IN MY TIME OF DYING, I
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“I never wanted any of this for you, son.”
[He pauses, placing his hand upon the sheet.]“I should never have agreed to take you with me. I don’t know what came over me,” [Kersh continues through bitter tears.] “Hubris, I suppose. The truth is, this should be me.”
[Kersh wipes away some tears.]“I wish it was me. Oh, would I give anything right now to be laying there instead of you, Trevor. I failed you, both as a father and a leader of this family. I let that creature murder you because I thought I had all the answers.”
[His head lowers.]“But you know, as fathers, we rarely do. We’re just men and it’s our job to try and guide you down the right path. We’re supposed to protect you, love you and then let you blaze your own trail, knowing that we’ll always be there to love, support and guide you.”
[There’s a deep sense of shame as poor Kersh continues, blaming himself for everything that has transpired.]“I failed, my son. I failed you. But I won’t leave your side now. I promise.”
[We back away slowly, slowly removing ourselves from the etched agony upon the Enforcers face, as he stands over his deceased son, tears still streaming down his face.]THE HANGMAN VS. VIP
SINGLES MATCH
THE HERO’S GAMBIT
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“Arghhhhhh!”
[The sound of a man screaming in agony echoes throughout a half empty darkened room. It’s Jacob Phoenix and he’s been tied to a chair, his body armour stripped. His chest is covered in wounds, inflicted by a knife wielding Jensen Cussen who stands over him.] [Jonah steps forward, holding Cussen back momentarily.]“You have a great deal of resilience, Mr. Phoenix,” [The evil tormenter says with a vicious and vile smile.] “And that, I can appreciate. But you see, you started a ball rolling that you cannot stop. My Granddaughter, just like my son here, is very precious indeed.”
“Let her go,” [Phoenix says, barely able to mutter the words.] “Let her go now.”
[Jonah begins to pace.]“I’m afraid I can’t do that, but you can. You can let her go, Mr. Phoenix. At Face/Off, you’re going to be facing my monster, Jensen Cussen. You’re going to fight him once again and if you want Stephanie to be unharmed, you will let him destroy you.”
[Phoenix spits blood.] “Why don’t you just kill me now?” [His voice is deep, almost growling, now.] [The evil Jonah laughs.] “Because that’s too easy, isn’t it? Do you know what I do, Mr. Phoenix? I break people. I warp and twist their minds until they’re nothing but putty in my hands. You have a choice. You couldn’t save the girl before, but you can now. The question is; will you sacrifice yourself for her? Will you die for her?” [Jensen once again steps forward with the knife, this time cutting the ties that bound him to the chair. Phoenix falls down to his knees, gasping and holding his blooded chest.]“You can be the hero and save the girl, but you can’t be the hero and have the girl, Mr. Phoenix. The choice is yours.”
BRENDAN BENEDICT VS. JENSEN CUSSEN
SINGLES MATCH
THE MYSTERIES OF THE ORIENT
RINGSIDE
“Wait, wait, wait, wait….”
[Ethan’s figure appears at the top of the balcony, overlooking the ring. Phoenix looks mildly frustrated by the intrusion, eager to get the match underway. Kaito, in contrast, looks livid. It is Earhart whose voice speaks first.]“Two weeks ago, I revealed but a hint of my power. A power that I can offer you, Mr Black Dragon.” [He reaches inside his jacket and holds up a vial, tapping it with his finger.] “But it is a power that comes at a cost.”
[Earhart begins to take the steps down from the balcony. He is almost at the bottom when Kaito’s voice tears through the Tap Room, having gotten his hands on a microphone.]“Do you have no honor?” [Almost foaming at the mouth with rage.] “You disrespect me for last time…”
[Earhart merely holds up a hand in reply to Kaito. The Black Dragon is so stunned by the blatant lack of respect that he cuts himself short mid-sentence, clearly fuming silently to himself. Earhart seems oblivious to the volcano about to erupt before him.]“Don’t mind me, Black Dragon. I merely come as a keen observer. Call it ‘scientific curiosity’. You see, you possess a power that I seek. I have travelled the world seeking powers mysterious to other minds. Powers such as found in this stone…” [He reaches back inside his jacket pocket and holds up the Philosopher’s Stone, before quickly putting it back in its place.] “I know you possess an ancient power, the Power of the Orient.
