Survivor

Survivor is the fifth episode of the first season of Stories from the Smelting Shed.

## Synopsis:

An old video camera is found in an old boxvan which seems to tell the story of a man's attempt to survive something called "The Cleanup"..

## Plot:

### Intro:

The Fogman greets the Viewer and shows approval of the Viewer's request to record his stories before inviting the Viewer to be seated and listen to the tale.

### Story:

We're introduced to Sidney Sands, the Son of Edward's Driver, who is sent an old camcorder that his Dad found in an old boxvan. Whilst looking the camcorder over, Sidney finds an unlabelled tape in the slot and, curious to find out what it is, gets out his old VCR and slots the tape in.

He discovers the tape is made by a man named Patrick Wilson who states he is recording from a recently closed Pharmaceutical Testing Facility as he is concerned that the incident he is witnessing will be covered up by the Ministry of Defence and the Drug Company. Sidney is convinced of Patrick's claims of a viral outbreak being covered up by sounds coming from outside the van, although his Work Colleagues are convinced it is nothing more than a hoax. He also believes it is genuine because of an account from a Porter at a nearby Railway Station.

After work, Sidney resumes watching and sees Patrick's situation is getting dire; he is surrounded by the Infected, the Facility has lost power and the access has been blocked by an impromptu barrier. However, the next morning, Patrick informs anyone watching the tape that he can hear gunfire and the sound of troop carriers. He is wondering if it could be a Rescue Party when an APC pulls up outside and Soldiers deploy.

He states he is going to hide the camera and then come back for it once he has convinced the Soldiers he is not infected, so that the World can learn of what really happened. He climbs out of the van and makes himself known to the Military who immediately shoot him, despite his claims. Sidney then listens as an Officer and a Sergeant unknowingly admit that the " Rescue Party" is actually a Kill Squad, sent to clean out any Infected and, more importantly, any Survivors. The Officer states that the Press and Public will be informed that the commotion coming from the Facility was simply a War Game that got out of hand. The Sergeant remarks on how that cover story is a classic before issuing an order to some unseen Squaddies to dump Patrick's body onto a pile of corpses and then allow a "Civilian Tank Engine" to access the Facility so "that fat gent in the topper can stop bellyaching about getting his trucks back", implying that one of the Fat Controllers and, incidentally, the North Western Railway, are implicated in the cover up!

This last statement horrifies Sidney who states he's replayed the ending of the tape multiple times and still can't believe what he's heard. He confesses that he knows Sir Charles Topham-Hatt did serve a Soldier but cannot believe that a member of one of the most prestigious families on Sodor would be party to such undergoings. Sidney then ends by stating he has decided to burn the camcorder and the tape in a small bonfire, so as to avoid the Ministry of Defence doesn't catch him with it.

### Outro:

The Fogman, noticing that the Traveller has gone quiet pale, enquires as to whether or not the Traveller is alright before suddenly concluding the Traveller is concerned regarding the threat of the MoD, now they too have heard the story, and assures the Traveller that all the tales he tells are "mere figments of my imagination" before suddenly second guessing by questioning "Or are they?" . The clock then strikes the hour and the Fogman bids the Viewer farewell and vanishes into the night.

## Cast:

* "The Fogman"/Officer: Flashstudiosguy
* Sergeant: AgentLoLOfficial
* Sidney Sands: Mandedhawk
* Patrick Wilson: CarlMatthews8

## Trivia:

* The idea for the episode was inspired by one of the trailers for the Nintendo Wii first person survival game "ZombiU" where a man hides from Infected in the back of a van and records his last moments.