Post by Tommy Knox on Sept 11, 2011 17:33:47 GMT -4
Sunday 5:32 PM [September 11th, 2011]
Durham, Oregon
Durham, Oregon
Just off I-5 we find ourselves this warm September evening. Not far from the highway our scene takes place at a local hotel on the outskirts of town. The sun still shines down below slowly setting to dusk as it welcomes the darkness of night. On the balcony of the second story, Knoxville sits on the railing with his legs hanging below and a joint resting between his lips. His sunglasses mask him from the remaining sunlight in the atmosphere as the smoke slowly rolls up the sides of his head.
Taking a draw, the cherry of the joint burns fiery orange as the smoke engulfs his lungs. With hesitation, he holds the smoke in for a moment before exhaling straight into the air as he tilts his head backwards. Lowering the joint from his lips with his right hand, he slowly lowers his shades to the end of his nose with his left. Taking another draw from the spliff, he inhales a huge amount of smoke as he turns around to rest his feet on the walkway. Standing to his feet, he blows the huge cloud of smoke right at us as he pushes his shades back up his nose with his middle finger.
“Let’s get straight to the point. I have about twenty minutes or so of window time ahead of me. I have a couple things to wrap up here before I jump back behind that wheel and tear the roads up on my way to Portland. Big things are at stake tonight. I’ve been waiting for this opportunity…”
Looking down at the marijuana cigarette grasped between his fingers he thinks to himself for a brief moment. Raising it to his lips, he takes a slow drag. Looking up into our eyes the smoke escapes his lungs as he lowers his hand.
“Heh… seriously?” He says to himself as he takes another quick toke, from the smile that has come across his face. He rubs his forehead for a moment before turning around and slowly walking in the opposite direction as we follow.
“How can you be so serious while mumbling those words with that obvious look of doubt painted all over your face? Shane, you’ve walked in the shadow of Jason Kash ever since I first started paying attention to you earlier in the year. From WCF to APW you’ve sucked at his tit while he’s used you only to benefit himself, his career.”
“It’s alright, Shane, I’ve been in your shoes.”
“Not long before you came along I was the one walkin’ in his shadow. Only up until now, was I fooled by his games and antics. That shit’s long behind me friend. Now, it’s time for you to realize what is goin’ on around you. It seems we’ve been thrown into a match together tonight for a chance to compete for the Heavyweight championship. Just like you, this is my first opportunity at top tier gold.”
“Even the man casting that overweight shadow on you is competing for the opportunity at top gold once again. And like every other time, I can guarantee you, Shane, that he will use his authority over you to his advantage. It’s one thing when he uses you to earn a championship you both hold together but come on Shane! You can’t let him control you like the puppet you are as the strings dwindle in his fingers. Break the fuck away! He’s goin’ to use you to his advantage until the end of the match and then stab you in the back once you look the other way”
Stopping in his tracks, Knoxville raises the joint to his lips again as he breathes in the goodness. Turning around slowly, he exhales through his nostrils just before raising his head and looking us all in the eyes.
“That’s if you make it that far. I have my sights set on you my friend. Shane, you’re a good competitor, don’t get me wrong. It’s just… well, not your time to shine. I haven’t been busting my ass workin’ to make this comeback only to have you snatch it from my grasp. Plain and simple, you pose no threat to me. You’re just merely a pawn in this chess game. In the end, all eyes are set on your chubby friend, the man who casts his shadow over you”.”
“Maybe after I’m finished, you can dance around in my shadow.”
Turning towards the steps, he slowly approaches as he takes a couple more drags from the spliff. Quickly exhaling, he coughs for a moment as he flicks the roach aside just before proceeding down one step at a time.
“Now, who’s that leave us? I’ll be glad to tell you fucks who that leaves us with. Where do I start?”
Reaching the bottom, he continues towards the parking lot slowly with a bit of cockiness in his step.
“Let’s move on to someone different. I’d like to take a moment to address a certain someone, a fucked up individual that needs to get some sense knocked into his head. Are you fuckin’ for real? What do you get out of sitting there with your hand shoved up a puppets ass? To me, it sounds like someone had a rough childhood. Did things get too close with daddy?”
“Morrison, I would highly suggest keeping your distance tonight. I have bigger fish to fry and hardly enough time to bother myself with your existence. You remind me of all the losers I used to pick on while growing up, attending school. Every day I would watch as the football squad would dunk people like you in the toilet head first. Strike a nerve? Did I uncover a bad memory suppressed by your little fuck buddy, Chucky, sitting on your hand with a smile on his face?”
“That doesn’t strike you as odd? To each his own I guess. Just do yourself a favor and stay out of my way or I’ll make it a priority to bust open that ugly, queer face of yours.”
