Post by Brandon Hendrix on Mar 16, 2022 22:18:04 GMT -5
Unrecorded ■
Following Elena DeDraca Match
"Anthony! Get up! Time to go to school!". My eyes open, and I sit up looking around my bedroom. I spin my body around and set my feet on the ground as I exit my room, and my nostril is hit with the amazing smell of food from the kitchen down the hall. I hungrily sit down at the kitchen table as a plate is placed in front of me by my mother. I look down at my plate and see eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast with a glass of Orange Juice on the side. Excitedly, I began to dig into my food, enjoying the meal my mother made me. "I can't believe my big boy is almost done with the sixth grade! Don't forget when you get home to do your homework so that way I can bring you to your aunt's house."
"Yes mom I will.". I happily said as I finished my meal. I quickly put my plate in the sink and ran to my room to grab my backpack. After making sure all my homework is inside my folders and all my pencils and pens are in my front pouch, I'm good to go. I leave my room and hug my mother goodbye, and I can feel the kiss she placed on my forehead. I leave the house, close the door behind me, backpack straps over each shoulder, and thus I begin my five minute walk up a short hill to the end of the street, where the school bus picks me up to bring me to school and drop me back off to walk home. Other students started appearing at the end of the street, including her, someone who I had grown feelings for…. Lots of feelings. She was a month younger than me, brunette hair, eyes that sparkled like the stars at night, and her smile that warms my heart. "Oh… hey Brianna.". She looks over at me, her smiling shining bright.
"Oh hey Anthony. How's your mom?"
"She's good. She is still working those two jobs. Hoping one day I can make the money so she never has to work again."
"That's sweet of you. She's lucky to have a son like you.". I peek over her shoulder, and see…. Him. The biggest pain in the ass I have ever dealt with in my life. He was part of the football team, an absolute jockhead if there ever was one. His name is Devin. Dude always picks on me for no reason, and when I try to stand up, he gets his friends to back him up. What makes it worse, is he always tries to put the moves on Brianna. While she doesn't appeal to them, I always worry she would fall for him. I turn my head as I look at the ground while he walks up to Brianna and places an arm around her.
"Hello beautiful. When will you finally agree to go out with me?"
"With your attitude? Never.". She says brushing his arm off her. Obviously annoyed, he remains calm in tone.
"I'm giving you the opportunity to be with the Q fucking B of the school team! You're not thinking correctly."
"Um… No, I'm thinking very correctly. I'm fine without experiencing that."
"No no. No you're not Bri-"
"How about leave her alone Devin?". He stops talking and slowly turns his head to face me.
"Are you talking to me nerd?". He says as he slowly starts walking over to me. Nervous, I swallow my pride and stare at him.
"Yeah… I am. Leave her alone you oversized pig.". I say this as he gets in my face.
"What are you going to do about it?". He went to push me, but I moved faster and pushed him, watching him fall backwards to the ground. She's shocked. He's shocked. And I was definitely shocked. The bus pulls up, the swinging door opens as Brianna pulls my arm and we get onto the bus together. Pissed off, Devin gets off the road and onto the bus. For safety reasons, Brianna pushes me into a seat and sits beside me, keeping her between me and the walkway. Devin walked by, eyeing me as I stared at him back. He drags his thumb across his throat and mouths "you're a deadman" before heading to the back of the bus and sitting with the other popular kids on the bus. I watch him as he walks past us before I turn my attention back to Brianna.
"I'm a deadman, aren't I?"
"No no. He won't do anything. All talk and no action.". I nod slowly as the bus drives off.
