Post by đť“”đť“đť“𝓲𝓮 đť“śđť“ľđť“»đť“𝓮𝓻 on Oct 3, 2020 12:54:38 GMT -5
"Idleness is only the refuge of weak minds." ~ Lord Chesterfield
The breaking dawn creeps through a swinging cheap curtain. The camera shot winds through the small hotel room to the bathroom. Running water can be heard as the camera view shoots through a small crack in the door to end up in a room engulfed by steam. Condensation covers the lens briefly before the water abruptly halts. The camera locks on to the dirty mirror above the sink. The steam blurs everything now. Suddenly a hand wipes the mirror off to reveal the face of River Echo. He peers into the mirror with his one good eye. The gross empty socket is a constant reminder that he’s not cut out for the business he’s in.
Echo pops the small 13 pool cue into the empty socket. He reaches up with both hands to adjust it just so. He then leans in close, almost appearing to search for a soul that was stolen long ago.
A ding can be heard in the next room. A notification on his cheap cell phone. Echo rushes out of the room as a camera catches him dashing through the remaining steam towards the bed to snatch up the device. A tinder match! River’s eyes widen and his brow rises to wrinkle with real shock. This nineteen year old virgin may finally get laid.
“Valerie Valentina” and “River Echo” have matched. He immediately begins searching the web for this woman and locating information with ease. A facebook, twitter, instagram and twitch all show up in the results. Two computers on the small desk in the corner stream videos of his future opponents in the GW Match. He pays this no attention whatsoever. The likes of Ana Hayden and other greats continuously play for “homework” that River has no interest in with this potential pecker wetter looming.
The angst and aggression that has built in this young man could fuel a fire that could be seen from space at this point. His ability to harness and propel that rage still eludes Echo. The photos of Valerie all appear to be classy. River can’t help but believe he’s seen this woman before. The two begin sending messages to each other. The sounds of messages being exchanged fill the room. The sunlight creeps up the carpet through the curtain further and further. Precious time that Echo could have used to watch film on nineteen opponents goes by.
River scrolls through Valerie’s social media feeds like a man possessed. He saves pictures to his phone and intends to document the encounter for future “endeavors”. The two eventually agree to meet later that afternoon.
Echo immediately begins searching for the proper attire for this special occasion. He has no idea that this entire thing is being filmed. So he rushes to his black garbage bag full of clothes to find anything nice to wear. The two computers continue to stream opponents prior matches but it’s background noise at this point. River’s hope has risen to a level never achieved by the young man. He throws clothes over his right shoulder while desperately searching.
Echo slips on a solid white t-shirt. It has two holes and is the best one he owns. Eddie Murder continues to take his 80%, which leaves River broke most of the time. Echo then locates a pair of cheap blue jeans with the least amount of stains to pull on. A long mirror hangs on the wall so he can inspect and deal with his insecurities in real time. A smile creeps across his face as he believes he looks good at this moment. The ripped and tattered clothes do not bother him as his confidence couldn’t possibly be higher.
“Mmmm! Mmmmm! Mm! Look at you, Motherfucker!” River barks at his reflection.
Echo peers into this mirror for a few moments. Doubt creeps in but he fights it off with his new found confidence fairly quickly. River adjusts his eye once more before turning to locate his wrestling boots. He pulls them on as a tear streams down his face. Finally.
River hurries out the door and slams it shut behind him. Two hovering drones above the hotel film down onto him. “MURDERStudios” logos cover each wing. They hover high enough to stay undetected by the distracted River Echo. He rushes over to his early nineties geo metro! Echo crawls through the driver’s side window to end up in the seat of the small beat up car. He turns the screwdriver that’s lodged into the ignition switch. A smile is smeared across his face as it rumbles to life. River shifts the car into gear and it lunges forward before dying! Smoke begins to bellow up from the hood. Fried. Echo crawls out of the window only to get his erection caught on the door leading him to fall face first onto the pavement! He lingers there briefly while a teenager laughs at him down the street. The small number thirteen cue rolls down the street and towards the laughing young man.
Echo comes to after being knocked out cold. He raises up to reveal a road rash on the left side of his face. River quickly realizes that his eye is gone and goes searching. He notices the teenager laughing and now holding his eye. Echo rushes at him full speed ahead to shove him off the skateboard! The young man drops the eye but River catches it before scooting off down the street on a stolen skateboard!
“Fuck you, FREAK!” The kid screams out.
The side of River’s face burns and bleeds from eating the pavement but he does not care. Echo uses his right foot to push the board forward and towards his date with destiny. The drones hover behind, still high up in the air. The crime was caught on film. Echo continues towards the address that he has on his phone’s maps app. He breezes through an intersection only to be hit by a car making a turn! River ends up breaking the windshield but it somehow manages to hold his body weight without giving out completely.
