Chapter 1

850 Words2 Pages

Waiting impatiently for the arrival of the Allegro Middleseton the Upper Chadwell Green Monitoring Unit counted every wheel-turn between start and finish of its journey, a journey that took the massive double engined, battery-powered shining blue train through the rain directly towards, and beyond the huge railway configuration situated between smokestacks 2 and 3. Upper Chadwell Green Monitoring Unit also checked on the whereabouts of Coal Train 6476.
Inexplicably train 6476 had stopped just outside tunnel 17.
Ting walked the line to where Coal Train 6476 stood counting down the seconds until a local train, a train without passengers or crew idled from Astringham Vale on track 12. Both trains oblivious of the monster train Allegro Middleseton blowing smoke rings of rage racing to catch up with its usually impeccable timetable.
Elizabeth stepped carefully over the criss-cross web of rail lines to touch the slow-moving local train. Flakey held her hand, they both felt the track begin to bounce.
'You would never have thought such a little locomotive could generate such a disturbance.' Flakey laughed at the brown and orange coaches ambling their way past the bigger coal engine.
'Run!' shouted Ting. 'Go back!'
Elizabeth looked to where Ting was pointing, track 44 shook violently. Coming at her, with pointed nose and steely eyes Allegro Middleseton was about to fly into the space she occupied.
Ting ran and dived, grabbing Elizabeth sending her out of the path of instant death into a safe hollow where they both held each other until track 44 finished vibrating. Coal Train 6476 toppled forward on its wheels then crashed back into the embankment.
Unaware of the calamity all five empty coaches, pulled by the Astringham Vale 10am on tr...

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...is not one of them.'
Ting pulled himself into the wagon just in time to push his way between Carole and Elizabeth, one of which was furious, the other hadn't noticed. Using his body as a barrier he did his best to separate the two Sounds before and damage could be done.
'What my friend here is trying to say,' Ting thought the wind would blow him off the train if it didn't stop or at least slow down, 'is, the end of your world is approaching faster than this high-powered vehicle is travelling along track 26.
'This isn't track 26,' Carole looked at Ting, 'we arrive back on track 26. This is track 24.'
Ting apologised. Choosing his words with care, he said. 'You, and those who are like you must come with us. After we rescue Flakey come to a Safe Place where you will be dry and enjoy peace.'
'OK,' said Carole.
Elizabeth smiled, Ting's persuasive skills impressed her.

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