Thomas And The Portrait of What Looked Like A Large Pile Of Ash

Chapter 4: The Real Thomas The Tank Engine

Percy was chuffing to his seat in the theater with some coal when he saw Toby in the seat next to him. He was a critic who was going to review a new play.

"Hello Percy.", greeted Toby.

"Where's James?", asked Percy.

"I'm standing in for him", replied Toby.

"Where's Edward?", they said together in unison.

"It is as if we only existed one at a time, combining to achieve continuity. I keep space warm for Edward.  My presence defines his absence, his absence confirms my presence, his presence precludes mine.", monologued Toby. Percy stopped him.

"This play is a mystery.", Percy announced. "A who killed whom thing." They saw an engine carcass on the stage and the play started. There was a pause.

"You can't start with a pause.", said Percy. "Where Edward tonight, then?"

"It will follow me to the grave and become my epitaph-Here lies Toby the second string: where's Edward? Sometimes I dream of revolution, a bloody coup d'etat by the second rank-troupes of actors slaughtered by their understudies, magicians sawn in half by smiling glamour girls, cricket teams wiped out by marauding bands of twelfth men. Sometimes I dream of Edward", monologued Toby.

"Have a chocolate", said Percy.

"What kind?", asked Toby.

"Black magic", said Percy.

"No thanks", said Toby.

Just then, Mavis came on the stage, dusting the radio.

"We interrupt out program for a special police message. The search still goes on for the escaped madengine who is on the run in Sodor.", it announced.

"Sodor!", gasped Mavis.

"County police led by Thomas the Tank Engine have received a report that the engine has been seen in the desolate marshes around Tidmouth Sheds.", announced the radio. Mavis gasped.

"The engine is wearing greenish paint with yellowish lettering. He is a tank engine and youngish. Anyone seeing an engine answering to his description and acting suspiciously, is advised to phone the nearest police station. That is the end of the police message.", annouced the radio. The phone rang and Mavis picked it up.

"Hello, the drawing-room of Emily's country residence one morning in early spring? ... Hello!-the draw-- Who? Who did you wish to speak to? I'm afraid there is no one of that name here, this is all very mysterious and I'm sure it's leading up to something, I hope nothing is amiss for we, that is Emily and her houseguests, are here cut off from the world, including Gordon, the wheelchair-ridden half-brother of her ladyship's husband Henry who ten years ago went out for a walk on the cliffs and was never seen again-and all alone, for they had no children.", she answered. Then an engine answering to the description in the police message entered Tidmouth Sheds.

"Ah!-hello there! I'm Duck, I hope you don't mind, the door was open so I wandered in. I'm a friend of Emily, the lady of the house, having made her acquaintance through a mutual friend, Rosie, shortly after moving into this neighborhood just the other day.", he introduced himself. 

"I'm Mavis. I don't live in but I pop in when the weather allows to help in the running of charming though somewhat isolated Tidmouth Sheds.", Mavis introduced herself. 

"I think I must be waiting for Edward to die. I wonder if it is the same for James, the third-string critic, my stand-in.", ruminated Toby.

"Here is another police message. Sodor police are still searching in vain for the madengine who is at large in the deadly marshes of the coastal region. Thomas the Tank Engine who is masterminding the operation, is not available for comment but it is widely believed that he has a secret plan. Meanwhile police and volunteers are combing the swamps with loud-hailers, shouting, "Don't be a madman, give yourself up." That is the end of the police message.", annouced the radio. A troublesome truck shunted into Tidmouth Sheds.