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All the hands of hope have withdrawn [I feel really out of place. You ever have that feeling where you didn't belong? Like everyone is staring bullet holes through you? Yeah, it feels like that. I've never seen so many of my family members at one place at one time. I mean, Dad’s mom is even here. You’re not supposed to bury your children. It’s out of the order of life. She must be traumatized by this. Sam and I walk around, talking to certain people. Well, I should say Sam is making me talk to these idiots. Uncle Rocky is talking about how he invested in the stock market and he doesn’t even know what it is. Fuckin’ idiot. After we greet each other, I straighten my black suit coat and head towards the front of the room. They told us before hand that we would have to stand up by the casket, so people who wanted to pay their respects could do so to the children and the parents.] [You don't know how hard this is for me.] [I see everyone through my black tinted Gucci shades, they all seem dark and depressed to me. Samantha leaves where we are and goes to some people I have no desire talking to. I've burned bridges with those people. Samantha is trying to rebuild them. She walks over to me, her Louis Vuitton dress swaying with her steps, with my cousin Mark. Now, Mark is an asshole. A bigger one than me and it's hard to do that. Samantha smiles and grabs my hand.] Samantha: "Johnny, remember how your cousin Mark was in the military?" "Yeah, how could I forget? He only told everyone about a million times" [I smirk as Samantha shakes her head. She doesn't understand why I hate these people.] Mark: "Ha. Funny, Johnny. But I'm being promoted and they're going to continue to pay for school. What have you been up to?" [He replies in a sarcastic way. I always hate when people do that to me. Do you not know who you're dealing with here? Collecting my words carefully, I look at him dead in the face.] "Ya know, been traveling all over the world winning championships and things like that. You know, I'm a..." Mark: "... pro wrestler, right. So how fake is that garbage? I mean, how much fake blood gets spilled every night?" [He laughs and nudges Sam. Don't you touch my wife, you fucker. I'll break your legs.] "I don't need to acknowledge your stupidity, Mark. How about you take your rank, your accomplishments, and shove them..." Sam: "... in a nice letter to send to him later" [Sam finishes my sentence, laughs, and nods Mark to leave. Mark scoffs at me and rolls his eyes as Samantha looks at me with that look. God, I hate this look.] Sam: "I TOLD you not to start anything. Now I mean it. Don't start anything. Understand?" [I nod my head to get her to shut up and I walk towards the exit.] "You need me, I'll be outside. I have to get away from all this bullshit” [I see Sam just roll her eyes as I head out into the swirling wind. It’s not too hot here in Miami. A little heated but not much. I pull out the green pack of serenity, Newports, and light them with a custom lighter Sam got me for Christmas.] [God, I don’t know why I even talk to these people. I really don’t. Sam wants to be civil but I just can’t be. I mean, there are seven of us standing up front, and people try and tell us sorry. Don’t be sorry… it’s not your fault he had a heart attack. It is your fault, however, that you keep coming back when you weren’t wanted. Dad wouldn’t have wanted this. He would have wanted to play the piano or smoke a big cigar while watching his old movies. I remember watching Terminator 2 with him and he loved it. It was the last movie we ever watched together. I remember him not liking the family reunions or anything to do with the family. When mom used to take us to church, he would sit in the car and watch his portable television. He wasn’t a religious man or a family man. He was my dad.] [He was the strongest man I’ve ever known.] Mom: “Need some company?” [I hear and I see my mother standing at the door. I smile and she walks over to where I am.] Mom: “Can I bum a cigarette off you?” “You don’t smoke, mom.” Mom: “Ha, well… there’s many things you don’t know about your mother” [she laughs after saying it and I give her a cigarette and light it for her.] Mom: “Ya know, I really don’t like these kinds of things. I don’t like burying my love, ya know? Imagine you burying Samantha when you get older.” “Yeah, but she’ll outlive me. Smoking and drinking will catch up to me. You know that” [I joke and mom just chuckles] Mom: “Yeah, you dad used to smoke all the time with his poker buddies. He used to laugh because he’d always win and take their money. He would always want Honey BBQ wings from KFC. Every week, you know that? Every damn week…” [She says and I can hear her stumbling over her words.] Mom: “The day of his heart attack, we were supposed to go see Hulk because he thought the flying effects looked cool. He knew you loved Iron Man when you were little. He was downstairs because his arm started to hurt him. He thought it was his bad shoulder acting up so he went to get his sling. He was just chattering away about you and your action figures and he went silent. I went down to check on him and I saw him on the ground. That was the worst sight I’ve ever seen. You don’t… you don’t understand how much you love someone until they’re on the brink of death. You don’t understand how much someone has touched you until you’re riding with him in ambulance holding his hand for the last time” [She finishes and tears are pouring from her eyes. I’ve never liked seeing my mother cry. I grab my mom and hold her tight and she sobs into my suit jacket.] “He loved you so much. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with you. He wanted you to be with him on your fiftieth anniversary.” Mom: “I know, I know. I just wish you two weren’t so stubborn and talked once in a while. He always talked about you but would never pick up the phone to talk to you. And I can only imagine you wouldn’t pick up the phone.” “Well that’s not what’s important, mom. What is important is remembering why you loved him. What’s important is that we celebrate his life more than mourning his death. He wouldn’t want you out here crying. He’d want you living like a queen. He’s want you to feel like a queen” [I say and my mom nods as I hand her my handkerchief and she wipes her eyes.] “Now, let’s go in there and remember dad for who he was. Okay?” Mom: “Okay” [we get up and make our way into the funeral home. Samantha looks at me in shock as I put a piece of gum in my mouth.] Sam: “Where have you been?” “Nevermind that. Can I ask you something serious?” Sam: “Sure, babe.” “If I have a heart attack, will you ride with me in the ambulance?” [For once in my life I feel complete] -------------------------- "When I first started in this business, I asked myself ‘Could I do it’? I wondered if I could take all my talents and focus them into one raw emotion that would propel me into superstardom." "Two years later, I’m the greatest thing in wrestling right now." "Many of you might not know who I am so let me fill you on a refresher course. I’ve wrestled in many different federations, battled the greatest superstars you could ever dream of facing and I’ve always come out on top. "Always." "I enjoy this Derek, watching you decide on whether you'll have enough to get by me. You're banking on the one fact that I somehow mess up this opportunity. You're hoping I wouldn't bring the talent that's been proven better than so many. You're probably watching this right now, stomach in your throat, wishing you had taken this week off." "Sorry, thats ship sailed." "You've already decided that you would be successful after this match, regardless of a win or loss. For a hero, you lack the confidence I'd expect. You're doubting yourself, and I'm reading it all over you." "The smell of fear is a thick cologne, my friend." "It's been too long since I've felt this excitement for a Retribution. There's meaning again. Reason. There's charts everywhere, giving out the star of the week here in GCW. I haven't seen myself on many. That's a problem for me Derek, I like to be the best. My losing streak didn't help matters." "I can't lose anymore." "If I do, I get lofted in to that mid card category, floating among the ranks; the best thing going would be the TV championship. I'm too good for that shit Derek, I'd be wasting my time. I belong at the end of the shows, my name filling the Main event venue." "I won't lose." "Like an animal backed in a corner, I have no other choice but fight; fight for my life. My life as the best, my life in the fastlane. I'm a superstar Derek, and I don't want to lose that status. I worked hard to get where I was, and that's at the top. Where I belong." "I can smell the blood, ready to do this battle again. This is David against Goliath, and I understand I am David. But it makes things so much sweeter, for when I continue to win after this Retribution and punch my ticket to Summerslam, I can regain my status. I can, once again, be the best. It's what i strive for, and live for." "I'm a born competitor." "This win will be for Troy. This win will be for the kiddies in the Chamber. I'll be sending a message to every mother fucker up top, letting them know I'm ready to get my title back. Where will you be after this Derek? I can tell you. Picking up the pieces. You have absolutely no idea. It's like a giant being awoken, or a riot being stirred." "Your chances of survival are slim." "Soon you'll recognize." "I'm a born Champion." "It’s the way of Sex and Violence and if you don’t like it then don’t come to the match." "On second thought, come to the match. I want to show you and your lackey's just what Sex and Violence is all about." "You might not know what Were about now but after the match, you will have a clear recognition of what it is all about then you can pass the message along. Sex and Violence is a movement, a path, a religion, and a guarantee. Sex and Violence will leave your body lying in the pile that’s ever growing in GCW. Once you’re there, Derek, you’re nothing to me. You’ll be that guy I beat on my way to SummerSlam." "And that’s really all I care about." "The Murdercity Molotov? cute, but bro with your false preaching and you're words against my destiny, you really have no idea what you’re getting in the ring with do you Derek? You don’t know what The Living Legend is until you see him face to face and you look at his buffoonery and realize that he isn’t a buffoon but an icon. You’ll realize that I don’t need to watch tons and tons of tapes to eliminate you from the path of Sex and Violence! You got the W when I was just a little green around these woods, it wont happen again, no matter what you believe. I just need three seconds and your shoulders on the mat to get you out of the way and get that Revenge you think is so damn allusive to me" "So don’t try and stop it." "I’m not a nice guy, Derek. I’m a cold hearted, selfless bastard. The only two people I care about are me and my wife. I will tell you how I feel, show you the dagger, and insert it into your back. I have no remorse, no regret, and no hesitation. Don’t be surprised when I capitalize on your hesitation and break your back. Don’t be surprised when I take your best move and counter it into my best move." "Don’t be surprised when you’re not the victor in this match." "Keep reminding yourself that I am dangerous in the ring. Keep reminding yourself that I am a man to be feared. After the match, I’ll send you the three second tape so you can watch how I beat your ass and got my little piece of Vendetta." "Do you honestly believe that you’re going to walk into my ring and get the better of me? Do you honestly believe that you’re going to eliminate the greatest wrestler on this earth? "Do you?" "Look at yourself in the mirror, Derek. I want you to examine every facial feature on your face. Your nostrils. Your mouth. Your ears. Your eyes. Why? After this match, your nose will be sunken down to