Back To The Days of Future Past

[AshCandor]

I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

And if you have a minute why don't we go

Talk about it somewhere only we know?

This could be the end of everything….

‘Somewhere Only We Know’ - Keane

Now. [Off-Camera]

“Have you been good? Have you done anything fun? Do you feel okay? I’ve missed you so much, you don’t even know…”

“I’ve been behaving, I promise. I’ve been playing with toys and watching cartoons and eating popsicles and so much cereal!”

“When I see you again I’m going to hug you forever. Just the longest hug possible, squeeze you right up!”

“Mommy?”

“Yes hon?”

“Why did you let them take me?”

Salem sat bolt upright in the bed, sweat pouring down her face. She gasped for air that momentarily just wouldn’t come. Looking around the room. Which room? Where was she? But then her eyes adjusted, she could make out the dresser mirror, the clothes hamper in the corner, the Felix the Cat wall clock with it’s googly eyes and swishing tail. She was in her own bedroom. Looking over she saw her wife Artemis curled up next to her. Who knew that such savagery could come from the little form there, but it happened. Artemis was like a little miracle. And Salem could use all those she could get.

And waking up from this dream, this nightmare, this rude interruption of otherwise pleasant sleep at 3:37 A.M. was just uncalled for. But she had a tickle, an itch at the back of her brain, a buzzing in her ears. This didn’t feel like any other dream she’d ever had. Sometimes dreams feel so real, that you could’ve swore you were there. You were in that music store looking for that CD and just about to buy it, or getting ready to eat that pizza you could almost smell. No, this was different. Salem was in that room. She could smell her daughter, see the slight curl of her dark hair. Could hear the sweet innocent tone of her voice.

Salem could picture her daughter at almost six years old, even though the last time she’d seen her she was basically a newborn. How was this even possible? How was her mind’s eye doing this. It was too real to be made up.

Salem looked over and contemplated waking Artemis but she looked too darn peaceful there. Instead she laid back down, thinking to herself. It was like she knew this child, had been around it for an extended period… it wasn’t really Salem talking to her but it was. And Lily knew her, how was that possible? This continued to rattle around in her brain until she faded back to sleep, no more dreams on this night.

-

…. Save yourself, serve yourself…..

World serves its own needs, listen to your heart bleed…..

This means no fear, cavalier, renegade and steering clear…..

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine…..

‘It’s the End of the World As We Know It’ - R.E.M.

TIME, PLACE: UNKNOWN [OFF-CAMERA]

Alright so… I guess we can start at the end, somewhere in the middle of whatever THIS is, right? If you want to put labels on something, call me a spirit, a ghost, an essence. To paraphrase David Lee Roth by way of Al Jolson: “I ain’t got no body.” I kicked the bucket on September 11, 2022 on my 30th birthday. I know it’s really morbid for me to phrase it in such a cavalier way, but I’ve always been a bit of a sarcastic person. And the whole being dead thing brings a whole new levity to the situation, you know? You’d think you wouldn’t have a problem in the world, and for the most part you’d be right. Things are a lot less hectic these days. But there are still things I’ve got to do. Now, I don’t know what day it is or even what time it is. I really don’t have access to a calendar or a wristwatch, you know?

Don’t get me wrong, the whole dying thing sucked royally. But I take comfort in the fact that in my dying breath I saved my family by sacrificing myself. My parents home was set on fire, this was no electrical fire mishap, mind you. The fire was deliberately set in order to kill everyone inside. I’m not going to go into the specifics of all that just yet, just know that with my last bit of adrenaline I braced a door frame with my back as my wife and kids slid past me to safety. I saw the looks in their eyes as they turned around anguished and pleading, reaching out to me. And that’s when the roof finally collapsed. Dying sucks. I hate that anyone has to go through it. But it is a sad eventual reality, no matter how you slice it.

