A Sacrifice for Those You Love

Chapter 6: Fighting for One's Self

The full moon shone brightly over the Island of Sodor, casting a silver blanket across the land. The stars sparkled against the midnight blue sky, parts of the milky way slightly visible. Owls hooted and bats screeched as they started their nightly hunts. On a strip of railroads, alone engine silently puffed along the tracks. His pale grey body reflecting the moon's rays as a bandage gauze pressed against his right eye. His left eye was downcast, staring at the tracks as his wheels moved him along the tracks.

Edward sighed silently as he slowly raised his gaze to the sky, looking at the stars. Before, he would enjoy looking at the stars, especially with both Henry and Thomas. He would tell Thomas stories about the stars and constellations, while with Henry, it was special. They confessed their love to each other in Henry's Forest, under the night sky and full moon. The moon and stars always brought him happiness, but now, they only brought him sorrow and dread. Closing his eye, he let out a shaky breath before opening them again, staring at the tracks again.

Maria looked out of his cab, staring at him with a sad look on her face. It is true that she's dealt with engines who went into depression due to traumatic events and accidents, but Edward's case was different. She didn't just see a depressed engine, she saw an engine that was mentally broken, ready to give up. From the stories she was told about Sodor's number 2, he was an engine who was wise, always happy to help his friends, an engine who never gave up when the stacks were against him. From the time his coupling rod broke as he pulled a passenger train, to the race he had with Spencer from pulling a goods train, not once had he given up on proving his usefulness. The pictures of him that she was shown to, she could see how happy he was working and living on Sodor. The engine she was riding in now was different, almost like a lost soul. She gently pats his cab door as she watches the scenery. The land around her moved in a slow blur, the outlines barely visible against the illuminated ground.

Hearing the sound of an engine's whistle, Edward quickly sped up and moved onto a siding. Turning his lamp off, he didn't bother to release any steam yet. The dull grey engine watched as a familiar green tender engine sped past the siding, the smell of fish emitting from the goods train the engine pulled. Edward watched his lover pull the Flying Kipper past him. His boiler ached and his heart yelled at him, begging him to call out Henry's name. He closed his eyes as he remained silent. The dark voices in his mind telling him that Henry only sees him as a bother. Blinking tears back, Edward took a deep breath before turning his lamp back on. Hearing no other engines coming along the tracks, he slowly pulled out of the siding and back onto the mainline. Edward's gaze went back to the tracks as he slowly puffed down the tracks, his steam looking silver in the moon's light. The quietness and stillness of the night were soothing, reminding him of how he truly is alone.

The ride down the tracks seemed to take forever before Edward slowly raised his eyes and came to a stop. Maria looked out of his cab and noticed he stopped at a small junction. To the left was an old side track that went over an old bridge and into the woods. Straight forward was still the mainline to and from Knapford. Looking back at Edward, she watched how Sodor's number 2 just sat there, more than likely looking down the side track. As Edward stared down to the left, he let his mind wander when Thomas told him about this place years ago. A sad smile came to his face as he remembered exactly why Thomas told him about this. This set of tracks leads towards the area where Thomas first found Hiro, completely broken, and forgotten by people who cared about him. He knows no other engine uses these tracks, given how rusted and bumpy they are. A perfect place for him to live the rest of his life.

"Maria...can, can you switch tracks for me, please...?" Edward asked in a soft, sad voice.

"Of course." Maria nodded, her voice soft as well as she climbed out of his cab.