Thomas' Misty Adventure (DIRECTOR'S CUT)

Sabotage/Chase/Logs Lost/Mystery Tunnel

Thomas made sure not to get too close to Duck. One accidental slip up could mean disaster for him. Then, they approached a junction. As Duck passed the signal box, Thomas stopped next to it. "Duck's going the wrong way," he said. "You must change the points." The signalman changed the points, and sent Duck onto a side track. Duck was surprised. 

Thomas saw his chance. As the points changed back, he quickly raced past Duck. "You're being done out of a job now, Duck!" he called to him, and raced away to the docks. Duck then realized what Thomas was doing. Quickly, he reversed back to the junction, and chased after Thomas. "Thomas the Tank Engine! Get back here!" 

Thomas was determined to get to the docks before Duck, but Duck was not far behind. Thomas raced past Henry, then James and finally Bill & Ben. At last, Thomas reached the docks. He could see the Jobi flatbeds in front of him. This is where I get the job, he thought to himself. With a biff and a bash, and a grunt and a groan, Thomas shoved and shunted the rich, red Jobi Wood out of the docks.

No sooner had Thomas left out of sight, Duck arrived. He looked around. "Where is he, Cranky?" he asked. Cranky looked and saw Thomas leaving the docks in a hurry. "He's just leaving now," he said. Duck wasted no time, and chased after Thomas again.

Duck could see Thomas just ahead of him. His pistons pumped like never before. "Stop, Thomas!" he called. But Thomas didn't stop. He was more determined than ever. He huffed and he puffed, faster and faster. Duck huffed his hardest. Then, he had an idea. "I can puff ahead of Thomas after the next junction," he said out loud. But Thomas heard this. "Oh, no you won't!" And he raced further away from Duck.

* * *

Soon, Thomas was nearing the Search and Rescue Center. Since he was coming from the docks, he had to go a different way to get there. There was a hill leading up to a bridge, then went back downhill after, to the Rescue Center. However, Thomas didn't know that the bridge was being repaired, and was unsafe. 

Thomas huffed and puffed up the hill, with Duck still behind. Thomas's wheels slipped and slid. "Stop, Thomas! Stop!" Duck cried. But Thomas didn't stop. He pumped his pistons and pushed the flatbeds to the top of the hill... and then down, towards the unfinished bridge, which hung over the sea. 

Now, Thomas wanted to stop, but he couldn't - the heavy flatbeds were pulling him to the edge of the bridge. Thomas wasn't determined now. "Help! HELP!" But nobody was around to help him. Suddenly, the first flatbed's coupling snapped, and fell down below, into the sea. The second flatbed came after, and it too fell down, into the sea below.

Thomas was now one flatbed away from disaster. At last, the coupling snapped, and the last flatbed of the heavy Jobi Logs sank from sight, below the waves.

Thomas was now in a terrible situation - he was hanging half-on and half-off the edge of the bridge. His front wheels hung in the air, and his back wheels were grating and grinding, trying to keep him from going over.

Duck soon arrived, and gasped. He too was now scared. "Duck!" Thomas cried. "Help me!" Duck was firm. "Thomas," he said, "I'll pull you back to safety. Stay as still as you can." Thomas listened to Duck, and the Great Western engine coupled up to him. Wheel turn by wheel turn, Duck pulled Thomas away from the edge of the bridge, and to safety. Duck was very tired. "You're safe now, Thomas!" Thomas was very grateful. "Thank you, Duck... thank you."

* * *

Later, at the Rescue Center, the foreman spoke severely to Thomas. "What were you thinking, trying to steal Duck's job from him? And now look what you've done - you've lost the Jobi Wood, the one thing needed to complete the construction." Thomas felt very guilty. "I'm sorry, sir," he said. "You'd better be," said the foreman," because tomorrow, you shall return to your Branch Line - Sir Topham Hatt's orders." "Yes, sir," said Thomas. 

"You shall stay in the shed until then," continued the foreman. "Let me remind you, that the Search and Rescue Center is now delayed because of you." And he walked away. Thomas was upset. He had let the foreman down, he'd let Toby and Duck down, and he even let himself down.

For the rest of the day, no one spoke to Thomas, and he spoke to no one. He was too ashamed about what he had done. Not even the Troublesome Trucks wanted to talk to him.

* * *

That night, while Duck and Toby were asleep, away from the shed, Thomas was still awake. He was still thinking about what he had done. He then looked around the yard - it was very quiet. The ocean was calm, and so was the breeze. 

Then, Thomas saw something. It looked like an old tunnel, on the side of the cliff. Thomas puffed forward to get a closer look. I never knew this tunnel was here, he thought. I'm surprised nobody else has seen it. I wonder where it leads to? Thomas looked back, and saw Duck and Toby still sleeping. Who needs them, he thought. They don't need me, so why should I care?

So, wheel turn by wheel turn, Thomas puffed into the tunnel, unaware of what was on the other side...

* * *

The next morning, Duck woke up. He looked around. Everything was very quiet. No work was getting done. To him, it felt like... something was missing. He looked at Toby. "Have you seen Thomas?" he asked. Toby woke up too, and looked around. He saw that Thomas wasn't in the shed. "Probably left for the Branch Line early," he said. "You know how he is." Duck wanted to believe Toby, and he almost did. But he still felt something was off...