Here we are telling spooky stories around the campfire, first there will be a frightening figure lurking around the woods. A tall looking figure is stalking through the trees of Sodor, who will be frightened about a tall looking man that may have no face. Let us find out shall we.

I do now own Thomas the tank engine and Friends, they are owned by the following.

Thomas & Friends

By the Rev W Awdry.

Created by Britt Alcroft

Owned by Mattel

Original Characters by Pinkninjaprime and blackboard26

Spooky tales.

Night had fallen across the Island of sodor, everyone was home asleep in their beds. While everyone at the homestead was in their homes resting another night away, in the home where the narrow-gauge kids were living in, Luke was heading down to the kitchen to fetch a midnight snack.

Luke. "Mm, I am feeling hungry right about now, just checking what is in the refrigerator." As he did so, a figure just outside the window was peering in as the Narrow -gauge boy found some left over fried chicken to help tame his appetite. "Ah this will do nicely, just warm it up a bit to have that warm feeling down the tummy." He was about to approach the microwave when he saw a tall figure with multiple limbs coming from behind it, the figure looked like a tall man that appeared to have no face and have multiple arms to add to his appearance. This has caused Luke to ignore his appetite and dropped his plate at the sight of the strange looking man. "Ah what is that, who is that?" Then the tall man raised his hands as if he was trying to come for the young boy, but Luke decided to not stay around much longer. "Ah I am going back under my bed until the morning." Then ran back upstairs into his bedroom, closed the door, and hid under his bed until it was finally morning.

When it was time for the Narrow-gauge boys to wake up for their day in school, Mr. Percivle had noticed a plate of cold chicken had spilt on the kitchen floor and wondered who had left this mess and why. Then came up to the bedroom area to wake up the middle school kids for their day in class.

Mr. Percivle. "Alright everyone, time to wake up and get ready for your day in school, but I must ask who spilt fried chicken all over the kitchen floor?" Everyone got up and have no idea of who went down to the kitchen last night until Dunkin noticed Luke woken up from under his bed.

Dunkin. "What is up with you Luke, why is it that you have woken up from underneath your bed so much?" That is when Luke came out from under the bed, and still shaken up about the tall figure that he saw last night.

Luke. "I am sorry sir it was me who was up last night for a late-night snack and found the chicken that I was about to heat up, but that was before I saw a strange looking man outside of the window looking in." Everyone was puzzled, what was it about a man looking into the window that scared Luke so much so.

Mr. Percivle. "What was it about this man that made you so scared that you had left chicken all over the floor for Luke?"

Luke. "The man was tall, he was wearing a black suite he looked like he had no face and he had multiple arms that looked like he was about to grab me to who knows where." The others had an expression on their faces knowing that Luke had seen a legend of a dark mysterious tall stranger who lurks into the wood at night and usually tends to have some associations with children who wander into the woods at night. Dunkin thought that Luke had lost it this time and decided to tease him about it.

Dunkin. "So, you saw some tall man who had some elongated legs and arms you say, well I believe that when I see it Luke. You really have to convince me about such a character that lingers in the woods and peering through our windows as we sleep at night." The others thought Dunking was being too harsh on Luke after hearing such a tale about a known figure told throughout the ages.

Skarlowey. "You would not be so full of talk like that Dunkin if you had an encounter with the tall man."

Mr. Percival. "I have heard stories about the tall man who lurks in to the wood at night and sometimes looking into the bedrooms of young children for reason unknown."

Luke. "Then what I saw last night was true, it must have been the tall man. I heard of rumors about him from my time in Ireland, hearing how children end up becoming missing after such an appearance. And now that we are children, we could be the next on his list to take with him." The other Narrow-gauge boys gasped at the realization about these legends of their homelands, and wondered if they are truly safe on the narrow-gauge line house where they live in.

Sir Handle. "What should we do to prevent this figure from taking one of us away to who knows where we could end up now we are not engines to take away."

Duke. "Calm down Falcon, we do not know if it was really us or is it really the tall man Luke had seen last night. Luke did the man had anything over his head at the time like a mask or even a helmet of some sort?"

