︱DEATH IS A SURPRISE PARTY︱
Jul 24, 2021 9:29:46 GMT -5
CallMeRobert, Mark Hunter, and 4 more like this
Post by gothmother on Jul 24, 2021 9:29:46 GMT -5
LIVE OR DIE [MAKE YOUR CHOICE]
[Melbourne, Australia] AFTERMATH GUTS, GOLD AND GLORY ‘21
And it’s done.
It was almost impossible to put in words how she felt. After this kind of war a fighter mostly lived off of adrenaline. Elena DeDraca was no different when it came to that. She hardly recognised the crowd on her way up the ramp. Here and there she took notice of her friends walking right next to her. The excitement that swung in their voices was giving her all kinds of emotions. She couldn’t tell how often they had patted her back till they made it to the backstage area. But to be fair, her focus was on the heavy belt she carried over her shoulder. The Legacy title. Back where it belonged.
Against all odds she once again was the leader of the pack. Okay, a pack she didn’t choose and filled with lots of people she didn’t care about. But it was the thought that did count, right? She was ready to wash off the sweat, dirt and blood. More than ready to go home to see her loved ones. Kissing her daughter goodnight and then crawling into bed with her husband. But it was obvious that the company had different plans.
Again.
Right before the girls could reach their locker room it was Timothy Daniels blocking their way. He was well dressed and could have been called handsome, but neither of that did matter to Elena. His appearance only meant more work, which allowed the feeling of annoyance to grow. Lara was ready to handle the situation, but the Fist of Hydra shook her head. Putting on her best fake smile she looked at the man.
“What can I do for you, Timmy?”
He looked slightly puzzled, either by the name of the fact that she even stopped to take notice of him. But being a professional he was quick to find his balance again, looking directly in her face.
“The audience is dying to know how you feel, Elena. After this brutal match against one of the best the company has to offer. Some would say he gave you a run for your money.”
Elena still smiled, although there were slight changes in her body language. The tension, for those that paid attention, was growing.
“You are correct about that, Timmy. Mark Hunter, even though he became slightly weak in the past weeks, put out one hell of a performance. Bringing his alter ego was a move into the right direction. And while I admire someone’s hunger and passion for violence, not even the Evil Within stood a chance.”
From the background she heard slight giggle noises. Without turning around she knew they came from Alexandra Kelly. The little ball of fire with more crazy than doctor Freud would dare to discover. And also her best friend.
“Mark Hunter, or whatever he wants to call himself, has earned my respect. Of course one can discuss what this is worth these days, but you get the idea. No matter how hard I went, he didn’t back down. But at the end of the day, there can only be one Legacy champion. And just like I warned Mister Hunter, being good can’t live up to being great. Those that stand behind me, know what this title means to me. Those that try to belittle me, will learn their well deserved lesson. We are back to the rules of the jungle. Eat or be eaten.”
All this time she kept eye contact with the backstage interviewer, watching his every reaction. He looked a little jumpy so to say. And behind the professional attitude it was obvious that he was scared.
Good.
“Considering you are the Legacy champion once again, you are aware that you have a target on your back, right? People left and right will try to take your spot. Are you having any dream opponents? Or people you don’t wanna fight at all?”
“You’re adorable, Timmy. Dream opponents? Like who? Those that keep using my name to become somewhat relevant? Those that try to get into the boss's pants to get a title chance? Or you mean those hardly had five matches but think they are the cherry on top? I don’t have to comment on every Harry and Sally, darling. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t see them, or hear their nonsense. They wanna come for me?”
Elena turned around for the first time looking into the smiling faces of HYDRA. All three of them stood behind her with their arms crossed in front of their chest.
“I tell you what I suggest: Come as you are. Bring everything you go and if you are clever, a little more. There is no one in this company that causes me to shiver in anticipation. There are interesting individuals, so what? If they earn it, they know where to find me. Unlike some, I don’t run. Or hide behind an attitude. I came to fight and clearly to win. Don’t like it? Keep crying.”
She moved her head slightly to the side looking down at the shiny object over her shoulder. Elena would pat it three times before returning her focus to the interviewer. He was expecting her to speak once more, but that never happened. Instead she walked past him, with the group of women following her. Alex being the last one, she looked up to him. Smiling. Those shiny white teeth were almost blinding.
Timothy looked at her, not quite sure what to make of the situation. HYDRA had already reached Elena’s locker room, but Alex was still standing there. The intensity of her look caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand up.
“As the Fist of Hydra would say…”
In a quick manner she pinched his butt right before she began to follow her friends. Of course in that unique manner, that most people would call skipping. The interviewer looked after her even more confused than before. The OG Pixie looked over her shoulder once more, winking at the guy.
“...you are welcome.”
