There had been a great upheaval in order and tranquility for Arlesburgh. Bernie's path to making better of himself had made a turn for the absolute worst when he had most accidentally placed David in imminent lethal danger when he placed the captain right on the nose of a blue shark, to which David had a very narrow escape and a most unexpected wave of panic so strong that he had turned heel and retreated. After losing and regaining consciousness, David's sense of order before common sense had taken hold of him and resulted in Bernie being sentenced to confinement in the Sea Emperor's brig for the next few days until David decided to resume the matter of supervising his parolee, much to Lola's sheer anger and Thomas and Emily's shock. After a lot of harsh words from Lola, Beatrice and even Edward, David had learned of Diesel's part in all this and almost went so far as to scar him over his eye, to which Philip stepped in and halted David from falling victim to Sailor John's blinding hate. To that effect, David finally let the matter go and declared Diesel not worth the strike, having decided to meditate on the whole matter until Bernie would be released.
And so, over the next while, time passed. One day, then another, and another and so on. During that time, most of Arlesburgh seemed to return to normal in Bernie's absence. David and his crew continued to work in their own company, Wainwright kept mostly to his tailoring work, and even Hetty and Geraldine barely said much about Bernie or David. It was almost as if Bernie was never even there. But not a moment went by that David didn't think about what would happen next once Bernie was out of the brig. While he was certainly more collected than he was before, David could not get away from the scathing, harsh words Lola had spilled onto him after Bernie had been locked in the brig. To that effect, he gradually spent more of his spare time thinking and pondering as best he could on how he could climb out of this hole himself as well as getting Bernie out of it as well.
"Oh. What's to do?" David would often ask himself. "I know he had a chance. One cannot send him back to the Unit after Diesel's ploy in all this. But the most unthinkable has happened to me and to him…Mmm, if only I could truly see right into him…"
As for the rest of the railway, everything seemed to return to normal as well. While most of the engines were considerably stirred and even shocked by David's near combative approach with Diesel, they spoke very little about Bernie, focusing much more on their day to day routines with passengers, goods and more, but in all their smokeboxes, there were still little flickers of wonder as to what would happen once Bernie was out of the brig. Would he pull himself back up and make lucky with one more chance? Or would it be three strikes, then out?
Thomas and Emily in particular couldn't help but feel the most concerned, even in the calm of this entire storm. On the third evening since Bernie's confinement, the two engines ran along the line side by side, endlessly pondering together. While the mood was considerably better than before, they knew Bernie's probation would be resumed sooner or later, and like the other engines, they too had come to hear what had happened between David and Diesel.
"It's all so complicated, frightful and unanswered, Thomas," said Emily. "I almost lost my best friend to that shark, on account of Bernie placing him right in the firing line, but that being said, had Diesel not gotten to Bernie, perhaps all of this never would have happened."
"I think you're right, Emily," said Thomas. "At this rate, as bad as I feel to say it…it feels like Diesel has already won. He pushed Bernie down the hole, then buried the only way out. Ohh, a stinging pity David didn't slash that VILE engine over the eye when he had the chance!"
"Pity?" Emily asked sharply, making Thomas look at her. "It was pity that stopped David from proceeding so rashly! Philip's pity for his emotionally deprived position at the time. And DO NOT say that Diesel has won, Thomas! If anything, David won this round, by not letting Sailor John's dark shadow overtake him. And truly, given the ambitious and fierce drive that he often has, I am personally very proud of him for holding back."
Thomas swallowed and nodded seriously.
"Well, perhaps that is true, Emily," he noted. "As he said himself…Diesel is not worth the strike, and as far as I'm concerned, he never will be."
"Well, Diesel is locked away for sure this time," said Emily. "But at the same time, Bernie is surely feeling sheer ruin in the brig! What more can be done for him now?"
Thomas sighed. "I don't know, darling. I…I don't know."
"Ohh, Thomas. What will David do?" Emily asked.
Thomas didn't know how or what to answer this question with. In the end, it was all up to David and even Bernie on what would happen next.
In the midst of all that was going on across the island, Bernie remained sealed in the Sea Emperor's brig, dashed against the iron bars and endlessly lamenting his position. Hour by hour, day by day, he languished deeper and deeper into his own crushing sense of the faintest flickers of hope. All that would break up the monotony was Jordan or Copper bringing Bernie his prison ration of bread and water three times a day. But Bernie didn't care about his limited diet in the least. The isolated, cramped confinement of the brig had been poisoning his mind every moment he tarried in here.
"The very end of everything for Bernie!" he would lament over and over again. "For the simple and high-spirited Bernie! How can I hope ever to be set free? I can't go on any more! Not one bit!"
And so the passage of time carried on, until at last, after four whole days, as the clock struck 5:00 p.m., it was the end of another busy day. David's crew had done their share and had gone home, except for Jordan and Cecco, who went on their way toward the Sea Emperor to give Bernie his third ration for the day until the next morning. David watched them go and shook his head. In spite of the newfound calm and collected sensation in Bernie's absence, these four days had been long and mired with thought. David thought perhaps he had to look in on Bernie himself to see what to do next. He started walking toward the Sea Emperor, when he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye. When he looked, he saw the Fat Controller's car, with him and Stephen standing there.
"Sir?" David noted.
"We were just passing through, David," said the Fat Controller. "It's been four whole days. Where do you stand on Bernie now?"
"I'm still working that out," said David. "But even with a calmer and quieter setup without him, I still struggle on what to do next."
"Well, David, as you know, we've heard what happened between you and Diesel once Edward told you everything," said the Fat Controller. "And while I am impressed that you withdrew your position on Philip's concerned account, my only hope right now is that your judgements are much more reasonable, even for Bernie."
David tried not to be impatient as he sighed rigidly and looked the Fat Controller's grandson.
"I see," he replied strongly. "And you, Stephen? Anything YOU'RE hoping for right now?"
Stephen looked nervous, but answered honestly and humbly.
"Well…for you, and the rest of us, some happier days, perhaps."
David couldn't help but truly like Stephen's youthful humbleness as he sighed and nodded.
"Me too, kid."
Then David walked on his way toward the Sea Emperor while the Fat Controller and Stephen set off to return to Topham Hall. When David boarded the ship, he walked downstairs below decks, then even deeper into the ship to check in on Bernie, but not too closely. He wanted this to be done gradually. When he reached the staircase leading to the hull, he could hear Bernie lamenting down below, and over the pitiful sobs, he could hear Copper's voice.
"Another half liter of water and a fair slice of bread. Tomorrow morning."
"Yes, Copper," came Jordan's voice.
Then David heard the footsteps approaching, then both men came up the stairs and saw who had come along.
"Captain?" Jordan noted.
David put a finger to his nose and hushed very quietly. He then ushered both men to follow him back up on deck.
"Gentlemen, I came on account of our naval inmate," said David. "What's the status? Is he by any means capable of being put to work again?"
"Well, as we all know, he's been stuck down here for four consecutive days, Captain," said Copper. "Blubbering and weeping, weeping and blubbering."
"It's a disheartening sight and sound, no doubt," said Jordan. "But what's done is done. He almost had you eaten by that shark, Captain."
"And perhaps it might not have happened if Diesel hadn't gone to Bernie and said what he said," said David.
"Bernie could have simply not taken Diesel's word for it," said Copper. "Then again, his level of intelligence is a factor in all this as well."
"Yes…so it is," said David. "But even so, I can't Bernie finish off like this…"
"What do you mean, Captain?" asked Jordan. "What is his status of being let out again?"
David pondered and considered his options. Then after a moment, he spoke again.
"That is still to be determined. Four days in the brig for placing me on that shark's nose, yet Diesel had broken through and tainted Bernie's judgement of us. I will meditate on this a little while longer, gentlemen. Then we shall see what we do next."
Copper and Jordan nodded in compliance, then set off for home while David returned home himself. When he entered the living room, Beatrice was waiting for him on the sofa, looking right at David as he came toward her.
