REMEMBER ME?
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“Do you remember me, my friends?”
[This one solitary voice bounces around an empty darkened room. We can’t make it out. It’s soft, rumbling, and weakened.]“I’ve been lost to the world for far too long, trapped inside this place with no escape.”
[He sighs.]“But alas, freedom is at the tips of my fingers. All I have to do is reach out and touch it.”
[A dirty hand reaches out of the darkness towards us.]“And I can feel it, friends. I can feel it coursing throughout my veins. I can smell it, I can taste it, even.”
[He laughs.]“It’s delicious.”
[There’s a sound. It’s a horrible creaking like noise, as if a metal cage has been unlocked and swung open. We can’t see anything.]“I can’t pretend I don’t miss you all, that I don’t reminisce of the good times we’ve had.”
[There’s a brief pause.]“Thank you for my freedom. I never thought I’d see your face again.”
[Who?]“What you’ve asked of me will be done.”
[He laughs softly.]“I’m going home.”
[Cut.]TONATIUH VS. CAPTAIN ZAPPA VS. OFFICER DAVIS VS. AJ DOLLARS
FATAL FOUR WAY MATCH
THE SWORD SLAYS
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“Have you come to bow?”
[The voice of Lux Bellator rings throughout the cavern as the Sharkman stands to his feet. He takes a defensive posture as it appears that Lux Bellator is standing in front of Sharkman. Well, not standing.] [More like floating.]“This water represents you, my sword.” [The apparition begins.] “It continues flowing, forever rushing forward despite not knowing where it goes. All it knows is its mission. As my sword, the Shark rushes forward to overtake those who I choose to wield it against. God has granted his warrior water and the creatures living within it to bring forth his wrath.”
[Sharkman shakes his head, a rather simple move, but a defiant one nonetheless.]“You’re wrong.”
[Sharkman’s voice is low, but full of strength.]“The Shark exists no longer. The only thing your sword has done is slain that beast. I will not bow to you and serve you, Lux Bellator. Your own father has rebelled against you.”
[Those words incite great anger in the light warrior.]“How dare you?” [He demands.] “A demon comes to stand in my way, and you find a way to align with it? He may have freed you from my sanctum, but he did not free you from my control.”
[Sharkman shakes his head again.]“The Shark is dead. And now I’m coming for you, Bellator. El Salvador or not, it was only a matter of time before I conquered your hold on me.”
[The floating Lux Bellator only smiles.]“We will see.”
[As the apparition fades into the water, Sharkman stands tall.] [He conquered the inner beast within.] [But will he conquer Lux Bellator?]SHOOT VS. BLACK MAGIC
TAG TEAM MATCH
KNOCK KNOCK
RINGSIDE
“Knock Knock” [Smiley whispers with the points of his Glasgow smile curling to a grin.]
“Who’s there?” [Doubt responds.] [Cael Gable and Makena Jakande hurry their recuperation process, bringing themselves to a defensive position while Sheriff Law and Voodoo appear ready but more surprised by the sudden appearance of Knock Knock.] [Doubt and Smile stand on each side of the ring with Black Magic and SHOOT looking back and forth at both of them. The team of Knock Knock hold up the steel chairs as if pondering their use before they both slowly pull the microphones to their lips and speak in unison.]
“Your worst nightmare.”
[Without hesitation, Doubt and Smile drop the chairs and slide into the ring AND ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!!] [It’s an all out brawl with Black Magic double teaming Doubt and SHOOT trying to corner Smiley.] [SHOOT gets the early upper hand but a rake to the eyes of Gable from Smiley stuns him long enough for Smiley to land a kick to the gut of Law.] [On the other side, Doubt ducks a clothesline from Jakande and another from Voodoo who ends up driving the clotheslines into his own partner. Shocked, Voodoo turns to catch a knee to the midsection.] [Double irish whip from Knock Knock AND IT’S A COLLISION BETWEEN LAW AND VOODOO!] [NOW THEY’RE TRADING PUNCHES!!!] [Smiley and Doubt do not hesitate and at full sprints both land flying splashes into the corners on Gable and Jakande respectively before they slide to the outside.] [THEY’RE GOING FOR THE CHAIRS!!!!] [Sheriff Law and Voodoo continue to trade punches and Knock Knock re-enters the ring, weapons in hand.] [SMACK!! CRUNCH!!] [Law and Voodoo slump to the canvas as Jakande recovers to a charge.] [BOOM!] [Smiley takes her out with a swing of the chair.] [THUD!] [And Doubt nails a charging but defenseless Cael Gable.] [MY GAWD!!! KNOCK KNOCK HAS DECIMATED THE COMPETITION! THEY STAND TALL IN THE CENTER OF THE RING!!! WHAT IN THE HELL DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR NUMBER ONE CONTENDER SPOT??!?]ALISTAIR HUXLEY VS. HAYDEN HARDKORE
SINGLES MATCH
UNLEASHED
RINGSIDE
“Viktor…Hel does not await me, for I am nothing more than a mere shadow. A shadow that plagues the minds of several people daily. A shadow that people must face at least once in their life. A shadow that can consume your very soul if it so chooses. I gave you a chance to flee, to give you an opportunity to join Valhalla. And yet… you stay. Now, I shall prove to you that no weapon can save you from your own emotions!”
