Kirk Ronan: Survivalist

"Myth" November 10th, 1980. Entry 5

12:00 AM: We all decided to leave now, at midnight, at least while Bulgy was willing to, I was so caught up with my family that I didn't even stop to think about what everyone else was feeling, especially Bulgy.
We were all desperately determined to reach the Little Western, the rumours of supplies and more survivors sounded too good to be true.
I never thought I would have made it this far, I was sure that I would die with my family, But now I'm starting to believe that is what Harry and Julie would have wanted for me, to make it out alive, and still have hope. Good fucking god I wish they were still with me. I don't know what I would do without them.
Soon we saw the sea, the sultry fragrance of the ocean wafted throughout the double decker bus, giving a lot of reprieve and calmness in all of us.
We stopped by a little market shop. It was abandoned and in complete tatters, the windows completely smashed and the food had almost completely been depleted. We weren't able to find much protein, but were able to find bits of carbs and fruit underneath the stalls, which were all knocked over.
One of the kids found a body, it was the owner, I'll spare you the details.
Eventually we got what we needed and all got back on Bulgy, doing a headcount before we all left, heading closer towards the beach.
We came to a part where the grass and sand met, and the road met the rails. It went along for a couple of miles it seemed, We were so close to finding survivors, if we did, god i hope we do, If we don't find anything or anyone thie all this would have been for fucking noth-
A train was coming, We all turned to where the puffing was coming from, Bertram was immediately at the window to my left, wondering which of his engines it was.
Soon we all saw, coming around the corner, was NWR Number 5 in a state that sent screams throughout the bus. Bertram was in tears while I was just in pure frozen shock that I... I didn't know what to think.
James' boiler looked like it was about to explode or something, cracks and tears completely covered the majority of his body, with the steam gushing out of him like a waterfall. His left side rods were about to snap or shatter like glass, half his dome was gone, his paintwork and gold stripes were almost completely scratched and keyed to hell and back, with his cab roof completely caved in and his whistle bent at a 90 degree angle pointing straight up into the air. He was crying. Faced bloodied dirtied and everything.
I could hardly believe that it was him, the wooden fence that separated us, the state he was in, he looked like he desperately wanted to stay alive regardless of the risk..
Bulgy couldn't see what was happening behind him, but the screams made him jump and accelerate, he tore the road with the wind whistling fiercely in an attempt to get away.
But James, looking as though he had 0 energy and couldn't move a single inch, began to speed up, and the puffing increased in volume and speed, we were terrified as he dashed after us, giving chase. FUck!!
In that instant, when Bulgy hit his top speed we hit a crater and his driver Richard lost control, the crater instantly popped his left tire, and the driver desperately tried to regain control, but unfortunately he was too late, as the bus swerved violently to the right where we crashed right through the fence onto the line.
I flew to the front of the bus, hit face first on the floor and got knocked out.
Everything was pitch black, I thought I was going to reunite with my family.
When I woke up the silence was deafening. My head was furiously pulsing with pain. I had some type of fabric wrapped around my head.
To stop the bleeding, which turned out to be part of Tophams right jacket sleeve. Bertram was the first to greet me, as well as three men with overalls. They helped me up on my feet. We were outside by the tracks with a few people watching me as I woke up, all of them sighed in relief.
I asked what happened, as I turned around and saw Bulgy pressed against James' buffers, his right side completely caved and crushed unto himself.
Bertram said after crashing onto the rails at a diagonal, James couldn't stop in time, and ran straight into Bulgy and pushed him along the tracks, with ballast flying through the windows.
Miraculously no one died, a kid twisted his ankle, Richard broke his right arm, a few women had a few cuts from the glass. Everyone was shaken, but made it out okay. I was so relieved.
Everyone else was either pacing or sitting along the tracks, waiting for what to do next.
The men in overalls were James' crew, they said they were looking for more survivors to take refuge on Ducks' Branchline, James turned out to have a rake three cream coloured coaches with a red stripe behind him. They couldn't whistle so William the Guard tried to blow his whistle and wave his red flag but we were long up the road by that point. And they weren't expecting the crash, and had to brake hard, putting James in a lot of pain. But eventually stopped and got out to help everyone in the bus and tended to the severely injured.
James felt incredibly guilty, and was so sorry for what happened, Bulgy and the rest of us did forgive him. He looked alot happier, and his smile brought back a tither of colour in his battered face, and eventually we were all laughing about it shortly afterwards.
I suggested we inspect Bulgy for damage, aside from the fore mentioned, his headlights were completely smashed, one on his front was dangling on the wires and swaying side to side, almost hypnotising. Bulgy's left eye was bruised and swollen, and the left side of his face was bleeding slowly. We couldn't do anything for him, he was going to die soon, and we hated that we knew this reality, it kicked all of us in the gut. But the mist would come if we didn't hurry.
Even Though i was slightly concussed, I still offered to help Bertam, Richard and James' crew pass out and salvage what we collected inside of Bulgy and transfer it to James' Train.
Eventually everyone had gotten their stuff and started boarding the train. Richard was really reluctant to leave his friend, but said a tearful goodbye to Bulgy, the kids didn't want to leave him and were crying when we put them on the train. We couldn't manovre him out of the way, so the train reversed to the closest crossover, where I got out and changed the points. We were all deeply upset when we passed him, we waved hats, and blew handkerchiefs. To our hero Bulgy, his headlights flickering in the cold night we rounded a corner, and the double decker bus, once a fierce activist now a dear companion, disappeared from view, he was Smiling as we left him, at least he knew he would be at peace when he would be set free.
Me, Bertram, Richard and William were in the break coach, not a word was said between us.
We all looked out the window as we headed through Arlesburgh West, the grass and the sea in the distance. It dawned on us how dire things are becoming, Fucking hell I hope we can make it out.
Around an hour later, we finally reached the remains of Tidmouth Station, everything was completely wiped out by the bombers, the building and platform reduced to rubble. The railyard was decimated, and the houses and churches were either completely demolished or on its last legs. It was fucking grim..
We managed to pass through the debris, mournfully silent paying our respects to once a bustling city no more. It felt like passing through no man's land or chernobyl, yet we pushed on.
We continued onto Tidmouth Hault, where the treatment was much the same, but significantly less severe, the seaside station was washed of all its former colour and glory. It was then our hope and joy were crescendoed to a peak on top of a mountain when we saw survivors! We cheered along with them as they cheered us back, nearly 1000 of them! Families were reunited! It made me wish I was too.
In the sheds was also a great surprise, as the Great Western Engines Duck and Oliver, as well as the China Clay Twins Bill and Ben, along with a Metropolitan Vickers Electric Diesel Type 2 BoCo. they blew whistles and honked horns in an overzealous chorus of joy to see us! Bertram was overjoyed to the point he cried in happiness!
After this, I truly believe we will survive and make it!