"I saw you go toward the ship," she said neutrally. "Have you given him any more thought lately?"
"I did check in from a distance, Mum," said David. "And after four days, I'm still trying to work it all out."
"I don't think you have much more time to work it out, David," said Beatrice. "Whether Bernie is released or sent back to the Unit, I don't think it makes much difference now. I really do wonder if you'll be able to save him."
"Well, on my part, perhaps locking him up in there did seem cruel to some," said David. "But you must see the stakes, Mum. I almost disappeared that day. And what then? It would have destroyed you, and Thomas, and Emily, and countless others if I didn't escape that shark. That's why I turned and fled the scene afterwards. I was able to rope that shark into pulling me, Skiff and Jock ashore the first time, but this time, there was so much more to be lost if I wasn't fortunate enough."
"As I told you some days ago, yes, it happened. But this is what's happening now, David," said Beatrice. "And right now, how is Bernie?"
"Still lamenting and languishing in the brig," said David. "I know this can't go on much longer. Which is why hopefully, by tomorrow, I will come to my next decision on this whole matter. At least Diesel can't do him any further harm. As I said. He's not worth the strike."
Like everyone else, Beatrice knew what had happened with David and Diesel and nodded, slowly thinking a few other things herself.
"You certainly came very close that night, David. And as it so happens…you're right. He's not worth that trouble, and Philip was certainly valiant to say what he said."
David nodded in turn.
"As serious and incriminating as Bernie's ploy with me and that shark was…even now, I don't think he should be sent back to the Unit. At this rate, all I can give him is one more chance. Maybe he is too far gone, maybe not, but I'm not inclined to give up even now. Once more, I need to see what I have to work with. Then my judgement really can be final…and truly clear."
Beatrice looked very deeply into her son's eyes. A serious, unfathomed look came from her ocean-blue eyes and David couldn't help but feel even a hint uneasy before Beatrice spoke clearly and solidly.
"You must do what you feel is right, of course."
Then Beatrice left the living room and went upstairs, while David just sighed.
The hours passed, and night slowly descended on the island. All the engines across the Railway were asleep in their sheds, and Arlesburgh was falling asleep too. All that is, except David. Beatrice had gone to bed, but he was still awake, sitting on the sofa and looking out the window to the sea. He kept glancing now and again toward the Sea Emperor, thinking and wrestling in his mind what to do about Bernie. David looked toward the stairs and saw the lights were out, telling him that Beatrice had gone to sleep. After a minute more, David rose from the sofa and went outside.
It was a dark night. The moon was silhouetted against a few dark inky clouds wisping through the sky with the stars showing between them every which way. David walked steadily out to the pier and stopped at the buffers, staring out to the sea in silence. He wasn't sure, but he thought he could hear ever-so faint, quiet sobs and whimpers from the ship, making him glance over and wonder about Bernie. For the first time since Bernie's confinement, David shut his eyes and bowed his head, indeed feeling a fair sense of pity. Then sure enough, David heard it in his head again.
"YOU ARE A DISGRACE! You may look like a captain, BUT YOU WILL NEVER BE LAWRENCE RIDER!"
For the past four days, even in his busiest times of day, those words had not left David's head for one moment, and his heart still ached badly to fathom those very words. No one had ever spoken out in such a way about him before, and even given the entire forest of Bernie's matter beyond the trees, David still firmly believed his duty was clear as he began to pace along the pier.
"She's wrong! I couldn't let Bernie go unchecked after all that! Then I don't find out until that evening of what Diesel did! It can't be undone now! I'm NOT a disgrace! I follow in my father's vein of duty! My duty is clear!"
David suddenly stopped when he felt the moonlight beam out through the clouds, making him look out to the sea again. Then something else started to happen, making David go very still as he stared harder and harder to the sky. And then, slowly weaving through the inky clouds and through the moonlight, David saw him. Lawrence's spiritual form came weaving out through the sky and down toward the pier. David's heart swelled with wonder seeing his father again after another long wave of time, then as Lawrence came closer, David could see the peace and belonging his father's expression gave, but there was also a serious sense to all this as well. Lawrence wasn't showing himself lightly, and his straightforward echoing voice said it all.
"David. My son."
"Father," David nodded slowly. "It's been a long time."
Lawrence nodded observed David closely. "You seem unsettled."
"No. Just gathered together," said David. "I've had a great many things to attend to of late, and still do."
"Not only attend to," said Lawrence. "You have a great many things to consider and weigh upon, on account of your seriously misjudged parolee. I know just what happened and why it happened, as you came to learn yourself that very same evening."
"What Bernie did was most criminally unacceptable towards me, Dad," said David. "I was almost eaten alive, and in response, my newfound R.I.F.L.E. establishment acted with utter precision to halt Bernie from causing any more harm. R.I.F.L.E.'s capability of enforcing peace and order is clear to be seen by us all."
"Its capability of miscalculation is certainly confirmed," Lawrence said firmly. "Apprehending Sonny upon first sighting before he could explain the matter of Baz and Bernie sooner, your parolee too harshly judged on account of Diesel's venomous ploy in all this, my one only son openly attacked by a shark?"
"And Lola Branford, Bernie's one and only friend defying me in such a way that no one else, person or engine, has ever spilled upon me."
Lawrence knew exactly what David was referring to and nodded slowly, looking intently at his son now.
"First and foremost, you needn't remind me just what she said that very evening."
David swallowed hard and his legs quaked.
"Dad, please…I implore you to tell me yourself…what do you think in all this? Does Lola speak true? Will I never be you?"
Lawrence looked directly at David for what felt like a full silent minute. David waited and wondered what his father would say. Then…
"Well…this may initially sound like a sheer insult to you, David…but in a small way…Lola is right."
After carrying Lola's harsh words for the past four days, David's heart almost felt like it would burst, hearing from his own father that she was right, but then Lawrence went on.
"She is right in a certain sense that you never will be me. That is true for each and everyone of us. No one can ever truly be someone else. Only who they themselves are. In my life, I worked for the Great Northern Railway, and was the first ever driver of our beloved Emily. You are my son, David Rider. A strong young man who served six years in Her Majesty's Navy, who gained his own galleon ship, sword and medals as the captain he is now. A man with a fierce, ambitious drive, but ultimately, a drive that truly strives for good."
David felt a shivering tingle creep up his back as he considered what his father had said and nodded with strong surety.
"Yes, father. Taking all of this from you, I know it to be right," said David. "But on Bernie's account, what am I to do next, Dad?"
"You cannot escape your duty," said Lawrence. "You must release Bernie again."
"But all the circumstances and current stakes, Dad," said David. "What good will this whole process do him now? It all stands upon the edge of a knife. If Bernie strays but a little now, it will truly and fully fail."
"I know the circumstances and the stakes upon him," said Lawrence. "But even so, that doesn't mean you can't try and see what you have to work with now…and in regard to your little discussion that evening…your mother is indeed right. It's not about you. It's about them."
David struggled to decide as he asked one more thing. "Just what will become of Bernie, in either direction?"
"Whatever befalls him now, good or bad, no man can walk out on his own story. Not even you, son."
Then as he maintained his look right on David, Lawrence slowly drifted away from the pier, then slowly disappeared into the night. David was left alone again, allowing him to reflect on all he and his father had conversed on. Then David felt a flare of decision in his heart as he looked toward the ship and nodded firmly. A few minutes later, David returned home and went to bed with his mind wrestling once more. After four straight days of pausing the whole matter, Bernie's hellish time in the brig would be over in just a matter of hours. But even with the little glimmers of hope he had left, David almost knew already there was no chance of Bernie redeeming now…
Very early the next morning, around 5:00 a.m., the Fat Controller and Lady Hatt were still asleep, when there suddenly came the distant sound of the telephone ringing. The Fat Controller heard it and hurriedly got out of bed to answer it.
"Oh, bother!" he whispered as he approached the phone and answered. "Hello?"
