas, you must take those trucks along the line and gather a goods load to take to Brendam Docks later today.
"Yes, sir," said Thomas.
Emily and the Fat Controller watched as he gathered his train and set off down the line, with his snowplough spraying snow away wherever he went.
"And me, sir?" asked Emily. "What work am I to do today?"
The Fat Controller suddenly seemed concerned. "Actually, Emily...there is a bit of a problem...at the Animal Park."
"Oh? What is it, sir?" asked Emily.
"Well, Headkeeper Jack called me this morning as soon as I arrived at my office, and he needs our help. The boiler for the animal's winter house has broken down. In this freezing weather, those animals don't have much of a chance without staying warm."
"Oh, sir! That's terrible!" Emily worried. "Those animals will need a new boiler fast!"
"That's right, Emily," said the Fat Controller. "Headkeeper Jack placed an order for a new boiler, which we hope will come later today, and he asked me to tell you to fetch a flatbed and head down to Brendam Docks to collect that boiler."
"Oh, yes, sir! Excellent Emily can do it!" Emily promised.
"Very good, Emily. Be quick now," said the Fat Controller.
Emily whistled strongly, fetched a flatbed and a brakevan, then dashed off. So as not to worry too much, the Fat Controller then looked to the station again.
"Hmm...that tree still needs to be decorated at some point today. Perhaps I could do a few things once we get to it," he pondered as he walked back...
Emily glided along the line for a few minutes, watching as her snowplough sprayed the snow away. Then she caught up with Thomas, who was still on his way to the next station to collect more goods. Emily knew she couldn't stop now. Her line was on a different path from Thomas'. So she gave him a friendly toot on her whistle as she passed by. Thomas looked up and whistled back.
Emily kept gliding along the line, right until she arrived at Brendam Docks. Cranky and Carly were both looking out to the snowy sea for any signs of the ship set to arrive with the new boiler. Then Emily whistled in and stopped with a hiss of steam.
"Carly!" she called.
Carly turned around and looked down. "Ahh. Merry Christmas, Chuck. What brings you here, Emily?"
"Merry Christmas, Carly," said Emily. "I have an important delivery to collect from you at some point. I'm here to collect the new boiler for the Animal Park!"
"We received word of a ship that's set to come here with that boiler, Emily," said Cranky. "But by the look of the sky, I don't know."
Emily looked up and could see light grey, but thick clouds full of more snow.
"I don't like it," said Cranky. "It looks like a heavy fall is coming. I hope it doesn't delay or stop that ship."
"Oh, dear," Emily worried. "Let's hope that snow doesn't start falling too soon."
So Emily simply stayed where she was and waited for any report on the boiler's delivery, occasionally looking out to the sea for any signs of ships, but there were none. One hour passed. Then another hour. Emily kept gazing at the sea, and the sky, watching as the snowflakes began to fall a little more steadily. She didn't know if the weather was indeed getting more unfitting for the ship to arrive, or if her imagination was getting the better of her.
"We can't let those animals get cold!" Emily huffed to herself. "For the sake of Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day!"
And so she continued to wait, and worry a little over the animals and the little changes in the weather.
Thomas meanwhile, had been busy on the Main Line, stopping at whatever stations awaited his arrival to add their loads to his goods train. The snow continued to fall around him, but after another two hours, Thomas had collected his entire load for Brendam Docks, and the snow was very slightly beginning to fall more steadily. It was Christmas Eve, and it was really cold. But that's what Thomas liked about it all. He rushed along the line with his snowplough endlessly spraying across the line. He began to hurry along the line on his way to the docks. On the way, he passed an icy field where he saw a mother deer helping its fawn stand up on the slippery ice.
And then, some time later, Thomas looked ahead and saw the Animal Park. He could see Headkeeper Jack at the platform, holding a monkey shivering bitterly in his arms. Thomas wondered what was going on and decided to stop. The snow on top of Thomas' boiler slid off and puffed up along his face. Headkeeper Jack had been waiting for hours for the new boiler, and with the animals getting colder and colder, he was beginning to worry. Then when he saw Thomas, he wondered if the tank engine could be of any help this Christmas Eve.
"Whoa!" Thomas exclaimed. "Hello, Headkeeper Jack. Is everything okay?"
