Post by Jessica Reed on Oct 20, 2013 0:02:58 GMT
Snow continues to fall as a thick mist falls across Cyrus’ camp as we rejoin Jessica Reed inside a small kitchen, the windows barricaded with large thick planks of would. Jess looks around frantically before rushing to the other end of the room and throwing herself behind a kitchen worktop, trembling in fear. Suddenly, moments after landing on the floor the door bursts open and the sound or the roaring wind fills the room as the looming figure of Cyrus Daniels steps into the kitchen before slamming the door shut.
Cyrus Daniels: Come out, come out, where ever you are…
Jess trembles as she cowers behind the kitchen equipment, desperately trying to keep the level of noise down.
Cyrus Daniels: I don’t bite…
Cyrus grumbles a little.
Cyrus Daniels: Like some people…
Jess closes her eyes but is immediately brought back to the situation when Cyrus picks up a spatula and flings it across the kitchen. Sensing a squeal may be about to escape she cups her mouth, desperately trying to hold it in.
Cyrus Daniels: I’m getting impatient of this game, love. I followed your footprints in here, and this is the only way in and out. I know you’re in here.
Jess begins to shake.
Cyrus Daniels: Just come out, we can talk this through…
Suddenly Jess realises she’s trapped in a corner.
Jessica Reed: Oh yeah, and how do you plan to do that?
Cyrus Daniels: That wasn’t too hard, was it? Now how about you show that pretty little face…
Jess stays put.
Jessica Reed: I’ll stay where I am thanks, I think we both know I have no reason to trust you, even less now I’ve…
Cyrus’s grin is soon replaced to a disgruntled grimace.
Cyrus Daniels: Now you’ve infected me?
Jessica Reed: Let’s not split hairs over who the bad guy is here, considering what you and your friend were about to do to me.
Cyrus laughs.
Cyrus Daniels: Touché, love.
Daniels pauses for a moment, trying to get a good idea on where Jess is. He begins to talk to her, carefully stalking the kitchen.
Cyrus Daniels: So, how do you want to end this?
Jessica Reed: I just want to get away from you.
Cyrus Daniels: Not going to happen. You and me, we share a common path towards the same fate. So, I reckon we should stick together.
Jessica Reed: No, thank you. I’m nothing like you.
Cyrus Daniels: In a few days, you will be…
Jess can hear the sound of footsteps, but doesn’t move an inch herself.
Jessica Reed: We’ll never be the same… I could never be like you, never!
Cyrus Daniels: Perhaps, but we’ll definitely be… closer!
Suddenly Cyrus leaps over the top of a worktop, lashing out with his arms as he finally finds Jess who screams, throwing herself to the floor to get away from his grip, but he’s far too strong for the young woman.
Cyrus Daniels: Gotcha!
Cyrus laughs as he pulls Jess up by her hair before slamming her down on the worktop with a great degree of force. Jessica yelps in pain as she tries to struggle.
Cyrus Daniels: That was a pretty stupid move back there, you know.
Jessica Reed: Let go!
Cyrus Daniels: Not a chance, last time I did that I got a bite of an infected little bitch. I won’t make that mistake again. Oh, Jess, trust me, with the time I have left, I will use every second to make your final moments as painful as possible.
Jess continues to try and fight, reaching her arms out to try and grab something, anything.
Jessica Reed: You’ll pay for this.
Cyrus Daniels: What have I got left to lose? You’ve placed me on borrowed time, now it’s time for you to pay!
Jessica continue to struggle, knocking utensils flying as Cyrus raises his hand, prepared to strike her and as his fist comes flying down our scene suddenly cuts to black.
Have you seen these?
Seriously, just take one look at my Twitter feed this week, and don’t even bother with the dirtsheets, because they’re even worse. Ever since the Board of Directors took away Ana’s title shot, which FYI I completely disagree with, everyone has been so mean to me. I mean look at these for instance…
@reedaholicsanonymous How could you do this to the other Diamond’s, Jess? I paid good money to see you wrestle somebody for that belt? #sellout
@amberadorer You suck Jess! We both know you’re just running scared from Amber, you’re just insecure!