"Sir Topham. It's David," came the answer. "Business about Bernie. Assemble the Steam Team at Knapford Station…including James."
"Whatever for?" asked the Fat Controller as he listened further. "Oh…I-I see. Yes…alright, then. I'll arrange them all to come. You'll be there too? Very well, then. I'll see you there."
The Fat Controller then hung up and hummed curiously. Less than five minutes later, he had changed into his suit just as Lady Hatt began to stir.
"Topham? What's going on? It's still early," she drowsed.
"I'm sorry, my dear," he said as he made ready to leave. "Something has come up about Bernie, and I must go at once. You go on back to sleep."
Before long, the Fat Controller had sent out a few more phone calls to further the arrangements, then set off down the road in his car.
At Tidmouth Sheds, all the engines were sound asleep. Sonny was still staying in James' berth, and the night sky was just beginning to light up with the first glimmers of morning. Then presently, all the engines could hear the approaching sound of footsteps. They all opened their eyes and saw their crews all coming toward them.
"What…? What's going on? It's not yet sunrise," said Thomas.
"What are you all doing here?" Emily yawned.
"Something suddenly came up, Emily," said her driver Paul.
"Have all the diesels been trapped in their sheds and we're all supposed to haul all their work again?" Gordon groaned.
"No, Gordon," said his driver Alec. "Something far more important for all of us. The Fat Controller has summoned you all to Knapford."
"What? What for?" asked Rebecca.
"Serious business, Rebecca," said her driver Jerry. "The Fat Controller is waiting for us at Knapford Station. Something about Bernie."
Thomas, Emily and all the other engines suddenly looked up with full alert.
"Bernie?!" they all said.
"That's right," said Thomas' driver. "Even James has been called to the station from the Ironworks. We'd best see what this is all about."
All the engines started looking to each other and murmuring. What had happened with Bernie so that they all had to gather at Knapford Station? Thomas and Emily already had a good sense to what this could mean as they set off with the rest of the engines. When they all arrived, they saw Donald and Douglas had come along, and James had already was there too, having been kept at the Ironworks for the last several days for being incessantly rude to Bernie about his mother. He too had heard the latest events surrounding Bernie and even he was considerably disturbed by the close call David had with that shark.
But what captured all the engine's attention was on Platform One. The Fat Controller was standing outside his office, with the Arlesburgh Constable standing beside him, and right at the station entrance, the whole Sea Emperor's crew was gathered together, all wearing their "R," badges for R.I.F.L.E. Four men on one side, four on the other. Thomas and Emily felt more and more sure as to what this could all mean. Then sure enough, all four men stood straight and tall in unison as David came striding down through the station and stood right on Platform One, nodding to the Fat Controller and the Constable, then looking at all the engines, particularly Thomas and Emily. Everyone waited and listened with the rest of the engines for what David would say. Then…
"All of you are surely wondering why Sir Topham Hatt has called you here at this hour. The answer is before your very eyes and ears. I have come to the decision that on this very morning…Bernie shall be released from the brig, and his probation shall resume, during such time, my crew and I are giving him one last chance to make better of himself. This decision shall determine whether my parolee ultimately succeeds, or fails."
All the engines started murmuring a little frantically to this news, while Thomas and Emily simply nodded to each other. But when David spoke next, they all went silent, and even felt a little unnerved by what he said next.
"NOW…here are my latest terms," he warned, particularly toward Gordon and James, and even Donald and Douglas. "Should anyone, engine or person, attempt to steer Bernie back down the dark path as Diesel did, they will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression. Furthermore, any engine or person found to have knowledge of said underhanded activity, who fails to come forward and report it to me or Sir Topham Hatt, will be treated as…equally responsible."
Then there was silence. David looked around to all the engines. Thomas and Emily knew just what he meant by all this and fully understood his point. Percy, Nia and Rebecca seemed wary and stirred by what they had heard. Gordon and James swallowed grimly as they knew what stirring Emily down her dark path had brought upon them both, and Donald and Douglas gave one glance to each other and blinked. Sonny felt a considerable rush of seriousness course through his boiler, having known Baz and Bernie the closest. Given all that had happened, he fully understood and respected that this had to only be David and Bernie's matter, and theirs alone.
"Now, then," David said, making the engines look up again. "My crew and I shall return to Arlesburgh and set things back in motion. As for the rest of you, until further notice…if anyone here finds any knowledge of any further unsavory activity towards Bernie…I invite you to step forward…with NO delay."
Then David and his crew all left the station, leaving the engines watching and taking in all that had been said. The Fat Controller then spoke next.
"Captain and Commander Rider has spoken," he said. "I believe he is right in Bernie's regard. The matter is his and his alone to manage. Now, as the day will be starting soon, perhaps you all ought to go about your own work."
All the engines agreed and proceeded to collect their trucks and coaches alike, except James, who had to return to the Ironworks. While the other engines went about their work as the sun rose, Thomas and Emily looked to each other.
"Well. It looks like the calm of this storm has come and gone, Thomas," Emily said steadily. "Things are going to be happening again…and it's up to you and I to keep checking with David whenever we can."
"We certainly will, Emily," Thomas answered as he looked down the line. "And so the trials resume. One more time."
As the sun continued to rise, David, his crew and the Constable returned to Arlesburgh as did Donald and Douglas, who went along to start their work. The crewmen looked toward the Sea Emperor, then made their move with the Constable following. Down below decks, Bernie was asleep on the wooden board in the corner of the cage until he felt the morning starting to come. He slowly rose from his position and took a deep breath, then as his mind woke up, he suddenly sighed strongly and began pacing angrily in his cell.
"Them boys can't push me around any further! I do what I wish whenever I wish!" he whispered angrily to himself.
At that moment, Bernie suddenly felt himself seeing them again. As he looked to one of his shoulders, there was that devil looking just like himself.
"That's right, Bernie! That bastard Rider threw you away like garbage! And now, after four days too long, you've got to break free of this cage!"
"I can't do that! The locks are too strong!" Bernie snapped. "All because of that bloody Rider, he STOLE everything I could ever have!"
"Are you not remembering what your actions almost resulted in?" came the angel's voice from Bernie's other shoulder. "David was sheerly lucky to have escaped that shark unharmed…and had you not heeded Diesel's advice, this never would have happened. You ought to be lucky David will be releasing you soon and giving you one more chance! If you don't make good of it, what happens then?"
"Leave me alone! Get out of my head! I don't need your help anymore!" Bernie glared.
To Bernie's eyesight, both the devil and angel, the latter in particular seemed most discouraged and disappointed as they disappeared. Bernie then huffed and sat back down with an angry sigh. All through the night, he had been thinking vainly and angrily about all that had happened to him, and David didn't seem like a reasonable man any longer. Rather, he saw David as a bully and nothing else. After what he has been through up to now, Bernie had already made up his mind. From the moment he would be let out again, he would resent David and everyone else around him from here on out.
Then suddenly, Bernie heard a series of footsteps overhead. When he looked up, he saw the ship's crew and the Constable come down the stairs and approach the cell. Bernie waited and watched as he noticed a set of keys in Copper's hands. To this, Bernie felt his heart start pounding. What was going on here? Over the next five seconds, there was a jingling of keys, the clanking of locks, then the brig's door was pulled open. Bernie could not believe what was happening as the crew stood aside to let him out, but did not turn their eyes away from him for one second. Bernie looked around for a moment, then slowly started walking out of the cage.
As he looked around himself, he could almost hear the shanty the whole crew had sung to him as he was dragged right down here. Then as Bernie started walking up the stairs, the crew followed closely. Bernie walked shakily and a little unevenly as he felt the open space again after four days in the brig. He then came to the ship's deck, and there was David, watching and waiting. Bernie stopped and looked strongly at David as the rest of the crew gathered around.
