Time for our Halloween fun on the Island of Sodor with our human engine friends when they finally get to be dressed up for the festivities. The tall man is still lurking around the Narrow-gauge house shall we find out who this mysterious dark person is let us find out shall we. Bwahahahaahah!

I do not own any part of Thomas the Tank engine & Friends they are owned by the fallowing.

Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

By the Rev. W Awdry

Created by Britt Alcroft

Owned by Mattel

Other Characters owned by Pinkninjaprime and blackboard26

Halloween on the Homestead.

It was a cool crisp Halloween weekend and Thomas and his friends are excited to be part of the fun this year, especially the narrow-gauge boys who finally found an activity they can't wait to try out since becoming human boys. For the first time they get to dress up for Halloween, and this year they are invited to a Halloween party on Thomas's homestead. It was the last hour of school of the day and everyone was excited even Luke, but was still shaken about the tall man he saw the week before and hopes to never have such an encounter again. Everyone else however are very excited especially Duncan and Sir Handle they really want to create some scary fun on their friends.

Duncan. "What you say we have some fun with floating pumpkins on a stick Sir Handle, now wouldn't that be a fun trick to play."

Sir Handle. "Or how about we just wear the reaper masks on and wave of skulls on a tither and see their reaction when we swing lurch at them, now that will be fun. Ha, ha ha."

Rheneas. "Alright you two we have been invited to a Halloween party on the Homestead. I am not looking forward on you two playing pranks on them because of their age difference."

Duncan. "Are you kidding these kinds of pranks have been played for years, and it can still be pretty funny when we give the homesteaders something to be frightened about."

Peter Sam. "I may have also seen how young children used such nights to create mayhem on the Island, plenty of damage and destruction was made during such times and I do not want any of you to make that same kind of trouble on our friends since they spend all their time preparing for winter."

Skarlowey. "Peter Sam is right, we want to have a fun time and we do not want to create the same kind of scare Luke had last week when he saw that image of a tall man out side our window that night."

Duncan. "You still have to convince me about the tall man of the woods, ha ha, I bet it was just a tree outside of the window looking like the tall man."

Luke. "Believe me it was really scary to see a tall man with multiple arms along his back like that."

Teacher. "Alright boys enough talk, party time is after school, and right now it is time to finish up on your school work." And they did but Sir Handle and Duncan still could not help to chuckle about Luke becoming scared about the tall man of the woods.

Mean while on another part of the Island Thomas and his friends had finished with their day of school and with their school friends Cassey, David, Jon Paul, Jessy, Alisa, Sonny and Sydney are on their way to decorate the dining hall for their Halloween party. James comes out in front of everyone before addressing about the party later that night.

James. "Come one everyone last one back at the homestead is going to be a sour apple, Ha, ha, ha, let us go then." Then turns around to meet up with Molly Jessica and Jasper before heading out in his Mini Bus. Everyone else could not help but laugh about how fun it will be for the first time to host a Halloween party Percy especially.

Percy. "I am so excited Thomas for the first time we are hosting our own Halloween party on the homestead, and our friends from the Skarlowey line are coming over for some fun with us." Thomas does agree but does remember what also occurs on such a night and hopes none of their small friends do not play tricks on them during the party tonight.

Thomas. "I am also excited Percy, but I am also worried that Dunkin and Sir Handle are going to play pranks as well the Lundwisky twins along with Bill and Ben. I just want our party to be full of fun and not a lot of trouble from the pranking friends of ours."

Edward. "Do not worry Thomas Bo co and I do promise to keep a good watch over Bill and Ben and Jon Paul said that he will do the same with Sonny and Sydney. As for Sir Handle and Dunkin, Skarlowey and Duke will make sure to place some sense into them before they come."

Thomas. "Let us hope you and the others will keep our trouble makers in order, after all we did to prepare for winter and not too long now until bringing the cows home for a cattle drive from the fields back to the holding pens, to keep watch over the herd when they begin to deliver their calves."

Rosie. "After that Thomas promised a holiday that would be so dear to anyone who came from the states including myself Hank, Sam and Jasper."

Polly. "And to me as well, it will so wonderful if we get to celebrate Thanksgiving on the Island of Sodor, even if it is considered an American Holiday."

Percy. "Thanksgiving What is that exactly?"