[With little warning, pitch black, shadowy tendrils burst from Doubt’s hood, the appendages wrapping around North’s limbs and pulling him closer! Viktor fights with all of his might, pulling and yanking at the tendrils. HE RIPS ONE OFF! The shadowy mass dissipates into thin air, a new one materializing in its place. North grits his teeth as he holds up his fists.] [He’s certain of what he must do.]“Only fools hope to live forever! Prepare to taste defeat by my hand!”
DOUBT VS. VIKTOR NORTH
SINGLES MATCH
OUTER LIMITS
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“Friends, take me to your leader!”
[Silence.] [Everyone ignores him, refusing eye contact. Although stood before him, a woman stands. We know her as Calypso.]“There’s no leader amongst us. What do you want, stranger?”
[Zappa smiles.] “I am the chosen and I’m looking for those who wish to peel away the layer of this dimension and broaden their horizons to a world beyond – where the meek will thrive.” [Calypso puts her hands on her hips.]“Come with me, and I will take you to the Outer Limits. I’ve heard that you worship no God, and I can prove he came to be a lie. The Zetas have shown me the way. They saw me differently and I have proved my commitment to them. Follow me and I can show it to you too.”
[Everyone now turns their attention to Zappa, who stands before them a crazed looking hippy. Calypso smiles.]“You wish for me to join you, but first you need to prove your commitment to us. We believe the meek shall inherit the earth and you prophesize our inherency of another world?”
[He looks up at the sky.] “No, the Zetas do; under my leadership.”“Very well. At Double Tap, our stars will align and I will call you Captain. But if we fail to win and you fail to prove your commitment to us, I will destroy all you hold dear, alien.”
[Zeta nods enthusiastically before trundling away, continuing his trip. The cameras close in on the face of Calypso, who looks somewhat perturbed.] [Could he really bring about their domination of this or a better world?]MR. X VS. SERGEI SOKOLOV
SINGLES MATCH
THY ARMS OF STEEL
RINGSIDE
“You want to know truth, Sergei?” [Piotor asks, tilting his head.] “Truth is that Mr. X told you no lies. General Petrov is traitor, working for American government. He has you work for them too.”
[Sokolov turns over, clutching at the bleeding wound on the back of his forehead. His once blonde hair turned crimson by it.]“Mother Russia sent me to dispatch of traitor. Piotor start with Petrov and finish with Sergei.”
[Svetolav runs, diving at Sokolov with a vicious basement clothesline, driving his steel arms into the throat of the Russian Bear.] [As Sergei chokes, scrambling away clutching his throat, Piotor gets back to his feet, smiling.]WILLIAM ABRAXAS VS. EPITAPH
SINGLES MATCH
WAR AND PEACE
RINGSIDE
“Did that truly see a victor emerge, William?”
[The White Horse rises from his corner holding the red candle of war, neverending in its burning.]“Is anything truly over? Peace did not emerge from this battle, yet our war hangs at a standstill.”
[The Red Horse stands in his corner with his hands cradling the white candle of peace, wax spread all over the place from the burning down of its candle.]“War never ends, Epitaph.” [Abraxas begins.] “Yet I see now that you recognize this. Your war is just for peace. And as sickening as that concept is to me, I respect the fact that you wage the war you do.”
[The two men meet in the center of the ring.]“Then perhaps we are more alike than we realized.” [Epitaph asks.] “The White Horse and the Red Horse are, in fact, both horses after all. Our goals may not be the same, but our path may be more similar than any could have guessed.”
[The two men hold out their respective candles, the flames intertwining between them and signalling what appears to be a partnership.]“War.” [Abraxas says.]
“Peace.” [Epitaph responds.] [The two men stand in the middle of the ring as their partnership solidifies itself.] [GUNGNIR TO EPITAPH!] [TALON’S CLAW TO ABRAXAS!] [Both War and Peace are dropped to the mat as two men stand above them.] [Tonatiuh.] [Viktor North.] [The two men nod to one another, solidifying their own partnership, as they look down and snort at War and Peace.] [This isn’t over.]
JACK JECKEL VS. ETHAN BIRD
SINGLES MATCH
PLEASE DON’T GO
RINGSIDE
“For far too long now, Old School Wrestling has been my home away from home. From Las Vegas to Miami, I have given this company everything that I have… even my son….”
[He lowers his head.]“WE… LOVE… KERSH!!! WE… LOVE… KERSH!” [The crowd chants.] [He raises his head up and tears are in his eyes. He holds a hand out to silence the crowd. They quiet, and he continues.]
“For far too long now, this place hasn’t been safe for those with families. Bruce Van Chan lost his unborn child, Mike Lane lost Destiny, and the list goes on and on. This place is full of psychopaths, monsters, and murderers. It just isn’t safe here. I’ve already lost one of my children to OSW, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to lose another.”
[He puts his hands on his hips and looks to the sky. He’s holding back tears, and the crowd starts again.]“PLEASE DON’T GO! PLEASE DON’T GO!! PLEASE DON’T GO!”
[He gives them a moment to quiet, and when they do, he moves on.]“Every member of my family has been targeted by the monsters that haunt these halls. From my father to my pregnant wife and the baby that grows inside her. So, it’s with a heavy heart that I make this decision… Newton! Get out here!”
[The lights go low and the music starts. Edward Newton steps out through the doors and his smile stretches from ear to ear. He rubs his hands together as he heads toward the ring. He grabs a microphone on his way up the stairs and steps through the ropes and stands across from Kersh. He chuckles and lifts the mic.]“Enough with the small talk, Kersh. I’ve heard enough. LAY DOWN!”
