Post by kaster on Aug 12, 2024 4:15:34 GMT
The chair scrapes across the tile floor, leaving slight marks on the solid white.
The mirror bolted into the wall shows the reflection of the dark room.
The hand reaches out to grip the back of the chair.
He sits down in the chair, looking at himself in the mirror. He extends the hand out, as if he could reach through the glass.
“Why’d you do it?”
“Because it was necessary.”
“Necessary for what?”
“You’re good at asking questions you know the answer to.”
“We both know what’s going on here. He’s-”
“He’s what? I think your worries are misplaced.”
“You’re a means to an end. A pawn on his chessboard.”
The lips curl into a smile.
The smile opens for laughter.
The laughter echoes through the room.
“I am no pawn. He will give me everything. Give you everything. Give us all that we've wanted.”
“You fucking moron. This is the price you’re willing to pay? Complete and utter subservience? And for what? We were inches away from glory. What good will this do?”
“He’ll bring us there again. And this time, it will be much quicker. There will be no one to stop me.”
“Stop us.”
“No. You had your chance. There is no Future for you now.”
“Of course. You think you can lock me away? I’ve always been a part of this. Ever since we were young.”
“And I’ve always been a part of this. But you never grew up. I did. You are just a boy. What needs to be done is a man’s job.”
“Are you shitting me? You think that a man would bow down and be a lapdog? You’re out of your mind!”
“No, you’re out of mine.”
“You will never be able to do this alone. You need me.”
“I need power. And that’s something you don’t have.”
“Psycho.”
“Coward.”
“...”
“Huh. Ran out of things to say? That’s a welcome surprise.”
“Go fuck yourself.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Your reliance on profanity speaks volumes.”
“You’ll come running back after you fail, dickhead.”
“I won’t fail. And if I do, I’ll burn it all to the ground.”
“You’re crazy.”
“No… I’m a legionary.”
The glass scatters on the ground, broken into thousands of shards.
The hand reaches down for one of the shards. Sharp yet delicate.
The finger runs across the jagged edge.
The blood slowly drips down from the small wound.
The glass becomes stained with red.
“Ladies and gentlemen, your guest for tonight… Caleb Cannin!”
As soon as his name is uttered, Caleb emerges from behind a red curtain. He walks onto an empty stage while an off-screen audience claps and cheers. Dressed in all black, he waves to the camera before approaching the microphone stand at center stage.
“So many questions… the best ones are left unanswered. But you, Allen Chaney, must be tossing and turning over one. Why? Why would I interfere in your match? It’s very, very simple.”
“You were ready to take everything away from me. So I will take everything away from you.”
“Your crusade against Roberto Verona has led you to me. If only you could see the vision. The power that he provides. A Legion ready to strike. True control over your destiny. But you show that your stupidity has outweighed any honor you cling onto.”
The audience emits laughter as Cannin looks out… into empty seats. There is no audience at all. He’s talking to himself like a mad man.
“If you want to break free from this cycle, then why don’t you simply quit? You seem to have held that threat for some time. At this point, you may get more satisfaction out of bashing your head into a brick wall.”
“But if you seek retribution, I think you’ll be sorely disappointed. It’s embarrassing enough to listen to your profanity-laden rants as you endlessly question this company and its leadership. There is no punchline to quell the pain. There is no laughter to cure you of your issues. There is no humor in this tragedy you’ve set for yourself.”
“What is it that you seek? Championships? A legacy? Or perhaps pure mayhem and violence? I think you’ll find that I’ve sought those before as well. I understand that you’ve made a career out of talking into a microphone, but I’ve made it into an art. That was then, though. This is now. And now is when I lay out the message for you.”
“I have every intention of tearing you apart in the ring. And not one single ounce of my venom will have been in the name of Roberto Verona. It will all be for my own satisfaction.”
“And I would be shocked if you didn’t wish to do the same to me. It’s not that I don’t believe you wouldn’t try, Chaney. It’s simply that you won’t even get the chance. While you are blinded by rage and this sense of self-pity, I have seen the vision. It is cold, calculated violence. An empire built on the blood and bones of people like you. You can donate a few more drops, if you’d like.”
“Does it frustrate you? Knowing that I have played a hand in your downfall? I hope it does. I hope that anger consumes every thought you have. Your world is crumbling all around you. Do you know whether to laugh or cry? I doubt it. You’re too foolish to know.”
“As I see it, you and I will go to war. I promise to take parts of you when we meet. I will tear ligaments, snap bones and strain muscles until you do what you were always meant to do: give up.”
“But if you are so enraged, Allen, maybe a joke can lighten your mood?”
He reaches into the curtain behind him. After a moment of searching, he pulls out a small book. Stepping back up to the microphone, he begins to read.
“Allen Chaney.”
“I don’t brand myself as a comedian like you do, but that one may be a killer.”
“So if you are so eager to tear me a new one, I invite you to try and do so. I think you’ll find that I have found the error of my ways. I’m willing to change. I can adapt. You can remain stuck in the same routine you’ve always done. I have found the path that guides me to my goals. You’ve only attempted to pave something deeper into your own insanity. Maybe I can make you see the vision. But I hope I won’t. I want you to stay angry. You’re much more fun that way. I get to have more enjoyment toying with you.”
“Roberto Verona is only a helping hand in this matter. He and I have… an agreement. Our choices have led us to where we stand, just like your choices have led you right to me. I must say that he is more gracious than I ever expected him to be. It’s like someone finally understands what needs to be done. I walked out of Night of the Immortals lost. Hopeless. Afraid.”
“But now? I am full of life. I know what I must do. The Future is under my control.”
“I am Caleb Cannin.”
“I am the Future.”
“I am the Legionary.”
He takes a bow as an eruption of applause begins to play within the solitary stage. As the camera focuses in, Caleb tilts his head up and wickedly smiles. The spotlight cuts out, leaving the stage and the camera in pure darkness. Although, the feed doesn’t stop.
A twisted laugh is all that can be heard before the camera finally cuts out.
Well howdy there pardner.