On the other side of Sodor was the harbor. In that harbor stood a large green crane. He was big, and strong. He loved to boast about how strong he was to the smaller engines. And sometimes even to the bigger engines. He would big up the biggest crates and show them off, then place them down in the engines cars for them to take. One day, it was slightly windier than normal. The big green crane was boasting to the dockside diesel how he was the strongest.
"Look at me go! I bet I can pick up anything here!" He yelled, spinning around and swinging his hook.
"I don't think you can, and stop that, it's dangerous." Said the diesel, but the crane didn't listen. The diesel started away, but had a thought.
"I bet you can't pick up a bus!" He yelled to the crane. The big green crane looked down at the diesel and smirked.
"I bet I can! Bring me one and I'll show you." So the diesel went away to find a bus.
He came back with a bright red bus. It looked to be scared of being on the rails, as if something had happened in the past. He shunted it under the crane and watched. With a creak and a crack, he lifted the bus off the ground and into the air. The bus swung around in the air, wind pushing it around.
"I told you so! Find me something better!" He yelled, placing the bus back into the flatbed. The diesel began to roll away, but stopped once again.
"Pick up the bus, and the flatbed! I bet you can't do that!" He yelled to the crane is confidence, but the crane just smiled.
"But I bet I can!" He was attached to the flatbed, and once again after a few creaks and cracks the flatbed was raised in the air. The wind blew it around and it looked as if the crane was having trouble controlling it. He placed it down and smiled.
"Beat that! I told you, I am the strongest crane on the dock!" He said and spun around. The diesel sat and thought, then thought of the best idea.
"I bet you can't lift up me!" The crane started at him, before smiling a wide smile.
"Fine, I will!" He said, and he was attached to the diesel. This time it wasn't just a creak and a crack this time. The crane strained as the diesels wheels left the rails. His hook tugged and the line strained. Finally, the diesel was in the air. He looked around, and spun so he was facing the crane.
"Haha! I told you I could lift you, I am the most strongest crane on the d-" Just then, a large gust of wind blew the against the diesel, and swung the engine around. The crane lost control and swung out over the water. The diesel screamed and looked down at the water.
"Put me back down! I don't wanna be up here anymore!" The crane tried spinning him, but just then his line creaked, and snapped. The diesel fell through the air, and splashed into the water. It dunked to the bottom, and hit the sea floor with a thunk. He sat there, water filling his engine and cab. He watched and waited, hoping his rescue would come soon.
————
It had been 3 months since the diesel had fallen into the water, and finally work on the crane had finished. They had forgotten about the diesel, and had gone back to doing what they needed to do. That was until the crane swung out for the first time in months to unload a ship, and looked down into the water. There sat the diesel, covered in rust. The crane called out to the workers, and a rescue had been arranged. The crane had been assigned to lift the diesel out of the water. He did what he was told, and has hooked onto the diesel. He careful lifted him out of the water, and placed him onto the dockside. He finally saw the diesel once again.
The diesels upper body had completely rusted away, and his cab windows were busted and cracked. His wheels were bent and chipped, and it looked at if one of his side rods was still in the water. But the worst part was that the diesels face had completely rusted over. It was now but a lifeless husk, rusted beyond repair. The diesel was sent for the scrapyard, but wouldn't leave for another week. It just sat there on the dockside, warning other engines not to make the same mistake he did. Some of the engines were frightened to the point they gave him a name. The called the lifeless husk, because of it seawater snarl, Salty.