Luke. "All I can remember that I saw no face on the man, it looked like it had gauze or a bag over his face, and it looked like he had a bowler hat." The thought of the man does raise some suspicion but decided to not talk about it while they were on their way to school.

Back on the homestead Thomas and the others have awaken for their day at school and remembered that this is the day to tell spooky scary stories to tell around the campfire later that night. Thomas, and Ariel was looking through the number of stories people have told over the years when they came across a story about a fellow E2 that was supposed to be the prototype for their class of engine. The name of this engine was Timothy, and according to the story it was an engine similar to Thomas and Ariel, he was painted silver and had the number 0 on his side tanks. One dark and cold night Timothy was about to take a night train for his last voyage across the Island, the trip went smoothly at first, then things started to go wrong, as they tried to slow the train down to switch the tracks have notice that the brakes would not work, worst still Timothy put on speed ignoring the pleas from his driver and fireman to slow down, but under a demonic look and blood curdling cry of something before them and speeding where the viaduct is in place today but back then it was the end of that section of line and under that demonic look went over the gap committing suicide along with all of his passengers and crew.

Thomas and Ariel knew there could not have been an engine by the name of Timothy, and the one they portrayed as a prototype for their class was wrong. They knew the earlier versions of the E2 Class did not have the distinguished extended side tanks their engine sides have now and do remember how many of them were made plus all the names of their fallen brothers and sisters that went under the torch after the Beeching cuts were declared.

Thomas. "Can you believe this Ariel, someone had the nerve of creating this fake on one of our brothers for a cruel story and believing he was the ghost Percy's diver had seen all those years ago. What rubbish."

Ariel. "I know right, can we be sure all of our brothers and sisters have been accounted for when the scrapers torch came across our family members when the Beeching cuts have been declared Thomas?"

Thomas. "All I can do is ask the controller to find the names of our past siblings, so we can put this Timothy business to rest and to keep the good name of Billinton on the records of good engines on the rails." Then Thomas and Arie were notified by Rosie about coming down for breakfast before they leave for school that day.

Rosie. "Come on down you two, it is time to fill your bellies up before we head to school Today. Remember this is the night for spooky stories around the campfire tonight." Then Thomas came over and swooped Rosie in his arms making some fun spooky sounds just to play with his girlfriend before heading down to greet the others before heading out the door for school.

Thomas. "Whoosh watch out I am coming for you may little red flower of the night." Then while in their hold had a nice loving kiss before joining with the rest down stairs. Rosie had to stop him before their play makes them forget about going out to school for the day.

Rosie. "Ha, ha. Ok, Thomas settle down there will be plenty of time before we can have our fun tonight with everyone around the light of the campfire to tell our spooky tales." Then the two shared a final kiss before addressing everyone who had joined up as the moment between the lovers died down.

Edward. "Hello, you two I see there is no end to your love on one another."

Thomas. "Just a bit of fun before school begins Edward, besides tonight there will be spooky tales to tell around the campfire tonight, and we are just in the mood for some spooky fun tonight." Then Bill and Ben came in looking forward on creating tricks with the Lundwiski Twins when they play spooky tricks on them.

Bill. "You hear that Ben, tonight we give Sonny and Sydney a scare tonight, what do you say we make some good ones when they come over tonight?"

Ben. "Sounds great Bill, let us show them our kind of fun to scare everyone around the campfire tonight." Then Bo Co came into the room and make sure to put his two cents into the minds of the former clay pit twins.

Bo Co. "Just remember you two we are going around the campfire tonight, and we want for you to be on your best behavior or you will find the tall man after you." That had brought everyone attention about a legend about a tall slender looking man who goes after mischievous children who are looking for trouble in the night. The twin however did not take the bait about some man out in the woods out there.

Bill. "The tall man Bo Co. you are joking right."

Ben. "There is no such thing as a tall or slender man in the woods, we have never seen or heard such a story in my life."

Edward. "Actually, it is a story that goes back for centuries, the name of the man goes by different ways across the globe. Here we call someone like him the Tall man because when standing tall he is larger than most men, except for the fact he has additional appendages behind his back looking like a ban of snakes or spiders' legs behind his back. It is said that such a person lingers in the woods somewhere ready to snatch an unexpecting child to who knows where. If I were you Bill and Ben, I would take Bo Co's warning very seriously since there could be as much dangers besides the tall man."

