Cleaning Up

[Hex Angel]

(FADEIN: Post- PT, with Eli Flair. His knuckles are red and swollen, held up at about chest - level. His face is splattered with droplets of blood. There's a wild look in his eyes, as he's leaned up against a CSWA backdrop, his gaze floating between the camera and his hands.)

"Five years ago, something happened that I'll never forget. Five years ago, nearly to the day, I won a Battle Royal that put me in the Anniversary Ironman of Champions, where I wrote my name in CSWA history by winning the World Title over, in the final match... Hornet."

"Poison Ivy said it best, that in the CSWA, it always comes back to Hornet."

"And five years later... what have I done? Where have I gone? Staking a Claim, the Last Battle of Greensboro against Troy. Sidelined by Eddy only for him to walk away. Sidelined by Windham only for him to walk away. My one shot at the gold since then was doomed, the moment Troy was signed on to be the referee. That's when it was no longer about Eli Flair and one more shot... that's when it became about the latest episode of As The Windhams Turn."

"But I'm fine with that. Really. I know my place in this company as the middle reliever, the guy who can go five innings but doesn't get the win or the save. It's amazing how the truth can set you free."

"Losing all hope is freedom, or something of the sort."

"See, what I did to Donaven Winters at Primetime was just the beginning. He started a war at CSWA15 that he won't survive to finish. And now that I know it's not a matter of moving up the ladder, I've got nothing holding me back."

"Isn't that great? Nothing holding me back. Does everyone remember what Eli Flair is like when I've got nothing holding me back?"

"Neither do I."

"The Ninja of Professional Wrestling has been on the rader for far too long, I think it's time to go back to what I do best. And I can't think of a better punching bag than Donaven Winters."

"It's been three years now, Winters... you're not even <b>close</b> to assuming the title of My Greatest Enemy. And you've got a hell of a lot more sneak attacks with your trusty bat before I'll consider you a threat."

"The worst thing I did two years ago was pull you back from the brink, Winters? I let you live?"

"I won't make that mistake again."

"It's to that point, where I just don't care. And that's a freedom I've missed with a passion."

(He pulled his hair tightly back with his hands.)

"So you owe me a few, Winters... number one, once again, I'll make ya famous. Number two, you get to spill my blood again. Merritt owes me one for leaving his World Title contenders alone. And the netnerds owe me one... better I keep myself occupied in a midlevel blood feud than go exert my political power over a World Title scene I haven't been an influential part of in half a decade."

"Bring what you've got, Winters... because your overly developed sense of self- worth needs to get knocked down a few pegs. You made your mistake when you told me I should learn to swim. That told me who you are, and that you're here."

"And now that I know you're here, you've lost your only advantage."

"Let's see what you've got left."

(FADEOUT)

 

[Winters]

(FADE IN: Donaven Winters sits in the dark recesses of the arena post Prime Time. His body is bruised from the beating he suffered at the hands of Eli Flair. Winters' eyes are dark and foreboding, the scowl on his face says it all.)

"Perhaps you should leave the baseball references to Scott Slugger, Flair. You're assuming nature is desperate and laughable at best. The ‘Ninja' of professional wrestling? Walking through a dark parking garage when you were at your weakest was too easy for me, Eli. Assuming I was trying to hide myself from you? Wrong. I left the message to your barely conscious body because I wanted you to know who had come for you."

(Winters leans back and smiles darkly into the camera. His tangled and matted hair falls in front of his face.)

"As for being your punching bag for the next couple of months? Call me Everlast. You know better than any that I can take any amount of punishment, no matter how cruel, how severe, how vile. I am going to relish in your futile attempts at trying to dispose of me. Don't worry about any blind sided attacks, Eli. You know I'm here now, I've nothing to hide. I'm coming for you head on, full speed. Again, your assumptions make you the fool. I've never claimed to be your ‘Greatest Enemy' or anything of the sort. But don't kid yourself. You and I both know I'm a threat to you. I'm a threat to your family. Ivy, Angel, your sweet little baby. You and I both know that however much you deny something in regard to me, whether it being a threat or whatever, you know it isn't true. You've got your head tilted to one side over your shoulder. One of your eyes is always looking behind your back. Do you hear a footstep in the empty hallway? I could be just behind you. I'm your dangerous and ever growing shadow, Flair.

As for your own threats of letting me die if you ever get the chance again? Go for it, Eli. You've said that you've found your freedom. It feels good doesn't it? Freedom is a luxury that a lot of us can't afford. If somehow, over the next couple of months you get a chance to let me die. Set me free. Release me from the sickly cage of life. You've got your freedom. I'm going to want mine."

(Winters pulls a cigarette from his duster and lights it. After a long drag and exhale of smoke, he continues.)

"We've both read the marks, the smarks and everyone in between. They say that I thirst for your blood, but we both know it runs much deeper than that, don't we? The blood we've shed over the years has caused scars that neither of us will soon forget. These marks are lasting impressions that will fuel our fires, Eli. They can say they've seen it a thousand times before, but you and I know that they're wrong. There's something deep inside of you trying to get out. Something dark, something feral. I'm going to bring that out of you."

(Winters takes another drag from his cigarette. The smoke hangs around the dimly lit room like a cloud.)

"Make me famous, Eli. Give me my freedom. Knock me down the rungs of the ladder. Make me bleed from one end of the world to the other. Fill the oceans with it. Drain me of everything I've ever had. Strike me out. Like you said, you're the middle reliever. You can do all of these things to me, Eli. But your first few words said it all. You don't get the save, or more importantly, the win.

The truth will indeed set you free, Elijah. Right now you're still shackled to the wall deep inside the catacombs of a castle dungeon. You're vulnerable and I'm the Grendel stalking through the hallways looking for my next feast. My advantage is your every weakness, Eli. You know that I don't need the sneak attacks through the darkness. I can come straight at you, and I will. This isn't the same man you've known since 2001. This is an entirely different beast...

Don't worry about what I've got left. Worry about what scraps I'm going to leave of you when I'm finished."

(FADE OUT)