Thomas. "I have researched that Percy, it is that time of the year in late November when those who live in the United States of America, where family and friends come and gather around a day of feasting on their labors."

Rosie. "It is to remind everyone who is part of a community like here on the homestead or like in the days of the pilgrimage from the English to the new world known as Plymouth Rock. Back then it was to commemorate everyone who was involved on how to make a living after the hardships were made back in the early days of the settlement of the new world."

Edward. "Just like the hardships we had here on the homestead when it was just you and Thomas on the homestead, then we came along; not that we intended to of course. None the less we all pitched in helping you two when none of us had a home to call our own and helped you both by giving back in a means of thanks."

Rosie. "Exactly Edward but this will bring about our labors on to the table when we make a feast with a huge turkey along with a venison roast. Some steamed vegetable with a item called a green bean casserole and some fresh cranberry curry that will help bring a bit a sweetness to the meal, and for desert there will be some pumpkin pie to finish the meal but usually before we eat the meal everyone will say what they have been grateful for from this year, then we can take part in eating what we gathered all this fruits vegetables and hard earned harvest from this past year."

Percy. "MM-MM, please stop you are making me hungry when you talk about food like that, and it does sound like fun, so I am in for that day."

Edward. "I am as well my friend, does the controller know you are planning that event on the homestead Thomas?"

Thomas. "Of Course, I especially invited him since he helped us a lot this year after becoming human and helping find the resources and people who had helped us throughout the year since this summer."

Then Ariel came up and gather her brother and his friends, so they can start decorating the dining hall of the homestead.

Ariel. "OK you guys time to return home and talk about Thanksgiving another time, it is time to get back and decorate the dining hall for our party tonight."

Then the group of friends came over by Thomas's Tacoma and drove home just as they were watched by one of the oily teens on the school who goes by the name of Diesel and is planning a scary trick to play on the homesteaders.

Diesel. "Yes, run along home you silly steamies, if you are not too careful you will find the tall man of the woods after you. Ha, Ha. Ha, Ha." Fade into black.

Opening back on the homestead the friends have returned home and started their preparation for their guests to arrive. Rosie, Emily, Rebecca, and Molly all helped to pitch in making the party trays and sweet treats for when their guests to arrive, the boys Thomas, James, Henry, Edward, and Gordon helped clean and decorate the dining room, the lounge and the party patio of the dining hall in case the dinning hall has too many guests inside of the building. Then in front of the interior Fireplace where Duck, Donald, Douglas, and Oliver set up a stage where a Disc jockey will play some fun music. Ariel, Scott, Jessica and Jasper helped gather the logs and chopped into firewood and kindling for the patio has hard stone fireplace that had stone benches that line away from the fireplace end along the edge of the patio and up to the closest wall of the hall. Thomas and the others who are finished with their work for the party came up and admired the finishing touches Mavis, Polly, Percy and Toby are making as they lined the patio space with towering corn stalks with straw bales for extra seating and decoration."

Thomas. "Wow you guys have out done yourselves with the patio, this looks really nice." Everyone just smiles and felt proud about their hand in the party arrangements.

Toby. "Thank you, Thomas we are really happy to help."

Mavis. "We especially decided to add some additional space out here as well."

Percy. "Especially since this will be the first time we will be hosting a Halloween party, and Sir Topham Hat is arranging the fireworks display as his part of the celebration."

Polly. "This is very exciting." Then noticed who had arrived first to the homestead. "It looks like we have our first guest to the party." Coming into view are the students who are staying at the international Boarding house, Ashima, Gina, and Freda to see if they could help in the decorating. Thomas, Rosie, and Ariel came out to greet their first guests.

Thomas. "Well hello ladies, you're here early."

Gina. (Speaking with an Italian accent) "We came in early to see if you needed any help in the preparations."

Rosie. "Come on in and see if you can create some interesting treats we have not seen yet."

Ashima. "We have some wonderful treats to make for your Halloween party tonight if you do not mind."

Ariel. "Come on in you two and make your creations from your homelands while the rest of us head home and get ready for our party tonight." Then Thomas and the others went home and got dressed into their choice of costumes, Thomas was dressed up like Flash Sentry while Rosie was dressed as twilight sparkle from my little pony, Ariel was dressed up as Ariel from the little mermaid with a fish tail like dress, she is expecting for Eric to come to the party as prince Eric from the Little mermaid. Then they headed out to the party just as Eric came to the door in hopes to escort Ariel to the party.