So how am I talking to you know, communicating? Just picture it like so: I’m in your head. Have you ever heard things? Okay I guess I sound like a crazy person, and hey I was skeptical until recently but this stuff happens, guys. I’m no scientist, you guys know I never went to college like ever. Now witchcraft, crap like that? Yeah I’ve read books. Dabbled. Guess you could say I’ve poked at the linings of reality on occasion, though some might just call it Wiccan silliness or whatever. People are gonna believe what they believe and it gets them through the night. Not all witches are bad, the Wizard of Oz taught us that, duh.

But I guess for the long and the short of it, even after I died it turns out my family needed me. And whatever that’s left of me now isn’t bound by time or space. No walls can contain me now! So you if you want to call this an editorial spoiler, remember that rock I had that was giving to me when I was a teenager? Black stone with cat eyes on one side and a crescent moon on the other? Well that darn thing helped facilitate all this. When Lily laid it on my grave in 2032 some sort of transference happened. I have a bond with my daughter now, and I know she’s in trouble in 2016. And somehow, someway I can talk to her. She’s cool with that, but I don’t want to tell her too much you know? I just need to get her to safety, back in my arms. Well my other arms… the living ones in 2016, which have no idea what is really going on entirely. Clear as mud? Fiiiine. Gosh. Dang. Okay I feel myself breaking up… this spirit thing has like crappy cell phone service… Talk to you soooooon…...

-

So gather up your jackets, and move it to the exits

I hope you have found a friend.

Closing time

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

‘Closing Time’ - Semisonic

SALEM’s BACK YARD. NOW. [ON CAMERA]

Salem walked around in the yard; the sound of kids running in playing in the front yard got loud for a moment and then faded. She walked over to a giant bouncy house with a clown face on it, that had two big slides going off the side. She looked around to the front before smirking and crawling inside the bouncy house. She jumped a bit before flopping down on the plasticy floor.

“Hey hey, FGA… as you can see, once again it’s all fun and games at the Cartier household. Arty and I decided to have a party for Lukas and invited the neighborhood kids. We felt it was important. I guess I miss the feeling from when I was a kid of having good friends that were close by, especially when school was out. Maybe it’s nostalgia on my part… I remember summers where the neighborhood kids would come up at most any hour knocking on our door asking us to play. Well, they mostly asked my sister to play a lot. Or maybe she just wanted me to stay inside...yeah. That went on and then my dad got kinda weird there for a bit and the other parents didn’t let the kids come around to play much.”

She shrugged, stretching out on the bouncy floor.

“I guess it’s hard growing up, is a point I’m trying to make. When you’re a kid, you make friends. Then you have falling outs, or maybe they just move away to a new town. You get these instances of temporary friends that are in your life for a blink of an eye, and then they’re gone and you never see them again. Then you wonder whatever happened to so and so. Either because the parents got a new job in a new town, were some sort of military relocation thing… that sort. What’s worse is when you have friends, and then you have a big argument or the other person changes and you just don’t know what you ever saw in them anymore. I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t take good friendships for granted, and cherish the time you have.”

She propped herself up on an elbow.

“Maybe this sort of touchy feely happy go lucky talk is not what you’d expect out of pro wrestler before a big match, huh? I’ve just been thinking a lot lately about my place and the world and my place in this business. And it’s not just the matches, or the travel, or even the fans. It’s the people you work with that really make this thing flow. Now there are always people you don’t like, that get on your nerves. They do malicious crap in the name of wrestling and it just makes me sick. Just like at All-Star Showdown V when I witnessed Sara Cochran, Sklyar Cloud, and The Systemic brutally attack Molly Reid after she’d already fought valiantly and lost in her bid to unseat Annie as the Mid-Atlantic Legacy Champion. That was just garbage and if it hadn’t happened in such a blink of an eye I would’ve helped her. I was at the other end of the arena and by the time I’d made it to the curtain, the damage had been done. I guess I have that valiant do-gooder gene in me, where I just want to help everyone, be that avenger. But even Superman can’t save everyone, and yes he’s a comic book character but the analogy still stands. Now I know Molly is a big girl and she is capable of fighting her own battles, but four on one? That’s horrible. I’m truly sorry that had to happen to you.”

