Deacon
Member
(The scene opens with the man called Deacon at the height of his popularity. He is standing in the ring during the match with Eli Flair for the World Title. The crowd, completely psycho crazy, is on their feet screaming at the top of their lungs. These two fan favorites pull every possible emotion out of them. Deacon’s broken English /Mediterranean Accent chimes above the deafening roar of the crowd.)
DEACON v/o: I remember the sounds, the smells, the feelings that rush through me. I remember the anticipation, the anxiety, the feeling of euphoria as the crowd respond to what they see in ring. In one night, at one moment in time, a decision was made. For weeks, the question had been raised…
(Eli and Deacon are nose to nose, ready to go at it.)
DEACON v/o: … who was the CSWA’s hero? At that moment in time…
(Cut to Deacon after the match. He is holding the title high while he stands on the middle turnbuckle.)
DEACON v/o: … it was me.
(Cut to Hornet as he lifts title… after title… after title into the air at various times in his career, starting with his youngest days and culminating with the last World title before the CSWA’s worldwide expansion.)
DEACON v/o: I remember a hero, a man people look to, a person they see culture greatest virtues. I remember how high he was…
(Cut to Hornet branding Mark Vizzack.)
DEACON v/o: …and how far he fall.
(Cut to Anniversary where Hornet is in the ring ready to ‘stake’ his ‘claim’ with Deacon as the sacrificial lamb.)
DEACON v/o: But we all fall.
(The scene cuts to Deacon, who is sitting in a simple church pew. He has been to this place many times, so any knowledgeable CSWA fan knows it well. It lacks splendid holiness, like you would find in a cathedral. It is merely carved wood for an altar and pews. It lacks brilliant stained glass windows. The only brilliant colors that shine through these windows is from the sun sending rays through green trees, illuminating their edges like some surreal emerald halo that you would find in a Renaissance painting. In this simple sanctuary sits the man called Deacon.)
DEACON: I, of all people, know this well. I fell.
(Deacon stands and turns toward the camera)
DEACON: I had face many great trial in CSWA. Pat Black. Kevin Powers. Eli Flair. Mark Vizzack. Eddy Love. Blade. Steve Radder. Mike Randalls. And yes, Hornet. I had face these trial, and though I lost some matches, I came out fighting. I never laid down. I had my faith. I had the people wanting to see if faith was evidence. And I never fail them.
(Deacon turns away and stares out the window.)
DEACON: But somewhere along way, I forgot what was evidence. I had told world that you can walk on water if you keep your eye on Jesus, and I hit bump, not in ring… but in life. I hit bump, and I stop walking. I drown because of my pride. I say, “I not man who can be champion. I grow weaker. I feel numb. I… I… I… I forgot that Jesus say not’ing about what I can do. I forgot it not about me, but about Him. I forgot it not my strength that said I champion. It my faith in what HE do through me. I forgot, and I fell.
(Deacon turns to a wooden cross not illuminated in any way. It is placed on the wall.)
DEACON: But somewhere along way, HE gave me grace to see my failure. Somewhere along way, HE gave me courage to do impossible.
(Deacon’s voice increases in intensity.)
DEACON: HE gave me courage to step in ring, and I found somet’ing out.
(Deacon’s voice lowers almost to a whisper.)
DEACON: I not man I was. I weaker. I not as agile. I not as skillful. But in that weakness, HE will be prove strong.
(Deacon starts to walk toward the camera.)
DEACON: Hornet, we have plenty of history that I could talk about. But this not about you or me. This about more than either of us. This about HIM. That night, win or lose, faith will be on display because it all I have left.
(Deacon walks past the camera as the scene zooms outside to the trees where 2 birds are flying carefree into their nest. The camera fuzzes out and then goes black.)
DEACON v/o: I remember the sounds, the smells, the feelings that rush through me. I remember the anticipation, the anxiety, the feeling of euphoria as the crowd respond to what they see in ring. In one night, at one moment in time, a decision was made. For weeks, the question had been raised…
(Eli and Deacon are nose to nose, ready to go at it.)
DEACON v/o: … who was the CSWA’s hero? At that moment in time…
(Cut to Deacon after the match. He is holding the title high while he stands on the middle turnbuckle.)
DEACON v/o: … it was me.
(Cut to Hornet as he lifts title… after title… after title into the air at various times in his career, starting with his youngest days and culminating with the last World title before the CSWA’s worldwide expansion.)
DEACON v/o: I remember a hero, a man people look to, a person they see culture greatest virtues. I remember how high he was…
(Cut to Hornet branding Mark Vizzack.)
DEACON v/o: …and how far he fall.
(Cut to Anniversary where Hornet is in the ring ready to ‘stake’ his ‘claim’ with Deacon as the sacrificial lamb.)
DEACON v/o: But we all fall.
(The scene cuts to Deacon, who is sitting in a simple church pew. He has been to this place many times, so any knowledgeable CSWA fan knows it well. It lacks splendid holiness, like you would find in a cathedral. It is merely carved wood for an altar and pews. It lacks brilliant stained glass windows. The only brilliant colors that shine through these windows is from the sun sending rays through green trees, illuminating their edges like some surreal emerald halo that you would find in a Renaissance painting. In this simple sanctuary sits the man called Deacon.)
DEACON: I, of all people, know this well. I fell.
(Deacon stands and turns toward the camera)
DEACON: I had face many great trial in CSWA. Pat Black. Kevin Powers. Eli Flair. Mark Vizzack. Eddy Love. Blade. Steve Radder. Mike Randalls. And yes, Hornet. I had face these trial, and though I lost some matches, I came out fighting. I never laid down. I had my faith. I had the people wanting to see if faith was evidence. And I never fail them.
(Deacon turns away and stares out the window.)
DEACON: But somewhere along way, I forgot what was evidence. I had told world that you can walk on water if you keep your eye on Jesus, and I hit bump, not in ring… but in life. I hit bump, and I stop walking. I drown because of my pride. I say, “I not man who can be champion. I grow weaker. I feel numb. I… I… I… I forgot that Jesus say not’ing about what I can do. I forgot it not about me, but about Him. I forgot it not my strength that said I champion. It my faith in what HE do through me. I forgot, and I fell.
(Deacon turns to a wooden cross not illuminated in any way. It is placed on the wall.)
DEACON: But somewhere along way, HE gave me grace to see my failure. Somewhere along way, HE gave me courage to do impossible.
(Deacon’s voice increases in intensity.)
DEACON: HE gave me courage to step in ring, and I found somet’ing out.
(Deacon’s voice lowers almost to a whisper.)
DEACON: I not man I was. I weaker. I not as agile. I not as skillful. But in that weakness, HE will be prove strong.
(Deacon starts to walk toward the camera.)
DEACON: Hornet, we have plenty of history that I could talk about. But this not about you or me. This about more than either of us. This about HIM. That night, win or lose, faith will be on display because it all I have left.
(Deacon walks past the camera as the scene zooms outside to the trees where 2 birds are flying carefree into their nest. The camera fuzzes out and then goes black.)