Curtains Closed

The date was September 30, 1963. 

D287 had arrived at the Central Wagon works, and waiting in the yard right in front of him stood a lightly rusted engine, it glared down at the sleepers beneath it, almost as if it was angry at them. he could just barely read the numbers that were painted on the engine's cab, now surrounded by soot and rust, the number was 63971, it had been unlatched from its tender and stood alone in the rain.

he slowly approached the grimacing engine, their buffers lightly bumping into each other. as his headlights illuminated, the engine winced as they blared in his dusty face.

"let me guess, no one wanted me?" the engine growled.

"as far as I'm concerned" D287 said, as he slowly whirred up his engine and pushed the rusted engine at a crawling pace.

he didn't expect what happened next.

"THEY'VE LEFT ME TO DIE, ALL OF THEM! EVEN THAT STUPID FAT CONTROLLER AND HIS STUPID LITTLE ISLAND!"

D287 almost jumped as the engine continued to scream,

"I KNEW HE WANTED ME DEAD! THE MOMENT HIS ENGINES SURROUNDED ME, HE NEVER CARED, AND HE HASN'T BOTHERED TO SAVE ME!"

"Quit being dramatic!" 287 barked as he continued to push the engine into the cutter's shed."at least you're gonna be useful for once"

"I ALREADY HAVE YOU BASTARD, THEY DON'T WANT ME AROUND ANYMORE, THEY'VE SENT ME TO MY EXECUTION!"t

this engine was starting to get on 287's nerves, and he started building up speed.

"IF IT WASN'T FOR THIS HOLOCAUST, I WOULD STILL BE IN SERVICE-"

287 had heard enough, and he violently shoved the engine as he came to a stop. the engine then lightly coasted across the rails until impacting the rotted wooden buffers st the end of the sheds. as the engine's body crashed into them, the metal sheeting of the cutter's shed slid away, and fell to the ground leaving the wooden supports of the shed dangling in the air. 

the engine had stopped screaming, the rain quietly pelleted its worn-out body. some of the dust on its face was washed off by the rain, making it look like it was crying.

"This is no holocaust." 287 growled. "the fact that you call it one is disgraceful, I have no control over your death so why don't you just shut up and face the facts?!"

the engine remained silent, it glared at 287, but this glare was different. it wasn't of hatred like before, it was now a ghastly look of despondence.

287 maintained his serious look, but inside he was downright terrified.

without notice, 287 slowly reversed away from the gloomy shed frame as the light from his headlights dimmed, the engine now a silhouette as he made his way out of the yard.

Like most scrap engines, 287 never saw them again, but unlike other experiences, this one would remain burned into his memory forever.