Categories
Journey Through Wonder story

Chapter 35: Resurrection

The Arlesdale Railway is a Miniature gauge railway that runs from Arlesburgh West along the old track bed of Duke’s old home, the Mid-Sodor Railway, and ends in Arlesdale, where it meets the North Western Railway at a transfer yard for ballast and wool. The railway is run by Mr. Fergus Duncan, affectionately called the Small Controller. The railway fleet consists of four steam engines and four diesels. Right now, one of the steam engines, a red one named Mike, was shouting like a distressed animal. “BLISTERS!” he shouted angrily, calling for the twin Diesels. “BLISTERS! WHERE’S MY ROOF?!” His cab roof was gone! His driver, Wilson, was trying to keep a lid on his temper.

“Can’t be helped, mate,” he grumbled. “We’ll have to go roof-less on the passenger run today.”

“Great! Stupid coaches without a roof! Can anything else go wrong today?!” Mike moved onto the turntable to get turned around for the morning passenger run. Wilson soon got out of Mike and moved the turntable, only to stop when they heard a crunch.

“What was tha…no, you’re joking!” wailed Wilson. Mike then got the same idea.

“No, they’re not THAT sick!” he protested.

“Morning,” came a voice. Frank, a gray diesel engine, rolled up to them.

“What?!” snapped Mike.

“Morning,” repeated Frank.

“Yeah, whatever.” Wilson got into the turntable well and pulled out a bent sheet of metal. He presented it to Mike. “NO!” wailed the red engine.

“Wait, why’s your cab roof down there?” asked Frank.

“The Blister Twins!” hissed Wilson as he got out of the turntable well. “They’re SICK!”

“Can’t exactly prove it was them. They were in their shed all night last night.”

“Come on, this is RIGHT up their alley!”

“We can have the security footage prove it. I mean, there ARE cameras near your sheds.”

“Let’s get Control to pull it up,” declared Wilson.


The Small Controller had arrived with the security guard to speak to Mike. Since this mystery needed to be solved, Sigrid of Arlesdale, the one female engine, would be taking Mike’s passenger run. The security guard pulled up the footage from the previous night. The security cameras showed nothing going on with Mike or the Blister Twins. “…That doesn’t make sense!” protested Mike. “How’d my cab roof get in the turntable well?!”

“We’ll find out,” said the security guard. “In the meantime, you better get a new roof.” He then got up and left the sheds.

“…Yeah, like I couldn’t figure that out myself!” snarled Mike.

“It can’t be helped now, Mike,” said the Small Controller. “I’ll tell the works to expect you. After which, I need you at the quarry for a ballast delivery.”

“Right,” sighed Mike. “…At least I’m working with sensible trucks.”

“Come on, Mike,” urged Wilson. “We gotta get a new roof for you.” He boarded Mike and the red engine set off.


Mike arrived at the works to see two identical diesels with a standing cab…and roof-less. Mike was surprised. “You too?!” he yelped.

“Wait, then this wasn’t you?” asked one of the twins, Blister I.

“Then who was it?” asked Blister II.

“Security footage revealed nothing!” grunted Mike. Hejema then approached the three.

“We got your roofs all set to go,” she said. “This is gonna be just like making pets!”

“…MAKING pets?” asked Mike.

“…Was that out loud?” gulped Hejema.


Mike returned to work later in the afternoon. He was feeling a little better once he got underway with his goods work. “This is proper work,” he said. “No need to pull light coaches every day. Just a day of proving you can pull the heaviest loads.”

“Sounds to me like you’ve got a complex,” scoffed Wilson.

“EVERYONE has something to prove. You said you’re a sculptor, yes?”

“I’m not looking to prove that my artwork’s the best. I simply want to create. Nothing more.”

“Sounds pretty dull to me.”

“I’d say that living with the attitude that you’re always being tested is dull.”

“We ARE always being tested! We have to prove your worth somehow!”

“Mike, you’re a miniature gauge engine that lives on an island that never considers scrapping its vehicles unless they die somehow! I’m part of an organization that doesn’t care if you’re a fighter or not! Neither of us have ANYTHING to prove!” Mike stayed silent for the rest of the journey, unconvinced about Wilson’s words.


