The Midnight Train Crossing

The train yard was empty, engines on their routes, cars making deliveries, save one small steam engine. Today was his "day off". He and his train were getting more of these all the time. He sighed, fearing one day soon; he'd be taken off the rails forever. He'd seen it happen to steamers before him, as diesels took over his train yard. He got up and headed to his house.

His older cars were relaxing in the steamer roundhouse, which was now Talck's house, with the lack of other steamers.
Xanni, his dry-foods car, was grumbling and complaining, "I can't believe they're doing this," She moaned, "We were told we had a big run today!"
Dinni, the perishable foods car, sighed, "It's not like we can do anything about it," He said, "What CP says, goes, there's no way to stop it!"
Talck came in slowly, "You didn't have to stay here," He said, "You could have gone with one of the diesels."
Xanni snorted, "Yeah like that's gonna happen."
Imbrri, the perishable liquids car, who was closer to Talck's age, looked at him, "You ok?" She asked.
Talck nodded and sat down, "Yeah, it's not like I can do anything about it," He looked around, "Where's Rossi?" He asked, referring to his little pink caboose.
"Out playing" Dinni said, "She promised not to go far or on the well used tracks."
Talck nodded and went back to brooding about his lack of work in the past weeks.

Rossi was out by the back tracks playing alone. There weren't any cars or engines her age to play with, so she'd learned to create her own fun. She liked days off when the train yard was empty and the other trains couldn't yell at her for being in the way.
She was humming to herself as she moved along the tracks; she'd been able to move really fast without Talck. It felt great to pretend to be an engine.
She rounded one corner and saw a big hill nearby; she knew Talck told her to put on her breaks whenever they went down hills, so that they wouldn't lose control. She grinned, going down hills like that without any breaks would make her go really fast. She skated towards the hill.

Talck sighed a little later and got up. "It's almost time for the others to get back," He said, "We should get Rossi in."
Dinni nodded, "I'll help you find her," He said, getting up as well.
They'd barely managed to get out the door, when they were blocked by Propo, "What the frell did you think you were doing?" The diesel engine asked in a dangerously low voice.
"I'm just getting my caboose Propo," Talck said, trying to go around him.
Propo grabbed his arm, "That's what I'm talking about, you just wait until CP gets here." He pulled the engine toward the roundhouse.
"Hey, what d'you think you're doing?" Dinni asked, being dragged along behind Talck.

Talck uncoupled him, "Go get your sisters, something's wrong," He said, the tone in his voice made Dinni head back to the house as fast as his wheels would take him.

When the three siblings got to the dining hall it was full. CP had just arrived, and Propo was yelling about something, and pointing at Talck.
Talck's face was ashen as he listened.
Imbrri tried to understand Propo over the complaints of the coaches he'd been pulling. She only caught two words, but it was enough to make her feel faint. "Caboose" and "Crash"
Imbrri moved forward, "What is it? What happened to Rossi?" She demanded as Talck pulled her back behind him.
Propo turned to the silver car, "The squirt was playing on the tracks," He said, "She nearly threw me off, do you know what that would've done?"
Prissy, a dining car, moved forward, "I've never been so scared in my life!" She whined, "Mir bumped into me when Propo put on the breaks, I'm sure my paint's scratched!"
Dinni moved forward, "So where is she? You're all ok, where'd she go?"
Propo sneered, "I managed to stay on the tracks, but I don't think the little squirt was so lucky."
Dinni growled at the diesel's name for Rossi as Xanni's eyes widened, "She's with Tram right, he's fixing her right?"
Propo laughed, "You think I'd take the time to pick up a scrapped caboose? I had to get these ladies back to get their paint fixed."
Dinni nearly lost it, "You just left her? She could be shut down and you just left her??" He started to lunge at Propo, but Xanni grabbed him and held him back.
"No Din, it's not worth it!" She said softly, pulling him away.
Propo sneered with the other diesels, "Check it out, the little car wants to fight,"
CP spoke for the first time, "Talck, your irresponsibility nearly cost us greatly," He said softly, "Go fetch your caboose. I'll deal with you later."

Talck nodded, turning to Propo, "What track were you on?"
"42."
Both Dinni and Xanni started yelling. Imbrri managed to quiet her brother, but Xanni continued to shout, "They shut down those tracks two months ago!" She said, "What the frell were you doing on them?"
Propo shrugged, "I took a detour," He sneered, giving Prissy and Mir a small smile as they giggled and blushed slightly.
Talck turned to leave, when Dinni came up behind him, "I'll go with you," He said.
"Me too," Xanni and Imbrri said in unison.
Dinni, calmed down now, shook his head, "You stay here, go back to the house, we'll be ok," He said, not sure what they'd find.
The sisters nodded, Xanni giving Propo a glare as they left.
Dinni hitched onto Talck and they headed to track 42.

