Sea salt whipped George’s face. He
could see the island on the horizon, his home, but also the land of his
nightmares. Now it was only one thing; his mission. Threatening the world, this
malfeasance had to be destroyed. Sodor Island.
George the steam train was flying
towards it inside the cockpit of Todd the helicopter. While Todd was a good
friend and an even better comrade, even he didn’t know George's history with
Sodor. Todd had been one of the agents to find George washed up on the shore of
the mainland. Subsequently, Todd had also been the one to convince George to
become an agent of C.A.R.L. (Crew for Apprehending Rogue Locomotives) like
himself. But Todd didn’t know George's past or why he’d been so eager to be a
part of this mission and stop the trains of Sodor.
The scenic mountains were
approaching quickly. Soon the quarries and lakes would come into focus. George
opened his computer database making sure his boxcar and cargo was safe, secure
and accounted for. “Heat-seeking missiles? Check. Boxcar bay release doors?
Fully operational. Boxcar turrets?
Loaded and ready.” Finally, George checked the big one. It was ready. This was
what the mission was all about. An atomic bomb.
“Reaching destination in two
minutes, commander George.” Todd relayed into George’s headset. George looked
out at Sodor Island, almost directly below him. Tremendously verdant, Sodor’s
forests and snowcapped mountains, towns and tracks were as picturesque as ever.
George felt a pang of nostalgia, recalling his adventures growing up upon that
small haven. Then he remembered his atomic cargo. George shook himself out of
his reverie and reminded himself of the truth.
“All that resplendency is hiding is
the blood-soaked scars of the land. There’s nothing down there but evil,
murdering trains. A blight that must be destroyed.” George fell into a
flashback. Seeing the fires and terror once again, he remembered the rogue
trains that had conquered the isle and killed all the innocents. He remembered
John. That is why the mission must be completed.
George was brought back to the
present with a yell from Todd.
“500 yards to the drop spot,
George!”
“Thanks!” George readied the bomb
for release. Suddenly, he heard a whirring. Flying towards them menacingly was
Harold the helicopter! And inside his cockpit was the blue demon himself,
Thomas the Tank Engine.
“Todd! Prepare for battle!” George
bellowed as he charged up his turrets. George heard the “rat tat tat” of bullets whizz past. The
battle began. They rained a maelstrom of projectiles upon each other. Todd and
Harold swooped and dove, dodging missiles and explosions. Finally, Todd
maneuvered George over the bomb drop spot. But, oh no! George felt a hit! His
boxcar was shot, and the cargo hold’s bay doors were jammed. He couldn’t drop
the bomb. George frantically schemes a solution.
“Todd, fly me straight into
Harold!”
“Are you insane? We’ll be sliced to
bits!” Todd yelled
“Just trust me! I have a plan!”
Todd roared in confusion but
plunged toward their enemies. As Harold’s deadly blades spin closer, George
grimaced in fear. Until he heard the whistling laughter of Thomas.
“Ha ha! You’re doomed! I’ll end you
just like I ended that little conductor of yours!”
John. George gasped, remembering
their undying friendship. Then, three years ago, the other trains had all gone
rogue, and started taking over. It had been Thomas himself, the leader, whom
George had seen kill his conductor. He’d tried to stop him, but two, then four,
then six, then eight of his cronies had jumped him. He’d refused to join their
diabolical group and so they’d tied a couple weights to him and sent him to
sea, “swimming with the fishes”. It had only been because they’d tied the weights improperly
(being trains) that’s he’d survived and floated to the mainland.
George yelled in anger “Fly me into
Harold now!”
Todd obeyed and George positioned
himself carefully. When Harold’s blades collided with George, they sliced right
through his jammed bay doors. Opening immediately, George’s boxcar released the
atomic bomb.
“Pull up! Pull up!” George
screamed. Todd did, snapping Harold’s caught blades in the process. George
watched as Thomas, Harold and the bomb dropped to the surface below.
Todd, damaged but working, began
flying back to C.A.R.L.’s HQ. George felt the heat of the atomic explosion
destroying his childhood home behind him. He felt a stab of loss, but he’d done
what he had to do, he looked down at the sea, the blue-green water the color of
John’s eyes. George smiled.
“You can rest in peace, old friend,
you can rest.” Mission complete.
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