"Well, Bernie. Four days since we locked you in the brig for your ploy towards me and that shark," David said steadily and sternly. "I know you surely don't ever want to see the likes of me again. And I know too that the recent events were not all you. I came to learn Diesel's part in all this, and he too assumes a share of responsibility for what almost happened to me…but even then, I had to follow through with your sentence to ensure due process of this ongoing situation. What has happened has happened, and we can't change it. I need you to hear me right now. What your actions resulted in were most deadly for me and for my crew. I hope and pray you have learned your lesson and that you understand you have no grounds to put me or my crew in such danger as that."
Bernie said nothing and looked down to his feet as the Constable spoke next.
"Truly, Bernie, given the recent events, you knew it had to come to this sooner or later. Lately in your previous record, you've disregarded almost all the warnings we gave you, and gone on squandering your efforts to work hard and pull your weight. You've been giving yourself a worse and worse name through your constant snarking toward your neighbours, answering back to our commands and giving into Diesel's advice, effectively endangering Captain Rider and his crew to the teeth of that blue shark! Whether you are a parolee or not, we Sudrians NEVER allow our neighbours to make fools of themselves beyond a certain limit!"
Bernie suddenly looked up and snapped back.
"I see. And you're all allowed to make bullies of yourselves against ME when I tried to save you out there myself?! Or perhaps none of you even bothered to see? I tried rowing Skiff back to help you! That bloody shark was too quick, though!"
David suddenly went very still and raised an eyebrow, then looked to the Constable. Where did this come from? Neither of them could recall Bernie doing anything to save him from the shark, unless they didn't notice in all the pandemonium.
"Just what do you mean by that?" David sniffed suspiciously. "Gentlemen…do any of you bare witness to this?"
"Wait a minute…that's actually true, Captain," said the Constable. "Looking back on that event…when you were perched on the shark's nose…I did see Bernie try rowing Skiff right back toward you…"
"Before the shark threw you into the air and started scuffling," Jordan added with honesty.
With this little sliver of knowledge, David suddenly felt his heart burn with a flash of regret to have done what he had done four days ago. Bernie had actually made an attempt to save him in those moments of sheer disaster. Had he known this earlier, perhaps things would have happened differently, but he had to focus on what was happening now.
"Yeah! It be true. I did try rushing back!" Bernie blurted out. "And for trying to help you, I'm locked away!"
"Maybe that's what happened, but THIS is what is happening now, Bernie," David replied. "You may have tried to rush back, but that shark almost ate me just the same, and you were the one who put me there, so at this point in time, it makes little difference. I'm going to give you one last chance, Bernie, with updated conditions to your probation: From this day forth, you will NOT perform any work out on the sea with me or any of my crew, and you will NOT leave Arlesburgh at all. You will stay where we can keep a constant watch on you…and most specifically…away from Lola."
When Bernie heard this, he felt his heart twitch with sheer inferiority and anger. Her friendship and devotion to him was the only thing giving him any hope now, and to even contemplate her being taken away from him did not sit well in the least.
"And just why are you barring me from my only true friend?! She's the only one who even respects me now!"
"It's for her own good," David droned strictly as he came closer. "We can't truly see inside you, Bernie. How do we know you won't try using her as cover?!"
"Perhaps I ought to, since she wanted to help me when you locked me up!"
"For God's Sake, Bernie, have you learned NOTHING over the past four days?! Stop that stubborn talk and get to work!"
"Get on with it, Bernie," the Constable ordered. "Get up in that lighthouse this moment, or I'll usher you up there myself!"
Bernie's eyebrow curled with anger as he pounded his leg with his fist and stormed off the ship and on toward the lighthouse. David and the Constable kept their eye on Bernie and ushered the crew to go about their own work throughout the village. Already, they both had a sense that today was not going to be good.
Bernie was completely sour now as he stormed angrily up the stairs to the top of the lighthouse, and Captain Joe could sense Bernie was in a most unhealthy mood and wasn't sure what to say or do besides keep him focused on his work.
"Don't miss any boats," was all he said.
Bernie huffed resentfully and jerkily drew his binoculars and started looking out to sea as he had done before. Every few minutes, Captain Joe noticed more and more that Bernie wasn't checking one spot consistently. He kept hastily moving left to right in an unorganized manner.
"I know you've been locked up for four days, Bernie, but carrying that anger wherever you go is not helping any of us."
"Just…don't…talk," Bernie said softly, but clearly angry. Captain Joe raised an eyebrow and took note of this.
Hours passed, and the sun grew very, very hot. The temperature was now soaring just over forty degrees centigrade as summer was offering one more spell of intense heat. Captain Joe had brought some water bottles to make good use of, and kept drinking water every few minutes, but gradually, he noticed Bernie was not drinking any fluids, even as he was now sweating profusely and his even his coat was dripping one or two drops of sweat, having not touched a single bottle of water. Not even taking a sip.
"Bernie!" Captain Joe exclaimed. "You're sweating all over! Have you had any water?"
"Why bother?" Bernie retorted. "It's nearing 11:00. I ought to get to them lobster boats!"
"No. Not without you drinking at least a bottle of water," Captain Joe said firmly. "Come on, now. Drink."
But Bernie wouldn't take the bottle. He turned his head away and pouted.
"Drink it, Bernie," Captain Joe ordered sternly.
Still, Bernie refused. Captain Joe ordered Bernie again and again, but Bernie still refused, until Joe spoke for the fifth time.
"Bernie, if you do not drink this bottle of water in one minute, I will tell Captain Rider and you can take it up with him, and perhaps the Constable!"
Finally, this was enough for Bernie to turn his head back to Joe. He took the bottle, opened it…then took one sip before closing the bottle again.
"The whole thing, Bernie. DRINK. IT," Captain Joe enunciated.
Bernie just sneered rudely at Captain Joe, put the bottle down, then gently nudged it with his foot, rolling the bottle back to Joe.
"Don't tell me what to drink. I do what I wish!" Bernie said rudely as he marched downstairs and away.
"Hmph. This is going to be a sour report for the Constable," said Captain Joe.
Bernie stormed off from the lighthouse, on toward the pier and down the stairs to pot some lobsters with Jordan, Cecco and Adam. They had a large basket of water bottles to drink, and they saw Bernie's angry and very sweaty exterior.
"Hey, Bernie. Why not remove your coat?" asked Cecco.
"And take some water," said Adam. "It's sweltering out here."
Bernie hastily removed his coat and tossed it on the deck, then angrily got to work with his own lobster pots, not saying anything about water. At first, the three crewmen said nothing as they went about their work, as did Bernie. But it wasn't long before they all noticed Bernie's increasingly bumpy performance. He worked hastily and crankily as he roughly splashed the pots into the water, and when he pulled them back up again, most of the pots were empty…and through it all, Bernie did not take one sip of water. After almost two hours, just a few minutes before 1:00, Bernie had only potted four lobsters. At this point, Jordan had to address the matter.
"I'm not happy with your performance, Bernie," he said. "This is not a good record at all after your occasionally numerous catches before, and you haven't drunk any water. Why not?"
"You lot don't push me around anymore!" Bernie snapped. "You all sang that whole curse to me while you locked me away, and you think I'm going to be all 'two-shoes la-de-da' right after all that?!"
From the lighthouse, Captain Joe could hear the commotion and decided to go down and check more closely.
"DO NOT take this impudent approach with us, young man!" Cecco snapped to Bernie. "As long as you are our Captain's parolee, you are to obey our authority and orders!"
"Why now?!" Bernie replied irritably. "My catch here be better than nothing! You're all just pushing me around, and I've had it!"
Jordan strode closer. "Bernie, if you don't get on with your duties properly, we will-"
"God's Sake, WHAT in Aunt Betsy is going on down here?!"
Bernie and all three crewmen turned and saw David coming down the pier stairs, looking affronted and very cross.
"Cloth ears and deaf ears, Bernie! WHAT has gotten into you?! We let you out after four days in the brig and you're JUST as rude as ever! Have you lost all sense just as Baz did?!"
Before Bernie could answer back, Captain Joe came down the pier stairs too and came up beside David.