Bill and Ben. "Like what?"

Thomas. "Ever heard stranger danger, if there are strangers in the area they can most likely take an unsuspecting child into what is called Child enslavement." Then Percy and Polly came into the room as the twins are listening to what Thomas had told them about stranger danger and know all about dangers a stranger could pose on people and children who do not know how to defend themselves against an unwelcomed stranger.

Bill. "Do not worry, we know all about the stranger danger that was told to us when the local constables had us fingerprinted to make sure they can Identify us since we cannot have any numbers on us if we were the engines again."

Ben. "That is right, and we were taught to use some sort of pass word about that only our controller drivers and our friends here on the homestead should know if we encounter anyone we do not know."

Edward. "That is good to know, the controller told me your password just in case someone besides him can speak out for you if you ever get brought to the local constable station for your safety."

Thomas. "That reminds me that we are also due to have our fingerprints made out today, in case any of us have been injured or lost and needed to be identified, in case of an emergency." Then the rest of the homestead came in just as Thomas finished his sentence about fingerprinted for their Identities to be knows.

James. "Hello everyone, are you sure it is necessary to make our fingers dirty for fingerprinting today? I am not looking forward of messing up my splendid image while my hands are messed up with this ink."

Emily. "We are only going to get our fingerprints made in case if the controller needs to identify us if we are ever injured hurt or missing from our home, in case of a stranger wants to snatch one of us for who knows what."

Jasper. "Do not worry, it is just for that little time and you can have your hands washed off before leaving your prints where you do not want them. Then you can have your so-called image back before becoming another smug on the list of known human engines."

Jessica. "Do not listen to him James, he is just teasing for a bit of fun. But let us not forget that is it important to have our prints taken just to be on the safe side."

Bill. "And we do not have to worry about some mysterious tall looking man in the woods, that sounded like a lot of rubbish if you ask me."

Henry. "A tall man you are talking about, the tall man of the woods Bill?"

Bill. "Bo Co brought it up to our attention when we wanted to play some tricks with Sonny and Sydney when we place tricks on them tonight."

Gordon. "We have heard tales about such a man even though we have not seen such a man through the woods before."

Percy. "Usually the spooks around here are just in our imagination, especially when you are an engine who has to take scrap to the smelters. Any engine who goes there usually have their imagination playing games on their minds from time to time."

Thomas. "Except for Stepney, if the controller did not stop the claw from reaching over to grab Stepney into the melting vat, I am sure that would have been the end of my cousin there and then." Then Thomas examines his watch to know the time to depart for school was now. "Alright everyone if you are finished with your breakfast plate, it is best to put them up and head our way to school." That is what everyone did and headed off to school with their respective rides. As they approached the middle school they noticed that Luke looked a bit scared about something, Thomas wanted to know what was wrong with him but knew it will be best to talk to Skarlowey boy later.

The day in school went on without a hitch and soon it was time for the constables to arrive to fingerprint Thomas and his human engine friends in case if they are ever missing or may need identification if they are ever injured to prevent them to speak about who they are in the occurrence of an accident. James was still complaining.

James. "Why does fingerprinting have to be so messy, I mean this ink is going to be onto anything I touch, and it will be hard to clean off."

Officer one. "Do not worry James the ink will eventually get cleaned off, this is the best way of identify any of you since some of you who are numberless cannot be identified unless keeping a record of your existence is needed in case if emergencies and in abduction cases where we need to identify any child that could be sold and use in an underworld way of slavery."

Hank. "But I thought that slavery has been declared illegal worldwide, even since before the start of our nation's Civil war that divided up the nation over 152 years ago."

David. "Your nations' Civil war, you mean the war between the confederate south against the Union north of your county right Hank."

Sam. "That is correct, that only begun because of our 16th president wanted to abolish slavery to preserve the good name of our nations promise to be the land were everyone is treated equal."

Rosie. "From what I have read from the American history of the Civil war, the Union north was not about abolishment of slavery, they were more feared of unwanted people invading their known land, and most southerners did not really approve the idea of slavery be part of the promise of a free land of the people."

