Post by Evan De Parker on Jun 23, 2013 22:19:14 GMT -4
He's a restless young romantic...
WANTS TO RUN THE BIG MACHINE.
WANTS TO RUN THE BIG MACHINE.
Friday, June 21, 2013, 9:48pm
Miami, Florida
Our scene opens, but not to a world of vivid shapes and colors... Instead, we are left, quite literally, in the darkness. There is the familiar drone of a motor in the background-- distant enough to suggest that we’re inside of a vehicle. The ride is smooth and the tires seemingly glide over the surface, but the occasional twitch of a gear-shift, and the creaky tap of a clutch are evident.
”How long are you guys gonna be gone?”
”We’ll be back before Test for th--”
”Who knows?”
The comment causes an air of silence to be cast over the vehicle.
The first voice belongs, clearly, to Jeremy Knite while the second belongs to Jenny, and the final, being the familiar, smooth, almost “discreet” voice of the Action Packed Wrestling Overdrive Champion, Evan Envi.
”...Evan has a few obligations in Honolulu. We committed to them months ago. But, he-- Evan, don’t think that I’m gonna let you just skip out on this match with Jennings.”
There is more silence on the part of the Overdrive Champion... And we finally blink into color.
It’s nighttime, and the camera is situated in the backseat of a car-- the BMW 760Li. Through the neon-colored lights illuminating the dash and console, we can clearly see the defining figure of Evan Envi in the driver’s seat, and the feminine arms and hands of Jenny Knite as they stretch, lazily ahead of her, accompanied by a yawn in the passenger seat.
”When are we scheduled to fly back into Miami?”
”We’re not.”
Evan’s voice is hollow, and completely void of reason or emotion. It encourages a frustrated grunt from Jenny.
”Evan, you made your point. You don’t like Jennings. I get it. You’re acting like he doesn’t exist, and trust me, I get that. A lot of people get that. But... You can’t just not show up.”
From behind the camera, Jeremy chimes in.
”Yeah-- you can’t leave the guy hanging. That proves him right, doesn’t it?”
”It proves that you don’t care about the fans.”
”Might prove that you don’t care about APW.”
”...Just about yourself.”
SCREEEEEEECCCHHH!
Jenny shrieks as the car swerves onto the shoulder of the, practically-abandoned Miami road. The BMW squeals to a stop, and immediately their nostrils are filled with the smell of warm brakes and burning rubber. Jenny looks at Evan with her eyes wide; heart pounding.
”What the hell?!”
There are a few seconds where Evan Envi doesn’t utter a word, or even make the tiniest noise. He waits, hands still gripped on the wheel. For the first time, the slightest cry can be heard from the radio as the music of the Moody Blues flows from the speakers, through the car. Evan turns and gives Jenny a calm look, the beginnings of a smile crossing his face.
”Ten minutes.”
”What are you talk--?”
”Ten minutes. That’s how long I’m giving you, to get all of this negativity, and all of this disappointment out of your system, because that’s when we’re gonna get to the airport. When that happens, I want you to leave all of the negativity behind. Leave it here in Florida... And maybe if you’re lucky, we’ll come back for it.”
Seconds pass, and Jenny looks at Evan in shock, but her face contorts in anger shortly thereafter.
”So you’re CONSIDERING it?! You’re considering just NOT showing up?”
”Clock’s ticking.”
”Yeah, on your title reign! My God, dude, do you even care? There is an arrogant, self-serving, boisterous punk named Michael Jennings prancing around like he’s the second coming of Jesus, running your name through the dirt on a daily basis like it’s his job, and you’re just going to let that happen? Evan-- just-- no! He’s a fucking zit. You CANNOT continue to let him exist.”
”Sounds like a personal problem, Jenny.”
”What?!”
”If you hate him so much, then why don’t you deal with it?”
From behind the camera, Jeremy Knite sighs a bit as he watches his sister’s face go from ghost-white, to fire-red. Her eyes narrow and her jaw tightens.
”I fucking have been.” She reaches across the car and slaps Evan, angrily, on his shoulder. It merely earns a grunt from Evan, who throws the car back into gear as Jenny continues. ”I took a shot for you on Monday night, while you were in Ocean City, lying down in your bed, you jackass!”
”Oh, woman, you make it sound so dramaaatic...”
He catches a glimpse of her distressed look as he pulls back onto the road. A brief sigh escapes Evan’s lips and he mutters something to himself before addressing Jenny once again.
”I’m sorry that you got hurt. I’m sorry that you got chased. And... I appreciate that it was for me. Really.”
Once more, Jeremy chimes in from behind the camera.
”I’m waiting for the ‘but’.”
”...But I didn’t ask anybody to do anything for me. I never asked Emerald Assassin to fight, or-- heh-- defeat any of my opponents. That’s just something that he’s done. I didn’t ask you to jump on anybody’s back. I didn’t ask you to take a knee to the gut for me, and I love you for it, kid, but it was unnecessary. I think... The world is determined to add fuel to a very, very dangerous fire that should have never started burning in the first place.”
”For your benefit!”
Evan steals a perturbed glance at Jenny.
”Hardly.”
”What do you mean?”
”I dunno, a bunch of shit. Like-- the zombie Jewel thing on Twitter?”
Again, there is a chuckle from out of frame, behind the camera from Jeremy Knite. Jenny looks back at him while Evan keeps his eyes focused on the road.
”I love it. It’s hilarious.”
”Sure. But now people are thinking that it’s me, or that I have something to do with it. And not to mention, you almost got booked in a match with the guy you’re so desperate to stir the pot with, Jenny. A match, where he could have legally done anything he wanted to you--”
”From the sounds of it, he wouldn’t care much about me either way. I think we already saw how far he’s willing to go on Meltdown. He doesn’t want me-- he wants to scare you. He wants you to be frightened of him.”
She rubs her abdomen a bit, favoring the area where she’d been struck a few days prior, and her eyes drift toward the glass of the passenger window, peering at the swaying, waving trees as they drive through the woodlands, toward the brighter Miami city lights.
”If he wanted to catch me, maybe he would have. I just think the only thing he cares about is... Beating you.”
Evan doesn’t respond, immediately, but within a few seconds, Jeremy interjects himself anyway.
”And maybe not even that... He’s said before that he doesn’t care about the Overdri-- I mean, that he doesn’t care about Lady Overdrive. He’s said before that he’s lost interest in you. He’s really... Inconsistent. He’s really unstable, but I don’t know how to read him.”
”He’s a weirdy.”
”I mean-- the zombie thing? He says it doesn’t bother him. He says he won’t ‘sell’ it, but he continues to ramble on, and on, and on about it and get progressively more upset. At first, I just thought he was an idiot. But now... I think something’s loose upstairs. I think the guy’s unhinged, and I don’t think he knows what he’s feeling.”
By now, Jeremy Knite has garnered the full attention of his twin sister, who turns all the way around in her seat, looking down into the lens and then back up at Jeremy, who continues.
”You know how people say you have to really care about somebody to hurt them?”
Jenny nods, slowly. Evan glances up at Jeremy through the rearview mirror, and Jeremy lifts the camera to eye-level.
”I don’t think that applies to Michael Jennings.”
Friday, June 21, 2013, 10:15pm
Miami, Florida (MIA- Miami International Airport)
Our next scene opens up on the inside of the Miami International Airport, just several yards beyond the glass doors of the entrance. Jenny Knite begins loading her luggage onto a dolly, while Evan stands in front of Jeremy with a very grim look on his face as he holds a set of keys in front of him-- one, being the key to the BMW 760Li, and the other being the spare key to his Miami beach house. Jeremy reaches for the keys, but Evan casually extends his arm to hold them out of his reach. Jeremy groans in frustration, and Jenny watches from a few feet away, rolling her eyes while trying to suppress a smirk.
”You’ve gotta promise me that no matter what, you’re not gonna let some psycho bitch steal all my shit again, alright?”
”Evan, that was a one time thing.”
”Dying is a one time thing, Jeremy. Unacceptable.”
”It won’t happen again.”
”I don’t care if Hill-Dog herself tries to commandeer your vehicle to stop some sort of right-wing government uprising. You do NOT let these keys out of your possession! Am I clear?”
”Yes.”
”I swear to God, Jeremy. I swear. I’ll hit you.”
