Bang! Bang! Bang!
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
The locomotive crushed several more strange rats on the tracks. After the repeated impacts, something seemed to affect the engine, and its speed began to drop. Several indicator lights in the cab turned red and started flashing. At this rate, it would travel at most a few more miles before breaking down and coming to a stop.
The locomotive driver, Buddy, trembled his lips several times before turning to Bob and suggesting, "L-Locomotive Chief, why don't we stop, start the engine at the rear, and head back?"
"You're looking to die!" Bob snapped without hesitation. Glancing at the ever-gathering horde of strange rats, he shouted, "Believe it or not, before we even come to a complete stop, those rats will have jumped aboard and gnawed us down to the bone! There's no time to turn back. Our only chance is to keep going forward and punch through!"
"But our speed is dropping..."
"I can see that. There must be something wrong with the power! Raise the output to one hundred percent immediately!"
"But that will overheat the engine, and the risk of an explosion will rise sharply!"
"I know that better than you do. That's why I want excess coolant added to the water tanks, the cooling cycle speed increased by thirty percent, Number Three Pressure Relief Valve opened, and valves five and six closed. Also..." Bob rattled off orders rapidly, then looked at Buddy and the rest of the crew midway through and roared, "What are you all standing around for? Didn't you hear me? If you don't want to die here, get moving and do it!"
"Yes, yes." The crew quickly scattered, hurrying to carry out Bob's orders.
Bob took a deep breath and personally sat in the driver's seat. As he