ONCE YOU ARE IN HELL [ONLY THE DEVIL CAN HELP YOU OUT]
[London, England]
There is no place like London. No matter where companies sent her, coming back here was one of the most fulfilling feelings. Sure there were many memories she tried to erase, but not any longer. If anything she embraced them, worked with them and then put them in a box. Elena DeDraca wasn't that stubborn teenager any longer. She didn’t have to hide in dark alleys trying to survive just another day. Without a real reason for surviving either. A little fact she didn’t take notice of back then. In those days everything seemed broken, but it really wasn't.
When you are young every set back seems like the end of the world. Every love is the big love and every break up is the worst pain one can imagine. Everything was so much more intensive in those days. And dumb. Extremely dumb. When Cyrus Riddle broke her heart, she thought she would never come back from it. But she had to. For Isabella. When her family broke apart and love turned into hate, she was close to hanging up her boots. But she didn’t. For Isabella. And when a company lived and breathed on envy, she wondered if it was time to do things differently. And she did. For herself.
I don’t mind and you don’t matter.
And here she was today walking the streets of London. And while Mark had suggested getting a driver, she didn’t see the point of it. This was her playground. And even though the city was constantly growing and changing, she knew her way around. He always worried about her, which she admired to a degree. But not once did he try to chain her or put her decisions in question.
“You wanna do the tour, darling?”
A hardly inviting voice brought her back to reality. There was this young guy standing there with his flyers, trying to lure people in. A job that Elena herself did many years ago. Although when she thought about it now, it seemed like the life of another person. Never her own.
And while she already made the decision of not making the tour, she still would grab one of the flyers. In big, bold and bloody letters the flyer read: “The Jack the Ripper tour”. A small smile played around her lips. Jack the Ripper. The man. The myth. Probably also the syphilis sick dick that couldn’t get an erection anymore- which led to him killing prostitutes. For a long moment she scanned over the flyer before returning it to the boy.
“You don’t know what you are missing, ma’am. It’s one of the most spooky tours you can do here, about a real killer… “
“Oh love, you know nothing about real killers. Or where to find them.”
Once again she smiled while setting herself in motion, knowing where her next destination would be. A little cottage out of town in what most people would call a village. The kind where you would buy your groceries at the market and plant your own vegetables. And in the middle of this peaceful area lived none other than Lara Marie Chambers. Former hitwoman. Former Cage Fighting Champion. Multi-time wrestling champion. And now a member of HYDRA.
When walking through the wooden gate, Elena shook her head. All of this looked like a place where fairies would mate. Or where someone had their last LSD trip. Both things are possible. Somewhere behind the house she heard loud music play, in a language she probably had never heard before.
“What a crazy bitch…”
The first thing that jumped to attention was the fiery red hair. Followed by all the sparks flying around. Lara was someone that liked to work with her hands, building things so to speak. While she often made sculptures out of iron or wood, today was meant for a special order. At first she didn’t notice Elena, who had lazily leaned against the cool stone wall. She admired the way her friend worked, even though it looked slightly scary. When taking notice though, Lara stopped the machine and took off her welding goggles.
“You are early, El.”
“I guess that is what excitement does, right? Plus, Isabella wants to work on her mini zoo in the afternoon. So you see, duties all over.”
Lara simply nodded while slowly taking off the way too big gloves. For a long while she would look at the piece that was resting in front of her. Here and there it was still glowing in a deep red. The onyx coloured metal was adding the perfect contrast to it. This was the moment Elena pushed herself off the wall, slowly walking closer.
“She is beautiful.”
“Aren’t they always? But most importantly, she is almost unbreakable.”
Elena reached out but Lara slapped her on the fingers, causing her friend to growl slightly. But that was nothing that could impress someone like the Lady of the Chambers. Instead she laughed out loud, handing her friend one of the gloves. Okay, protection is everything. The piece was observed from every angle.
“It is probably the best one I have ever made. The barbed wire is made of a special material too, so be careful. If you slash into meat with that, it will be like a thousand razor blades at once. But I would assume for a match like that, this was exactly what you wanted.”
“They called for a killer, not a predator. And like SteelBones Wrestling taught us, go all in or go home. Thank you, Lara. I shall hold this one in honour.”
In a rather dramatic way Elena lifted the deadly weapon, probably looking like King Arthur after he ripped Excalibur out of the stone. But in her case it was a different kind of weapon. A black, shiny barbed wire baseball bat. It was hard to tell how long the two of them stood there like this, but it didn’t matter. The end was near.
But it won’t be my end.
DEATH IS A SURPRISE PARTY [UNLESS OF COURSE, YOU’RE ALREADY DEAD ON THE INSIDE]
[Perth, Australia]
It was hard to say what went through DeMarco’s head when booking this show. But then again he was a guy and they loved to play. In many ways, but mostly odd computer games where they could shoot things. Or kill zombies. Or whatever else was trendy these days. Elena herself never understood the idea of computer games. Maybe this was a result of the way she grew up, but to her it seemed like a waste of time. She was fully aware that not many people shared that opinion, but in the end it didn’t matter. No matter the theme of a match, everything ended with blood.