"Captain Rider! Thank God you've come! I saw the commotion myself and thought to come down here. You've got to drill sense into this man!"
"I'll say," said David. "Has he been giving you trouble too?"
"Yes! With most unusual and even dangerous behaviour on himself!" said Captain Joe. "Bernie is not drinking any water, and it's blistering hot today. As we all know, in heat like this, we need to be drinking near ten liters of water throughout the day. If he goes on like this, he'll give himself heat exhaustion! Maybe even a stroke."
"That's right," said Jordan. "We have water here too, and when we asked why he wasn't drinking…well, all this."
"Oh, my God…" David groaned angrily. "Captain Joe, when was his last water?"
"Around…almost two hours ago, I asked him to drink some water," said Captain Joe. "He refused the first time, and by the fifth time I ordered him, he only had one little sip. I ordered him to drink the whole thing, but he just rolled the bottle back to me and stormed off."
David shut his eyes, nodded slowly, touched Joe's shoulder, then marched right onto the fishing boat, toward his stubborn parolee.
"Bernie! Wh…Why are you not drinking water?!"
"I don't need you to tell me what to drink," Bernie talked back obstinately. David had an answer immediately.
"Well, unfortunately, I'm the one with the qualifications and you're not, and you're going to put yourself at risk for absolutely zero percent reason whatsoever!"
"So what if I do?" Bernie scoffed. "Why should I carry on if it's nothing but scolding, punishment and your nasty presence of all things?!"
David stared right at Bernie as he took bottle of water from the basket and held it out to his parolee.
"You are NOT pouting your lips at ME, young man, and you're going to please me by drinking at least a bottle of water every half hour. It's not an option. Either you do it, or you're right back in the brig, because you're going to be taking resources away from everyone else!"
Bernie's heart jumped badly at the mention of the brig, then squinted his eyes both from the sun and from boiling anger. Beads of sweat dripped off his forehead and into his eyes, making them burn slightly as he roughly took the bottle from David and finally submitted to the command, steadily drinking the whole bottle. Soon, the bottle was empty and David took it back before checking his watch.
"Congratulations, Bernie. You managed to do what I said after too long. Now, it's 1:00. Get onboard for your ration! And take this water with you!"
Bernie exclaimed with frustration as he picked up the basket of water bottles and edged angrily back to the ship, very hot and very bothered. The three crewmen followed him to make sure he didn't try anything stupid. Copper soon served Bernie's ration, which of course, Bernie was not happy with. While the crewmen ate well enough, Bernie ate angrily and spilled a few bits of food off his plate until the plate was empty. Bernie managed to drink two bottles of water and managed to cool down somewhat, but his mood was so sour now, he didn't think of resuming his work quite yet. By now, he didn't care about bending the rules. He looked toward the door where the food was kept and just started going toward it, when…
"Bernie! Just what are you mean by inching toward the table AFTER your ration?" Copper asked suspiciously.
Bernie looked right back at all the crewmen and walked toward them.
"Overworking me, spying on me and depriving me of food too?" he sneered. "Well…I'm taking back what's mine."
All the crewmen raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
"But…but that's stealing," said Milo.
"How can you steal something that rightfully belongs to you?" Bernie sniffed.
Copper leaned in close. "You're talking mutiny, Bernie."
"So what if I am?" Bernie pouted back. "How else can I put a stop to this injustice?"
Copper narrowed his eyes, then stood up. "I won't be party to this sort of talk."
Then he got up, left the table and went upstairs on deck again. One by one, the rest of the crew followed. Jordan, Cecco, Adam, Steve, Milo, Jeff and Gabbin, with each one saying the same thing.
"Nor I," they all said one after the other until Bernie was left all alone below decks.
"You'll think differently when you're sweating' out your souls!" he yelled out loud, but there was no answer.
2:00 eventually arrived and Bernie was due to collect rubbish with Steve, deciding to take a little more water with him. As they worked, Steve kept his eye on Bernie almost minute by minute, noticing how he was still wearing a glare and working slowly and angrily. After about twenty minutes, Steve spoke.
"You do know we're not going to hide what you said to us all on the ship, Bernie," he said seriously. "The Captain and Constable will hear about this."
"Ohh, blimey! Can't you all forget it?" Bernie asked vainly. "It seems whatever I do now, there's no gain for it anymore."
"But Bernie, an order has been issued by the captain. Every last detail MUST be reported. If anything goes unchecked, he will not hesitate to follow example with example, with any engine or person who may get involved now."
Bernie grimaced lightly. "Pah! What does it matter now? Why should my work mean anything now?"
Steve sighed, trying to stay patient. "Well, if you really don't want to make better of who you are, then that's ultimately up to you."
Bernie didn't know what to say, but carried on collecting what rubbish he could with Steve. It was most uncomfortable to do in the high heat, and Bernie had to admit bringing the water was a wise call as he indeed drank both bottles over the course of time he worked with Steve. But then, right out of the corner of Bernie's eye…he saw them again. There were Hetty and Geraldine walking along together once more. Bernie could almost hear their mocking voices calling out to him even before they said anything. Both ladies turned and suddenly stopped with frozen expressions.
"Geraldine! Look!" Hetty whispered. "So it's true! He's out again! I…I thought four days ago, that was it!"
"Of course that wasn't it, Hetty. How much longer with him?!" Geraldine exclaimed. "When, oh WHEN will Captain Rider see that it's all not worth it?"
Before Bernie could answer back, Steve spoke.
"That, ladies, is NOT for either of you to butt in on! Surely the Constable told you about the captain's latest terms, applying to fellow engines AND people?"
Both ladies tightened their lip before Hetty answered. "He might have mentioned it."
"Well, you would both do well to remember it," Steve replied as both ladies walked on.
Soon, Steve and Bernie had gathered all the rubbish they could and returned to the Sea Emperor. When they got onboard again, Bernie noticed David and the rest of the crew had gathered round and suddenly stopped right where he was. One glance from David showed he had heard what had happened at lunch hour, and it showed all the more as he looked at Bernie with visible distaste.
"My shipmates told me what happened here at lunch," he said strongly. "It seems you've been talking again…of stealing. Just as you did with Baz."
Bernie remembered what he had said before and decided to buff up and hold his own.
"Isn't that obvious?! Four days in the cage starved me out! And if you're all just going to push me around and feed me so little, how else can I take what's rightfully mine…sir?"
David suddenly strode right up to Bernie. "And HOW DARE you talk of MUTINY?!"
"Being hungry ain't mutiny!" Bernie argued. "What's rightfully mine is mine! You hear me?!"
"Bernie, I ask only for your loyalty, and you can't even give me that after all the lessons we throw at you!"
"What? That not be true! I didn't say or do anything to them ladies!" Bernie blurted out. "I saw them both and they finally did something right for once and said nothing right to me!"
"That is true, Captain," said Steve. "Hetty and Geraldine did come by, but they didn't take any jabs at Bernie. The most they did is question your decision to keep going with him…but as we all know, that's up to you to determine, not them. And no, Bernie didn't pick any fight with them."
David raised his eyebrow at Bernie, who continued to look back a little defiantly.
"Well. I suppose you're not a total loss then," David said lowly. "Yet you never even so much as bothered to bite your tongue with my crew. Perhaps some of them should keep watch here overnight and guard the food supply. All things considered, this has NOT been a good comeback at all. The Constable will have some solid words for your performance today."
And he did. When the town clock chimed 6:00, David brought Bernie to the Constable's office and told him everything. In turn, the first report since Bernie's confinement was drawn out, and the Constable was not pleased or convinced of any optimism.
"First day back on duty from the brig: Uneven checking for ships in the lighthouse, too few lobsters potted, refusing to drink water upon demand in such hot weather, threatening to steal from the ship's food hold and refusing to own up for such behaviour in front of Captain Rider's crew. I suspected we'd be dealing some manner of ill-conceived insubordination, but not quite at this magnitude, even from you. You were on thin ice before that shark attack, but it's clear to me that those four days in the brig haven't taught you any lessons. You're still just as rebellious, if not more so than before! Seriously, Bernie. If you can't start behaving very, very soon, we will have no choice but you send you back to the Unit once and for all. You're dismissed."