Echo stumbles up while the owner of the new Mercedes comes out swinging! River gets back on the skateboard to take off again now in a daze. He checks his phone to see he is heading directly towards the neighborhood, where Valerie resides. A red light causes him to put his foot down solid to stop his forward momentum. A brick wall to the right is covered in Guerrilla Warfare posters. He squints a bit to see it better. Chris Madison and Bryan Williams are two of many great wrestlers that cover the posters. No Echo though. River looks down at the pavement with real disappointment. A car behind him blows the horn to snap him out of it suddenly! He skates off.
Echo continues until he reaches the suburbs. Neighborhoods for as far as you can see. The drones continue to follow up high and out of sight for the most part. River steps off the board briefly. A truck comes in from behind to run over it then nearly hits Echo! He dives out of the way at the last possible moment.
River has little choice but to run now. He begins to cut through backyards while following his phone to the promise land. Echo comes to a tall fence that stops him dead in his tracks. He looks up and realizes he will need something to get to the other side. River finds a five gallon bucket that he empties before sitting it upside down against the fence. He wastes little time in taking a step up before leaping to take hold of the top of the barrier! Echo accidentally kicks the bucket over as he gets his chin atop the fence. The bucket giving causes him to begin to choke! He struggles on the side of the barrier before finally pulling himself up and over!
Echo ends up in the final yard before he reaches Valerie’s home. The backdoor flies open to reveal a large man cocking a shotgun! Trump paraphernalia is strung everywhere in this hidden yard. River ducks at first before crawling for the large trampoline in the center of the yard. He clings to the shadows to stay hidden and eventually reaches the trampoline. Echo hides quietly when a pecking sound can be heard.
“SHUT UP BITCH OR I WILL FUCK YOU WITH THAT DRAGON DILDO AGAIN!” The Man screams towards the trampoline.
This causes Echo to jump in fear before finding a small window beneath him. A woman peers up through the thick piece of glass that separates River from her, underneath the trampoline. The woman’s face is dirty and both of her wrists are chained. She is in a hidden underground room. A bunker of sorts. Kidnapped years ago by this crazed, shotgun toting, asshole. River peers down at the woman to hold his index finger up to his lips for silence.
“I will get you out.” River silently mouths down at her.
The woman shakes her head and tears sweep down both cheeks. Echo hears the screen door screech shut once more. This leads him to crawl as fast as he can! He leaves the woman behind to head for the far fence on his hands and knees. River reaches it and leaps up on a garbage can and up onto the barrier just as the door behind him opens and shuts again!
“WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU!?” The Man screams as he cocks the shotgun!
Echo ends up on the other side of the fence before being murdered. He gets up and walks right up to the front door of the next house. He wipes the blood off his face and adjusts his pants before ringing the doorbell.
“I’m COMING!” A raspy voice calls out from the other side of the door.
River waits while watching for the man next door to charge around and kill him for trespassing. Echo has completely forgotten about the girl now. The front door swings open suddenly to show an old woman that wears a pink robe. A Virginia slim hanging off her lip, she looks Echo up and down.
“Not interested. Take me off the list, fuck off!” The old woman squawks while shutting the door.
Echo reaches his foot out to stop her from shutting it.
“I’m here for Valerie!” River pleads.
She opens the door a bit more. She draws air in as the end of the cigarette turns bright orange. The old woman then wheezes out the smoke before replying in a raspy gasp, “I’ll get him.”
“Him?” Echo whispers to himself.
The old woman turns away from the door and heads for one at the end of the hallway. She enters and Echo can hear footsteps going down a staircase. Mumbling follows from the basement between two people before footsteps can be heard once more.
River stands in the doorway confused by her statement as she comes back into view in the hall. A large fat man follows close behind her. He turns to see River still standing in the doorway and an expression of complete and utter shock crosses his face.
“No fucking way!” He calls out at Echo.
The large man turns to show a black Union Battleground shirt. The bloody star. A top seller that has a streak of orange cheeto dust all the way across. Pimples and bedsores cover this disgusting man. He walks right up to River with his hand extended out. Echo and he shake hands.
“My name is Chad and I can’t believe this worked.” Chad exclaims.
“I’m here for Valerie..” River mutters.
Chad begins laughing hysterically. The drones still hover overhead to film in real time.
“Valerie is not real, my friend. She’s my e-wrestling character.” Chad boasts.
River attempts to take in what is happening but his face loses color fast. Chad continues to explain himself while Echo’s heart breaks before the world.
“See… I am a thirteen time world champion that’s done it all. I remember fWo, so that means I am important. I pretend to wrestle on a level most can’t even fucking comprehend. Please excuse my awesome.” Chad continues to brag before a broken man.
River backs up until he stands on the concrete sidewalk. He hits both knees without even knowing it. A familiar tune from the nineties begins to play over the wide shot.