”It’s safe with me. It’ll be parked out back.”
Evan nods and begins to lower the keys into Jeremy’s hand, gracing his palm... But then rips them away from him again and raises a finger.
”You can drive it, but don’t go crazy.”
”I won’t.”
”And don’t throw a fucking party in my house without me, unless it’s worth it. Unless it’s really worth it.”
”Dude, okay!”
”I have white carpet; I’ll know.”
Evan finally lowers the keys into Jeremy’s hand. Jeremy begins to tug them away, but it takes a mild struggle due to Evan’s death-grip on the keys. Jeremy marches past Evan and gives her brother a quick, tight hug before backing away and looking between them, her eyes settling on Jeremy.
”We’ll be back in a week.”
”Maybe.”
Jenny elbows Evan, who chuckles, amused with himself.
”Just give me a call. I’ll be holdin’ down the fort.”
”Better be.”
Jeremy tosses Evan’s keys from hand to hand as he backs away, clearly showing a bit more confidence in front of his friend, now being in possession of his keys.
”Don’t worry about me. Enjoy your vacation. If there’s anything outside of Hawaii you should be worrying about, it’s Michael Jennings, your number one fan.”
Evan, once again, fails to react at the mention of the man, but Jenny wraps her arms around Evan’s and nods.
”He’ll be ready for Jennings. This trip’s good for him.”
”Hope so.”
”...Yeah. Peace, Jeremy.”
Evan slaps hands with the young man and Jeremy pivots, marching back out into the night while Jenny hugs her purse to her side, still keeping one arm wrapped around Evan’s arm. Evan retrieves his backpack and the two make their way into the airport.
Saturday, June 22, 2013, 7:13pm
Honolulu, Hawaii
”I wish you could be here... It’s really a sight, hah.”
We hear cheering, hollering, and a melodic chorus in the background as we blink into color. From behind, we see the figure of Evan Envi, dressed in white cargo shorts, and standing barefoot in sand that’s nearly white in the sunlight. A stereotypical, or perhaps traditional Hawaiian-themed shirt blows loosely in the wind as Envi treks, almost aimlessly, over the beach with his iPhone held to his ear, holding a conversation with somebody... A conversation that we only hear one end of.
”We’re staying with Ted and Eileen. You remember them. Jenny flew in with me-- and I think you’d like her a lot, y’know? If you gave her a chance, anyway... She’s a good kid. She’s-- yeah. I owe her a lot.”
Evan casts a look in the direction of the noise, and our cameras move to that direction as well. A group of people are clapping rhythmically as music is performed and torches sway, sending embers flying upward...
”Everyone around me thinks that I’m clueless... And that I don’t have any idea what’s going on next weekend. They probably think I don’t care.”
Evan roams closer toward the tide, laughing a bit at whatever response he earns over the phone. The Hawaiian waters are shoved up onto the shore, over his toes, licking at his heels.
”Of course I do. This guy is a problem, and I’ll take care of it. I always do. Except, I don’t want to be the guy that’s chasing anymore. Maybe I want somebody to chase after me. Maybe I want someone to come after my head for once... I’m tired of chasing people, for whatever reason it is."
A pause-- and a laugh.
"Is he good? I mean, I guess. Hell of a lot of potential, but he has no idea how to tap into it. He’s so busy being opposed to anything and everything, that he can’t get a steady pair of feet under himself.
“He uh... Hah, he reminds me of me. I mean, I came in here, ready to start a fight with everybody, and that’s what I did. I was on top of the world, and... Y’know, reality hit me in the face pretty good after a while. Hopefully the same thing happens to him before he goes too far, and he plays around with the wrong person, and he gets himself hurt.”
Evan turns back toward the scene of the ongoing party, and sees Jenny Knite moving through the dancing, parading figures and toward Evan, flanked by two people. He can’t help but smile as they point him out in the distance and accelerate their pace.
”Thanks for calling. It was nice talking. Hah, and thanks for the birthday wishes. Like I said...”
He spares one more look as the sun seems to extinguish itself into the crystal waters.
”...Wish you were here... Yeah-- yeah, definitely. I’ll talk to you soon. Night.”