Poor cleaning crew.
But if the world wanted to play a game, she was ready to do so. Making her own rules, changing them on the way. For a few days she got the knowledge she needed when it came to Dead by Daylight. Realizing two things. One, she was too old for this shit. Two, she had done worse things in real life.
The camera came to live showing an empty room. Well to be specific, four empty cells. They were all separated by solid walls, covered in dirty white tiles. In each cell there was a chair. If the viewer took a closer look though, they spotted the massive chains coming from the floor. Somewhere in the distance a laughter was heard. The kind in horror movies right before the killer strikes. Followed by a clicking noise. All the lights went out, leaving the cells in full darkness.
Another long moment of silence before the lights went back on, but the cells weren’t empty any longer. To each chair a person was tied. They all wore the same shirt with only one slight difference. They were numbered from A to D. Each subject looked confused but there was something else. Fear. When the previously heard clicking noise was heard again, three of the four cells went dark again. But at the same time another light went on, showing a woman sitting behind a glass window. The expression on her face was stoic and unreadable.
“So it begins.”
She whispered mostly to herself. By then it was obvious that this woman was Elena DeDraca, although she looked highly different than usual. She was wearing a black suit combined with a white shirt. A red bow tie finishing the look. Or not? Maybe it was the make up on her face that really did the job. Although usually very pale, there was white colour all over it. On her cheeks, red circles.
Take a guess, baby.
The viewer by then knew exactly what this was about. Following Elena DeDraca meant you had the chance to learn some facts. She was a huge horror movie fan. She loved Halloween. And to be fair, it was more than just a day for her. It was a lifestyle. When the camera went closer to her face, even the red contact lenses were in place.
“They wanna play, but they don’t know the game.”
Right in front of her was a mixing pult and a microphone. Several times she would roll her neck before sitting down. She moved closer to the microphone, pressing the button.
“You do realise why you are here, subject A?”
Of course the poor kid didn’t, which only made this so much more fun. If one looked closer he could see a certain resemblance to one of the possible survivors.
“Pride. That is why you are here, darling. But you know what they say: Pride comes before the fall. I hate to be so rude and call you subject A, so shall we find a name for you? What about Syndicate? Or do you prefer Syndi? You know what, it doesn’t matter what you prefer. You are here for all the wrong reasons, darling. And here is not referring to this cell. That was bad luck. Where to start and where to end when it comes to you? You are filled with envy and jealousy. And those feelings go even further than your career. Your family. You come off as someone that wants his ego rubbed while taking the easy way. You did good at Guts, Gold and Glory. Or at least that is what you would tell yourself. But what did it do for you? You still lost. Unfortunately I think that this was your A game, Syndi. Which automatically leads to your biggest problem. None of the people in that match were my caliber. You are delusional when you think any different. But that is the thing with pride, it clouds your vision. Whispers to you, telling you that you are the world's best fighter. Dangerous even.”
A small pause. She stood up to get a better view at the face of the inmate. If he had been confused before, he was completely lost by now. In a slow manner she returned to her seat, speaking again.
“That is what you truly think, right? Because you come from a company that allowed you to grow an ego. Where you had I don’t know how many title reigns. And also where they ran out of competition for you. You may interrupt me any time I say something wrong. No wait, I can’t hear you through that glass. I hate to be the one informing you that Project Honor doesn’t give a shit about where you come from, or what you think you achieved in your previous life. It is about the here and now. And what does Syndicate have to offer when it comes to that? Nothing. He will tell you he has no limits, that he doesn’t know when to stop- but that doesn’t mean he can’t be stopped. Follow my logic. There is a reason why you are placed among the possible survivors and not one of the killers. You miss the edge. I know, wording. But the truth is, I am not the first person that tells you that. If this was a video game, and you fail, you will just restart. But Syndi, there is no restart when it comes to facing me. You get one chance to make the right moves. But that is the problem Syndi, you are way too predictable.”
“You don’t need to let your head hang though. There have been many before you and there will just be as many after you. You think of yourself as someone that is underestimated but deserves respect. What for though? Talking yourself into a corner and missing the point? I applaud you for trying but that is all you ever gonna do. Your chances of surviving this match? Minimal.”
And with that last word the light in the cell went out. Seconds later the light in the second one was flickering, showing someone that looked strangely familiar to Earl Boyde. Even the bandana had the right colour. Dude looked rather unimpressed, but Elena knew better. He was close to pissing his too wide pants.
“What do we have here? Could it be Greed? Look at you tough dude. A real fighter, huh? Or at least that is what I have heard about you. The type that likes to brawl in dirty barrooms and feels like a real man. Hey, to each their own. But brawling qualities don’t mean that you survive. I am not sure how many horror movies you have seen, but usually it's the loudmouths that die very quickly. They might have the physical attributes needed, but often lack the brain for a good plan. Of course I would never question your intelligence, no wait- I just did. A few too many beer bottles over the head do that to you. Just like poor old Syndi, you couldn’t get the job down at the Pay Per View. I could say you should feel embarrassed, but what for? It sometimes feels like we move in circles. Every bulky guy thinks he has what it takes to become the next big thing. But you overlook the fact that this isn't the 80’s anymore. Management looks for talent more than for muscles. And voila, that is why I am the Legacy champion.”
