Chapter two

Edwards story.

Thomas woke to the bright low sun, he had to ask Edward, Henry and Gordon what had happened in those six missing years. His firebox flickered, but how to ask Edward? Last time Thomas tried he was ignored, Edward always told Thomas to 'try your hardest'. So that's what Thomas would do.

Thomas asked Edward four times, the first time Edward ignored him. The second Edward puffed off laughing as he went. The third Edward got very angry and shouted at the small tank engine. Thomas was surprised at his mentor, he had never known the oldest engine to yell like that.

Near the end of the day, Thomas saw Edward. They both had to go to the docks to collect the empty trucks after a hard days work. Thomas puffed behind Edward who gave him a icy hello.

Thomas mused that something really bad must have happened to cause his kind friend to behave this way. So for the very last time Thomas asked this blue engine,

"Please Edward, can you tell me what happened to you? I only want to help you" the small tank engine pleaded.

Edward sighed inward. He had taught this young engine well, and he would not give up.

"Very well, but please do not tell any other engine" Edward instructed.

"Puff with me to the docks and I will tell you." The blue engine gave in.

It was a night in May, I was puffing back to Great Waterton my two female drivers were anxious as the sun was going down. I was thinking about how all the women had taken over all the men's roles and still managed to 'keep house', they made hard work look very easy.

The two female crew argued on where I was going to spend the night, a tunnel or a shed. Both had good and bad points as I was nearing Great Waterton the sirens want off. We hid in a tunnel while a mass horde of bombers flew over head, they were going to one of the big cities. I'd never seen such a mass of planes, the noise that they made bounced around the valleys of Sodor. After they had flown over, my crew worried for their families pressed me on to my shed.

Just as my crew climbed down from my cab, to go and fetch the water and clean out the ash pit. We heard one plane over ahead, then a horrible screeching sound, followed by silence. My crew ran and rolled underneath me. A lone bomber must have started dropping bombs early, and by the sound of it, it was going to land on us.

I heard the girls crying,

I waited for the end to come, proud, knowing I had done my best.

First there was a bright flash,my eyes hurt and burned, then the smoke wave and noise came deafening my ears, by the time all three of us realised we were alive, fire had filled the shed and some how the girls had turned my regulator to full and we flew out of there.

I ran as fast and far away as I could, and when I could puff no more, I stopped. My crew, coughed as the smoke had filled their lungs and when they had recovered, which was only a few minutes later. They both turned and saw Great Waterton ablaze.

"Those rotters"

"What, what is it?"

"The shelter is hit! We have to get there now!"

"Quick, Edward, quick!"

The girls stuffed loads of coal in my boiler, and I raced down to Great Waterton.

"Faster, faster" both of the girls chimed

"Any faster and I'd be off the rails" I panted.

My axels ached, but we reached the shelter, flames roared so loud I couldn't hear anyone. The flames lit up the night sky, like flood lights and heat was astronomical it melted and bubbled my paint, and the lead metal in the roofs melted and flowed down the drain pipes.

I puffed to the shelter, the girls jumped out and grabbed anything that could be used as a hose, they rushed and tried to put out the fire, but they could only contain it for a while. By the looks of things, most people had come out after the hoard has passed and then they got caught in the blast. The blood of the bodies, mixed in with my water, and the melted lead in the light of the flames, it sorted looked pretty, in its way.

I tried to keep the wondering children entertained, with funny faces,while the adults fought the fire. Most of the people were dazed and wondering around not really knowing what was going on. Some time afterwards the ARPs arrived and my crew could focus their attention on the injured. Many adults ripped their coats and shirts to make bandages.

Time was against us, the main hoard could come back any time, and drop any left over bombs on us, this time they had a massive fire to let them know where we were.

I looked around and saw several coaches, perfect!

When the girls, rested against me after the fire seemed to be going out. I told them to hook me up to the coaches, I would take anyone that wanted to go, to the tunnel. The girls exhausted from the gruelling nite, followed my instructions. Once every thing was settled I whistled as loudly as I could, to get anyone's attention.

People came out of their shelters, to see what was the matter, I told them I would take them to a safe place. All they would have to do is get on board.

The poor coaches complained bitterly, but everyone was glad to be safe and to be together. The coaches were heavy, and I asked them to help me, for everyone. I raced as fast as I could, to the tunnel but I was very tired. I finally pulled the us to the tunnel, absolutely exhausted.

I eased my axels in the tunnel, I told everyone to sleep, my poor crew slept on my coal heap. The poor children were terrified, I told them stories, not only to keep them calm but to keep me awake.

Several hours later the mass horde passed back over Sodor. They let loose the left over bombs, and the island was alight. There was no point trying to put out any more fires, the Sodor I knew burned that night. A small gunner crew, tried desperately to shoot down the enemy's planes. I think they have have got a couple but, the horde was so big, they hardly made a difference.

When the morning came and the fires had all burned out, Sodor was pretty much a shell. Most of the homes were burnt, and pretty much our food for winter too. When the ferries were running again, many people left to join their families in the big cities.

Edward looked up, and they had arrived at the docks.

"Please don't tell any engine" Edward pleaded

"Ok" Thomas agreed, but still very puzzled as to why. Edward was a hero! The clock at the docks struck eight in the evening. Thomas chuffed off towards his shed.

Edward looked over the water he had left out what else happened that night.

"I'm a monster" he whispered to wind

As he pulled his last train to Wellsworth station, he remembered what happened in the darkness.

As he kept watch, a plane fell out of the sky and crashed into the ground not far from the tunnel. He woke his crew, both half asleep. He heard voices in the night, the language that was spoken was harsh and German.

Think...

The sound of guns being prepared was unmistakeable.

Panic flooded his boiler.

No, panic is what killed.

Think...they have guns... The injured, women, and children had nothing.

There was only one option. He asked his crew to unhook him from the coaches and fill his fire box. He could hear them getting closer, he told them to leave his break off, and only leave his regulator open a tiny bit.

Edward recalled how he had snuck up upon the soldiers, as he got closer he shifted his weight and then he fell to the ground. The solders called for their mums as he fell on them. A horrid and disturbing sound, mixed with cries of help, lead quietly to silence. Edward could feel the bodies underneath him.

Everyone was safe.

Then Edward cried, his emotions fled from anger, to sadness. The cold seeped into very frame, he was so alone, and missed his friends terribly. He sobbed even more, until no more tears would come and then he fell asleep.