Leader of the Track

Chapter 3

Old Town - Day

(Thomas, his Driver and Fireman stood in amazement at what they just found.)

Thomas: What is this place?

Driver: I don't know. 

Thomas: Well, one thing is for sure, it is a funny place to have a town. I wonder what else I'll find here.

(Thomas rolled forward into a station and stopped.)

Thomas: Firing Smokes! Look at this!

(Screen shows the rest of the town, It was big.)

Thomas: This is a very large town.

Fireman: Indeed. This is amazing.

(Suddenly, a voice can be heard.)

???: Hello?

(Everyone looked around, but there was no one there.)

Thomas: Who said that? Driver, was that you?

Driver: No.

???: Hello?

(Everyone looked around again.)

Thomas: The voice seems to be coming from the siding.

Fireman: Are you sure it is safe to check? It looks spooky.

Driver: What are you, 5? It's fine. It's just a siding.

(Thomas was uncoupled from the train and went into the siding. Thomas stopped, his eyes popped wide with wonder. There, standing in front of him was a rusty old broken engine. Thomas felt scared. But, the old engine smiled, it looked kind and gentle, and made Thomas feel less scared.)

Old Engine: Hello. It's been a long, long time since I've seen an engine.

(Thomas stared, he didn't know what to do. He didn't know if he could whistle for help, or race backwards as fast as he could, but he didn't. Instead...)

Thomas: H-Hello... M-My name is Thomas.

Old Engine: Ah, My name is Hiro.

(Thomas' crew came out of his cab and stared at Hiro.)

Driver: My god...

Fireman: Golly...

(Thomas on the other hand had so many questions.)

Thomas: Why are you here? What is this place? Where have you been?

Hiro: Ah, that's a... very long story. Do you like stories, Thomas?

Thomas: Yes, Salty tells us stories all the time.

Hiro: Then I hope you will like mine. I came here a long, long time ago, from Japan. I was one of the engines that arrived during the Second World War. ...Or at least after

Thomas: Where is Japan?

(Flashback.)

Hiro (Narrating): Japan is a long, long way away. There are mountains, snow, and the sea. There were lots of railways. I was the strongest engine at home. I was called 'Master of the Railway'.