TTTE: Trains and the Supernatural (short stories)

Nightmares

Human AU belongs to @/asktrio on Tumblr <3

Chomu woke up, gasping for air. His boiler shook, the horrible grin of the creature chasing him still stamped into his mind's eye. 'Oh god... Oh god...' He muttered, desperately trying not to wake up Sam, who slept next to him in the shed. He tried to take deep breaths, but was still too shaken to do so. 'I need to get away, before I wake them up...' He slid out of the shed, out onto the Brendam Branch. He picked up speed, soon passing Boxford Halt. He heard the quiet hoot of owls further down the line, and the thundering of wheels as further ahead of him Henry passed with the Flying Kipper. He soon entered Mainline territory, as he steamed quietly past Wellsworth sheds. Unknown to him however, Edward wasn't asleep either, and followed him from afar.

It wasn't long before Chomu stopped at an overgrown siding, and slipped onto it. He tried to calm himself down. 'Come now, Cho-mu... It was all just a dream. Silly, silly dreams...' It didn't work. And to make matters worse, he heard chuffing down the line where he had came from, the same rhythm as Sam's. He backed up further, but buffers blocked his way. 'Chomu?' A quiet voice called out. 'Ed-ward?' The old engine appeared as he carefully made his way through the bushes around them. 'Yes, it's me. Are you okay?' He transformed in a cloud of dust, now bearing his humanoid form. Chomu did the same, and sunk to his knees. 'Yeah, I'm fine.' He tried to smile, but ended up with a crooked grimace. Edward wasn't buying it. He stepped forward and kneeled beside the still shaking Chomu. 'You're not fine, you're shivering. Are you sick?' Edward quickly felt his forehead, and put his jacket over his shoulders. 'Come, I'll bring you back to the sheds, I'm sure sir Topham-' 'I'm not sick, Ed-ward.' Chomu looked embarrassed. 'I had a nightmare and was afraid to get laughed at, so I came out here to be alone and to calm down.' He turned his head away from the concerned Edward, who put his hand on Chomu's shoulder. 'You know I would never laugh at someone, right? You can always tell me.' He sighed. 'And if you want me to go, I'll respect that too. Do you want me to go?' Chomu felt tears burning in his eyes, but also didn't want to be alone in the dark again. 'I... I don't know.' He pulled his knees up and rested his chin on them, still turned away from Edward. What he didn't expect however, was to be pulled into a hug. He tensed up, but soon relaxed, trapped in the arms of the strong engine. 'Chomu, can you tell me what that nightmare was about?'

After they sat on the siding for about half an hour and Chomu had told Edward all about the horrifying dream, the sky had turned a bright orange. 'Oh dear, I have to be fast to get back to the sheds before Sam wakes up!' Chomu jumped up, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. 'No, you stay here, try to get some rest.' Edward smiled. 'I'll handle Sam, tell them you took an early train today.' He poofed back to engine form, and whistled. 'And don't worry about the Fat Controller either, I won't tell him what happened.'

Edward chuffed rapidly down the line, in search of Sam. He finally found them waiting at Knapford, a streak of concern flying over their face. 'Edward,' They exclaimed as soon as they noticed him approaching. 'Edward, Chomu is missing!' Edward giggled. 'No silly, he took an early train today. He's taking trucks to-' 'What are you talking about? I asked sir Topham, and he said no one entered the yards before me!' Sam felt tears burning in their eyes as they poofed into their human shape and sunk to their knees. 'Edward, please! Can you help me find him?' They almost sobbed, much to the confusion of the passengers. Edward poofed too, and gently grabbed their shoulder. 'I will, Sammie. But first you'll have to come with me.' He jumped onto the tracks, clicking his wheels onto the rails. 'Follow me.' And he sped away.

Chomu still lay on the siding Edward had left him, trying to sleep. Every time he dared close his eyes he saw those horrible creatures, laughing and torturing his friends. 'Go away...' He muttered as he heard the sound of wheels gliding along the tracks. 'Chomu, it's me. I brought Sam.' Edward kneeled beside him, patting his back. 'They aren't far behind, I haven't told them yet.' Chomu smiled slightly. 'Thank you.' He said, as he sat upright and straightened his clothes. Edward plucked a few leafs out of his hair. 'I can hear them, get ready.' He pulled Chomu to his feet, and walked up to the mainline. 'You tell them, truth or lie. It's your choice.'