Post by Michael Callahan on Nov 11, 2012 18:24:05 GMT -4
ISSUE TWO
A Michael Callahan Graphic Novel
By the time I'd saddled up with Steve Fukuyama and completed the hour and a half drive back to Seattle, emergency services had restored control over the days catastrophic pile-up and traffic was beginning to settle down. The same however could not be said for the weather. Although it had been clear skies and sunshine all day, the onset of evening had brought about an earthy apricot glow illuminating the sky along with an assortment of charcoal coloured clouds that only hastened the end of a beautiful Washington day. It was symbolic as the evening sky mimicked my moods deterioration.
As I walked through the door of Ward 415 in the Emergencies Department I was still unsure as to why they'd called me in and although not a paranoid man the possibilities were tying my stomach in knots. The sight of five stone-faced doctors standing around one hospital bed did little to alleviate this.
Michael Callahan: Hi... I'm Michael Callahan, you asked to see me?
The one female doctor of the group silently gestured towards the stretcher and my eyes instinctively followed to take a look at the thin, dirty, ghost white girl lying absolutely motionless in the bed. Her dirty, tangled, matted blonde hair was an afterthought to the mud, the dirt and the myriad of deep cuts and scars adorning her brittle body. It was only when I saw her heart shaped face that realisation hit me with the force of an Abrams.
Michael Callahan: Bethany...
It was days like these that the magic of summer holidays and youth in America stamped themselves firmly into your mind. Although I grew up poor, my dad would never let a year go by where we didn't go on vacation at least once even if it was just to explore beautiful Washington State. Once me and Bethany had been together for a while he even let her come with us and it was those days that I'll remember as the happiest.
Carrying a backpack full of biking gear I reached up for the ledge above us on Benton County's Rattlesnake Mountain and hauled myself up and over the edge, relief washing over me in an awesome wave as I finally made it to our destination to reinvigourate me. It was a hell of a hike. I looked down back over the edge to see Bethany struggling to get a foot hold.
Michael Callahan: Come on Beth... take my hand. You're almost there.
She looked up to me and smiled through gritted teeth, obviously feeling the effects of the days climb. She was a cheerleader and a dancer, not a seasoned outdoors man like I was. I couldn't help but smirk and try to hold back the laughs as she slipped and scrambled. Eventually she pushed herself up another few feet and she reluctantly took my hand. I pulled her up and over and as she came over she took us both down by collapsing on me out of exhaustion leaving us in a heap of giggling limbs.
Michael Callahan: Took your time!
Bethany Monroe: Oh psht! I've never climbed before!
Michael Callahan: Yeah? I was carrying both of our hiking equipment! I don't think you have much scope to complain missy.
Bethany Monroe: Ass!
Michael Callahan: And don't you forget it.
We shared a lusty chuckle and slowly untangled ourselves, barely able to take our eyes off each other as teenage love snared itself tightly around our pounding hearts. We dusted each other down then I tipped my head towards the cliff. Hand in hand, fingers locked we stepped back to the edge so we could take in what we could of the simply breath-taking view, which with the clear skies and beautiful sunshine was a lot. Fields, plains, vineyards as far as the eye could see and even a crop duster flying in the distance.
Never before had I seen such a truer vision of what Heaven might be like.
Michael Callahan: Say cheese!
Camera out in front of us, I snapped the two of us. My arm around her, me grinning like an idiot with my shades and her looking pretty with her hair tied back. It's a photograph which to this day remains framed on my fireplace. It was truly the happiest I'd ever been and the happiest I ever will be.
Shock sank its ivory fangs into my flesh and I began to shake uncontrollably. Despair and fury had consumed me. I took one look around the room at the doctors and before the stout Asiatic looking doctor, the obvious leader of the group could even get the words out I knew exactly what he was going to say.
Dr. Tony Morishima: Michael, she's co-signed on your health insurance but given you've been separated for the last six months it'd be difficult on legal grounds for us to initiate treatment without your consent. There's been no formal striking off and I imagine you've continued your payments. I guess the question is, can we save this woman's life?
Every pair of eyes in the room was fixed squarely on me. I imagine even Bethany in her unconscious coma state was looking down on me. There was an unnatural silent pause for just a few moments as I took all of seven whole seconds to make my decision.
Michael Callahan: HAHAHA. No.
Before they could even argue I was gone. Right out the door with no intention of turning back.
A few blocks away at the Seattle Times Headquarters, it's getting close to closing time and young journalist Jonathan Edison is proof-reading his story when the phone starts ringing. He answers instantly.
Jonathan Edison: Seattle Times? This is Jonathan Edison speaking.
?: Hi, Seattle Times? This is a... reputable source. I've got a news story you might want to run with. It's about our states favourite wrestling politician son.
Jonathan Edison: Michael Callahan?
