Post by Chelsea Armstrong on Jul 11, 2014 22:19:16 GMT -5
**Scene One**
“There’s a time when confinement cannot happen…it cannot be stood, that is the moment I live in. I have to get out of here, I can only talk to one person in a moment like this…and no one is going to be able to help me until then.”
Having refused to be chained to the desk last night I sit in the darkest corner at the wall furthest away from the door to Scott’s office, I didn’t want to talk to anyone, do anything and I had told Chris exactly that when he came to pick me up for my training session that morning. The clock appeared to have said it was about 9:45am, Scott was usually in around ten and that’s when he would be confronted, I knew he’s have some words for me, we didn’t talk much after coming back from the arena the night before. I think we were both in agreement that it was better left alone…at least for then.
I waited there, just waiting, knees pulled to my chest and cheek still stinging as if that bitches hand had just pierced my skin for the first time. Time went by slowly but finally it struck ten and I was on my feet, still in the corner, but standing and planning out in my head what I wanted to say. I watched the door knob turn as it then opened and Scott walked in wearing his black suit as expected, his eyes were hard to see as I couldn’t make out just what he was thinking this moment. Apparently I was more concealed than I had first thought as I then saw him glance around the room in a panic before I can see him starting to get upset already, knowing I didn’t want that I moved from the shadows and cleared my throat as he focused on me and I could see him visibly untense.
“There you are.”
“Yes, and I want to talk.”
“I thought you had fled on me again.”
“No…but I want to talk.”
“Which by the way, do not ever do that to me again.”
“Scott!”
Stopping in his tracks as he was walking to his desk he had already slipped off his jacket, turning on his heels his gaze met mine as for a moment I could just see an air of condescension around him.
“Yes?”
“…I want to talk.”
“Oh right, we never talked about the little incident at Slam did we?”
“No but that’s not what I want to talk about.”
“We need to talk about it before we go onto anything else.”
“Fine.”
“So what happened?”
“You saw what happened, Seifer and I were arguing through the match, I tried to confront him after and his little girlfriend or whatever she is slapped me and he left me, not much more to it.”
“What did he say to you, everyone saw him whisper in your ear. What was said?”
“I can’t…”
“What?”
“I can’t tell you, I don’t want to. It’s not important.”
“Clearly it is if it left you dazed enough to not even defend yourself against someone like Lorelei.”
“I’m fine, it was nothing, can we move on?”
“No, what is going to happen if you see her again?”
“I don’t know…”
“That is not good enough Chelsea.”
“What am I supposed to do then, track her down and take her out? She wrecked my marriage!”
“No, but I do want you to listen to me…”
Having now crossed the room he stands in front of me, eye to eye watching my every move, almost as if he’s able to read the very thoughts in my mind.
“You are Chelsea fucking Black fucking Armstrong..”
“No…”
“Excuse me?”
“I’ve already went to my maiden name, I don’t want anything to do with him.”
“Ok, fine. You are Chelsea fucking Armstrong and you need to knock off the little broken hearted girl act and start acting like it! You are the future of WCF, you are MoD, you are destruction personified! Get off your ass, stand tall and don’t take anymore shit. The next time someone slaps you they will know the meaning of destruction and you better make sure that happens or you are going to be walked over in this federation in nothing flat!”
“I understand…and I will make that happen…but Scott I need to do something first.”
“What is that?”
“I need out, if only for the day, I need out of here, I need to go back home.”
“I swear if you’re going to meet ICE…”
“I’m not; I just need to go home for a few days.”
“Then I’ll go with you.”
“No, I have to do this on my own, please. I will be back in time for the show I promise.”
“By yourself?”
“Yes.”
“You understand if I find out he was with you this won’t be just another warning.”
“I understand.”
“Ok, but you better make sure you are in that ring against Waylon come Slam.”
“I will be.”
Grabbing the bag I had pre-packed I walk towards the door, I take one last look at Scott as he throws me my cellphone before I head towards the elevator, it feels so weird as I’m not used to be out of here during the week. The light stings my eyes as I get to the ground level and I think to check my phone, not so much to my surprise my contacts have been erased as the only number in the phone belongs to Scott himself.
“Talk about trusting…oh well…this week is my time alone…I won’t be using it anyway.”