She stood up and punched the wall of the bouncy house.

“I have empathy towards the people that matter to me, and I consider Molly Reid a friend of mine. You’re in this thing for the right reasons, girl. You like to fight, you don’t really boast all that much. You’re a happy fun loving person. The world needs more Molly Reids in it.”

She shot the camera a thumbs up.

“We just operated like a well-oiled machine in the main event of the last Vertigo. We downed the Pride Champion Fujiko Mine and Mark Storm in one heck of a match. All four of us are in the Qualifying Round of the Frontier Lions Cup. We’ve all got big chances in the company in the immediate future. But nothing is more immediate than you and I, Molly. We go from teaming and kicking butt last show to having to stand toe to toe and face to face this show. Winner advances in the Frontier Lions Cup, and the loser is out of it and has to hope for something next year. The prospect of facing you doesn’t sadden me. I actually look forward to getting in there and mixing it up with you, because I know it will be a fair and decent honest contest. That’s what I’m hoping for. I think I can count on you for that, right? And if any Cochrans or Skyler types show up, don’t worry. I would happily call truce in this big match to help you beat the snot out of them, before returning to the task at hand. We work hard in this business and occasionally we do have to grapple with a friend. It doesn’t really change anything. I’m still going to hit hard and go all out.”

Salem winked and flexed for the camera, patting her abs.

“The only thing that does sadden me about this entire thing is that only one of us will get to move on in the tournament. I know that is the nature of tournaments, sure. And I know you want this, Molly. I know you want to wipe away the sense of disappointment in not beating your good buddy Annie Dupree for that Mid-Atlantic belt at All-Star Showdown. By that same token, I still have a bitter taste in my own mouth due to my failings going after that same belt a short while ago. And even though recently I was named the new number one contender for the MAL title once again and the good feelings that that brought me, this tournament means even more. The winner of this whole shebang gets a shot at the FGA World Title! I’m not one to crow and demand title shots, I handle my business in the ring and if it shakes out that I get to face a champion, I don’t shy away from that opportunity either. So yeah, I want to win this tournament and face whoever happens to be the World Champion when my chance comes around, I’m not picky. I want to test myself against the very best in this company. I’ve never been one to let belts define me, I’ve always tried to define the belt and make whatever reign I had stand out. Granted, I’ve never held gold in this company. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want that to change. I’m going to do everything in my power to hold not one, but two belts here soon.”

Salem stuck out her tongue and not only made a belt motion around her waist, but also patted her shoulder to signify one resting there as well.

“And unfortunately it all starts with you this week, Molly. Like I said, I want to test myself against the very best and I equate you in that grouping, chick. Let’s just see which of us is quicker in there. Let’s just see if I can avoid those long spindly legs that can kick like a mule. I’m curious as to how much stamina you really have. I’ve got some ideas on how best to face you, some things I feel I can use to my advantage. But am I going to tell you here, give you hints? Noooo! That would take the fun out of it. I’m sure you’re formulating your own strategy too. Good! Bring it! Give me your best shot. I know you mentioned paintball earlier, but let’s save that for after the match, eh?”

She giggled and slapped her knees.

“Save the fun and games for after the business at hand. I’m not saying this won’t be fun… but probably more fun for one of us in the end. Because you can count this as the end of Salem Cartier, the charismatic show-stealer that the fans love who comes so close but can’t win the big one. I’m going to erase those thoughts. This is the start of the charismatic fan favorite that follows through and makes every shot count. So good luck, with as much respect as I can muster, all I can say is you’re going to need it. I have to shut your tourney hopes down… not as a slight to you, but I must continue on. And when it’s over there need not be any bitterness, you can still come play in my bouncy house! I have goals that are bigger than my body, and I have to let my drive and my persistence meet those challenges head on. Why?

‘Tis the season. Witchy Out.”

She bounced out of view as the feed cut out.