Evan hangs up his phone and slides it into his pocket. The timing is flawless as Jenny, and the “figures” that he immediately identifies as his longtime friends, Ted and Eileen Harding make their way toward him. In Jenny’s hand is a giant, rectangular cake. Evan can only make out certain features as the sky grows darker, but he can clearly distinguish the slices pineapples sticking out of the white icing. A curious grin crosses his face, and Eileen retrieves a grill lighter from her back pocket, preparing to ignite all twenty-five candles.
”So how’s it feel? You’re finally old enough to rent a car!”
Evan chuckles at Eileen’s joke and Ted joins in, a moment later.
”After the cake and festivities, I say we head back to my place for some wine... And a toast. An intimate one, without a hundred fans throwing food and dancing like crazies...”
”Agreed!”
Jenny nods. ”We’ll toast to another healthy birthday... And we’ll toast to the end.”
Evan smirks down at her, perking a curious eyebrow.
”To the end...?”
”Of Michael Jennings.”
Eileen ignites the last candle. Jenny and Evan stare at each other from across the sea of tiny, dancing flames, and for the first time, Jenny Knite can see in Evan’s eyes that she’s not being ignored. Evan doesn’t respond... He neither smiles, nor falters, but she can see in his eyes that for once, the subject isn’t being ignored. It’s enough of a reaction.
Soon, the trio leads into their rendition of “happy birthday” and for at least that night, Honolulu is without worry.
He's noble enough to win the world...
BUT WEAK ENOUGH TO LOSE IT.
BUT WEAK ENOUGH TO LOSE IT.
Sunday, June 23, 2013, 6:00pm
Honolulu, Hawaii
Darkness.
”I know exactly who you are.
“You’re the thirstiest little boy I’ve ever met in my life.
“I don’t ignore you because I’m trying to undercut your talent; your ability.
“I don’t ignore you because I feel that I have something to gain from it.
“I don’t even ignore you because you’re an annoying, misguided, nonsensical, undeservedly-arrogant prick with an inferiority complex.
“I ignore you because I can ignore you.
“I do what I want. I don’t answer to you. I don’t react to you on your terms... Because I am above it. I am above you. That’s the God’s honest truth, and at Test for the Best in seven days, if I show up, it’ll be one of the most horrific nights of your young career, because you will realize that everything you said will be for nought-- because you’re going to lose.
“No matter what you say about me, and no matter how much you claim you want to grasp that brass ring and catapult yourself into the SPOTLIGHT of sports and entertainment, everything you say will become irrelevant UNLESS you find a way to change the course of destiny and walk out of Orlando, Florida as the new Action Packed Wrestling Overdrive Champion.
“Can you do that?
“Got that in you?”
From darkness, we blink into the image of Evan Envi. He’s in a well-furnished room, by the looks of things-- and if you asked him, he would describe to you in vivid detail the ins-and-outs of Ted and Eileen Harding’s lavish Honolulu guest-house, however, it’s far from our Overdrive Champion’s prerogative.
“I’m gonna go ahead and say the answer is ‘no’ because you don’t know WHAT you want. I mean, shit, I certainly don’t know what you want. Some days, you want to be regarded as the best. Some days, you want the fans to support you, and cheer for you, and adore you, no matter what you say to them-- and some days, you want them to loathe you. Really, as long as you’re getting attention, you’re happy, right? Whether it’s fighting your estranged father on national television, or fighting your dead, pregnant girlfriend on Twitter, you want attention.
“Attention.”
He utters one, dry laugh and shakes his head.
”Let me tell you a story about this kid that came into this company looking to make an impact-- looking for attention about fifteen months ago.
“This kid signed a contract with Action Packed Wrestling, and he had his sights set on the Overdrive brand. He had his sights set on things like... This...”
Evan brings the large, platinum Overdrive Championship, commonly known as Lady Overdrive, herself into the picture.
”They threw him a curveball though. Despite his threats, and his dreams, and his goals, they created a completely new show to handle the sudden wave of new talent, and to filter the good from the bad. The girls from the women-- the BOYS from the MEN.