.
.
.
**Scene Two**
“Not too long ago I talked of a house on a hill…I visited that house and all of you saw that house…I had thought of revisiting that house today but I thought I’d choose a more direct path to what I needed right now. My life is literally crumbling, I may be a champion but at what cost? My husband has left me for someone else; I haven’t seen my baby girl in weeks as she’s been staying with a friend of mine, I’ve been stuck underground with no one to talk to besides Scott and a trainer…I don’t know how much more of this I can take…and that is why I had to get out.”
A pale white and purple dress skims the ground as my eyes are already glossed with tears, I hadn’t known anyone else to talk to…I don’t have anyone else to talk to…and that is the sad truth of where my life has taken me. My once best friend has left, my husband has left, my daughter has left…I have the guys but at what point are they not good enough? I pass gravestone after gravestone, names shining brightly as the sun shimmers against the granite slabs, it doesn’t take long until I find my way to one labeled “Armstrong”, I had placed a small sitting bench there a few years ago but sadly it had not seen much action. Placing down the black umbrella I had been holding over my head to keep the sun from my eyes I sit down on the bench and stare at the cold stone in front of me.
“Jason William Armstrong and Emily Rose Armstrong”
The dates were there but they aren’t of importance, that is not why I came here, I came here to see those names…to know that six feet under my black boots laid the bodies of two people I needed the most right now, and that thought made me die a little inside.
“I’m sorry…”
“What’s wrong, honeybee?”
“Daddy?”
“Who else, baby girl?”
Tears immediately spring to my eyes as even though it’s my own thoughts making this happen it all feels so real, I don’t try to stop it…I want this to continue…even talking to them like this would be enough. The trees had gone still almost with a sense of eeriness as no one else was in the cemetery locked deep away in the city.
“Is it ok I came here?”
“Now sweetie why would be upset that you came to visit us?”
“Momma?”
“Right here hunny.”
I swear I can feel her arm around my shoulders as I move to the grass and lean back against the bench like I used to do as a child and sit between their feet, feeling comforted and safe as I knew they would protect me from anything.
“I don’t know what to do Momma, everything is falling apart, and I feel like I’m losing everything.”
“Isn’t that what you told me last time?”
“Sorta…but its gotten worse. Seifer left me; Shelley probably doesn’t remember me by now…this isn’t where I wanted to be.”
“Sometimes life gets rough baby, but remember last time you were upset and you went to your momma? You rose up to some of the best times in your life; the storm has to end at some point.”
“I don’t know daddy, that time was different. I knew where I was going, I knew what I wanted to accomplish…now I don’t even know.”
“Ok then let’s play a game.”
“Do I have to?”
“You know what we do when we get stuck in a problem like this, now quit ya whining.”
Looking up to my momma she smiles and gave me a nod that usually told me to just amuse my dad for a little bit, in a blink of an eye I swear I’m back five years old, sitting in the floor of our living room as we were playing this game to try to figure out what I wanted for desert that night, of course he always changed the questions but he never wanted me to catch onto that.
“Do you remember the first question?”
“No…”
“Gee Chel, you’re still losing touch aren’t ya.”
“I’m sorry daddy.”
“Aw sweetie I was just jokin with ya, ok let’s see. You’re still doing that wrestlin thing aren’t ya?”
“Yeah.”
“Now you have those there opponent’s each week right?”
“Yes.”
“Who’s facing my baby girl this week?”
“He’s a teammate of mine, Waylon Cash.”
“Ok, teammate yet his name is obviously a statement of what he truly wants. First question, how do you feel about this?”
“I don’t know…this month has been so crazy for me.”
“Not about your life right now, about this match and facing Waylon.”
“I…I guess I’m a little nervous.”
“Why?”
“I’ve never faced him before and he’s a strong competitor.”
“Ok, what happens if you win?”
“Then I have knocked down a strong opponent and have a better chance of moving back up on the roster. People might take notice again and see that I still belong here. I know people look up to Waylon in the back, he’s been here for a while, and it might surprise people to see someone like me beat him.”
“Ok, what if you happen to lose? What would happen?”
“Then I would have lost to a strong competitor, people would probably see it as I tried my best but I would have still lost.”
“Are you sure you aren’t scared of the match but moreso of the chance of losing?”