**Later That Day**
I'm at my locker, getting ready to head to PE class as I place my books and folders into my locker. When I turn around, there stands Devin and his three tools of friends: Jacob, Tracey, and Kevin. I look at all four of them, and see what seems to be socks in their grasps, and when Devin wacks the locker with the sock, and the metallic sound rings off the locker, and I know not only were the socks loaded, but I'm a deadman walking. I push Devin back and sprints off down the hallway, and the four chase me down. Unfortunately, I'm not fast enough to make it up the stairs in time, so Jacob grabs me by the leg and starts dragging me down the stairs. Tracey joins in and grabs my other leg and both drag me behind the stairway… and this was one of the moments I wished I had died rather than to have suffered the pain I did. Wack after walk with the socks filled, whatever it was, well, until one of the socks broke and it was revealed to be a bunch of quarters and coins in each sock that connected with my head and torso. When that sock broke, the person resorted to kicking me, stomping on my arms and neck. Each blow I take, the closer I am to blacking out. By the time they finished with the beating, I couldn't move… I was bleeding badly…. I thought my life was over. Nobody could find me if they weren't trying to look, and nobody was. I was alone… But, I had images of me and my mom, walking around the park together, laughing and smiling running through my head. I had images of Brianna… and her beautiful smile that always made my day… and I knew I couldn't quit. With so much pain in my body, I rolled myself over onto my stomach, and slowly started crawling from behind the stairway to where I could be in view of people walking the hallways. It doesn't help as soon as I'd wish however. And each crawl I do, the closer I am to blacking out again. I tried my hardest to stay awake, but by the time I was getting past the stairway, I couldn't handle the pain and blacked out again. Fortunately for me, getting my head past the stairwell was enough for me to be noticed by a member of staff, who immediately called for the nurses and the principal. The rest after that, I'm unaware of. Next thing I knew, I was waking up inside of a hospital room at the local hospital ten miles from the school. I open my eyes, the pain surprisingly gone away as I look over and see my mom sitting in the chair right beside the bed. I can see the marks down her cheeks, like she's been crying this entire time. Her eyes are red, her hair is a mess.
"..m…mom…?". I can barely say, but loud enough for her to hear me. She quickly looks up and nearly starts crying again.
"Oh my God Anthony?! Oh my God". She says in a shaking voice. I've never seen her this sad… even when dad left. It hurt me seeing her like that, as she was normally the person who was bringing smiles to faces no matter what, so seeing this hurt me more than I thought. Suddenly, I hear a knock on the door and my attention goes to the door, and I see the reason I got my ass kicked standing in the doorway to my hospital room.
"B..Brianna?". I exclaim out as she walks into the room, her jacket placed under her arm as she approaches the bed.
"I'd thought you'd like to know they found out it was Devin and his friends and they were arrested on counts of assault. And I'm sorry I'm the cause of this Anthony."
"No… No, no need to apologize. He was treating you wrong. Someone had to stand up to him."
"Thank you for doing so.". She then walks over and gives me a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you soon.". She says before leaving the room. I place my hand on my cheek before looking at my mom, a little flustered from the kiss from my crush.
"Someone's in love". She says in a mocking tone. I try to hide my face from her.
"Shut up.". Suddenly, I feel something shaking me. And when I uncover my eyes, they're opening up as I look and see a member of Project Honor shaking me.
"God bless. I've been trying to wake you up for thirty minutes."
"Sorry sorry. I've been… very tired lately."
"We're closing up, need you to go."
"Yeah yeah of course. My apologies.". I stand up and grab a t-shirt from my open duffle bag, tossing it on before grabbing my bag and leaving the locker room. I make my way down the hallway before getting to the garage where my rental car I have got from the airport is. I open the trunk to the car and put my bag in the back before closing the trunk and getting into the driver seat. I take my phone out from the center console and pull up the Project Honor YouTube where they made an announcement about next week's card.
"On Proving Ground next week it will be the man who's absolutely on fire in Brandon Hendrix going against Johnny Levy, and get this? It's inside a steel cage. If Brandon doesn't win this match, should Project Honor really make a stand with him as their future?"
I drop the phone on the passenger seat, and I turn the car on. I grip the steering wheel, my eyes focused as I am more focused then I have ever been in my entire life. Time to bury Levy… once and for all.
