Chapter Six: Electricity in the Air
All of the Island of Sodor was falling asleep, the stress and tiredness that the holiday season brought sending many adults to bed as early as children. While some celebrated away into the early hours of the morning, they went undetected in the quiet, postcard-perfect villages, with the island quickly becoming as quiet as the snow.
The only noises that cut through the peace and quiet were the sounds of two steam engines furiously racing down their lines. The sounds of their wheels churning, trucks clanging and whistles screeching echoed for miles in the wintery silence.
Percy was trying his best to catch up to Thomas, even though his friend's outburst was still playing over and over again in his mind. The green engine was hurt and insulted, but he was not going to let Thomas simply race off down the line and escape from the mean things he had said.
"Thomas, slow down!" Percy shouted out, though the blue tank engine was further ahead and making so much noise it was likely he could not hear him. "Slow down, you are being dangerous!" His pistons were getting sore from his fast shunting of all the trucks, and Percy wanted nothing more than to roll into the sheds and fall asleep until Christmas Day, but he had to find out what was wrong with Thomas first an forced himself to carry on.
The two engines sailed down the line nearly side-by-side, cutting through the once green fields that were now buried by snow. They nearly looked the same, with similar trucks rattling behind them, giggling with joy at the speeds they were going at, while murky grey smoke rose above them in twin columns, streaming behind as like murky kites caught by the wind. A tremendous amount of noise was coming from the train, and Percy would not be surprised if they woke every town and village that they passed by.
"Faster, faster, beat the blue one, FASTER!" One of his lead trucks screamed into the night, and a loud, screechy chorus of laughter echoed from behind.
"Be quiet, this is not a race!" Percy said in a scolding tone, and he angrily bashed the trucks, turning his hurt with Thomas into violence. The trucks squawked in protest, but Percy ignored them as he followed Thomas into the Hackenbeck Tunnel, the lamps casting ghostly shadows against the brick walls as the combined sounds of their trains made for an eerie echo.
There must be a reason why Thomas said those things, Percy thought. Maybe he is upset with Henry, or maybe another engine said something too him… but he can't actually think those things, he can't, he can't! Percy was getting tired, but he forced himself to carry on as the two engines roared out of the tunnel, and they quickly sped towards Ffarqhuar Station and the surrounding yard. The green engine was relieved, as they had now reached the end of their journey, and he could finally confront Thomas about what he had said.
The yard was still and quiet, with the only signs of life coming from the station itself, as squares of yellow light shone through the frosted windows, glowing against the snow. It seemed more Christmassy than the rest of the branch line, as the lines of covered trucks and coaches looking as though someone had delicately frosted them with the snow, while twinkling fairy lights were draped across the station, the engine sheds and the coach sheds, giving a continuously, flashing rainbow display that made the yard shine as bright as night. Carol music was emitting from somewhere in the distance, likely in the village, and Percy managed a smile as he glided to a stop alongside Thomas, thinking of Christmas and letting his happiness fill him with the courage he needed.
"Why did you say those things Thomas?" He asked, staring at his friend. "It was really mean, and it came out of nowhere!"
"What makes you think that?" Thomas retorted. "I could have had those feelings for years and just never felt like telling you until now!" But Percy could tell that there was something behind his use of 'could have', and it only made him more worried and curious.
"Come on Thomas!" The green engine huffed. "I am not as stupid as everyone seems to think!" Including you, apparently… "I can tell when someone is lying to me… well, at least I can tell when you are, as I thought we were friends! I know something else is bothering you, and –"
"The only thing bothering me right now is you!" Thomas fumed, and he angrily bumped his trucks, making the workers who had come to attend his train leap backwards in fright. "And I did mean those things, okay Percy? Just… just accept it, alright?! You're embarrassing the branch line with all your stupidity and your dumb actions."
"What are you talking about; I have not had an accident for years!" Percy said angrily, and he forgot to feel sorry for his supposed friend, instead getting annoyed. "You cannot get angry with me now for things I did years and years ago, and it is not as if you're so perfect either!" Thomas' eyes bulged at this, and Percy smirked triumphantly, feeling pleased with himself for getting one back at the tank engine.
"What would you know…," Thomas mumbled, and he looked in the opposite direction. Percy glared at him before looking in the other direction, and did his best to ignore Thomas, feeling more anger than concern now, as it seemed Thomas did have some sort of issue all of a sudden. They remained in silence for a few minutes, letting the snow gathered on their snowploughs and around their wheels and the workers dealt with their trucks. Percy was still suspicious about what had brought Thomas' anger on, but he was not going to deal with his so-called friend right now, not when he was being so difficult.
