Post by Derek Brooks on Jun 19, 2017 4:41:42 GMT
I understand your anxiety.
There’s a flash of light, unlike anything you’ve ever seen and you hear the sounds of a rope smacking against the ground. There’s a “Whoosh” as your vision is turned to the wall, a passing car exuberating it’s light through a window, the shadow of the man you wait to hear from is shown, his arms causing said ropes to smack on the ground.
I understand the anger, the sorrow, all of your emotions, because they’re mine as well.
Another flash and we can hear the heavy breaths as he continues with his workout, the room then hollowing out and focusing in on the solitary bead of sweat that falls from his forehead, the splash of the droplet on the puddle below echoing in your brain.
Losing is always disappointing, but it is a lesson from which one must learn. To be destined for something so great, so powerful as I am, I must learn from each defeat, getting stronger, faster, better than the last time in which I was present in a ring.
There’s a final thud as both handles are slammed on the ground. The camera is pointed at them as they lie there, motionless. Slowly but surely it moves it’s way from the floor upward, until you see his face. That’s right...the man destined for greatness is here to calm your emotions.
And I feel like I’ve done just that. I came up short at Night of the Immortals, not a single doubt about it, and to no ends does it piss me off beyond belief. I had the mindset, I had the training, and in the end, it just wasn’t enough.
He points forward with a smile on his face.
Kudos to Devlin Raine, not only winning the Joker In The Pack, but using it to his advantage as well. Well done...keep that Man of Steel looking pretty...I might just catch ya for it sooner rather than later.
He waves his arms, his muscles bulging up and down his arm.
But that’s later on, so let’s do what we do best and talk smack about a returning star whose biggest accomplishment to date was having Spike Kane crucify him.
A huge smile crosses over his face as he shakes his index finger at the camera nodding his head.
Ah ha! Yeah, that’s right, I’ve done my homework. Took some time, sat on my couch with my dog, a burger and some fries and had me a look at the IWF Network, and boy let me tell you, the things on there are INCREDIBLE! I mean, I saw Mike Laszlo make Angel, a God, tap out. I saw Roberto Verona screw over The Ace...again. I watched you get beat in the Heir to the Throne, and I watched you get nailed to a freaking cross by some demented fool who thought he was that much better than you, yet belongs in a damned mental institution for some of the crazy shit that goes on in his head.
He tries to shake the crazy out of his own head and waves it all off.
You’re not that guy though anymore, are you Cross? You’re not the guy who fought tooth and nail against Spike Kane only to fail miserably...NO!
He points toward the camera.
No, not at all, hell you’re not even a man anymore are you Xavier? You’re the destroyer! You’re the man who will set a blaze to this God forsaken company and all the sinners it contains on the roster. You’re the crusader looking to tear down the mighty walls, take apart the defenses and leave the corrupt empire of the IWF in rubble beneath your feet as you march on to whatever your next purpose is.
With a snap of his fingers he refocuses your attention, but the look on his face is no longer focused, but more confused; and not the regular confused, but a more disgusted version of it.
And you actually think that you’re going to start this journey, begin your crusade, and lay waste to all who oppose you...starting with me?
ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND!?
He’s shocked, pointing into the camera as if Cross was right in front of him.
You!?
He walks away, a waterfall of disbelief hitting him like a monsoon in the jungle’s of Jumanji! He smacks his hand on a nearby counter and turns around.
Whatever the hell it is you’re smoking, for the love of God, give me some. I’m not advocating a bad habit, but God damn it, whatever it is you have in your pipe, it’s really good to make you think that you have this power you claim to possess, this greater understanding.
He walks away, unable to come up with words, it’s difficult to see, because as we’ve all seen, this man lacks words for nobody. He throws his hands in the air.
You don’t even have an understanding of yourself. You claim to be this great destroyer, and yet the only thing you’ve destroyed is the brains of millions of people who watch our programming. With each and every word you spoke on air, with every syllable uttered by some useless narrator, you slowly plucked the brain cells from the innocent people of America and the world one by one, leaving them sitting there on their couches, looking at one another and simply stating three words with an exclamation point at the end…
”WHAT THE FUCK!?”
