Kirk Ronan: Survivalist

"Turmoil" November 18th and 19th. 1980. Entry 9

Just as I closed this book more events happened.

We raced past Knapford leaving the Edwards wreck behind. As we continued in our way we could audibly hear the train slowing down with deeper puffs each wheelturn. Me and the others that remained alive decided our best course of action was to stop at Lower Tidmouth where we could refuel and check what was wrong with duck. Arthur opened the door and shouted to the Driver and Firemen to stop at lower Tidmouth. Afterwards he closed the door and told me this information. I'll come back to this when we actually get to there.

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2:54 AM

Okay, We finally reached Lower Tidmouth station. The station remained unaffected by the Bombings. Even the Ghomes were in their original place! Anyways we stepped out of the works coach and looked at duck. The Pannier was fine for the most part. Although his side tank was damaged due to the attacks on it. It was all sorts of dented with several bullet holes in the side. The holes that were on the lower part was oozing a translucent liquid. -Of course it was water. It dripped onto his running board and dropped off the side of the engine. Arthur called to to help carry the bodies from the coach and behind the station. I would've help but then I remembered; I had a shotten and broken arm. By this point the pained had slowly start to go away, but was replaced by a awful soreness. The women by earlier came by me and wrapped a paper towel around my arm and a old sling she found inside the station. As it turns out, she was a former nurse at the Kirk Machan Medical centre at the Culdee Fell Railway. I thanked her dearly and went on with my business and watched the last body being carried out from the coach and behind the station. I could bear myself to look at the pile behind the station. All of us solemnly returned to the Coach. Ducks crew had manage to temporarily plug his bullet holes with a assortments of different items. It should be enough for us to reach Tidmouth Sheds. We quickly refuelled before setting on our way.

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3:29 AM

We arrived at what was left of Tidmouth Station. It hadn't change at all besides the fire that once raged in the town was now extinguished by the snowfall, only leaving a small trail of smoke trailing into the night sky. Duck didn't stop at Tidmouth. All of us knew that nothing of value was left in the station. As soon as we passed into Tidmouth we were out of the once grand station. The moonlit night casted a silhouette of a Engine Shed. That shed was unmistakable the large Tidmouth Shed complex. As we went towards the shed we could see steam two large engines. It was Donald and Douglas! They look dirty and beaten. Douglas was the first to notice us and gave a accidentally excited whistle which rang throughout the cold snowy air. Duck soon shunted the works coach in the coach shed. While most of the men rested some of them had made a small barrier that surrounded Tidmouth using debris and other stray objects to block the tracks. Seeing as we have gotten no sleep and it was nearly 4 We decided to get what sleep we had left.
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10:54 PM

We are currently travelling down the mainline We offered Donald and Douglas to come with us but they refuse. Apparently Thomas Oliver and them got separated by the Scavengers. D&D made the final decision to go look for their friends and they promised us they would go tell them that we were alive and well. We said our final goodbyes before we left for our own journey. Several workmen agreed that we should go to Suddery, I argued that we should go to Crovans Gate instead by my opinion was drowned out by majority vote, so yeah.

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11:21 PM

As soon as we entered the mouth of the Brendam Branchline, Donald and Douglas Passed us with the Breakdown Train and a few flatbeds. They snorted passed us, I'm sure they didn't even notice we were there! There was another surprise as they passed is. The Engine that was on the Flatbed was none other than the NWRs Number 2, Edward! Me and several workmen cheered as we were relieved that he was semi-okay. He did look like he got knocked out by the crash though. I hope the three make it out alive. The Fields that were once green and filled with cattle now looked like a battlefield. The craters being filled with snow. I'm starting to think maybe I should try to find a way away from the railway..

We soon reached Suddery Station. The capital of Sodor stood alone in the dark. No visible lights shown out of any buildings. Only the moonlit night left a outline of the city. We were running low on Food and water so we exited the coach. The big city looming over us. The city hadn't been spared from the bombers either. Although the damage was not nearly as bad as what Tidmouth received. We walked down the empty streets a transparent wispy fog hung low as we walked. There wasn't a sound heard besides the light whistling of wind and snow. Eventually one of the boys manage to find a Grocery Story. As to be expected, most of the food items were gone. We did manage to scrounge up some medicine and a few can of baked beans. Nothing else was there, so we left.
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12:01 AM

As we walked through the desolate narrow streets of Suddery, we found a old man rocking back and forth in a rocking chair in front of a fountain. Beside him was a a old radio that played 1950s Ballroom music. Several men tried to talk to him but wouldn't respond, so we left him there. The Radio echoing that dreadful music as we got further and further away from him. Nothing else was recorded.
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12:21 AM

As me and the others walked down the street Arthur spotted a lonely car that was parted neatly on the side of the sidewalk. Arthur covered his mouth and closed his eyes as he stepped backwards. When I looked through the frosted cold windows, I could make out the silhouette of a motionless, dead, Family. I should not have looked. At this point I'm used to seeing tragic sights. There is no point in emotion anymore. It's useless to me now. We stumbled on a old store. It's lettering faded, cracks in the walls.. We entered the store where we sound some warm clothing. Some men took it while other decided to have a smoke outside. I'll return to this book is anything happens.
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2:07 AM

After a rather suprisngly uneventful trip through Suddery, We returned to duck who whistled impatiently at us. We all hastily boarded with our new supplies. A few of the men tried to open the cans of beans while others tried to stop them. Without wasting anymore time, we steamed down Edwards Branchline expecting to find no one. Until I heard the driver shout something Unintelligible . The train stopped abruptly. A few moments later the coach door flew open with a rather excited looking driver. " We found him! " He said. Me and all the other workmen quickly scrambled out of the coach to see who.

Derailed on a jarring position was a big green box like shape. He had several vans behind him all of them wide open.. It was BoCo! We found him! Alive or dead, We don't know.

I have a dreadful feeling that we lost another one.

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