On The Empty Tracks Of Sodor (GOTP AU)

16. Holes

All it took was one wrong step.

Thomas had tried to follow instructions, to keep stepping in the same spots as his friends, but his legs just weren't long enough, and his foot had slipped in the slick mud. He'd slid across the wooden slats like a hockey puck on ice, but then it crumbled under his weight and he fell.

Thomas had heard Percy's wail of his name as he plummeted into the dark, but then it was cut short as he splashed into water that must've collected under the wood over time. His body stiffened at the cold and sudden impact, preventing him from moving until the surface was well above him... Somewhere. He was sinking, slowly falling, but it was pitch black around him, he didn't know which way was up or even how to get there. He was an engine, and engines weren't taught how to swim.

His arms and legs remained limp as he sank, the pounding in his chest fast and hard. H-Help! Help! Help me!
He didn't know who or what he might be calling out for, his friends couldn't hear him down here. His head was spinning, his thoughts swirling...

Then a light appeared above him. Blue in color, it seemed to ignite the depths as it approached, allowing Thomas to see around him. It then took on a shape, the shape of his oldest friend diving down after him. E-Edward...!?

Hang on! Edward's voice seemed to echo despite his lips not even moving, his eyes glowing brighter as he reached out and grabbed Thomas around the torso and pulled him closer to him. Hold on...!

He twisted to help Thomas lay on his back and wrap the little engine's arms around his neck, and then somehow knew how to swim back upwards. Kicking his legs, the larger blue engine moved higher and higher before both of them gasped for air as they reached the top.

Thomas heard someone holler from above, and then from the hole in the wood came a familiar hook and line curtesy of Cranky. Edward swam over to the line and grabbed onto it, and then Thomas heard the crane grunting softly, and the line Edward grasped began to retract, lifting them from the water and back into the dim light from Boulder and Blades' lights.

"Thomas!"

Thomas looked as Cranky's crane arm retracted backwards, pulling them away from the wood and onto solid ground. Mud and soil caked the crane's lower legs, as if providing more leverage as he twisted and then placed Edward down carefully on the ground. Thomas was shaking as Edward sat down on his hands and knees, but he smiled as Percy rushed over and grabbed onto him.

"Thomas, you're okay!"

"Y-Yeah...!" Thomas hugged his friend back, "I-I'm okay...! Thanks, Edward... Thanks, Cranky..."

Cranky gave the little engine a slight smile, and then helped Edward- whose eyes had gone back to normal and now appeared a little dazed- up to his feet. "Try not to do that again, Thomas."

"A-Agreed...!"

"You two alright?"

Edward slowly nodded, and Thomas tried to stand up, but his legs wobbled underneath him and he fell back down into the mud. "N-Not quite ready to walk, I guess..."

Edward looked to him and then offered his back once more, "Don't worry, Thomas... I can carry you-"

"Edward, what were you thinking!?"
Gordon marched over to the other blue engine as he adjusted Thomas' position on his back, "You could have easily gotten both of you trapped down there!"

Edward tilted his head to one side, "I didn't really, I just... Acted on instinct."

"Good instincts, then." Blades praised.

Blades and Boulder pounded their fists together, and then Boulder overlooked the group. "Okay, let's keep going... I might just have Graham groundbridge us out of here when we're done instead of trying to navigate that hole again..."
Boulder clapped his hands again, feeling the tunnels ahead. "...It splits just ahead, but after that, no splitting up."