Post by Lockhart on Feb 17, 2019 9:32:07 GMT -5
‘Hey, Ryan. I’ve been thinkin’ and… I’m gonna have to move on and find another line of work. I loved being your agent, I really did man. You’ll still be my best friend no matter what. I just don’t think you need me right now.’
I don’t hear Mark’s voice for a moment and I go to put my phone down, but then I hear him exhale loudly.
‘You’re on the road all the time with your crew now, and you’ve Jared anyway to deal with any stuff that may come up, right? I get it. I’m not a big name in the marketing business, let alone wrestling. I don’t blame you. I just wish we could’ve made it work somehow.
‘I’m moving my stuff out of the apartment today. Gonna go live with the old man for a bit. If you want to hang out, just hit me up. You know where to find me.
‘See you around, Ryan.’
The voicemail ended and I sighed. I poured a shot of the cheap vodka Amber had brought out when we arrived at her apartment and let it burn down my throat. I heard her yawn and call out from the bedroom around the corner.
‘What was that about?’ she said, her voice slurred and tired.
‘Don’t worry about it.’ I said, taken aback by the edge my voice had on it. I consider taking another shot, but disregard the notion.
I leave the kitchen and walk into her room. There is nothing noteworthy inside except for a couple of tattered textbooks, covers torn and pages frayed. College dropout, maybe? I didn’t bother to ask.
We ended up fucking that night. I then pretend to fall asleep and leave during the early hours of the morning to find the nearest twenty-four seven gym. Upon finding one, I tape up my fists (not for any real reason - it’s just a routine to make me comfortable) and then I begin to shadowbox.
It makes me feel good for a little while, until I make my way back home and see that Mark really had left. I enter what had been his room and see that the walls had been stripped of all personality. His desk has been emptied of the random scribbling of notes that kept all of his ideas fresh on his mind. Even the view of the city of Boston from outside his window seems to have lost its luster.
I suddenly feel sick and blood begins to trickle from my nose onto my upper lip. I wash my face and try to go to sleep.
‘Nikki Vaughn. Hello, love. Welcome to the main-event. I must say, I’m eternally grateful for the fact that I get to be the one to induct people like you into the main-event… AKA people who don’t fuckin’ belong there in the slightest. First it was Rose, then my man Jaice and the little boy Beau.
‘It’s your turn now, and while I’ll admit you’re a pretty face… I won’t fuckin’ hesitate to kick you in the mouth and put you down. You’ve seen how I’ve fared against Brooke Bell and Camila Gonzalez, right?
‘Speaking of Camila, from what I’ve seen you’re basically the weaker, dumbed down, less interesting version of her, aren’t you? Both well off, both think you’re the greatest gift known to man, and generally just think yourself superior to everyone you come across.
‘While Camila actually excelled in the ring the majority of the time and showed a hint of wanting to become a better person… you’re a fuckin’ cardboard cutout, sweetheart. There’s nothing about you that I find entertaining and you haven’t done anything yet to warrant being given an opportunity at my World Title.
‘Think about what I had to do to get here, and then look at what you’ve done. You’ve been the lesser half of a tag-team featuring Karlie Nash. Imagine that? Imagine being that fuckin’ inept at a profession that is of a “lower-class” than what you’re used to, and still being so garbage at it that you can’t outperform arguably the most consistent underachiever in the entire federation.
‘Name one win you have that should impress me. Fight Smart? Been there and done that more than once. And unlike you, I didn’t need to rely on fuckin’ Karlie Nash of all people to get the win from me. Maybe pinning Beau Blaze got you feeling yourself? Yeah, cool. Come back to me when you’ve beat Dune. L. M. A. O.
‘You’ve legitimately got me that fuckin’ bored that I’m spelling shit out. Ever since I became World Champion I’ve been telling you people from day one that I want some real competition. I want someone that can make me sweat. Someone that can make me feel excited to get in their and experience a fuckin’ fight.