@valentinesday You screwed my Ana out of a title shot you bitch! We all know you’re just sucking up to you sister’s man to get ahead!
@diamondsr4eva Who did you suck to get that shot revoked? How do I get that job? #spitorswallow
Spitting is a disgusting habit…
Jess I don’t think he meant spitting on the street.
Then what did he mean?
Jess’s eyes open wide.
Oh, that’s so gross. Who would even ask a question like that? Why would people think I’d ever do things like that to succeed?
Because girls who are popular in the wrestling business have always got ahead through their “mic skills” or the “mat work”.
Why are you using speech marks? Isn’t that what they should be judged on?
No, Jess what I meant was…
Look, it doesn’t matter, the point is everyone seems to be blaming this whole fiasco on me. Do you know how many swears I have had in my inbox this week? It’s like they really think I asked for Ana to have her shot revoked, even after everything I’ve said! Everyone really believes that I would go behind her back to get her chance taken away from her.
That really hurts guys, it’s like you think I am a total fake.
I have no say in what the board of directors do, or say, I was as shocked as everybody else when Simon came out and delivered that speech. I raced up that ramp and tried to grab Simon but he was long gone and Miss Lockheart wouldn’t even look at me. It came completely out of nowhere and the one left to take all the flak, has been little old me.
And some of you seem to think I deserve it. It’s like I played some sort of a role in it all…
Listen to me now, and please believe me, I had nothing, absolutely totally nothing to do with this at all. I don’t think I am better than the rest of you, I don’t think I am above defending my belt against any of you either. What they said about all of you, those aren’t my feelings, those are the board’s and I completely disagree with them.
I was super psyched for the pay per view, it’s always such a great time to showcase what we can do and I was ready to put my belt on the line against anybody and now I am all mega deflated because I am wrestling in a non-title match against a total stranger, just to prove somebody else’s silly point.
This whole thing stinks really bad.
Yet, some of you have bought into all this conspiracy talk really easy. I’ve seen the way people have looked at me, ended conversations with me quickly, and sometimes just flat out avoided me. You seem to really think I am as fake as you’ve claimed and that this is proving you all right, which is completely unfair. I think you’re all amazing talents, I’m certainly not “on another level” or whatever other nonsense they said!
Powerpoints and statistics be damned!
I think you mean Power Rankings.
Oh shut up, you’ve still not explained any of this to me since it happened; you’ve been really quiet and said it was all Simon’s idea.
I’ve got other things on my mind…
Then how about you let me speak mine, considering you work friends got me into this mess?
This week has been horrible, all of the accusations, the name calling and the rumour spreading. I got into wrestling to have fun and hopefully make sure the fans do too, it’s never been about winning, or losing, and it’s certainly never been about putting my name in lights and my face over a bunch of t-shirts. I mean it’s great to receive praise and everything, but I never asked, or wanted, to be categorised above my colleagues.
I respect this division and what the belt I carry represents.
Yet, because of my own success, I’ve been elevated and this belt has been used to run other women down, and it’s not anything I can condone, you have to believe me on that! I wish more than anything that I was putting this on the line and as much as you’ve been deprived of your opportunities to fight for it, I have been deprived of the chance to defend it.
Although knowing my luck even that will be twisted against me…
All I know is I should have been preparing for a serious fight, and now some poor girl is going to get fed into a big clusterfudge of a situation for some corporate benefit. Don’t get me wrong, whoever you are, I will treat you with the same respect any other woman would get, but you’re big opportunity to showcase yourself is being overshadowed by some smelly old men’s plans to turn me into some sort of tool.
Confirming what so many women really think of me in the process.
Well, I won’t be a tool for anybody. I won’t sell out who I am to please somebody else, this week I may not be wrestling for my belt but, whoever you are, I promise to wrestle as if I was. This business means so much to me, and being a figurehead for all the girls in the back does too, I don’t want to betray them, even if they are sharpening their knives right now.
So, do your worst guys, I will not treat this stranger as though she’s a nobody because 6 months ago, that’s all I was. A fresh faced young woman looking to make a break in this business.
And no matter what they say, I will never betray her sincere dreams.