"Not really, Thomas," said Headkeeper Jack. "The boiler in the animal's winter house has broken down."
Thomas' smile disappeared and he felt worried too. He had not been expecting to hear something like this on Christmas Eve.
"Oh, dear," he said worriedly.
Headkeeper Jack continued. "We need that boiler to keep the animals warm, especially the ones who come from hot places, like India and Africa."
"Hmm...There must be some other way of keeping the animals warm," Thomas pondered as he began to imagine a few things.
Thomas thought of two giraffes in scarves until one of them sneezed. Then he thought of an elephant wearing earmuffs, which only slid down in front of the elephant. Then he imagined a monkey with a mug of coca, only to be sucked away by an elephant's trunk. Then an Ostrich wearing thick woollen socks. He imagined all of these animals huddled around a campfire against the cold...but Headkeeper Jack's voice snapped Thomas out of this little vision.
"There's supposed to be another boiler on the way. Emily went to collect it from Brendam Docks hours ago. But I'm still waiting."
Thomas felt a little perk when he heard Emily's name. "I'm on my to the docks. I can find out what's happened."
And off he steamed, hearing Headkeeper Jack call after him. "Thanks, Thomas!"
As Thomas raced along the line, he thought about Emily and how long she must have been there since started work that morning.
"So that's what Emily's been kept busy with," he said to himself. "I do hope that boiler will arrive soon."
At Brendam Docks, the snow was now falling heavily and steadily. Emily had been waiting continuously ever since she first came here, and by now, she really didn't know how to feel. If the boiler wouldn't arrive, what would become of the animals?
"Oh, Carly," Emily pondered with concern. "Is there anything out there at all?"
Carly looked as hard as she could out to sea. But after four hours of waiting, there was still no ship in sight. It seemed to start looking grim for the animals at the Animal Park. Just then, Thomas came rolling into the docks. Just as he began to see Emily's tender, he could hear her voice, then Carly's.
"I'm sorry, Emily. There's not a single vessel out there at all," said Carly.
Emily gaped, then looked ahead for a moment, feeling more worried.
"But the ship bringing the new boiler should have been here by now!" she said to Carly.
"It's the weather, Chuck. It's causing havoc everywhere. Nothing we can do, but sit and wait. I don't reckon that boiler's gonna get here until after Christmas."
Thomas heard Carly and felt his heart jump with alarm. "After Christmas?! But those animals need to be kept warm! This is an emergency!"
In that moment, Thomas felt as if he had to hurry back to Knapford Station. Before the workmen could uncouple his load, Thomas dashed off again.
"Thomas! What, now?!" called the workmen.
Emily saw Thomas race ahead and wondered what he could do to help those animals.
"Oh, dear, Emily," said Carly. "I don't think there's much else you can do here. Perhaps you'd better carry on with your day.'
"Okay, Carly," Emily sighed. "But those animals will need help! I hope Thomas will think of something for those poor animals."
Thomas raced along the line. Before long, he passed by the Animal Park the other way. Headkeeper Jack saw him rush right by.
"Thomas? What about the boiler?" he called.
"Sorry, Headkeeper Jack! Can't stop!" Thomas called as he kept on his way.
Back at Knapford Station, the Christmas tree was now being decorated. A box full of decorations stood beside the tree, and lights had been coiled all around the tree, but were not yet turned on. The Fat Controller was also participating with the workmen on a step ladder. Henry had come by to see the tree with Percy as they watched the Fat Controller trying to place the star on top of the tree.
"Just a little higher, sir," said Henry.
"Almost there," Percy added.
The Fat Controller was just about there with the star...when Thomas rushed in and whistled loudly.
"I think I've got it! Eh! Eeeh! Ahh!"
The Fat Controller fell off the step ladder and landed on one of the workmen, who caught the star just in time.
"Thomas! What are you playing at?" the Fat Controller ordered.
"Oops! Sorry, sir," said Thomas. "But it's an emergency. The old boiler's broken at the Animal Park, and the new one hasn't arrived. The animals urgently need a warm place to stay!"
Percy and Henry heard Thomas and began to wonder to themselves. So did the Fat Controller.
"Oh, dear, oh, dear. But what's the warmest place on Sodor?" he asked as he began to think.
"The Steamworks is pretty hot, sir," Henry suddenly perked.