“What can someone like you offer, Earl? You are here to make money, but you don’t think further than you can spit. Which maybe sounds way too hard, but you are just a pile of meat to me. There is nothing interesting when it comes to you. And that probably is my biggest problem. If you don’t interest me, I will end you quickly. You will not get the passion Mark Hunter received from me. This is a matter of playing it smart, Earl. No matter how big you are, your kneecaps break just like anyone else's. And when you fall, you will not stand up again. When I take from you, what you think makes you special and all that is left is an empty shell. I would say there is still time to turn around and find yourself a job as a security guard, but we both know that train left the station. So come and play, if you dare.”
Instantly the lights went out. The third cell was enlightened showing a rather handsome young man.
“Sloth. Cute and all, but not putting the right effort. But let's start with the good news. I knew that somewhere out there we had a pretty face. But like many other times when they are pretty, they are not so bright. Let me welcome you though to the company. Project Honor is the name. Or wait, should it be welcome back? I have heard rumours you have been around before. What? Without trying to offend you, you have completely slipped my mind. You are probably another Zack Tyler. Yeah. I know. Who? Don’t torture your brain for it, darling. Since I can’t remember you from an earlier stay, I will go with what I know. Trey. Bouchet. I swear the first time my mind replaced your last name with the word douche. Which of course isn’t correct, since you are the good guy. Two thumbs up for that. We really need more heroes in this company. But every hero has a weakness. For superman it is kryptonite. For Wonder Woman it is being tied up by man. So what about you? Oh yeah, not getting to do a suplex every ten seconds. Dude, you really need to get help.”
“The Suplexpert. You really kill me. But I tell you this, you get one for free on me. That is no joke, Trey. But after that your ass belongs to me. And while that theoretically sounds like a good time, I am not sure you will get a happy ending. Because one has to think this through. How many people can you suplex when I rip off your arms? How funny is it walking with broken legs? I will tell you, not so funny. In my life I have met enough of your kind. Those that pretend that they are the good fellahs. They act like gentlemen but somewhere underneath that? There is a lot of anger resting. And take it from someone that probably is made out of 95% anger, swallowing is not healthy. Let it out. Embrace it. If not? You will once again be forgotten. Ps. Add to your repertoire a little. Maybe a clothesline here and there? Because otherwise your moves are as interesting as your personality.”
“Just trying to help. But let’s move on.”
And one last time the procedure. But this time inside the cell sat no real person. Instead a blow up doll was chained to the chair. Elena couldn’t help herself, she giggled. In a costume like this it even seemed more grotesque than usual.
“With this young lady it was hard. I tried to think and then realised being a bimbo ain’t a sin. But Envy is. And that is what Miss Hixx hides behind her old fashioned way of living. But I think she simply does so because she is limited in her actions. Or her imagination. Going as far as referring to other female athletes as divas. Are you fucking kidding me, doll? I mean in all honesty, it can’t be that you believe that bullshit yourself. Throwing us back by fifty years, where females only had one purpose. Looking nice and shutting the fuck up. And someone like you wants to be a role model? For who? It doesn’t happen all too often that an opponent pisses me off, but you managed. All my life I have fought to be the best in this business. I have lost as much as I won. But I never backed down from a fight. And while I am very proud of what I have achieved, I know that everyone has a story to tell. I just wonder what yours is. Did your parents drop you a little too often? Or hasn’t your daddy loved you enough? Explain it to me, Hixx. I try to understand how a blow up doll like you ends up in professional fighting.”
“No wait, I really don’t care. The truth is, if you like it or not, you are a joke. No one in their right mind will look up to you. Have you even one damn match in your whole career? Probably not. The truth is, it's nothing personal with any of the guys. They have their flaws. But after I end their misery I will just walk off. But with you, girl, it is something different. I will scratch off your dumbness with the baseball. Leaving you a bloody mess. A gift from me to you. Consider it a wake up call; this ain’t Dollywood.”
One last time all the lights went out, only to be turned on back again. All four subjects sat on their chairs, still chained. Only one thing in the scene had changed. The letters on their shirts were exed out.
“We all fear something. I, as much as the four of you. The only difference is that I face my fears. Every fucking day. So what is the worst thing you could do to me? Exactly - Nothing. I don’t wanna be a party pooper though. When the boss says ‘let’s play a game’, I will go for it. The problem is this, neither of you are good at playing. You are either pretty boys that can’t count to three. Ego driven footnotes. Sex objects. Or monkeys that will dance for money. Nothing too impressive, right? I am Elena fuckingDeDraca. And if you like it or not I will always be the joker. In every game.”
“So now I ask, how much blood will you give in order to survive?”
Click. All lights out.
“Game Over.”
[Melbourne, Australia] AFTERMATH GUTS, GOLD AND GLORY ‘21
And it’s done.
It was almost impossible to put in words how she felt. After this kind of war a fighter mostly lived off of adrenaline. Elena DeDraca was no different when it came to that. She hardly recognised the crowd on her way up the ramp. Here and there she took notice of her friends walking right next to her. The excitement that swung in their voices was giving her all kinds of emotions. She couldn’t tell how often they had patted her back till they made it to the backstage area. But to be fair, her focus was on the heavy belt she carried over her shoulder. The Legacy title. Back where it belonged.
Against all odds she once again was the leader of the pack. Okay, a pack she didn’t choose and filled with lots of people she didn’t care about. But it was the thought that did count, right? She was ready to wash off the sweat, dirt and blood. More than ready to go home to see her loved ones. Kissing her daughter goodnight and then crawling into bed with her husband. But it was obvious that the company had different plans.
Again.
Right before the girls could reach their locker room it was Timothy Daniels blocking their way. He was well dressed and could have been called handsome, but neither of that did matter to Elena. His appearance only meant more work, which allowed the feeling of annoyance to grow. Lara was ready to handle the situation, but the Fist of Hydra shook her head. Putting on her best fake smile she looked at the man.
“What can I do for you, Timmy?”
He looked slightly puzzled, either by the name of the fact that she even stopped to take notice of him. But being a professional he was quick to find his balance again, looking directly in her face.
“The audience is dying to know how you feel, Elena. After this brutal match against one of the best the company has to offer. Some would say he gave you a run for your money.”
Elena still smiled, although there were slight changes in her body language. The tension, for those that paid attention, was growing.
“You are correct about that, Timmy. Mark Hunter, even though he became slightly weak in the past weeks, put out one hell of a performance. Bringing his alter ego was a move into the right direction. And while I admire someone’s hunger and passion for violence, not even the Evil Within stood a chance.”
From the background she heard slight giggle noises. Without turning around she knew they came from Alexandra Kelly. The little ball of fire with more crazy than doctor Freud would dare to discover. And also her best friend.
“Mark Hunter, or whatever he wants to call himself, has earned my respect. Of course one can discuss what this is worth these days, but you get the idea. No matter how hard I went, he didn’t back down. But at the end of the day, there can only be one Legacy champion. And just like I warned Mister Hunter, being good can’t live up to being great. Those that stand behind me, know what this title means to me. Those that try to belittle me, will learn their well deserved lesson. We are back to the rules of the jungle. Eat or be eaten.”
All this time she kept eye contact with the backstage interviewer, watching his every reaction. He looked a little jumpy so to say. And behind the professional attitude it was obvious that he was scared.
Good.
“Considering you are the Legacy champion once again, you are aware that you have a target on your back, right? People left and right will try to take your spot. Are you having any dream opponents? Or people you don’t wanna fight at all?”
“You’re adorable, Timmy. Dream opponents? Like who? Those that keep using my name to become somewhat relevant? Those that try to get into the boss's pants to get a title chance? Or you mean those hardly had five matches but think they are the cherry on top? I don’t have to comment on every Harry and Sally, darling. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t see them, or hear their nonsense. They wanna come for me?”
Elena turned around for the first time looking into the smiling faces of HYDRA. All three of them stood behind her with their arms crossed in front of their chest.
“I tell you what I suggest: Come as you are. Bring everything you go and if you are clever, a little more. There is no one in this company that causes me to shiver in anticipation. There are interesting individuals, so what? If they earn it, they know where to find me. Unlike some, I don’t run. Or hide behind an attitude. I came to fight and clearly to win. Don’t like it? Keep crying.”
She moved her head slightly to the side looking down at the shiny object over her shoulder. Elena would pat it three times before returning her focus to the interviewer. He was expecting her to speak once more, but that never happened. Instead she walked past him, with the group of women following her. Alex being the last one, she looked up to him. Smiling. Those shiny white teeth were almost blinding.
Timothy looked at her, not quite sure what to make of the situation. HYDRA had already reached Elena’s locker room, but Alex was still standing there. The intensity of her look caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand up.
“As the Fist of Hydra would say…”
In a quick manner she pinched his butt right before she began to follow her friends. Of course in that unique manner, that most people would call skipping. The interviewer looked after her even more confused than before. The OG Pixie looked over her shoulder once more, winking at the guy.
“...you are welcome.”
ONCE YOU ARE IN HELL [ONLY THE DEVIL CAN HELP YOU OUT]
[London, England]
There is no place like London. No matter where companies sent her, coming back here was one of the most fulfilling feelings. Sure there were many memories she tried to erase, but not any longer. If anything she embraced them, worked with them and then put them in a box. Elena DeDraca wasn't that stubborn teenager any longer. She didn’t have to hide in dark alleys trying to survive just another day. Without a real reason for surviving either. A little fact she didn’t take notice of back then. In those days everything seemed broken, but it really wasn't.
When you are young every set back seems like the end of the world. Every love is the big love and every break up is the worst pain one can imagine. Everything was so much more intensive in those days. And dumb. Extremely dumb. When Cyrus Riddle broke her heart, she thought she would never come back from it. But she had to. For Isabella. When her family broke apart and love turned into hate, she was close to hanging up her boots. But she didn’t. For Isabella. And when a company lived and breathed on envy, she wondered if it was time to do things differently. And she did. For herself.
I don’t mind and you don’t matter.
And here she was today walking the streets of London. And while Mark had suggested getting a driver, she didn’t see the point of it. This was her playground. And even though the city was constantly growing and changing, she knew her way around. He always worried about her, which she admired to a degree. But not once did he try to chain her or put her decisions in question.
“You wanna do the tour, darling?”
A hardly inviting voice brought her back to reality. There was this young guy standing there with his flyers, trying to lure people in. A job that Elena herself did many years ago. Although when she thought about it now, it seemed like the life of another person. Never her own.
And while she already made the decision of not making the tour, she still would grab one of the flyers. In big, bold and bloody letters the flyer read: “The Jack the Ripper tour”. A small smile played around her lips. Jack the Ripper. The man. The myth. Probably also the syphilis sick dick that couldn’t get an erection anymore- which led to him killing prostitutes. For a long moment she scanned over the flyer before returning it to the boy.
“You don’t know what you are missing, ma’am. It’s one of the most spooky tours you can do here, about a real killer… “
“Oh love, you know nothing about real killers. Or where to find them.”
Once again she smiled while setting herself in motion, knowing where her next destination would be. A little cottage out of town in what most people would call a village. The kind where you would buy your groceries at the market and plant your own vegetables. And in the middle of this peaceful area lived none other than Lara Marie Chambers. Former hitwoman. Former Cage Fighting Champion. Multi-time wrestling champion. And now a member of HYDRA.
When walking through the wooden gate, Elena shook her head. All of this looked like a place where fairies would mate. Or where someone had their last LSD trip. Both things are possible. Somewhere behind the house she heard loud music play, in a language she probably had never heard before.
“What a crazy bitch…”
The first thing that jumped to attention was the fiery red hair. Followed by all the sparks flying around. Lara was someone that liked to work with her hands, building things so to speak. While she often made sculptures out of iron or wood, today was meant for a special order. At first she didn’t notice Elena, who had lazily leaned against the cool stone wall. She admired the way her friend worked, even though it looked slightly scary. When taking notice though, Lara stopped the machine and took off her welding goggles.
“You are early, El.”
“I guess that is what excitement does, right? Plus, Isabella wants to work on her mini zoo in the afternoon. So you see, duties all over.”
Lara simply nodded while slowly taking off the way too big gloves. For a long while she would look at the piece that was resting in front of her. Here and there it was still glowing in a deep red. The onyx coloured metal was adding the perfect contrast to it. This was the moment Elena pushed herself off the wall, slowly walking closer.
“She is beautiful.”
“Aren’t they always? But most importantly, she is almost unbreakable.”
Elena reached out but Lara slapped her on the fingers, causing her friend to growl slightly. But that was nothing that could impress someone like the Lady of the Chambers. Instead she laughed out loud, handing her friend one of the gloves. Okay, protection is everything. The piece was observed from every angle.
“It is probably the best one I have ever made. The barbed wire is made of a special material too, so be careful. If you slash into meat with that, it will be like a thousand razor blades at once. But I would assume for a match like that, this was exactly what you wanted.”
“They called for a killer, not a predator. And like SteelBones Wrestling taught us, go all in or go home. Thank you, Lara. I shall hold this one in honour.”
In a rather dramatic way Elena lifted the deadly weapon, probably looking like King Arthur after he ripped Excalibur out of the stone. But in her case it was a different kind of weapon. A black, shiny barbed wire baseball bat. It was hard to tell how long the two of them stood there like this, but it didn’t matter. The end was near.
But it won’t be my end.
DEATH IS A SURPRISE PARTY [UNLESS OF COURSE, YOU’RE ALREADY DEAD ON THE INSIDE]
[Perth, Australia]
It was hard to say what went through DeMarco’s head when booking this show. But then again he was a guy and they loved to play. In many ways, but mostly odd computer games where they could shoot things. Or kill zombies. Or whatever else was trendy these days. Elena herself never understood the idea of computer games. Maybe this was a result of the way she grew up, but to her it seemed like a waste of time. She was fully aware that not many people shared that opinion, but in the end it didn’t matter. No matter the theme of a match, everything ended with blood.
Poor cleaning crew.
