On The Empty Tracks Of Sodor (GOTP AU)

9. Picking Locks and Fights

"If there were a record of the humans having to leave due to a disaster, where would that be stored?"

"Probably in Sir Topham Hatt's office at Knapford Station. He was the main railway controller for the island."

"Then that's where we'll look next..."

Walking to Knapford Station felt long, but Edward's head was swirling with enough questions to keep him occupied for a bit. What Boulder had said about the humans evacuating made sense- if something dangerous had been coming, then the humans would have fled as fast as they could, leaving behind anything they didn't need. The other engines probably would have worked to help haul the humans to safety, but not all of them could have been transported at the same time.

Cranky would have had to have been left behind- he was a crane that bolted into the docks, after all. Moving him in a quick process would have been near impossible- but it was still puzzling. Why hadn't the rest of them been warned? Was it possible that they'd somehow gotten lost in all of this? Had the other engines been unable to find them and then time ran out and they had to leave them behind?

And the biggest question... what could have happened? What had struck Sodor that was so bad, that not only did the humans have to run away, but they had to abandon the island entirely and never return, even a hundred years later? Nobody came back to rebuild? To search for survivors?

To search for the engines of Tidmouth Sheds?

It couldn't have been a storm. A storm would have been here and gone, allowing the humans to return at least a few days later.
Edward had memory of The Great War between humankind that had occurred, but little of it had reached Sodor, thank goodness. Somehow they'd managed to avert events, but things had been... tense after that. Edward had to wonder if something else had happened. Had war struck again, and this time Sodor hadn't been so lucky?

"Boulder..." He whispered as he caught up with their host, "...Could the cause have been... war?"

Boulder raised a brow, "What do you mean?"

"I mean... The Great War happened shortly before we arrived here from nineteen-twenty-five... Could something similar have happened to cause the humans to leave?"

Boulder nodded in understanding, his expression looking thoughtful, "Well... There was another war like that, yes... but from what I can tell, none of the land or buildings were damaged like they'd been attacked. I don't think that was the cause for this instance."

Edward nodded, "...I wish we had more context about what happened all these years."

"If we can find a way to get you back to where you belong, then you will be able to experience history for yourself. I wouldn't want to spoil the good things that happen too, you know?"

Edward nodded, and then looked ahead of them. "...There! Knapford Station's just ahead."

"Or... What's left of it." Henry mumbled.

Just like everything else, Knapford Station was in a state of decay. Broken glass, rusting metal, and crumbling brick walls lined what was left of the old railways passing through.

"Knapford was one of the busiest stations on Sodor," Emily mumbled, "I don't think I've ever seen it this quiet and empty, even at night."

"There's Sir Topham Hatt's office." James pointed.

Fortunately, it appeared that the part of the building where the office was located was still relatively intact. As they approached, they peered in the window, which miraculously was one of the few glass objects here that was still not shattered.