Work Text:
Circa 1935
Thomas knew what he was doing was wrong.
He knew from the moment that he started to see those gates and that smoke and the smell.
But he also knew that it was either him or one of his friends. They had already taken James, Henry, Percy, Edward.
Not even Gordon was spared.
It was supposed to be just another job.
Just following orders.
But he knew there was no coming back from this.
He knew that he was lucky just to even see the light of day. Unlike his friends, the passengers.
There was nothing he could do, the passengers were going to die.
A useful engine followed orders. A useful engine was on time. A useful engine didn’t question. A useful engine followed orders. A useful engine keeps going.
So this useful engine will keep chugging along and along and along, until it ends, for him or for the passengers. Just keep chugging along. Until the end, like a useful engine should.