"Quiet, Henry. I'm trying to think," said the Fat Controller. Then he suddenly perked himself. "I know! How about the Steamworks? The Steamworks is pretty hot! Hurry, Thomas. Grab any empty trucks you can find and take all the animals to the Steamworks."
"Thank you, sir," Thomas whistled as he began making his way out of the station.
Percy heard about the animals and began to ponder innocently to himself. He had little flickers of thought that the animals could have stayed at Tidmouth Sheds, but with the plan in motion, he felt a little disappointed.
"I wish the animals could have stayed with us at Tidmouth Sheds. That would have been the best Christmas present in the whole wide world!"
Then Henry suddenly noticed that Thomas still had a goods train that had not yet been delivered.
"Wait! Thomas?" he called as he made his way out of the station too. Thomas heard Henry and stopped.
"Yes, Henry?" he answered.
"Weren't you supposed to take that train to the docks?" asked Henry.
"Ohh...right," Thomas remembered. "Do you think you could take them there for me, Henry?"
"Of course, Thomas," said Henry. "Then I can return to Vicarstown from there. You go and help those animals!"
While Henry went on his way with Thomas' goods train, Thomas gathered six big, strong trucks the animals could ride in, then rushed back to the Animal Park, as the snow suddenly let up. Thomas arrived at the Animal Park with a whistle and a steady hiss of steam.
"Headkeeper Jack!" he whistled. "Jump aboard!"
"What's all this, Thomas?" he asked, still holding the monkey.
"Emily won't be able to deliver the new boiler, Headkeeper Jack. The weather has delayed the delivery until after Christmas, but we can still keep the animals warm. I'm taking them to the Steamworks so they'll be warm until we get that boiler!"
"Brilliant idea, Thomas!" Headkeeper Jack rejoiced. "The Steamworks is a hot place after all!"
The Animal Park gates opened, and before long, Thomas could see all sorts of animals coming to the platform as the workmen opened his truck gates. Ostriches, giraffes, camels and zebras boarded the first four trucks, and two elephants boarded the last two trucks each, then a group of monkeys clambered onto the brakevan, while Headkeeper Jack held onto his monkey. Soon, all of Thomas' trucks were secured and ready to go.
And with that, Thomas was off on his way to the Steamworks. As it was Christmas Eve, Thomas began to feel a little like Noah's Ark, carrying all the animals on a boat. As he ran along the rails, Thomas began to feel like he was carrying an Animal Ark of his own, and it made him feel proud. He had never interacted with this many different sorts of animals at once...but as he looked ahead, his enjoyment was suddenly dashed. Ahead was the tunnel, blocked with snow. Too deep and thick even for Thomas' snowplough to get through.
"Oh, no! We'll never get through that!" he worried as he slowed down and stopped. "Hmm...time for plan B."
"What is it, Thomas?" asked Headkeeper Jack.
"Don't worry," said Thomas. "We're in pursuit of warmth, and I'm not giving up. There must be another way."
So Thomas backed up until he found a junction. The points were switched and Thomas was on his way down another line. He carried on through the snow, but the bad weather made it difficult to travel. The snow was getting heavier and deeper against Thomas' snowplough, but he wouldn't give up. When they came to Gordon's Hill, Thomas huffed strongly up the hill, not letting the heavy weight of all the animals hold him back. Then through the powdering snow, Rebecca came carefully over the hilltop with the express.
"Oh, Rebecca! Be careful! The tunnel is blocked!" Thomas called.
"Okay, Thomas. But look out for deep snowdrifts ahead," Rebecca called back as Thomas huffed to the top.
"Okay, thanks, Rebecca-a-a-aahh!" Thomas was now sliding down the hill along the icy rails.
"I can't stop! Yahoo...NOO! Whoa!"
Thomas slid down the hill faster and faster, and as he looked around the bend, just around the spot where Emily's snowball accident occurred four years ago, he saw a snowdrift piling tall and thick. Thomas continued to yell and cry out with alarm as he soared onward to the snowdrift, then stopped with a sharp thud. All the animals looked up again, and Headkeeper Jack looked out of Thomas' cab. Thomas tried to push through, but even with his snowplough, he couldn't go any further. Not only was the snowdrift too big and thick, but the rails were getting icy.
"I'm stuck!" he panted. "We'll never make it through the snowdrift! The tracks are too icy! My wheels won't grip!"