But if the world wanted to play a game, she was ready to do so. Making her own rules, changing them on the way. For a few days she got the knowledge she needed when it came to Dead by Daylight. Realizing two things. One, she was too old for this shit. Two, she had done worse things in real life.
The camera came to live showing an empty room. Well to be specific, four empty cells. They were all separated by solid walls, covered in dirty white tiles. In each cell there was a chair. If the viewer took a closer look though, they spotted the massive chains coming from the floor. Somewhere in the distance a laughter was heard. The kind in horror movies right before the killer strikes. Followed by a clicking noise. All the lights went out, leaving the cells in full darkness.
Another long moment of silence before the lights went back on, but the cells weren’t empty any longer. To each chair a person was tied. They all wore the same shirt with only one slight difference. They were numbered from A to D. Each subject looked confused but there was something else. Fear. When the previously heard clicking noise was heard again, three of the four cells went dark again. But at the same time another light went on, showing a woman sitting behind a glass window. The expression on her face was stoic and unreadable.
“So it begins.”
She whispered mostly to herself. By then it was obvious that this woman was Elena DeDraca, although she looked highly different than usual. She was wearing a black suit combined with a white shirt. A red bow tie finishing the look. Or not? Maybe it was the make up on her face that really did the job. Although usually very pale, there was white colour all over it. On her cheeks, red circles.
Take a guess, baby.
The viewer by then knew exactly what this was about. Following Elena DeDraca meant you had the chance to learn some facts. She was a huge horror movie fan. She loved Halloween. And to be fair, it was more than just a day for her. It was a lifestyle. When the camera went closer to her face, even the red contact lenses were in place.
“They wanna play, but they don’t know the game.”
Right in front of her was a mixing pult and a microphone. Several times she would roll her neck before sitting down. She moved closer to the microphone, pressing the button.
“You do realise why you are here, subject A?”
Of course the poor kid didn’t, which only made this so much more fun. If one looked closer he could see a certain resemblance to one of the possible survivors.
“Pride. That is why you are here, darling. But you know what they say: Pride comes before the fall. I hate to be so rude and call you subject A, so shall we find a name for you? What about Syndicate? Or do you prefer Syndi? You know what, it doesn’t matter what you prefer. You are here for all the wrong reasons, darling. And here is not referring to this cell. That was bad luck. Where to start and where to end when it comes to you? You are filled with envy and jealousy. And those feelings go even further than your career. Your family. You come off as someone that wants his ego rubbed while taking the easy way. You did good at Guts, Gold and Glory. Or at least that is what you would tell yourself. But what did it do for you? You still lost. Unfortunately I think that this was your A game, Syndi. Which automatically leads to your biggest problem. None of the people in that match were my caliber. You are delusional when you think any different. But that is the thing with pride, it clouds your vision. Whispers to you, telling you that you are the world's best fighter. Dangerous even.”
A small pause. She stood up to get a better view at the face of the inmate. If he had been confused before, he was completely lost by now. In a slow manner she returned to her seat, speaking again.
“That is what you truly think, right? Because you come from a company that allowed you to grow an ego. Where you had I don’t know how many title reigns. And also where they ran out of competition for you. You may interrupt me any time I say something wrong. No wait, I can’t hear you through that glass. I hate to be the one informing you that Project Honor doesn’t give a shit about where you come from, or what you think you achieved in your previous life. It is about the here and now. And what does Syndicate have to offer when it comes to that? Nothing. He will tell you he has no limits, that he doesn’t know when to stop- but that doesn’t mean he can’t be stopped. Follow my logic. There is a reason why you are placed among the possible survivors and not one of the killers. You miss the edge. I know, wording. But the truth is, I am not the first person that tells you that. If this was a video game, and you fail, you will just restart. But Syndi, there is no restart when it comes to facing me. You get one chance to make the right moves. But that is the problem Syndi, you are way too predictable.”
“You don’t need to let your head hang though. There have been many before you and there will just be as many after you. You think of yourself as someone that is underestimated but deserves respect. What for though? Talking yourself into a corner and missing the point? I applaud you for trying but that is all you ever gonna do. Your chances of surviving this match? Minimal.”
And with that last word the light in the cell went out. Seconds later the light in the second one was flickering, showing someone that looked strangely familiar to Earl Boyde. Even the bandana had the right colour. Dude looked rather unimpressed, but Elena knew better. He was close to pissing his too wide pants.
“What do we have here? Could it be Greed? Look at you tough dude. A real fighter, huh? Or at least that is what I have heard about you. The type that likes to brawl in dirty barrooms and feels like a real man. Hey, to each their own. But brawling qualities don’t mean that you survive. I am not sure how many horror movies you have seen, but usually it's the loudmouths that die very quickly. They might have the physical attributes needed, but often lack the brain for a good plan. Of course I would never question your intelligence, no wait- I just did. A few too many beer bottles over the head do that to you. Just like poor old Syndi, you couldn’t get the job down at the Pay Per View. I could say you should feel embarrassed, but what for? It sometimes feels like we move in circles. Every bulky guy thinks he has what it takes to become the next big thing. But you overlook the fact that this isn't the 80’s anymore. Management looks for talent more than for muscles. And voila, that is why I am the Legacy champion.”