Eric. "Oh, hello everyone I was just about to knock on the door in hopes to escort your sister to the party Thomas."

Thomas. "No problem at all Eric, Ariel your prince is waiting for your hand to the party sister." Everyone laughed on that comment.

Ariel. "And if you do not mind I will be taking this fine young man's hand to our little place in the dinning hall brother." Everyone just smiled and laughed at that come back from Ariel.

As the friends made their way to the party they started to see what their friends have been dressed up as. Duck was dressed as Willy Wonka, Donald and Douglas were dressed as medieval knights Oliver was dressed as Quasimodo from the hunchback of Norte' dame. Gordon and Scott were dressed as Zombies after hearing about what the term zombies were about decided to dress up as such, then sees Rebecca dressed as a Voodoo Priestess to pretend she was the infamous Julia Brown and started to make funny lines to make believe she was the spirit who leveled the neighboring towns away.

Rebecca. "Beware. Beware. When I am to be buried I will wipe everything away when after I am gone. Whooo." She and the Gresley brothers had to laughed as did Thomas and Rosie. Then spotted how James Molly Jessica and Jasper were dress. They were dress like Wyatt Earp and those who were involved in the O K coral incident in American many years ago, while Molly was dressed as a salon show girl. Emily and Henry dressed up as Hansel and Gretel, while Polly and Percy were dressed as Raggedy Anne and Raggedy Andy. While Mavis and Toby were dressed as in gothic and did not realized that Toby had the heart of dressing like a goth person and Thomas came up to Toby to make sure his friend was alright with this decision.

Thomas. "Toby, look at you, looking like a gothic person. Are you and Mavis feeling alright for dressing like this."

Toby. "Do not worry Thomas the tattoos are just fake and are just on for tonight, but do not worry nothing on me is permanent." Then from the entrance way of the dining hall Thomas noticed the arrival of the controller and his family for the festivities, then he excuses himself to greet the new guests.

Thomas. "Hello everyone, welcome to our Halloween party on the homestead, I hope we will bring a fun spooky time tonight." Then Rosie came us to joining of greeting their guests to the party.

Rosie. "Come on in everyone, Gina and Ashima are fixing up their sweet treat they make from their homelands for us to tryout."

From Ashima's plates were some of the inspirations from her homeland, including an arrangement of Gulab jamun fried milk balls soaked in sweet syrup like rose syrup or honey. And another plate with sand wish of several types. These were made from cheese, needed with sugar and molasses.

Gina had brought with her an assortments of Chocolate almonds colored in the Halloween theme, a plate of cupcakes with limoncello icing. To wash it down is with an Italian fruit punch.

Gina. (speaking with an Italian accent) "Come on in and enjoy our treats of our homelands if you like."

STH. "Sure, thing Gina and Ashima, I am sure we would like to sample the labors of your homelands."

Soon more guest had arrived in their costumes and everyone had a wonderful time, then the Narrow-gauge boys had arrived after their night of trick or treating with Mr. Percivle and his children.

Thomas. "Hello Skarlowey, Rheneas, everyone how is everything since the tall man had been seen near your home last time?"

Skarlowey. "Everything is as good as rain Thomas so far not another sighting around the house, but as you can see Luke still has some fear about the Tall man of the woods and refuse to come down for a late-night snack like he did that night." Then Thomas turned to his little friend who is dressed like the green dragonzord ranger about his scary encounter from that night.

Thomas. "Has anyone able to see if there were any footprints near the window from that night?"

Rheneas. "Actually, I went out to see if Luke remembered were the tall man had stood, and when we only seen regular foot prints and not the elongated foot prints of the tall man. So, we may believe it could be someone playing a cruel prank just for a laugh Thomas."

Thomas. "I would probably believe in such a thing too Rheneas, till then come on in and have some fun with us my friend." Then the middle school kids joined up with the rest of the party while Edward dressed up as Jack the pumpkin king from the fright before Christmas, with Ben and Bill dressed up as the monster kids from the same movie while Bo Co came up looking like Sully from Monsters inc.

Edward. "Looks like your party is a smashing success Thomas like we have for the other parties this past year."

Thomas. "It seems like the homestead is another destination on the Island of Sodor Edward, I have a feeling if this keeps up I am going to add more guest cabins or even a hotel on the grounds for those who want to experience what is it like to be on a homestead."