"The animals are getting really cold, Thomas! What are going to do?"
Thomas tried pushing through once again, but when he heard one of the elephants trumpeting behind him, he suddenly perked up again.
"I have an idea...when I was in India, I came off the rails, and an elephant helped me back onto the tracks! Maybe these two elephants can push us through!"
"Excellent idea, Thomas!" said Headkeeper Jack. "I hope this works!"
So Headkeeper Jack let both elephants out of their trucks and walked them behind Thomas' brakevan. Then both elephants pressed their heads against the brakevan and began pushing. Slowly, but surely, Thomas and his Animal Ark began to move steadily through the snowdrift.
"That's it. Keep pushing!" he smiled.
Even Headkeeper Jack came behind the elephants and tried pushing along with them. Even his monkey tried to help. Gradually, Thomas's snowplough pushed on through the snowdrift.
"Ha-ha! It's working!" Thomas cheered.
The snowdrift steadily piled higher and higher, then suddenly fell away on both sides. Thomas' Animal Ark could now carry on. Just then, the sun began peaking through the clouds, announcing the early evening. Headkeeper Jack saw this and worried again.
"Oh, Thomas! The sun will set soon. I don't think we can get to the Steamworks before dark. What can we do now?"
"Oh, dear...let me think," said Thomas.
Without the boiler for the Animal Park, Thomas couldn't take the animals home, and with the coming evening, perhaps the Steamworks was too far away at the moment. But then, Thomas remembered what Percy had said at Knapford Station...and got an idea.
"I have one more plan, Headkeeper Jack," he said. "Although, it may seem a little strange to the other engines...especially Gordon and James."
"What plan would this be, Thomas?" asked Headkeeper Jack.
Thomas expressed his idea. Headkeeper Jack seemed surprised at first, but then smiled and nodded.
"I see, Thomas. Well...I wonder what Emily will think of this little surprise."
Thomas felt his heart jump. He wasn't expecting this to happen...and neither was Emily. Thomas began to wonder and feel eager as to what she would think of all this. He slowly set off again down the line.
"Yes. You're right, Headkeeper Jack. What will Emily think of this?" Thomas wondered with interest.
At Tidmouth Sheds, the other engines had settled for the evening. Rebecca and Gordon had worked well on the line together, as did James and Nia. Even Emily started to feel a little better being back home with the Steam Team, wondering what Thomas might have done to help the animals. But Percy was still thinking deeply about the animals, and a little about his little wish.
"I wonder where Thomas could be," said Emily. "And what he may be doing. It's starting to get dark."
"Yes. What would he be doing?" asked Nia.
"Well, I saw him rush past me at the docks," said Emily. "I was waiting there to pick up a new boiler for the Animal Park's winter house. Their boiler had broken down...but now, the new boiler might not get here until after Christmas."
"Oh!" Nia gasped. "The poor animals! They can't stand cold weather like this! I hope Thomas found a way to help them."
"Hm. Not a very fitting job for my paintwork," James proclaimed to himself.
"Or my proud caliber," Gordon put in. "Although Tabitha was merry company for all of us that night. Such a fine cat she is."
"Ohh...I do hope the animals are okay," Percy sighed to himself. Just then, in that moment, the engines heard a whistle and looked up.
"Thomas!" Percy gasped.
"What on Earth does he have in those trucks?!" James exclaimed next.
All the engines watched as a certain train came backing into Thomas' berth. Then they all saw just what this was all about.
"It's the animals form the Animal Park. They're coming to stay!" Percy gasped.
Gordon and James suddenly popped their eyes with shock and most indignant sensation.
"Animals?! Coming to stay?!" Gordon exclaimed, rather staggered.
"This is an emergency, Gordon!" Thomas replied. "These animals are freezing, and they need looking after! Our boilers will keep them warm!"
"But, it'll be like living in a zoo!" James exclaimed with panic.
"Oh the Indignity!" was all Gordon said.
But Percy was now very happy as a monkey hopped over onto his bufferbeam. "It's my Christmas wish come true!"