[Kersh looks down for a moment, trying to keep his composure. He looks back at Newton with fire in his eyes.]“YOU’RE GOING TO LISTEN TO EVERY WORD THAT I HAVE TO SAY!”
[Newton smiles, but is that a hint of intimidation in those eyes?]“You’ve done enough talking from behind a camera lens; now it’s my turn! I’ve told you once, and I’ll tell you again. You do not frighten me. I’ve been through hell and back since I came here, and you are nothing compared to that. If it wasn’t for your cowardice, your inability to fight fair, I would have already crushed you. But instead you took my daughter like a thief in the night. You’ve manipulated her and me at every turn, and since you have no concern for anyone other than yourself, here I am, about to give you what you want…”
[Newton’s smile somehow widens. He lifts his mic… but Brent silences him before he begins.]“SHUT UP!”
[The crowd explodes!]“My family means more to me than anything, Newton. Anything! So before I lay down here and let you pin me, ending my career, there’s one more thing I need you to hear, and one thing I want to show you: You see, you took my daughter and hid her away. You took her somewhere that you believed I would never find her. You took her to a place that I would never dream of looking. You took her to a place… that I’ve been before! You see, it didn’t take much to put the pieces together. I’ve seen the markings on those concrete walls before. I knew where your match was going to be that night, and I knew you couldn’t be far from there. So after I headed to the Asylum…”
[Newton’s eyes bulge and his smile is wiped from his face]“…it wasn’t hard to find her.”
[He points over Newton’s shoulder, who turns and looks as Dani Kersh makes her way from the back. She waves at him. He slowly turns back to Kersh, raising his hands and begging off.]“I’m not going anywhere, Newton.” [The crowd explodes again.] “I outsmarted you, and now I’m going to out wrestle you.”
[He throws the microphone and the bell rings.]BRENT KERSH VS. EDWARD NEWTON
SHOWCASE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Brent Kersh takes full advantage of Edward Newton’s surprise and nails him with a heavy right hand! Newton is rocked back on his heels and Kersh hits him again and again, knocking him back against the ropes. Newton tries to slide out, but grabs him by the back of the head, and wrenches him backwards, tangled in the ropes. Newton’s back is turned to Kersh, who pulls him back to deliver heavy clubbing forearms across Edward’s chest! Newton is in trouble, as Kersh turns around and drops delivering a REVERSE STUNNER THAT DRIVE’S NEWTON’S NECK ACROSS THE TOP ROPE! Newton is nearly decapitated as he collapses on the apron! Kersh steps through the rope onto the apron himself. He positions Newton’s limp body with his foot to where the Riddler’s head and neck stick out of the ring. Kersh steps back and leaps into the air with a JUMPING LEG DROP! Kersh falls to the ground with driving force as Newton is left flailing in the ring, hold his throat!] [Kersh grabs his tailbone, but is quick to recover from his deliberate fall. He slides back into the the ring and drops a few knees to the back of Newton’s head for good measure. The Enforcer is in total control! He stands and considers what to do next and decides to pull Newton up by the hair, but catches an EYE POKE for his troubles! Newton tries to catch his breath, and Kersh stumbles back towards him. The Riddler pops forward with a THROAT THRUST! Kersh drops to a knee, gasping for air. Newton finally gains his feet, just to grab Kersh’s head and drop him with a SINGLE ARM DDT!! He rolls Kersh over and pins… One… Two… THRE…] [KICKOUT! Kersh kicks out with force and Newton is sent away, just to jump back on top and deliver a series of punches and elbows to Kersh’s head and neck area! Kersh tries to cover up, so Newton jumps high in the air and drives his knee straight down on Kersh’s chest! Kersh is once again without his wind, and Newton tries to capitalize! He grabs Brent’s legs and turns him over for a BOSTON CRAB!! Kersh struggle to catch his breath and not tap out at the same time, he reaches out for the ropes, but the Riddler sees it and walks towards the middle of the ring!! Kersh is in trouble here with no way to break the hold, but he is able to push up, turn his body and fling Newton across the ring!!] [Kersh drags himself over to the ropes and begins to pull himself up, but Newton sprints across the ring and levels Kersh with a HELLUVA KICK to the side of his head! Kersh’s lights go out, and he crumples to the canvas. Newton smiles and thinks for a moment about what to do next. He looks to the corner and mounts the second turnbuckle. He motions for Brent to get up as the crowd boos aggressively. Finally, Kersh stumbles to his feet. Edward leaps from the ropes with an AXEHANDLE, but Kersh sees it and jumps into the air connecting with a DROPKICK! Newton’s own force doubled the impact and he drops like a sack of potatoes!] [Kersh gets to his feet after that desperation kick, and saunters over to Newton. He grabs his leg and locks in the LONESTAR!! Newton is flailing in pain! He grasps for the ropes, but they are out of reach! He is in real trouble here! We could see a new Showcase Champion! Newton lifts his arm to tap… but instead he fights his way over, reversing the figure four!! Kersh immediately breaks the hold, and the two lay prone for a moment, relieving the pain.] [Finally Kersh gets to his feet first and heads towards Newton, who pops up and kicks out at Kersh. Brent catches his foot, but the shoe slides of and Newton drops after the distraction and nails Kersh with a LOW BLOW! MIND OVER MATTER!! Kersh stumbles and Newton pops up… NEVERMIND!!! Kersh’s head is buried in the canvas! Newton covers… One… Newton puts his feet on the middle rope for leverage… Two… Kersh struggles and the ref doesn’t see Newton’s feet… THREE!!] [Edward Newton retains and keeps his unbeaten streak alive! He’s a dirty cheater, but he got the job done, scowling at Dani Kersh as he runs away before and infuriated Kersh can get ahold of him!]