"What are you two fighting about now?" Thomas' driver asked as he stood before the two of them, smirking to himself. Both engines shot him a look that wiped the smile off his face, though a twinkle lingered in his eyes. "Alright then… Thomas, the foreman has asked us to take some trucks urgently towards Ulfstead before you go to the sheds, as it has items necessary for the extension."
"Can't someone else do it in the morning?" Thomas grumbled. "Give it to Daisy, she can start faster than us!"
"No Thomas, they need it delivered now!" His driver said. "There is no time to mess around; we have to take it soon as it is getting late." Thomas looked like he wanted to argue more, but instead he angrily rammed his trucks again and remained silent, giving Percy a dirty look as if it was all his fault. Percy struggled to ignore him as Thomas' crew got back onboard, and a minute later he was reversing out of the siding and shunting his uncoupled trucks away. He did not exchange another word, and Percy watched angrily as his friend steamed furiously away, disappearing down the new line that went towards Ulfstead.
Good riddance! Percy thought, watching as the last truck disappeared into the night. He suddenly felt empty and alone though, surrounded by very little but snow, a few laughing trucks and the workers who were moving back towards the station. It would be quiet when he got back to the shed, and Percy suddenly felt bad that he had not tried better to get through to him.
"DAMNIT!" Someone yelled from behind, and Percy glanced over as a couple of workers ran towards his cab, and he wondered what was wrong.
"We forgot to uncouple the trucks that had the supplies for Elizabeth!" A different voice shouted at Percy's crew. "She needs to pick those supplies up tonight! Thomas kept bumping his train so we had to leave it to avoid getting killed."
"Shouldn't she be here by now?" Percy's fireman replied. "She was due before us."
"There have been a bunch of delays all over the Island, it's the bloody snow!" A third voice said. "Do you think you would be able to go after Thomas and get that truck back? There is a high risk of there being snow drifts on that line, so he will be going slowly."
"We could manage that," Percy's driver said, "though I am not sure how Percy is –"
"I feel fine, let's go!" Percy replied instantly. Admittedly, he was tired and sore, as his rush to catch up with Thomas and shunting the trucks had left him exhausted, with aching wheels and weary side rods. However, there would only be more issues caused if Elizabeth did not get her delivery, and Percy knew that if Thomas was blamed, it would only cause more strife and increase his sudden anger.
He may have insulted me and been very rude, Percy thought as he left his trucks behind and set off down the line after Thomas, but I cannot let that stop me now. He is still my friend, I hope, and I have to stop him before this situation gets any worse!
All was quiet on the Main Line. Henry sat shimmering at Killdane Station, nearly alone in the silent, snowing world. He wondered how far James was ahead of him now, as he had not seen the red engine since he had shot ahead and seemingly disappeared into the night. This thought both distracted and irritated Henry, as he wanted to think of something other than being delayed for the third time that night, but could only remember James' cocky smile as he sped away before him.
Henry had been flagged down at the station, and his crew learnt that Gordon, Edward and the new engine had not been accounted for, at least not by the people at Crovan's Gate, so Henry had to wait until they had passed or they received more information to avoid any sort of collision. It made Henry furious to have to wait once more, and Henry could just imagine the fish going off by the time he actually made it to the ports, or more snow would land and bury him alive.
At least they are trying to lessen the risk of an accident, Henry thought, remembering the curse he was trying to avoid, though if Henry stayed here long enough, Arthur or another engine was just as likely to ram into the back of his train like Duck had. The green engine just wanted to get moving once more, deliver his train and make it back to the sheds before dawn, though it seemed highly unlikely with every moment that passed.
At least he was not fully alone though. Henry's crew had gone inside the station, and Henry could see them chatting away with the conductor and driver of The Electric Lady, his silent companion waiting to his left. She was one of the central engines of the Electric Branch, a rare electric locomotive that was one of only two engines in the world. The Lady was painted in the sleekest black paint that shone even in the dark, with a yellow front and white stripes along her roof and sides. The Electric Lady was a proud engine, and only answered if addressed by her proper name, despising the nickname of 'Badger' her counterpart had been given, one many thought suited her paint scheme better. Henry rarely spoke to the electric engines, but her crew were using the excuse of his crew being delayed to have a drink and a catch up, so Henry was stuck with her, though he may as well have been alone due to how silent she was.
"Does the snow affect your power much?" The green asked, thinking he might give conversation a shot. Henry knew she had a reputation as being the stuffiest of the electric engine, and wished that it had been Thunder and Lightning that waited, the electric multiple unit that he got along with.
"It can, sometimes. It has happened before, but not this season anyway," The Electric Lady replied quickly, and then went back to examining the world around them, an irritated air coming with her words, and Henry guessed the one thing they shared in common was an annoyance at their delay.
