Tales from the rails

The Grand Tour: United Kingdom on The Horizon

As Dan and the others awoke early in the boat. He was the last engine lifted up. Dwight D. Eisenhower was also awake. "Ah, Dan, right? How are you doing, old sport?" He asked. "Good, sad to leave, but good." "Well, whistle farewell to our friends below. He said, and there was Sam and Jason, fast asleep. "PEEP PIP PEEEEEEP!" Dan whistled as he woke everyone up. Dan and Dwight chuckled as they said their farewells to Sam and Jason, some shedding tears while others were balling. "It's going to take a few weeks, I hope you lot are ready for a looooong ride." Chuckled a sailor, securing the chains that held the engines down. Meanwhile, DD was waking up, smelling something burning. It was Mia! "Mia! What's wrong?" Asked DD panicking. "Hello DD, I bet you didn't expect this." Said a sinister male voice. It was Z! There was a screen on Mia's face! She turned out to be a robot! "WHAT THE F-" "Now now, no cursing. Thanks for the useless information about you, I'll be glad to use it." He said. "Am I dreaming?" DD asked, he pinched himself, praying to wake up. "Cheer up old sport. I'm not killing you after all!" Z cackled, and... the robot moved to deck, and flew away! DD's short time with Mia flashed before his eyes, questioning that the entire time, wanting it to go away, and he wanted to wake up from this nightmare, it seemed too fake for reality, so he did the most rational thing he could do at that time. He slammed his face into a nearby desk. Delilah, Rhys, and Emma came rushing into the room, seeing DD with a bloody forehead and in the fetal position. "DD, where's Mia? What happened to you? What happened?!" Rhys started saying, his eyes shooting around the room, it seemed to be covered in ash. "S-S-S-She's gone. A R-R-Robot..." He said, shaking violently as he stuttered the words out. Emma and Delilah looked at each other and considered what to do. "I'll get everyone, you help Rhys comfort him and clean the room." Emma planned with Delilah, she then turned into a bat and flew away quickly. Delilah told Rhys the plan, and the two quickly hurried to try and clean the room. They walked into the kitchen area, and they soon found the table, smashed imperfectly in two, and with little drops of blood lying on it. "Jesus! That must have been a very bad experience." Said Delilah. "You're right, but let's try and find something to clean those walls first." Rhys said and they hurried off to find some paper towels and a bowl to put some soapy water in. As they were finishing up with the dirty walls, DD's family came rushing down the hall. "Who hurt my baby?!?" Screamed DD's mother as she threw the door open, nearly breaking the hinges. "Mia, we think she a robot based off the few words he said." Rhys explained, but then she looked puzzled. "Who's Mia? And what's this about robots?" She asked. Then it was Delilah and Rhys' turn to look puzzled, "DD's girlfriend? The daughter of Rose Coal Co.?" Rhys stated. "Never heard of her, but if she has anything to do with this, she will pay." DD's mom said as she held her son, trying to calm him down. His father also stepped into the room, holding the two in an embrace. Then his brother and sister entered the embrace, then his grandparents, then Rhys, then Emma, then Emma's parents, and finally Delilah. And then they all heard the dreaded but awaited tears as DD began to sob uncontrollably. "There there, son. It's okay, we got you, and we won't let go until you're ready." His dad said. "Yeah man, whether you like it or not, we're here for you man." Said Seth. "We love you grandson." Said his Nana. "And we always will." Said his Grandpa. "No matter what." Said Lacey. "Sniff, thanks you guys. I love you all." DD said, and after a few minutes more of embracing, they let go, and they all went to go eat their breakfast.

Later that day, the four friends went to go see Dan to break the news. "Dan, I got something to tell you. And it's best you hear it from me." DD started, he knew he was going to cry again, but he was ready. "What's the matter driver? Are you okay?" Asked Dan, seeing the bandaging on his head. "Do you remember Mia?" He asked, and Dan immediately turned pale. "What happened to her?" "Well... she's gone." "WHAT?!" "Listen, I know that she was a big-" "Tell me what happened." Dan demanded. DD took a long pause. "Well, I woke up... I smelt something burning, and then it was her. Then I saw a screen on her face, and then..." The boy trailed off. "Wait... a screen? Are you sure you aren't dreaming about that?" Asked Dan. DD took off the bandages, much to his friends' protest, and showed the massive splotch of dried blood on his head, "I made sure I wasn't dreaming." DD said as he then began to wrap his head up again. "Oh lord, driver!" Dan exclaimed, "I'm sorry for doubting you, oh dear, please, continue." DD sighed as he went on. "Z's face was on the video, and he told me he collected information, and then she took off back to the Drabtic Isle." DD said, and tears began to form. "Oh driver, it's going to be okay, come here." Dan gestured towards his buffer and DD hopped onto the footplate, sitting next to Dan's face, staring at the sunset. "You know, I once had a lover too." Dan said. "What happened?" Asked DD, and Dan dove into a story. "I younger, and it was during the Second World War, I met an American engine, her name started with an L. She and I were wild about each other. But then she was sent to another port to help the Allied army, and I haven't seen her since." Dan sighed, "I still wonder if I should have tried to make her stay." Then Rhys had an epiphany. "Wait, Dan, you remember Mia?!" Rhys asked. "Of course I do! She was my firewoman of course!" Exclaimed Dan. "DD's mom said something about not remembering Mia, and that's had me off ever since." "Mia? The girl Dan's driver was dating, right?" Asked City of Truro. "Yeah... wait how do you remember?" "Dan went on and on about his crew in the roundhouse where we first met Sam." "Hmm, this is very peculiar, thanks for the information guys. Come along DD, we've got to show you something." Rhys said, and the four said their goodbyes to the engines and left.