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCKING ON HEAVENS DOOR
BACKSTAGE
“How did it feel?” [he asks, sizing up the younger Jeckel.] “How did it feel to know that you just cost your brother his life.”
[Jack looks up, his eyes wide.] “You can’t do this, Flint.”“We had a deal, didn’t we? If you won, I would let your brother rot in jail alive. But if Bird won, I would end you both.”
[Flint pulls his jacket to one side, revealing a small calibre pistol.]“You need to come with me, son.”
[As Errol reaches down to place his hand upon the weapon, Jack slowly rises to his feet. He puts his hands up, signalling that he has no fight left in him.] [They walk to the exit and leave the arena, heading into the alleyway behind it. Flint intends to end Jack’s life, just like the deal they made suggests. Ethan Bird has long washed his hands of the Jeckel’s and now Errol Flint intends to do the same.] [Jack drops to his knees in the rain, looking up at the sky.] [Flint pulls his weapon.]“Any last words?”
[Jeckel shakes his head.] [The camera faces Errol Flint.] [Then the sky.] [BANG!] [The camera lowers towards the gory scene below. As it slowly descends from the nights sky, the sight below is a shocking and gory one.] [Jack Jeckel remains on his knees, untouched and unharmed.] [But Errol Flint – he isn’t so lucky.] [The former OSW Chairman lays on the ground clutching his chest, as blood slowly trickles out onto the pavement. He coughs, spluttering blood up onto his chin. Jack stands up and turns around, checking himself to see if he’s whole.]“What the fuck?”
[He looks down at Flint, who’s gasping for air.] [There’s no-one around. There’s no-one even in the vicinity. Jack doesn’t touch Flint’s gun, he simply steps backwards.]“Help…. me,” [Errol begs, reaching out an harm.] “Please!”
[The Juggalo looks him up and down, shakes his head and walks away.] [The last shot we see is of Jack Jeckel walking away into the distance, Errol Flint left bleeding to dead in the alleyway behind him.] [Cut.]THE SHARKMAN VS. LUX BELLATOR
DOUBLE FEATURE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
THE WRONG SAVIOR
RECORDED EARLIER
“Ye who doubt…” [He steps in front of the huddled group with arms outstretched as if offering a hug.] “… It’s only natural to doubt.”
[A flurry of laughter escapes his lips as he stops himself to listen to the voices in his head.]“That is why you are here, isn’t it? Your curiosity getting the better of you. That voice in your head that says ‘what if’?” [He breaks off into a burst of uncontrolled laughter once more but almost instantly refocuses himself in the conversation as if nothing had happened.] “I understand. Part of you is not sure. You put your faith in Calypso, but do you trust that she truly has your backs?”
[The followers of Calypso do not respond, their silence seeming to almost answer Cross’s question in his mind.]“You doubt her because she could not save Courtney. Her abandonment of the girl placed that seed in your minds… that perhaps you are dispensable. Calypso cannot save you, she cannot offer you the Earth. You’re following the wrong Savior.”
[Decmond Cross is blindsided, taken off his feet and driven into the nondescript concrete wall without so much as a warning. His attacker holds him by the throat and pushes his head against the wall.]“How… fucking… dare… you…”
[The words are spoken slowly, directly into the face of Cross. Calypso drives her head into his, the heatbutt opening a gash above Cross’s eye that only serves to put a smile on his face as he feels the blood slowly trickling down.]“I know what you are doing and it’s not going to work. You think you can get to me by getting into the minds of those that follow me?” [She turns to the nervous looking group of her followers.] “Can’t you see he offers you nothing but empty words and lies?”
[The short break in her attention on Cross allows him to push her away. He steps forward, rubbing his tender throat.]“Are they lies?” [He laughs again, all the more chilling from the blood that now trickles into his mouth as he does so.] “I speak the truth. How about we let them decide who their Savior will be?”
[Calypso turns once more, slamming Cross against the wall again.]“When I’m through, everyone will see that you’re full of it. The only place anybody will follow you is straight to the hospital.”
[She storms off. Her followers hesitate for a moment, looking back at Cross as if deciding. Then, they too follow Calypso… leaving Desmond abandoned and alone, yet again. Naught but the voices in his head for company.]DESMOND CROSS VS. CALYPSO
REWIND CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
A SINGLE CANDLE
BACKSTAGE
“The fire spirit was but a single candle before he became the sun.”
[He continues walking down, the eery silence of his surroundings nearly deafening.]“I am a single candle, and tonight, we burn as one.”
[He stops for a moment, sensing something nearby. Suddenly, fire rages around the champion. Within the fire is a figure hard to make out at first, but as the light glows we begin to make out who it is…the Dragon himself, Solomon Rhodes. The challenger to the title gives a stern look to Tommy, with a tone in his voice to match.]“Fire is purity, and I have not lost that candle burning inside of me. I do not wish to end the world, but to illuminate it. You should want that too, Chief.”
