Tales from the rails

The Grand Tour: America

Dan woke one night, but he was not calm nor tired. He had another night terror and was screaming. "WHATEVER IS HAPPENING?!" Screamed Thomas. "WE'RE SINKING!" Yelled Scotsman. "I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!" Screamed City of Truro. "SILENCE YOU FOOLS!" Yelled Mallard, the only voice of reason. Dan was shaking and crying as he was stuck in the night terror. Some of the crew members of the ship scrambled out of the ship and onto the deck. "What's happening?" One yelled as he took charge. "We don't know, something is wrong with Dan here." Mallard explained to the man. "Hmm. Get the ship's doctor, she can inspect him and maybe she'll be able to help." The man said, "Yes sir!" Said the woman he spoke to. She returned back with the doctor. There was silence as she stood and looked around. "Where is the patient?" She squinted at the group of people. "It's this engine, over here." Said Thomas, looking at Dan and the doctor back and forth. "Hmm? An engine for a patient? Why, that's a first for me!" She gave a laugh as she walked over. Her wildly curly brown hair flowed through the air and she was wearing the iconic white lab coat with a brown leather briefcase with her tools. "What's wrong with him? He looks like he's in a lot of pain." She asked the groups as she sat down her stuff on Dan's footplate. "We don't know ma'am." Said the leader of the group. "Well then, if I don't have any symptoms, I can't diagnose him." She said. She looked around, like his tanks, his undercarriage, his cab, but there was nothing wrong! "There's no damage to him that I can see, but he needs to wake up if there's something wrong that I can't see." She walked up to Dan's face, and then she slapped him right across the face! "WHAAA...?" The crowd of engines and people went ghost white as they watched her. Dan woke slowly, crying and shaking still. "Stop crying, I didn't hit you that hard." "No miss, *SNIFF*, you didn't. I'm not crying because of that." Dan said, and the doctor looked deep into his eyes. "So, it's a mental problem." She said finally. Dan chuckled a little through his tears. "A wise woman you are. Though I suppose it doesn't take a genius to put two and two together." "What's troubling you, tank engine?" "I can't remember what happened. I'm sorry. All I know it was a horrible situation." "I see, where are you from?" Asked the doctor. "The Drabtic Isle. I work on the D&D railway." "Well what do you know, I know a therapist who is on that island. She's a good sort, so I'll send you to her once you get back home. In the meantime...." She then took her hand and slapped Dan across the face again! "Don't wake me up again!" She yelled angrily as her hand slid across his face. "Yes ma'am, sorry ma'am." Dan said with a horrified smile on his face, tears streaming down his face. The four began to sleep as the port came into view.

As they woke up again, it was morning and everyone was back onto the rails. Mallard was the last one to have his fire lit and was waiting to build up steam. The five then were seen by various workers and they had tools and parts to give the engines. "What are you doing?" Asked Mallard, weashing steam through his nose. "Relax, we have to get you ready for America." Said one man, he wore a Top hat and held a cane with a gold ball on top of it. He was quite young, perhaps 30 or even 25! "What are these things?" Asked City of Truro. "Well, they're called Knuckle Couplings, we have to fit them to you as part of our rules and regulations. Oh, my apologies. I haven't introduced myself. I am William Flynn." "I am The Flying Scotsman!" The Green Tender Engine announced full of power. "I am The Mallard!" He said with a smirk on his face. "I am The City of Truro!" He added as he weashed triumphantly. "I am Thomas the Tank Engine!" The cheeky tank engine smiled. "And I'm Dan the Clever Engine." Finished Dan proudly. "Nice to meet you all, now, if I may guide your crews and controllers to this board." Mr. Flynn said as the guided the group over to a whiteboard, like the rolling ones in a school. The pointed at the map with his cane and guided them through the states. "And that will conclude your trip, ending right back here." He finished as he smiled, he then walked away. The engines were nearly ready when a horn blasted off right beside Dan! "JESUS JOSEPH AND MARY!" He yelled as he nearly jumped off the rails! "Aha ha ha ha! I'm sorry about that, I didn't think you would have been so scared by that." Said the diesel as he braked gently. "Oh, I'm sorry, we haven't met, I'm Darrel, it's nice to meet you!" He introduced as he smiled warmly. "Oh, I'm Dan. The Blue tender engine is Mallard, the Big Green tender engine is Flying Scotsman, the small tender engine is City of Truro, and the other tank engine is Thomas The Tank Engine." Dan said. "It's nice to meet you all! I hope you all like it here in America. By any chance do you know where you are?" "No, we don't." Said Truro. "Ah, well you're in New York! Possibly known best for its history, and its pizza. Though I've never had it." Said the diesel jokingly. The others chuckled and were preparing to leave. "So, got any advice for us before we set off?" Asked Mallard as he sizzled and rolled along the track. "Just because careful of train jackers, they'll throw your crew out the cab and send you down the line till you run out of fuel, break something, or in your steamers cases, blow up. Oh, and be careful along certain lines, they aren't as maintained as well as they should be." Darrel warned as he went over to a shed. "Thank you Darrel, farewell." Said Thomas. "Until we meet again, new friends." Said Darrel as he rolled down a switch. The group began to puff down the line towards the exit of the harbour. "We aren't going to stop till we reach a station that has a carriage shed and a shed with five berths open for us, understood?" Asked Mallard. The others looked in agreement with serious looks. "Well then, we're off!" Whistled Mallard as they began to pick up speed, seeing green signals all over. The others were able to start quicker than Dan, and were much faster than him too. "Do you think he'll be alright back there? I know we definitely won't be going all out, but still." Said Scotsman with a worried expression. "He's got it, he's a Westerner. Right Thomas?" City of Truro said. "Yeah, you're right." He weashed as he kept up his pace.