This made Bernie feel even worse as he and David walked back to the Sea Emperor. Suddenly, Bernie looked back through the village and suddenly felt one more urge as he began to turn around.
"Uh-uh-uh! Just what are you up to now?" David said as he stopped Bernie from going any further.
"Oh! Captain Rider, please!" Bernie suddenly begged. "Can I PLEASE, just for once, see Ms. Lola? She lives right nearby, and she's all I have left in all this! I haven't seen her for four whole days! Please!"
"No, Bernie, you can't!" David replied. "Lola has been very distant lately, and she probably doesn't want to see me for a little while longer, given what's happened, and you still have work to do here tomorrow! You need to collect many more lobsters for a start!"
And David turned and marched away, leaving Bernie to gape for a few moments, then most reluctantly grimace and return to the Sea Emperor.
"I used to be a really useful parolee…but not anymore! Not Fair!" he mumbled to himself.
David soon returned to his house and sighed strongly. Today had indeed been most frustrating and a very bad restart for Bernie too. Then sure enough, David heard the coming sound of a steam engine or two, and Thomas and Emily came along side by side to hear the latest results surrounding Bernie after four days of calm for the Railway.
"Hello, you two," said David. "Got your work done, I trust?"
"Hello, David. Yes, we're done for the day," said Thomas. "And a good thing too. Today was very hot!"
"It was indeed, Thomas," said Emily. "I had to fill with water three or four times today! Luckily, my tubes didn't burst like they did when you were on your first big world adventure."
"Yes, well, what's all well and good for you, Emily," said David. "But not for me, and especially not Bernie. Today couldn't have been a more disappointing comeback for Bernie."
"Oh, no," Thomas sighed. "Emily and I have been wondering about it all day."
"Speak away, David," said Emily. "I can tell you've had a very trying day, and Thomas and I must know what's happening now."
David spent the next while telling Thomas and Emily everything as he always did. When all had been explained, Thomas and Emily nodded and by now, they began to feel more doubt than hope for Bernie's cause.
"Oh, dear," Emily sighed. "David…I really don't see how this can get better now, for you or for Bernie. I'm almost afraid to say it…but he might be close to being too far gone."
"Emily may have a point, David. I don't get what Bernie's problem is," said Thomas. "He agreed to all the terms of his probation at the start of all this, but if the courts saw his attitude now, it would mean an instant return to the Unit for him."
"Maybe it would, Thomas," said David. "If Bernie were in the navy and he displayed this level of disloyalty, he'd certainly be kicked out altogether within minutes. As I recall in my service, any insubordination of similar levels was dealt with decisively and swiftly. And for Bernie, I don't wish to give up even now. When something doesn't work like clockwork, I keep at it until I solve it."
"Or until circumstances take their course," said Thomas. "We know you're trying, David, but maybe you have to think about what's best for you and Arlesburgh…even if it means letting go of Bernie and having him return to...the Unit."
David didn't have an answer to this. He just nodded and went into his house while Thomas and Emily returned to Tidmouth Sheds, and as night settled in over the island, both engines and David went to sleep wondering and worrying as to what would come next, while Bernie continued to grimace and ponder vainly over his worsening position…
As soon as the next day came, the fierce heat had departed, but for Bernie, Hell gradually unleashed from his ongoing insubordination all throughout the passing hours. In the lighthouse, he nudged Captain Joe out of his way, not taking any notice of Joe's warnings. After that, when potting for lobsters, Bernie managed to pot more than the day before, but whenever Jordan, Cecco or Adam tried to correct his behaviour, Bernie kept snapping back at them to leave him alone, making them all crosser still. At luncheon, Bernie barely ate any food, and then while collecting rubbish once more, Bernie's behaviour toward people passing by him got worse and worse with no end in sight.
By the time Bernie had finished collecting rubbish with Steve around 5:00 p.m., the whole ship's crew was very angry, and so were quite a few others who had seen it all too. The rest of the crew came through the village and gathered around Steve and Bernie.
"Absolute HELL!" Jordan shouted. "WHAT is it going to take to get through to your RIDICULOUS behaviour, Bernie?! You are stubborn, enigmatic, arrogant and truly disobedient!"
"Gaagh! Only because you all never let me out of your sight or leave me alone!" Bernie yelled. "I am bloody tired of all this work giving me nothing but strife and fools like all of you and...Uh-oh!"
Bernie stopped where he was and saw that David and the Constable had arrived. They had heard everything today and were both very cross.
"Bernie the Common Sneak Thief!" David shouted. "Is it true what most of Arlesburgh have been saying? Have you truly done nothing but slack off and disobey those around you for the WHOLE day?!"
"Hang it all, sir! I can't take it all much longer!" Bernie shouted. "I've tried and tried to be really useful all this time! But ever since I got out of that bloody cage, it's been only work, work, work, work, WORK! I'm supposed to be making off freer than I was! Not more restrained under your constant-"
"Stop! Stop! It's time I give you the naval example for all this!" David demanded, then pointed toward the ground. "Get down and give me twenty!"
Bernie, of course, didn't know what this meant. "Twenty? Twenty pounds? I've not a penny!"
"Twenty press-ups!" the Constable barked. "On your hands on the ground, back straight, and press up from the ground twenty times!"
Bernie suddenly recognized what this all meant and scoffed most angrily as he lay face-down on the ground, and began pressing up and down, rather slowly and very painfully, given his rotund build. While the ship's crew left to end their day, the Constable watched and David spoke for each press-up.
"One for the Commandant! One for the Corps! One for the Vessel! One for the Fleet! Push! Push!"
But already, only after four press-ups, Bernie was struggling hard and losing his straight form.
"You mean to tell us you can't even do so little as FIVE press-ups?!" David exclaimed loudly. "Bernie, whatever you do, DO NOT walk away from this exercise! Take your time if you absolutely must, but give me TWENTY and NO LESS! You can do it, let's go!"
"Son of a Boggling Blockhead!" Bernie exclaimed. "I can't do this!"
"Straight posture and forward momentum! Just keep pushing!" the Constable demanded.
Bernie was getting more and more impatient and irritated with both men's ongoing disciplinary procedures. Every press-up was more painful than the last as Bernie groaned dreadfully and ached more and more as he went slower and slower, until finally he did the twentieth press-up. Sore and stretched, he staggered to get up, then frowned at David.
"There. Done! You happy?!" Bernie whined. "Now leave me be! I'm done with all of you for today!"
But just as Bernie turned to leave, David caught his shoulder.
"Hey! There might have been a more mature way of doing and saying all that!" he noted irritably.
Bernie glared and fumed, then suddenly pulled away from David, very strongly.
"Let go of me!" he barked. David and the Constable followed him.
"Bernie, what do you mean by all this cheek?!" the Constable barked. "It's like you don't hear our warnings at all!"
"Do you two have even fewer brains than I?!" Bernie snapped. "I was locked in that bloody cage for four days! You tricked me into agreeing to this bloody stupid work!"
David walked right up to Bernie and pointed right at him. "Will you stop acting like a whinging baby?!"
Bernie whipped around and suddenly let out the most unexpected response.
"Oh, blow it out you're arse!"
David's heart flinched in a very specific way he could not recall before and was even more affronted now.
"EXCUSE ME?!" he yelled.
"You heard me…sir!" Bernie pouted back.
"Why, you big, hollow eunuch!" David exclaimed. "What?! You want a blanket, a bottle and a dummy?!"
"Do YOU need one?! Stuck up you're arse?!" Bernie yelled back.
"Bernie, stop it right now!" the Constable snapped.
"What a Goddamn spoiled pillock!" David exclaimed loudly.
"Go boil your fish head!" Bernie grumbled back.
