Storm's Story: The Beginning

[STORM]

STORM'S STORY
The Beginning

Event: All Star Showdown
Word Count: 2790
Scenes: 03
Characters: Mark Storm, Richard Steen and Rick the Ruler
Opponent: Savannah Taylor

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Scene 001: Where It All Began
Date: 07/09/2014
Location: Quebec, Canada; Steel Cage Wrestling event

"And what a fatal blow by Mark Storm!" one of the commentators exaggerated, clapping his hands afterwards as the camera fixated on the centre of the ring. "Mark Storm just kept pounding, and pounding, and pounding away on Moriello like he was a meat bag! Quite literally! I think Mark Storm has damn lost it out here tonight!"

"STORM, STORM, STORM, STORM."

I couldn't even hear them screaming my name because at that moment everything froze, and I couldn't remember where I was. My vision became blurred but my other senses heightened, the smell of blood becoming thick and filling my nostrils, churning my stomach round and round like a washing machine. I hadn't felt this sick since high school. And suddenly, the noise from the audience and everyone around me reverberated in the air with a deafening affect. 

"This one is all over!" shouting at the top of his lungs, I could hear him scream. "This one is all over!"

My vision came back to me and I looked down at my bloody fists, confused, deranged, not knowing what I had done to put my bare fists in such a bloody state. And I shivered at the sight of it. I was scared. And I couldn't stop my hands from shaking; an excessive shake ensuing and suddenly I was being pulled away like a prisoner, dragged away like I was some sort of monster. But I couldn't quite pin point what I had done. I didn't quite understand. 

"Fuck me, kid! You almost killed the bastard!" I was up against the ropes and right in front of my face was my trainer, my manager, mister Richard Steen who made sure I was hydrated by forcing a bottle of water down my throat before slapping me across the face. My eyes could not divert away from the body I had left lifeless in the ring and it all came back to me. "I don't know what the fuck you were thinking.. but fuck man.. I've never seen you so fuckin' relentless!" He paused, a slight smirk on his face but it quickly evaporated as a team of medics rushed into the ring with a stretcher. 

"This is serious folks. Vincent Moriello is seriously injured out here tonight after enduring that unbelievable beating from Mark Storm. Honestly, this kid looks like he's just been battered with a baseball bat out here tonight. That is some serious, serious bruising to the face; a definite concussion and hell.. times like this, you've just gotta pray for the kid." 

"You're damn right, Don. Moriello is in such a state and Mark Storm just wouldn't stop when the job was obviously done."

In came the stretcher, and out went the body. 

And then a round of applause ensued for Moriello, for his brave efforts, as well as everyone's best wishes for his road to recovery. I didn't join in with the round of applause. At this point I had become paralyzed and only my eyes were moving. I wanted to jump into a bottomless abyss and hide away from those who glared at me in the arena, a thousand eyes all glued on me. 

"You're a fuckin' monster mate, hahaha - I'll give ya that! Sooner rather than later.. you'll be in for a shot at that title, mate!" Steen continued, like I hadn't just beaten the life out of a man, right in front of him. He tried to look at the brighter side of it. Believing that I would get a push due to my domination, my annihilation, my inability to stop when necessary. 

But I couldn't bare to think about the potential pushes or opportunities that could come my way. 

All I could think about was what came over me. I was like a man possessed, no one could stop me. 

---

Scene 002: Rick's Reckoning 
Date: 24/06/2016

"You remember that day Mark, the day we first met?"  The way he said it creeped me. Like it was our first date. My first date with my imaginary friend, how normal. But of course I remembered it. I remembered it like it was yesterday. "You were so innocent, so young.. so frightened of what you had done. God knows why. You were triumphant in victory!"

Which was true, but he forgot to mention the fact that I had nearly beaten a man to death with my bare hands. And thats when I first acknowledged that something was up with me. I hadn't been the same since the passing of my father but that incident, that's what shook me, that's what made me realize that I wasn't right in the head. To have voices directing you on your every move, complimenting your style and critiquing like they know what they're talking about. Schizophrenia is a strange, strange illness that I had trouble coming to terms with in the past. But now, it was a part of me. I wasn't exactly proud to have it. Who would be? But I wasn't depressed or distraught either. 