Bo Co. "Well the controller is more than glad that you and Rosie have a place like this to run, and it keeps bringing more holiday makers to the island to see what takes place on a homestead like this."

Edward. "Any plans to expand your homestead Thomas, I am sure we may not have enough room to accommodate additional visitors to the homestead while some of us will be attending the engines on the railway while the rest of us want to know what else is to do when new visitors come and see this homestead up close."

Thomas. "Well I have thought of that and have discussed this with Sir Topham Hat and everyone else in this general area, about how to board our visitors while keeping the homestead from becoming overcrowded by the guests."

Bo Co. "And what have you and the people decided about what to do about the increasing visitors to your homestead Thomas?"

Thomas. "Remember that land that was vacated on the opposite side of the road entrance, it was discussed about turning that part of the land to a hotel and a place where visitors can park their regulation vehicles and trailers when they come and visit during their holiday time." Then Rosie hearing about what was proposed to Thomas and Rosie about expanding their land to accommodate visitors to their busy homestead.

Rosie. "Also, one of the corners of that location is where we proposed a market stand where if we have an abundance of grown produce that our homes cannot keep and become overwhelmed about such a harvest can sell. That way we can provide additional income and service to the homestead and keep it afloat for as long we keep the homestead in our name."

Bo Co. "Now that sounds like you and Thomas are planning your futures beyond the tracks. Do you think you can handle it all? After all the work you do on the railway and here on the homestead, I am sure this will stretch you both thin if you are not too careful about it."

Thomas. "If all goes to plan you may see less of us on the railway, since this place is going to make us busier than how we work on the railway. Not to mean we want to become separated from the railway, just not as much during our busiest months of our year the growing season and the harvesting season and then the party season with holiday parties and get together s like all the events from this past year."

Edward. "If you find you are overwhelmed in your work here on the homestead Thomas make no hesitation in asking me for help, I am more willingly to help you on your homestead my friend." Then the two shook hands for that agreement.

Thomas. "Sure, thing Edward, you Toby and Percy are more than welcome to help me, and Henry build this place into a dream come true." Then the group of friends joined the rest of their guests and friends at the party.

Unknown to the party goers Diesel, Arry and Bert have gathered outside of the homestead entrance in hopes to scare everyone on the homestead with the puppet of the tall man that they used on the night Luke got scared.

Diesel. "Now remember you two, we are just going up to have some fun with these party goers on the homestead, this will be a Halloween to remember."

Arry. "Sure, thing Diesel, this will scare those homesteaders out of this place to call our own, instead of that dreadful smelters house."

Bert. "I admit the smelters house is not pleasant but that is not why we are here. This is the night we just trick the homesteaders for a bit of fun."

Arry. "Oh yeah, come on this will be good."

Back inside of the dining hall Bill and Ben was having fun planting fake spiders in the drinks of their friends for a fun joke. As James was about to have a bit of his fruit punch when he notices something swimming in his cup and screamed like a girl.

James. "Ahh! Now who did this?" He said crossly then heard the laughing voices coming from the other side of the dining hall wall. "Oh, really funny Bill and Ben, when are you two going to grow up from your childish pranks?"

Bill. "What is the matter James cannot take a joke? Ha, Ha."

Ben. "Yeah you should see the look on your face James, ha, ha." But then the twins stopped laughing when two large snakes came down and startled them to scream and run.

Bill and Ben. Gasped "Ah giant snakes!" Then took off behind the lounge chairs and heard the laughter of the Lundwisky twins Sonny and Sydney.

Sonny. "What is the matter Bill and Ben cannot take a joke? He. He, he."

Sydney. "Yeah you should see the look on your faces you two. Ha, ha, ha." Everyone else laughed at the scene where Bill and Ben got a taste of their own medicine and decided to laugh with everyone else.

The Narrow-gauge boys were also enjoying the party while Duncan and Sir Handle are still deciding on what joke to play on their friends since Bill Ben and the Lundwisky twins already played some good ones already.

Duncan. "Ach. Let it be up to those four to come up with some good ones while we are still pondering a joke of our own to play out."

Sir Handle. "Don't worry the night is still young and there is plenty of time to come up with a good one to play out before the night is over."

Peter Sam. "Just make sure you two do not make a joke where someone can get hurt from."