Again he throws his hands in the air before walking over to a bench and having a seat, hanging his head for a moment before slowly turning back up toward the camera.
Xavier Cross, I want you to listen and listen closely. I want you to understand what it is you’re going to run into come Sacrifice because honestly...you have it all messed up in that fucked up little head of yours.
Monday, you’re going to come down to that ring and you might stare a hole right through me or you might ignore me with your sense of greater purpose, the choice is really yours. You better be prepared though you PTA Mom looking, psychotic prick. You’re not God. You’re not a destroyer. You’re not even a blip on anyone’s radar no matter how big you talk yourself up. You’re just another guy standing across the ring from me with a lost sense of purpose. You’re my opponent, the first in a long line of those who will fall before the greatest hands to ever be placed on a body, and no amount of fake grandeur is going to save you.
The path of destruction you claim to want to raise the IWF with won’t even get a chance to start because I’ll be standing there with an extinguisher in the form of my fists, and my boots, ready to put out the fire before anyone is put in harm’s way.
Xavier Cross, there will be no destruction.
There will be no beginning of the end.
There will be one thing though and you better be ready for it. There’s going to be an ass kicking of a returning veteran courtesy of the man destined for greatness. There will be a display...of greatness.
And there’s not a damn thing you can do to stop it.
THINGS JUST GOT SERIOUS PART 3: HELPLESS
Have you ever felt helpless? Like, you’re in a situation and all you can do after seeing the act before you is stare straight ahead? Not a blink, not a sound made, nothing, you just stared. That’s how I felt as we drove away from my mother’s house. I watched her run out after us, helpless for her son, just as much as I was in the situation. Once we pulled far enough out of sight, I turned, facing forward, the only motion in my body was as we hit a bump in the road. I looked forward at the man who with his goons, physically took me from my mother. They sat on either side of him in the custom SUV, each a gun pointed in my direction, making sure that I wouldn’t make a move. I watched as the guy took a drag on his cigarette, blowing the smoke in my face. I closed my eyes, but was otherwise unfazed as he laughed, putting the cigarette out in the ashtray. ”You’re in a lot of trouble asshole. What you did to Shane. The lengths he’s gone to in order to find you. He’s going to have fun with you when he gets his hands on you.”
I was annoyed, and like always, my mouth was getting ready to get me in trouble. ”Oh? Does he have a bunch of other guys he’s going to throw at me? You know last time didn’t go so well. I hope he bought a new window for me to throw him through again.”
The smile on the guy’s face was wiped off and a more serious tone overcame the situation. ”You idiot. He knows about your friend Bret. He found you. Do you not grasp the power of the man you’re fucking with? If he wanted us to, if he paid us to, we’d have killed your mother on the spot and not blinked an eye.”
”And then you wouldn’t be sitting here...you’d be dead.”
He reached forward and smacked me on the forehead. ”FOOL!”
I went to lunge forward, but the click of the two guns on either side of him made me think twice as he continued. ”Clearly, your brain doesn’t activate before you speak boy. No matter. Think about this. How did you feel when you saw your momma crying like you were dead? Huh!? Did it make you feel good inside? Did it make you all warm and fuzzy to know she cared that much about you? Now think of it happening at your graveside.”
My eyes went big as he continued. ”Think of her all alone as your casket is lowered into the ground, asking herself “Why. Why’d you have to get involved with those bad, bad men?” Think of the tears, the sorrow, the pain you’ll cause her. Let it all soak in, because when Shane’s done with your punk ass, that’s EXACTLY what’s going to happen, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Let THAT soak in while we finish our little ride boy. You’ve caused your trouble, and now, you’re gonna cause some pain.”
I just looked forward. The smartass comments were gone. The thought of jumping up from the tear and beating him senseless was gone. There was utterly nothing I could do to get out of this situation that wouldn’t cause someone I cared about pain. I only took in a deep breath as my brain racked with guilt, thinking of everyone who I cared about, and how they’d be impacted by my stupid choices. My eyes closed and for a moment I let out a bit of weakness as a solitary tear ran down my face.
There’s a flash of light, unlike anything you’ve ever seen and you hear the sounds of a rope smacking against the ground. There’s a “Whoosh” as your vision is turned to the wall, a passing car exuberating it’s light through a window, the shadow of the man you wait to hear from is shown, his arms causing said ropes to smack on the ground.
I understand the anger, the sorrow, all of your emotions, because they’re mine as well.
Another flash and we can hear the heavy breaths as he continues with his workout, the room then hollowing out and focusing in on the solitary bead of sweat that falls from his forehead, the splash of the droplet on the puddle below echoing in your brain.
Losing is always disappointing, but it is a lesson from which one must learn. To be destined for something so great, so powerful as I am, I must learn from each defeat, getting stronger, faster, better than the last time in which I was present in a ring.
There’s a final thud as both handles are slammed on the ground. The camera is pointed at them as they lie there, motionless. Slowly but surely it moves it’s way from the floor upward, until you see his face. That’s right...the man destined for greatness is here to calm your emotions.
And I feel like I’ve done just that. I came up short at Night of the Immortals, not a single doubt about it, and to no ends does it piss me off beyond belief. I had the mindset, I had the training, and in the end, it just wasn’t enough.
He points forward with a smile on his face.
Kudos to Devlin Raine, not only winning the Joker In The Pack, but using it to his advantage as well. Well done...keep that Man of Steel looking pretty...I might just catch ya for it sooner rather than later.
He waves his arms, his muscles bulging up and down his arm.
But that’s later on, so let’s do what we do best and talk smack about a returning star whose biggest accomplishment to date was having Spike Kane crucify him.
A huge smile crosses over his face as he shakes his index finger at the camera nodding his head.
Ah ha! Yeah, that’s right, I’ve done my homework. Took some time, sat on my couch with my dog, a burger and some fries and had me a look at the IWF Network, and boy let me tell you, the things on there are INCREDIBLE! I mean, I saw Mike Laszlo make Angel, a God, tap out. I saw Roberto Verona screw over The Ace...again. I watched you get beat in the Heir to the Throne, and I watched you get nailed to a freaking cross by some demented fool who thought he was that much better than you, yet belongs in a damned mental institution for some of the crazy shit that goes on in his head.
He tries to shake the crazy out of his own head and waves it all off.
You’re not that guy though anymore, are you Cross? You’re not the guy who fought tooth and nail against Spike Kane only to fail miserably...NO!
He points toward the camera.
No, not at all, hell you’re not even a man anymore are you Xavier? You’re the destroyer! You’re the man who will set a blaze to this God forsaken company and all the sinners it contains on the roster. You’re the crusader looking to tear down the mighty walls, take apart the defenses and leave the corrupt empire of the IWF in rubble beneath your feet as you march on to whatever your next purpose is.
With a snap of his fingers he refocuses your attention, but the look on his face is no longer focused, but more confused; and not the regular confused, but a more disgusted version of it.
And you actually think that you’re going to start this journey, begin your crusade, and lay waste to all who oppose you...starting with me?
ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND!?
He’s shocked, pointing into the camera as if Cross was right in front of him.
You!?
He walks away, a waterfall of disbelief hitting him like a monsoon in the jungle’s of Jumanji! He smacks his hand on a nearby counter and turns around.
Whatever the hell it is you’re smoking, for the love of God, give me some. I’m not advocating a bad habit, but God damn it, whatever it is you have in your pipe, it’s really good to make you think that you have this power you claim to possess, this greater understanding.
He walks away, unable to come up with words, it’s difficult to see, because as we’ve all seen, this man lacks words for nobody. He throws his hands in the air.
You don’t even have an understanding of yourself. You claim to be this great destroyer, and yet the only thing you’ve destroyed is the brains of millions of people who watch our programming. With each and every word you spoke on air, with every syllable uttered by some useless narrator, you slowly plucked the brain cells from the innocent people of America and the world one by one, leaving them sitting there on their couches, looking at one another and simply stating three words with an exclamation point at the end…
”WHAT THE FUCK!?”
