The Ghost of Misty Island

'Thomas' Foreign Friends: The Ghost of Misty Island'
Written by Jonathan Asiamah-Acheampong



It was a foggy night on the Island of Sodor and Penelope was working on the Kirk Ronan branch line with Wendell and Zoe.

PENELOPE: When will the fog go away?

PENELOPE'S DRIVER: The weather forecast says that the fog lasts for three days.

WENDELL: Good thing you have your lamp on, Penelope.

ZOE: Who knows what might happen.

PENELOPE: I agree.

(PENELOPE WHISTLES)

At the Kirk Ronan station, the passengers have just disembarked the coaches when the stationmaster arrived with important news.

STATIONMASTER: A delivery of Jobi logs are needed for the Timber Yards, Penelope. Take your coaches to the shunting yards and remember to fill up with coal and water before leaving.

PENELOPE: I will. But who will take the fuel to the Dieselworks?

STATIONMASTER: Ferdinand will take over. Now, run along!

HOOK: That's a very important job, Penelope. Good luck!

PENELOPE: Thanks!

(CHUFFING)

At the Coaling Plant, Penelope was just having her bunker filled with coal when 'Arry and Bert oiled up.

BERT: You look cheerful.

PENELOPE: I am! I have to take Jobi logs from Misty Island. It's the first time I'm going there.

'Arry grinned at Bert.

'ARRY: Have you heard of the Ghost of Misty Island?

PENELOPE: No. Not really.

BERT: A long time ago, there was a diesel shunter who used to live at Misty Island. He shunts lots of Jobi flatbeds.

PENELOPE: What happened next?

'ARRY: Well, one night, the moon was full and the fog rolled all over Misty Island.

BERT: The diesel couldn't see where he was going. He ran across a bad bit of track, lost control and plunged into the Logging Pond below, taking his crew with him. After that, the diesel was never found again.

'ARRY: Some say that when the moon is full, they see the diesel's ghost on the Logging Bridge, but he never crossed the other side.

Penelope shivered. 'Arry and Bert sniggered to each other; they were planning of giving Penelope the biggest scare ever. At the water tower, Penelope couldn't stop thinking about 'Arry and Bert's story about the Ghost of Misty Island.

PENELOPE: I don't think I want to go to Misty Island anymore. What if I see the ghost? I hope I don't get caught.

PENELOPE'S FIREMAN: Time to go, Penelope.

PENELOPE: Oh, of course.

(PENELOPE WHISTLES)

Penelope chuffed down the line to Misty Island. She couldn't help thinking about the ghost.

PENELOPE: I'm sure 'Arry and Bert are wrong; after all, there's no such things as ghosts.

As Penelope arrived at Misty Island, it was already dark.

PENELOPE: Hello? Is anybody here?

(WHIRRING)

PENELOPE: Argh! What's that?

OL' WHEEZY: Only us. Sorry.

HEE-HAW: We're just loading some logs onto the flatbeds.

PENELOPE: Oh, I see.

WORKMAN: Alright, Penelope. We'd better get you coupled up to the flatbeds.

The shunter coupled Penelope to the flatbeds and Penelope pulled the logs out the Logging Station. She didn't notice 'Arry and Bert lurking nearby.

(WAILING SOUNDS)

PENELOPE: Who's there.

(WAILING SOUNDS)

PENELOPE: Ooh! I don't like this.

('ARRY HONKS HORN)

PENELOPE: Ahh! What's that?!

BERT: I'm the Ghost of Misty Island! GET OUT OF MY LAND NOW!!!!

(PENELOPE SHRIEKS)

PENELOPE: A GHOST! It's coming to get me!

(CHUFFING)

('ARRY AND BERT SNIGGER)

(CHUFFING)

(SCREAMING)

FERDINAND: Huh?

PENELOPE: Heeeeeeelp!

FERDINAND: What's going on?

Penelope was so frightened, that she shot past the Search and Rescue Centre, rounded the corner and derailed.

(CRASH)

PENELOPE: Oof! Ow!

BELLE: Are you alright?

PENELOPE: I'm fine, but can someone get me back on the track?

Soon, Rocky lowered Penelope onto the tracks.

BELLE: I'll take you to the Steamworks.

PENELOPE: But who will deliver the Jobi logs to the Timber Yards?

FERDINAND: Don't worry, Penelope. I'll take over for you.

PENELOPE: Thanks.

The next day, Penelope was at the Steamworks. She was still scared about the Ghost of Misty Island.

VICTOR: Penelope, no more sad faces, please.

KEVIN: Victor's right. You look as pale as a ghost.

PENELOPE: Ghost?! Where?

WORKMAN: Calm down, Penelope. There's no such things as ghosts.

PENELOPE: I hope you're right, sir.

Ferdinand overheard what Penelope said, but he can't figure out what's was going on. Then, he saw 'Arry and Bert.

'ARRY: Ha-ha-ha! I can't believe Penelope fell for our trick, Bert.

BERT: We really have her fooled, 'Arry. The Ghost of Misty Island indeed.