Once the day was done, Wilson made his way to the cottage he, Emma, Hejema, and Falnii stayed at. He was in a bit of a mood. “Stubborn old engine!” he grunted. “Why can’t Mike understand that he’s not being eternally tested?!”

“If I had to hazard a guess,” replied Falnii, “probably because he’s one of the last of a great era in rail traction.” Wilson arched an eyebrow. “Having to prove yourself is a symptom of someone who’s scared of the future. Who knows what will happen when the Small Controller retires?”

“Come on, Mr. Duncan wouldn’t pick someone who didn’t care about the engines as his successor,” remarked Wilson.

“But that person might prove to be a liar and a mere bean-counter.”

“…Queen Falnii,” remarked Hejema as she checked her face’s stitches, “it sounds like you experienced that.”

“No, but a few of my sisters do. Their Mechanica engines, living ones similar to those found on this island, used to have a kindly controller, but their successor was a tin-pincher. He was all too happy to scrap a few engines if it meant making a quick gold. He never really trusted them or put his faith in them. It took the engines delivering a deputation to the Board of Directors to put a stop to that before they lost any of their friends.”

“…Was the successor prejudiced against living machines?” asked Emma.

“No, just tunnel-visioned when it came to feelings outside his ledger. It was all he could focus on during the Final War. No one really learned why. My point is that it left the engines a little on-edge when it came to another new controller and they were left feeling like they had to prove themselves to her. They don’t, though. Especially when the controller’s a Mechanica like them. So, please, for my sake, be a little more understanding of Mike.” Falnii then left the cottage. Wilson sat on the couch, pondering what Falnii said and trying to figure out what made Mike the way he was.


Falnii stood outside the cottage and sighed. She then heard the rustling of the wind in the trees and a few animals making noises. She smiled as she shut her eyes. “…Speak, Sodor,” she said. “I’m listening.”

“I should hope so!” hissed a man’s voice. Falnii gasped as she saw a hooded figure standing on the other side of the fence. She then put her hand to her chest to calm her heartbeat.

“Sorry, Sir,” she stammered. “I didn’t see you there! I don’t think we’ve met. I’m-”

“We HAVE met, Falnii, False Queen of the Realms.” Falnii’s expression darkened.

“…You’re not a hanger-on of the Realm Trinity Empire, are you?” she hissed.

“You’ve forgotten me, haven’t you?!” snarled the man. It was then Falnii saw glowing blue veins under the hood. She goggled in horror and her breathing became more ragged.

“You’re here too?!” she gulped.

“Figured me out, did you?!” The man pulled his hood back to reveal it was Yulduk. “I still remember that day. You remember, right? The one where you and your lovers took away the godhood that was rightfully ours!! You then fired that Revenant-killing spell at me and sent me to unwarranted torment!!!” Falnii then shook her head and steeled herself.

“I did what was necessary to save the Realms!” she growled. “Your torment WAS warranted, your escape from that place WASN’T! If you didn’t have the same kind of immortal body Wilson and Emma have, I’d be firing Ensakunde again!”

“Well, know this,” warned the Elf Revenant, “I won’t be allowing you to interrupt my plans!” He snapped his fingers and vanished in a premade teleport circle.

“Falnii!” called Hejema as she dashed out to Falnii. “Your Majesty, we heard you talking to someone! Are you-?” She cut herself off when she saw Falnii shaking in fear and tears coming down her face. “Oh my word! Come on, let’s get inside!” She helped Falnii back into the cottage. Wilson and Emma saw this.

“Falnii!” called Wilson.

“Please, give her some space!” urged Hejema. “Someone decided it would be fun to frighten her! She needs rest!” Everyone backed off as Hejema brought Falnii to bed. As she was being tucked in, Falnii grabbed Hejema’s arm. Hejema then realized that whatever frightened her made her that scared of being left alone. She pulled up a chair and sat down. “Do you need anything?” asked Hejema.

“…No,” replied Falnii. “Just…just stay.”

“Will do.” That’s how Hejema spent her night. Outside, Yulduk looked at the cottage again.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *