Post by Chelsea Armstrong on Sept 25, 2014 21:41:44 GMT -5
**Scene One**
Blood, dirt, and sweat…that’s what I’m waking up to as my fingers comb through the grimy dirt of a what feels like the ground…but why am I outside? I feel asleep in my bed…didn’t I? Ok, whatever happened I need to figure out where I am…that’s the start, ok…deep breath, you can do this.
Leaves; red, orange, yellow…they’re everywhere yet the trees looming above me are just as full as if fall had just begun. Glancing to the ground I see the dirt I was feeling under my fingertips as it appears I had cleared the leaves to the ground while asleep, but I still don’t understand why I was asleep here in the first place…or where I even was for that matter. Only one thing will help me find the answers I need and that entails me trudging through whatever forest or yard I am in.
“Hello? Is anyone there?”
Chirping birds, twigs breaking, the munching of animals on food…but no human voices to be heard, it appeared I was on my own in this one. Even just walking the few minutes I had I was beginning to get tired…why am I so tired? Not to mention I had a nagging pain in my thigh…not my thighs only one…what in the hell is going on with my body?
“You can’t run forever Chelsea…”
“You will pay for your sins…”
“You aren’t getting away that easily…”
“I will get my revenge…”
Words keep flooding my ears, coming from left and right and everywhere the air carries toward me forcing me back to the ground with a sharp pain rushing through my leg as I do. My hands go to my ears trying to muffle the screams and shouts rushing to me as I frantically look around me yet I can’t see anyone close to me.
“Who’s there?! Show yourself!”
No answer…not unless you want to count the yelling still going on. Where ever I was I wanted now more than ever to get out of here, get back to my room…to my baby and my man. Was it so hard to do that? Glancing down at my leg which was now beginning to throb I see colors of blue and purple showing a pretty good size bruise…what’s going on…none of this is making sense.
“Ice! Ice please, take me home!”
Collapsing on the ground tears stream down my apparently cut cheeks as the tears burn with every inch they travel. The leaves begin to rustle and more twigs are heard snapping causing me to glance up as I see to my fear what appears to be nearly hundreds of…of…what would I even call them. They couldn’t be human, could they? Their skin was a charred black as if it had been burnt, where their eyes should have been sparkling from the sun all I saw were glowing red sockets, and their teeth…like thousands of tiny needles just waiting to pierce my flesh. I begin scouring back on my hands and knees like a child trying to run away, only I can’t make any distance…I can’t move…every time I feel I’m starting to get away they just get closer to me….and closer…and closer…
“ICE! Please, help me!”
“He can’t help you here sweetheart.”
“You’re in this fight alone.”
“We told you, you would pay for what you did.”
“Now it’s time for revenge.”
“No!! Please, no! What did I do?”
Suddenly they all burst into laughter and stare at me with their cold red eyes, their needle like teeth look sharper than every as I my legs feel so heavy I have stopped trying to move from the place on the ground I’m trapped at. They have surrounded me, not allowing me to escape…it still doesn’t make much sense what is going on.
“I think you should be asking what haven’t done.”
“You really thought you could get away with what you did?”
“You’re time is over.”
“No it isn’t! I’m on the rise…you don’t know what you’re talking about…I’m going places…”
“Well you got that part right, you’re going straight to hell.”
“No, no this isn’t happening!”
“You’re in a war Chelsea; everyone knows only the strong survive.”
“A girl doesn’t have a place in this match!”
“Especially not when that girl is you.”
“Why don’t you take cue from the rest and just leave!”
“I’m stronger than any of you!”
“Then why don’t you stand?”
“Aw, the poor little girl is tired of being held down.”
“Then do something about it!”
“Do something about it!”
“Do something about it!”
The chant continues, on and on and on…”Do something about it, do something about it, do something about it!” My hands start to claw at the ground, as if that’ll get my legs loose, but eventually I find myself starting to move to my knees as I look around as the creatures have started to develop faces of their own.
“Do something about it!”
“You don’t belong here!”
“Do something about it!”
“You’re nothing but Ice’s arm candy!”
“Do something about it!”
“Leave...Me...Alone!”
Hitting at the ground I spring to my feet unleashing a sharp loud scream from my lips as within a few seconds it stops and I bring my eyes to the ground keeping them closed. The chanting has stopped but I can feel what appears to be a soft wisp of air pushing my hair along my back as a chill hits my cheek followed by a soft deep voice playing against my ear.
“You’re over.”
Opening my eyes the creatures are all gone, they’ve left me alone but that’s almost just as frightening as their half demon half human faces remain burnt into my mind and I still have no idea where I am. Something else is wrong though…the leaves have disappeared leaving me instead in a valley of dirt and grass, even the trees above me seem almost bare. I go to speak out loud but remembering what happened last time I keep my lips clamped and start walking, it’s then though that I hear a whisper coming through to me.
“Chelsea…Chelsea…”
“Mommy…”
“Ice? Shelley?”
“Chels, come on…wake up hunny.”
“Mommy up! Mommy up!”
“Softer sweetie, mommy probably has a bad headache.”
I can feel a hand pushing on my shoulder, rocking me where I stand as everything begins to funneling into a deep back nothingness.
“Mommy…”
I hear the whisper hitting my ears even softer as everything goes black causing me to jerk in fear as I feel a hand touch my shoulder, of course my mind goes back to the demons haunting me earlier as I start flaying my arms.
“Leave me alone, please just leave me alone!”
“Chelsea! Chels, it’s me, calm down.”
My arms are grabbed and pinned by my side as I suddenly feel a rush of pain going through my head. Stopping the fight I begin to see light as my eyes slowly seem to open, the trees above are gone…as is the grass and dirt. The light is causing sharp pains to shoot through to my head but I try to look around as I see carpeting, toys scattered everywhere, pillows and blankets lay out in the floor…and I’m lying on a bed. The pressure on my arms lets up as I can move, it’s then I look up seeing Ice and Shelley staring at me with rapt attention.
“What’s going on?”
“Mommy!”
“Remember sweetie, softer voice.”
Closing my eyes back I continue lying in bed as I feel a pair of arms wrap around me and lying down against my arm. The soft curly hair hitting my face tells me sure enough it’s my little girl as I smile then feeling a cool cloth against my forehead.
“That’s the last time I let you try to drink with me.”
“I wasn’t that bad…was I?”
“Haha, well let’s just say after about ten to twenty minutes of us drinking you were basically out cold. You did keep it down somehow, so proud of you for that one.”
Bringing my hand up I touch my forehead as I then feel the plastic of a water bottle against my lips and my head being held up by his hand.
“Small sips.”
“I’m ok, I promise.”
“Oh yeah? Can you sit up?”
I start to move easily until my back is pressed against the headboard and Shelley has carefully moved onto my lap. Pulling my eyes open I glance at Ice who seems to be concerned but a laugh from my lips makes him smile.
“I’m fine; all it really caused was a bad dream.”
“What kind of dream?”
“Well it’s going to be kinda hard to explain…basically I woke up in this forest, my leg was hurting, I was really tired and there were leaves everywhere.”
“First, I’d say your leg hurts because you ended up tripping over the table on the way to bed last night.”
“You know…that really does explain a lot. Anyway soon I started to hear all these weird voices, they kept telling me I was going to pay for what I did, and that they were going to get revenge. Soon they showed up but they were all burnt and had these bright red eyes that just felt like they were burning into me. They started yelling at me and told me I should just leave, that I didn’t belong…then just before I started fighting back they had started to morph into…into actual humans.”
“What did they look like?”
“That’s the craziest part, I keep seeing these half human and half demon faces…but the human parts I see scare me more. They had these cruel smirks and I could just see the evil on their faces.”
“Chelsea, who were they?”
“Everyone…like I mean, everyone in the company…just all these guys that were angry at me for some reason. They claimed I was going to hell and that I wasn’t going to make it. They told me I was done…and the look in their eyes told me they meant it.”
“I’m sure it was nothing, alcohol can make you dream some pretty crazy things.”
“Yeah but, this one was different Ice. They had these teeth that looks like little needles…just everything put together just felt too real. What if the dream is trying to tell me something, what if they’re all plotting against me?”
“Who? Pantheon, the guys you’ve been attacking?”
“Not just them…all of them. I’m the only girl left in the fed and I’ve heard people talking in the back. They think I’m making my point, that taking out these big names is helping me more than hurting me but what if I underestimated everything?”
“Chelsea, what are you really scared of here; the guys plotting against you or just losing in general?”
“Both I guess…I mean it’s going to take a lot to win this match and I know I can do it but the thought of losing is always scary. Add that to the fact it’s possible I’m being plotted against and then there’s a chance I could get put out near the beginning and that would kill me…like literally…it’d kill my career.”
“Now you know that isn’t true.”