Recorded ●
Disrespected. How fucking dare Levy? He wants to play? Oh I can fucking play alright. The scenery is brought to a building in Connecticut with a logo on it for a company, where inside I stand, dressed in Skechers Work boots, Red Kap Work pants, a blue long sleeve shirt, with a white "Champion" sweatshirt over the shirt. I have a black beanie on my head and a Galaxy Watch 4 on my wrist as I stare into the camera, chuckling a bit.
"Is this what you wanted? Huh? You wanted to brag all week to every superstar, including myself that you were "burying me" and "ending my push". But, today, live from the Project Honor app, it was revealed not only I got Promo of the Week, but I was Superstar of the Week. That's something I took real pride in because I had to express myself. All that, everything, that's real. That's as real as you get. Everything was not a publicity stunt or something to tug at people's emotions. People wanted the real me, and right now, you got the real me Levy. You and your comments in that locker room, hallway, wherever you stand about me, mocking everything you can, you got the real Brandon Hendrix. Take away everything you can think of when you think of the name Brandon Hendrix and throw it away and you want to know what you got? You got Anthony Roberts. You got the man who was fighting for his life multiple times by grade fucking six. You got the man who has been fighting the Grim Reaper for almost two years. You think I give a fuck about a push? No Levy, I don't. But you should, if I may say so myself. The push you should be worried about is the one I'm going to give you. Oh yeah, the push of pushing you off that steel cage to your untimely demise. Nah dawg, you wanted me, right? I tried to be nice, I really did. I tried being nice when I got back, and you attacked me. After the six man tag, I tried being nice again….". I bite my lip, slamming my hand on the table beside me. "And you go and run your mouth to everyone. You even go run off to Billy Bennett to continue spreading the same shit in Fallout's locker room. Am I that much in your head? Huh? Am I living up rent free that deep in your mind? I must because not even the greats of our sports have ever done that. You want the real Brandon Hendrix? The real Brandon is the biggest asshole, cocky piece of shit, and absolute cunt to finish off. Are you sure you want him? Because in my opinion, and what I've seen from you, your fragile ego cannot handle it. But, eh I don't give a shit.
So let me talk to you, as a man Levy. You think this will end well for you, but it won't. You honestly believe this is what will make you better than me, but it won't. Nobody believes that you can beat me, even if you tried your absolute hardest. Everybody on the internet, in our locker room, and even in your own family is talking about how badly I'm going to rip you to shreds in our match. The physical destruction of Johnny Levy is what everyone is talking about. There is no you winning, there is only "will he survive the Steel Cage Massacre?", because that's what this match really is, a Massacre. This is Indy Darling doing me a favor by booking this match, making this unfavorable to you. Now, before you claim that all this is racism to the Jewish community, how this is discrimination, of all the Jewish people I met in my entire twenty four years on earth and I've talked to them about you, and you know what they said? They looked at me and said "he cries too much. We got paid, we are happy." You? You want sympathy. You want people to shed tears for you because of a past that sucks so bad for those involved, that you want to profit off their pain because you can't make an effort to keep yourself from being a joke. You continue to be a joke, but as soon as it comes to facing me, now you want to make an effort? Nah, I know exactly why: because you want this as personal as you can get. Is it me? Probably. I'll be the first to admit, I haven't been well liked before by many, but that's because I didn't fit their system. A system that you are going by because you see it as an easy way. You blame Indy Darling, but boy you suck up to him the most. You trash Fallout, but you suck up to Christian DeMarco and Lil Petey and Ratman the most. I never want to hear a word about discrimination from anyone again, you pathetic piece of shit.
You honestly disgust me…". I stop myself as I take my beanie off and run my hand through my hair. I place my beanie back on my head. I shake my head with a dissatisfied sigh escaping my lips. "Fuck you. Fuck. You. Levy. What made it think that pissing me off, me of all people, who has the anger of the devil, and wants to kill like a madman, and proudly step into that cage with me? Either you're suicidal, or you're as stupid as I thought, maybe even more than I thought honestly. I'm sure everyone saw what happened to Elena. By accident, I ripped her stitches open. Well, I'm going to rip your stomach open, and that's going to be on purpose. And I'm going to enjoy every second of it."
