Post by Skyler Striker on Mar 15, 2007 1:15:42 GMT -5
Often, when we fall down and get depressed, we lose inspiration or reason for living. We search endlessly in the caverns of our minds simply so we can find a way to get back up. However, some of these routes to happiness end in another fall even further below the first. Depression can be ended, but the cruellest route to happiness is sometimes the best way to take.
We begin the scene this week inside a small independent wrestling show. We are in a small room, about three hundred people fill the room around the ring, and the apron and signs everywhere that fans hold in their hands all say the words High Voltage Wrestling. The crowd are cheering their old fan favourite in the ring, one of the former members of Index 5 – but it is not Skyler Striker. The wrestler in the wring is a rather big man, very muscled and pumped, veins showing on his arms and forehead. His hair is short and black and his pants are maroon, and the shirt we can see draped over one ring rope reads ‘#3: Andrew’. The wrestler is Andrew Timms, returning for a one night appearance in New York to wrestle T.J. Chaser, HVW World Champion and friend of Skyler. The match finishes quickly as Chaser rebounds off the ropes and hits his springboard Impaler DDT, pinning Andrew for the three count. “Give It All” by Rise Against hits and Chaser grabs his title, leaving the ring. Andrew stands slowly, and the crowd cheer him with no holding back, screaming at the top of their lungs. A chant begins, softer at first, but as it is heard by others, they join in, chanting “Please stay here! Please stay here!”. Andrew goes to the ropes and leaves the ring, exiting the stage with a wave to the fans. He goes backstage, packs up his things and leaves the building inconspicuously, the fans still waiting to hear the closing announcements inside. However, Andrew stops when he hears a voice behind him.
??: Chose not to say hello, huh?
Andrew turns to see a figure in maroon pants, slashed across the front, and with a black shirt on. Andrew’s eyes widen and he rubs them to make sure he is not seeing what he thinks he is, but when Skyler Striker moves and touches him on the shoulder, Andrew accepts the embrace of his former friend.
AT: Skyler Striker… I haven’t seen you since Scott’s funeral.
Andrew’s voice is cold and steely, even accusatory towards Skyler. Skyler is slightly confused, and lets go of Andrew.
SS: What’s wrong? You’re not still sad over Scott, are you?
AT: I’ve never been the same since you kicked him out. And I felt that part of the cause- well some of it, not all- was you.
Skyler reels back in shock, his eyes widening in what seems to be part shock and part anger.
AT: Not all of it. But that meeting we had, on whether Scott should stay or go, I voted him to stay. And you, Jayden and Dylan all voted him to leave. He had nothing outside of us, and that’s why he committed suicide. Index 5 was always Index 3 and Index 2 combined. It was Scott and I, and you, Jayden and Dylan. And you were the leader. You held responsibility.
SS: You can’t be serious… Scott was-
Andrew interrupts this quickly and angrily by grabbing Skyler by the throat and pushing him against the wall. Skyler can still breathe, but Andrew is taller and bigger, and he holds Skyler there as he speaks, his eyes pulsing with anger, some of the veins on his arms even beginning to show.
AT: I’m damn serious. You blame Scott for breaking up the group. I should beat some sense into you, here and now, just so you can understand my pain. You were always the bane of my existence, and I-
Andrew is interrupted by the fans of HVW, who are beginning to exit the building now that the show has finished. They all stop in horror as they see Andrew holding up one of HVW’s own former champions. T.J. Chaser, who has managed to get out ahead of the crowd, rushes to the wall but Andrew releases Skyler before Chaser gets there. Chaser comes between Andrew and Skyler and Andrew looks like he might assault both of them, even with witnesses aplenty.
AT: Forget it. Skyler, nothing more needs to be said. I’m out of here.
Andrew walks away to his car and gets in, driving away from the arena. Skyler turns to Chaser, who shrugs, but as Chaser goes to pat Skyler on the shoulder, his hand freezes, as does everything else around Skyler. Skyler’s eyes instantly blaze with anger beyond anything he has ever felt before, and he looks to the night sky, the alley walls surrounding him. His voice is loud and absolutely furious.
SS: I’VE HAD IT! Why don’t you come down here, right now, so I can fight you man on man or whatever the holy fuck you think you are! I’m fucking sick and tired of you interfering in my life! My best friend and the only woman I ever loved, taken away in two fucking days! I have two days left until War and you’re still trying to teach me these so called lessons! Why, what, who? TELL ME!!