Soon, as the light began to fade and bring the dark of night, all the animals began stepping out of their trucks and exploring the sheds, and even the engines. When all of Thomas' trucks were empty, he rushed off to leave the trucks in the yards, then came right back, with Headkeeper Jack watching carefully to make sure no animals wondered onto Thomas' line. All the engines backed into their berths and their doors were shut tight. All the lights went on while Thomas looked around to the other engines. Gordon and James were very uncomfortable with these animals, as Thomas suspected. But Rebecca, Nia and Percy seemed cheerful enough.
"Oh! So many different animals are here!" Nia exclaimed. "Ostriches, giraffes, camels, zebras, elephants and monkeys! Such lovely animals, Thomas."
"H-hello...big fellow," Rebecca said a little awkwardly as an elephant looked curiously at her.
"Oh...Good Heavens!" Gordon gloated with shock. "This is most unfitting for Christmas Eve! And our sheds!"
"Come now, Gordon," said Rebecca. "You heard what Thomas said. These animals need our warmth tonight."
"Hello, little monkeys!" Percy peeped happily as they chattered and hopped about on his bufferbeam.
"Ahh! Go away, beastly thing! Shoo! Shoo!" James panicked as one of the elephants trailed its trunk along his boiler and sniffed a few times.
Then Thomas turned to his emerald angel. Emily was lost in absolute curiosity. She had heard of many animals ever since Thomas' big adventures began. She remembered the time Thomas brought her to the Animal Park and had the elephants hose her down after the water pipe failed to wash her, but this was completely new for her. Two of the monkeys hopped over and settled on her snowplough and headlamp.
"My goodness," Emily said gently. "Hello...little ones. Oh. Hello there..."
Emily looked and saw the other ostrich settle down close to her, which made her smile and beam. Thomas smiled too. He was happy to have helped the animals, but it made him even happier to see Emily enjoying the company of the animals. An hour or two passed as night fell completely outside, and in a way, James was right. Having so many animals in Tidmouth Sheds was indeed like a zoo. The animals were quite noisy amongst each other, and there was a certain smell to them, as Thomas suspected there would be, but the animals were warm, and most of the engines were content enough with such wild company.
Just then, one of the ostriches hopped up onto James' bufferbeam and pecked him curiously.
"Stop that now!" James exclaimed. The ostrich looked at James and cocked its head, then kept pecking, which made James cross.
"Stop pecking my paintwork, you...oversized chicken!" he complained.
"It's an ostrich, James!" Nia laughed.
The ostrich then squawked at James and walked along to the left of his bufferbeam, then hunkered down, as if it were sitting on a nest.
"What...what's going on?" asked James. "Go on. Off with you. Off with you! Well?"
"It looks like that ostrich likes you, James," Nia smiled.
"Well, it can't stay right on me all the time!" huffed James. "Think of my shiny paintwork!"
"Think of my passengers if they were to hear about this!" Gordon groaned.
"Relax, Gordon," said Rebecca. "This is indeed unusual, but it's not for too long. That boiler will probably arrive before we know it."
"Oh, Thomas!" Percy peeped. "This is such a marvelous wish come true! Thank you!"
"You're very welcome, Percy," Thomas replied.
On into the night, the animals continued to make different noises alike to each other and explore the engines a little bit. But the ostrich on James' bufferbeam wouldn't move, and soon it was fast asleep. James finally gave up and shut his eyes. Gordon shut his eyes too, simply so he didn't have to look at any of these animals again. Then the other engines began to fall asleep. The smell of the animals lingered through the sheds, and even as the animals fell asleep, their strange noises didn't stop, even though they did quiet down a little. Headkeeper Jack stayed beside James and kept watch for the animals.
But Thomas wouldn't take his eyes off of Emily and how she seemed to manage with the animals. As time passed, he could see the two monkeys wouldn't leave her bufferbeam. A camel and zebra checked her out and she smiled quite contently, amazed at seeing animals so close, and the animals, in turn were rather friendly to her.
Then Emily turned her eyes to Thomas and she saw him looking at her.
"Emily?" Thomas said, breaking the silence. "How...how are you doing?"
"Wow...wow, Thomas," Emily whispered. "I...I knew Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were going to be special this year, having you here with me again...but I didn't give a moment's thought to spending a night...with animals! This is indeed most exceptional, even for me."
"Well...what do you think, Emily? Seeing so many animals?" asked Thomas. Emily smiled dearly.
