Post by Tommy Knox on Aug 27, 2011 17:09:16 GMT -4
- AMERICAN HIGHLIFE -
“This match isn’t anything more to me than an opportunity to climb back to the top. Don’t get it twisted Kash. Although runnin’ into the chance of meeting both you and Ted in the ring sounds intriguing, our history with each other will never get in the way of me working my way back to who I once was. You can sit there with your strap and preach that till the sun sets but at the end of the day put all of you hard earned “Kash” on the fact that Tommy is here to prove a point. I know you’ve been a dominant champion for quite some time now. Sorry, the Tapout championship is what waits at the end of this journey for all of us set to compete in this match. I don’t know about you Kash, but I’m hungry. You on the other hand, you’ve been champion for a good minute. From the looks of things you shouldn’t be too hungry with the extra pounds you’ve thrown on chubby. Just sit tight and say your goodbyes. I plan to meet with you one on one for that strap and there’s nothing I’m goin’ to let get in my way. Influential Minds may be dead dude, or it could just very well be your personal influence. Bein’ the “Bad Influence” isn’t always a good thing. Don’t get me wrong. After it’s all said and done and the title is draped over my shoulder, I will still be glad to embrace you as a brother. Remember, things don’t always have to be centered on you. Just ask your little buddy Shane. Call up your old friend Nate and ask him? Fuck it, ask me or Demon! There’s no doubt in my mind that every answer will be relatively the same.”
- Under The Influence, Chapter XI -
Saturday 01:21 AM [August 27th, 2011]
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Darkness plagues the abandoned alley this early morning. The smell of whiskey travels through the air as a stand-alone light pole flickers on and off. The wind gently blows as it carries garbage and debris across the pavement. Although the morning is young, the night is still early for those who are close by. It can be hard sometimes to separate the distinctive late night and early morning hours disguised by the same darkness. Just below the flickering light, the only light in the darkness, we find a black door with a sign nailed to the upper half. The door handle and trim are brass as the sign sticks out like a sore thumb, red with black lettering. The sign reads; “McLeod’s Tavern”. Just below the sign, a small window reveals the contents of the tavern which appear to be full of life this time of night, or morning.
Inside, in the corner surrounded by unknowns, Knoxville hides with his head held low and a drink in hand. His sunglasses hide his eyes from the outside world disguising him somewhat. A half burnt cigarette hangs from his mouth as the smoke slowly rises to the ceiling lingering above his head. A group of drunken men sit in the booth ahead of Knoxville’s table. As they converse, each take their turn looking at Knoxville and discussing amongst themselves. Not noticing, Knoxville stands to his feet and downs the rest of his glass of liquor and soda. Moving forward, he leaves his belongings on the table and heads straight for the bar ignoring the waitress approaching.
As Knoxville orders a few more drinks, one of the men from the table stand up and slowly walk toward. With a shot in hand Knoxville turns to his side and rests his elbow on the bar as he waits for the other drinks to arrive. Just as he raises the glass to his lips the stranger yells as he moves within feet. “Hey! Don’t I know you?” Knoxville turns his head slowly as he swallows the shot of whiskey with a drop running down his chin. “I don’t think so bud.” He replies as he wipes the liquor from his face with his forearm.
“I do fucking know you!” the man yells as he stops in his steps a foot away from Knoxville’s face. Looking around the bar for a moment Knoxville slams the empty glass down on the bar and waves for another. Just as the waitress sits down his beer he ordered he grabs his with his right hand and takes a big drink from the ice cold bottle. “Sorry, wrong guy. I’ve never seen you in my life.” Knoxville replies as he turns his attention elsewhere. Making the man angry, he grabs Knoxville’s shoulder and clinches. “I know you mother fucker! Tommy Knoxville!”
Taking another drink Knoxville shakes his head back and forth and turns around slowly. As the two make eye contact Knoxville stares at him with anger as his lips begin to move. “You may know of me but you sure as fuck don’t know me. Have a good night, sir.” As Knoxville turns away grabbing his beer he takes an even bigger drink finishing the bottle off and slapping the bar with his empty hand signaling for another and another. As he lowers the bottle and places it on the bar the man speaks up once more just before his grip is released. “Was WCF not the bullet in the head for your career? APW, why even bother?”
Knoxville laughs to himself as the waitress places two shots and another beer on the bar. Then out of nowhere he jerks the empty bottle from the bar and swings around with all his might smashing it across the side of the man’s face sending him to the floor, instant knockout. As the man lies on the floor motionless, Knoxville turns to grab the two shots as he says to himself. “I tried to tell you, you didn’t know me mother fucker.” Grabbing the beer from the bar he slowly walks towards his table as the remaining men at the booth stare up at him and talk amongst each other, still. Stopping in front of their booth, Knoxville looks down at them while he takes a sip from his beer. “You guys got a fuckin’ problem?”
Leaving them speechless he steps over to his table and grabs his stuff putting it in his pockets. The three men continue to talk quietly as Knoxville holds the beer up chugging its contents. Leaving nothing behind, he heads for the door dropping his bottle to the floor. As it crashes, the glass shatters across the floor as the bar goes to silence and everyone watches as Knoxville kicks the door open and exits into the dark alley.
Pulling a half empty pack from his pocket he grabs a single cigarette from the box and places it between his lips. Attempting to ignite a flame with his lighter he struggles as the wind blows the flame out each and every time. Finally, with luck on his side Knoxville manages to light the cigarette as he takes a slow drag illuminating up his face as the cherry glows bright orange and dies down when his lungs are full. Walking with a little cockiness in his step he approaches the street and exhales straight into the muggy air as he waits for a cab to drive by. “Let’s hurry up and get back to the hotel room. I need to get some rest before I end up getting’ in some shit tonight. Last thing I need is to get fucked up before the big battle royal tomorrow. Or is it the day after tomorrow?”