“But it is, say if I’m the first person to go out in this match…all those low card names, all those new guys…they have a win over me and that definitely isn’t going to help me. I have to make it as far as I can in this match and if I don’t win I have to make sure I make them scared that I made it as far as I did.”
“What if they’re already scared of you?”
“Please.”
“Seriously, you’ve taken out four of the toughest guys in this company. You’re building up a group of some very tough guys. Why wouldn’t they be scared of what you were going to next, who you’re going to pull in next, and who your next victim will be?”
“These guys have been through worse, trust me, they aren’t worried about me.”
“If they aren’t that’s even more of an advantage for you! IF they aren’t worried then they won’t be expecting you to go in there and kick ass. Chelsea listen to me; if you win this match you go on to get a shot at the World Title!”
“Yeah, talk about déjà vu, I’ve had that chance two times now and each time I failed, and now you have the title. How could I even face you if I won?”
“You’ve done it before haven’t you? Maybe I hadn’t held the title then but we’ve been in that ring together. I would happily face you for that title and I know it would be one hell of a match.”
“I guess so.”
“Dammit Chelsea, cut the negative talk! If you don’t believe you’re going to win then you won’t. It’s as simple as that.”
His words are sinking in, very slowly but they are. My head is still pounding though and the more we talk the more it hurts as the more stressed I begin to get. Settling on taking a shower I swing my legs off the bed taking Shelley with me, sitting there for a moment I glance down at Shelley who is smiling. Kissing her forehead I smile back as I glance at Ice then back at her.
“You mind staying out here and playing while mommy takes a shower?”
She nods as she gets off my lab and goes straight to her baby doll which had been lying in the bed of blankets in the floor before running over to Ice who happily takes it.
“Has someone been playing baby doll?”
“Hey, she got bored when you were sleeping. I couldn’t really say no to her when she handed me the doll.”
Laughing I just shake my head as I lean over giving him a kiss, standing I carefully walk toward the bathroom stepping over all her toys as I do so.
.
.
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**Scene Two**
The hot steam from a shower is usually always something used to help relax the senses and calm the nerves; it helps even more when you lock the door, light a couple candles, and turn the music up. Even moreso when you then just sink down until your sitting on the floor of the shower, back against the wall and allowing the water to beat down until it begins to make your skin feel raw.
“What are you doing?”
“What’s it look like.”
“It looks like you’re starting to give up.”
Putting my head against the wall I lean back letting the water hit my body and begin to pool in the tub below as I watch the candle light flicker and dance against the cold walls.
“Maybe I am.”
“I can’t believe I’m finally seeing it.”
“Seeing what.”
“The end of Chelsea Armstrong, because you’re clearly not the same woman you were a four years ago.”
“Yeah, because that girl was twenty one had no responsibly and was just starting out in this industry.”
“Don’t you think you should have more motivations now than ever then? You have a family, a championship; you’re fighting in one of the biggest matches in this company. What’s going on with you?”
“Why don’t you tell me, you’re always good at telling me what I’ve done wrong.”
“Maybe I don’t because you know this answer better than anyone does right now, why are you like this? Why are you starting now to freeze up when you’re just getting to a solid position in your career here? Why?”
“Because I’ve seen how this ends before ok! Every federation I’ve ever been in, with time I will be the last female standing…the guys zoom in on that and suddenly it’s the whole company against Chelsea.”
“Yeah, but you yourself have said that’s where you succeed the most; under the pressure to make a name for yourself, to show those guys that you belong. You’re used to this Chelsea!”
Trying to tune out the voice I slide further down into the tub as I then watch the water beat away against my skin, something about watching the droplets hit then slide down my body brings a sense of calmness over my overly excited sense and I finally begin to calm down.
“Chelsea, listen to me. Look at the past, every time you have won a major title or got some kind of record you have been the only woman in the company…don’t you think that makes something?”
“This time is different.”
“How so?”
“Those past feds I was used to those guys, I had worked with them for years before I won those championships. This time I’ve only been here what…not even a year yet? It’s going to take a lot more for me to get to that point here.”
“But that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Look at this as more of an opportunity instead of a challenge.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you’re looking at these guys with fear and intimidation. Even though you’ve been doing great and making progress the thought of facing the veterans and those who are big names scares the hell out of you. Stop looking at them; focus on what you will be winning if you win this match.”
“A chance to get beaten down by my boyfriend?”
“I said to ignore the people, Ice included. What will you be winning if you win this match?”
“A shot at a championship.”
“What championship?”
“Are you kidding me?”
“No, now what championship?”
“The World Championship.”
