time: tuesday afternoon

day: february nineteenth

place: bailey's bay, bermuda; engel residence.

(Sitting in my family room, alone, a six-pack of Landshark Lager on the ground by my feet. You can see all six bottles, but only one of them still has a top and beer in it. I grab the last one, pop it open with the bottle opener on my keychain, and take a swig. I set it down on the coffee table, on a coaster of course. Nobody's home. Nobody cares. I can feel a hundred different feelings inside of me. I can't explain it, I can't explain the madness. What is going on? Warren keeps asking me what's going on, but I can't tell him. Not because I don't want to, but because I can't explain it.)

(I feel cold. I put my Miller Lite hoodie back on, a gift from Joe a long time ago. It's probably the most comfortable sweatshirt I own. Why did I snap on Warren earlier? He's done nothing but been a good brother since he got here. He helps out around the house, he doesn't mooch. I don't get it. He pushed the wrong button, talking to me about Corey and Enika. What the hell would he know? He just needs to stay out of it.)

(I can't be...no. I'm fine. A little unstable, but it'll pass. It will pass. It's just a phase. And it's because of that fucking douchebag Corey. Once I take care of him, everything will be fine. Normal. I can continue on with my career, whatever I have left, and do what I need to do. This guy...I'll deal with him.)

(I put my video camera on the coffee table, right next to my beer. I hit record. I'm relaxed on my leather couch. Relax. I can't show anybody what's going on. I have to be calm, in control. This is my life. And it's the end of someone else's.)

VIRUS: You know me, Corey? You know me. Ladies and gentlemen, while I have respect for Corey as a competitor, you're now seeing me lose a lot of respect for him as an intelligent person.

Corey, you DON'T know me. My inability to go as far as I say I will? Give me a break, kid. You mentioned the AOWF King of Extreme title. I guess you have no idea what it took for me to go win that title. Do you? I assure you, if you did, you wouldn't question my ability to go as far as I say I will.

See, I got opted to enter this tournament. It was to decide the winner of the King of Extreme title because it was vacated by a good friend of mine, Psychoduck. First round. Pretty much had my way with this guy and drove him through a table.

Second round. I faced an all-around loser Aaron Faith and, even though it was a decent match, I put him away. See those two men didn't want to make it hardcore, but what's the fucking point of being in a tournament for a title that was created for that kind of match? So, I knocked Aaron around with a sledgehammer, put him away, and called it a day.

Final round. Fall from grace seven. I face Ray Stanford for the title. Stanford was one of Liberty Wrestling's better talents. But, it didn't really matter. Even with my bad knee at the time, I choked him out. I won my second AOWF community title. Second. So, you want to talk about people's inabilities?

I have the ability to enter a tournament and win it. Where's yours?

(I take another chug from my beer. I love the taste of this beer...it's unmatched. Imagine a fuller, better version of Corona that doesn't smell like piss.)

VIRUS: You're right about one thing, though. That man isn't me. That man WAS me. Corey, I'm way beyond having to prove the naysayers wrong and actually caring about what other people think. I am who I am because of what I've done. That's all I can say. I don't need to prove to anyone about how good I am and what I can do, because I've done it.

Multiple times.

I've been in your shoes, I've done the dance, and now I'm here.

I don't need Thunderwolf getting me work. I have promoters knocking at my door.

That's one of many differences between you and me.

(Another swig of the beer. Throat is a little parched.)

VIRUS: Speaking of differences, I'll explain another to you. I thought you and I weren't as different as we actually are, so this is somewhat interesting to talk about. Corey, you're so fixated on the fact that you lost the Who's the Man tournament oh-so-many years ago. You're way too occupied with facing the finalist on March 14th and claiming yourself a franchise wrestler and getting a shot to a title that's eluded you your entire career.

What am I fixated on? Making you bleed. You wanna talk about how much blood you've lost over the years? I made that shit famous, dude. I was bloodying people week in and week out while you were losing to The Spider in a match you should've won.

I don't care about being the Man, like I've said, I don't need this to prove what I already know. I'm gonna be main eventing, winning titles, and breaking barriers whether or not I win this tournament. Maybe you need this, Corey. You wanna prove to everyone why you should've been the Man so many years ago? Fine. But, while you stand there with your thumb up your ass day-dreaming about winning this tournament, I am going to beat the shit out of you.

I only care about next week. You can care about March 14th all you want, but it won't save you.

You can't escape fate. I don't care if you are the Premiere Attraction.

And making fun of my nickname? Come on, you're better than that. Aren't you?

(I guess not. I finish my beer and set it in the six-pack cardboard holder, with the other empty five.)

VIRUS: None of my business. Where the hell do you get off? Then you tell me you understand that I'm trying to protect my sister. Don't you also understand that it IS my business when it involves MY family? The fuck's wrong with you?

Get your shit straight, Laz. It is my business when it involves my family. Not only that, but she's my tag partner. We're the AOWF Tag-Team Champions. So, yeah, it is my business. I shouldn't have to tell you again. If you don't understand, then I'll make you understand on Rampage.

I was defeated by Sirus Moran and Raizzor. That is the only loss I have here in the PWA. Where does it say I lost to Sirus and Randall Moran? No where. It will tell you that in a best of three falls match between Exit Music and the Morans, Exit Music -- that's me and Enika, in case you didn't know -- won the match.

But, we did in fact lose the PWA Tag-Team titles. Big fucking deal. You and I both know that we have the better titles. Sure, they might not be active, but you're going to sit there and tell me that they don't have more value than the PWA ones? Hell, even Sirus would disagree with that, and he's not in the confrontation business.

Hey, make fun of Sirus all you want, but he's a better wrestler than Mark McNasty. Dig?

(A chuckle of my own.)

VIRUS: Laz, you're making it very personal when you talk about spending the weekend with my sister, getting wasted with her, and making implications that you have a sexual relationship with her. Alright? Do you not understand that?

I have every right to want to rip you apart. You're not good enough for her. End of story. But you won't stop. You won't stop trying to be with her and, being the good brother that I am, I am going to make you understand you don't have a snowball's chance in hell with her. She's already put you in your place, now it's my turn.

The last thing I need is for you to go near my sister again. I could care less about having a one hundred percent confident Corey Lazarus in my face. Please, bring all the confidence in the world if that helps you. Although, I don't see how you could have much after losing to McNasty.

Then again, bigger miracles have happened.

And an even bigger miracle will need to happen if you want to survive next week. I'm going to push you to edge, and drop you. I'm going to do what I say because I talk a big game and sure as hell back it up.

I do not forgive.

I do not forget.

(fade.)