“What can someone like you offer, Earl? You are here to make money, but you don’t think further than you can spit. Which maybe sounds way too hard, but you are just a pile of meat to me. There is nothing interesting when it comes to you. And that probably is my biggest problem. If you don’t interest me, I will end you quickly. You will not get the passion Mark Hunter received from me. This is a matter of playing it smart, Earl. No matter how big you are, your kneecaps break just like anyone else's. And when you fall, you will not stand up again. When I take from you, what you think makes you special and all that is left is an empty shell. I would say there is still time to turn around and find yourself a job as a security guard, but we both know that train left the station. So come and play, if you dare.”
Instantly the lights went out. The third cell was enlightened showing a rather handsome young man.
“Sloth. Cute and all, but not putting the right effort. But let's start with the good news. I knew that somewhere out there we had a pretty face. But like many other times when they are pretty, they are not so bright. Let me welcome you though to the company. Project Honor is the name. Or wait, should it be welcome back? I have heard rumours you have been around before. What? Without trying to offend you, you have completely slipped my mind. You are probably another Zack Tyler. Yeah. I know. Who? Don’t torture your brain for it, darling. Since I can’t remember you from an earlier stay, I will go with what I know. Trey. Bouchet. I swear the first time my mind replaced your last name with the word douche. Which of course isn’t correct, since you are the good guy. Two thumbs up for that. We really need more heroes in this company. But every hero has a weakness. For superman it is kryptonite. For Wonder Woman it is being tied up by man. So what about you? Oh yeah, not getting to do a suplex every ten seconds. Dude, you really need to get help.”
“The Suplexpert. You really kill me. But I tell you this, you get one for free on me. That is no joke, Trey. But after that your ass belongs to me. And while that theoretically sounds like a good time, I am not sure you will get a happy ending. Because one has to think this through. How many people can you suplex when I rip off your arms? How funny is it walking with broken legs? I will tell you, not so funny. In my life I have met enough of your kind. Those that pretend that they are the good fellahs. They act like gentlemen but somewhere underneath that? There is a lot of anger resting. And take it from someone that probably is made out of 95% anger, swallowing is not healthy. Let it out. Embrace it. If not? You will once again be forgotten. Ps. Add to your repertoire a little. Maybe a clothesline here and there? Because otherwise your moves are as interesting as your personality.”
“Just trying to help. But let’s move on.”
And one last time the procedure. But this time inside the cell sat no real person. Instead a blow up doll was chained to the chair. Elena couldn’t help herself, she giggled. In a costume like this it even seemed more grotesque than usual.
“With this young lady it was hard. I tried to think and then realised being a bimbo ain’t a sin. But Envy is. And that is what Miss Hixx hides behind her old fashioned way of living. But I think she simply does so because she is limited in her actions. Or her imagination. Going as far as referring to other female athletes as divas. Are you fucking kidding me, doll? I mean in all honesty, it can’t be that you believe that bullshit yourself. Throwing us back by fifty years, where females only had one purpose. Looking nice and shutting the fuck up. And someone like you wants to be a role model? For who? It doesn’t happen all too often that an opponent pisses me off, but you managed. All my life I have fought to be the best in this business. I have lost as much as I won. But I never backed down from a fight. And while I am very proud of what I have achieved, I know that everyone has a story to tell. I just wonder what yours is. Did your parents drop you a little too often? Or hasn’t your daddy loved you enough? Explain it to me, Hixx. I try to understand how a blow up doll like you ends up in professional fighting.”
“No wait, I really don’t care. The truth is, if you like it or not, you are a joke. No one in their right mind will look up to you. Have you even one damn match in your whole career? Probably not. The truth is, it's nothing personal with any of the guys. They have their flaws. But after I end their misery I will just walk off. But with you, girl, it is something different. I will scratch off your dumbness with the baseball. Leaving you a bloody mess. A gift from me to you. Consider it a wake up call; this ain’t Dollywood.”
One last time all the lights went out, only to be turned on back again. All four subjects sat on their chairs, still chained. Only one thing in the scene had changed. The letters on their shirts were exed out.
“We all fear something. I, as much as the four of you. The only difference is that I face my fears. Every fucking day. So what is the worst thing you could do to me? Exactly - Nothing. I don’t wanna be a party pooper though. When the boss says ‘let’s play a game’, I will go for it. The problem is this, neither of you are good at playing. You are either pretty boys that can’t count to three. Ego driven footnotes. Sex objects. Or monkeys that will dance for money. Nothing too impressive, right? I am Elena fuckingDeDraca. And if you like it or not I will always be the joker. In every game.”
“So now I ask, how much blood will you give in order to survive?”
Click. All lights out.
“Game Over.”