‘I literally went up against the “hardest shooter in the game” last week and I had him too shook to even speak a word against me. It’s like he saw he had been matched up against the best wrestler on the goddamn planet and became a shell of himself in a heartbeat. What about you, Nikki? Are you going to falter the same way he did? Or are you just too ignorant and lack the self-awareness to realize that you stand no fuckin’ chance in this match?
‘You’re an average performer with a marketable look. However, you lack any of the personality or intangibles that would make someone actually want to make you the face of their brand. You’re a piece of shit with no redeeming qualities.
‘You’re the female version of Jayson Price except you even lack the slight amount of charm that he possesses. Your promotional content is fuckin’ garbage and I couldn’t even get through a full video before I felt the near uncontrollable urge to jump off the roof of my apartment complex. This is not an exaggeration. All I’ve seen you do is either talk about fucking Tom Brady, actually fucking Tom Brady, or talking about how attractive you are and how Action Wrestling is basically filled with peasantry.
‘Are you even a real person? I’m actually starting to worry for you, fam. I have a sneaking suspicion that you aren’t who you say you are and that you’re actually some type of test tube baby. Hell, maybe you’re even on some time-traveller/gender warping shit like Bonnie Blue (sorry, gonna need someone to explain that situation to me).
‘Anyway you fuckin’ synth, I’m going to kick ya teeth in and that will be the end of that. This will be my fourth time putting the World Title on the line - and yes, I’m counting War Games as putting it on the line. I’m a man of my word, if someone from Fight Smart actually did manage to pin me that night, I would’ve handed them the belt right there and then and probably have ended up blowing my brains out from how incompetent I was as champion.
‘Obviously that didn’t happen because I actually know how to defend my fuckin’ belt with some pride and put on a show for these people. I’m digressing. Nikki, come prepared and come at your best. I know you and Karlie are in the habit of making excuses for your miserable failures, so I don’t want to be the one having to listen to that insufferable shit after I’m done knocking you upside the head.
‘Also, I was told that if it turns out that you AREN’T a synth and you’re actually a living, breathing human being, that there’s a certain Jared Holmes who would love to make your acquaintance. He’s a real charmer, that guy.
‘That’s all for now. Come Monday, I do what I do best. I put on a damn show and I win convincingly. Keep coming for this belt - run me through the fuckin’ gauntlet and watch me tear apart every single person you throw at me…
‘Because it ain’t stopping anytime soon.’
I can't fall asleep no matter how hard I try. There's little sound save for a light breeze, but it's enough to make my head pound with a back and forth ringing that won't stop. My feet swing over to the side of the bed and I toss off the sheet that was resting over my body, quickly pushing myself up to my feet. Blood rushes to my head and my balance falters momentarily, but I manage to stave off the weary feeling and retrieve a cigarette from the top draw of my bedside table.
By the time a minute has gone by I have gained my bearings and am perched on my balcony, sitting on the verge of life and death. I ain't suicidal, but there's a certain rush that comes with being just one slip-up away from meeting certain doom. Gets the adrenaline racing, as well as the anxiety.
I take a lengthy drag of the smoke and hold it, before letting the moment pass and exhaling it into the night. I won't lie, it feels nice being able to rest here a moment before my own city. I've been out with the boys for the last few months now and it has proven to be one hell of a ride thus far. We've accomplished pretty much everything we set out to do from the moment we formed. World Title? Check. Wrestler of the Year? Check. Getting control of the company? Check. It's been the most fun I've had in a while.
But you learn to appreciate things when they're taken away from you. And this right here? It 's beautiful. The sounds of the night are few and far between, but seeing those night lights and the shine of the moon? It's enough to reinvigorate me in a way. It would've been all the more sweet if I had my best friend beside me while I got to experience it all again, for what felt like the a thousandth time in my life by this point.
But that will have to be remedied another time, I suppose.
