The Final Crusade

by Enfield

When Donald Trump Attacks

One full day had passed since James and his family returned from the Outer Banks, James' arm was still in a splint and very prone to pain from overuse. He didn’t let this stop him from doing his usual duties around the house, made easier because of the Crusaders. As he was relaxing on the couch after a mile long walk with Dart the phone rang.

“Forth time this hour,” James muttered with irritation.
James picked it up and looked to see who was calling him, it was his boss Tony.

“Strange of him to call our house,” James said, “Hello?”

“Ah James,” came Tony’s voice, “Glad I could reach you, how was your vacation?”

“Alright until that hurricane hit,” said James.

“Yes I heard about that, unlucky you got caught in it,” Tony said, James was a little skeptical about Tony’s tone, it was unusually calm and pleasant, Tony was usually a little gruff and had a professional feel to it.

“Might I ask why you’re calling?” asked James.

“Well I got a call from a doctor who said that your arm is broken and in a splint,” Tony said.

“Cracked and in a splint as a precaution,” James said, “I don’t want it actually breaking.”

“Well I’m just stalling,” Tony said, “I’m calling to tell you that you’ve been replaced.”
James stopped and immediately wanted to know what was going on.

“What?” James said, his tone shifted from casual to dark in an instant, “Are you laying me off?”

“Well since you put it that way, yes,” Tony replied.

“And why have you done so?” asked James.

“It’s because of your arm,” said Tony, “I can’t have pump attendants have the arm they use the most broken but still be working, I’ll look bad.”

“You’re firing me for your reputation?” James said.

“That and the replacements are much more efficient,” Tony replied.

“What replacements are you talking about?” asked James.

“People who I’ve hired who’ll work cheaper,” Tony said.

“Who are they?” James said slamming his fist on the counter, “Dammit I want answers!”

“The matter has been discussed,” Tony said, “Your leave pay has been deposited into your account, your service has been appreciated, goodbye James.”

“Don’t you hang up,” James said, “I’m still capable of work, it was my left arm that was cracked.”

“Good day to you,” said Tony, then there was a beep then a dial tone.

“That good for nothing prat,” James said through clenched teeth. James' blood was boiling and adrenalin was coursing through his body, without even knowing it he was slowly crushing the phone in his hand. With a short yell of rage he snapped the phone in half, he was still breathing heavily when he saw the two separate parts of the phone sitting on the floor, small red droplets fell from his hand onto the floor.

“Bloody marvelous,” James said turning around, he stopped when he saw Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo standing behind the door to the den. James sighed and walked over to the cabinet where the medical supplies were kept.

“How much did you hear?” asked James.

“All of it,” said Apple Bloom.

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” James said reaching for the first aid box.

“It’s okay, we understand,” said Sweetie Bell.
James took hold of the first aid box with his left hand and let it fall into his right, a piercing pain shot through his hand, he cried out and dropped the box. James gripped his wrist and looked at the palm of his hand, it was bloody and had a large piece of plastic sticking out of the middle of his hand. James sank to the floor still staring at what he had done to himself.

“James!” Scootaloo’s voice snapped him out of his daze.

“Oh my God,” James said only in breaths.

“Are you okay?” Sweetie Bell said crouching down nest to James.

“Get it out! Get it out now!” James shouted still gripping his hand.
Sweetie Bell took hold of the plastic in James' hand and yanked it out of his palm, James recoiled then calmed down. Apple Bloom grabbed the first aid kit from the counter and opened it up.

“Thank you for that,” said James.

“I didn’t know what else to do,” replied Sweetie Bell.

“You did the right thing is what you did,” James said as he took some sterile gauze from the first aid box and wiped the blood from his hand.

“You okay now?” Scootaloo asked James.

“I’m fine now, thanks for your concern,” James said trying to wrap a bandage around his hand, Apple Bloom helped him out.

Several minutes later James had cleaned up both his hand and the broken phone that was sitting on the floor, James settled back down on the couch with the Crusaders all taking place around him. Later that afternoon Dave and Katherine walked through the front door, Dart jumped up from the couch and ran off to greet his owners, James too jumped up, he couldn’t tell his parents that he crushed the phone.

“If they ask the phone exploded,” James said to the Crusaders pointing at his hand.

“Why not tell them what really happened?” Scootaloo asked.

“Because they’ll what an explanation if they find out what I did,” said James.

“But my sister said that honesty is the best policy,” said Apple Bloom.

“I agree to that but sometimes it’s best to lie,” James said, “Remember that you heard a bang and saw the phone in bits after you went to investigate.”
Katherine entered the den and saw James with the Crusaders sitting around him.

“Hi James, hi girls” she said.

“Hello mother,” said James, “Back from shopping?”

“Why is your hand all bandaged up?” Katherine asked.

“The phone battery exploded,” Scootaloo said, “James was holding it when it exploded.”

“It still hurts,” said James.

“How did it blow up?” asked Katherine.

“Don’t know,” said James, “Maybe it was because you use it so much.”

“I do not use the phone a lot!” Katherine said sternly.

“That phone call you did to your friend lasted over an hour,” retorted James.

“It did not,” said Katherine.

“It said sixty eight minutes in the phone records,” James said.

“I’m going to bring the shopping in,” Katherine said.

James involuntarily got up and went to help his mother out, for some reason the Crusaders all went to help out as well. Once night fell the news that Dave had on told of the amount of damage to Cuba and parts of Florida but very few fatalities were reported, it seemed as if the storm was merely one that broke buildings rather than inflict major damage. James went upstairs to his room in order to unpack whatever was recovered from the wreckage of the beach house, all was left of his stuff was a couple of books, his wallet, his iPhone, two shirts, a pair of pants, a handful of money and the small kite he bought. James sighed and started putting all of his belongings away, it had been one hell of a week for him and the Crusaders, they had all enjoyed it until the night the hurricane hit. James hoped that South Dakota wouldn’t have any hidden terrors for him and the Crusaders, the worst he could think of would be one of the biblical rainstorms that sometimes hit the ranch that they would be staying at. He decided to not worry about it and get some sleep, after all he didn’t need to get up early for his job, he no longer had one.

Comments

[midnightshadow1]

poor james

[Godiswithus3]

That sucks.