Ferdinand was cross.

FERDINAND: So that's their little game. 'Arry and Bert tricked Penelope about a ghost living on Misty Island. Well, I think those two Diesels need to be taught a lesson.

At Kirk Ronan, Ferdinand told Penelope and Hook all about 'Arry and Bert's trickery.

PENELOPE: What? They tricked me about the Ghost of Misty Island?

FERDINAND: They have, Penelope. So I was wondering if Hook can help out.

HOOK: I'd be happy to help.

PENELOPE: And I'll fetch Paxton. I'm sure he can help.

FERDINAND: Good. We'll do it tonight.

At the Dieselworks, Penelope told Paxton all about Ferdinand's plan.

PAXTON: Of course I can help. What can I do?

PENELOPE: Ferdinand told me that Misty Island gets very foggy at night, so you must hide at the Logging Station while Ferdinand brings Hook.

PAXTON: OK. I'm ready.

PENELOPE: That's settled. Meet us at Misty Island first thing tonight.

Night time came again and Paxton had just arrived at Misty Island where Penelope, Ferdinand and Hook arrived.

HOOK: OK, Ferdinand. What do we have to do?

FERDINAND: We'll hide at the siding, and when 'Arry and Bert arrive, Penelope will push the flatbeds, Paxton will appear as a silhouette against the fog. Hook, you will honk her horn as loud as possible and I'll do the rest.

PENELOPE: That will scare 'Arry and Bert for sure.

PAXTON: Let's get ready.

Meanwhile, 'Arry and Bert were hunting trucks as Wellsworth, when the yard manager arrived.

YARD MANAGER: 'Arry, Bert. I want you to deliver some oil to Misty Island.

'ARRY: Yes, sir.

BERT: Come on, Bert. While we're delivering the oil, we'll scare Penelope again!

('ARRY AND BERT LAUGHING)

(PURRING)

As the two Diesels arrived at Misty Island, it was very foggy indeed.

BERT: Oh. All I see is workmen, Ol' Wheezy and Hee-Haw, but no-one else.

'ARRY: Never mind that. Let's just take the oil to the fuelling station.

('ARRY AND BERT HONK HORNS)

PAXTON: (Now?)

FERDINAND: (Not yet. Wait until they come back.)

Soon, 'Arry and Bert shunted the tankers onto a siding.

'ARRY: Now, let's get back.

BERT: And give Penelope another scare. This time, a much bigger scare.

(LAUGHING)

As they arrived at the Logging Station, 'Arry and Bert began to hear strange noises.

(WAILING SOUNDS)

'ARRY: What's that?

BERT: I don't kn-know.

(BUMP)

(WHEELS SQUEAKING)

BERT: Did that f-flatbed just m-move?

'ARRY: That's impossible. Flatbeds don't m-move by themselves.

Then, Paxton emerged from the fog, but 'Arry and Bert couldn't see him properly because of the fog. Then, there was a loud blast of a horn.

(HOOK BLASTS HORN)

('ARRY AND BERT YELP)

Then, Ferdinand spoke in a deep, menacing voice.

FERDINAND: Get out of my island!

'ARRY: What?!

FERDINAND: GET OUT OF MY ISLAND, SILLY DIESELS!!!!

BERT: Who's there? Show yourself!

'ARRY: It's coming from the ghost.

FERDINAND: Get out! Or you can stay here with me. Forever and ever and ever!!!!

(CACKLING)

('ARRY AND BERT SCREAM)

'ARRY: It's the Ghost of Misty Island!

BERT: RUN!

'Arry and Bert purred away, feeling very petrified! Ferdinand, Paxton, Hook and Penelope. came out from their hiding places, laughing.

OL' WHEEZY: You really showed those two Diesels who's boss.

HEE-HAW: Yep. I bet they must be scarred for life.

'ARRY: RUN!

BERT: THE GHOST OF MISTY ISLAND IS REAL!!!!

BUTCH: Huh?

CAPTAIN: I wonder what's going on with them.

HAROLD: I don't know.

Dawn rose, but the fog was still all over the Island of Sodor. But that didn't bother the engines at all. 'Arry and Bert were still at the Dieselworks, trembling with fear.

FERDINAND: Oh, my.

HOOK: Looks like we have you fooled.

'ARRY: What do you mean?

PAXTON: We're the ones that tricked you about the ghost.

BERT: That's mean!

PENELOPE: YOU'RE the ones that tricked ME about the Ghost of Misty Island the first night!

'ARRY: Oh. We're sorry, Penelope. The truth is there is no Ghost of Misty Island.

BERT: We only made it up to give you a scare.

HOOK: Well, you did scar Penelope for life when she was about to deliver the Jobi logs.

BERT: We didn't mean to.

'ARRY: Can you forgive us?

PENELOPE: Of course I will.

(LAUGHING)

'Arry and Bert learnt that if you go around, playing tricks on other, they can backfire. And Penelope learnt that there's no such things as ghosts; it was all silly make-believe.