Post by Kaz on Apr 11, 2014 0:08:51 GMT -5
You see the rabbit don’t you?
[Segment 1 - 5:30 A.M. - Off Camera]
I thrashed in my bed, becoming tangled in my blanket as my pillow hit the floor. I looked around, dazed, barely able to remember the reason I sprung so suddenly. My head pounded and I couldn‘t think. I squinted in the dark before reaching my phone on the dresser next to my bed. The digital blast of light shined directly in my eyes, temporarily blinding me as I tried my best to read the clock. 5:30 A.M. I sighed as I put my phone down.
A nightmare maybe? Everything about it seemed so real, but now I can‘t remember a damn bit of it. It was like a piece of some terrible puzzle, one I could only find in the dark, but one I never wanted to find. The thought of it sent cold shivers down my spine. I compressed the vague memory to the back of my brain and shut my eyes.
You’ll never forget about the rabbit, Colin.
[Segment 2 - On Top of the World - Off Camera]
I didn’t know opening a mailbox could change a life. There was the usual bills that were going to be late, a few coupons, and a manila envelope that contained dreams. Like a lion salivating as his hunt, I ripped open the top of the envelope, barely able to contain my excitement. Inside the envelope was a neatly printed stack of papers. My WCF contract. I found the closest pen and signed every dotted line I could find and initialed every empty space.
The ink was still wet when I put the contract in to a new envelope.
On the drive to the post office, my eyes began to well with tears. Tears; both overjoyed and heartrending. Everything that’s happened in my life has lead to this moment. Every pain and hardship I've endured has guided me to becoming the strongest version of myself…but my road has only just begun.
Several days later…
The conference call meeting with Seth Lerch, the proprietor of WCF, went extremely well. He let me know about the bye week after their last Pay-Per-View Explosion and that getting my name out there was my own responsibility. After a few hours of brainstorming, I decided the fastest way to do this was to cash in on their twitter trend. After a few days and a thousand tweets, I had managed to garner a few enemies…and a decent buzz on twitter. Everyone may hate Colin Marshall already, but they were at least excited to see what he could do. My phone vibrated to life on the table and my friend Patrick McCoy’s goofy face appeared on the screen accompanied by some ring tone that he had chosen. I answered the call.
Colin Marshall: “Hello?”
Patrick McCoy: “Hello?! Don’t you take that ungrateful tone with me. I’ve clothed you and fed you your entire life. I brought you in to this world and I can take you out.”
Colin Marshall: “Hi Patrick…”
Patrick McCoy: “Oh scissors. You always know when it’s me, don’t you?”
Patrick had been my kindred spirit since we were teenagers.. Both of us had been athletes in school, but couldn't really focus on the sports we played. I had talked myself in to signing up for football and he electively started playing baseball. About a year in to each of our sports, we realized that we had no passion or desire for them and decided to join the wrestling team. We met when we both had to try out against each other. Long, long story short; I got disqualified for locking him in a sharpshooter. Afterwards, he had asked me, seriously, who my favorite wrestler was, and when I replied Shawn Michaels, we were automatic friends. He got kicked off the team later for applying the figure four on his opponents legs during one of his matches and almost got expelled from school.
Patrick McCoy: “So what’s it like being a professional wrestler? How does it feel?”
Colin Marshall: “All I know is I can‘t wait to get in the ring and show them what the real deal is.”
Patrick McCoy: “Hold up man, you've made a couple of these guys really fucking pissed already. What about your first match against this guy Terry Roberts?”
Colin Marshall: “Terry Roberts? He’s been Television Champion and one half of the Tag Team Champions. He’s been named wrestler of the week twice and been part of seven matches of the week. That’s pretty impressive.”
Patrick McCoy: “Yeah it is man. What would you say to him if he was here?”
Colin Marshall: “What would I say? I’d say Terry Roberts, you better prepare. You better do everything you can to protect yourself against Colin Marshall. I may not have as many years as you, but my drive to succeed, to win, is all that keeps me going. I've been through countless struggles to get here, and I’m not going to let some old dog ruin my day with his dreams of reliving glory. All of your achievements, from winning the T.V.. Championship to being wrestler of the week, have one sole purpose and that’s to further my career. Everything you have accomplished will just be a notch in my belt. I have the element of surprise this weekend . Nobody knows Colin Marshall. They don’t know what to expect from me because I painted a false picture. They think I’m a spoiled little brat who’s parents gave me everything I ever wanted. They don’t know how violent I can be in that ring. They don’t know me.”
