Steam of Britain

Chapter 45: Redemption

Alivia was back in King's Cross, due to an engine shortage, and she kept her distance from the whole fleet. She didn't talk to them, she didn't look at them, she didn't even acknowledge them. One night, Silver Link was heading back, when he heard sniffling. He followed it, and found Alivia. "Oh quiet down!" said Silver Link. "Oh, um," said Alivia, "I-I didn't see you there." "Whatever, I don't care what you do, you are just a despicable engine! You don't deserve this spot." Silver Link puffed off, until he heard, "You're right, I don't." Silver Link stopped, and then reversed. He looked at Alivia, and said, "What?" "I'm a fraud. That's all I am." "Oh don't give me that! You're probably just stuck up with that distance record you made." "That's just it: I didn't make that record." Silver Link was confused. "What do you mean?" "It happened in 1951...."

1951.....

Alivia sat in the sightings with her sister Stacy. They had been withdrawn, and were waiting for their fate. Stacy was an LMS Compound just like Alivia. Stacy was a famous engine. She had clocked 1,687,378 in her time of service. She and Alivia had always stuck together, no matter what. It was then, that Alivia was coupled to a diesel shunter from behind. "I.... I guess it's time," said Alivia. "I love you Alivia, dear sister," said Stacy. "I love you too." Just then, the diesel reversed, and Alivia said, "Where are we going?" "To crew. You're to be restored, and put on display, for the distance record you set." "B-But, tha-" "Don't worry. You'll be taken care of well." "No, Stacy was the one who set that record!! Stop!! PUT ME BACK!!!" The diesel didn't listen, and just continued down the line. Alivia said, "I'LL COME BACK FOR YOU STACY!! I PROMISE!!! I'LL RESCUE YOU!!"

1959...

Alivia rolled out of the works. She was put on trial, and raced off to the scrap yards. But what she saw, broke her heart. There, sitting on the ground, was the boiler, smokebox, and frame of Stacy, the true record holder. Alivia rolled right up to her, and said, "I'm sorry. I wasn't fast enough." She then cried, and then, a large A3 was next to her, and said, "Oh, did you loose your sister? Too bad. You LMS are just disgraceful engines! I am to be preserved, unlike that pathetic thing there." Alivia heard everything the former LNER engine said. Inside, something changed. Something snapped, and she puffed backwards, and buffered up to the engine. "What are you doing?" The doors to the cutting shed opened, and Alivia pushed the engine in. The driver and fireman fiddled with Alivia's controls, but she kept going forward. "HEY BOYS, FRESH SCRAP FOR YOU TO CUT!!!" "What, no, I'm preserved!" "That's what they all say," said one of the men." Alivia then reversed, and the A3 yelled, and protested, but the doors shut, as Alivia headed out of the yards, and her driver said, "WHAT DID YOU DO!?! THAT ENGINE WAS PRESERVED!!!" "AND I WAS TO BE SCRAPPED!!!" snapped Alivia. She then cried, "That should be me. I should be the one sitting in that yard, not Stacy!! She made history, no me!!!!"

1962....

All through out the year, Alivia brought engines, who insulted her and her family to the scrap yards, all without mercy, or a second thought. The museums were disappointed that they couldn't save the engines that they wanted. Soon, Alivia was the center of attention, and her ego kept growing, and growing. And she kept spreading lies, about the engines who were to be preserved.

Present....

"....Every time I close my eyes, I see Stacy, yelling my name, saying I betrayed her, and I...... I only felt the way to make myself feel better, was making other engines feel small. I-I-I AM A DISGRACE TO JOHNSON AND THE LMS!!!" Silver Link looked at Alivia with shock. He now had a whole new respect for her. "I don't deserve to be on the rails anymore, and I just can't even look at myself anymore!! I wear this number in disgrace!! Disgrace of my sister!! SHE SHOULD BE HERE, NOT ME!!!!! I SHOULD BE PART OF SOME METAL JUNK YARD!!!!! ME!!!  I SHOULD BE SCRAP, NOT HER!!!!!!" Silver Link looked at Alivia with wide eyes. He now felt a huge hole in his heart, he had not felt, since he saw Silver King, Quick Silver, and Silver Fox all go into the smelter shed, never to come out again. "Alivia, how long have you kept this secret?" "Since the day I scrapped that A3. I-I-I thought, 'If I can't have my sister here, then no one can enjoy preservation with their sibling!' I-I was just so angry at what he said. I wish I didn't do it."

The next day, Silver Link spoke with the shed master, and he asked about Stacy's files. The railway kept records of every engine that was every built. Silver Link was shocked when the shed master came back, and said that Stacy was meant to be preserved, and was mistaken for Alivia. She had been telling the truth!! Silver Link then spoke with Alivia, and said, "I'm sorry. For your loss." Alivia smiled.

In the roundhouse, Alivia told the other engines her story. "Rubbish!" said Harold, "You expect us to believe that!?!" "She's telling the truth," said the shed master, "I checked the files, and she was mixed up with her sister." Alivia then decided to tell her story to the rest of the world. Soon, the whole railway was heard of what happened, and why Alivia did what she did! They now had a small sense of respect and pity for her. Alivia is still the private engine of the governor, but she no longer is the arrogant engine that she was in preservation, she is now a different engine. One who works hard, and does everything she can to redeem her past sins. And Silver Link always gives her a friendly whistle, because he was the first engine to earn her real trust, and they have been good friends ever since.