Emily and Celeste

Just making myself useful

Adventure 2
Just making myself useful

It's a bright and early new day on the Island of Sodor. Celeste wasn't too used to getting up early, but there wasn't really anything she necessarily had to do for Emily's work. Emily was certainly feeling a lot more cheerful than she normally did before she met Celeste.

At Knapford station, Emily had arrived and her coaches were loaded up and she waited for the conductor to blow her whistle... but nothing happened.

A few minutes went by and Emily was confused. Celeste was too, so she decided to try something. She put two fingers in her mouth and

WHEEEEEEEEW!

Emily jumps at the startling noise. Thinking that was the conductor's whistle, she begins to puff forward and out of the station.

But as Emily is picking up speed, Celeste speaks up. "Um.. Emily..? You do know it was me who made that sound right..?"

Emily gasps and screeches to a halt. "Goodness Celeste, that sounded so much like the conductor's whistle."

"I couldn't make that sound again if I tried..." Celeste whimpered a bit.

As Emily came to a halt, the conductor came running down the rail. Luckily, Knapford was not even out of sight just yet.

As the conductor climbed onto the back of the coach, she blew her whistle and waved her green flag and Emily started up again. Celeste was worried that she had caused any confusion or delay.

But everyone seemed to understand it was just a mistake and Emily carried on.

Emily arrived at the next station where she let off some passengers and some boarded.

BEOW!

When suddenly a loud noise is heard in the distance. Emily and Celeste jump. Once Emily's coaches were ready to go, she blew her whistle and puffed forward. Quickly.

As she got closer to the source of the loud noise, Emily's jaw nearly dropped. There stood Salty, who was pulling an oil tank that had exploded behind him. Thankfully, no one was hurt and nothing was badly damaged or burned.

But as Emily moved in closer, she saw the cause of the explosion. Edward, who had fallen off the tracks onto his side after smashing face-first into the oil tank, and this was quite a sight to see because Edward rarely gets into accidents.

"This is my third accident this week..." Sighed Edward sadly. "My brakes completely failed me again..."

Emily frowned as she looked down at poor Edward.

"Oi, you go ahead on your daily duties, lass." Salty instructed. "I'll retrieve help for Edward."

Emily obliqued to Salty and continued on her way.

Later on in the afternoon, Emily was puffing to the water tower when she passed by Tidmouth Sheds, where she saw Edward back on his wheels in the shed, and looking rather miserable.

Emily decided to back into the shed next to him. Edward looked up for a moment before looking back down again.

"Hey, Edward.." Emily spoke up. "How are you doing?"

Edward took a deep breath and sighed. "Oh dear..."

"What's wrong...?" Emily asked concerningly.

"Well Emily..." Edward replied. "I believe I have reached the time in my life where I just may not be useful anymore."

Emily gasps. "Don't say that, Edward!" She protests. "I do understand you're much older than most of us, but that doesn't mean you can't be useful!"