It also seems like someone else hasn't been able to get the sleep, because my phone has buzzed twice since I left in one the glass table on my balcony. I let out a deep sigh, rolling my shoulders back and forth in one last relaxing movement, and remove myself from the danger of sitting on the edge of the balcony. My feet land safely on the stone and bring me to my phone. There's two messages that have been left on it from a number unfamiliar to me.
can you come down to brighton beach?
it's important.
Without any real thought behind it, my fingers go into a flurry over my phone screen, shooting back a reply.
Who are you?
Not too long after that, I get a response.
Jana
The name is vaguely familiar to me. I feel like I've heard it before, but I can't pinpoint exactly when or where.
Do I know you?
Alex's girlfriend
I'm considering asking her about how she even managed to get this number, but is there really any point? All I know is that next week I'm going to be flying down to Brooklyn, and I'm gonna be out there sorting another mans issues. At least, I assume that's what this is all about. All of us at this point know how sour this relationship has gone - a piss fuckin' poor excuse for one if you ask me. I've told him the same thing a couple of times, but he's been wasted both those times and has probably completely forgotten about them after taking his next hit.
Can I say I really blame him?
Guess we'll find out after I meet her.
We return to see Ryan once more, seated on a chair in front of the VolkSWAGGIN’ in some clearing in some forest. Yeah, we’re giving out the location of the SWAGGIN’ less frequently now. Get way too many weird visitors.
‘Wait, you thought this shit was done? Nope. I’m not about to sit here and be completely disrespected by the weak booking that has been forced upon me by management and NOT make a statement about it.
‘Here I am, Action Wrestling. I’ve made your job as easy as possible for you. I’ve placed myself right in front of the firing range with the squad aiming their weapons at me. I’ve painted the target on my own back and called people out over and over again… and what do I have to show for it? Let’s take a look in comparison to the other people who have held the World Title.
‘Roy Speede got to defend against Donald Deruty and SJW.
‘Deruty got to defend against Speede and Spencer.
‘Spencer got to defend against Wade and myself.
‘Wade got to defend against Speede.
‘SJW got to defend against… L Verez and Karlie Nash… I guess? I don’t fuckin’ know.
‘And then you have me… the prodigal son of Action Wrestling. The only non-WCF, non-UCI, non-wherever-the-fuck to hold the damn belt… the only damn original to actual break through the “glass ceiling” (not that that shit ever existed with someone on my level) and who have I had to lock horns with?
‘Rose. Andre Aquarius. Nikki Vaughn now and Jaice Wilds next.
‘Don’t be fooled, people. This is not by my doing. You’ll have certified spastics like Beau Blaze, Dandy and Jaice come out here telling you all that I’m some type of “paper champion” but the fact of the matter is? I’ll defend my belt every damn week if I have to. I am the most consistent wrestler on this roster and I can go anytime, anyday and anywhere.
‘I’m getting restless. I’m starting to get frustrated. There’s only so long I can go without getting what i want. Why do you think I decided to start 2019 off the RIGHT way by winning the World Title? Because I couldn’t go any longer watching guys like Speede and SJW stumble through meaningless reigns where they do nothing but ruin the credibility of something that should be looked upon with the utmost respect.
‘The moment i was signed onto this roster, the face of the company was figured out and a star was born. There was no way of preventing this from happening. Once I put pen to paper, this was it. This was the fate you had all resigned to and the only way of stopping it would be if I CHOSE to stop it myself.
‘Nikki, my darling… do you think that you’re really the next in line? Do you look at yourself in the mirror and honestly believe that you’re the one to carry the federation on your back and take it to the promised land?
‘I don’t. When I look at you, I see an entitled brat. I see someone who shouldn’t be coming anywhere near my title reign. I asked for the best, and I was given you. This shit isn’t even a consolation prize for me - it’s a complete and utter disappointment that is almost as tragic as the trajectory your career is about to take after I wipe the floor with you this week.