Again he throws his hands in the air before walking over to a bench and having a seat, hanging his head for a moment before slowly turning back up toward the camera.
Xavier Cross, I want you to listen and listen closely. I want you to understand what it is you’re going to run into come Sacrifice because honestly...you have it all messed up in that fucked up little head of yours.
Monday, you’re going to come down to that ring and you might stare a hole right through me or you might ignore me with your sense of greater purpose, the choice is really yours. You better be prepared though you PTA Mom looking, psychotic prick. You’re not God. You’re not a destroyer. You’re not even a blip on anyone’s radar no matter how big you talk yourself up. You’re just another guy standing across the ring from me with a lost sense of purpose. You’re my opponent, the first in a long line of those who will fall before the greatest hands to ever be placed on a body, and no amount of fake grandeur is going to save you.
The path of destruction you claim to want to raise the IWF with won’t even get a chance to start because I’ll be standing there with an extinguisher in the form of my fists, and my boots, ready to put out the fire before anyone is put in harm’s way.
Xavier Cross, there will be no destruction.
There will be no beginning of the end.
There will be one thing though and you better be ready for it. There’s going to be an ass kicking of a returning veteran courtesy of the man destined for greatness. There will be a display...of greatness.
And there’s not a damn thing you can do to stop it.
THINGS JUST GOT SERIOUS PART 3: HELPLESS
Have you ever felt helpless? Like, you’re in a situation and all you can do after seeing the act before you is stare straight ahead? Not a blink, not a sound made, nothing, you just stared. That’s how I felt as we drove away from my mother’s house. I watched her run out after us, helpless for her son, just as much as I was in the situation. Once we pulled far enough out of sight, I turned, facing forward, the only motion in my body was as we hit a bump in the road. I looked forward at the man who with his goons, physically took me from my mother. They sat on either side of him in the custom SUV, each a gun pointed in my direction, making sure that I wouldn’t make a move. I watched as the guy took a drag on his cigarette, blowing the smoke in my face. I closed my eyes, but was otherwise unfazed as he laughed, putting the cigarette out in the ashtray. ”You’re in a lot of trouble asshole. What you did to Shane. The lengths he’s gone to in order to find you. He’s going to have fun with you when he gets his hands on you.”
I was annoyed, and like always, my mouth was getting ready to get me in trouble. ”Oh? Does he have a bunch of other guys he’s going to throw at me? You know last time didn’t go so well. I hope he bought a new window for me to throw him through again.”
The smile on the guy’s face was wiped off and a more serious tone overcame the situation. ”You idiot. He knows about your friend Bret. He found you. Do you not grasp the power of the man you’re fucking with? If he wanted us to, if he paid us to, we’d have killed your mother on the spot and not blinked an eye.”
”And then you wouldn’t be sitting here...you’d be dead.”
He reached forward and smacked me on the forehead. ”FOOL!”
I went to lunge forward, but the click of the two guns on either side of him made me think twice as he continued. ”Clearly, your brain doesn’t activate before you speak boy. No matter. Think about this. How did you feel when you saw your momma crying like you were dead? Huh!? Did it make you feel good inside? Did it make you all warm and fuzzy to know she cared that much about you? Now think of it happening at your graveside.”
My eyes went big as he continued. ”Think of her all alone as your casket is lowered into the ground, asking herself “Why. Why’d you have to get involved with those bad, bad men?” Think of the tears, the sorrow, the pain you’ll cause her. Let it all soak in, because when Shane’s done with your punk ass, that’s EXACTLY what’s going to happen, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Let THAT soak in while we finish our little ride boy. You’ve caused your trouble, and now, you’re gonna cause some pain.”
I just looked forward. The smartass comments were gone. The thought of jumping up from the tear and beating him senseless was gone. There was utterly nothing I could do to get out of this situation that wouldn’t cause someone I cared about pain. I only took in a deep breath as my brain racked with guilt, thinking of everyone who I cared about, and how they’d be impacted by my stupid choices. My eyes closed and for a moment I let out a bit of weakness as a solitary tear ran down my face.
Well howdy there pardner.