Friday 18 January 2013

Seventy Sixth Friday Flash: Penguin, Mr. Bear, and Cecil the Living Locomotive

Mr. Bear by DeathNoteRox




Mr. Bear was no ordinary bear. He was a train conductor and a damn fine one at that. He could take you anywhere you wanted. Anywhere. Not that he did all the work himself. His train Cecil did a lot too.

Oh the conversations they would have to the small hours of the night after work, recounting old fares, it was the best time of the day and Mr. Bear would never change it for the world. Their favourite was about a penguin.

The cutest little penguin you would ever see. Big eyes you could lose yourself in and a voice you could listen to for days.

It all started with a phone call.

“Hello, is this Mr. Bear's Train Adventures?”

“It most certainly is!”

“Oh, thank you, I hope you can help me, all the other trains, planes and vehicles are snowed in. I can't get to my family for Penguin New Year?”

“Hold a sec,” Mr. Bear peaked his head out the kitchen window and shouted out to Cecil. “Ready for some winter fun?”

Cecil tooted his whistle.

“Hello, yes, we can do it.”

“You are a lifesaver, when can I expect you?”

“Roughly seven minutes, I want to finish my tea first.”

oOo

The penguin's place was a tree house. Mr. Bear went up the spiral staircase and knocked on the door. The adorable penguin answered. There was a fire in the fireplace and paintings hanging on the walls.

“Wow, Mr. Bear, how did you find me so fast?”

“It's all Cecil.”

Penguin looked down and to the side. Cecil the living locomotive was waiting patiently at the bottom of the tree. His little boiler glowing in the gathering dusk. “Doesn't he need rails?”

“Rails are for rookies, are you ready?”

“Yes, there's not much time, New Year is in a couple of hours, and my family live near the north pole.”

“North pole?”

“I have an odd family.”

“Don't we all, even my chum Cecil down there is distantly related.”

Penguin scratched her head with a flipper. “Right, I better get ready.”

“That you should.”

Like a whirlwind the penguin went around throwing things into a pink suitcase on wheels. After a few moments with a smile on her face the penguin stopped. “Yes, that's about it.”

Mr. Bear waved his paws towards the door. “All aboard!”

Penguin jumped up and down in excitement.

oOo

It was nice and warm in Cecil's engine room. Mr. Bear liked to keep the old engine company. Within moments they swept away into the air. The furnace glowing a rich orange glow and a purple smoke pumping out of the chimney.

“Cecil can fly?”

“Just one of his many tricks.”

“I can toot the tooter?”

Cecil tooted.

“That's a yes.”

“Yay!” Penguin got a hold of the tooter and pulled on it. Cecil tooted a musical toot that filled the sky.