I sat comfortably at the dinner table alone, dressed in a formal attire despite not even having a date to take out; this was time for myself, that I needed. Time for reflection and contemplation, time for thought. But it wasn't a wise move to avoid my prescription medication. But I already knew that. It's what I wanted to do. It's what I do when I go through times of contemplating, and reflection, and thought. I allow my demons to contribute their views and whatnot. 

"What do you expect, Rick? I'd just beaten the living day lights out of a kid.."  I spoke discretely, not wanting to catch anyone's attention. It would've just looked weird. Someone watching me speak to myself, and you'd be surprised on how often it occurs. 

"You were such a fuckin' pussy." He laughed and all of a sudden, his living embodiment appeared seated opposite me. A cigarette clenched between his lips, dressed in a dark grey suit with a glass of wine in his other hand as he brought out a lighter and ignited a flame to light the cigarette. Inhaling, and exhaling. 

"But you were so powerful, so intimidating. Don't you miss those days?"

Hissing before replying; "They were okay Rick, jeeze."

"They were okay?"

He repeated my sentence, raising his eyebrows.

"The amount of championships you earned under my guidance. The amount of wins, accomplishments, career highlights that you've got, with my guidance. Compare it to what you've done without me Mark. Together, we were unstoppable! Nobody could touch us! Think about the amount of damage we could do together.. if you just let me in, full time!"

"I've got a kid."

He shook his head before replying. 

"But when you're on the road.. you're not with said kid, when you're on the road.. you're alone.. and when you're in the ring, you're alone. And I'm only asking to be there in that ring, and on the road. Like the old times, you and me!"

A cloud of smoke appeared above his head as he exhaled smoke once more. 

"Think about what we could do to that tramp, Mark."

I immediately knew who he was referring to, and I couldn't help but break a smile. 

"You know she's a tramp too. That's why you're laughing! With me in your corner.. hell, you'd stamp all over that tramp and show her that you are the fuckin' deal. Who does she think she is? She's got an ego so big but she doesn't match the fuckin' bill. I mean she's okay, she's got some athleticism and some speed, and she's sure as hell hot as fuck. But with that ego, and her small stature, we could squash her Mark. Squash her the way that she deserves to be squashed."

"She sure does love to talk."

"Exactly! You know it has to be done. Think about the amount of damage we could do at Frontier Grappling Arts! The heights we could reach, what we could achieve! All you've got to do... is let me in Mark, what do you say?"

...

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Scene 003: The Shoot
Date: 25/06/2016

"This is where dreams are made and shit, right? The biggest stage of them all, the grandest stage of them all. This is where men and women transform into legends and where legends, become immortal. All Star Showdown, ladies and gents. It's the pinnacle of our profession."

Silence exasperated the room as I paused, allowing those who were watching to sink in the words that had come out of my mouth. I stood motionless. No one but me and the camera man located in this small cramped room and I was seated on a stool; dressed in my gym attire with sweat beaming down my forehead. But that didn't phase me, a simple wipe from my forearm would do the trick before I licked my dry lips, and continued. 

"The pressure will be on because of that fact. Because of the fact that this is the grandest stage of them all. You've got to stand out and set yourself apart from the others. You've got to show that you're worth dealing with. You've got to prove your worth to the world, because that's who will be watching.. the world, will be watching this spectacle. And will be on the stage, doing our thing, doing what we love.. you and me Savannah. But the question is, will the pressure get to you? Or will you rise about it all, and step up to the plate.

We've had a war of words you and I. But it isn't something that's been brewing for long, it's not a Chandler and Page scenario we've got going on here, with months of baggage. This is something fresh, something new that has only recently developed. I came out a few weeks ago and I made my presence known. I acknowledged the fact that I hadn't been putting on the performances that I promised. I hadn't been living up to the hype that was created when I arrived. But I said that I would be doing something about it. It wasn't a cry for attention for sympathy from the fans. I mean't it from the bottom of my heart Savannah because deep down, I know that I've let a lot of those fans down.. but obviously, you didn't see it that way. Making comparison's between the two of us; which is fair because we've probably been fishing around these parts around the same time now, but whilst you've gone on to establish yourself.. I haven't. Whilst you've contested for a title, I haven't. I've been the wildcard who's been thrown into the deep end having to fend against the likes of Ricky Valero and Johnny Karma, but have I complained? No. Because I for one, I'm up for a challenge. And that's what I've been doing ever since day one when I started in this business. I've been rising up to the challenges that are set on my path."