“Instead of Overdrive, the kid was thrown on Meltdown, and he felt dejected. He felt robbed. He felt that he didn’t get the respect and the attention that he deserved and he was being forced to participate as a SIDE-SHOW ACT... And there was a guy that saw his gripes, and his complaints, and his name?
“Kurt Noble.
“This kid said that he was the best. He said he could beat Kurt Noble. He said he could beat ANYBODY... And you know what Kurt said?
“Last rookie that made claims like that ended up exploding when the heat came on: Don’t say it; prove it.
“You, like so many others, could try and ultimately fail. Show me why you’re different.
“And my favorite... I’m too good to have a match with someone who might not have a contract in one month. Can’t wrestle somebody who can’t wrestle.
“...So you know what that kid did?
“He took over the whole fucking show. He turned Meltdown into his own brand, and he made KURT NOBLE come to HIM. And Noble did. And Noble humiliated him. And Noble cost him a lot. He cost him everything he’d worked sooo hard for. He brought that kid down to reality... And he brought the house that he built CRASHING down on top of him.
“And the kid could’ve bitched, and moaned, and stomped around, complaining about how it wasn’t fair, and how it was him that should’ve been in the main event, and how everybody else made him sick, and you know what? He did do that. He did.
“Just like you, he complained and he whined.
“But the difference between this kid... And you? The kid I’m thinking of took a slightly different route.
“You see, the kid I’m thinking of got drafted up to Overdrive, and instead of roaming back to Asylum and Meltdown for the sole purpose of getting his ass handed to him, he got better, and he became the King of Overdrive.
“After clawing, and scratching to the top, and making claims of dominance...
“That kid BEAT Kurt Noble.
“That kid is me. I was you, but I’m not anymore. Now I’m better than you. I’m better than the next guy. I’m the best wrestler in Action Packed Wrestling, and I don’t say it to spite you; I say it because I firmly believe that, and I dare you to try to convince me I’m not.”
Evan laughs and lifts Lady Overdrive again, gazing down at his reflection in the plate of the shining, glimmering platinum face of the belt.
”I’ve fought too hard, and too long, and made too many sacrifices to allow some pretentious douchebag to waltz in here and think that he can pull the same shtick I pulled a year ago and take my baby away from me. And this isn’t about whether you want my championship or not. I don’t even care if you’ve lost that fire in your soul and you don’t want a match against me anymore. I’m gonna beat your ass like you want it, boy.
“I’ve never seen somebody actively pursue a mauling as vigorously as you are. So be it.
“I’m going to ruin your fucking life.
“And then I’m gonna make a fake movie trailer about it, and I’m gonna put it on Meltdown, and I’m gonna dedicate it to you, and if I WANT TO, I’ll put one on Asylum too-- and what are you gonna do about it, Ebert? NOTHING.
“You want to lead this revolution, but there’s no spark to ignite it, because you don’t have it. You’re fighting a battle that I already fought. And won. And I did it better than you.
“So you know what, bruh? I’ll throw you a bone.
“Next Sunday, I’ll give you the attention you crave, and at your expense, I’ll catapult myself to a level that you, and the Natural Born Killlerrrrrs could never even fathom. I’ll embarrass you. I’ll make you...”
Evan trails off, his lips twitching into a grin as he becomes to delicately slide his fingers across the platinum face of the Lady.
”...I’ll make you respect me. I’ll beat you so badly that you’ll have no choice to come after me again, seeking redemption-- not for these people, and not for me, but for yourself. You’ll respect me, sir... You’ll respect Lady Overdrive. You’ll respect... What I have built...”
Evan’s face grows darker. Sterner.
He looks up toward the camera, a grave look resting behind his bright eyes.
”Sunday isn’t about the League of Extraordinary Wrestlers, and your conflicting, hypocritical views on its members. Sunday isn’t about the Natural Born Killlerrrrs. Sunday is about...”
His eyes drift down toward Lady Overdrive again.
”Well... That’s something we can’t seem to reach an agreement on, isn’t it?”
Once more, Evan holds the championship up so the camera can get an extensive look at it.
”I know exactly who you are.
“I know exactly where I’m going.
“And I know what I’m fighting for in seven days.
“...How about you?”
Our image darkens and distorts before we are ultimately plunged into darkness for the final time.
To Be Continued...