"BERNIE! Shut-your-mouth!" the Constable barked. "You are NOT helping your cause!"
"Neither are you!" Bernie retorted.
Finally, David could take this gibber-gabber no more. He nodded to the Constable, then seized Bernie by the shoulder and started ushering him toward the Sea Emperor…and while this had been happening, Lola was in her house, and she came to hear the distant shouts from outside. She ran to the window and saw David taking Bernie toward the ship. Ever since Bernie's lockup, Lola had barely interacted with anyone in the village, wanting nothing to do with David, but now with Bernie released, she had to see what was happening. She hurried downstairs and ran outside, following some distance behind David and the Constable until David reached the ship, brought Bernie onboard, then sat him down for a strong scolding, while Lola and the Constable watched on.
"Alright, Bernie! We have all absolutely HAD IT!" David shouted. "WHY must you do all this?! WHY?! I am truly shocked and astounded by your festering gall and cheek! I'd hoped you would come out behaving much better than all this!"
"Uhh…hello! YOU refused to listen and you put me there first!" Bernie snapped, then spoke most sarcastically. "I do all I can with your crew, and you all just push me away with no reward! Now, what could be a better choice? Hmm…ooh! I know! Perhaps if you'd actually let me look after your most lovely ship and leave me alone for a whole day, maybe I could truly be some proper use?"
David said nothing at first, then raised his eyebrow.
"Well, there's three things wrong with that. One…this ship has already been a victim of attempted thievery once before, and ever since my move from Ffarquhar, I will NOT see that happen again under you or anyone else! Two, it requires a fit, sleek body to manage the ropes, sails and anchor. That would never match your build as it is, and thirdly…well, your report today, and yesterday is already too sour. All your promises and your performance have gone so far south over the past week, that at this rate, I would NOT have your simple-minded likeness serve onboard the Sea Emperor, even if you were the last recruit in all of my beloved Great Britain!"
To all this, Bernie gave a deadpan expression for a few moments, then began walking in circles around David, speaking lowly at first, then louder and more angrily.
"Wow. You are really…something. All that talk of me having a better influence from those around me, others seeing my work as being really useful? All a big circus act!"
David exclaimed with affront. "Now, Bernie, wait right-"
"My duty was to be really useful and be seen as just that by all around me!" Bernie interrupted. "And I thought it was your duty to see me become really useful! NOT be held back and chained to your will every single day I've been here!"
David bared his teeth and shouted right back. "MY duty is CLEAR! And YOUR duty is owed to us, by thunder!"
"Well, try to do all this work without MY help, by thunder!" Bernie yelled back, even shriller.
David shook his head and groaned most distastefully.
"Ohh…you still don't know how to pick your fights, do you, young man?!" he scolded as he started to leave. "Now. Mark me: Either you get back in order by dawn tomorrow, or so help me, I'll summon Phelps and Gallagher to cast you off back to the Unit for sure! I've had all the tomfoolery we will take from you! One more slip, you strudel-brained bonehead, and you'll be answering to the courts once more and facing trial! Now GET DOWN BELOW!"
Bernie growled most angrily and finally gave a loud exclaim of pure frustration. But just as he turned to go below decks, he heard it.
"STOP!"
Everyone looked and saw just who else had come along, and had heard everything. Bernie instantly started waving his arms frantically.
"Oh! L-Lola! I'm over here! Lola! Please come aboard! Please!"
"Bernie!" Lola called out and ran as fast as she could to the ship and came aboard.
"Lola, no!" David ordered. "Bernie is to be kept away from you!"
"NO! You've locked him away unduly, and he needs me now!" Lola shouted as she ran to her friend. "Bernie! My God, you're out of the brig! Are you alright?"
"Oh, Ms. Lola! You're here!" Bernie exclaimed. "I HAD to see you again, but I'm sorry to say, I'm NOT alright! All the captain's ever done is push me around and hold me back from you! It's just not fair! I work all I can, and they keep punishing me for all of it!"
"THAT is not true!" David shouted as he stood between them both. "I will NOT have you spilling lies and made-up scenarios to this young lady! Not until you calm down! Lola, you must leave the ship. This is my business alone to manage from here on out, and I can't afford any undue interferences now!"
"I am NOT interfering when I just want to help my friend!" Lola protested.
"Don't you listen to a word I say?!" David argued.
"Yes, Captain Rider! But you're wrong about Bernie!" Lola implored. "You can't put him through all this!"
"You leave me no choice, Lola. As I told you before, for your own good, I forbid you from going near him again! I will not hesitate to have my crew bar you from the ship to make sure of it!"
"No! You can't do this!" Lola urged.
"I'm captain of this ship, and I will do what I consider best for this ongoing process!"
"Now you're holding ME back too!" Lola shouted. "I heard everything you just said to him, and you hold me back?! The very instant my friend is let out again, you now bar me from seeing him!"
David watched wordlessly as Lola patted Bernie's shoulder, then left and stormed off the ship to go home. Bernie watched her go, then glared strongly at David as he went below decks. David breathed shallowly then left the ship. The Constable had seen and heard everything and held David's shoulder with a concerned expression.
"Oh, dear, Captain Rider. I really don't think this can get better now," he said. "Even with your updated terms to protect Bernie from any more underhanded activity from others…do you really think you can steer him to a better path?"
"God…I don't know, Constable," said David. "Maybe he's too far gone now, but I'm not letting go until the evidence is final. Whether I succeed in helping him or not, I can't walk out on it."
The Constable hummed lowly, then nodded as he turned to make his way home. David shut his eyes and shook his head. For about twenty minutes, he stood there in silence…until eventually…there came a most unwelcome voice to his ears as Ian Wainwright came alongside him. He had heard everything.
"Well, you have put your foot in it this time, Rider. That waddling walrus, that ugly duckling is truly beyond all redemption, just as I, and all the rest of Arlesburgh predicted! Honestly, you ought to give it up and pack it in. He'll never get it right!"
By this time, David practically had no patience left as he whipped around and snapped furiously.
"WAINWRIGHT! Will you do me the biggest favor ever, and stop blabbing like the insufferable know-it-all that you are for one bloody time in your life?!"
"Can't do that, dear boy," Wainwright sniffed importantly. "Look what that walrus is doing to you. Truly, Mr. Rider, is there any merit to your decision to release him? Unintelligent goats like him can't find a decent future, and you can't go about giving that rat another chance after what he almost did with those most expensive plans, and is still doing to you and the rest of our beloved village."
"Can't I? By George!" David retorted. "Well, let ME tell YOU, Ian Simpkin Wainwright, I've walked unscathed from surging storms and hurricanes throughout my service to the Navy! Thus, what's a mere naive simpleton to a captain? Hmm?"
"Very well, sir. I'll take those words to heart," said Ian. "…when the day comes that my sewing needles turn into twigs and wrinkle up my most expensive tailored works. Curious how even with matters regarding this thief, you interfere when you probably don't need to at all. Look what it's been doing to you ever since the start of all this. I think Sir Topham Hatt's approach toward Thomas while he was working on Harwick's Branch Line was more restrained than yours."
By now, after dealing with Bernie's ongoing naivety and insubordination for the last several days, David was cross and didn't care what he did, now particularly impatient with Wainwright's snobbish demeanor, and he was not willing to put up with much more of it.
"Well…maybe not all my involvements are perfect," he said shallowly. "But the core reason as to why I brute-forced into some of the more serious matters in the past is because I mean to do good. Did that thought ever cross your mind, or perhaps your sewing needles?"
Ian didn't answer. He just glanced downward for a moment, then up again. David a gave a slow nod, then suddenly sounded more driven…until he suddenly popped.
"Well, regardless, I would rather take my chance and see if that man can make better of himself. Furthermore, I would rather do what I can to uphold my pledge to the Admiral, as well as devote all I can to my best friend on the rails…than to stand by and do nothing, and go on grimacing about my work, spending the next several days griping OVER A GODDAMN TAILOR!"