?: The one and only.
Jonathan's smirk and intrigued chin stroking told the whole story.
Jonathan Edison: I'm listening...
Now let me make one thing clear, I'm not a habitual smoker. I'm not a twenty a day man, heck I'm not even a pack a day man. I always keep at least twenty on me though just on the off-chance that something so infuriates me that the only solution to stop me from completely losing my cool is to light up. This was one of those occasions. A lit cigarette pressed between my lips, I was trying my damnedest to control the shaking and despite the dull autumn chill and the thick black clouds rolling in over head my skin felt like it was burning through from my bones.
If you were to have touched me then and there, you would've pulled your hand back scalded. I was physically incandescent with rage. Steve Fukuyama knew this and was consequentially treading on egg shells trying his best to appease me.
Michael Callahan: How dare they. How fri-... how FUCKING dare they try and do that to me. Those insolent piss ants!
Steve Fukuyama: Don't blame them, They were just doing what they could to save lives. It's their jobs. I-
A commotion behind us quickly deterred our attention. It sounded like war elephants. The truth wasn't far from interpretation as a doctor charged his way through the corridor, sending interns and employees alike flying out of his way as he made a B-line for the smoking deck. It wasn't long 'til I realised he was looking for me.
Michael Callahan: Doctor, don't you have li-
WHACK!
By the time I'd realised what was happening I was on the floor and bleeding from the mouth quite profusely. I looked up pleadingly at the doctor who'd just punched me in the face, dazed and confused and utterly baffled as to why I'd just been put on my back. As my eyes met his he hit me again, this time in the eye making my head bounce off the wooden floor like a basketball.
Steve Fukuyama: Doctor, what're you doing?!
Dr. Tony Morishima: I'm saving lives!
Before I could muster up an argument or a counter-attack, he was lifting me up by my jacket with as much ease as if I were a child and spinning around to launch me as hard as he could at a wall. I cracked my head sharply and slid down slowly into a crumpled, semi-conscious grey heap. He grabbed me and pulled me straight, going nose to nose and eye to eye as he stared straight into my soul and I into his. Never before have I seen the fires of Hell as I did in Dr. Morishima's eyes.
Dr. Tony Morishima: What the fuck is wrong with you?!
Michael Callahan: Unhand me, cretin! Or I will have your medical license revo-!
He kneed me square in the gut knocking the wind right out of me. I wasn't listening so he was going to change that. Coughing uncontrollably and spluttering up blood, I was struggling to breathe. He pinned me to the wall by my throat and roared at me, absolutely livid.
Dr. Tony Morishima: My name is Dr. Morishima and I'm your god damn relationship councillor. Tell me why you're not letting us treat that woman. Answer me you RAT FUCK.
I continued to cough up, unable to speak with the vice like grip wrapped around my gullet. I tried my best to wheeze out an answer.
Michael Callahan: Can't... breatheee...
He let go and I once again crumpled to a heap on the floor, his grip being the only thing keeping me on my feet. Tears streaked down my eyes which along with blood and sweat made the three bodily fluids he'd knocked out of me within thirty seconds. I spat up a wad of blood and slowly got to my feet, Morishima wary to let me out of his range as I finally caught my breath back.
Michael Callahan: She lied to me, deceived me, manipulated me and... embarrassed me!
Tony threw a lightning fast straight right hand just past my head, cracking the plaster next to me to once again instil the fear of God. My heart couldn't take much more of this.
Dr. Tony Morishima: Not good enough, tell me HOW, tell me WHY.
Michael Callahan: She-she-... she staged an affair... Lead me to have a mental breakdown... Said I wasn't giving her enough... Betrayed... SHE BETRAYED my trust.
Dr. Tony Morishima: Boo-hoo. She tried to make you show you cared. Big deal. Did she actually cheat on you?
Michael Callahan: It's the principle that counts, she went behind my back and-
This time Morishima's punch was a left to the other side of my head. I could tell he was a Southpaw because the dent in the wall this time was far greater than the shot from his right.
Dr. Tony Morishima: Not good enough. Did she cheat on you? Yes or no. Next time, I won't miss.
Michael Callahan: I don't know-... no, probably not.
Dr. Tony Morishima: And you're willing to let the woman you loved die because of a petty lie that she told she felt like you didn't care about her? Sounds like she was too good for you, you smug fucking do-gooder. Have you cancelled your insurance and renegotiated? I'm not letting that contract still exist and her dying be on my conscience.[/color][/B]
Michael Callahan: I haven't called yet. I-
His hands wrapped around the collar of my crumpled jacket once more and I was again at his absolute mercy. This time though his solution was far more final. He dragged me kicking and screaming towards the edge of the balcony and held my head over the ledge to face a concrete death five stories below.
Steve Fukuyama: Are you insane?! If he falls, you'll go to jail!
