You Weren't There...

[Deleted]

You weren't there when time stood still,

When everything fell apart before my eyes.

You weren't there when I was consumed by pain,

When I fell victim to the scars and the lies.

Where were you when the blood escaped my veins,

And the eyeliner was washed away by tears?

Where were you when I vanished into darkness,

Where I was tormented by the nightmares and fears?

Here I am now emerging from the shadows,

Repaired and renewed in the dawn of light,

Here I am much stronger and wiser than before,

Ready to return the favor to you and fight.





[North Carolina. At the peak of the winter. It was a still morning, shrouds of grey tinted the sky as a gentle breeze tickled the scenery, creating a small sign of life in the background. From a distance, a silhouette emerged from the fog, pacing down the concrete road with a purpose. Donning a pair of lolita pants, a black band t-shirt fashioned with a large Misfits skull across the chest and a pair of long arm warmers with skeletal designs, this was a woman who could stick out from a crowd. Her jet black hair was tied in a pair of pigtails that were dipped in green dye, and across her shoulder, she carried a small backpack coated with patches that displayed the inspirations of this woman. With a pair of thick leather gothica boots, the footsteps echoed across the vacant street. She was alone, accompanied by only her thoughts.]

Such a quiet morning. Peaceful. Considering what I've heard of this place, I thought there would have been a little more activity. No matter. I'll enjoy the silence while I can. After all, this is only the beginning...

[Before her, under the grey mist, she at last spotted a large building, standing tall over a patch of glittered grass. This was the woman's destination. The flag poles on top of the building were vacant, and the trees below calmly danced with the slight breeze. She pressed on, strolling across the grass, oblivious to the slight dampening of her soles but completely aware of a stone path on both sides of the small field, choosing to ignore them in a common sign of rebellion, as little as it was. Before entering through the glass doors, she could already spot a few individuals inside, probably members of the staff not just of the Wrestling Championship Federation but of the arena itself. Still, there was no member of the roster to spotted, or at least recognized.]

Looks like I'm a little early. Good. After the creatures I've come across online, I'd rather not interact with most of them right now other than kicking their teeth down their throats...

[Inside the building, the grey skies from behind seemed to apply a slightly dark tone, almost symbolizing the arrival of this woman. Her boots squeaked on the smooth surface of the floor as she made her way towards the reception desk. There was no one present there. She looked around and stopped one of the nearby attendants and asked him to point out the wrestling ring for her.]

"Huh? Oh, you wanna know where the ring is? Yeah sure, it's just through that door. Go ahead, everything's set up for you."

"Thanks bub."

[She was about to turn around and leave, but the attendant suddenly caught her attention.]

"Hey, so uhh...you're alone here or..."

[She obviously knew where he was going, something that she was used to, and yet something that she had grown to despise. And so after placing her hands on her hips, she decided to help him a little.]

"Yeah I'm alone. Got a big match with WCF tomorrow so I thought I'd just check out the place. You know, make sure I'm not getting into some cheapskate company. Got a problem with that, or is there anything else you wanted to ask me?"

"No...no problem...I was just...going anyway. Good luck tomorrow anyway..."

"Again, thanks. Oh, and next time, try not to ask a woman if she's alone..."

[She turned around and took a few steps, but she suddenly stopped and looked back with a sinister smirk on her face.]

"...you have no idea what she might do."

[The attended looked on, perplexed by what he just witnessed as the mysterious woman made her way through the door. The walls were tall and narrow, but even though she had never stepped into the building before, she knew exactly what rested on top of these walls. As she strutted down the aisle, the walls started to shrink. It wasn't long before she finally arrived at ringside. The wrestling ring was surrounded by thousands of empty seats, each seat higher than the last. She stopped to behold the sight and soak in the nostalgia. It was a long time since she was this close to a wrestling ring. Gazing at the familiar sight, she started to regain memories, not the bad ones, but the pleasant memories from her youth.]

Damn this takes me back. The thrill, the excitement, the energy, and of course, the infliction of punishment. All reasons why I love this sport, and all reasons why I'm coming back...

[Just the feel of the ropes, the slight bounce of the canvas and the slap of the turnbuckle pad, it was almost surreal for her. As she sat in the corner, reminiscent of one of her former associates (who shall not be named at this point), she finally realized. Upon making her decision, she wasn't totally convinced, but now after tasting the wrestling ring once more after such a long time, she was finally convinced. It was time to start anew. Ignoring the staring attendants wandering through the arena, the woman just sat there, soaking in the atmosphere. This was what she wanted to do. She retired from professional wrestling three years ago, and had since kept a solitary life, keeping to herself and recovering from the wounds of her past. It was about time for her to move on, and now, she had the opportunity.]

The bullshit I've had to deal with. Throughout all my life. Whenever I stepped into a ring like this, it was like venting my frustration in a way that I enjoyed. Beating other people senseless was very satisfying, but when the personal issues started to build and build, to the point where it affected my career, that was the last straw. I had to quit. Of course, being a part-time model at the time, I at least had something else to do in my life, but when I stopped wrestling, something died inside. But this...this feels like a resurrection of sorts. When I signed up with WCF, I wasn't entirely sure if I was ready. Now I know I am...