Unrecorded ■
New Orleans, Louisiana
It was a couple of days after the show when I decided to make a visit to Louisiana, deciding to make a visit to a certain someone special. I arrive at the house in a 2020 Ford Expedition from the rental car dealership close by the airport I used. I rub my eyes before exiting the vehicle. I take a deep breath before walking up the concrete pathway to the stairs leading up the house, going up each step before ringing the doorbell. I slowly stand there, waiting at the door before it opens up. "My my. This is a surprise.". I look up, a exhausted smile hitting my face upon the door opening up.
"Good to see you too, Estelle. She is upstairs?". Estelle nods and moves to the side so I can enter the home. She goes to yell up the stairs, but I stop her from doing so. I place a finger over my lips, signaling no need to as I'm going to shock the person upstairs. I start walking up the steps, stopping halfway before pulling out my phone. I see the text message I was going to send her, and with a sigh, I delete the message with the case of anyone going through my phone. I slide my phone back into my pocket. It's bad enough I even thought about killing myself, but for someone to find my horrendous attempt of a suicide note. I continue walking up the stairs before making it to the bedroom. I knock on the door, but like usual, no answer. I shrug before slowly opening the door, seeing Stella laid on her bed, writing in her book again. I smirk as I stand in the doorway, rubbing my beard with my hand before coughing. "Hey St-". And then a fucking pillow comes flying from out of nowhere and nails me in the face. "..... ouch."
"What the FUCK Brandon?! Why didn't you knock?!"
"Um… I did. You're just too busy in your book or whatever that is to notice.". When I say that, she slowly slides the journal under her pillow. I shake my head with a chuckle before entering the room and laying on the bed beside her, my eyes struggling to stay awake.
"You okay Brandon?"
"Yeah darling… I've just been very tired lately. I couldn't get any sleep pretty much the past week."
"If you want, you can take a nap here. I got some stuff to do around the house anyway so you're more than nap here.". I nod as I look up at her tiredly.
"Yeah, sounds good… thank you.". I move up some on the bed, removing my shoes and placing them on the floor before laying my head on her pillow. I slowly close my eyes, but I keep hearing a tapping noise and laughter. But… it wasn't Stella's… it was a deep laugh, belonging to a male. I opened my eyes, and I wasn't at Stella's home anymore. I was on… some couch. I sit up, wiping my eyes as they're blurry before looking up, and my heart sank. "......Dad?". I say looking at my father, who's talking on the phone, with a smile on his face like nothing is wrong.
"Yeah Lilith, I'm okay. Yeah, it's been hard since her death, but everything will be okay, I promise. Yeah. Good talking to you too. Yeah I'll tell Anthony you said hi. Love you too. Bye.". He hangs up the phone, and his smile… goes away. I have never seen my father like this before… so.. defeated. Not even when mom took me and left he was like that. He always found a way to be the life of the situation.
"..Dad..?"
WARNING: VISUAL OF SUICIDE AND BLOOD AND DRUG USE!!!!
"Anthony?". My eyes open, and I look up and I don't see his body in the tub anymore. I stand up, tears still running down my face, but the look of confusion is practically drawn on my face before turning around… and seeing my dad face to face.
"...Dad…."
"Not how I thought I'd talk to you after… but it's better than nothing."
"...why? Why did you do this? Why did you LEAVE ME AGAIN?!?". I roar out, my rage overtaking my rational thinking. He looks down at the floor, letting out a shaky sigh.
".... because I couldn't stand losing your mother…. And knowing because she's gone… you'd leave me too. She was the only reason you forgave me. And with her gone…. I knew you'd never talk to me again. I couldn't lose you too, it would of hurt too much… just like her death."