They rounded a corner at the bottom of a hill. There were marks in the ditch and on the tracks, showing where the crash had occurred.
"She's gotta be here somewhere," Talck said, looking around.
Dinni's eyes swept the ditch, catching on a bit of pink, "Starlight no!" He breathed as he unhitched from Talck.
Talck had barely turned around before Dinni was in the ditch, picking up the little caboose.
Talck's eyes filled with tears as Dinni passed her to him, "Oh Little One," He whispered, she looked dead.
Her tiny body was filled with dings and dents, scrapes and bruises. She didn't look like the fun loving caboose he knew. He helped Dinni out of the ditch and waited for him to hitch on.
Dinni's voice was thick with tears, "Let's get her back to Tram, he'll fix her, he has to."
Talck nodded and moved down the tracks as fast as he dared.

He saw the small caboose, but didn't move towards her.
"What's wrong?" Dinni asked, "Why won't you fix her?"
Tram looked like he was going to explain, when Propo came out of the back room behind him, "CP figures that if your little caboose is going to constantly get banged up, it's not worth his time or money to have her repaired."
"WHAT?"
Dinni turned around quickly to see his sisters standing behind him, his ears ringing with their cries.
Tram looked down at his feet.
Talck shook his head, "He has to fix her!" He said.
"That's where you're wrong, steamer, the little squirt doesn't have to be fixed at all," Propo practically spit out, "Besides the girls and I still need to be fixed."
Imbrri moved by her brother and went over to Rossi, tears streaming down her cheeks, "Can't you do anything?" She begged Tram.
Tram was about to answer, when Rossi moaned slightly, her eyes opening to slits through the swelling on her face. Tears immediately started streaming out of her eyes as she looked at her engine and older sister, "I hurt," She managed to croak through parched lips.
Imbrri choked back a sob as Talck gently stroked Rossi's hair, "I know Little One, we're going to get you fixed," He said.
Propo snorted, "That's right, fill her head with false hopes," He gave a cruel laugh.
Dinni and Xanni moved towards their sister as well,
Dinni took her hand and looked at Tram, "Please," He whispered to the repair truck.
Tram's eyes shifted to Propo, who wasn't paying attention, then mouthed *I'll do what I can*.

"Talck!" A voice rang out. The train turned to see CP standing in the doorway, "You and the working members of your train are to come with me!"
The three siblings looked horrified, "Can't one of us stay with Rossi?" Xanni asked.
"The caboose is of no use to us or you!" CP growled, "Leave her here to shut down in peace and come with me."
Talck and his train looked at each other horrified, "But--"
"NOW!"
Talck sighed and gave Rossi's head one last rub as he followed the head engine.
Rossi clutched her brother's hand, "Don't leave me, please don't leave me!" She whimpered.
Dinni leaned down and gave her forehead a kiss, "We'll be right back Rossi," He said, "Stay brave, we'll be back very soon!"
The three cars and their engine left the repair shop, giving backward glances at Rossi, who was sobbing and calling after them, trying to get up. Tram held her down, not wanting her to damage herself more.
Propo laughed, "C'mon Tram, it's just a caboose," He said as he left the shed.

Tram sighed, looking around his shop, the diesels knew him too well. They knew he wouldn't be able to leave the caboose as she lay. They had removed most of his tools, and anything that would make the little caboose comfortable. He knew he'd be able to keep her functional, but at what cost. Anything he did to help her would hurt her incredibly, he could only hope she'd pass out from the pain quickly so she didn't have to suffer through it.
"I'm sorry Rossi," He whispered, looking at her terrified face and reaching for a tool.

A half hour later, Talck and his coaches were allowed to talk to the head engine. They entered the room where CP was sitting in a large comfortable chair.
"Now then," He murmured, "You have caused yet another upheaval in this yard," He glared straight at Talck.
Talck shifted uncomfortably, "Sir, it wasn't our fault," He said.
"Yes, it was the caboose's," CP held up a hand as Talck and his coaches tried to protest, "But she is your responsibility, and I expect you to keep control of her." He sounded incredibly calm and reasonable, which was always a bad sign. "If she doesn't shut down by tomorrow, she's going to have to leave, it's as simple as that."
"What?"
"But sir!"
"You can't be serious!"
Her siblings all said at once, trying to have their say.
"SILENCE!" CP thundered, causing the coaches to cower.
Talck couldn't believe what was happening.
"Sir, you can't do that, she wouldn't survive on her own!" He said.
CP looked calm again, "That's no concern of ours," He said.
Talck bit his lip, "Sir, if you send her away, where would she go?"
CP's gaze held Talck's causing the young engine to sweat, "Where ever there's room," He said with a shrug, "I'm sure she could find somewhere nearby."
Talck swallowed, "If… if we went with her, would you find a yard that would accept us?" He asked.
CP raised an eyebrow, as the coaches all watched Talck with hope. "You really have false hopes you know, I saw the caboose and she doesn't look to last the night."
"She's tougher than she looks Sir," Talck said, "If she lasts the night, will you find us a yard to go to with her?" He asked again.
CP looked thoughtful for a moment, "I may," He said, "I've heard of a yard that would accept your kind, caboose and all. I'll think about it. You're dismissed."
Talck nodded and turned to leave with his coaches, praying that there was some hope.