"How DARE you take that tone of voice with me, naval sir!" Wainwright snapped. "This no duty of any captain!"
"FOR JESUS SAKE, WAINRIGHT!" David shrieked. "MY DUTY IS CLEAR! CLEAR, DO YOU HEAR ME?! CLEAR, AND LOYAL, AS MY FATHER WAS BEFORE ME! LAWRENCE RIDER WAS LOYAL TO THE RAILWAY! NOT SOME TAILOR'S THIMBLE!"
And with that bombarded message, David whipped away back to his house and slammed the door shut behind him.
"Shut you up," he whispered.
At that moment, Beatrice came hurrying into the room, having heard the slam.
"David, what happened? I heard the door really slam," she said a little uneasily.
"I'm sorry about that, Mum. Today was a day from Hell," David sighed. "It was probably expected to be so with Bernie coming out of the brig, but the magnitude of such from Bernie, and others of course…it's left me bled dry today."
David then told Beatrice all that had happened today regarding Bernie, then what had happened with Lola, and what Wainwright had just said. Beatrice listened to everything and sighed deeply herself.
"I don't want to, David, but by now, this whole situation is making me worry," she said. "It's been two weeks now, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better for you or Bernie…as you originally suggested…do you still think ending the whole process is best?"
David looked to his mother, remembering their loud discussion a few days ago.
"I warned Bernie of just that today," he replied. "That's when Lola dashed onboard and tried to hold her own for him, but even with her as his friend, he was shouting off exaggerated statements that were not entirely true, and I don't want her being filled with lies even from him."
Beatrice sighed. "This is turning out to be some experience, isn't it?"
At that moment, the Riders heard two whistles outside. When they came out, Thomas and Emily came along to hear the news. When they saw David and Beatrice's serious expressions, they knew right there that today had not been good at all. With a deep sigh, David told them everything that had happened. Thomas and Emily listed to everything and didn't say a word, slowly nodding now and again and looking quite unsure of the whole matter. They especially did not like what Wainwright had said to David in all this. By the time David had told them everything, the sun was beginning to set. For a while afterwards, the four of them stood in silence, thinking to themselves and each other before David spoke again.
"It just seemed so promising when it all started with him saving Lola," he said lowly.
"I agree," Beatrice said sadly. "They really could have had a chance.
"But now, matters are worse," Thomas sighed.
"Is there any way of knowing when and how this will all end, David?" Emily asked. "It's gone on for two weeks, and it's only gotten harder for you and Bernie."
"Well, at this point, I've tried almost everything," David sighed. "I've been wise with him, I've been tough on him, I've been hard as nails with him. Nothing's worked. And I think the bottom line now is, he just doesn't want to be here, and he's no better off now than he was with Baz."
"At least you're trying," said Emily. "Then and now."
"Hell, am I ever trying," David sighed. "At this rate, I believe tomorrow will surely tell us what we have to do next. For now, you two best be getting home and rest your minds with a well-earned sleep."
Thomas and Emily whistled gently and set off for home. Beatrice went back indoors, but David stayed outside as the stars started to gather in the sky. After half an hour of silence, David looked toward the Sea Emperor and thought perhaps he should check in on Bernie one more time. He started walking toward the pier, looking right at the ship, but just as he approached the pier, he heard more footsteps not far away.
"Captain Rider."
David knew that voice and shook his head. "Yes, Lola?"
"I need to talk with you."
David shut his eyes and sighed as he stopped and turned to see Lola step right up to him.
"What do you want?" he asked.
Lola didn't move a muscle in her face as she spoke.
"After all that's happened so far, I've made a decision. You're the richest soldier in Arlesburgh, are you not?"
"What's that to you?" David asked.
"Find Donald and Douglas, and a bundle of flatbeds," Lola replied.
"What for?" David asked.
"I want you to transfer me and my family."
"To where?"
Lola enunciated word by word. "Out. Of. Here."
"…You know, this doesn't surprise me one bit, Lola Branford," David answered. "I have sensed resistance in you since I first ever saw you."
"You're an egomaniacal windbag!" Lola stated angrily.
David was shocked and affronted. "Who are you talking to?!"
"I'm talking to you! You've been whipping Bernie when he can't fight back! I thought I could take it because I still have both parents, and I've seen other sorts of people under the same spell that makes you such a bastard right now, but I was wrong! Life is too short and precious; I will NOT endure your nautical drive another moment!"
"You will not endure me?!" David exclaimed.
"The only reason I never walked out before and have my parents along with me is because Bernie needs me right now! You're so busy talking naval discipline, you forget to GUDIE him!"
"Is that so?!" David barked. "Then what the Hell do you think I've been doing with him all this time?"
"So you set the rules and the lay of the land. But through all of Bernie's struggles and even less-than-savory behaviour lately, more than anything, he wants to be welcomed back into society! He has worked his life off for you, David. Done whatever he could manage through your demands and did his best to believe what you told him! But I feel sorry for him! He hasn't been given enough of a chance ever!"
"What the Hell are you talking about?!" David shouted. "I have done everything! Everything to-"
"I I! It is always I!" Lola cut him off. "There are three thousand people just in the Arlesburgh County, you DO NOT do it all alone!"
Suddenly, David started walking away. "I'm a Navy Captain! I will not stay here and listen to utter accusations!"
"You WILL listen! You will STAND there, and you will LISTEN!" Lola yelled, pointing her finger straight at the young captain.
Somehow, David thought it best to oblige. "Alright, Ms. Branford. Alright, go ahead and talk!"
"For the past two weeks, you've been eyeing Bernie like a hawk, but you haven't heard a thing! You haven't even seen what's painfully obvious! When it comes to people like Mr. Wainwright, Hetty and Geraldine, not everyone may like you as a person, but we all applaud your effort. But what YOU don't realize often enough is the same people and engines who may look up to you are the ones that you've beaten up! You did it to Donald and Douglas through your grudge on them both, James when he bullied Philip, Sonny when he first ever came here, and now Bernie! In someway or other, you've whipped your lash over all their backs!"
David strode right back toward the young woman.
"Ms. Lola Branford, WHAT do you want from me?! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?!"
"I WANT YOU TO GET THIS STRAIGHT," Lola pointed right at David. "Thomas, Emily and your mother sympathize for Bernie's cause because they care, as do I! They all try their best to see what light Bernie may have through all this darkness! The very motivation you once had for him yourself, but have now forgotten! Ever since that shark attack, and even now, you are not yourself, Rider. Just as you once were to Donald and Douglas, once again, you've been thoughtless and cruel. And it hurts. And NO ONE on Sodor deserves it. Emily became sick of it for Donald and Douglas' sake, so too today on Bernie's account, your mother is sick of it, and SO am I."
With that, the conversation came to an end, and Lola turned and walked right on home, leaving David standing where he was. He stood there for several minutes, not saying another word. Then finally, he looked to the Sea Emperor once more. After what had just transpired, he altered his course and turned and walked home himself, strongly considering in his mind.
But what neither person had noticed in all this…was that Donald and Douglas had seen and heard everything some ways away. They too had come to hear what had happened today in regard to Bernie and everyone else involved, and now, after two straight weeks, they too were beginning to tire of all the toil and tumult surrounding David and Bernie, and even Lola.
"Great Scott, Douggie," Donald whispered. "All this anger and pressure…it's gone too far for all three of them."
Douglas sighed strongly and looked toward Lola's house.
"Aye, Donnie. It has. And to that effect…hmm…I think we ought to come out with it, and tell bonnie Lola all she needs to know about that Bernie."
Both brothers agreed and began talking softly together, planning out what they would divulge to Lola about her supposed friend, this very night.
Goddamn, if this chapter in particular doesn't spell out just how deeply flawed David is as a character, I don't know how else we can make it anymore obvious. Next chapter should hopefully be shorter and will determine Bernie's final fate as he goes fully rogue. How exactly? You'll just have to wait and see. Until then, tell us what you thought of this chapter, and as always, stay safe.