♫
IT'S TEARIN' UP MY HEART WHEN I'M WITH YOU BUT WHEN WE ARE APART, I FEEL IT TOO AND NO MATTER WHAT I DO, I FEEL THE PAIN WITH OR WITHOUT YOU
♫
The music continues in the background while Chad spews.
“I am so good at it that I catfished a real wrestler. You must be really fucking stupid, buddy. I use Lisa Frankenstein as a pic base. You know, a champion in the company you work for? I’m so much better at this than you.” The E-Wrestler relentlessly mocks River.
“Wh-y..Why?” Echo stutters out.
“I just know the business. I’ve never laced up boots or even been inside a real ring but let me tell you about what I know. Everything. I am self taught by using tools like google docs and photoshop. I win titles. Period.” Chad boasts further and further.
A drone from above comes in closer to film this man break. A lifeless expression covers River’s face. Chad begins yelling at the drone.
“Stop stealing our shit, UNION! We know you read our shows and steal everything we do. Any cool spots I do, you fucking steal almost immediately! Where’s my residuals, motherfuckers!” Chad screams out at the drone’s camera.
River just slumps down further onto his knees. Sadness consumes him whole. It’s just never going to happen for him. How could he not know that those were pictures of Seldon? She looked familiar but he has lost focus. The sun begins to fade but red and blue lights hit the siding on Chad’s house suddenly. This causes River to turn around fast only to catch a taser shot to the side of the neck! He jerks and convulses while the officers immediately take him into custody!
“You have raised hell all over town today! You are under arrest!” One of the officers explains.
Chad reaches out to snatch the small 13 ball from Echo’s skull!
“Ebay.” Chad whispers while clutching the ball close.
The drone still high above films Echo being taken into custody. He gets slammed into the car before thrown into the backseat. Chad just continues screaming at the drone.
“One day I will work for a major promotion and show you Union fuck’s what’s what! I write shows, motherfuckers! I been doing this for twenty four fucking years!” Chad calls out.
The camera view begins to draw away from the screaming e-wrestler and through a screen in a three dimensional effect to show the bathroom from earlier. Meadow Murder and Eddie sit facing one another in the same tub, where River showered hours prior.
“Fuckin’ Nerd” Eddie calls out at Chad on the screen.
“Did you know it was a guy?” Meadow asks.
Murder leans back in the tub with a sly grin before replying, “Oh yeah.”
Meadow laughs while continuing to watch it all unfold.
“I wanted River to have real hope. Something to build him up only to crash and burn like he has. With nothing left to lose he becomes dangerous and now has a fighting chance.” Eddie mutters before making ripples in the tub.
“So do you think he can win this match?” Meadow inquires further.
Murder peers down at his own reflection in the water. He watches his face contort in the ripples before peering up slowly at his wife.
“No. He has no chance.” Eddie replies.
He then turns his head slowly to a camera facing him to boast at the entire roster, “But I would.”
“Do you really steal ideas from this so-called “e-wrestling?” Meadow responds with a question.
“Like I would go to proboards and read those shit shows. Jesus Fuck, Meadow.” Eddie responds.
Meadow looks down at the wonder with suspicion because he knew exactly where not to go to steal said idea’s.
“Echo is too weak for this business. If he doesn’t win this match I am going to fire him. Miles broke him and it’s hilarious. I love watching that kind of suffering live. That kinda shit makes me hard.” Eddie declares before kicking water up at Meadow in the tub.
“I’m already pregnant.” Meadow announces.
Eddie shakes his head while rolling his eyes before responding, “I got a clothes hanger in the closet. I could dig that little problem out real quick?” Murder replies while making a scraping motion.
“How sweet. No let’s keep it and see if anyone on the black market needs a white baby.” Meadow responds in yearnest.
“Deal.” Eddie replies.
A moment of silence between the two causes them both to burst out laughing. The film crew that Murder sent to film the unfolding drama with Echo begins to wind down. Eddie looks over to see them all shutting down.
“Crimson would have already gotten rid of Echo. I think I can squeeze a few more dollars out of him before he becomes a husk of a man. I wanted to break River all the way, so I allowed him to be catfished by that fucking nerd. Hope can build and build inside of a person and cause them to believe things that could never be true or happen. Giving that kind of hope before taking it all away in a moment can change someone forever. You won’t be able to see that scar on River because it’s on the inside but it’s deep and permanent.” Murder explains.
Meadow and Eddie’s eyes are now locked from each side of the tub.
“I don’t think he can come back from this.” Meadow replies before taking a sip of expensive champagne.
Murder wrinkles his forehead with fake anger. He narrows his gaze at his wife.
“He’s pretty much a cripple now. Useless by all accounts. I want to wipe my hands of this man and will if he doesn’t win the biggest match of his career. He won’t be able to find a job easily and will suffer immensely directly because of actions that I’ve taken. I find it poetic and beautiful.” Eddie almost whispers at his wife.
The scene begins to fade out as the two once more sit in complete silence. They both create ripples in the water.