Patrick McCoy: “Well, they’re going to learn I guess.”
Colin Marshall: “When are you going to get signed Patrick? I’m ready to team with you and be the greatest, longest reigning Tag Team Champions.”
Patrick McCoy: “Man, you know I just started. But wait a little bit, and you’ll be defending that WCF Heavyweight Championship against me.”
Colin Marshall: “I can’t wait man…”
When was the last time you saw the rabbit?
Colin Marshall: “Uh, hey man, I gotta go. I’ll call you later alright.
Patrick McCoy: “Yeah man talk to you later.”
I hung up the phone and went to lay down.
[Segment 3 - Anchorage - Off Camera]
I breathe in the Alaska air as I step out of the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. My red eye flight had arrived at a crisp five a.m. and I was ready to get my day started. There was only a few more days until my debut match and the butterflies in my stomach were starting to get a little intense. The only thing I could do to keep my mind off of them was to keep extremely busy. Before I left the airport, I had called a local cab company, and I had to hand it to them; They were prompt.
A middle aged man stood outside of the bright yellow taxi.
Cab Driver: “You Colin? I’m waiting for a Colin Marshall."
I nodded in concurrence and crawled in to the back seat of the cab. I told him my destination as he sat down in the driver’s side seat.
Colin Marshall: “I’m headed to the Sullivan Arena on Gamble Street.”
Cab Driver: “The Sullivan Arena? It’s five in the morning. Nothing’s going on there, I guarantee that.”
Colin Marshall: “Yeah, I know. This is a big weekend for me and I really want to check it out.”
Cab Driver: “You in town for the Chili Peppers or something? Or that god damn freak wrestling show?”
Look at the rabbit, Colin.
Colin Marshall: “The god damn freak show.”
Cab Driver: “Yugh! Wrestling today! All blood, carnage, and sex. No respect for the times with the good old fashioned figure four leg locks and suplexes. I wouldn't take my kid anywhere near that garbage.”
The rest of the trip went by in silence. I spent a lot of time thinking about my upcoming match against Terry Roberts. I have a lot of respect for him based only on the fact that he was the only established main eventer to not automatically deny my challenge. Everyone’s afraid to put their pride on the line when it comes to the new guy. They cry “you haven’t earned it” or “y”. They are all afraid to step in to the ring with Colin Marshall. The “Fodder” they called me. The “Jobber”.
The cab driver took a turn off of a road called Walter J. Hickel Parkway on to W 15th Ave. 15th was only a short road to Gambell Street. The cab driver pulled over to the side of the road.
Cab Driver: “Here we are. Sullivan Arena.”
And we were. There was a small digital sign that said Sullivan Arena as bright as day. Underneath that was a “Go Seawolves” sign and an Alaska Ace’s sign above that. The scrolling text on the digital sign read “This weekend, we welcome. Saturday 4/12/14 Red Hot Chili Pepper’s! Sunday 4/13/14 World Championship Federation Wrestling Presents Sunday Night Slam!”
I paid the cab fare and stepped out of the taxi. The grass crunched underneath my feet as the morning dew froze it in place. I walked closer to the arena and stood in awe of it. This is my first step. So close, yet so far. Soon.
Colin Marshall: (Voiceover) Terry Roberts, I’m sorry that you have to be the one. The one that has to set the table only to eat defeat. I know that this victory must mean the world to you…but it means that much more to me, Terry. You’re achievements span over years of wrestling but I also know you have a pattern of failure. Colin Marshall will have to be just another road block for you. That’s how the story will always go for Terry Roberts. Almost making it there, just to be stopped in your tracks. The day will finally come when everyone who said it couldn’t happen…no, wouldn’t happen…will finally see that Colin Marshall has what it takes to succeed . They’ll see Colin Marshall step in to XIII and give Corey Black a taste of his own medicine. They’ll see Colin Marshall topple Pantheon and laugh as their alliance crumbles. They’ll see Colin Marshall win the WCF Heavyweight Championship. They’ll see.
They’ll see the rabbit too, Colin?
[Segment 4 - Gorilla Position - Off Camera]
It’s finally time. I stared at the curtain separating me from the humming WCF crowd. My knees trembled and goose bumps tickled my skin. My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth like taffy.
Staff: “You’re on in 5...”
My stomach clenched.
"4...”
My shoulders relaxed.
"3...”
The rabbit.
“2...”
I looked forward.
“1...”
My chest roared.
I stepped through the curtain as the opening riff to “End of Heartache” by Killswitch Engage roared throughout the arena.
