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I wanted to run. I wanted to spin on my heel and make a dash for the exit just as the patrons to Happytown had done only moments before. Maybe then Mr. West would let me live. But I didn't. Because I felt partially responsible for what had just happened, even if I hadn't been the one at the controls. But also because I was so terrified that I didn't think my legs would let me move anyway. It didn't matter. Moments later Mr. West was upon me.
“What. Did. You. Do??” he asked, grabbing me by the collar and pulling me up off the ground.
I honestly think he might have killed me right on the spot had Calvin not been a witness to the crime. His body was trembling with rage and I swear I could see flames coming from his tiny pupils.
“The r-ride,” I stammered. “It- it wasn't designed to operate in the way that-”
“THE RIDE WAS SABOTAGED!” he roared, and a shower of spit rained onto my face.
I winced. Clearly now was not the moment to draw any attention to the fact that he had operated the ride incorrectly.
“Yes, sir,” I answered, meekly.
He let go of my shirt collar and I plopped down roughly on the ground. Then he grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around quickly so that my back was pressed up against his massive stomach.
“Look around,” he said quietly, his voice still angry. “I told you explicitly not to mess with the rides, and now look at what your disobedience has caused. The park is in ruins.”
I was looking, but my portly boss assisted me by yanking my shoulders left and then right, ensuring that I got a full view of the destruction I had caused. And make no mistake, there was a lot of destruction. I'm sure that the carousel alone would have been enough to fire me, but this was on a whole new level. The power had been cut, and such a sudden jolt to the circuits meant that most of the electronics in the park were damaged. But that was just the beginning. There was a small, smoldering crater in the center of the park where the fireworks building had been, and scores of small blazes flickering all across the park. Many of the stalls and kiosks had felt roofs that quickly caught fire when the fireworks went off and were in the process of rapidly burning to the ground. The larger rides had taken damage too. Plastic pieces had warped and melted, oozing down onto the metal parts, rendering them useless.
The bottom line was that the park was effectively destroyed.
“I'm so, so sorry.” was all that I could think to say.
Beside me, Calvin stood with his head bowed.
“Your apologies count for nothing,” Mr. West said bitterly. “My theme park is still ruined.”
He sighed.
“You know that your time here is over. I want to fire you right now. Shoot, I want to ban you from any Roblox theme park permanently! But I won't do that. At least, not yet. I'm going home for the rest of the day. The park is closed indefinitely, and you and your sidekick can begin the cleanup process. Once that is all finished, THEN I'm going to fire you.”
And without another word, the hulking figure turned and shuffled away, leaving me and Calvin standing among the wreckage.