Post by Ryan Rhodes on Nov 24, 2013 17:50:23 GMT -5
Ryan Rhodes is walking slowly in the bowels of the Landon Arena. He’s rubbing his jaw and moving it to check to make sure its not broken. His body is drenched in sweat but not one from a brutal work out or intense heat, its the kind of cold sweat your body gets when it reboots itself from a knock out. He pulls a Detroit Red Wings t-shirt over his head. The logo catches his eye as it appears on his chest as it covers his torso. It makes him walk a little taller as he’s proud to wear the logo of his hometown team and one of the best sports franchises in history. 21 straight playoff appearances and the most Stanley cups by any American team. Rhodes also catches a glance of his US title around his waist and reminds himself that even though he lost, he’s still the US champ and there will be more battles to fight. Trying to look at it as a learning experience, he tries to chalk it up as a lesson in a way how not to win. He could of done something better and not putting his finger exactly on it, Maybe it was preparedness or communication, but either way, he knows it wont happen again and he’ll be better for it. Plus it doesnt really hurt to lose a match to a bunch of nobodies.
“Excuse me Mr. Rhodes, Can I have an autograph?” A young voice causes Rhodes mind to shift gears and bring his thoughts back to the present.
“Sure no thing pal!” Rhodes stops and kneels down to be on the kids level and uses his knee as a table to sign the kids item.
“Are you scared of whats going to happen next slam?” The kid asks the wrestler curiously.
“Scared? Of what?” Rhodes laughs as he responds to the kid
“That you dont know whats going to happen?”
“You can never be scared of the unknown buddy. You just gotta do your best to be prepared for it.” Rhodes stands up and offers the kid a high five before heading to his locker room to prepare for his next adventure.
***
Sometime in the past
The woods are eeirly slient as the last mintues of sunlight bleed out of the sky. Sitting in a small blind in the middle of the woods, a young adult man sits with a child, waiting for their prey to come along. Its the opening day of deer hunting season and Ryan Rhodes has taken out his 6 year old nephew for his first hunt ever. The two have spent the afternoon staring into the now dead woods around them. Fall has killed anything green in the forest and only muted tones of yellow and red with the greys and brown of naked trees filled the landscape in front of them. A sporadic pine tree would add a little bit of color but if you stared into the woods for too long, it all just bleeds together.
“Uncle Ryan, I’m gettin scared. Its getting pretty dark” The kid whispers to his uncle, trying not to make a sound.
“We’re the ones with the guns whats there to be scared of?” He whispers back to the kid trying to reassure him.
“What if a bear comes? Or Bad Guys?” You can sense the fear in his voice.
“The bears won’t bug us and we’re the only people around for miles. We’re a lot safer here than we are back home.” Rhodes hears some rustling in the distance and he puts his hand up to silence the kid.
Out of a pile of leaves jumps a squirrel who hops loudly over towards the bait pile set out in front of the blind. The squirrell starts to nibble on some small leftover halloween pumpkins. He starts to chew a hole into one and finds the seeds inside. He pokes his head into the pumpkin to grab more seeds but he didnt chew the hole large enough. His head is now stuck in the pumpkin and he starts running around blind, trying to shake it off his head. A loud giggle comes from the child sitting next to Rhodes who cant help but to laugh as well as the squirrel runs into a tree and cracks the pumpkin enough to finally shake it free.
“I thought you were scared?” Rhodes asks the kid as they try to settle down.
“I guess its not all that scary out here.” The kid sounds a little more at ease in the woods now.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of out here as long as you’re mindful of your surroundings and embrace them. You’re great grandpa used to get us lost out here on purpose and give us only a compass to find our way home. I used to be just as scared as you.”
“You’re not gonna leave me here are you?” The fear has returned to the kids voice.
“No way, you’re great grandpa is kind of a dick! But I will tell you one thing, I’m not afraid of the woods or getting lost ever thanks to him. Maybe in another year or two we’ll throw ya to the wolves.”
A branch cracks in the distance and the two’s attention goes back to the woods before them. There’s a shift of colors in the background as the outline of a deer breaks out of the background. The adrenaline pours into Rhodes blood and gets his heart to race as he pulls his gun up to look through the scope. The deer finally steps into an open spot and he can finally see that its a large buck standing in front of him. With at least 5 points on each side, the large buck looms out of the shadows and towards the bait. Rhodes ever so slightly adjust his cross hairs into the killzone. After a mentally apology and thanks to the deer for his meat, with slow exhale and the squeeze of a trigger that seemed to take forever to press, a loud boom fills the air as the buck and child are both startled. The buck begins to run but his body fails him as he’s been mortally wounded. The falls to the ground and expires not very far from where he was hit.