I can impart my generations of wisdom and the power of Dragon Breath… All for the price of one stone. I seek it, I need it. I calls my name. The Stone of the Orient.”
[By now Kaito simply looks confused, enraged and confused. Looking to the referee to translate some of what the Mad Scientist was saying, the referee simply gives him a blank look in return. Earhart continues, by now taking a seat at the bar.]“I am merely here to witness the power of the Orient Stone at work first hand. Next week, you will have the opportunity to trade it to me… Or I will take the stone from you by force.” [He smiles, a wild smile.] “Please… Continue.”
[With that, Earhart waves at the referee, as if granting permission for the match to take place.]KAITO VS. JACOB PHOENIX
SINGLES MATCH
ADULT ENTERTAINMENT
BACKSTAGE
“Da Hell?” [A burnt cigarette falls from his lips] “Da fuck’s wrong with this thing?”
[He slaps the clicker repeatedly, waking the passed-out woman lying beside him.]“Stupid piece of shi–”
“Hey there, Vicky.”
[Startled, VIP looks up to see Brendan Benedict suddenly occupying the screen. Three barely-dresses blondes, paw over him in a bubbling jacuzzi.] [The woman in VIP’s room looks up.]“Really? Another porno?”
“Shhhhhh! I’m watching…….. this.”
“And I’m watching you, Vicky.” [VIP’s turns back to the screen] “Don’t ask me how. It’s the future, baby! The Cock of The Walk is always up for trying new things, right ladies?” [They giggle seductively] “Do you see, Vicky? You said last week you were gonna teach me the hard way how your miserable life — filled broken bones and wasted condoms — was somehow going to be my future?”
[Benedict chuckles, Frenching one of his girls as VIP glance over at his disheveled current bedmate.]“That would imply you lived my past, Vicky. But I know ‘VIP’ stands for ‘Very Impotent Punk,’ and there’s absolutely no way you could keep this up.”
[Knowing he’s being watched, VIP doesn’t stir, only quietly muttering under his breath.]“I’m gonna castrate this prick.”
“……. You think I’m looking into a crystal ball staring at your shriveled ass? Vicky, the only balls I know, these fine fillies already have well in-hand. But if you want a glimpse into your pathetic future, keep it here on Channel 69. We’re gonna have ourselves a little workout session. Then I’m gonna show you, I take on all comers!”
[Suddenly a saxophone starts crooning as one the ladies removes her– CLICK. VIP shuts off the TV.]“Hey, that was getting good!”
[Disappointed, the woman quickly lights another drag. VIP’s standing by the window sill now. He looks out over a busy night. Lights, sirens and smoke filling the air, reminding him of days past. This was never supposed be his life.] [With Benedict’s words ringing through his head, VIP sighs.]“Wait, where are ya going?” [The woman asks; VIP’s half-way out the door] “We could still fool around?”
[VIP eyes her intently.]“I’m through foolin’ around. I’m going to the gym.”
“I have my 0wn little workout to do.”
THE CIRCUS VS. THE AMAZING JECKEL BROTHERS
TAG TEAM MATCH
THE TRUTH HURTS WHEN IT’S KICKED IN YOUR FACE
RINGSIDE
“On February 27th at Face/Off, pride is on the line. I lead a team of five men representing this brand into a war that we cannot win unless we’re on the same page. To get on that page, I need answers. I need to know the truth and North, you’re the only one I need to hear it from.”