Sir Handle. "Relax Peter Sam I am sure we can come up with one for a bit of a laugh, the question is how." Then they all noticed Luke starting to stare at something lingering outside of the dining hall and is frightened to speak up.

Duke. "What is wrong Luke what has you got your tong in a twist that we cannot make a word you have said?" Then Luke spoke up with a fright in his voice.

Luke. "Th- th- There is- is a dark looming figure on the outside of that window." Then pointed up to show what he was talking about. "Look there." Then the middle school boys turned and looked out the window and were now scared and frightened about a tall dark man with multiple limbs.

The Narrow-gauge boys. "Ah! It is the tall man of the woods!" The shouted that got the attention of everyone including Thomas, Edward, Rosie and Cassey about the tall figure from the outside of the house looking in. They were surprised and concerned for everyone's safety, but instead of calling the police they wanted to make sure what they are seeing is nothing more than just a hoax.

Cassey. "What do you guys think, do you believe what we are seeing is real?"

Thomas. "To make sure we are just going around to the other side of that wall, it is after all facing the road side of the homestead. Remember Malcom and his friends had sneaked on the homestead when they cut the fence when they went after that owl my sister was watching."

Edward. "It is a safe bet it is someone who is playing the same joke that poor Luke saw that one-night last week."

Rosie. "I am coming too, want to make sure the area is really safe from intruders. For all we know that they are just party crashers looking for some Halloween fun." So, the four friends came out from the patio side of the dining hall and opened the gait quietly then looked over and spotted who it really was. Then an idea came to Rosie on how to spook these jokers into revealing themselves. She sees that they are standing under a tree with a limb hanging over their heads. Rosie found a small Jack O' lantern and found an eye bolt with a washer and nut and a long rope and tied the face carved gourd and threw it over the branches then allowed for the carved pumpkin to come down just enough for the Diesel boys to look up and dropped their tall man puppet to the ground and screamed at the sight of a floating pumpkin head in front of them.

Diesel. "Hunh. What the." Then looked. "Ah! A Ghost."

Arry and Bert. "A Ghost! DAhh.!" Then everyone came out of the dining hall to see the three diesel boys Diesel Arry and Bert screaming at the sight of a floating pumpkin head and saw it was Rosie holding the rope to the small pumpkin head dangling from an overhead branch. The sight was so funny that everyone there had to laugh including the hats.

STH. "Ho. Ho, Ho. Now that was a trick for a treat Rosie."

Then Skarlowey and Rheneas came to where Luke Sir Handle Duncan and Peter Sam were hiding after Luke saw the tall man outside.

Duke. "It is safe to come out from under the piano everyone, the tall man turned out to be Diesel and his lackeys pretending to be the tall man."

Duncan. Then perked up and started to sound like he was not afraid of the incident. "Ha yea see Luke it was just none other than those oily group of diesel boys who was giving you a fright."

Peter Sam. "If that is the case then why did you came under the piano when we thought we saw the tall man with us Duncan?" This caught Duncan off guard, so he is trying to cover up on what just happened.

Duncan. "We. You know it was just dark I just did not want poor Luke to be left under there with out someone looking out for him." Of course, the others were not buying his story.

Skarlowey. "Just face it Duncan you were just as scared like the rest of us when we thought we saw the tall man of the woods." Duncan just scoffed until he just had another fright that scurried him behind the lounge chair nearby.

Duncan. "What me? Rubbish, I am not afraid anything, so I should not be too scared about some creepy looking-." Then turned to his side to notice a hairy shadow coming towards him. "Ah! A beast." Then everyone looked over and saw it was Rusty who finally came down after dressing as a werewolf that made Duncan run for cover when he saw his shadow come into the room.

Rusty. "Aw come on Duncan I am sure that this was not too scary for you. Right." Then everyone laughed at the sight of Duncan hiding behind the Lounge chair when he thought that Rusty was a real werewolf for the party. That caused Duncan becoming redder than James's red cowboy outfit. Then everyone came out an viewed the fireworks to become the final part of the celebration. Everyone agrees that this was a wonderful Halloween party on the homestead.

Come back when Thomas and Rosie found a fellow class mate who is in trouble when she becomes and under aged mother and needs the homesteaders for help. What can there be done about the matter find out next time on the Journey through Northwestern High School.