Thomas and Friends Fanfiction Series 7

Emily Gets the Sack

Emily was a very happy engine. She came to Sodor many years ago and earned some new coaches on her very first day. 

And recently, she rescued Percy, James and Rebecca with help from Rocky, as well as saving Gordon from a collapsing bridge. The Fat Controller had been so proud of her, that he gave her not only a number, but also an official job as the Sodor Safety Engine. 

Emily now cherishes her number which is 12, and she is very proud of her new job as safety engine. 

She still takes passengers, so Belle takes Rocky when she is needed on the tourist traffic. But Emily feels very happy when she is helping her fellow engines. 

One day, Emily was responding to the siren of the Search and Rescue Centre. 

"Someone's in trouble," she panted, "I must get to the Rescue Centre!" 

Emily went as fast as she could, but remained safe to abide the signals and crossings along the way. 

(She passes James along the way.)

Emily soon arrived at the Search and Rescue Centre. Only Rocky and Harold were there. 

"Belle and Flynn are fighting a fire at Wellsworth, Captain is rescuing a scuba diver, and Butch is having his tyres replaced," said Harold. 

"I need you to take me to rescue Nia," said Rocky. 

"What happened to Nia?" asked Emily as she coupled up to Rocky. 

"She derailed on her way to Brendam," said Rocky, "the trucks shoved her off at Suddery!" 

"Let's go!" replied Emily. "Number 12 Safety Engine to the rescue!" 

Emily rushed away with Rocky and they went to Suddery to rescue Nia. 

But Emily was so keen to rescue Nia that she briefly forgot to be safe. 

When they arrived, Emily forgot to remind her Driver to lay out warning signs around the area. And so nobody could know that there was an accident on the line. 

"Emily, am I glad to see you! And you too, Rocky!" sighed Nia, who was stuck off the rails and through a fence between the railway and the grassy hills. 

"We're here now," said Emily, "to work, Rocky!" 

"Right you are!" replied Rocky. 

Rocky lowered his arm to rescue Nia and place her back onto the rails. 

But then there was trouble! 

Edward was coming down the track just as Rocky was lifting Nia. He didn't see any danger flags or signs and so when he rounded the corner, he didn't see Rocky on his track until it was too late! 

Edward bumped into Rocky and Rocky jolted forward, dropping Nia onto the ground again. 

Nia's wheels were now badly dented, flat and broken. 

"Oh no!" she cried. 

"Oh no!" cried Rocky. 

"Oh my!" gasped Edward. 

"Oh...nooo!" moaned Emily. 

Nia was loaded onto a flatbed and taken to the Steamworks by Edward, who also needed to have his buffers looked at. 

The Fat Controller came to see what had happened and found out that nobody left safety flags or signs to warn approaching engines. 

"Emily," he said sternly, "I made you the safety engine so you could help engines and be Really Useful, not to cause more damage than there already was!" 

"I'm so sorry, sir," cried Emily piteously, "I didn't think, sir!" 

"And not thinking clearly in an emergency is very dangerous, which you've shown today," said the Fat Controller coldly, "I wonder if I gave you this responsibility too easily." 

Emily felt terrible as the Fat Controller walked away thinking of his decision. 

"I'm...not going to be a safety engine anymore," she said sadly. 

At the Steamworks, Emily went to see Nia to apologise for the damage to her wheels. 

"I'm so sorry, Nia," she said. 

"It's okay, Emily," reassured Nia, "everybody makes mistakes sometimes." 

"Well, that mistake was too dangerous and I cannot do it again. I will stop being a safety engine." 

Nia was shocked. 

"Victor," called Emily, "can you remove my number?" 

"But you just got it, Emily," said Victor confusedly. 

"I don't deserve it anymore," explained Emily unhappily. 

"Nonsense, Emily," called Nia, "you deserve that number and you are the most useful safety engine I can imagine on the Island!" 

"But I caused Edward to bump into Rocky and me, and then that made Rocky drop you and damage your wheels and-" 

"But I drop things all the time and I'm still Really Useful, right, boss?" put in Kevin. 

"Hmm, I would say no, but I know I cannot manage without you, Kevin," teased Victor. 

Just then, Thomas rushed in worriedly. 

"I just saw Dennis and Norman," he said in a hurry, "they were on a runaway with some heavy steel trucks!" 

"Oh, my!" gasped Emily. 

With her instincts for safety, Emily exited the Steamworks, blew her whistle and rushed after the runaway diesels. 

"They were heading towards the Quarry!" shouted Thomas. 

Emily raced towards the Quarry and eventually she caught up with Dennis and Norman. 

"Our brakes have failed!" shouted Dennis. 

"We can't stoooop!" yelled Norman. 

Emily knew that if the runaway hit the Quarry, a terrible catastrophe would happen, so she took action. She switched tracks and the Guard in his brake van hooked her to the back of the train. 

Emily put on her brakes and pulled back as hard as she could. 

The train slowly began to slow down but they were getting nearer to the Quarry. 

Mavis saw them coming and gasped. 

"LOOK OUT!" she cried. 

Emily braked harder and harder and...she stopped with Dennis' buffers just in front of Mavis'. 

"Phew! Thank you, Emily!" chanted the three diesels in unison. 

The Fat Controller heard the news and praised Emily. 

"You have more than made up for this morning's accident with your rescue here, Emily," he said, "if you had reacted any slower than you had to the emergency, the runaway trucks would have caused a lot of damage and hurt a lot of engines and workmen!" 

Emily smiled. Her confidence had returned. 

"Thank you, sir." 

"After this, you deserve to keep your job and number," added the Fat Controller. 

Emily was very happy to be the Number 12 Safety Engine once again! 

(The End!)