Extraordinary III: The Heroine of Action Wrestling
Jan 29, 2021 21:49:40 GMT -5
Karlie Nash, CJ Phoenix, and 5 more like this
Post by Lissie Hope on Jan 29, 2021 21:49:40 GMT -5
I'M GONNA MAKE IT
THROUGH THIS YEAR
IF IT KILLS ME
THROUGH THIS YEAR
IF IT KILLS ME
The words, black text on a white backdrop, glowed on an in-progress Instagram post. She’d removed herself from social media, mostly - having posted one Merry Christmas message from the rehabilitation center she’d made home for the first thirty days of her recovery. The camera peers over her shoulder, watching as she deletes the message.
Truthfully?
It almost did.
Lissie Hope feels her throat tightening, her voice cracking. This was the first time she’d made a public address; her visit to CruiserClash last week only an appearance.
But it didn’t.
Against all odds, I’m still here.
I’m still fighting.
I’m going to be fighting for the rest of my life.
Lissie Hope turns to face the camera; the light in her eyes reminiscent of her biggest moments of glory, yet maintained an aura of nervous uncertainty. This was a new beginning, not unlike the nerves she felt in March 2019.
There are things I set out to accomplish that have yet to come into fruition. Do I have the skins on the wall? The trophies in the case? The championships in the record books? Have I been duly-elected Action Wrestling Woman of the Year, twice?
Yes.
But it’s not enough.
It’s never enough.
I embarrassed myself.
Lissie pauses, wiping the tears forming underneath her eyes, her mascara beginning to run.
I embarrassed Action Wrestling.
I took all of your support for granted.
And I didn’t realize how blessed I was, how devoted all of you’ve been, the forgiveness that you have in your hearts; I didn’t truly know that I could rectify my failures until I stepped into CruiserClash and received that ovation. Until I got word that two women, two unbelievable women, stood in the face of a bully during my absence, feeding off the strength - the hope - that my legacy provided them. A bully who sought to intimidate them, to destroy them.
And the bully failed.
Spayde Martinez.
You can puff your chest out; flex your biceps; you can practice all of those tasteless zingers in the mirror that Nightingale and Keeton and DiVito left on the cutting room floor. But you’ve gotta step your bully up, girlfriend. All those sit-ups you do to suck your own dick don’t erase the fact that you were still exposed, still embarrassed, by a college student who’d never wrestled in her life.
No offense, Mae.
Spayde, you are not my contemporary.
You are not my equal.
I was fighting Walter to the death to become the third winner in Havoc history. Your ascension in my absence was cut short, shot-down, by my fan-club president. Even dating back to your arrival with that Women’s Championship, something you’ve always been too chicken-shit to defend, you climbed into the ring with another amateur in Sierra Silver and she derailed the dominance you claimed you would usher into Action Wrestling.
Lissie’s cadence is getting louder. Her confidence growing.
You aren’t A-Dub’s finest.
You aren’t A-Dub’s strongest.
CruiserClash doesn’t belong to Spayde Martinez.
Look how easy it was for me to step in your turf, put my feet up on your couch, and take it for myself?
We aren’t the biggest attraction aside from the World Championship on account of you, Spayde.
You’re on your fourteenth minute, so I hope you enjoy what’s remaining. Because when this is over, and my name is mentioned alongside the greats like Corey Black and Lockhart, Bonnie Blue and Spencer Adams? You’re going to be in the forgotten company of Kennedy Matthews and Casey Holliday.
My name’s been on your tongue since November.
A line here, a line there.
It took awhile to hit my radar since I’m on a level you’ll never reach.
But you’ve unloaded your clip, Spayde.
You’re taking these shots with your eyes closed.
Mine are open.
A smile.
You wanted Lissie ‘fuckin Hope?
You fucking got her.
And as long as I’m around, you’ll always be in my shadow.
I’ve leapt over those hurdles.
I’ve paved the way.
I’ve shattered those records.
And I’m winning the Women’s Championship.
Because I’m the first.
The only.
The heroine of Action Wrestling.
♥
♥