CP leaned back in his chair, thinking. Talck had surprised him, and shown some intellect, with the offer to leave. He'd solved the dilemma of what to do with the no good steamer. CP smiled, "Propo get in here!" He called.
The diesel came in from where he was waiting right outside the door.
CP was writing a note down quickly, "I want you to deliver this letter to the head engine at the yard on the envelope," He said, "It's a steamer," He practically growled out the word, and raised a hand at Propo's slightly shocked face, "Yes I know, but try and show a little respect, he is head engine of a yard stuck in the past."
Propo nodded and turned to leave, "Very soon we'll have the last steamer gone finally," He heard CP mutter and grinned to himself as he moved out of the room and down the tracks.

Tram sighed as the door shut, leaving him alone with the steam engine and his coaches. "It's ok, I guess," He said, "She's in the back room, I figured it would be a better place for her when they came in."
Talck looked around, "Tram, how did you fix her?" He asked, looking at the crude tools on the wall.
Tram sat down and buried his head in his hands, "I had to, I couldn't just leave her," He moaned.
Xanni and Dinni moved to the back room where Rossi was, while Imbrri sat down beside Tram, "Had to what?" She asked.
Tram looked up at her, his eyes filled with pain, "They took everything, I couldn't even put her to sleep, I had to fix her while she was awake, not even fix her, just make her functional." He looked down, "It hurt her so much," He shuddered as he remembered the caboose's painful screams.
Imbrri's eyes filled with tears, "But, she's ok right?" She asked.
Tram didn't look up, "She'll live," He said, "I doubt if she'll move much until she can be fixed fully, and I doubt they'll let me."
Imbrri nodded, getting up to check on her sister.
Talck put a hand on Tram's shoulder, "Thanks Tram, I know you did what you could,"
Tram nodded, not watching as Talck went to check his caboose. Tram knew he'd never forget the look in Rossi's eyes as he worked on her in the minutes before she lost consciousness.

A couple hours later, Rossi still hadn't woken up.
Talck looked up as CP entered the back room of the repair shop.
The head engine just looked at the train. "I've sent a note ahead, you'll be leaving in the morning," He said, turning to leave.
Talck got up and followed him, "But Sir, Rossi's in no shape to travel, can't we wait for her to heal, even just a couple of days?"
CP turned and looked at him, "If I were you, I'd gather my things," He said, "By tomorrow, you're not longer welcome here."
Talck watched as CP left and sighed. He turned back to the room, "We'd better go get our things," He said softly, "There's no other choice."
The sisters looked at Rossi, "Do you think she'll be ok?" Xanni asked.
"I'll carry her," Dinni said, "She won't have to move, they'll have a repair truck at the new yard, they have to!"
Imbrri nodded. Talck sighed, "Only one of us should stay, the rest of us can pack up our things, even though that won't take very long."
Dinni nodded, looking at his sisters, "I'll stay here with her, I don't have anything that I need."
His sisters nodded and got up to follow Talck.

The next morning Talck slowly headed out from the yard.
Rossi was now awake and had explained what had happened from her side. How she'd been going down the hill to pretend to be an engine and had been pushed off the tracks by Propo.
Talck knew it would take a while for the young caboose to get over the crash, especially after she'd nearly fainted from going down a very small slope that headed out of the yard.
He sighed and looked back at his train, no one was greatly depressed about leaving this yard, but everyone was worried about the new one. What had CP told them in his note, and how would they react to steamers?
Talck looked at the now sleeping Rossi, who was nestled in Dinni's arms. She'd shown them that she could stand on her own if Talck went slow, but Dinni preferred to carry her as long as he could.

Talck looked ahead of him, following the directions CP had given him.
He sent a small prayer to the Starlight Express that the future would be better than the past.
He thought to himself, that nothing could really be worse than this. At least, he hoped not.