Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends Into the Thigh-Verse

The Screams of Brendam

Watson, the Irish Engine, was feeling unwell. Workmen tried to make him better, but it did little good.
"His pipes are blocked." The workman explained. "He'll need to go to the works to have them cleaned."
The Fat Controller sighed.
"We'll send him to The Works straight away!"
"But sir!" Exclaimed Watson! "Who will look after my trains here!?"
"We're sure to have a spare engine!" Laughed The Fat Controller. "A Scottish one!"
And he was right. Donald was sent to fill in for Watson! And, at first, the twin proved to be vital!
"A utility engine!" Smiled Edward. "Just what we needed!"
Donald blushed.
"All in a day's work!" He said, cheerfully.

One evening, BoCo was preparing a goods train at the station before the docks. It had been bound for the works station, and BoCo knew he had to shunt his trucks in an orderly and timely fashion. The crisp spring air was soothing, and calming.
"Not long now." BoCo thought to himself. "Nearly there!"
As he was shunting his trucks into place, BoCo thought he heard something. It sounded like a groan. It was consistent, and long. Only stopping for brief moments. It was loud, and echoed all around him like a steam whistle! Rattling off every window!
"What's that about?" BoCo asked.
"I don't know!" Said his driver. "And I would like to find out.."
BoCo's driver and second woman, climbed out of the cab, and carefully ventured into the town. When they returned, they looked pale.
"Nothing." Said the second woman, quivering in her shoes. "Absolutely nothing."
BoCo narrowed his eyes.
"Hmm, we'll phone Maggie once we reach the works." BoCo, feeling shaken, collected his trucks, and set off to the works.

The next morning, BoCo returned, while Edward and Donald were being fired up.
"Hello BoCo!" Edward smiled! "Goodness! You do look glum!"
"I am, Edward." BoCo replied. "Last night, while collecting my goods train..."
BoCo paused, growing pale.
"I... thought I heard strange groaning sounds coming from the docks."
"What?" Donald interrupted. "What do ye mean!?"
"I don't know!" Replied BoCo, flabbergasted. "We phoned the docks once we reached The Works, but... Nothing, they hadn't heard a thing!"
"BoCo! Lad! Yer goin mad laddie!" Donald laughed! "Are you implying it's somethin of the supernatural! Because if ye are!.."
"I'm not implying anything!" BoCo snapped! "But there is something very strange happening!"
"Och, dinnie be stupid!" Donald huffed! "Ghosts aren't real!"
"What do you think it was?" Edward injected, trying to prevent an argument.
"I don't know!" BoCo said. "But I'm not taking another night train, until I know what's out there!"
So, it was arranged. That night, Donald was to take BoCo's night goods. He was feeling very proud of himself!
"Och! I'll show ye how to run at night!"
"Hmf!" Sneered BoCo. "Good luck!"

Night came. And on time, Donald arrived to collect the goods train. The trucks all stood in the sidings. Mostly chatting among themselves.
"I'll show that BoCo!" Donald scoffed to himself. "Ghosts indeed! Pah!"
Slowly, and carefully, Donald arranged his train. Pushing the trucks into place just outside of the yard. Where the guard inspected the cargo carefully. The trucks had been brought to the yard that day by Salty, and it was the job of the engine to prepare the train. It was a long job. But Donald didn't mind. The crisp air coated the Scottish engines boiler. However, by the time Donald had pushed the last of the trucks into place, the wind felt icy, and bitter. No longer did it feel like a coat, and more like needles, stabbing into his boiler.
"Och, I'll be glad once this lot is shifted." Donald said to himself.
"Alright!" Called his driver. "I think-.."
He was interrupted by a deep and bellowing scream! It filled the air and bounced off the walls, reverberating off Donald's boiler! It was followed by a shuddering screach of metal! Wailing out through the night! It sounded pained, and carried a hit of suffering and agony with it.
"Did you hear that?" Whispered Donald's stoker. There was a long pause.
"We should go." Donald said, plainly. "Now."
"But, we should turn you around." His driver replied. "It's against railway regulation."
"If anyone asks. The turntable's jammed." Donald replied. And that, was that. The trucks all stood in terror, as Donald set off, tender first. The wheels of the trucks creaked in front of him, but Donald didn't say a word. Once they reached Edward's station, they phoned the docks! But, nothing was a miss. Salty and the workmen set out, and searched for what could cause such a noise. However, they found nothing. I wish I could tell you they eventually figured out what they had heard that night. However, life is not a fairy tale. And sometimes, we never get closure...

Not long later, Watson returned to work, and Donald returned to the mainline. Donald still thinks about what he and his crew heard that night. However, he never can feel satisfied.