"Firstly, you're such a sweetie to bring the animals here to stay warm, Thomas. As for me, this is most intriguing. I've never seen such animals this close before. And I certainly did not expect Christmas Eve to turn out like this, sharing Tidmouth Sheds with these animals. They certainly are a little noisy, and...hmm...there is a certain smell to some of these animals, but they're animals after all. In short, I must say...it's quite an experience, and it's even fun to see them like this. Instead of visiting a zoo, it's like a zoo is visiting us."
"Well, you see, Emily," said Thomas. "On my way to Brendam Docks, I had come from the Animal Park and heard about the boiler from Headkeeper Jack. Then when I heard you and Carly talking, I told the Fat Controller about the emergency. He and Henry suggested that I take the animals to the Steamworks, but the tunnel was blocked. So I went over Gordon's Hill and got delayed by a snowdrift, which the elephants helped push me through."
"How did you and the animals end up here with us?" asked Emily.
"Well, by the time the elephants pushed me past the snowdrift, it was starting to turn to evening, and I still wasn't at the Steamworks, which is why I brought them here. It made me wonder just what you would think, Emily...are you surprised?"
"Hmm. Yes, Thomas. I am indeed surprised," said Emily. "And...since it's Christmas...and you had so many animals travelling with you...it's almost like the Bible story of Noah's Ark. He travelled with so many animals on a boat...you travelled with these animals by rail. Your own Animal Ark, Thomas."
"That's just what I thought when I gathered the animals from the park, Emily," said Thomas. "I just feel so good to have helped them all.
"Yes, Thomas. You certainly did," Emily winked.
Thomas smiled back as he and Emily began to feel sleepy. "Well...Merry Christmas, Emily."
"Merry Christmas, Thomas," Emily replied. "And a Merry Christmas to your Animal Ark."
Thomas and Emily blew a little kiss to each other and soon fell asleep with the other engines, and all of Thomas' Animal Ark. This had certainly been an unusual Christmas Eve, but Christmas surprises were mostly all the merrier, and for Thomas, Emily and most of the engines, this was quite an upbeat surprise to look back on.
The next morning was Christmas Day, and the Fat Controller arrived at Tidmouth Sheds to greet all the engines and tell them some merry news.
"Happy Christmas, everyone! It's stopped snowing and the lines have all been cleared!"
But no answer came from any of the berths, and none of the doors opened. The Fat Controller walked over to Thomas' berth, and slowly opened the door. What awaited him inside was most perplexing. Inside the sheds, animals everywhere, and the engines, smiling and cringing indignantly alike. There was a zebra looking at the Fat Controller, three monkeys hanging onto the iron posts in the shed, Headkeeper Jack watching over James and the ostrich, and two camels to the right.
"Huh? W-What?" the Fat Controller puzzled.
Then his eyes fell upon Thomas, who was smiling gleefully, with two monkeys on his front, and an elephant behind him.
"Merry Christmas, sir. I couldn't make it to the Steamworks...so, I had to bring the animals back here."
"But some of us are not very happy about it, sir!" James complained. "They're smelly, and noisy, and that ostrich won't leave me alone."
"Don't worry, James. The new boiler arrived this morning," said the Fat Controller.
One of the ostriches walked up behind the Fat Controller, while the other ostrich stood up and walked to the other side of James' bufferbeam...and revealed a little glimmer of simple joy for the engines to see.
"Uh...James? What's that under your smokebox?" asked Percy.
"The Ostrich! She's laid an egg!" Headkeeper Jack smiled. "And I'm afraid it'll have to stay there until it hatches."
"What? Now I'm babysitting birds? NO!" James uttered with great discomfort.
"Calm down, James. It's Christmas, remember? The season of good will to everyone," said the Fat Controller.
"Even Ostriches," chuckled Thomas.
Just then, the ostrich behind the Fat Controller squawked and pecked his top hat right off his head.
"Oh, my hat!" the Fat Controller uttered.
All the engines laughed and the animals bellowed, lowed and called in response as the ostrich stepped about, not seeing anything with the hat on its head. It bumped into the Fat Controller, who gave a jump. Then the ostrich leaned down again, not knowing what the hat exactly was, but the Fat Controller managed to take it back and put it back on his head.
"Umm...yes, quite right," he said. "Now. Thomas and Headkeeper Jack, since the new boiler has arrived, that means you can take the animals back today."