The voice comes back once more, although this time, it is missing the deep masculine part, leaving us with a sound than cannot be described, although it sounds extremely familiar and is able to be understood by Striker.
??: So, what have you learnt today, Skyler?
SS: Don’t you give me that shit! Either tell me who you are, or…
??: Or what?
The voice speaks lightly, but not patronisingly. Skyler pauses, hesitating and trying to find an end to his sentence. The voice waits calmly and finally Skyler gives up, beginning to walk away from the scene.
??: You’re only a few inches away, Skyler. I expected more of you, but all I get is this half-hearted effort? Come on! Tell me what you’ve learned, instead of me having to teach you again!
Skyler’s eyes are still blazing, but he continues anyway, once again subject to the voice’s whim.
SS: I don’t know. I learnt that friends aren’t to be trusted? I don’t fucking know! You’re the one calling yourself a teacher! Why don’t you teach me?!
??: Friends aren’t to be trusted? Surely that’s not the best you can do. I’ll give you a clue: Andrew was the one who was right at the end of that conversation.
Skyler pauses, processing the information in his mind.
SS: So then it was my fault Scott killed himself.
The voice pauses, hesitant to give the answer, but does, in a softer tone.
??: Yes.
Skyler begins walking again and gets towards his car, but it will not open with the frozen scene in place.
SS: So my lesson is…
??: Nothing. But you will now live knowing even more of who you are, with this guilt being a part of you. It is an unfortunate lesson to have to learn, but everyone must learn it at some point in life. You will not think about it all the time, but it is now a part of you, Skyler, and you must embrace it and move on, even if it costs you Andrew’s friendship.
Skyler still burns inside, angrier than ever now with this knowledge, but he knows the voice is right. He looks to the sky again, his voice calmer now.
SS: Alright. Is this the last lesson?
??: No. The last lesson will come before War, but it will be my last. I have taught you Shaneyah’s lesson and Andrew’s lesson. Mine still remains. Go home and relax, Skyler. Your body is ready, but for the final lesson, your mind must be ready as well. I will return for your last lesson soon, Skyler.
Time unfreezes and Skyler looks at his hands as the scene comes to a close.
“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win."
-Sun Tzu
We begin the scene this week inside a small independent wrestling show. We are in a small room, about three hundred people fill the room around the ring, and the apron and signs everywhere that fans hold in their hands all say the words High Voltage Wrestling. The crowd are cheering their old fan favourite in the ring, one of the former members of Index 5 – but it is not Skyler Striker. The wrestler in the wring is a rather big man, very muscled and pumped, veins showing on his arms and forehead. His hair is short and black and his pants are maroon, and the shirt we can see draped over one ring rope reads ‘#3: Andrew’. The wrestler is Andrew Timms, returning for a one night appearance in New York to wrestle T.J. Chaser, HVW World Champion and friend of Skyler. The match finishes quickly as Chaser rebounds off the ropes and hits his springboard Impaler DDT, pinning Andrew for the three count. “Give It All” by Rise Against hits and Chaser grabs his title, leaving the ring. Andrew stands slowly, and the crowd cheer him with no holding back, screaming at the top of their lungs. A chant begins, softer at first, but as it is heard by others, they join in, chanting “Please stay here! Please stay here!”. Andrew goes to the ropes and leaves the ring, exiting the stage with a wave to the fans. He goes backstage, packs up his things and leaves the building inconspicuously, the fans still waiting to hear the closing announcements inside. However, Andrew stops when he hears a voice behind him.
??: Chose not to say hello, huh?
Andrew turns to see a figure in maroon pants, slashed across the front, and with a black shirt on. Andrew’s eyes widen and he rubs them to make sure he is not seeing what he thinks he is, but when Skyler Striker moves and touches him on the shoulder, Andrew accepts the embrace of his former friend.
AT: Skyler Striker… I haven’t seen you since Scott’s funeral.
Andrew’s voice is cold and steely, even accusatory towards Skyler. Skyler is slightly confused, and lets go of Andrew.
SS: What’s wrong? You’re not still sad over Scott, are you?
AT: I’ve never been the same since you kicked him out. And I felt that part of the cause- well some of it, not all- was you.