[“Skull Splitter” by Battlecry hits and fearlessly, Viktor North steps out onto the wooden board entrance with a microphone. He storms straight down to the ring, sliding under the bottom rope. Viktor gets back to his feet and gets straight into the face of Lazarus.]“Is it truth you really seek?” [He hisses at him.] “Or a fight?”
[Lazarus steps closer, unafraid.]“I need to know if I can trust you. I need to know if you took out The Red Emperor or not, North. Last week I looked through that footage and it was wiped. Someone wiped it.”
[North looks furious.] “I told you once, twice, three times that if I had broken that puny Emperor, I would be drinking mead from his skull.” [The former VHS Champion scoffs, almost as if he doesn’t believe it.]“So, who wiped the tapes, huh?”
[Both men quickly begin chattering off microphone, getting closer to one another until they’re nose to nose. It’s then that Lux Bellator, Bruce Van Chan and Neville Sheldon storm the ring, sliding inside. They get between them, separating them for what would be a devastating brawl ahead of Face/Off.] [North, microphone in hand, chuckles heartily.]“And you peons don’t trust me? Look at these two,” [North says circling them. He comes to a stop in front of Lazarus, staring down Bellator.] “Look at them. After everything they’ve been through, you trust them to lead this team into battle? Only two weeks ago, you cost both myself and Lazarus the VHS Championship. You and your two-faced God’s have no idea how to…”
[WHACK!] [BELLATOR LOSES IT! He drives a kick straight at the face of North but he ducks, and Lux hits his own Tag Team partner right in the jaw!] [Lazarus hits the deck hard.] [North though, he turns to Bruce and Neville.]“You want to follow them?” [he demands to know.] “You want to be led into the battle of your life by these two? Follow me, instead. Last week, Hysteria almost burned you alive and where was their God, then? Where were they? They were too busy preparing to beat you for your titles.”
[Sheldon and Van Chan look at each other, weighing it up.]“And what has their plan of action been since then? He’s too concerned with finding out a truth that doesn’t exist, [North points to Lazarus,] “And he’s too concerned with usurping his own team mate,” [he finishes, pointing to Bellator, who’s now checking on Lazarus.] [Everyone in the ring appears to be on tenterhooks as they share awkward glances. Viktor though, he continues.]
“But I? I wish to split the skulls of our competition. I wish to see their blood on our hands. Next Monday, I’m going to Monday Night Showcase. I’m invading Monday Night Showcase. This war will only be won by the team willing to die in battle. Do you want to live forever, or do you want to die on your knees in praise of THEIR GOD?”
[The Viking throws the microphone down, looking towards Sheldon and Van Chan before he exits the ring. They then look towards Lazarus and Bellator who slowly rise to their feet, knowing that a decision has to be made. Who will they follow? Who’ll show up at Showcase on Monday Night?]NEVILLE SHELDON VS. ETHAN EARHART
SINGLES MATCH
DEAD JOKES
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“Peanuts was a good Clown,” [He continued, looking down at a list of crossed-out names] “Like dozens of others we’ve come to mourn today, he really knew how to take a pie in the face.”
[The Bearded-Lady wails painfully. Huxley shrugs, glancing over to The Painkiller standing off to the side, as if to say “What else can I do?”“Then there was Matchsticks. Ironically terrified of fire, I’ll never forget the time he–”
[A slow, insulting and isolated applause curtly breaks Alistair’s concentration. He looks down, only to find The Hangman suddenly standing amongst his forlorn freaks.]“Quite the ceremony you have here.” [He chuckles, lifting his heavy hemp high] “I had nearly forgotten I killed so many of these clowns.”
[The Painkiller trounces forward but Huxley holds him back.]“And just what FUCK do want?!? Can’t you see I’m trying to perform a funeral here?”
[Huxley motions to a single-file line of newly-dug plots. Each gravestone, adorned with a red nose.]“Get out of my way!” [Demands The Painkiller] “Fluffy, grab a shovel and start digging, because I’m about to put another body in the ground!”
[Alistair struggles to restrain his star attraction. The Painkiller’s incensed!]“MOVE!”