your mouth. Your eyes will be swollen shut and your ears will immediately be inflicted with the deadly cauliflower ear. You mouth will be swollen so bad you won’t be able to speak for months." "After this match, you’re not going to be anything like you were before." "I’m going to take you to your limit. I’m going to bend and break you in ways you’d never imagined. I’m going to break your back in ways to where you will never be able to walk again. Do you think I’m bluffing, Derek?" "Just try me." "Try me when we get into that ring. Try me when I blow past everyone else on my way to Summerslam." "It will be the era of Sex and Violence...Take 2" "So bring your best game, Derek. It won’t match up or compare to what I am going to bring. I’m here to prove a point and I’m here to make a statement. What are you here for?" "Answer that question after your mouth stops swelling." But we can't forget the last minute rider, Kid Cocky!" "Fucker goes from teaming up with Brad Goodman, to damn near no showing a PPV opportunity" "Personally, Kid, I don’t see anything good in you. You seem to be one to chase and not one to obtain. Sure, you had a little splash here a few months ago, what was it you won the Hardcore championship? Against a cat who quit right? Yea some accomplishment, but that’s about it. That, and you call your self Cocky, when you anything but" "If you were Cocky you would have said something, If you were cocky you would let the world know it, If you were cocky you would be banging models...Shit if anyone should call themselves cocky its me!" "See, Kid, I’m the real thing. Unlike everything you’ve heard, I actually do matter right now. When I win this match I will be one step closer to Troy and the GCW World Title while you’ll be one step closer to the end. Your time in my presence is ticking away and once you understand this, all will be right in the world." "I have a sneaking suspicion you won’t understand this." "So what will I have to do then? Will I have to beat it into your skull? Will I have to throw you in the ever growing pile that lies in the wake of the Era of Stylez? No? Then I suggest you walk into the ring and not even touch me. Because if you touch me, I swear I will break your back and make you kiss your own ass." "Call it seeing the great white hope." "Whatever you bring to the ring will not measure up to what I bring. Whatever you bring will never amount to what I have. You will not stop me from obtaining my rightful place as king of the mountain. watch what I did the first couple of weeks here" "Then you’ll see a true champion." "This match isn’t about you or Derek Rampert. This match is about one person and one person only." "Troy Daniels" "Troy, Troy, Troy. How naïve you seem to be. You seem to believe that I haven’t made a ‘legend’ for myself here. Or, rather, that I need to. See, Troy, that is what Sex and Violence is all about. Once it’s over the final body I carry to the pile will be yours. Then I will lay you down and take what is rightfully mine. Something you don’t deserve to have. Something only God should have." "That is what I desire." "But, I’ll let you talk down to me. I’ll let you believe that my mind games don’t work. Ill let you have some face time with Sex and Violence's golden boy. Troy, you’re too naïve to see that I already have your mind reeling. I’ve got you flipping a lid over my claims and my talk. Realize that I know that talk is cheap in our business. What you do in the ring is all that matters. Even you know that I have talent. You know what I can do so you are afraid. You’re afraid that what you keep strapped around you like a dildo will be gone soon. You’re afraid that you’ve finally met your match. You’re afraid of JOHNNY STYLEZ" "Just admit it." "I’m not going to beat you within an inch of your life… yet. This week is all about showing you the ropes. This week is showing you a taste… a drop… of what this new look Johnny Stylez is all about, I over looked you the first time around, and last week I had your ass if Marisol didnt choke, and at summerslam I will be walking out the chamber champion. Try and stop it Troy, I dare you, and you’ll be in for a terrifying End Result. Try and stop me and you will be like a falling star from the sky when you’re brought back down to reality from the high cloud you’re on. Then you can look God in the face and realize that what happened to you is just a taste." "A drop of My very own Manifest!" "And now until Summerslam, I will be in your ear preaching the word of my Manifest" "Troy, you are sadly blinded by rage and that will ultimately be your downfall when it comes down to the end. You will be so busy trying to prove yourself that you will never see me coming. You’ll be so busy trying to garner respect from everyone that you’ll never see my boot coming. You’ll be so busy trying to fight that you’ll never see God smirking on your pathetic body. You will be a puppet in my hands and I’ll do whatever I want with you." "Expect the worst my dear." Kacy, I’m going to make an example out of you. You’re going to be a victim and there will be nothing you can do about it. You’re walking down a road you’re not familiar with. At the end of that road you will see a silhouette of a man and you’ll walk closer and that man will break your neck. Before he does though, he will softly whisper something in your ear. Do you know what it will be? "Fear God." "You’re trying to be the hero. I protest the hero. I will protest your World Championship reign until there is a new king. I will protest Troy until The Living Legend is standing before you World Champion. Then what will you do Troy? You’ll drift off into the sun where you will see only memories and lost hope. I would say I didn’t warn you but I did. I warned you from the start. You three are just blind to it. I do want you to do one thing though. After the match when Derek and Kid are battered, bruised, and bloody… when people ask you if you’re alright I want you to utter two words." "Fear God." --FIN-- |