[The fire glows brighter, as though trying to overtake the soft glow of the candlelight. Tommy takes a look at the candle, a glimmer of the Wolf inside him, and then back at Rhodes, whose eyes shine red as he glares at the champ.]“Tonight, this ends.”
[With that, a gust of wind sweeps through…extinguishing both the fire and the candlelight in the blink of an eye. Both men disappear back into the darkness, but Solomon’s final words are whispered as if with a hush.]“And the landscape will be changed forever.”
[Cut.]SWEET DREAMS
SWEET DREAMS MATCH
“Blackwater Asylum.”
[Emblazoned on the wall next to the doors, a rusty dilapidated sign hangs by a single link chain. The camera shoot inside the building, snapping through different corridors and rooms.] [The Scarecrow.] [Mother.] [Bruce Van Chan.] [King Royal.] [Lux Bellator.] [Smiley.] [We see a shot of each of them as the camera finally stops on Smiley, monitoring his progress. There’s only one way to win this match, ladies and gentlemen; escape The Asylum alive.] [The Maniac turns the corner, his eyes darting from room to room.]“Come out come out wherever you are,” [He menacingly mocks.] “It’s okay, I won’t hurt you,” [Smiley pauses.] “Much.”
[He skulks around the next corner and walks straight into The Scarecrow. The Hayman grabs him by the throat, tossing him into the nearest wall. He quickly rushes, punching with left and right hands that Smiley manages to side step, watching as the final blow drives straight through the rotting dry wall. The Maniac leaps onto his back, strangling him, clawing at his leather face with his sharpened nails, trying to make an impact.] [The Scarecrow shakes him off and turns around, driving into his skull with a vicious Headbutt. This stumbles Smiley, and he walks backwards into the nearest set of doors – arriving in the kitchen. He reaches out for the nearest thing he can grab, grabbing a dusty old pan and swinging wildly. The Scarecrow dodges each shot, scooping up a nearby skillet and levelling Smiley as he returns for another shot.] [The clang echoes throughout the kitchen and is quickly followed by The Hayman, grabbing The Maniac and running him head first into a nearby decrepit fridge.] [Flutter.] [Smiley hits it, then the floor in quick succession. He turns around in a haze, but The Scarecrow is gone.] [Elsewhere inside the Asylum, Bruce Van Chan peers around a corner, looking carefully for an exit. He walks towards a bathroom and finds himself clobbered across the back of the head by King Royal. The King runs him straight into the room, head first into the nearest sink he can find. Bruce barely knows what’s hit him, getting back to his feet and stumbling into a vicious right hand. The King grabs him again, looking to toss him into the urinal, but Van Chan manages to reverse, whipping him instead.] [He crunches off the porcelain with a thud and returns to the fight. They trade right hands, The King gaining an advantage and punching his nemesis backwards into a wall, turning him around and SLAMMING HIM STRAIGHT FUCKING THROUGH IT! HOLY FUCKING SHIT! BRUCE VAN CHAN JUST FLEW THROUGH THE BATHROOM WALL AND BACK INTO THE HALLWAY! HOLY SHIT!] [The King steps through the sizable wreckage with a smile on his face, looking down at Van Chan who’s barely moving.] [Elsewhere, Lux Bellator enters an old patient room, searching for the exit. He steps inside and looks around, turning himself to leave when the door suddenly slams shut.] [CLICK.] [The sound of a bolt locking sends panic down his spine. He rushes over and grabs at the handle, yanking and pulling, but it won’t unlock. Bellator peers through a small window in the door, but no-one appears to be outside.] [He turns around.] [And there she is.] [Mother.] [The Light Warrior is startled at first but quickly realizes that she’s trapped him inside this room with her. The only way out is to fight. He runs at her, but she ducks a Clothesline, sending him bouncing off the wall with a thud. Mother turns him, kicking him as hard as she can in the shins, tights and knees, eventually taking him down to floor, kneeling.] [She swings with a big kick but Bellator ducks, scooping her up and POWERBOMB ON THE CONCRETE FLOOR! FUCKING POWERBOMB! THAT WRECKS HER! HOLY SHIT! Mother’s head bounces off the floor and Lux stumbles away, trying to regain his composure.] [The door unlocks, whatever power she held over it having vanished. He pulls it open and exits.] [BUT THEN COMES FLYING BACK INTO THE ROOM! WHAT THE FUCK?!] [IT’S THE SCARECROW! OH NO!] [With a giant Big Boot, The Scarecrow has thrusted Bellator straight back into the room. The Light Warrior runs at him again, only this time The Hayman grabs him by the throat and tosses him straight over the mouldy patient bed, sending it and him tumbling away!] [This match is terrifying!] [We’ve seen everyone try to escape. Everyone is looking for an exit, but only one man knows the way out.] [Smiley.] [We re-join Smiley as he nears the exit of the Asylum. He walks towards the door, pulls on the handle and is about to leave, when something disturbs him.]“Hello, my friend.”
[Could it be?] [No way.] [Smiley’s eyes widen. He turns around and is grabbed by the throat.] [Cut.] [Back with Bruce Van Chan and he’s stumbling down the corridors, bouncing off the walls, holding his chest. He’s feeling it. He’s really feeling it. The King is in slow pursuit, mocking him as he follows.]“So this is it for you, old chum?” [The King says with a chuckle.] “The end is nigh, is it? One can’t say that he’s disappointed. This has been a long time coming.”