Roberto raises an arm as he tries his best to shield his eyes from the blizzard which has continued to engulf Cyrus’ camp. A few feet behind him lays the body of a guard, his gun still clutched in his cold, dead hands as Roberto cleans the blade of his knife. Leaning down he looks carefully at the two sets of footprints leading towards the back of a now defunct diner.
Roberto Verona: These look like Jess’…
Verona closes his eyes.
Roberto Verona: Shit… I hope I’m not too late.
Picking himself up Roberto trudges along through the snow, keeping a keen eye out on his surroundings whilst listening, as best he can, for any oncoming grunts. Finally, he enters a back alley where the feet seem to lead to a back door past a row of barricaded windows.
Roberto Verona: Seems the trail ends here…
Roberto reaches down to his belt and retrieves his handgun, slowly raising it in front of him as he advances forwards, bracing himself to enter the kitchen. Suddenly, as he gets closer to the door it flings open.
Roberto Verona: Freeze! I’m armed!
Roberto’s shock soon turns to horror as the dishevelled figure of Jessica Reed staggers out of the door, her clothes drenched in blood.
Roberto Verona: Shit! Jess, are you ok!?
Jess doesn’t move, or even acknowledge his presence. Instead, she moves her hand from behind her back to reveal a large kitchen knife covered in blood and visceral material. Stepping a few feet forward she drops the knife and as she does, she too falls to her knees. Roberto rushes forward to her, grabbing her face with his hands.
Roberto Verona: What happened? Jess, talk to me!
Jessica remains silent as Verona looks around frantically before letting go of her and walking up to the kitchen. Taking a quick look inside he sees the body of Cyrus Daniels which lay strewn across a counter, part of his intestines hanging out of a large wound in his abdomen. Verona lets out a deep breath as she shakes his head before closing the door and returning to Jess.
Roberto Verona: What happened… Jess, come on, snap out of it.
Almost on command, this time Jess looks up through a veil of tears.
Jessica Reed: He was going to hurt me…
Roberto Verona: Shit… are you ok? Did he do anything to you?
Jessica Reed: No… I don’t know… I mean… I don’t think so.
Roberto looks around, still keeping an eye on their flanks before looking back at Jess.
Jessica Reed: I thought you’d never come…
Roberto Verona: Well, I’m here now. You know I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, right?
Jessica Reed: Nobody has every protected me before. I thought you were going to leave me here…
Roberto Verona: I would never leave you in the hands of these monsters, Jess. I’d rather die, and if it wasn’t for you I’d already be six feet under…
Jessica Reed: He was going to rape me, Roberto… and God knows what else…
Roberto grabs Jess and pulls her in close to him.
Roberto Verona: It’s ok… he’s not coming back.
Jessica Reed: I know…
Jess sniffles, but a little smile runs across her lips.
Jessica Reed: I made sure of that… just like you taught me. Twist and pull… twist and pull…
Jessica repeats herself over and over as she buries her face into Roberto’s shoulder.
Jessica Reed: How do you do it?
Roberto Verona: Do what?
Jessica Reed: Hurt people so easily…
Verona laughs and shakes his head.
Roberto Verona: It’s never easy, Jess. But you have to do what it takes to survive and protect those who mean the most to you. Cyrus should be glad that you got to him before I ever did.
Jessica Reed: It felt so wrong but I couldn’t stop myself, I just kept stabbing him, over and over, until I felt him go limp… then everything just went… white…
Roberto clutches her more tightly.
Roberto Verona: Try to put it out of your mind, you did what you had to. I’m here now.
Jessica Reed: Please, promise me something…
Roberto Verona: Never leave you again?
Jessica shakes her head, lifting it away from Roberto’s shoulder.
Jessica Reed: Can you keep killing the bad guys so I never have to do... that again?
Roberto smiles warmly.
Roberto Verona: Sure.
Picking the pair of them both up Roberto turns and points back down towards the main squad of the complex.
Roberto Verona: Let’s get out of here, yeah?
Jessica nods meekly before Roberto nods and turns, raising his gun again as he lead the pair away from the alley and into the blizzard before disappearing into the mist, leaving the scene to fade gently to black until nothing is left but the whistling of the wind.
Well howdy there pardner.