Chapter Three: The real Henry

Henry was busy the next day. The Flying Kipper was delayed severely, his second goods train had a hotbox, and he got held up several times, since other trains had to stay on schedule. This would be the least of his concerns that day, since when he got back to Tidmouth that evening… He was greeted by Gordon, who was blocking the entrance to the turntable, glaring at him darkly.

"... Gordon?..." Henry asked in surprise, "What are you doing? Let me through, I've had a long day!"

"First…" said Gordon, "I want you to tell me something."

"... What?"

"What was the name of the red engine that worked with us before James arrived?"

Henry's mouth just gaped, he didn't understand why Gordon was asking this question, so he repeated it.

"What was the name of the red engine that worked with us before James arrived?"

"... You're not talking about that one that tried to push me out of the tunnel, are you?"

"Yes, the very same. I repeat, what was his name?"

It had been so long since Henry thought about that engine that he had to jog his memory. "I… Let me just, give me a"

"Who are you?"

"... What?"

"Who are you?"

"What are you talking about?!"

"Where's the real Henry?"

"I'm the real Henry! What is going on with you?!"

"How can you be the real Henry if you don't remember the name of the red engine that tried to push you out of the tunnel?"

"Gordon, can you please just let me know what's gotten into you?"

Gordon wheeshed steam angrily at Henry, he didn't want to let anything out.

"Henry… If that's even what I should call you… I want you to sleep somewhere else tonight."

"What?! Where can I sleep?"

"I don't know, go to Vicarstown or something!"

Henry was furious, but decided to do just as Gordon asked. But all the same, he wanted answers. Later that evening, Henry was sleeping at Vicarstown sheds with Syphon and Walter when Helen came to see him.

"I suppose you want to know why Gordon treated you the way he did earlier today?..." She asked.

"Please tell me the answer… It's been bothering me since I got here." He grunted.

"Well… How do I put this…" Helen took a deep breath, and let it all out. "Spencer told us while you were away earlier that… You and the… 'Original' you, are not the same engine, do you know what I mean?"

"Original… Wait, so Spencer's saying that the 'Henry' that had a small firebox and needed special coal… Is a completely different one from the 'Henry' that came back from Crewe?"

"Exactly…" Sighed Helen, "I knew it was total rubbish, but Gordon believed him…"

"... How could he believe him?!" Henry was very angry! "After all we've been through since the day I returned from Crewe, and Gordon… Instantly believes an engine he just met solely because he's related to that stupid bathtub on wheels!"

"Admittedly…" Said Helen, "Spencer did make it sound convincing… He managed to put down some details-"

"-Which I'm sure he made up on the spot"

"Yes, yes… I think all I can really say is… Gordon now trusts Spencer, so much so that now he can believe something as wild as that. He didn't even try to doublecheck with you?"

"Well actually…" sighed Henry, "He did. He tried to ask me about an engine that use to work on our railway, the one that tried to push me out of the tunnel all those years ago."

"What sort of question did he ask?"

"Just asked me what the name of that engine was…" Sighed Henry, "And he wouldn't even let me take a moment to jog my memory! What does he expect? That was over 65 years ago!"

"Well… Don't think I'm asking this because I believe Spencer, but… Do you remember that engine, Henry?..."

Henry took a long, deep breath, and sighed. "I remember that he was… Originally from the South East & Chatham Railway and was briefly part of the Wellsworth and Suddery, in case you don't know Helen that was one of the predecessors of the North Western. Kent was the name I think, but like I said it's been a long time. I forgot why he was taken off the roster though."

"But you do remember him, that's what's important." Assured Helen.

"I suppose you're right…" Sighed Henry, he then had to ask. "Nobody else believes Spencer… Right?"

"I don't think so," said Helen assuringly, "Just Gordon really. All the same, having one engine falling for the theory is bad enough."