".... I.. I wouldn't have stopped dad. You were becoming the dad I knew you could be. I was PROUD to call you Dad."
"...... I was depressed because of her death. I wanted us to work again… she was my anchor… and I lost her too….. look Anthony… I don't want you… to live in sorrow over what's happened to us… but know that me and your mom… will be watching be you from the best seats in the house, the seats beyond the heaven gates son…. We love you Anthony…". That breaks me… even more than I already am.
".... I love you too Dad…". I go over, trying to hug him, but suddenly, I'm pulled back out, waking up to Stella shaking me. I sit out, gasping as I am sweating profusely.
"Babe you okay? You were jolting around during your sleep."
".... yeah.. just a nightmare. I'm fine. How long was I asleep for?"
"Roughly ten minutes."
"It felt like ages honestly. Well, I'll be fine without sleeping till I get to the hotel. Sorry Stella, I got to go. I'll talk to you later.". I sit up, place my shoes back on, and gives her a kiss on the cheek before walking down the stairs and out the house. I get to my rental. I rub my face, tears running down my cheeks again as my phone goes off in my right pocket. I wipe my face before reaching my hand into my pocket and pulls my phone out. I see the number for Brian's mom, so I answer immediately. "Ms. Rivera. How may I help?"
"Anthony… it's about Brian… He's…."
Recorded ●
"Hey yo Levy, let me break it for you real quick. While you sit there, thinking you got me where you want me, I turn this from Checkers to Chess, because I'm always one step ahead. You see, I have a feeling that you'd try to make me seem like I'm some type of hypocrite. Like I'm some kind of guy who wants everything, but willing to give nothing in return. You would claim that I always tried to be an asshole to you. Let me ask you this: would an asshole let you compete on MY OWN SHOW?! The show that I'm putting my money into to help prevent addictions before they start, and helping people suffering from those addictions to get help. Would I let you on that show? Huh? Would I even work with you on anything if I was like that just to you? Would I Levy? No. But you want to spin this narrative on me, but how many people will believe you? You see, I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I'm honest, too honest for people's liking. And I have been straightforward and honest with people, and they can tell you what they think of me. Racist? If I am then you're the biggest one I have known. Hey folks, let me tell you a little tale. You see, my mentor Angelo Caito, he's Italian. I, and many others can justify when I say that he's made so many remarks about Italian stuff to him. Mario and Luigi jokes, pizza remarks. Angelo? He's a good sport, he can take it. But I refuse to let this bigot spread lies. But, in honor of my mentor, I'm going to smoke this fool for him and everyone else he offended.
And of course, everything I'm sacrificing right now. My family's name, any chance I believe I have in getting an opportunity for the Legacy Championship, I'm sacrificing by wanting to destroy you. My idol growing up, Eminem, said it perfectly for me: "Sufficed to say, with every sacrifice I made. It's like I gave up my life to fame
All the nights that I lied awake. Nights I stayed up to write and pray. Had to claw, scratch and fight my way. Just follow me, and I'll light the way". I'm going to light the way alright… light the way to another person who said it perfectly for me…. "I wake up in the morning, I got murder on my mind"... BECAUSE I'M MAKING SURE YOUR CAREER IS MURDERED ON PROVING GROUND LEVY! I'M REACHING DOWN TO THE PLACE THAT I WAS AT WHEN I WAS A KILLER MYSELF! I was the reason… someone killed themself. Am I proud of that one? No, I'm not. That haunts me to my core daily. You? Your suicide of fighting me is on live TV, hey let's get Logan Paul to come film this for us. Wouldn't be the first time, right? Actually… you and Logan Paul have a lot in common: both famous for shit reasons, annoying as hell, and someone people rather see homeless than on any screen of theirs.
God… I hate having to be like this guy…. But you force me to be. You forced me to be this guy because you think I would slip! But Brandon Hendrix has never been as focused as I've been this past month and a half. It started with the Battle Royal, it continued on to Elena DeDraca, and it moves past you like a train on it's tracks."