“Hey! Asshole! Where do you think you’re going?” One of the drunken men from the bar yells down the alley as his two buddies stand behind him. Knoxville slowly turns around as he fights to keep his balance. He takes another drag from the cigarette just before grabbing it with one hand and lowering it to his side. “The fuck you want?” Knoxville answers back as he exhales through his nostrils. He then reaches into his pocket with his other hand and pulls out a small case. Taking one last draw from the cigarette he drops it to his side and uses both hands as he messes with this small unidentified object. Pulling out something that looks similar to a cigarette, he raises it to his mouth and lights the tip as he takes a big pull. Holding the smoke in, Knoxville stands there holding his breath as the men begin to slowly walk closer as the one in the center says, “Where do you think you’re going?”
Out of nowhere Knoxville bursts into couching as smoke erupts from his lungs pouring from his mouth. He takes the small piece and puts it back inside the small box and places it back in his pocket. Stepping on the cigarette lying beside him, he puts it out with the toe of his shoe. “What’s the problem, guys?” Knoxville says as he tightens his fists into a ball as the men approach. The man in the middle seems to be a tad bit larger than the other fellas. With them standing behind him, he stops face to face with Knoxville and stares back into his eyes. “What the fuck is your problem, faggot?!” The man yells just as he lunges forward taking a swing at Knoxville with his right hand.
Quickly reacting Knoxville ducks, avoiding the punch and returns the favor with a kick straight to the man’s private sector. As the man bends over with a painful yell, Knoxville punches him in the side of the head and then grabs the back of his head and slams it into his knee as he lifts it up with force. The man falls backwards as one of his buddies’ catch him as the other gets taken out with a big shoulder block knocking him to the ground. “Come on mother fuckers!” Knoxville yells as the one guy gets to his feet and the other rests the unconscious fella on his back.
As the other man stands to his feet after setting down the other, he quickly moves in a Knoxville with a series of punches. Managing to block and avoid most of them, Knoxville kicks the man in the stomach and then grabs the back of his pants and head clinching tightly with his fists. A smile comes to his face as Knoxville takes a couple steps forward and throws the man head first into a large dumpster just outside the alley. With him out of the picture Knoxville focuses his attention to the final man standing.
“Looks like it’s just you and me, fat boy.” Knoxville says with a crazy look in his eyes as he watches every movement the man makes.
As he pulls out a knife from his jacket the man rocks back and forth, waiting for Knoxville to make a move. “Who the fuck do you think you are? You’re just a second rate has been. You’re nobody special.” The man says, slightly getting to Knoxville’s emotions. “We know who you are. Who doesn’t? The question we had is what the fuck are you doing back in the ring? Shit, back in a stand up promotion like APW.”
Knoxville thinks to himself as the man awaits his answer, still with the knife in hand. Silence fills the air for just a moment as Knoxville stares him directly into the eyes as the following response comes to mind. “I’m here to put mother fuckers like you back in your place.” He says with confidence continuing to pierce into the man’s soul with his thousand yard stare.
Noticing car lights from down the street Knoxville turns his head, ignoring the man in front of him holding the knife. A smile comes to his face as he slowly turns his head back looking once more at the man, eye to eye. “So, what are we goin’ to do here? Here’s a cab pulling up right now. You’re either goin’ to box or throw rocks. Me on the other hand, if this goes down I will be the only one walking away on my own will. What’s it goin’ to be, faggot?!”
The two continue to stare at each other as the cab approaches. Hesitating, the man folds the knife back and places it in his pocket just before the cab pulls up. Wasting no time, Knoxville takes advantage of the opportunity and lunges forward with a devastating right hand of his own knocking the man off his feet and out of reality. Shaking his hand in pain he turns his attention to the cab and approaches as sirens can be heard in the background. Meanwhile, at the bar entrance, a group of people stand as they watch the free entertainment. Bingo! That’s who called the police. Knoxville quickly gets into the cab as he slams the door behind him. As the cab pulls off quickly the light in the alley continues to flicker as the crowd of people migrate and hover over the fallen men.
- AMERICAN HIGHLIFE -
“Johnny Brown, last week’s steal was impressive. I will give you that much. You saw an opportunity and you took advantage of it. Well played sir. One thing though, Sunday night will be a completely different outcome. Even a blind squirrel can find a nut in the rain and that was your one and only nut. With all the other jerk offs dancin’ around the ring you can bet your sweet little British ass that I will be all over you like stink of shit. Getting’ back here hasn’t been so easy. I’ve busted my ass and went through hell to get back to this place. I’ll be damned if I’m goin’ to let you come along and throw me off my course. I’ll give it to you kid, out of all the other people in this ring besides Demon; I’m more concerned with you. Hopper Rose, Yoko Misawa, Hayley Hitch, Aeris King and Mike Morrison don’t even remotely concern me with this battle royal. Demon can have his way with them. I just want to show you that last week was a fluke and I will do all in my power to do so. I’ll be damned if I worked this hard to come back and have you prance around and steal it right out from under me! This match up for me leads to more important things than just a piece of gold bound in leather. This match, at least for me, is an opportunity to right what was once wronged. I haven’t busted my ass all this time just to get sidetracked by some little punk like you. Just do yourself a favor and step aside like the others and let the big boys have their fun. Don’t let your mouth write checks that your ass can’t cash.”