Jessy. "Then why did most of the Southerner states decided to be part of the rebellious south while the north was clearly readier to make good promise to stop the invasion of the confederates to their nation's capital."

Hank. "Even when we had the material, we needed the right man to help put an end to the most bloodiest conflict our American soldiers had ever faced in all the wars our nations had faced before and since."

Sam. "Most of the people who served in that war went with the party they feel most strongly with, even if their view could be a matter what the eyes from above may believe what the conflict could end up doing to them in the end."

Rosie. "The real turning point of that war took place in the summer of 1863 in a Pennsylvanian town known as Gettysburg. For three days of fighting lead to the most conflicting moments of the war, from little round top to the stone wall then the last day was known as Picket's charge was the final push to send the rebellious south back down the way they came and left the town of Gettysburg a hallowed ground. Leaving behind the spirits who still march along those trails keeping up with their command to find their adversaries to take out of action."

Officer one. "The real trade of slaver is still considered an illegal act against humanity Hank, but there had been reports of young children who end up becoming kidnapped by strangers who sell these young people who want to make their fantasies with these scared innocent children who still may not know what to do when a stranger comes and take them from the people who really loved them the most."

Oliver. "I heard of such cases, there is now an amber alert when a child goes missing from the area one lives, will go off just to see who will know what to look out for when these kids go missing, and it is usually someone they know who may end up hurting the children in the first place."

Thomas. "Thank you for telling us about what to look out for when children become missing. Have you and the other officers ever come across stories about the tall man of the woods?"

Officer two. "We have had reports of tall looking men who pretend to be this legend of the woods, usually we find them to be some strangers who pretends to be this legend. In the end they are only after the children who are then sold to these people who enslaves them for their fancy."

Toby. "That is sad, thank you for letting us know if there is such thing as a tall man of the woods, then we should not worry too much about someone creeping into the homes at night looking for young children to snatch up."

Mavis. "What is more important that we look over the youth of Sodor to make sure they do not become the increasing list of lost children we read in the newspapers every day."

Officer One. "If any of you find troubling signs of foul play, make sure to notify the closes precinct in your area for possible child snatching strangers in the area. If they offer a ride to a young person, make sure the child has a supervised grown person with them for their protection. If the stranger persists stop at a near by shop and notify the police about a stranger in the area where the person was last seen." The group was glad to have these talks about strangers who take children against their will and know what to do when they suspect suspicious activity around their schools' homestead and work areas and make sure no child is left unsupervised.

Now it was time for Thomas and those who work as firemen to their jobs, during their break Thomas decided to ask the controller to find the list of his fallen brothers and sister to make sure none of them had the name of Timothy among his late brothers and sisters. Back on the homestead everyone who did not have a job created a circle where a fire pit was in the center of a seating area. Then Scott, Emily, Connor and Caitlin gathered the dolly trucks and placed large logs and stones around the fire ring. Then Thomas and the others returned after work and changed their clothes for when their guests arrived for the events for the night. Rosie met up with Emily in the dining hall to prepare some treats and bags of marshmallows, chucks of chocolate and some prepared gram crackers to make s'mores with, and Thomas and James set up the bean bag toss for those who are bored about the story telling stories just to keep everyone entertained until the end of the night. Since it was not a school night they had asked their friends' parent about a sleep over to the homestead, their parents agreed. Then their friends came over along with the narrow-gauge boys who came over to hear the scary tales from their standard gauge friends. Then everyone gathered around the fire ring just as Edward had the honors of successfully lighting the fire logs into a nice roaring fire. Then before long the ladies of the homestead came out and brought to the party a plate of goodies and treats for everyone to enjoy filling their bellies before the stories of the night can begin.

Edward. "Now that we are all here, who is ready to tell their first tale of the night?" Everyone looked around to see who is ready to tell their tales. Then Ariel is the first to raise her hand. "Alright Ariel what story are you going to tell today, and It must have a history behind the tale."

