TTTE: Trains and the Supernatural (short stories)

Henry's Newfound Friend

It was a foggy October night on the island of Sodor when Henry was steaming down the mainline with the Flying Kipper. 'Only two more stations...' He mumbled. He didn't like the dark much, as he couldn't see properly because of the fog and his faulty lamp. 'Okay old friend, slow down. We're almost in Crovan's Gate.' His driver said. Henry slowed, and came to a stop at the platform before him. His driver mumbled something along the lines of "it's about time, almost 3 o'clock." and jumped onto the platform. 'Where are you going?' Henry asked him. His driver looked back uncomfortably. 'I need to... Go somewhere. You don't need to know more.' Henry understood, and instead started listening to the hoots of the owls in the trees around him. 'Beautiful creatures, I can't believe I once called them Stupid Birds.' He smiled. The fresh night air tingled on his boiler, the frost was already creeping in from underneath the thick clouds. He heard a faint whistle from the other track, and saw Percy shooting by with his mail train. 'Hi Henry, bye Henry.' He said. Henry chuckled, and stared up at the cloudy sky. 'Come Henry, we're ready.' He heard. He whistled, and set off for the last stop: Great Waterton.

The tracks to Great Waterton were almost hidden underneath the thick layer of fog on the ground, obscuring tiny sticks and leafs which cracked underneath Henry's heavy weight. 'Steady now... We don't want any accidents.' Henry knew his fireman was right. He had had multiple accidents pulling the Kipper before, one so horrible he had to be completely overhauled. 'I'm careful...' But before he could finish his sentence something appeared on the tracks before him. An engine the same class as him, with burgundy paint and mint stripes. 'Brake! Someone's up ahead!' Henry's brakes screeched loudly in the calm autumn night. He stopped right in time. 'Who are you?' But instead of answering, the engine opened it's eyes. It was as if it's body started to melt, glowing blobs of it's chassis falling to the ground. It's eyes were glowing green, and it's face was deformed horribly with scars. Strange, mangled sounds stung in the air around them, as if the engine was speaking in a long gone language. Then the words untangled and formed words. 'Help... He..lp me... Henryyy...' The words got louder, but Henry had enough. 'Get me out, GET ME OUT!' He shot backwards, back over the tracks they'd come from. He only opened his eyes once they were safely back at Vicarstown.

'And it said my name, it knew me!' It was the next morning, and Henry was back at Tidmouth Sheds. 'Maybe it was a ghost engine...' James laughed. 'Ghosts aren't real, Henry. You probably had a bad dream.' Gordon laughed too. 'How will you ever do night work if you're already scared of OWLS and LEAFS on the tracks? I hope I see it, so I can prove it isn't scary at all!' Henry snoofed. 'But I like owls, they're good company in the dark. They warn you when something's coming.' Now the others laughed even harder, even Thomas and Percy joined in. The only one who stayed silent was Edward. 'Oh shut up you. I for one believe Henry saw something, and I think you all ought to be careful with what you wish for.' Thomas apologised softly, and Percy thought of meeting that ghost engine himself. But Gordon and James ignored the old engine. 'Pfah, Henry shouldn't be such a scaredy engine.' Gordon snoofed. James joined in. 'Yeah, if I saw that engine I'd take them on like a bug on the tracks!' Most engines ignored the boasting red engine, but Henry felt ashamed. He backed up further into the shed, and didn't talk to anyone until their drivers arrived.

'Henry?' Sir Topham Hatt stood before the sheds, an angry undertone hiding his concern for the green engine inside. 'Come out here at once, your train is waiting.' But he only got an angry hiss back. 'I'm not going out there where the others can laugh at me again.' Sir Topham frowned. 'Laugh at you? For what then?' Henry snoofed. 'They think I'm silly for saying I've seen a ghost engine, but I know something was there last night.' From the other side of the turntable a loud laugh burst out, only to fade as soon as Topham turned around. Henry didn't need to look to know Gordon was back from his first express and was being turned around for the second. 'Gordon, go away.' He whispered. He didn't need the big engine's teasing right now. 'Go away? Well of course, my dear friend Henry. I'm off to pull my very special express!' But Henry didn't listen. He only heard his own angered breaths.