Changes in the Wind - Part III: Gordon and the Extinct Ones

Chapter 5: Reasons

Gordon did not sleep well. A cold marshaling yard, stuck there all throughout the day, cramped between two other engines in a siding, hiding between the long rows of trucks. Worse yet, Gordon had to stay face-to-face with Hector's glaring gaze. The big engine found it most annoying. As the moon began to come up once again, Papyrus returned. "I've talked to the signalmen," he said, "they say a clear route shall be in store for us with no threats on it. We'll get to Lincoln and hide there!"

"Lincoln? Really?" huffed the pannier tank engine, whose name was Aiden, "what are we going to do? Hide in the cathedral on that hill?"

Papyrus glared at Aiden, who subsided wisely. The Pacific sighed gravely. "Everyone get ready," he announced, "fill up with coal and water, we've also picked up a few more engines. About six, they have kindly hidden us away here and we will allow them to join, any obligations and I will personally see that you will be taken out of this group. Understood?"

A murmur of unison came from the engines, Papyrus harrumphed with satisfaction and moved off to look out for any oncoming engines. The men came to get the engines and steam them up and Gordon saw to his amazement that it was just young men who were doing it too, it was women as well, getting into their engines and steaming them up. Men that looked like retired drivers were also there, making quick jokes to the engines, which made the steam engines smile or chuckle a little. Gordon looked down to Matt who walked back up to the big engine. "Looks like I got you again," he grinned.

Gordon rolled his eyes. "If you're going to be in my cab, I would like to run without you controlling me," he said, "there's only one of you and I cannot go back to London now. Might as well travel with this pack."

A light chuckle came from Matt. "Very well," he said, he then pointed a finger at the big engine though, "I want no funny busy though, or I won't be giving you coal. I'll give you the remains of my nice bottle of rum."

Gordon blinked in befuddlement as Matt walked off to the cab, chuckling to himself. "I thought rum was what pirates drink?" he said to Hector.

The other engine didn't say anything, he just huffed like he usually did. Gordon decided it best to focus the conversation on Matt. "So, why do this for us?"

"What? The helping engines out to get them to a safe place?" said Matt, whilst lighting Gordon's fire, "simple, how do you feel about the engine in front of you."

Gordon looked to Hector, who only glared back. "To be honest with you," said Gordon, "I feel like I should stay away from him for the next day."

A laugh came from Matt. "Yeah, I wouldn't blame you," he said, now blowing on the fire, "his stare could cut daggers."

"Indeed," said Gordon, "why ask me a random question?"

Matt sighed deeply. "My father was a train driver," he began, "even when I small lad he was driving you engines. He was allocated to a branch in the midlands, there wasn't much but there was this tank engine there. My dad liked him a lot, so he decided to name it after himself, the railwaymen found it funny at first but the name stuck and the engine liked it. I used to go on rides in the cab, I loved the feeling of the wind in my face, and the steam going through my hair. I loved that engine. I told my dad that I would drive him just like he did when I grew up."

"What happened?" asked Gordon, fearing what could come next.

Matt's voice sunk down in tone with what he said. "Diesels arrive," he said darkly, "me Dad and I had different viewpoints on diesels. I found them to not look as nice as the steam engines, but my dad looked at them in awe and interest. When a deltic came to our station, it bragged that it was the newest and best thing, and told our engine that he should give up and be scrapped now. And when that deltic roared its engine and left the station, my dad changed. Ever since that moment, he was horrid to the engine, distant, rude, and rough with him. We knew exactly what he was doing."