Unrecorded ■
I never rushed to one place like ever before. When she called… and told me…. My heart sank. I race to the hospital, not caring about the laws of the road or what anyone has to say. I get to the parking lot of the hospital, and races inside. I sprint up the stairs before running down the hallway to the same room that the poor kid, Brian, is laid up in. Outside the room is his mother, tears in her eyes as she looks at me.
"... it's bad Anthony."
"How long are they saying now?"
"Months… if he's lucky. He hasn't eaten in two days… hasn't drank anything..". I lean against the door to his room, watching him as he stares at the ceiling. "The last time he even talked… was when we watched you wrestle recently. He was over here yelling "Brandon Fudging Hendrix" so he didn't swear.". She says with a chuckle as I smile some. My smile fades away as I turn and look at her.
"May I go in?"
"Yeah of course.". I turn my head and walks into the room. I pull the chair beside him.
"Hey Brian. Remember me?". His eyes move, looking at me, but still no words coming from him. "Come on buddy. Why aren't you talking? Why aren't you eating or drinking? You can tell me.". I say this… but I wasn't prepared for the reason.
"... because I'm going to die."
"Wha…". I can barely talk as my voice is cracking. "What makes you say that Brian?"
"Because the doctors say so."
"You know, doctors told me I shouldn't wrestle no more? That I wouldn't even be alive to see twenty four years of age. You know what I said? You're wrong! I wanted them to be wrong, so I fought to prove them wrong. You can too Brian. You can too."
"But I'm not as strong as you are…."
"No… you're stronger. You're stronger than I can ever be Brian."
"But you got the big muscles… I don't."
"What? These?". I say flexing, showing my muscles as I hear shrieks and glamor outside the hospital room from some of the female nurses. "These are cool and all, but you know what strength is cooler than this? The strength in here.". I say pointing at his chest. "The strength of within. That's stronger than any other. You have the strength Brian. You really do. And now, you show those doctors that strength and kick cancer right in it's fat tushy!". This gets a giggle out of him, which honestly makes me chuckle some. I stand up and gets a high five from Brian before leaving the room.
"You know your way with kids. You seem like you'd be a great father one day.". When she dsys that, I look down at the floor.
"Yeah.. um.. thank you. Let me know how he is in a couple of days."
"Of course. Thank you again.". I smile and nods, walking out of the hospital as I head to my car. My sadness… is taken over by anger. I needed this going into my match… and damnit… I'm going to use all that anger to kick some ass.
Recorded ●
And while I make my parents proud, you will make your mom regret not doing the one thing to you that she did the remaining of your father's prospects, swallow. While my mom watches down from the heaven gates, your mom will be so, so disappointed in what her son has become in his life. And while my dad watches on from right beside her, your dad will regret giving you any opportunity because like normal, you're going to fail at another chance to make your last name any kind of relevance. We're locked inside a steel cage Levy. You're not escaping, you're not running, and you're beating me, not at all. It's destiny that Brandon Hendrix continues his rise and steps on you. Push, or no push from management, they're going to see me at my absolute best and how dangerous that can. How risky that can be, and how bad that can be for whomever wins the Legacy Championship in that fatal four way. That's right, I'm pushing my name out there. Havoc, Emmanuelle, Hunter…. Bennett… whoever of you holds that championship, I'm not waiting, I'm stepping first in line and challenging you for that championship at the next pay-per-view event that I'm allowed to challenge it for. I don't care if that's a month or three months away, I'm getting that first opportunity, and I'm going to take it and win the Legacy Championship, the most prestigious and most desired championship in Project Honor and all of wrestling history.
As time runs short, I want to leave you Levy with a small final message. I hope you're happy with this, because this is it, this is as big as you're going to get so enjoy it… because I just gave you a career, only to destroy it….
Fuck Jonny Levy."