Laughing to himself he approaches silver Toyota Camry with an Enterprise sticker on the bumper. Sitting on the hood of the car, he pulls a pack of cigarettes out from his pocket. Removing one from the pack, he places it between his lips and pulls out his lighter. Flicking the top with his thumb he ignites the flame as he lights the tip of the cigarette taking a deep draw.
“For weeks now I have found myself comin’ up short against a certain someone. Johnny Brown, you didn’t think I had forgotten about you… did you?” He says as he slowly exhales.
“Johnny, we’ve played around long enough for these past two weeks. True, you have gotten the upper hand in both of our run ins. No more. You sure as fuck can believe me when I say that the third time will be no charm. I’ve listened to you run your mouth with that stupid accent for too long. It’s time to put up or shut up. Our last two encounters have gone in favor of you, but I can promise you that it won’t happen again.”
“True Brit? Is that what you’re callin’ yourself? This isn’t Britain. Sorry bub, you don’t belong here. I’m gunnin’ you down first and foremost. You’ve lucked up but I will guarantee your luck has run out. I am the AMERICAN HIGHLIFE and I will be the one kickin’ your bum back to where ya’ belong. It’s time for a revolution. You remember what happened last time, right? I’m already a free man. I just want the gold at the end of the rainbow.”
“You and I are not too different, Johnny. In the end, we’re both fighting for what lies at stake. The World Heavyweight championship awaits the winner of this blood shed cluster fuck, yours fuckin’ truly. At the end of the day, to me, the gold is more valuable than the blood shed itself. At any given time, I can slap you and everyone else in the blink of an eye and gut you open like a fish, spilling your blood on the tainted canvas below. Your blood is of no more importance than the next jerkoff steppin’ in the ring with us.”
“I can’t predict the future Johnny but I can promise you one more thing. A little blood spilt isn’t goin’ to stop me.”
Taking another drag from the cigarette he looks around the parking lot. Below, a piece of paper flaps against the windshield as the wind tries to blow it out from under his windshield wiper. He quickly notices and reaches down, picking it up and looking at the beautiful body displayed.
“The Gentlemen’s Club… sounds intriguing. Under these circumstances though, I must pass. There’s always the drive back down to Long Beach after tonight is all said and done, which brings me to my next little ray of sunshine. Jade Jaro. At first, when this match was announced your name was never mentioned. I’m glad you’ve decided to partake in this sausage fest that APW has thrown together on a whim.”
“Not bad lookin’ either.”
“With all the bad karma surrounding me in the ring, I think I can get through it all with hopes of getting’ my hands on you sooner or later. Look it, you have no business in the ring with us men. Just take a hike and let us big boys fight amongst each other in hopes of crowning a new alpha male. I’ll tend to you myself when we’re all alone, by ourselves. If you think for one second that you even stand a slight chance then you have terribly mistaken. I haven’t come this far just to get one upped by a nice pair of tits and legs.”
“I will beat you worse than Bobby beat Whitney. Period.”
With one last draw from the cigarette, he drops it to the ground and steps on it with his right foot. Twisting his foot back and forth, he looks at us with a cocky grin on his face.
“Last but not least… it comes down to you old friend. We’ve stood beside each other in the past but now we’re placed in opposite corners. I won’t dwell too much on the past, it is what it is. This match tonight is nothing more than a preview of what awaits us down the road. Over the last few months, I have grown to hate you. We have grown to hate each other.”
“Kash, you’re the only thing standing between me and gold. I’ve stood in your shadow long enough. It’s now time for me to climb to the top and cast my shadow on all of you. I’m not Borderland. I have grown wise old friend. He can hide in your shadow all he wants but I refuse to. I’ve put in the work and laid the foundation this time to make this comeback one for the record books. If you think for one moment that you’re goin’ to stand in my way, think again.”
“When will you just give it up? Influential minds, the original formation, were and still are the best group to ever grace this sport. You’ve failed numerous times tryin’ to recreate what once was. First you tried throwin’ three different formations together, the last including me. Each failed. Then you threw Dangergayment together and got laughed off the scene. What exactly is Organized Violence? In my opinion, it’s just another weak attempt at reliving the past. Once again brother, FAIL.”
“At the end of the day, it’s goin’ to be yours truly standing last in the ring without an ounce of blood spilt. I’ve given my blood, sweat and tears for this sport. It’s time for me to take what’s mine!”
“Portland, here I come.”
Grabbing his pack of cigarettes, he pulls out another nicely rolled marijuana cigarette. A smile comes across his face once more as the scene slowly fades to black.