[Bruce turns, swinging wildly, but falls to his knees.] [He clutches at his chest.] [And reaches out for Royal.] [But The King slaps his arm away with disgust.]“Die.”
[Bruce collapses to the ground, his eyes glazed over.]“Die.” [Royal whispers one last time.] [This disgusting ‘King’ steps over the body of his once friend, and continues his search for the exit. We zoom in on Bruce, who looks gaunt, his breathing coming to a damn near stop.] [Cut.] [SHATTER!] [Out of absolutely no-where, the sound of shattering glass pierces our ears. That’s because Lux Bellator has sent MOTHER THROUGH A GLASS WINDOW! We arrive just to see her landing in the hallway, having exited an office with great force. Bellator and The Scarecrow are soon behind, brawling amongst themselves. King Royal walks around the corner and all four fights into the lobby! They’re right near the exit!] [Mother has been scooped up off the ground by The King and he’s strangling her with an old telephone cord. The Scarecrow and Lux Bellator trade right and left hands, brutalizing each other.] [Cut.]
“Why aren’t you smiling, my friend?”
[A voice echoes throughout a room, somewhere deep inside The Asylum. The camera flicks on from darkness to see Smiley chained to a metal framed bed. He’s lying there, his arms and legs wrapped in heavy duty chains as someone looms out of frame. There’s a gag covering his mouth so that he cannot speak.]“Aren’t you pleased to see me?”
[Smiley says something, but its muffled.]“I suppose you never thought you’d see me again. But I’m back now and I’ve come to reclaim what I’ve lost.”
[A dark figure steps into frame.]“But first, let’s talk about what you lost.”
[He sits in a chair beside the bed, his face becoming clearer.] [Hysteria.] [Holy fuck. It’s him…. It’s fucking Hysteria!]“What’s the matter?” [He barks.] “Are you scared?”
[Cut.] [Suddenly, the shot jolts back to the lobby where four of our six competitors are fighting. Smiley and Bruce Van Chan are out of this one and whoever escapes this terrible place will earn a shot at the World Championship!] [Suddenly, two hands reach for the handle at the same time.] [Mother and Scarecrow.] [Genesis.] [No-one wondered what would happen if it came to this? No-one even thought about it. They’ve been on the same page for such a long time that this was completely ignored.] [They turn to face each other.] [Their empty eyes locked.] [Mother leaps at The Scarecrow, ripping at his leather face with her claws. He stumbles backwards, but eventually tosses her aside, straight into a nearby wall. She hits the deck hard and slowly gets back to her feet. Mother yells a guttural scream, running at The Hayman one more time, only he levels her with a giant Big Boot. He turns to walk for the door, grabs the handle and is about to turn it when suddenly, MOTHER LEAPS ON HIS BACK!] [He stumbles backwards again, reaching around and above himself, trying to pull off from him but she’s strangling him with everything she has.] [Suddenly, the door handle turns and both of their eyes switch to it, revealing King Royal stood there, trying to make a crafty exit.] [He smiles nervously.] [Before he can hightail it, Mother has tackled him to the ground. She grabs one leg and with the door swung open, The Scarecrow grabs the other, dragging him back inside!] [The door slams shut behind them, leaving us out here in the cold, waiting for a winner.] [A few moments pass.] [Then the door opens.] [And The Scarecrow steps through!] [The Hayman has done it! He’s survived Sweet Dreams and won an opportunity at the OSW World Championship! Holy crap!] [He smiles, grabs the chain and puts it back through the handles, locking it from the outside.] [Flutter.] [And then he’s gone.] [What happened in there?]BOWL OF WRATH
[Sweet Dreams is over!]
[The Blackwater Asylum has not finished seeing action though.]
[Despite everything he’s been through, Lux Bellator staggers around, his eyes to the sky. The worn out warrior of light stumbles and falls to his knees with his hands raised out to the stars. Somehow, Lux has found an eye to the sky and a patch of clear ground.]
[The perfect location.]
“You won’t get away with this, Lux.”
[That voice belongs to Sharkman. We quickly see that the finned avenger has been bound once more. The sword of Lux Bellator was left in this place after the warrior teleported here after the Double Feature match earlier. He has fought against the chains binding him, enough to tear at his uniform. Judging by the dampness of that fabric, Sharkman has also been inside of the small stream running by this patch of open ground.]“I’m going to stop you.” [Shark challenges.] [Lux only smiles.] [CRACK!] [Lightning falls from the sky in a rush of power, illuminating the body of Lux Bellator. He seems to find strength in the electricity coursing through his body. That strength brings him to his feet, and the lightning begins to lessen in intensity, but as it does so it manifests itself into an object held high above the masked warrior’s hands.] [A bowl.] [We all remember what the first bowl did to Neville Sheldon just a month ago.] [As does Sharkman.]
“Do with me what you will.” [Sharkman says, facing the horrible fate that awaits him.] “Others will rise.”
[Bellator turns his head, looking curiously at Sharkman.]“Fool.” [Bellator says.] “You chose the wrath, you will not endure it.”
[Sharkman is lost for words as Bellator steps past his bound form…] […to the small stream?]“In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,” [Bellator shouts to the heavens.] “I hereby unleash the second bowl of God’s Wrath onto the wretched and broken world!”