‘This match wasn’t made with the intention of being a contest. No. This is the mandatory “let’s give a fringe mid-carder a chance at the World Title to show that we’re willing to give opportunities to everyone.”
‘It’s the same reason Rose got a shot.
‘It’s the same reason Andre got a shot.
‘It’s the same reason Jaice is getting a shot.
‘And it’s exactly why you’re standing here before me and my World Title reign, about to get unceremoniously pimp slapped down to the bottom of the card once more.
‘In another world, another life, another existence… you may have been somebody worth mentioning. You may have been something more. But that’s the thing, you’re not anywhere else. You’re living in a world with Ryan Lockhart in it, and in that world? You’re just someone fighting on his undercard, baby.
‘Except for this week. This week? You’ve got your one, shining moment. This is the biggest thing you could’ve gotten, and you were handpicked by management to take your shot. This is your chance. Win this and you pull off the upset to top off all upsets. You want that type of glory?
‘Come take it.’
Ryan’s restlessness was ever-present nowadays. Winning the World Title had proven to be a short-term solution to a problem that seemed like it would be never-ending. The fleeting happiness and pride that sent shockwaves of euphoria through his entire being were exactly that - fleeting. Now when he looked down at his shoulder and saw the World Title staring back at him, the feeling was muted. Still there, still present, but not the same.
These were his instincts telling him that he needed stimulation. That he needed a true challenge. That he wanted… to have fun.
He caught his reflection in the mirror of his Boston apartment. Safety tucked away in the security of the Boston apartment where no-one could witness first-hand what was about to unleash itself from Ryan’s body… The Curse found its way out for the first time in a long time.
His appearance morphs before his eyes, his entire body becoming more vascular. Veins in his arms, neck and shirt appeared ready to burst from beneath the skin, but for whatever reason the young man himself seemed more calm and in tune with himself than ever before, as his eyes were no-longer brown but were now entirely black and lifeless.
‘Ryan, my friend. Growing bored, are we? The monotony and burden of dominance starting to have an effect? How about we have some fun instead?
Ryan cackles.
‘Show some of that blood lust you have held within. Let the fists and blood fly.’
The veins disappear, the eyes revert to brown, his breathing is ragged and heavy.
But he smiles.
I like the sound of that.
I don’t hear Mark’s voice for a moment and I go to put my phone down, but then I hear him exhale loudly.
‘You’re on the road all the time with your crew now, and you’ve Jared anyway to deal with any stuff that may come up, right? I get it. I’m not a big name in the marketing business, let alone wrestling. I don’t blame you. I just wish we could’ve made it work somehow.
‘I’m moving my stuff out of the apartment today. Gonna go live with the old man for a bit. If you want to hang out, just hit me up. You know where to find me.
‘See you around, Ryan.’
The voicemail ended and I sighed. I poured a shot of the cheap vodka Amber had brought out when we arrived at her apartment and let it burn down my throat. I heard her yawn and call out from the bedroom around the corner.
‘What was that about?’ she said, her voice slurred and tired.
‘Don’t worry about it.’ I said, taken aback by the edge my voice had on it. I consider taking another shot, but disregard the notion.
I leave the kitchen and walk into her room. There is nothing noteworthy inside except for a couple of tattered textbooks, covers torn and pages frayed. College dropout, maybe? I didn’t bother to ask.
We ended up fucking that night. I then pretend to fall asleep and leave during the early hours of the morning to find the nearest twenty-four seven gym. Upon finding one, I tape up my fists (not for any real reason - it’s just a routine to make me comfortable) and then I begin to shadowbox.
It makes me feel good for a little while, until I make my way back home and see that Mark really had left. I enter what had been his room and see that the walls had been stripped of all personality. His desk has been emptied of the random scribbling of notes that kept all of his ideas fresh on his mind. Even the view of the city of Boston from outside his window seems to have lost its luster.