"Have you heard about this visiting engine?" Henry asked, trying a different topic more interesting than the weather.
"Yes," The Lady replied stiffly, and Henry was taken aback by her tone.
"I take it you aren't pleased?" The green engine asked. The Electric Lady looked across at him with a look of irritation and boredom, and Henry wished he had never asked, but was taken aback when she began to speak.
"I am not sure why our manager feels we need another new engine, but he appears determined to get one," the electric engine replied. "There are already four of us, and we are only a small line. I believe he is obsessed with whatever is new and modern, and he seems to think that our line needs to continuously show the latest in locomotives. Personally, I don't really think a tilting engine would be of any use on our line, there are very few sharp turns for a passenger engine at least, but he insists it could be the new thing!" Henry was surprised, as he and the other engines were all very interested to see this visitor and has amazing new capabilities.
"Are you not a fan of modern engines?" Henry asked, intrigued by her differing views, and Electric Lady turned and gave him a much more focussed look that seemed to say 'seriously?'
"I am basically a one in a kind, nearly outdated electric engine in an age where electric engines are all the hype," she replied with a slight smirk that seemed very uncharacteristic, and indeed made her look pained. "I have the benefit of being one of only two engines of my class, so I am a rarity, a sort of collectable, but after a while, people think their collectables should be put away rather than always be on display. I have the same feelings that you engines have every time a new steam or diesel engine is brought. At the end of the day, all us locomotives end up being are profitable collectables for men that can never have too many museum pieces with not enough space to exhibit them." Henry was taken aback by her bluntness and brutal honesty, and he was shocked at her metaphor, having never really considered this before. It was hard to think that they were all just collectable items to the Fat Controller, things to draw in the crowds and keep up tourism numbers and railway profits… surely it wasn't true!
"Do you really think you will be replaced?" The green engine asked timidly, suddenly feeling truly cold for the first time that night, as if he had just noticed it was snowing.
"I was designed to be replaced eventually, we all were," Electric Lady replied, suddenly sounding sad. "I still have a few years left in me yet, and I am certainly not going down without a fight. That is if I don't freeze here first! My pantograph is bound to be solid by now." Henry was taken by the sudden topic change, and had no idea what that was, but followed her eyesight to the metal frame that connected her body to the wires above that snaked all the way along her branch line.
"Oh yes, they are taking a while… there have been so many delays lately, it is all this darn snow," Henry replied, still thinking about her words. The Electric Lady murmured in agreement, and by default, the two engines glanced up at the clouds above where the snow was falling fast, covering the station, the platform and the rails around them.
"They always describe snow as being a winter wonderland, yet there is nothing even slightly wonderful about all of this," the Electric Lady said, a sad frown upon her face, and Henry, still surprised by her change from stuffiness to sadness, wondered if she really meant the weather. Her feelings quickly spread to him, and Henry could not shake away the suggestions of them being museum pieces…
A door slammed open, and Henry snapped out of his thoughts as his crew came out of the station, giving their farewells to the station master as they rushed through the falling snow towards their train.
"Can we go now?" Henry asked, desperately wanting to escape this chilly feeling.
"We can indeed, but we do have to be extra careful," the driver said. "Gordon, Edward and the visitor are running late, but we have a boat to get to with supplies that could risk going off if they do not get stored correctly soon, so we have been allowed to leave. If we do not pass the other engines, we have to go into a siding at Crovan's Gate though and double check everything, so we may not be moving for long."
"Anything is better than remaining still in this weather," Henry replied, though really he was unsure of what more he could say to The Electric Lady, her words leaving him more shocked than anything else in recent memory. The electric engine ignored him again as Henry waited for his fire to be built up again, though it only took a few minutes for a roaring fire to be built.
"See you some other time," Henry said awkwardly as he began to roll out of the station. "Merry Christmas!"
"You too," The Lady said in a similar tone to what she had used earlier, staring in the opposite direction. Henry roared into the night and was very pleased to be going once more, and knew that he still had a chance to make up for lost time and get the Flying Kipper delivered safely and on time. The green engine repeated this thought constantly, thinking it in tune with the pumping of his side rods and pistons, the rattling of his wheels, trying his best to drown out the ideas The Electric Lady had given him. Yet try as he must, as Henry felt the cold pressing down around, seeing nothing but the snow floating before his lamp and the rails before him, he could not help but wonder how much truth there was in her words.
First appearance of an electric engine in my world! This story seemed like the right platform to launch Electric Lady and Adrianna, so let me know what you think of the new characters! There will hopefully be a RWS book out in the next month or two based on the Electric Branch Line, so we'll meet them all soon