“That’s possible…”
“Chelsea…”
“….yes.”
“Yes what?”
“Dad…”
“Chelsea, yes what?”
“Yes, I’m scared of losing to him.”
“Is it just to him?”
“No…no I’m just scared of losing. If I lose I might fall down in this company and if that happens I had left myself down…and I have let you two down.”
“Baby…is that what you’re worried about child?”
“Of course…you and momma gave me so much, even after you left she gave me everything she had left to help me go after she was gone…I just wish I had been able to do this before you left…Every time I’m in that ring I just think of you and momma and how you never got to see me live out my dream. People don’t see why that haunts me. They look at me and see someone who is evil and crazy…they look back at my career and just see this girl who has something wrong with her, that tortured people and killed and did these horrible things to people…no one gets that…it’s not because I’m mad…it’s because I’m sad.”
“Sweetie no…we have watched you step of the way.”
“I know…and I can feel you sometimes, like when I won my world title in NWA…I knew you two were there with me, my first match here…the first title I won here, I could feel you guys within those moments. But even just feeling you sometimes isn’t enough for me. I want to see you guys in the audience, so many of my opponents have shown parents or relatives in the crowd, sitting front row and just looking so proud. It’s not fair!”
“Shhh….shhh, lean on daddy.”
I hadn’t even noticed it but tears were falling from my eyes in an alarming rate as I leaned to my right and swore I could feel the rough texture of his blue jeans against my cheek as his arm wrapped around me. Momma’s followed as her hand rubbed at my back but for the first time it only made the tears fall harder as I hadn’t thought of how much I really missed this.
“I wish you guys could come back to Maryland with me…”
“Who say’s we can’t?”
“Really? You can come with me…like this?”
“I’ll tell you what baby girl, you dry up those eyes, give me a genuine smile and you’re momma and I will be standing by that ring when you face that Waylon fellow.”
“Promise daddy?”
“Hell yeah sweetie, I wanna be there and see you wearing that pretty little smile as you show Waylon and that so called husband of yours just what the true meaning of being an Armstrong is.”
“You really think I can beat him?”
“Darlin your daddy may be a lotta things but I’m not a liar when it comes to my little girl. We told you Chelsea, your momma and I have been watching you since you started, you’re more than capable of beating Waylon. You gotta believe in yourself though, if you start being all paranoid and worried he’s gonna take out like a rattlesnake hidin in the grass.”
Taking a deep breath the tears had almost magically stopped as I sat up and stared at the gravestone in front of me, whether their names were there or not I knew they were there with me…they aren’t under that ground, they’re right there with me…hearts beating, blood in their veins…and that’s where they’re going to stay. I’m not going to let the ground steal then from me…not again.
Standing up I grab their hands as I can feel their warm clammy hands in my own, holding me tight and finally feeling safe.
“Is it time?”
“It’s time sweetie, you’re Daddy and I are staying right here.”
Nodding I smile as she grabs my umbrella and we walk out of the cemetery and down the streets heading back to the airport I came into this morning…but we aren’t going to Maryland just yet…no…no there was more I had to do if I was going to defeat Waylon like I wanted to. But for now…that could wait awhile…I finally have people who care for me once again.
.
.
.
**Scene Three**
Arriving at the training facility my parents had rode the whole trip with me and sat by me on the plane, it felt good to be able to sleep with my head on my momma’s shoulder again, sure they got looks from a few other passengers but we didn’t care. We were together again and that’s all that mattered. There was something else though, I knew now was the time…I had to show Scott that I was better, that my trip home had been for good and not for bad, I was going to prove that now as we took the trip down to his office together. I smiled as my parents admired the gym equipment and got to see where I trained on my days off.
“You guys ready to meet Scott?”
“Who’s Scott, your new boyfriend?”
“No daddy! Scott’s my trainer.”
“Oh of course, well let’s go then.”
Walking up I knock on the office door as I stand outside the door swaying back and forth with a big smile over my lips which are once again ruby red as I wait patiently for Scott. After standing there for a minute I laugh as I shake my head and open the door myself and walk into what had been my home for the past few months…at least it felt that long by now.
“I’m back, Scott.”
Sitting at his desk like usual his feet are propped up on the cool material as I walk almost skip into the room still keeping their hands in mine as I watch their reactions at seeing Scott.
