It was a dark and windy day on the Island of Sodor. Clouds gathered over the sky and the wind was blowing like crazy. Many people were worried that a terrible storm was about to strike, including Sir Topham Hatt, and all the engines were ordered to stay inside protective shelters.

Thomas was shunting trucks of rocks at the quarry when the sky started to darken and the wind started to pick up. He was instructed to stay inside the quarry's shed until the weather calmed down.

Thomas was very unhappy about the upcoming storm. He never liked it when the weather was bad. "Thunderstorms make my wheels wobble and my side rods shake." Thomas said to himself.

Then, unexpectedly, Billy came to the shed. Thomas was surprised. "What are you doing here, Billy?" Thomas asked.

"I just finished dropping off a train of coal when the weather started getting nasty. I was desperately looking for a shed and this was the closest one I could find. I do not like thunderstorms."

"You'll be safe with me." Thomas said. "I'm glad to have you here."

"Thanks, Thomas." Billy said. "Don't worry about me. I may not like thunderstorms, but I've been through worse... Much worse..."

Thomas then felt uneasy. "Worse?" Thomas asked.

Billy himself started getting uneasy. "It was the scariest day of my life... It happened many years ago when I was only a few weeks old."

"What happened?" Thomas asked nervously.

Billy let out a long sigh before telling him, "I survived a tornado..."

Thomas gasped.

"Billy was more scared the more he remembered it. It was one of the tornadoes in history. It was the Tri State Tornado."

"Please tell me what happened that day!" Thomas pleaded. "Tell me how you made it through that terrible day."

And so, Billy began his story...

Billy was built on the mainland on March 1st 1925. But he was temporarily sent to a city called Murphysboro in the United States. Murphysboro was well known for its coal shipping and Billy was sent to help for the beginning of Spring.

During Billy's first few days in Murphysboro, the weather was nice and typical for March, but all of that would soon change in a terrible way...

The day was March 18th 1925. By that day, Billy had been working on the Murphysboro railway for 4 days. But something was different about today. Something didn't seem right. The sky was very dark and gloomy. Despite the ominous weather, no one seemed to be concerned since most of the people thought the dark sky was just a strange fog. But they were terribly mistaken... The dark sky was not a fog, but something much worse...

Billy had spent the whole morning delivering trucks of coal and he quickly grew annoyed since the workmen had been instructing him all morning and he hated being told what to do. But today, he was even more grouchy than usual since the dark and gloomy sky made it difficult for him to see through.

"Am I done yet?" Billy rudely asked the manager of the coal factory, Mr. Fitzgerald.

"No, Billy." The manager replied. But he was used to Billy's selfish attitude. "We need to make sure we deliver as much coal as possible."

"What about you?" Retorted Billy. "Do YOU have to work for the whole entire day too?"

"I'm having my lunch break right now." Replied the manager. "Right now, I need you to collect some workmen from the De Soto station. They're coming to the factory to help mine more coal. It'll be a lot faster and a lot easier with more workers. De Soto is only 7 miles east of Murphysboro. You'll be at the station in no time."

"Stop telling me what to do, Mr. Fitzgerald!" Huffed Billy. "You are a very bossy manager! I know how to get to De Soto from here! I don't need useless advice from anyone! It's not fair that you get a lunch break and I have to work my wheels off for the whole day." He then puffed away.

Meanwhile, it turned out that the dark sky that many people mistook as a strange fog was actually a tornado formation. Not only was it forming in the state of Illinois where Billy was working, but it was also forming in the state of Missouri. The tornado was big and scary... And as it touched the ground, it ploughed through the state of Missouri destroying hundreds of trees and buildings... But the tornado was just getting started... It was heading straight for Illinois...

Billy was still fuming as he was making his way to the De Soto station when all of a sudden, the wind started blowing super fast. It was the fastest wind Billy had ever seen.

"Where did this wind come from!?" Billy said. Then he realised that the dark sky and the fast wind could only mean one thing...

"A TORNADO!" Billy cried. He knew the workmen were in serious danger and he needed to save them. Billy pumped his pistons as fast as he could. Seconds felt like hours until he finally reached De Soto station. He was relieved to see all the workmen were still safe. But they were very worried about the approaching tornado.

"There's a terrible tornado on its way from Missouri! And we don't know where to find any safe shelter!" The workmen told Billy.

Billy could see how serious this situation was and how worried everyone was. But then, Billy had an idea.

"I know an underground shelter near the Murphysboro coal factory. We can stay there until the tornado is gone." Billy told the workmen.

"Do you know how to get to Murphysboro from here?" The workmen asked him.

Billy started getting worried since he didn't pay much attention on his way to De Soto since he was too distracted feeling sorry for himself.

But then, Billy remembered what Mr. Fitzgerald said to him. "Yes I do." He told the workmen. "We're only 7 miles east of Murphysboro."

"Do you think you can get us there in time?" Asked the workmen. "The tornado will be here very soon."

"I'm sure I can." Replied Billy.

The workmen quickly boarded Billy's passenger car and Billy raced back to Murphysboro, determined to get the workmen to safety.

Meanwhile, the massive tornado had just finished obliterating the state of Missouri and crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois within seconds. Heading straight for Murphysboro.

Luckily, Billy made it back to Murphysboro just in time.

"HOORAY! You made it!" Mr. Fitzgerald yelled. "Well done, Billy!"

"We better hurry into the shelter!" Billy said. "The tornado will be here at any minute!"

Billy and the workmen quickly gathered inside the underground shelter and within minutes, the ginormous tornado not only tore through the state of Illinois, but continued its destruction in the state of Indiana.

Even though everyone was now safe underground, the shelter had a window and they watched in horror as the tornado completely demolished everything in the city...

Thousands of things were flying around like birds... Buildings, trees, signs, light posts... Buildings were tossed into the air and ripped into pieces... Trees were yanked out of the ground and snapped like twigs...

But the most bizarre thing Billy and the workmen saw was a COW flying in the air and being thrown into a restaurant!

For the next three hours, Billy and the crew stayed in the underground shelter while witnessing the catastrophic tornado...

Finally, the tornado dissipated and all the dark clouds were gone.

"HOORAY! The workmen shouted.

"WE MADE IT!" Billy yelled as he blew his whistle.

But when they took a look at the crazy amount of damage the tornado did, the city of Murphysboro was nothing but a pile of splinters...

"How horrific!" Billy said.

But Mr. Fitzgerald smiled. "It's all okay, Billy. We can easily rebuild all the buildings and we can just as easily replant all the trees in the ground. What matters is that we're all safe and sound thanks to you. You are a really useful and heroic engine."

Billy was very proud. "Thank you, Mr. Fitzgerald. I'm sorry for my attitude to you earlier. I realised that it's important to listen to other people. Especially in something as dangerous as a tornado. It can really save your life." Billy said as he blew his whistle with pride.

And even the Cow mooed in awe.

Thomas was amazed by Billy's story. "That story was amazing." Thomas told Billy. "I'm very glad you made it through that terrible tornado."

"Thank you very much." Billy replied.

Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning and a crash of thunder outside the shed. The storm had it Sodor.

This time though, Thomas and nothing will happen as long as they stay safe and stay together.

"At least this isn't a tornado." Chuckled Thomas. "Some storms are better than others."

"I hope you realise that if I lived through one of the worst tornadoes in history, then you can live through this thunderstorm like nothing." Said Billy.

"And it's always easier when we have friends by our side." Added Thomas.

"Exactly." Replied Billy. "Everything will be alright."

And the two friends both smiled at each other. Everything was safe and sound.

The end.