“Wow you got him! You nailed him with one shot!” The kid is excited from witnessing his first successful hunt.
“Thats another thing he taught us. Always wait for the right shot and make sure its clean. You dont want to hurt the animal and you dont wanna waste any ammo. I hope you like guts, because you’re gonnas see a lot of them.
***
The Present
The air is bitterly cold and still. A large bonfire does what it can to keep the people around it warm but its as if the air is frozen itself and absorbs any heat the fire can put off. Two men can be seen sitting on the edge of the large pit containing the fire.
“I cant believe its been 3 years already” A man says sullenly as he stares into the fire with a far off gaze.
He looks like an older Ryan Rhodes but shorter and no beard. There’s a sad look in his eyes as they reflect the flames dancing in the fire.
“Yeah Its horrible Greg, I think about him all the time.” Rhodes replies as he tries not to think about the event the men are referencing. The cold stings a little more as the chilling thoughts creep into Rhodes mind.
He can still remember the glass and blood scattered across the road. His brothers wife jeep was torn in two by a drunk driver in broad daylight. The family had just packed up hunting camp and was heading home. Ryan had left a few moments later as he finished up the last of the winter preparations for the family cabin. As he drove up on the scene he could see body bags before he could make out the SUV. His brother was in the passnger seat and lost it as they realized it was his wives vehicle that was demolished. Rhodes had to hold his brother back as he tried to kill the drunk that escaped with just a scrape on his neck from the seat belt. Rhodes nephew and sister in law were killed just five miles from where the men sat now.
“Its part of what made me stop. I kept thinking about that day and then when I’d inflict that kind of pain on my opponents, it just started to wear on me. I couldnt go to sleep without seeing Jake’s bloody face. It once got to me in a match. I nailed somone with a ring bell in the face and he just started gushing everywhere, full on crimson mask and I threw him into the crowd. He fell into a group of little kids and one got covered in blood as well. I had a flashback and I almost lost it. I know its way harder on you and I’ve got nothing to bitch about because you’ve got it way worse than me. I just wanted to let you know that you’re not the only one though.”
“How’s it being back then?” Ryans brother asks him.
“I really thought this loss would bother me but there’s bigger things in life than just a wrestling match. I know I belong, I’m the US champion, for fuck sake. Who knows about this week, its bound to be a shit show. I’ll fucking be ready. I’ve been through tougher things in life than a mystery slam, I’m not worried about what Sara twilight is going to throw my way. So far I’ve handled pretty much every challenge thrown my way. I’ve handled my business and I’m sure I’ll take care of anything put in front of me. I’ll tell that bitch to bring it on. Give me some real competition. I’ll be ready on Sunday.”
“Excuse me Mr. Rhodes, Can I have an autograph?” A young voice causes Rhodes mind to shift gears and bring his thoughts back to the present.
“Sure no thing pal!” Rhodes stops and kneels down to be on the kids level and uses his knee as a table to sign the kids item.
“Are you scared of whats going to happen next slam?” The kid asks the wrestler curiously.
“Scared? Of what?” Rhodes laughs as he responds to the kid
“That you dont know whats going to happen?”
“You can never be scared of the unknown buddy. You just gotta do your best to be prepared for it.” Rhodes stands up and offers the kid a high five before heading to his locker room to prepare for his next adventure.
***
Sometime in the past
The woods are eeirly slient as the last mintues of sunlight bleed out of the sky. Sitting in a small blind in the middle of the woods, a young adult man sits with a child, waiting for their prey to come along. Its the opening day of deer hunting season and Ryan Rhodes has taken out his 6 year old nephew for his first hunt ever. The two have spent the afternoon staring into the now dead woods around them. Fall has killed anything green in the forest and only muted tones of yellow and red with the greys and brown of naked trees filled the landscape in front of them. A sporadic pine tree would add a little bit of color but if you stared into the woods for too long, it all just bleeds together.
“Uncle Ryan, I’m gettin scared. Its getting pretty dark” The kid whispers to his uncle, trying not to make a sound.
“We’re the ones with the guns whats there to be scared of?” He whispers back to the kid trying to reassure him.
“What if a bear comes? Or Bad Guys?” You can sense the fear in his voice.
“The bears won’t bug us and we’re the only people around for miles. We’re a lot safer here than we are back home.” Rhodes hears some rustling in the distance and he puts his hand up to silence the kid.