“Welcome back. I trust you’ve had a good day?”
“Oh the best! We got back this morning from St. Louis and the people have been so nice! But before getting into that I need to talk to you again.”
Cocking his head to the side I can see the confusion in his mind as I smile and shake my head laughing.
"We?"
“It wasn’t ICE silly; I can see those thoughts already brewing in your mind. But yes we, they came back with me and I think I’m ready to be on my own again. They’re going to help me and they don’t think I should be locked up in here with everything that’s going on right now. You know…”
Glancing to my left and right and I smile before leaning in and whispering not wanting them to hear as I can see Scott’s mind whirling by now.
“…since the whole Seifer incident…”
Scott’s expression grows insanely dark as he rises from his chair with authority; I can hear the anger already in his voice as his words almost come out as a hiss.
“OH really? Well I couldn’t possibly care less what THEY think. Who in the blazes are THEY anyway?”
Holding my arms out I keep them from moving forward as papers fly from Scott’s desk, putting my finger out to Scott for a moment telling him to hang on as I cup my hand and begin whispering to daddy before I drop my hand and then smile as I turn back to Scott.
“Sorry about that. Anyway I don’t think they’re ready for you to know just yet…but they do think it’s for the best I leave but have agreed that if you believe it would benefit me to stay here for a while longer I can stay. But they want to see me winning more matches or they’re going to have to talk to you about this little arrangement.”
I begin to wonder where exactly this sudden confidence has come from as for the first time my mind isn’t scared or worried about the anger showing clearly on Scott’s face.
“WINNING MORE…”
I can tell Scott is flabbergasted as all I can do is laugh to myself as they join in with me, it continues until we’re all almost at the point of tears before I make the laughing stop and look back to Scott.
“Well then, maybe you should start by, oh I don’t know…WINNING! Maybe training instead of whispering like a crazy person into your hand!”
“But I have been training, I train almost every day! And I’m sorry that you’re not nice enough for them to want to know you! But they are helping me and isn’t that what you wanted! You wanted me to start acting like Chelsea fucking Armstrong; well this is what an Armstrong acts like dammit!”
I can feel my lips getting pouty and my eyes getting brighter instead of tearing up, a hand touches my back as it immediately makes me calm as if pulling the anger from my body as another pile of papers slide from Scott’s desk to the floor this time scattering out as my lips turn into a wicked smile, I can tell more things are going to be moving as I hold my hand out to the side making them calm with me.
“Fine. I will stay, I will win, and I will beat Waylon Sunday. But I do not want to be chained up anymore, if I am going to stay then I want to be treated like a person and not your pet!”
"I will stop treating you like a dog, when you stop behaving like an insolent little bi-..."
Scott stops himself, pausing to regain his composure as for again the first time since I have been here I am not scared or intimidated; I keep the smile on my lips as I know it’s only angering him more.
"Fine. I will allow you to remain unchained. However, if you disobey me, or behave this way again, it will be the gravest mistake you have ever made. I did not come here to play and be nice. I came here to make you a remorseless killing machine. That is what I have done. The rest is up to you, and your attitude. Which I dare say is suspect at best at the moment. Here is the deal. If you can pull yourself together, I won't turn you into the next Benjamin Atreyu. Go out there this Sunday and prove to me you’re worthy of my time. Maybe then we will talk about our arrangement."
Scott walks out, slamming the door behind him leaving my parents and I alone as I smile and sit back against the wall I usually sleep against as it hits me that I’m not going to be chained up anymore while I’m here.
“Thanks Daddy, I think you throwing those papers off his desk really put it over for me.”
“Anything for my baby, now get some sleep, we have a big day coming this weekend. We gotta make sure you win that match sweetie, this is the start of many things for you.”
“And you’ll both be ringside for me this week?”
“We promise. Now get some rest Chels, we’re not going anywhere.”
Closing my eyes in that office same as every night I have since I’ve been there I feel a sense of calmness surround me as I know this is the start of everything I have been waiting for. This is what I needed…my next step will be getting the man who truly wants me and they are going to help me do it. Scott isn’t going to be able to keep me from him any longer.
“Good luck Waylon…”
“And you better not hurt our baby girl.”