I suddenly feel sick and blood begins to trickle from my nose onto my upper lip. I wash my face and try to go to sleep.
‘It’s your turn now, and while I’ll admit you’re a pretty face… I won’t fuckin’ hesitate to kick you in the mouth and put you down. You’ve seen how I’ve fared against Brooke Bell and Camila Gonzalez, right?
‘Speaking of Camila, from what I’ve seen you’re basically the weaker, dumbed down, less interesting version of her, aren’t you? Both well off, both think you’re the greatest gift known to man, and generally just think yourself superior to everyone you come across.
‘While Camila actually excelled in the ring the majority of the time and showed a hint of wanting to become a better person… you’re a fuckin’ cardboard cutout, sweetheart. There’s nothing about you that I find entertaining and you haven’t done anything yet to warrant being given an opportunity at my World Title.
‘Think about what I had to do to get here, and then look at what you’ve done. You’ve been the lesser half of a tag-team featuring Karlie Nash. Imagine that? Imagine being that fuckin’ inept at a profession that is of a “lower-class” than what you’re used to, and still being so garbage at it that you can’t outperform arguably the most consistent underachiever in the entire federation.
‘Name one win you have that should impress me. Fight Smart? Been there and done that more than once. And unlike you, I didn’t need to rely on fuckin’ Karlie Nash of all people to get the win from me. Maybe pinning Beau Blaze got you feeling yourself? Yeah, cool. Come back to me when you’ve beat Dune. L. M. A. O.
‘You’ve legitimately got me that fuckin’ bored that I’m spelling shit out. Ever since I became World Champion I’ve been telling you people from day one that I want some real competition. I want someone that can make me sweat. Someone that can make me feel excited to get in their and experience a fuckin’ fight.
‘I literally went up against the “hardest shooter in the game” last week and I had him too shook to even speak a word against me. It’s like he saw he had been matched up against the best wrestler on the goddamn planet and became a shell of himself in a heartbeat. What about you, Nikki? Are you going to falter the same way he did? Or are you just too ignorant and lack the self-awareness to realize that you stand no fuckin’ chance in this match?
‘You’re an average performer with a marketable look. However, you lack any of the personality or intangibles that would make someone actually want to make you the face of their brand. You’re a piece of shit with no redeeming qualities.
‘You’re the female version of Jayson Price except you even lack the slight amount of charm that he possesses. Your promotional content is fuckin’ garbage and I couldn’t even get through a full video before I felt the near uncontrollable urge to jump off the roof of my apartment complex. This is not an exaggeration. All I’ve seen you do is either talk about fucking Tom Brady, actually fucking Tom Brady, or talking about how attractive you are and how Action Wrestling is basically filled with peasantry.
‘Are you even a real person? I’m actually starting to worry for you, fam. I have a sneaking suspicion that you aren’t who you say you are and that you’re actually some type of test tube baby. Hell, maybe you’re even on some time-traveller/gender warping shit like Bonnie Blue (sorry, gonna need someone to explain that situation to me).
‘Anyway you fuckin’ synth, I’m going to kick ya teeth in and that will be the end of that. This will be my fourth time putting the World Title on the line - and yes, I’m counting War Games as putting it on the line. I’m a man of my word, if someone from Fight Smart actually did manage to pin me that night, I would’ve handed them the belt right there and then and probably have ended up blowing my brains out from how incompetent I was as champion.
‘Obviously that didn’t happen because I actually know how to defend my fuckin’ belt with some pride and put on a show for these people. I’m digressing. Nikki, come prepared and come at your best. I know you and Karlie are in the habit of making excuses for your miserable failures, so I don’t want to be the one having to listen to that insufferable shit after I’m done knocking you upside the head.
‘Also, I was told that if it turns out that you AREN’T a synth and you’re actually a living, breathing human being, that there’s a certain Jared Holmes who would love to make your acquaintance. He’s a real charmer, that guy.