[She pulled herself back to her feet, using the ropes for leverage. She scanned the ringside area one last time before ducking under the middle rope and stepping onto the apron. She gently perched herself on the apron, slightly leaning forward as she gently kicked her legs in a playful manner. It wasn't often that she would be enjoying herself this much in her spare time, but these days, this was the most cheerful she could possibly be, which obviously doesn't seem like much, compared to most other women. But of course, this was no ordinary woman. She sat on the edge of the ring, smirking to herself, dwelling on the more pleasant moments of her life. But unfortunately, there was so little to dwell on, compared to the other things that she had endured in her life.]

As much as I loved this sport, it still hurts to think of the shit that I've been through. The pain that I've endured, the blood that I've lost, the tears that I've shed, and no matter where I go or what I do, I can never escape from these nightmares. But I cannot keep hiding. I cannot let them overcome me, or at least not let them rule my life anymore. That is truly why I want to come back. Wrestling was what gave me pleasure in an otherwise miserable life. I've had goals in my career that I never got to see through. I never knew what it felt like to be a champion. I'm no youngster, but compared to everything that I've dealt with all my life, I'm practically still a rookie in this sport. That doesn't matter, because as long as I'm doing the thing that I love most, as long as these nightmares are suppressed, and as long as I remember the lessons I've learned after the crap I've dealt with, there will be nothing to hold me back. Nothing to stop me from accomplishing what I set out to do a long time ago. Nothing to stop me from obtaining my retribution...

[With a tattered heart filled with vengeance, it was only a matter of time before the sinister female would take her first step in redeeming herself. With this in mind, she decided that it was time to address the Wrestling Championship Federation. She pulled out her cellphone, flicked on the camera and switched it to self portrait mode. Pointing the camera to her pale and painted face, complimenting her thick eyeliner and her crimson glossy lips, she pressed the record button, and in an emotionless voice, she spoke.]

"The light has never shined so brightly. A flicker to most who gaze upon it with the naked eye, but for someone like me, it is a guide that leads to the end of the tunnel of despair, a torch that burns away the countless atrocities of a tainted life, and a ray of hope for once lost souls to finally gain redemption. An opportunity to step from the blackness I could not resist, I have been drawn to your universe to finally achieve what must be done..."

[After this introduction, the tone of her voice was slightly altered with an enhancement of emotion. She was now being direct.]

"I've already had a taste of this universe, interacting with a few unspeakable entities, but I am looking beyond that, for I have much more significant matters to address. For instance, I shall be making my debut this very weekend. Although it shall not be my first official match, but it will be not only the first match that a large majority of you will witness, not only will it be a return match from my lengthy absence from professional wrestling, but more importantly, it shall be the first step to a fresh new start, a chance to renew myself and a chance to finally accomplish what I have been prevented from achieving. For my opponents, this match will be their first step into entering the Wrestling Championship Federation, but for myself, it is more than that. I have been haunted by the pain, the hate and the sorrow that I have endured over the years, but now, the wounds have healed, the tears have turned to dust and the blood has stopped flowing. The scars remain, and I cannot say that the shards of my heart have all been accounted for, but as I sit here before you, I swear that this world shall pay dearly. Each opponent I crush shall add a new patch to my damaged soul, and I will not stop until the damage has been repaired. One by one, my opponents shall fall, and piece by piece, I shall gain my retribution..."

[Slight chuckling escaped her lips upon her next thought.]

"But how appropriate is it that in the hour of my debut, I shall step back into this ring to face not one, not two, but four opponents? What variety shall be displayed, and oh what I feast I shall have. Two women. Two men. Each with their own personalities. But first, I would like to start by bringing my attention to undoubtedly the purest of the four souls. A young man who likes to call himself the High Flying Freak. No doubt someone who you might call an adrenaline junkie. I enjoy a taste of adrenaline myself, but I can't help but believe that you mean it in a slightly different way to me. I understand how self harm can calm one's soul, but the risks that this individual seems to enjoy I must admit, I admire, but because this individual is still a youth, I do not. A young man who probably has no need to take such needless risks, someone who's biggest personal issue is trying to escape the shadow of his student, has clearly never had a real problem to fight for all this life. I can understand him viewing this shadow as a form of prison, but I'm afraid that hardly makes you an outlaw, as you seem to enjoy claiming yourself. Let's face it. Justin Turner, you are nothing more than a reckless junkie who probably only signed up to this promotion in the hope of a new form of high for yourself to enjoy. Unfortunately what you must realize young man is that the higher you are the harder you fall, and trust me when I tell you, once you step into the ring with me, you will not fall, you will plummet back down to the reality that you will be nothing more than a shadow dweller for the remainder of your shortened existence..."

[She flicked one of her pigtails from her face as she continued to speak, now donning a look of disgust.]