Skyler reels back in shock, his eyes widening in what seems to be part shock and part anger.
AT: Not all of it. But that meeting we had, on whether Scott should stay or go, I voted him to stay. And you, Jayden and Dylan all voted him to leave. He had nothing outside of us, and that’s why he committed suicide. Index 5 was always Index 3 and Index 2 combined. It was Scott and I, and you, Jayden and Dylan. And you were the leader. You held responsibility.
SS: You can’t be serious… Scott was-
Andrew interrupts this quickly and angrily by grabbing Skyler by the throat and pushing him against the wall. Skyler can still breathe, but Andrew is taller and bigger, and he holds Skyler there as he speaks, his eyes pulsing with anger, some of the veins on his arms even beginning to show.
AT: I’m damn serious. You blame Scott for breaking up the group. I should beat some sense into you, here and now, just so you can understand my pain. You were always the bane of my existence, and I-
Andrew is interrupted by the fans of HVW, who are beginning to exit the building now that the show has finished. They all stop in horror as they see Andrew holding up one of HVW’s own former champions. T.J. Chaser, who has managed to get out ahead of the crowd, rushes to the wall but Andrew releases Skyler before Chaser gets there. Chaser comes between Andrew and Skyler and Andrew looks like he might assault both of them, even with witnesses aplenty.
AT: Forget it. Skyler, nothing more needs to be said. I’m out of here.
Andrew walks away to his car and gets in, driving away from the arena. Skyler turns to Chaser, who shrugs, but as Chaser goes to pat Skyler on the shoulder, his hand freezes, as does everything else around Skyler. Skyler’s eyes instantly blaze with anger beyond anything he has ever felt before, and he looks to the night sky, the alley walls surrounding him. His voice is loud and absolutely furious.
SS: I’VE HAD IT! Why don’t you come down here, right now, so I can fight you man on man or whatever the holy fuck you think you are! I’m fucking sick and tired of you interfering in my life! My best friend and the only woman I ever loved, taken away in two fucking days! I have two days left until War and you’re still trying to teach me these so called lessons! Why, what, who? TELL ME!!
The voice comes back once more, although this time, it is missing the deep masculine part, leaving us with a sound than cannot be described, although it sounds extremely familiar and is able to be understood by Striker.
??: So, what have you learnt today, Skyler?
SS: Don’t you give me that shit! Either tell me who you are, or…
??: Or what?
The voice speaks lightly, but not patronisingly. Skyler pauses, hesitating and trying to find an end to his sentence. The voice waits calmly and finally Skyler gives up, beginning to walk away from the scene.
??: You’re only a few inches away, Skyler. I expected more of you, but all I get is this half-hearted effort? Come on! Tell me what you’ve learned, instead of me having to teach you again!
Skyler’s eyes are still blazing, but he continues anyway, once again subject to the voice’s whim.
SS: I don’t know. I learnt that friends aren’t to be trusted? I don’t fucking know! You’re the one calling yourself a teacher! Why don’t you teach me?!
??: Friends aren’t to be trusted? Surely that’s not the best you can do. I’ll give you a clue: Andrew was the one who was right at the end of that conversation.
Skyler pauses, processing the information in his mind.
SS: So then it was my fault Scott killed himself.
The voice pauses, hesitant to give the answer, but does, in a softer tone.
??: Yes.
Skyler begins walking again and gets towards his car, but it will not open with the frozen scene in place.
SS: So my lesson is…
??: Nothing. But you will now live knowing even more of who you are, with this guilt being a part of you. It is an unfortunate lesson to have to learn, but everyone must learn it at some point in life. You will not think about it all the time, but it is now a part of you, Skyler, and you must embrace it and move on, even if it costs you Andrew’s friendship.
Skyler still burns inside, angrier than ever now with this knowledge, but he knows the voice is right. He looks to the sky again, his voice calmer now.
SS: Alright. Is this the last lesson?
??: No. The last lesson will come before War, but it will be my last. I have taught you Shaneyah’s lesson and Andrew’s lesson. Mine still remains. Go home and relax, Skyler. Your body is ready, but for the final lesson, your mind must be ready as well. I will return for your last lesson soon, Skyler.
Time unfreezes and Skyler looks at his hands as the scene comes to a close.
“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win."
-Sun Tzu
