“Tom,” Kate said, “is this one of those times when you secretly know what to do even though I don’t?”
“No!”
They were completely underwater now. She thought of the time they’d plunged into the ocean surf and down into the emerald tunnel of water, and how glorious and wonderful it was. This wasn’t like that. This was dark and cold and doomed.
If they did die, at least Kate knew it was for a good cause. They’d done what they set out to do, and it mattered. She only wished it hadn’t cost them so much.
The water pouring into the cab was so cold that her feet went numb as soon as it touched them. Kate shivered with her whole body. There was no sound as the engine touched bottom and settled on the floor of the lake. The water outside was pitch black. She wondered how far down they were. She wished—how she wished—that she’d just stayed a tree in the misty forest forever.
For a second she actually wondered if maybe the steam engine could run underwater. Maybe they could steam along the bottom of the lake and up onto land again. But it was too cold, you couldn’t build up enough steam pressure. And there were no tracks. She realized she would never see her parents again, and hot tears ran down her face. Kate took Tom’s hand with one hand and the porcupine’s spiny paw with the other.
“Tom.” She was so cold and scared she could barely catch her breath. “I really am glad you came with me. Except for this part, obviously. In a s-s-second I’m going to open the d-d-door.” Her teeth were chattering. Tom’s face was pale, and his lips were blue. “We’re all going to t-take a deep breath and t-t-try to swim out. Swim s-straight up—we’ll want to climb out through the h-h-hole the train made in the ice.”
Probably she should’ve said something more, but she was so cold and wet and terrified, it was all she could think about. Except for one more thing.
“Goodbye, Silver Arrow. I love you.”
Click-bing.
GOODBYE
I LOVE
But at that moment the rising water in the cab reached the level of the firebox, and the fire hissed and went out.