“Now see here, boys and girls,” [The Hangman brandishes his rope to the mourners] “I didn’t come here for fight……. Not today. No, I’m savoring that for a special occasion, isn’t that right darling?”
[The Hangman’s busy hands choke his rope tight. His buckshot eyes aflame with excitement.]“We’ll face-off soon enough, but it’ll be under my terms. There’s a rare occasion on the horizon, and I’m inviting both of you” [He motions to Alistair and The Painkiller] “to join me for dinner. It’ll be inside not three rings, but one. Face me in that squared-circle, Painkiller. Let me tenderize my little girl’s meal before she finally gets her fill.”
[He laughs viciously. Alistair removes his top hat, speaking as calmly as possible.]“And if we refuse?”
[The Painkiller’s fists are clenched.]“It doesn’t matter, because until we do meet as I say, I’m going to treat your circus like an all-you-can-eat buffet.” [He chuckles] “Before our bones collide, and your blood stains my rope, I will kill at least one more act in the Greatest Show Unearthed.”
[Finally The Painkiller pushes his master aside, lunging for The Manslayer……. Only he’s already gone.] [With death still hanging in the air, The Painkiller and Huxley share an uncomfortable stare in silence.]“What do we do now?“
BRUCE VAN CHAN VS. MOTHER
SINGLES MATCH
HUBRIS
BACKSTAGE
“Take it easy, kid.” [Bird says, not even looking over at his captive.] “I got my eyes on the booking sheet. My rematch is happening, and you’ll go back home to Mother.”
[Behind him, the ragged looking child of Mother snarls in response. While she’s been maintained, it definitely appears that there has been no cares given from Bird. She is merely a bargaining chip for him, just another one of his pins juggled in the air. There’s a reason he considers himself a God, and it may just be from how clean he manages to stay despite his dirty activities.]“She really cares about you and your other hellspawn.” [Bird says, finally turning to face the child.] “Maybe if she cared about that Rewind title like she cares about you, we wouldn’t have to be in this place.”
[He looks around him with a smirk before continuing.]“After all, it’s her fault you got kidnapped. If she didn’t have such an obvious weakness, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything. Parents always cave when you nab their children.”
[Strangely, he seems to pause for a moment. He bites his lip.]“Mostly, anyway.”
[The moment seems forgotten as Bird turns to watch the monitor again, but it’s turned to static.]“What the…”
[Bird rises to his feet, but the lights also begin to flicker around him, eventually plunging into darkness.] [BZZT!] [When the lights come back on, the room seems untouched. Yet the child is gone.] [So is Bird.] [Mother said he’d be sorry.]VIKTOR NORTH VS. THE SCARECROW
SINGLES MATCH
PEAS IN A FUCKED UP POD
BACKSTAGE
“Jake Jeckel, you are under arrest for pseudocide. You have the right to remain silent; anything you do say can and may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney present before and during the questioning; and you have the right, if you cannot afford the services of an attorney, to have one appointed for you.”
[They forcefully pull Jeckel out into the hall, frogmarching him towards the exit, when Jack Jeckel suddenly appears right there; accompanied by one of the men who last week, tried to rob him.] [Jake’s jaw almost hits the floor.]“Surprised?” [Jack barks at him.] “Apparently, your employee here thought he’d get a raise if he brought some information to me.”
“Wait Jackie, it’s not what you think. I was just trying to get us together again, like a family.”
[Jack suddenly explodes, running straight into his brother with a Clothesline that sends the other two officers sprawling away. He mounts Jake, beating the holy hell out of him with right hands whilst he’s handcuffed on his back. The officers quickly grab him, restraining him to one side and handcuffing him as well.]“Jack Jeckel, you are under arrest for assaulting police officers. You have the right to remain silent; anything you do say can and may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney present before and during the questioning; and you have the right, if you cannot afford the services of an attorney, to have one appointed for you.”