Ariel. "This story has two stories attached to a railway tunnel near a place near Dansville Indiana where it is said that two events have taken place. Fist the tale of a worker who fell into the curing cement that was used to create the bridge that was never recovered to continue work on the bridge. Some say you can still feel a presence of that man who may still be in the form of that bridge. Another is about a young mother who was taking her sick infant to find help down that same length of track, but an oncoming train was barreling their way and the only way out was to jump the bridge with the hopes she and the baby will survive the fall. And when she finally jumped she did survived the baby on the other hand did not survived, after the guilt she made to herself by allowing for her little one be places in such an attempt, committed suicide to end her suffering and to this day you can still hear the cries of an infant and the screams of that woman who lost her little one to such an event."

Edward. "That was good Ariel, sounds like a real disturbing reason for such spirits to linger after their place of rest and removal from this world. Who is next?" Then Jasper was next to tell his story about the haunting of Julia Brown of the swamps of Louisiana.

Jasper. "In the state of Louisiana if you find a place called New Orleans you will find Machina swamp lands. It is here where a Voodoo priestess had made her home here, she was a woman who had anger against her neighbors and told them on the day that she died, that everyone who knew or surrounded her will go along with her when she is put to her grave. And something did happen when they did put her to the grave, a terrible hurricane came over and swept over the large area where she lived and wiped out the communities around her home. So, if you ever come close to her home you will still hear her sing her outrageous songs and her hate full screams for everyone to hear. It is said that Voodoo is the source where zombies' legends are born from, and zombies are past lives walking among the living after the person would have been declared dead."

James. "I never heard of Voodoo nor of zombies before, have there been reports of zombies from the southern united states?"

Jessica. "There was a report of someone who was declared dead then for some mysterious reason he walked among the living while pondering where he was. This was not the same as one would see some Zombie movie where you would see decaying corpses walking out of their graves to attack the normal living people of the world."

Molly. "Ewe that sounded creepier then waiting in the smelters for a steel delivery."

Edward. "Well that is the most interesting thing to hear, now who is next to tell a tale we have yet to hear about?" Then everyone looked around and it was Luke to raise his hand just to see if anyone knew of the creepy tall man who could end up stalking the woods on Sodor or not. "Well OK Luke do you have a story to tell around the fire pit tonight?"

Luke. "I had a scary encounter last night when I was going to have a midnight snack at that time, I went into the kitchen and decided to help myself to some left-over fried chicken. I was about to heat it up into the microwave when I saw a tall man like figure looking in from the outside of the window. That caused me to drop my plate as the tall faceless man looked like he was about to come for me, but I decided to head up to my room and slept under my bed until morning. It was not until this morning when everyone realized it was a long-time legend about the tall man of the woods." Everyone was surprised that Luke had seen the Tall Man of the woods. Thomas wanted to make sure that Luke was positive about seeing such a figure outside of the Narrow-gauge house where Luke and the other small engine boys call home.

Thomas. "Luke are you sure that the Tall man of the woods was looking into the window last night? Can you describe this man you have seen last night Luke?"

Luke just told Thomas and the others what he saw last night even though Duncan still did not believe in his story about some tall man lingering in the wood at night.

Duncan. "Rubbish Luke, there is no such man in the woods you must have seen something that looked like the Tall Man but could be someone else in the same time."

Henry. "Well Duncan there have been tales about the tall man of the woods, but earlier today we have been told by the constables about stranger who may dress up like the legendary man to capture young children into child slavery, they take the children away from their homes to make fantasy lives out of the displaced children. If there is such a man, there would not have the normal foot prints most people leave behind but the tall man of the woods would leave behind long slender prints behind. So, to make sure there are no such people at your house Luke them tomorrow will look onto the Narrow-gauge house to make sure."

Edward. "Good thinking Henry, I say tomorrow we will have a search party to look into this mysterious person lurking around the Narrow-gauge house where our young friends live."

Thomas. "Do not worry Luke if there is such a person lurking around in the woods near your home, we will leave behind some surveillance around your home. It is best to be prepared in case our mysterious Tall man of the woods happen to be a little more than some legend to scare kids and the rest for a folk lore that is committing to this scare."

