Tales from the rails

The Missing Hoodie

It was a very cold winter evening when DD took off his hoodie to take a shower. As soon as he got out, he changed into his pajamas and was preparing to go to bed, he went to grab his hoodie, but it wasn't where he'd left it! He looked around the house, but he couldn't find it anywhere. He was home alone so he couldn't ask anyone where it was. He just went to bed, he knew he would probably find it in the morning. The next morning, he awoke with Delilah lying next to him and Ghost at his feet. The two were fast asleep. DD got up, trying not to wake the two girls as he got up and out of bed. The boy searched all over the house. When he couldn't find it, he got worried. It was his only hoodie, and if he couldn't find it, he would have to wear his- "WINTER COAT!" He yelled suddenly, his parents pulled it out of a box. "I know you don't like it, but we can't let you go outside with how cold it's been in the past few days." Said his dad. "And it's kinda like your hoodie!" Said his mom, DD had a bit of a scowl on his face as he put on his coat. It was cold and heavy. DD left the house with Delilah, Rhys, and Emma waiting outside for him. "Think someone took it?" Asked Rhys as DD turned from the shut door. "Someone would have to break in to take it." Said DD, not thinking that anyone was that crazy to take JUST a piece of clothing. "Plus nothing else that's important was missing, or any tiny things!" Delilah added. She had gotten up and helped DD look after a while. "It'll turn up, it has to." Emma reassured DD. The four went to the station and waited for either the bus or the train, the bus won the race again. "Come on, get on." Said the bus driver. This driver was a rude older woman who was not keen on being nice to kids. The four were silent as they sat down, DD and Delilah sat on the left side in the back while Emma and Rhys sat down on the right side in the back. They sped off roughly down the road and were on the way to Drenk Station. On arrival, they got out, and DD shivered as the bus sped off. The four went to the sheds where their engines were waiting. "Hello dri- WHAT IS THAT?!" Rhys screamed, he took his eyes off Rhys and Emma and shot his eyes towards DD. "Yeah, bug off Rhys, I'm not in the mood." DD said as he got into Dan's cab. His fire was lit and was very warm. So warm DD took off his coat and put it in an empty tool box in the cab. The trip set off to get their work done.

Dan hurried down the line, ready to plow the line ahead. The tank engine cleared the mainline with a small goods train with a smile on his face as he charged for The Lickey Incline. The train began the ascent, the trucks tried to hold back. "We're too cold, let's go back to the warm sidings!" They said as they tried to hold the train back. "I'm taking you to the steel works! That's warmer than the cold sidings of the yard!" Dan said as he pressed on. He made it to the top, rounded the bend, and pinned his brakes as the trucks tried to send him flying down the hill. The train coasted smoothly down the hill and over the newly reconstructed Grand Gap. The snow was flung off the sides of the bridge in such a manner that it looked like it was snowing again. The trucks were mesmerized by the sight. They hurried to the steelworks, which was located near Pleasantville Station, being about 15 miles out from the town. They thundered past stations and plowed snow all along the way. They puffed down a switch to find a perfectly clear and clean yards, no snow on the line. Dan slowed down. He saw Ryan clearing the last section of the yard with a big smile on his face. "Hey Ryan, what are you doing here?" He asked as he came to a stop. "I'm working here for a bit, to help them get back on their feet. Anyways, leave those trucks there and I'll have them sorted out in a couple of minutes." He replied happily. "Alright." Dan said as he was uncoupled. "Oh, use the turntable over here! It's great!" Ryan suggested. Dan rolled onto the turntable and waited. Then it started to spin, slowly and very smoothly as Ryan said it would. Dan was turned around and went to get one more thing from the train before he left. He buffered up to the brake van at the end of the train and he puffed away to do his next job. He cleared some more snow along the mainline, heading back to Lickey Station to pick up a train for Bluebell Station, the first along his branch. He puffed faster and faster as the brake van rattled along. "Calm down old boy, we're going to be early as it is!" Delilah said as she closed the firebox. "Right, sorry. I'm just excited." "Excited about what?" DD asked as he stopped staring at the water gauge. "I'm the best engine at Rhys' wedding!" Said Dan as he thundered down the line. The wind blew past them as he continued. "It's going to be in a few months, they wanna do it in the summer, or early spring." The tank engine said as he climbed the incline. As they crest the top, they passed Jojo with Eddy taking lead, a massive snowplow was attached to Eddy's front, so big his funnel barely visible with the coaches rattling behind them. They whistled to Dan as they cleared the mainline, spraying snow all over Dan and into his cab! Delilah, not only in her werewolf form but also in a big, fluffy coat, wasn't really affected by the snow. DD on the other hand, was ice cold, his bare arms were covered in snow and when he shook his arms off, they were pink! "BRRRRR!" He shivered as he held his arms together and shook. "Why don't you just wear your coat, Driver?" Asked Dan as coasted down the hill. "Because, it doesn't feel right on me, it's not like my hoodie." "And what makes this hoodie so special?" Asked Delilah as they rolled into the station. DD thought for a moment. "It was given to me by my dad. It was his. He wore it all the time. It's sentimental to me, a reminder he's always with me wherever I go." DD said finally as Dan got the brake van behind the train. Dan then went onto the turn table to turn around. It was clunked around and would stop suddenly and start again. "Oh, lord almighty." Dan chuffed as he got off and went to the front of the train. He was coupled up to the train and started off, headed down the line clearing the snow along the way.