Post by Divewire on Apr 16, 2024 10:20:30 GMT -6
“I did everything I possibly could.”
Arlington Catte sits on the floor of the shower in his motel room. The water is hot. He’s still dressed in his ring gear, minus boots, after working a random indy show somewhere in Southern Ontario. Milton. No, Hamilton. No, I think we’re actually in Charlottetown, PEI. The water is still hot, for now. Steam fills the room. Divewire remains hunched as the water pours over him. He keeps his eyes open as water drips from his eyeballs. Too hot. He shuts them and winces a bit.
“Every time I step into that ring, it is with the best of intentions, I promise. I’m not in this for the violence of it. I’m in it for the rush. That adrenaline high. That thing we all crave where the clouds clear and the sun shines directly on you.”
He begins to slowly remove the wrist tape. The water turns slightly cooler. Arlington is annoyed at this. Remaining seated, he reaches up and augments the heat a degree or two. The left wrist tape is off. He begins the right wrist. Slow. Staring blankly at it while he pulls the fabric tape free of the moist glue.
“That Sally Talfourd loss from Prime 120 is gonna haunt me for a minute. The echo of that 3-count wakes me up at night… or midday… or whenever it is that I’m actually sleeping. My head is a mess. My mind’s askew. I’m not the me that I wanna be. Not today. But that doesn’t matter right now. I need to find a way to focus on something other than that massive loss. I really thought I was going to walk out of San Juan with my hand raised! I honestly did! I thought I’d be entering Mania with momentum under my wings. I booked this indy run as a celebration tour and instead it feels like a shame walk. Everyone is looking at me to keep being the hero; to keep getting UP. What happens when I don’t have that in me anymore?!”
He notices the sound of his voice echoing from the shower walls. It disturbs him. His eyebrows furrow even more. It comes so easily to him to think about the things that hurt. His tortured mind. His body. His soul. A deep breath should be a good start. He inhales deeeeeply… and exhales into a ball of tears that stem from much more than just this one professional wrestling loss. Deep pain emerges. The water turns tepid. Fade to black
A NUMBER OF DARK DAYS LATER…
Divewire bolts awake from another nightmare, gasping for air and clutching at his chest. His breathing is deep and rapid. Wide eyes dart around the room. His breathing slows.
“They don’t know me.”
He lays back and rests his head on his slightly damp pillow. He throws the pillow off the bed and uses the dry one. The ceiling looks heavy tonight.
“Eleven heartless rivals standing there… staring at me… judging me. Seeing me as ‘less than’ no matter how much I’ve already done to prove in plain sight that I am much more!”
He rolls out of bed and heads into the bathroom by the light of the moon through a sliver in the drape. We can now tell that this isn’t that cheap motel room in small town Canada. This is a lush hotel suite in London, UK, about a week before StrangleMania. Media training. Then Media. Then Training. Busy morning ahead. No sleep yet tonight. Another indy show in a few days. Gotta stay in top ring shape. Easier said than done.
“I need a plan.”
He suddenly flips the light off and everything goes pitch dark.
INDY SHOW in CAMBRIDGE (England, not Ontario)
Divewire throws open the black curtain and walks into the spotlights! Always a stellar moment for Arlington, no matter the town. He has a mic in hand and wastes no time in talkin’ as he walks that aisle with pride.
“Just so everyone is on the same Paige, I plan to shove That Living Dead Girl into The Void Personified in a uniquely Rebellious act of Ultraviolence that’ll hit harder at the Box Office than any Marksman this side of Granite City! Yeah, Princess, this Lad’s gonna come out lookin’ like a true Golden Boy!!”
“WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”
The crowd is instantly hooked and hungry for more. Good thing Divewire’s feeling thirsty tonight. He rolls into the ring and stands dead centre, turning a slow circle while his words fall freely.
“Monday night, April 22nd, LIVE from Wembley… StrangleMania 19 begins with a violent, likely blood-soaked battle between a bevy of superstars who all want their Moment. I am not coming to StrangleMania to prove my worth to anyone. I am coming to StrangleMania to WIN the Hellevator. Even if I gotta grab an exploding bat and swingo like Swango! I’ll hit you with an exploding vampire if I must!!! Whatever the Hell it takes!!!
So, Morales, when you look to handle your Sweet Business, I plan to float off the top of that fireman’s carry, roll down your back, and shock you with a sudden chair shot to the mush! And Melinda, when you take to the air with the Rebel Star Press, I plan to vanish from the impact zone and suddenly reappear in threatening airspace above you… gravity on! I have these plans laid out very nicely in my head. Everybody’s got a plan until all HELLEVATOR BREAKS LOOSE!!!
If any of you wants to step to me, hoof it across that canvas and say my name to my face! I’m not going to let the intimidating nature of the situation overwhelm me. This 12-human Hellevator Match promises to be the most chaotic match of the entire StrangleMania XIX card!!! This environment demands that I cross lines. This environment demands that I do things I wouldn’t normally do. So when ZERO-DAY arrives and I’m staring into the dark eyes of my own personal Extinction Event, I will stop at nothing to survive and sleep like a baby on ZERO-NIGHT! If you don’t make a point of keeping Divewire down, you make the mistake of forcing your eyes UP… and you won’t like what you see up there!
Arlington Catte. The Gravity Neutralizer. Flying down from the top rope. Flying down from the rafters. Flying down from the stars to start the show in chaotic style on one of the biggest nights of the EWC year!”
His excitement grows. He taps his index finger on his wrist.
“The Hellevator showcases twelve sensational superstars! One for each tick of the clock. One for each month of the year. One for each inch of the foot I’m gonna break off in the rear of your gear if you get in my way! EWC faithful, what time is it??!?”
“Time to get UP!!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!!”
Divewire smiles from ear to ear as he chants along for a good, long, sweet moment. This is what he needs. This is where that deep strength comes from for him. The people mean so much. They have no idea.
“When I’m engulfed by the chaos of the Hellevator, it will not corrupt me. I will use the tools that are permitted and available to me in pursuit of the glory that comes with my very first StrangleMania victory!
Hellevator eleven…”
Fade to black.
“...going down.”