‘That’s all for now. Come Monday, I do what I do best. I put on a damn show and I win convincingly. Keep coming for this belt - run me through the fuckin’ gauntlet and watch me tear apart every single person you throw at me…
‘Because it ain’t stopping anytime soon.’
I can't fall asleep no matter how hard I try. There's little sound save for a light breeze, but it's enough to make my head pound with a back and forth ringing that won't stop. My feet swing over to the side of the bed and I toss off the sheet that was resting over my body, quickly pushing myself up to my feet. Blood rushes to my head and my balance falters momentarily, but I manage to stave off the weary feeling and retrieve a cigarette from the top draw of my bedside table.
By the time a minute has gone by I have gained my bearings and am perched on my balcony, sitting on the verge of life and death. I ain't suicidal, but there's a certain rush that comes with being just one slip-up away from meeting certain doom. Gets the adrenaline racing, as well as the anxiety.
I take a lengthy drag of the smoke and hold it, before letting the moment pass and exhaling it into the night. I won't lie, it feels nice being able to rest here a moment before my own city. I've been out with the boys for the last few months now and it has proven to be one hell of a ride thus far. We've accomplished pretty much everything we set out to do from the moment we formed. World Title? Check. Wrestler of the Year? Check. Getting control of the company? Check. It's been the most fun I've had in a while.
But you learn to appreciate things when they're taken away from you. And this right here? It 's beautiful. The sounds of the night are few and far between, but seeing those night lights and the shine of the moon? It's enough to reinvigorate me in a way. It would've been all the more sweet if I had my best friend beside me while I got to experience it all again, for what felt like the a thousandth time in my life by this point.
But that will have to be remedied another time, I suppose.
It also seems like someone else hasn't been able to get the sleep, because my phone has buzzed twice since I left in one the glass table on my balcony. I let out a deep sigh, rolling my shoulders back and forth in one last relaxing movement, and remove myself from the danger of sitting on the edge of the balcony. My feet land safely on the stone and bring me to my phone. There's two messages that have been left on it from a number unfamiliar to me.
can you come down to brighton beach?
it's important.
Without any real thought behind it, my fingers go into a flurry over my phone screen, shooting back a reply.
Who are you?
Not too long after that, I get a response.
Jana
The name is vaguely familiar to me. I feel like I've heard it before, but I can't pinpoint exactly when or where.
Do I know you?
Alex's girlfriend
I'm considering asking her about how she even managed to get this number, but is there really any point? All I know is that next week I'm going to be flying down to Brooklyn, and I'm gonna be out there sorting another mans issues. At least, I assume that's what this is all about. All of us at this point know how sour this relationship has gone - a piss fuckin' poor excuse for one if you ask me. I've told him the same thing a couple of times, but he's been wasted both those times and has probably completely forgotten about them after taking his next hit.
Can I say I really blame him?
Guess we'll find out after I meet her.
We return to see Ryan once more, seated on a chair in front of the VolkSWAGGIN’ in some clearing in some forest. Yeah, we’re giving out the location of the SWAGGIN’ less frequently now. Get way too many weird visitors.
‘Wait, you thought this shit was done? Nope. I’m not about to sit here and be completely disrespected by the weak booking that has been forced upon me by management and NOT make a statement about it.
‘Here I am, Action Wrestling. I’ve made your job as easy as possible for you. I’ve placed myself right in front of the firing range with the squad aiming their weapons at me. I’ve painted the target on my own back and called people out over and over again… and what do I have to show for it? Let’s take a look in comparison to the other people who have held the World Title.
‘Roy Speede got to defend against Donald Deruty and SJW.
‘Deruty got to defend against Speede and Spencer.
‘Spencer got to defend against Wade and myself.
‘Wade got to defend against Speede.
‘SJW got to defend against… L Verez and Karlie Nash… I guess? I don’t fuckin’ know.
