Heroic Engines: Part 3

The Tale of Tyler

The rescued engine, whose old number was 36006, was taken away to the Big Railway's works by Hiro. "He's a very interesting engine," he told the little engines. "I hope they make him Really Useful soon."
"Of course they will," Edward Mann said earnestly. "They're some sort of magic with how well they handle their engines."
"Well I hope I get to go there again," Smudger put in. "My axels are aching so badly!"
As the temperature grew lower, the engines worked harder. Smudger had never worked so hard before in his life, and he was beginning to wear out. But much to everyone's surprise, he wouldn't let that stop him.

On the night before New Year's, Smudger finally met his limits. Edward's fire wouldn't light, and he didn't want his train to be delayed.
"I'll take it for him," Smudger said. His Driver was concerned about the strain Smudger had been under, but eventually agreed.
Edward's goods train was heavier than Smudger had anticipated, but he struggled on anyway. He was only halfway to the next junction when his safety valve burst. Hissing mournfully, he ground to a halt.
His Driver examined him carefully. The cold winter air whipped around Smudger's cooling boiler. "Yeah," his Driver finally said, "there's no way you can pull this train anymore.

Lewis came to take the train, and Candy helped the shivering Smudger back to the sheds. Once they arrived back, Edward was finally in steam, and hurried away to take Candy's train.
Smudger and Candy were alone in the shed. The doors were closed, and they could hear the icy wind whistling through the cracks.
Candy finally spoke. "Hey," she said, "I owe you an apology."
Smudger stared. "You do?" he asked meekly.
"Yeah. I treated you horribly when I first met you, and you didn't deserve that, especially since I didn't even know you back then. I guess it's because I was still upset about Tyler."
"Who's Tyler?"

"Tyler was my twin," Candy explained. "Both built at the same time, right here on the Island. We used to work at the slate mines together. He was always a little more headstrong than me, and ready to take on a challenge, while I wanted to follow directions and play it safe.
"The railway eventually bought the mine, and we both got our numbers. He was 2, and I was 3. We got to do a lot more now that we were part of a bigger railway, and we were really happy. He still took risks, and always jumped at the opportunity to pull any train. 'You need to take what life gives you and roll with it,' is what he always said to me."
Candy chuckled to herself, even though her eyes had begun to water. "He was a bit of an idiot," she said with a faint smile.

"Eventually the war broke out, and the mainland wanted to buy one of us to use for trenches. Tyler begged the Little Controller to let him go, and eventually he did. I was really upset, and asked him not to go.
"'It's a life experience,' he said to me, 'and I'll be doing some good for the country. Besides, I'll be helping to protect my sister, right?'
"I really didn't want him to leave. I had a horrible feeling about it. But Tyler had made up his mind, so they sent him away on a big ship…"
Candy couldn't hold back her tears any longer. "After that," she said, "we heard about what happened in Hiroshima…"

Smudger was horrified. Candy looked at him through her sad eyes. "There was almost nothing left of him by the time they found him," she said sadly. "So they melted his parts down and put them to other use.
"I must've cried for days. I wanted to know why he didn't listen to me, why he chose to get himself blown up…that idiot, that idiot…"
Smudger frowned. He hadn't a clue about what to say. "I'm really sorry…" he said slowly.
"Well…" Candy sighed. "He did his best, and even after he was scrapped, they put his parts to good use…and we still have his old nameplate, so I'll always have a part of him."

"Anyway," Candy went on, "when you arrived, the Little Controller said you'd take on Tyler's old number. I always saw him as a hard worker, and when I heard about what you went through, I thought you'd bring shame onto his number…"
Smudger flustered in embarrassment, remembering how he derailed on his very first day.
But Candy was smiling softly at him. "But you proved me wrong," she said. "After everything that's happened, I think Tyler would've been proud to see you running with his number."
Smudger smiled. "I'm glad to hear that, Candy," he said.
And the two engines have been inseparable friends ever since.