[Lux carefully pours the unknown liquid from the bowl into the crevice of this small stream. As it merges with the water running, it begins to congeal and darken to a thick and mucus-like crimson.] [Blood.] [As the blood begins to overtake the water in this stream, the bonds holding Sharkman fade out, and the masked man rushes over to see what is happening to the place he used to live. He watches as the life that lives within these waters begins to slowly float up to break the surface.] [Dead.] [As Sharkman mourns what is happening before him, the sound of Lux Bellator’s laugh begins to grow from nothingness to a full blown cackle.] [The second bowl of God’s Wrath has been poured. Water has been turned to blood, and the life therein has been killed. The Red Horse rode out and used its sword to achieve its end.] [Bellator continues to laugh in celebration as the camera pulls out from the scene to display a nearby high ledge.] [Where a hooded man watches with great interest.] [Cut.]JACOB PHOENIX VS. DTR VS. JENSEN CUSSEN
VHS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
SEED
RINGSIDE
“This world must come to an end!” [The Virus bellows.] [There’s a venom in his words.]
“Don’t you see, Jacob? Jensen? Don’t you see!?” [He questions with a raised eyebrow.] “This whole saga has been about the end of the world as we know it. My Virus is rotten, vile and putrid, but in comparison to hers? It is nothing.”
[Jacob doesn’t understand.]“She is the one. She is the carrier of death.”
[DTR walks over to Stephanie and places his hand on her stomach. She smiles, her rotten teeth covered in black.]“And she bears my child.”
[Jensen’s eyes widen.] [Jacob falls to his knees in shock.]“She carries my seed, son. She carries the end of the world in her belly. You see, that child is the beginning of the end of this earth. It will carry a stronger more volatile strain of the virus than any of us.”
[He and Stephanie embrace.]“And it will destroy mankind.”
[DTR laughs maniacally, looking at a stunned Jensen Cussen with eyes of joy. He reaches a hand down, offering to help him to his feet; Jensen reluctantly and cautiously accepts.]“Our family is growing, son.”
[The camera swivels to Phoenix, who kneels on the outside with his head lowered. The woman he loves has been forever tainted by this maniac and virus. Everything he’s ever done has been for her, and now she’s lost.] [And The Phoenix is broken.]TOMMY HAWK VS. SOLOMON RHODES
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
RESTART
RINGSIDE
“Niggas fighting over rings, niggas wanna be the King, but Long Live the Chief!”
[The crowd go absolutely mental as The Chief steps out into the arena with a big toothy smile on his face. With a microphone in hand, he waits for his music to come to a stop.]“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” [he says with a hand raised.] “This isn’t how Ring of Dreams is supposed to end. Ya’ll came here to see a winner, right?”
[The fans roar.]“And that’s what we’re gonna see. If you guys can’t settle this match in a ring of fuckin’ fire, let’s settle it the old-fashioned way.”
[Hawk and Rhodes begin to stir, listening in.]“One… Two… Three.”
[Cheers.]“Restart the fuckin’ match, nigga.”
TOMMY HAWK VS. SOLOMON RHODES
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
They both circle each other as the bell rung, their short time out about to end as soon as one strikes the other. They crash into each other in the middle of the ring, each having lunged with their arms out and into a collar an elbow tie up. Twisting, turning, squeezing and putting pressure on each other they took turns at moving around the ring up and down, barely a weight difference between them. Tommy Hawk eventually runs him backwards into the ropes and holds him leaning across the top, applying pressure until the referee forces him to break the hold. This is a cagey re-start by both these competitors.] [Tommy does as the referee asks and backs away, Solomon this time striking with a foot to the mid-section as he came back for more. He follows that up, right handing him so hard that The Dragon drops to one knee with the force, quickly standing back up to hit him again, then again and back him into the ropes, holding pressure across his chest until the referee forces him to break the hold. The fans are rocking the sold-out Tap Room by this point. They want to speed the action back up and Hawk obliges, running from the ropes at Rhodes who ducks his Clothesline attempt. The Champion bounced back off the ropes and came again, Rhodes this time hitting the canvas prone and Hawk jumping him, only to turn around and have him pop up with a Jawbreaker.] [Rhodes waits as Hawk rolls back to his feet and runs quickly at him, Solomon sidestepping just in time, only The Champion is ready. Tommy spins ferociously and THE SCALP! HOLY FUCK, THE SCALP! HE GOT IT! Hawk drops into the cover…. One….. Two…… Three!] [NO! KICK OUT ON THREE!] [The World Champion can’t believe that he kicked out. He gets back to his feet and goes to the corner, pulling an imaginary bow from his back and preparing another attempt. Rhodes gets up groggily, barely able to stand and turns around to a SECOND SCALP! NO!! RHODES DUCKS!! CODEBREAKER! CHAOS THEORY! CHAOS THEORY TO THE WORLD CHAMPION! Solomon hit that out of desperation! He covers… ONE….. TWO….. THREE!!] [NO!! NOOOOOO! HAWK KICKS OUT!] [The fans go absolutely ballistic as the Champion somehow kicks out. Both men are fucked. They’ve worked so hard in this match that they can barely stand. Together they get back to their feet, slugging it out. Right and left hands are exchanged violently between them, each getting weaker with every punch thrown and received. Solomon manages to somehow push Hawk away, leaping forward with a SUPERKICK THAT NEARLY TAKES HIS FUCKING HEAD OFF! DARKWISH! He drops down to cover but Tommy somehow rolls to the outside!] [Gaining some composure and a rest, Tommy lands on the outside and stands, holding his face. What he doesn’t realize is SOLOMON RHODES COMES DIVING THROUGH THE MIDDLE ROPE!! TOPE SUICIDA! NOOOO! THE FUCKING SCALP! TOMMY CAUGHT HIM WITH THE FUCKING SCALP! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? THAT’S SHADES OF HIS MATCH WITH MIKE LANE! Rhodes hits the floor with a thud and he’s out, but Tommy drops to his knees, unable to capitalize on it! The World Champion finally has enough energy to roll The Dragon into the ring but by then it’s too late. He covers… One…. Two…. Three… Kick Out! Kick out!] [The World Champion has to try something else. He has to. Both get back to their feet and Tommy scoops him up, slamming him down on his back. He rolls him over and positions himself at his feet. What’s he going to do? Suddenly and without warning, he stands on the backs of Rhodes’ knees, then his hamstrings, then his lower back and then he WALKS OVER THE DRAGON! HE WALKS STRAIGHT OVER HIM! HOLY FUCK! HE CALLS THAT THE TRAIL OF TEARS! HE JUST WALKED OVER SOLOMON RHODES LIKE HE WAS FUCKING CARPET! Solomon yells in agony and rolls away, getting back to his feet in masses amounts of pain. Tommy scoops his legs out from underneath him and flips over… ONE…. TWO….. THREE!!] [NO! ANOTHER KICK OUT BY THE CHALLENGER! This match is coming to its end, you can feel it. Both of them get back to their feet, but it’s Rhodes who desperately locks in the TONGAN DEATH GRIP! HOLY FUCK! THIS MOVE HAS PUT MANY A VICTIMS AWAY! HE SQUEEZES, AND TOMMY TRIES TO FIGHT IT OFF! HE CAN’T TAKE THE PAIN… THE REFEREE ASKS… “Do you quit, Tommy?” HE SAYS…. BUT NO! HAWK REFUSES! HE REFUSES! HE FINALLY BREAKS THE HOLD… CHAOS THEORY! CHAOS THEORY! SURELY THAT HAS TO BE ALL! SURELY WE HAVE A NEW WORLD CHAMPION…. HE COVERS…. ONE……. TWO……… THREEE!!] [KICK OUT! KICK OUT! TOMMY HAWK KICKED THE FUCK OUT! The fans can’t believe it! The world can’t believe it! They both get to their feet, slow and sluggish, feeling the effects of this match. Rhodes swings at Hawk, but the Champion ducks and swings back…. THE SCALP! NO!! CHAOS THEORY! CHAOS THEORY! NO! HAWK HOLDS HIM IN MID-AIR! HE FUCKING HOLDS HIM! WITH AN ALMIGHTY AMOUNT OF STRENGTH, HE GRABS HIM BY THE HEAD AND… PACKAGE PILEDRIVER! PACKAGE FUCKING PILEDRIVER!! PIN….. ONE….. TWO….. THREE!] [NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!] [WHAT?] [HELL NO!] [The World Champion once again has a look of shock across his face. With Rhodes on his back, Hawk walks over…. BOW AND ARROW! HE LOCKS IN THE BOW AND ARROW RHODES WRIGGLES AND WRITHES IN AGONY! SURELY HE HAS TO TAP! HE HAS TO… HE CAN’T ESCAPE THIS! THE REFEREE ASKS… HE ASKS…. WILL HE TAP?] [WILL HE TAP?] [HE TAPS! SOLOMON RHODES TAPS OUT! HE TAPS OUT!] [HOLY FUCKING SHIT! TOMMY HAWK RETAINS HIS OSW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! What a fucking match!] [The bell sounds and the referee hands him the OSW World Championship, of which he quickly hugs close into his chest. Both of these warriors went through hell tonight, but only one could walk away with the grand prize.] [That man, tonight, was Tommy Hawk.]
YOU’RE TO BLAME
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“Don’t try to move, Mr. Van Chan,” [the voice suggests.] “I’m afraid that you’ll do yourself some serious harm if you do.”
[Bruce’s eyes flick back and forth, looking for the source.]“You’ve been on a very long road, haven’t you? A road of torment and anguish. I’m sure that it’s been very tough on you. At least, I hoped it has.”
[Panic.] [Pure panic.]“As you may have guessed, there’s nothing wrong with you – minus a tiny paralytic so that we could have this conversation. I know, I know, it’s a relief, isn’t it?” [The voice muses.] “And to think of all the effort I went to, to make you appreciate life and go away. You should have retired, Bruce. You should have taken your lovely family and gotten as far away as possible.”
[He can’t speak. He can’t move.]“But alas, you didn’t. You see, I spiked your water for your original symptoms. That pain in your chest – that was all of my doing. The Doctor you’ve been meeting with – an employee of mine. He’s been carefully supplying you with the drugs to continue your symptoms. Truthfully, it all been so much fun.”
[Still looking from Bruce’s perspective, we blink, realizing that we’d never seen the EMT’s faces.] [Until now.] [The bespectacled face of Edward Newton leans over into sight.]“But every good thing must come to an end and I’m afraid, Mr. Van Chan, that our games have only just begun. I know you’re going to ask yourself why. I know that you’re going to want answers and believe me, I have them. But for now, I’m going to leave you with that riddle, and perhaps the biggest riddle of all; why?”
[He reaches out of screen for a moment and then returns with another needle.] [Edward injects Bruce once more.]“Goodnight, Mr. Van Chan.”
[He giggles.]“Goodnight.”
[Cut.]