‘And then you have me… the prodigal son of Action Wrestling. The only non-WCF, non-UCI, non-wherever-the-fuck to hold the damn belt… the only damn original to actual break through the “glass ceiling” (not that that shit ever existed with someone on my level) and who have I had to lock horns with?
‘Rose. Andre Aquarius. Nikki Vaughn now and Jaice Wilds next.
‘Don’t be fooled, people. This is not by my doing. You’ll have certified spastics like Beau Blaze, Dandy and Jaice come out here telling you all that I’m some type of “paper champion” but the fact of the matter is? I’ll defend my belt every damn week if I have to. I am the most consistent wrestler on this roster and I can go anytime, anyday and anywhere.
‘I’m getting restless. I’m starting to get frustrated. There’s only so long I can go without getting what i want. Why do you think I decided to start 2019 off the RIGHT way by winning the World Title? Because I couldn’t go any longer watching guys like Speede and SJW stumble through meaningless reigns where they do nothing but ruin the credibility of something that should be looked upon with the utmost respect.
‘The moment i was signed onto this roster, the face of the company was figured out and a star was born. There was no way of preventing this from happening. Once I put pen to paper, this was it. This was the fate you had all resigned to and the only way of stopping it would be if I CHOSE to stop it myself.
‘Nikki, my darling… do you think that you’re really the next in line? Do you look at yourself in the mirror and honestly believe that you’re the one to carry the federation on your back and take it to the promised land?
‘I don’t. When I look at you, I see an entitled brat. I see someone who shouldn’t be coming anywhere near my title reign. I asked for the best, and I was given you. This shit isn’t even a consolation prize for me - it’s a complete and utter disappointment that is almost as tragic as the trajectory your career is about to take after I wipe the floor with you this week.
‘This match wasn’t made with the intention of being a contest. No. This is the mandatory “let’s give a fringe mid-carder a chance at the World Title to show that we’re willing to give opportunities to everyone.”
‘It’s the same reason Rose got a shot.
‘It’s the same reason Andre got a shot.
‘It’s the same reason Jaice is getting a shot.
‘And it’s exactly why you’re standing here before me and my World Title reign, about to get unceremoniously pimp slapped down to the bottom of the card once more.
‘In another world, another life, another existence… you may have been somebody worth mentioning. You may have been something more. But that’s the thing, you’re not anywhere else. You’re living in a world with Ryan Lockhart in it, and in that world? You’re just someone fighting on his undercard, baby.
‘Except for this week. This week? You’ve got your one, shining moment. This is the biggest thing you could’ve gotten, and you were handpicked by management to take your shot. This is your chance. Win this and you pull off the upset to top off all upsets. You want that type of glory?
‘Come take it.’
Ryan’s restlessness was ever-present nowadays. Winning the World Title had proven to be a short-term solution to a problem that seemed like it would be never-ending. The fleeting happiness and pride that sent shockwaves of euphoria through his entire being were exactly that - fleeting. Now when he looked down at his shoulder and saw the World Title staring back at him, the feeling was muted. Still there, still present, but not the same.
These were his instincts telling him that he needed stimulation. That he needed a true challenge. That he wanted… to have fun.
He caught his reflection in the mirror of his Boston apartment. Safety tucked away in the security of the Boston apartment where no-one could witness first-hand what was about to unleash itself from Ryan’s body… The Curse found its way out for the first time in a long time.
His appearance morphs before his eyes, his entire body becoming more vascular. Veins in his arms, neck and shirt appeared ready to burst from beneath the skin, but for whatever reason the young man himself seemed more calm and in tune with himself than ever before, as his eyes were no-longer brown but were now entirely black and lifeless.
‘Ryan, my friend. Growing bored, are we? The monotony and burden of dominance starting to have an effect? How about we have some fun instead?
Ryan cackles.
‘Show some of that blood lust you have held within. Let the fists and blood fly.’
The veins disappear, the eyes revert to brown, his breathing is ragged and heavy.
But he smiles.
I like the sound of that.