[Jake can’t help but laugh as he’s dragged back to his feet, bloodied nose n’ all. They take both men to the outside and toss them into a squad car, side by side. Jack looks straight ahead; the rage seeping off him. Jake though, he looks at him with a mischievous grin.]“Oh brother,” [he chuckles.] “We’re just two peas in the same pod, ain’t we?”
[The car speeds off, the silhouette of both men inside the back of it being the last thing we see.]STRIKE BACK
BACKSTAGE
“We need to talk,” [Sheldon announces.]
“We’re not sure who we can trust or who’s better suited to lead us into this match at Face/Off, but we both agree that with Nigel Royal and Hysteria after our blood, we can’t sit back and continue to in fight,” [Van Chan admits.] “And we can’t sit back and allow them to strike without response.”
“What we mean to say is we’re following Viktor North to Monday Night Showcase,” [Neville says to Lazarus’ wide eyed response.] “Not because he’s a better leader, or warrior, but because we’ve been the victim too many times to allow things to go unanswered. We’re not waiting for them to strike us again.”
[Lazarus tries to cool their jets.]“Gentleman, I’m sorry that I’ve been obsessed with finding out the truth. Please understand that I’ve been searching for our benefit. I don’t believe we can trust North. I don’t believe he’s working for the best interests of VHS. If you follow him to Showcase, and I’m right, we may never win at all.”
[Bruce puts a hand on his shoulder.] “Maybe you should be the one to follow, Lazarus? [He asks.] “Maybe you should join us there and have a little faith in us. You haven’t suffered Hysteria, or Nigel Royal, so you don’t understand what we’re trying to fight against. North is right, as much as it pains me to say it; he is. If the pride of this brand is on the line, then we must come together and we must show them we aren’t going to be frightened.”“And if it’s a mistake?” [Lazarus retorts, tilting his head.] [All three men look at each other.] [Neville sighs, shrugging his shoulders.]
“Then like Viktor said, we’ll at least die on our feet.”
[The Knights offer Lazarus a handshake each that he accepts before they take their leave, leaving the once VHS Champion with something to consider ahead of Monday Night Showcase.]LUX BELLATOR VS. LAZARUS
SINGLES MATCH
IN MY TIME OF DYING, II
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“You can’t stay here,” [she mutters softly.] “Baby, they need you to go.”
[Brent can’t even look at her in the eye. He’s focused only on his son’s body.]“You can’t blame yourself for this. It wasn’t you, it was The Scarecrow. He killed our baby boy.”
[She bursts into tears, forcing Brent to immediately comfort her. He places his arms around her and holds her tight to his chest.]“But I didn’t stop it. For two years I let him roam those halls, stalk that field and consume his prey; and I never stopped it. Since August he has tormented me, and then my family, and I have not been able to stop it. It is my fault. It is.”
[His wife looks up at him with sad and regretful eyes, shaking her head.]“You didn’t ask for this,” [she reminds him.] “You didn’t.”
[Kersh releases her slightly, lowering his head in further shame.]“But I did. March 16th 2015, I asked for this. I didn’t know the implications, or the history, but I stood there and I demanded that he fight someone who’ll fight back.”
“Then fight back, damnit!” [she yells.] “End this, before our entire family suffers any more. At Face/Off, you need to get to that perch and pierce his soul with it, or we’ll never be free. Our kids will never be free.”
[Brent steps back, looking at Trevor.]“It’s too late, he killed our son.”
[She shakes her head, placing a hand on her belly.]“Do you know why Trevor insisted on going with you? It’s because I’m pregnant,” [She blurts out, astonishing an absolutely terrified Kersh.] “And he wanted to protect you,” [she admits.] [Brent doesn’t know what to do with himself. He looks at her, then at Trevor, a whole host of emotions running through his mind.]
“So, do what needs to be done for what’s left of our family. Do it for Trevor. Do it for Danielle. Do it for me and you do it for your baby. Fight until you cannot fight anymore.”
[Cut.]