Chapter Text
Prologue
November, 1893
In the mountains way out west, night seemed to settle in quietly. It was no different than any other fall evening as birds and beasts seemed to be about their business. Dark storm clouds hung in the air, threatening to dump rain on the small cannon settlement below. It seemed that the only disruption to such peace was due to a locomotive chugging down from a logging village in the mountains.
There was nothing unusual about this locomotive except that it was alone, it was a single engine carrying no cars, no loads, nothing. Normally any train coming from that town had at least two or three loads of logs with it but this one had none. The other peculiar thing about the train was that it was going at near top speeds but was not blowing its whistle to announce its presence. In fact it seemed to be trying to do everything in its power to now draw attention to itself, despite its large and powerful size. The only thing it did seem willing to use was its lamp to light the track. This was because the train itself was a runaway.
His name was Sampson, he was a Superlocomotive, running for his very life.
“Engine Eternal, please hear my plea.” Sampson began as he was still barreling through the mountainside into the canyon that was just at the foot of the mountains, with another larger train not too far behind, “Help me to get away from them! Set me free from their cruelty!”
Almost as if on cue, he saw a rather good sized looking scrap yard just on the other side of the bridge that crossed the canyon.
“Maybe I can hide in here.” Sampson panted as he then tensed up and looked back at the sounds of the large train bringing up the rear. He hoped they hadn’t seen him yet as he quickly turned off his lantern, he would have to navigate by feel and his own vision now.
“I SAW HIM GO THIS WAY!” He heard the train’s engineer yell. But it was the second voice he heard that froze him cold in fear, his own Engineer.
“SAMPSON! TO ME!” He heard him bellow, “NOW!”
He froze for an instant when he heard the command. He knew that this meant his Engineer was serious and to ignore the command would result in punishment. He knew he was in a tough spot. He could take his chances with the scrapyard, hiding amongst his fellow locomotives who had since followed the black train of death, or return to those that had been pursuing him, but to do that would result in a fate far worse than any scrapyard could provide for his kind.
“Engine Eternal, please help me now.” Sampson whispered as he chugged down to the scrapyard, feeling the rain starting to pick up as he did so. Sampson quickly charged down the small drop to where the scrapyard was, spying the three large locomotives near the furnace that looked as though they were dead for some time. Around them there seemed to be piles of old train parts scattered about as well.
Looking around to make sure the coast was clear, Sampson quickly nestled himself between the two bodies of the dead trains and buried his face behind the parts. He made sure all of his lights were off as well as trying to stay as still as possible to keep too much steam from rising from his smokestack. The rain was pouring buckets by now and so it would hopefully obscure their vision and make seeing him a lot harder. He couldn’t help but start to tremble as he heard them coming nearer, trying to keep it from showing too much.
“Do you see him?” The engineer of the train chasing him asked as he was working to keep the train moving, the train trying to search for sampson as well, using its lamps as it looked around. The man was named Jack Ivy, and it was plain to see that, despite his skeleton-like appearance, he was not one to be trifled with.
“No, but I'm sure he went this way, there’s no other tracks for him to switch onto around here.” Sampson’s engineer- a man by the name of Derek Stone- growled out as he tightened his grip on his whip, snapping it against his other hand for Sampson to hear and know that he meant business, Come on out, Sampson, it’s useless to run. Just give up now or the boss will have their whip across your boiler and strip the paint from your sides. We both know she won’t be nearly as merciful as me.”
Sampson now could see the light dancing all around him, squeezing his eyes tighter as he tried to slowly and quietly back up a bit. He knew Derek was right, the person who owned that logging company had a reputation for beating locomotives that were not working as hard as she wanted. His own sides bore those same gashes, and they were only three days old. He trembled slightly as he could feel the light passing just over him, but apparently not enough to identify him. It soon stopped when they felt the rain pouring harder.
“Come on, the rain’s getting too bad and we don’t want to be seen out here.”
“You can’t hide forever, train…” Derek growled out as Jack snapped his own whip against his train’s side to make him move faster, “I will find you.”
“Goliath move now!” Jack yelled as he hit the train again, “Lazy, worthless, train! MOVE!” After a few times Goliath then chuffed and moved even faster, now going at full speed back towards the logging village.
Sampson breathed a sigh of relief as he heard them speed off. He poked out just a bit to watch the train speed off, flinching at the sounds of the whip that was still being used every so often.
“Engine Eternal, that was close.” Sampson sighed to himself as he sank back down into his spot, not daring to leave the safety of his hiding place for fear they may spot him again, “I’ll just wait here a bit longer, to make sure they are gone.”
Sampson sank down low on the tracks, it was the closest trains ever got to ‘lying down’ because of their sheer mass and build. He then gave a rather large yawn as he tried stretching out slightly, he had no idea just how exhausted he had been since his escape. He figured that by now the scrapyard workers had gone home and that he would rest his eyes just a moment or two while he waited.
“As long as I am out of here before they show up for work, I should be safe.” Sampson reasoned as he settled on the track, “I just need a rest, just for a few-yawns-moments…” He didn’t even realize when he had drifted off to sleep…