short story

Learning the Line

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On the Eight by Four Railway — with extensions — early morning mist curled around the sleepy steam engines and mingled with the first wisps of steam as the firemen coaxed their fires into life for a new day’s work.

One by one, the engines gently woke on their sidings at Caerphilly Yard, their boilers bubbling as they stirred from sleep.

Pickle, a small green tank engine with a bright brass dome, yawned a cloud of steam. Today was his first day pulling the milk tankers to the Cheese and Gate Creamery, and his wheels quivered with excitement.

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SS2.8 – Extraction

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It was still dark when Grandma Bella roused the boys for an early breakfast. It was the best one yet, a full cooked breakfast, bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, sausage, beans, mushrooms and tomato. There was also a huge stack of toast, just in case anyone was still a bit hungry.

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SS2.7 – Dog and Bone

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After lunch, all of the boys started yawning, and once one started, they all started non-stop. Even though it was still early afternoon Grandma Bella dispatched all the boys upstairs for a nap. Again, they could hardly believe their luck, beds – real beds with sheets, and pillows; and one bed for each of them! To Grandma Bella’s amusement, the pups who would normally object strenuously to taking an afternoon nap, all insisted that they wanted to take a nap too. Hamish snuggled in with Seb, Fergus with Charlie and Angus with Raven. Lewis of course had Dogger. Soon all the boys and hunde puppies were fast asleep, the boys feeling completely safe for the first time in a very, very long time.

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SS2.6 – The Fox and Hounds

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Charlie: I can see them! – they’re coming back, and there’s some… some… um…

Charlie, who had never seen a Hunde before, couldn’t quite comprehend what he was seeing.

…some people with them, well I think they’re people – um – they look like, wow! They look like dogs – but they are walking like people!

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SS2.5 – Barking Green

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After several hours of undisturbed sleep, Raven stirred, waking with a start.  Pitch black surrounded him, and it took a few moments to remember where and why he was there.  He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and stretched out his stiff back. Despite the blankets and sleeping bags, the platform had still been hard and cold to sleep on.

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SS2.4 – Walking Underground

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Two at a time, the clan swelled to almost their full size at the end of the station platform next to the underground tunnel portal.

Raven: Just Seb and Red to come now guys. Those with torches make sure you conserve the batteries, we’re gonna need them.

Samson: I’ve got a spare one if that helps.

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SS2.3 – The Station

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Red looked around at the group of faces, the same faces that had trusted him to keep them all safe for so long. The crushing weight of responsibility weighed heavily on his heart, however, now was not the time to dwell on feelings, rather it was time to engage the head and the street smarts that had served him well over the last few years. As he looked, each face told a different story, yet each had the same fear, concern and determination etched behind the grimy smears, along with just one or two tears.

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SS2.2 – Fleeing by Night

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As soon as they returned to the basement, Red wasted no time.

Red: Everyone, listen up. The Marauders are getting too damn close, it’s only a matter of time before they find us, and we can’t take that risk. The basement is no longer safe – we need to move, and we need to move tonight. Pack what you need, whatever food we have left, a bottle of water and be ready to move as soon as we can. Help each other.

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SS2.1 – Post-Apocalypse: The Great Collapse

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The Great Collapse came after the virus. The virus had wiped-out ninety-nine percent of the Earth’s population, over the space of just two years. Three years later, only a remnant of the population remained, leaving what was once a thriving advanced civilization, to one of basic survival – survival of the fittest, strongest and smartest.

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