Michael Callahan: What-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
Dr. Tony Morishima: Marriage counselling. Ring your insurance company and cancel the contract.
I'd seen the heights. Now Morishima was going to make good on his threats. He flipped me over and held me further over so I was staring up at him. My blood had run cold. This man was insane.
Michael Callahan: Don't play games with me. You don't frighten me-AGH!
He did frighten me. He threw me over the edge and my foothold in reality vanished. I screamed and flailed petrified only for me to jerk back as he grabbed a hold of my ankles in the nick of time. I was dangling by my ankle over a fifty foot drop and my insides were turning to liquid.
Dr. Tony Morishima: Call them, Michael!
My hands shook violently as I desperately tried to regain my composure, knowing I was but a fingers slip away from certain death. I pulled my phone out of my blazer pocket and hit Speed Dial 4. The phone didn't ring long.
Michael Callahan: Hello?! I'd like to negotiate my current contract!
Receptionist: Right, lemme just put you on hold and we'll transfer you to the right departme-
Michael Callahan: NO! Don't put me on hold! Transfer me right away! I am literally being held to ransom here. If you don't transfer me now, I will be murdered! MURDERED!
That got the job done.
A few hours later I was home safe and sound and over a hundred miles away from Dr. Morishima. Mercifully I hadn't soiled myself but Lord knows I was close. Even now the colour hadn't fully returned to my skin, the pure terror consuming me. Not long after I'd sat down at my desk Steve Fukuyama entered with a coffee in hand which he promptly put on my desk.
Steve Fukuyama: Here you are.
Michael Callahan: Get the camera. It's time I spoke to people. It's time I addressed the NobledriveNation.
Before long I was on camera, my knuckles were sheet white thanks to my clenched fists. I couldn't hide my scorn even if I'd tried.
Michael Callahan: If there's one thing that's become abundantly clear to me in recent weeks it's that people talk. People talk all the time and it takes but one mouth to start an entire legion going. This may seem like a simple concept but it's becoming ever the more relevant lately. Do you know what they're talking about Kurt? They're saying I'm the new you and let me tell you, I couldn't be more insulted by the observation if you tried.
Allow me to explain.
Michael Callahan: The symmetry between us in the way our year has gone is almost spooky. Our Survive and Conquer glories, our Rasslemania successes and our Shockwave disasters are perfectly timed. However, I abhor being called the new you because of the fact that I refuse to wear a mask to hide who I really am. For the last year Kurt you've been hiding behind somebody else, all of the suffering and the pain that YOU should be feeling as a wrestler has been inflicted on someone else. Your best friend, your harlot super fan... and of course? Dear old Mrs. Amy. All of them have been scapegoats for you, to absolve the pain from you. Now though? You're driving them away or they're getting sick of you because they're slipping through your fingers and as a result, the REAL Kurt Noble is coming out to play.
Kurt's life lies in tatters around him as does mine. He however is far too clouded by feelings of being hard done to to be able to formulate a proper plan of attack.
Michael Callahan: With your tag team destroyed and your wife sick of the sight of you, the true beast that we all knew you to be is rearing its ugly head. You're a pill away from becoming the codeine guzzling, psychotic cripple that we all know you used to be back in the PWF days before you made it to this dance. You're a liar, a cheat, a fraud and yet people think that they can compare you to me? A man who has been completely transparent and honest right from the off-set? That is why I'm insulted Kurt. Because unlike you, I don't wear a mask. I don't hide behind people. I don't need crutches, physically or psychologically like you do. I stay true to myself and do WHATEVER it takes to get the job done without needlessly dragging in additional casualties.
I drag my nails across the desk, rapid tremors coursing through me like an earthquake.
Michael Callahan: The fact you've unleashed your inner monster is a hazard to me and less than twenty four hours after I win a TLC and become the new challenger to Sally Talfourd's championship belt, I'm having to face one of APW's most resilient MegaStars and a former Undisputed Champion. I'd be a fool to underestimate you or expect anything less than my absolute destruction if I somehow make it through this match. Yet it's the wounded dog who fights the fiercest and I'm licking a hell of a lot of wounds right now. I'm coping with so much inner-anguish, so much built-up frustration and as APW has found out time in and time out, it's the breaking points where I hit the hardest.
I'll do whatever it takes Kurt. I'll do EVERYTHING that it takes to put you away and put another notch in my belt of beating a former Undisputed Champion. I'll take advantage of your leg, I'll take advantage of your emotional instability and I will do the one thing you never could do, be TRUE to myself and my intentions. I will crush you underfoot Kurt Noble, I'll make sure you realise that I'm not the new you, I'm the BETTER you. I'm the future of this company and with my constituents by my side? I will end NobleDrive once and for all and that my friend? That's a promise.