Edward. "OK Moving on who has another spooky tale to tell? Anyone? Everyone looked around and approaching their party was their friends from the international Boarding house. Sam just herd Edward asking about who was next to bring a story to tell around the fire ring. "Alright Sam let us hear about a story you have known or hear about from the USA."

Sam. "Believe it or not, this is a weird ghost story called the ghost hands. In the late 1950s there was a terrible crash involving a train and a school bus full of children, this took place near San Antonio Texas. On this very spot is it said that people have experience a strange occurrence when they come near this railroad crossing. Their vehicles would lose power as a train comes barreling down the line where their transportation sits in the middle of the crossing, they continue to have problems and try with all they must escape the collision with the train. Then all of the sudden these folks felt their vehicles have been moved forward and thought the drivers had moved the car after starting the engine to move out of the way. However these drivers did say they have not started the car at all when their car had moved out of the way of the on coming train, then they came around to the rear of their cars and found the hand prints of the little children who lost their lives on the very spot where the school bus full of children had lost their lives from that train collision. Sometimes the drivers of the vehicles will feel warm touching of small hands giving them hugs and assurances knowing they were watch by the spirits of the children who continue to watch over the people who cross that intersection to make sure what happen to them will not happen to anyone else."

Percy. "Wow I guess they must be protective spirits who watch over the living. I guess there is a difference between good spirits and bad spirits."

Polly. "Oh, there is, the good spirits look over everyone and help us in our darkest hour of our lives."

Rebecca. "Well that is good to know, does anyone else have a story to tell?"

Hank. "I have a story about the Salem witch trials that took place during the colonial times before we were ever a nation."

Ashima. "I had heard about those stories, they happened because of some superstition about some of witchcraft becoming a reason for people to commit some form of killing even if it was not a justified correct?"

Hank. "That is Correct Ashima, that started when the Vicar of Salem had daughters who claimed they were under some sort of witch craft when they encountered people who they claimed to be witches, even if they were just innocent children in some cases. They will seek out who was accused to be a witch, brought them through a trial base on hearsay, by the daughters of the Vicar. Sometimes they will act like they are under some sort of seizure and the appearance of cramps then the accused witches were put to their deaths buy lynching them in front of the town that was said the accused witch had lived. It all ended when it was discovered that the girls of the reverend were discovered to be hoaxing their so-called convulsions, just to make some drama case against these people who they committed to their death sentencing. Since then it was made clear if there is going to be real justice to our land we needed to separate Church from state to make a more justified law system to prevent making our authorities of our nation will prevent the slaying of innocent people just on hearsay alone, real evidence and the emerging science investigation labs in the USA are now using up to date technology to catch the real criminals at large and keep the victims from becoming accused of crimes they did not commit."

Gordon. "If that is the case why does take so long for the technical result to come in so slow to stop unwanted criminals at large?"

Scott. "Gordon even with all the technology today they are still being tested if their technique for catching criminals are up to date and the best way to stop the criminals at large."

Toby. "That is right, everyone is still tested on their evidence even if it is right in front of their faces to see."

Edward. "Alright then are there any more stories to tell tonight that someone wanted to tell tonight?" No one else had a tale to tell, and that means everyone told the stories they wanted to tell for the night. "Alright then we can call this a night of story telling until next year, now that we are finished why don't we call it for a night."

Nia. "that is a good Idea Edward, I believe this was a good night for storytelling and now I am feeling ready to call it a good night everybody."

Emily and Henry who just got up to readdress their friends a good night. "Good night Nia, good night everyone."

Then one by one their friends departed to their homes and their school friends who are staying the night will be sleeping in their friends' homes. Cassey will be with Thomas Ariel and Rosie at their home. Jon Paul and the Lundwiski twins will be with Edward Bo Co and the clay twins at the hunter's cabin. David and Alisa will stay the night in the dormers, and Jessy will stay the night with Henry and Emily. Soon everyone found their place to sleep for the night and the couples decided to hold their love play so not to disturb their school friends while they sleep on the homestead.

Another day is over, and now there is a new mystery on the island of Sodor, especially around the Narrow-gauge house where the Skarlowey children rest their heads. Is it really the tall man of the woods or another reason to fear the woods on sodor at night find out on the next Journey Through Northwestern High School.