"So the new boiler arrived after all!" Headkeeper Jack smiled. "Christmas miracles DO happen!"
"Aww. Must the animals go home?" Percy asked, a little disappointed.
"Yes, Percy," said the Fat Controller. "The animals have their new boiler now, so they won't need to stay here anymore."
"Very true indeed, sir," Gordon remarked.
"Too right you are, Gordon," said James. "But this egg...oh, dear!"
Percy sighed, but understood in the end and smiled again. "Well...last night was such a happy Christmas Eve, Thomas. And I had my wish!"
"I'm glad you were happy last night, Percy," said Thomas. "And especially you, Emily."
"Then once you're done with the animals, Thomas," said the Fat Controller. "You are free to enjoy Christmas, as all the rest of you are."
And so, an hour later, Thomas left to collect his animal trucks. He soon returned and backed into his berth again. Then all the shed doors opened, and the animals gradually got onboard again. Gordon and James took deep breaths of the fresh air as the smell of the animals flew out of the sheds. Rebecca and Nia simply smiled as the animals left the sheds.
Soon, all the animals were back onboard Thomas' train, except for the ostrich egg, which James would have to keep an eye on as he and the other engines would stay in the shed for the day. Headkeeper Jack climbed aboard and Thomas began to set off, when he heard Emily's voice.
"Oh, Thomas?" she called gently. "May I come with you?"
"Of course, Emily," Thomas replied. "You're perfectly welcome."
So Emily let Thomas start on his way, then she followed closely behind. She soon caught up with Thomas and huffed past his trucks, looking at all the animals again until she and Thomas were side by side. When they arrived at the Animal Park again, the workmen were waiting.
"Ah. Headkeeper Jack," one of them said. "We received the new boiler earlier this morning, and we have just finished installing it. All the animals are ready to move back in. I see they're all looking quite happy."
"Very good, all of you," said Headkeeper Jack. "And thank you again, Thomas. You've given our animals such a kind Christmas present."
"You're very welcome, Headkeeper Jack," said Thomas.
"It was quite fun spending a night with all these animals," Emily added. "And I'm glad they can come back home again."
Thomas and Emily watched as the ostriches, giraffes, camels, zebras, elephants and monkeys all stepped off of Thomas' trucks and brakevan and marched back through the Animal Park gates. Headkeeper Jack held onto his monkey and smiled to Thomas and Emily as he made his way inside.
When everyone had left the platform, Emily turned to Thomas.
"Well, goodness me, Thomas," she smiled. "I must say, this has been a most unique Christmas in every way."
"I agree, Emily," said Thomas. "In all our years, never have you or I interacted with this many animals so closely. I've met plenty of animals on my visits across the world, but last night was truly endearing for me, and most of us."
"Well, I'm very happy, Thomas," Emily smiled. "Because this Christmas, we have been given the gift of not one, but two wonderful presents. Being together again after a whole year, and sharing Christmas Eve with all those animals."
Thomas and Emily sighed happily and smiled to each other, until Thomas spoke again.
"Well now, Emily. Shall we go off together through the snow? So I can see you puff gracefully along the snowy landscapes?"
Emily blushed pink. "Oh, Thomas. I'd love to. Merry Christmas, my handsome cobalt star."
Thomas smiled right back. "Merry Christmas, Emily. My beautiful emerald angel."
And with that, Thomas and Emily set off down the line. At the next siding he found, Thomas left his animal trucks in the siding and out of the way, then he and Emily went off together on the snowy railway side by side, exchanging smiles and sometimes blowing kisses to each other throughout the snowy hours of Christmas Day. This had been a special Christmas for both engines, being together and sharing the holiday with the animals from the Animal Park. And as Thomas and Emily knew together, this had indeed been their best year since his big adventures had begun, and so such lovely times would continue onwards.
Merry Christmas everyone, here's our adaptation of "Thomas' Animal Ark", as I said last time, one of my favourite Series 22 episodes and a fantastic Christmas episode overall. We do have one more Christmas story planned before the end of the year, but it'll be out in a few days, but still before the year ends. Once again, do stay safe but also enjoy this Christmas as best you can, and let us know what you thought of this chapter. Until then, we'll see you in a few days from now with our final Christmas story, and final story of 2020 overall.