I don’t see the point in where this is going as I take a deep breath of air before submerging my head under water, staying there for a few seconds I come back up for air as I wipe the warm water and hair back from my face.
“Are you seeing my point yet Chelsea?”
“Honestly, no, no I’m not.”
“My point is you don’t need to keep focusing on the guys in this match, I don’t care who it is; Corey Black, Jonny Fly, Johnny Reb, Gravedigger…the list goes on and on and on. I don’t care! Focus on the end prize and you will fly through them without a worry. The trick is to not focus on who you’re facing, focus on what you could take away from them and what you can gain, in the end they’re just guys waiting to fall like dominos as you make your way to get your crown. That is all you need to be focusing on.”
“So you’re saying I shouldn’t worry about specifics basically? Focus on the light at the end of the tunnel and close my eyes through the rest?”
“In a way of speaking, yes. You got this Chelsea, remember what you use to do…how you used to thrive in these situations…do that and you will go further than you had thought possible.”
A simple nod I close my eyes letting the music and light flickering in front of my eyes carry the voice away as I take a deep sigh knowing then I have to get up. They did get one thing through to me though…it really doesn’t matter at all who I face, they will all fall just the same, I need to focus on the big part of my situation and not the many little flames trying to burn me along the way. I need this win…and I can tear through everyone I see in order to do it…I got this.
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**Scene Three**
“Would you like lunch?”
“Already done.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, she got hungry while go so I made her some spaghettio’s.”
“Oh, well thank you.”
“No problem at all, she’s been a blast this morning.”
“What have you guys been doing?”
“Well, she woke up around seven and we had some pancakes, of course she wanted her chocolate chips so she got some of those to go with it.”
“You gave her chocolate that early? No wonder she’s been bouncing off the walls.”
“Am I not supposed to do that…”
“It’s not smart to give kids sugar that early…let alone chocolate. They can get extremely hyper and then they’re just a handful until they crash and fall asleep.”
“Well she did take a nap earlier.”
“You got her to take a nap?”
“Yeah, that’s why the blankets were on the floor. She made me lay down with her but it only took about ten minutes and she was passed out.”
“Wow…”
“I didn’t do something wrong again, did I?”
“No, no it’s perfectly fine. I’m just alil surprised at how fast she’s warmed up to you. Though part of it could be because you’re alil bit like a kid yourself.”
“Hey if that helps you out with her I think I can handle that.”
Smiling I walk over to the bed where Shelley has been flipping through a book as I sit beside her and softly brush the curls from her face.
“What are you reading sweetie?”
“Mickey!”
“Oh Mickey Mouse?”
Nodding excitedly her curious eyes move over the words with confusion before focusing on the colorful pictures dancing across the pages. She thumbs through happily mumbling to us and telling us her own version of the story while Ice sits on the other side of her and watches the pages. I can’t help but watch the two of them together, he has accepted her just as quickly as she’s accepted him and I couldn’t be any happier right now. My thoughts are broke as Shelley grabs my hand and hops off the bed.
“What is it sweetie?”
“Walk.”
Standing I don’t ask any more questions as I let her lead me through the room before we end up at the front door. Making me laugh she grabs her coat from the table and is beginning to put it on before sitting in the floor and beginning to pull on her little brown boots.
“I think Shelley wants to go out for a while, you ok with that?”
“Sure, there’s a little children’s museum down the block, we could go there.”
“That sounds like fun, what do you think Shelley? Wanna go to a museum; they’ll have games and things you can play with.”
She glances up enough to make a small nod as she’s still trying to pull on her shoes; finally she has enough as she pouts a little before holding them up to me.
“Help.”
Laughing I kneel down and pull the zipper down on the boots which then allows her feet to slip into them with ease, to my surprise…which I guess shouldn’t surprise me much by now…Ice has just finished helping her with the other shoe as we grab our jackets and head out of the hotel room.
Maybe they were right…if I focus on what’s important, what I’m going to be winning…does it really matter who I’m facing? I mean, I could be facing the biggest names in the world but if we’re fighting for a penny that isn’t going to mean a lot. Here we’re fighting for the World Heavyweight Championship…that matters more than anyone I could step into that ring with. I should be winning to take down every man in my way and I’m willing to do just that, I will bring that win home to my daughter and then I will go on to face my boyfriend…either way it’s going to be a win win isn’t it? No matter which way that match goes the championship still says in our position…I guess that’s one of the perks of being with the champion huh? Haha, good luck boys, I may be alone…but there’s a reason I’ve survived over all the others. You have no idea what you’re up against.