"And then in the second corner, we have a young woman by the name of Valentina Madison. Although she would disagree with being a typical blonde, when I look at the footage of this woman, all I see is a typical cheerleader from college who's struggling to obtain a purpose in life. I understand where she is coming from. I too have been taken advantage of in this business, and I too have lashed out in retaliation. But how long have you been competing young lady? A few months or so? And how exactly have you been taken advantage of? Let me just ask you. Have you ever been publicly dumped and replaced on live television? Have you ever been a victim of sexual assault? Have you been screwed out of title shot after title shot after title shot? Have you ever been beaten to a bloody pulp in the middle of a wrestling ring by your own stepfather? No. You've probably just lost a couple of matches. You need to be hard to last in this industry, and after everything I've been through, not just in this business but all my life, I'm still standing here, and I'm ready to step back into the line of fire. You are nothing but another soul to be crushed, but above all else, you have decided to call yourself Miss Intellectual. You've only had a couple of months of experience, but because you've got yourself a little degree, you think that makes you better than everyone else. Valentina, you can call yourself an intellect all you want, but it makes no difference. In this industry, college graduation is no different than entering this industry from a Tijuana prison. I've come back so I can put my past behind me because that is what this business does to you. You wave that diploma around here and you will have it shoved down your throat in no time. I'll admit it, I admire your attitude, but quite frankly, all I see is a woman trying to find a purpose in life, a woman that no one will give two shits about, and no matter how much you want to brag about your college education, a woman that will never be taken seriously..."

[Pushing her tongue against her cheek inside her mouth, she pondered on what to say next.]

"Now onto the third individual on the list. A man who considers himself to be a big deal. Lupus Onyx. An enigma as of yet, although judging from our earlier interaction online, he is a man that intrigues me. Not in the way that I'm sure a lot of you are thinking, but this man seems like no ordinary man. A veteran in his own right, although I cannot tell you if that is in this industry or in another form of a business. I can tell this man has a strong power of persuasion, he has already taken a woman under his wing, although I'm sure there is another explanation for their alliance. But I am not the type to turn to others for help. I've learned a long time ago that it is better to be alone. Onyx is no ordinary man, but he is still a man, and I can tell you now, from the experiences that I've had, men, especially men like him, cannot be trusted. He says that he sees potential in me, but such a line is no different to one of those cheap pick-up lines you'd expect to hear in a bar. I don't fully understand this man, and I don't fully understand his intentions, but I do not want any part of it, and if he makes a move on me, I will not hesitate to murder him. I am not interested in joining any cults. I'm here to accomplish my own goals, and nothing else..."

[Bitter taste entered her mouth as she thought about the last of her opponents. She suddenly grew a perplexed look upon her face as she thought of what to say.]

"Which now leaves us with one last individual. Much like Onyx, she is riddled with mystery, but this woman is...different. Rita Morbid. The self-proclaimed Queen of Pain. A title that would be questioned for a common female athlete, but judging on the mere size of this woman, I must admit that she is my biggest concern in this match. Such power, and yet strangely exotic, almost compelling. But no matter of my feelings about her, I will show no remorse to her as much as the others. I have been against the wall several times in the past, competing against competitors of both genders much larger than myself, and trust me, I know what it takes to bring them down. The Queen of Pain huh? All my life, I have endured tremendous amounts of pain, both physically and emotionally. So what exactly is it about this woman that makes her want to call herself something like that. Again, it is a mystery to me, nor is it any of my concern. Whenever I see your name, it reminds me of my suffering. With that said, although I see you as the biggest threat in this contest, I also see you as the biggest target. You take pride on inflicting pain or receiving pain, whatever it is with you, but to me, you are the epitome of my suffering, a symbol of my horrible past. And how appropriate is it that I have been presented with the opportunity to destroy my past? Such symbolism. I have moved on from my past, and stepping back into this ring is the first step into a fresh new start, but personally vanquishing you will truly be satisfying. Rita Morbid, you are everything that I despise, and I will take great pleasure in crushing your soul..."

[She took a moment to catch her breath, and after slightly shifting herself, she stared directly into the camera, leaning her head forward slightly to display a much more sinister glare. After a moment of silence, she resumed.]

"Four opponents. Two men. Two women. And in the end, they will all fall. Only one will walk away victorious, and that shall be me. I have moved on from my past, and I have learned from my experiences. Now there will be nothing to stand in my way. I have some unfinished business, and I will start by crushing the souls of these unfortunate individuals. This is a new me. This is a new stronger, smarter and wiser me. There is nothing more that can hurt me anymore. At long last, the darkness has faded, and there is a bright light guiding me to rejuvenation. Soon, all will learn the name Serbia, and soon, she will have her redemption."

[With that said, the screen faded to black. The camera was switched off, and the woman known as Serbia had given her message to the Wrestling Championship Federation. Everyone was ready, and now all that was left to do was wait. Wait and prepare for the inevitable feast. She hopped off the ring apron and stood on the floor below, but not without scrolling through the contents of her cellphone. She was not done using it. As she made her way back down the aisle, oblivious to her surroundings, her fingers were as if they were in a trance as they gently tapped the keys on the phone. She was clearly sending a message. Although the recipient shall remain anonymous for now, the message simply read...]


Everything is as it is. Everything is falling into place. A new beginning is at hand. Will you be there?