There is darkness. It hangs over the scene like a veil. Movement is masked by its presence, and all that is left for the senses is sound. Crickets sing, grass moves in a slight breeze, leaves rustle against their neighbors. A faint ticking provides a backdrop for the chorus of sounds.
tick tick tick
Though no source is visible, the rustling grows louder, as does the incessant clicking of the clock.
Tick Tick Tick
“Time changes us all.” The voice is monotone and feminine. “It is an invention of our own making, and yet, we pretend it is natural—we created an illusion… then we made it a reality.”
Upon speaking the word reality, light floods on all sides, revealing Elizabeth Mauduit, cross-legged in a dark blue smoking chair. She is dressed in a short sleeve black dress, littered with red splotches, that cuts off at the knees revealing the extensive tattoos that cover her body. The source of sounds reveals itself as a small radio next to her. She clicks it off, and the natural sounds dissipate, but the ticking grows even louder.
TicK TicK TicK
“I am not immune to such foolishness.” She leans forward and tilts her head. Her eyes widen, and it appears as though the galaxy is in her eyes.
“You don’t know me. That’s fine. We have all been strangers at one point or another. I will say, however, for once in my life— I look forward to meeting you.” Her lips curl upward into a smirk.
“It has been years since I battled in Visionaries of Wrestling, and it has been over a year now since I lost my Queen of the Ring Championship in United Wrestling Alliance and left my past on the canvas. My final chapter was written in July of 2017, or so I thought. That’s the funny thing about time, isn’t it? It lies, constantly.”
TICK TICK TICK
“It certainly made a liar out of me.” Elizabeth leans back in her chair and inhales deeply. She shuts her eyes, basking in the clockwork. After several moments, she places her hand upon a nearby table, wrapping her fingers against the dark stained wood.
“From this point forward, I pledge to tell you nothing but the truth. I will not lie to you, however uncomfortable that may be.” She licks her lips. “Which is why, Mr. Izumi, I must be frank...” Her eyes explode open.
“I am convinced that until this show was announced, I was not even a figment of your imagination. You have never heard of me, and I don’t believe that’sfair because I’ve been watching you. I’ve been watching you very closely.
In fact, my first encounter with Union Battleground was Lights Out Twenty-Six. There, you faced Caden Walker in the opening contest, and it was then I realized that you had a level of determination… a level of grit others do not possess. As Caden tossed your body violently about, you fought on. Caden beat you down, threw you around, and instead of allowing yourself to fall victim to his strength, you used your perseverance to escape the South Texas Death Ride and beat him, despite your obvious disadvantages.” She nods in an acknowledgement of this feat. “I don’t mean to give you a big head, Mister Izumi, but you are the type of person who forced me from my cave. Your heroic displays courage, the infinite fortitude, the bravery and conviction… this is why I could no longer sit idly by. I had to prove myself among the masses.” She raises her finger.
“Unfortunately, heart can only carry one so far. It simply means you can survive longer. It does not equate to achieving one’s goals. Let’s take Lights Out Twenty Seven, for example. At Lights You competed against Finn Wheelen for the Trench War Championship.You were hit with wrenches, you were choked within an inch of unconsciousness, you were attacked with your own Bokkon, you kicked out of two pinfall attempts where others would have stayed down , but you… you survived until Finn hit the Revelation 6:4,onto tacks no less.
While your bravery is commendable, you squandered an opportunity at the Trench War title, and now you’ve been relegated to facing, of all people, me. Despite this fact— Kira, my darling, You have my attention.” Elizabeth presents a genuine smile and places her hands together.
“And to be honest, what better opponent is there for my debut? A man with legendary tenacity, a man who fights through being demolished, a man who could call himself champion if he simply didn’t make so many errors in judgement...you are everything I need. And while you may have watched a couple of tapes, or dug into old internet articles, to keep things fair, I’m going to give you a few tactics I plan on employing. Consider it a token of my respect.” She extends her arms outward as if offering him something tangible.
“My strategy is simple, Mister Izumi. First, I am going to rip your arms out of their sockets, and then when I grow bored of watching you squirm, I’m going to drop you on your head.
When you take an extra second to climb the turnbuckle to hit that moonsault, when you fly through the air… I will be there. When you’re in the corner, I will be there. When you think you have a moment to catch your breath, you guessed it— I will be there. While I may not be as strong as Mister Walker or have weapons at my disposal like Mister Wheelen, I have something they don’t: patience.
We can fight all night, if you so choose, if you can pick yourself off the canvas. I don’t mind. That doesn’t frustrate me. In fact, the longer you stay awake, the more fun for me.” She giggles.
“So rest, Kira. Prepare yourself for the long haul. I come to Lights Out presenting a simple truth: I will not stop until your body does, and the sweet sound of silence speaks your surrender. Kira, darling, you know not what you’ve done.” Elizabeth flashes a smile and stands, gently brushing down the hem of her dress. She takes a deep breath in, then walks off camera.
————————————————————
Once the feed stops, a wave of lightheadedness sends me stumbling to the bathroom. In an attempt to catch myself, my hands brace onto white quartz countertop, and my body bends to the point of staring dejectedly at the floor. After several moments of heavy breathing, I lift my head, my eyes meet my reflection, and I let out a heavy sigh.
“Union Battleground…” the words linger on my tongue like a bad taste, and doubt rattles my brain like a disease. I repeat the name several times before opening the medicine cabinet and removing a bottle of Oxycodone. After unscrewing the green top and piling a handful of pills into my palms, I toss them into my mouth and chomp on them. The chemical taste forces a cough, but it disappears once water floods in from the faucet and washes the mush down my throat.
The feeling of losing the Queen of the Ring title emerges and eats at my insides as if it were yesterday rather than a year. My hands clench into tight, shaking fists.
What if I can’t get it done? What if Kira Izumi beats me in my debut? What if I’m forced to eat my words? What if I ruin my chances here too?
Without realizing it, my teeth clenched so tightly my jaw began to ache. The lightheadedness returns, and rather than attempt to hold myself up, I sit down slowly and press my back into the edge of the tub. Nausea, doubt, anxiety, and in the background, a familiar sound