Out of a pile of leaves jumps a squirrel who hops loudly over towards the bait pile set out in front of the blind. The squirrell starts to nibble on some small leftover halloween pumpkins. He starts to chew a hole into one and finds the seeds inside. He pokes his head into the pumpkin to grab more seeds but he didnt chew the hole large enough. His head is now stuck in the pumpkin and he starts running around blind, trying to shake it off his head. A loud giggle comes from the child sitting next to Rhodes who cant help but to laugh as well as the squirrel runs into a tree and cracks the pumpkin enough to finally shake it free.
“I thought you were scared?” Rhodes asks the kid as they try to settle down.
“I guess its not all that scary out here.” The kid sounds a little more at ease in the woods now.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of out here as long as you’re mindful of your surroundings and embrace them. You’re great grandpa used to get us lost out here on purpose and give us only a compass to find our way home. I used to be just as scared as you.”
“You’re not gonna leave me here are you?” The fear has returned to the kids voice.
“No way, you’re great grandpa is kind of a dick! But I will tell you one thing, I’m not afraid of the woods or getting lost ever thanks to him. Maybe in another year or two we’ll throw ya to the wolves.”
A branch cracks in the distance and the two’s attention goes back to the woods before them. There’s a shift of colors in the background as the outline of a deer breaks out of the background. The adrenaline pours into Rhodes blood and gets his heart to race as he pulls his gun up to look through the scope. The deer finally steps into an open spot and he can finally see that its a large buck standing in front of him. With at least 5 points on each side, the large buck looms out of the shadows and towards the bait. Rhodes ever so slightly adjust his cross hairs into the killzone. After a mentally apology and thanks to the deer for his meat, with slow exhale and the squeeze of a trigger that seemed to take forever to press, a loud boom fills the air as the buck and child are both startled. The buck begins to run but his body fails him as he’s been mortally wounded. The falls to the ground and expires not very far from where he was hit.
“Wow you got him! You nailed him with one shot!” The kid is excited from witnessing his first successful hunt.
“Thats another thing he taught us. Always wait for the right shot and make sure its clean. You dont want to hurt the animal and you dont wanna waste any ammo. I hope you like guts, because you’re gonnas see a lot of them.
***
The Present
The air is bitterly cold and still. A large bonfire does what it can to keep the people around it warm but its as if the air is frozen itself and absorbs any heat the fire can put off. Two men can be seen sitting on the edge of the large pit containing the fire.
“I cant believe its been 3 years already” A man says sullenly as he stares into the fire with a far off gaze.
He looks like an older Ryan Rhodes but shorter and no beard. There’s a sad look in his eyes as they reflect the flames dancing in the fire.
“Yeah Its horrible Greg, I think about him all the time.” Rhodes replies as he tries not to think about the event the men are referencing. The cold stings a little more as the chilling thoughts creep into Rhodes mind.
He can still remember the glass and blood scattered across the road. His brothers wife jeep was torn in two by a drunk driver in broad daylight. The family had just packed up hunting camp and was heading home. Ryan had left a few moments later as he finished up the last of the winter preparations for the family cabin. As he drove up on the scene he could see body bags before he could make out the SUV. His brother was in the passnger seat and lost it as they realized it was his wives vehicle that was demolished. Rhodes had to hold his brother back as he tried to kill the drunk that escaped with just a scrape on his neck from the seat belt. Rhodes nephew and sister in law were killed just five miles from where the men sat now.
“Its part of what made me stop. I kept thinking about that day and then when I’d inflict that kind of pain on my opponents, it just started to wear on me. I couldnt go to sleep without seeing Jake’s bloody face. It once got to me in a match. I nailed somone with a ring bell in the face and he just started gushing everywhere, full on crimson mask and I threw him into the crowd. He fell into a group of little kids and one got covered in blood as well. I had a flashback and I almost lost it. I know its way harder on you and I’ve got nothing to bitch about because you’ve got it way worse than me. I just wanted to let you know that you’re not the only one though.”
“How’s it being back then?” Ryans brother asks him.
“I really thought this loss would bother me but there’s bigger things in life than just a wrestling match. I know I belong, I’m the US champion, for fuck sake. Who knows about this week, its bound to be a shit show. I’ll fucking be ready. I’ve been through tougher things in life than a mystery slam, I’m not worried about what Sara twilight is going to throw my way. So far I’ve handled pretty much every challenge thrown my way. I’ve handled my business and I’m sure I’ll take care of anything put in front of me. I’ll tell that bitch to bring it on. Give me some real competition. I’ll be ready on Sunday.”