Taking a moment, I paused. 

"And you're just another challenge, another obstacle to overcome. But overcoming obstacles haven't been easy recently, in fact.. I've been struggling as of late, enduring loss after loss and that get's to your morale. That get's to your mental but there's two type of people in this world.. there's people who just quit whilst there down, and there's people who rise from the ashes like a phoenix. And quitting, it isn't something that's customary for me. I came to this promotion with a purpose, with a goal and on a mission, and I'm not going to stop.. until I get to where I want to be.

Everyone calls it delusion because I'm not afraid to dream. I'm not afraid to think beyond the boxes, and I'm not afraid to fail whilst trying to reach my goals. It's delusional Mark, be realistic Mark, you're not gonna get there Mark! I've heard it all before and it's all old to me now. But even though I've been knocked down a few times, I've always managed to get back up.. and every time I've gotten back up, I've earned respect from those I stepped in the ring against.. they've acknowledged that I have what it takes, it may not be now.. but eventually, I will be at the helm of this promotion. They know it, they've acknowledged it but timing is everything. Patience is a virtue but unfortunately for me, I'm very impatient. I like to get shit done and I like to progress as quick as I can. And a win over you at All Star Showdown Savannah, it will send me rocketing through the damn rankings."

Running my fingers through my hair, I paused, whilst contemplating what to say next. 

"I don't hate you, Savannah. 

Just like Ricky Valero, I don't hate him either. 

Even though you've got this mean aurora about you,

this bad bitch attitude that no one else can see through,

I don't actually hate you. You voiced your opinions;

and we're all entitled to those until Trump is elected."

"But what I do hate is that you're probably sitting at home right now, sipping out of your coffee mug thinking that when you come up against me at All Star Showdown, it's gonna be a breeze. It's gonna be an easy ride, that's what you're probably thinking right? That you've got it easy, or some shit? And the plot twist is, it isn't gonna be easy for you. It isn't going to be the walk in the park that you envision it's going to be. It's going to be one hell of a damn wrestling match. I'll push you to your limits. I'll take you to your boundaries. I'll take you to hell and back, with a fuckin' concussion as souvenir. And I'm sorry if I'm sounding a bit off beat now. I'm sorry that I'm letting my frustration, and my anger get the best of me.. but I'm just sick, of people thinking that I'm some sort of joke around here. Like I don't have the credential to make it big in the world of Frontier Grappling Arts. Well let me assure you now Savannah. I have what it takes.  And I'll prove it to you, when I beat you.. at All Star Showdown."

And then there was a deep moment of contemplation. I diverted my eyes away from the camera and to the floor for a moment. 

"My demons used to haunt me. 

They used to torment me. 

They used to bully me, in truth. 

But now, I use them in my favor.. 

That anger, that torment, I use that against my opponents."

"And that's what you should be most worried about Savannah. You should be worried about who you're going to face at All Star Showdown. Because the Mark Storm that you've all seen, that you've all bared witness to; the nice guy, who just wants a chance here in FGA. He's about to become someone else. He's about to become something else, entirely. And what you're going to see at All Star Showdown is the reckoning of professional wrestling; the man who conquered Japan, the man who conquered Extreme Wrestling Corporation, and the man who will conquer Frontier Grappling Arts. Fuck, why am I lying to you guys right now? You're not going to be seeing a man. You're going to be seeing a monster."

Appearing on the screen for a brief second or so, is the following trademark image of Mark Storm. From all the other realms he had indulged himself in, his most recognizable image with his signature skeleton skull face paint.  

"A monster that you can't contain. You won't contain. 

Even with your best efforts. 

I think the time has come for me to show you my demons. 

And they've been trapped in here."

Tapping my fingertips against my skull

"Eager to come out, wanting to come out."

"Savannah Taylor, our match is going to be a showdown of what the future of this promotion has to offer, because it goes without saying we are the future of this promotion. And I plan on sticking around here for a very very long time, just like you. It's gonna be a good one Taylor. And as always, I wish you good luck. But it goes without saying."

I pause, approaching the camera and shaking it. 

"Luck, is for losers."

End scene.