"Especially one like Gordon…" Muttered Henry. "Do you think you'll be able to convince him to let me back into the sheds at Tidmouth?... I don't want to stay here, it'll be agonizing to have to travel across the island in the morning to fetch the Flying Kipper."

"I'll try," said Helen, "But if not, I can always take the Kipper for you."

"If you say so." Sighed Henry, "But I miss my friends too…"

"Don't blame you." Sighed Helen, "I must be off though, keep your chin up Henry."

And then, Helen puffed away. She had to take the Limited back to Tidmouth, which would start at Vicarstown. While they were at the station waiting for the passengers to board, her driver pulled out a strange device and stepped out of her cab for a moment.

"Driver…" She asked curiously, "What do you have there?"

"Oh, this?" Her driver showed it to her, "This is a camcorder, it allows me to take video footage with ease, apparently Spencer's about to pass by and I didn't want to miss a chance to get some footage of him, this could become valuable one day!"

In a couple of moments, Spencer did indeed whiz by with a rake of coaches full of enthusiasts. Helen watched as her driver recorded it all.

"This'll take a little bit of time to process, but I bet I can show the footage to you later on, Helen. Would you like that?" he asked.

"Yes, actually… Yes I would." She said to herself. Secretly, her driver's camcorder had given her an idea. When she returned that night, she found out that the other engines were giving Gordon a huge tongue-lash for his behavior earlier.

"How could you treat your friend like that?!" asked Duck angrily.

"He's not my friend." scowled Gordon. "That's what he wants you to believe."

"Why would you believe Spencer?" asked James. "Even if it were true, how would he know that?"

Gordon stopped. Admittedly, he couldn't think of anything to counter that question with.

"Gordon…" Said Helen calmly, "I think you should try to give Henry more time to explain himself. I talked to him earlier today and… The way he responded to this theory, I really don't think it's true."

"Like I said…" Said Gordon, "I asked him a question related to an engine once here before he got his 'New shape', and he didn't remember-"

"He does remember now." Interrupted Helen, "I asked him earlier." And she relayed to him what Henry had told her earlier.

"See?" Said James, "Now you have proof that this is the same Henry we met all those years ago!"

"I can't be so sure…" Sighed Gordon, "Considering how long it took him to remember-"

"What do you expect? It's been 65 years since that engine's been on the railway!"

Gordon was now all out of arguments to make in favor of the theory…But he refused to concede.

"I have to take a train…" He said darkly, "I must be off, okay?" And Gordon left for the station.

Not long after Gordon left, the engines could see Spencer approaching the sheds.

"Driver…" Whispered Helen, "Do you by chance still have enough room in that 'Camcorder' of yours to film more video footage?"

"Yes I do, why?"

"You might want to get it out in a bit…" She whispered. Her driver was confused, but then it clicked with him once he saw Spencer approaching too.

"Well then…" Said James as Spencer pulled onto the turntable, "Care to explain why you told that rubbish story about there being 'Two Henrys'?"

Spencer tried to keep his cool at first, "Well, I think you all deserved to know the truth."

"We know the truth alright…" Snapped Duck, "That you're nothing but a deceiver. James and Helen have told me all about how you've been treating them and Henry since you arrived."

Spencer scowled at all of them. "I've treated you all the way you deserve to be treated… You're all losers compared to me and my brothers. Even that Gordon."

"Even Gordon?" Scowled James, "Whatever do you mean?"

"Well, Gordon is definitely better than you lot…" Spencer boasted, "But he's only second best. If the Fat Controller had any sort of sense, he'd have Gordon on the stopping trains… And he'd have me on the express."

"And how much experience do you have pulling express trains?" asked Helen curiously.

"More than you lot I bet." Smirked Spencer, "It only makes sense for the fastest steam locomotive-"

"You're not the fastest steam locomotive… That title belongs to Mallard, and you know it." Snapped Helen. "And I'd like to see you try to pull the express."

Spencer glared at Helen… "If that's what you want… Then I'll do it tomorrow… And once I do, none of you will ever stand a chance again."

To be continued…