Post by Kevin Bishop on Oct 24, 2017 9:02:36 GMT -6
Fade in:
Death is something that I have known all too well, it has found a home within my life, coming for anyone who has ever been close to me. This time of the year always brings forth memories of my past and those who have now found solace six feet under.
“Karma, I don’t know if we should do this…”
“It’s like you’ve been saying, babe, we need to remember our dead… I’m sorry The Dark Queen and Jason Slasher caused more than what you truly could be able to handle.”
The Brotherhood took hit after hit after hit earlier this year and some would’ve bet against me and the remaining brothers on if we were coming out of it with clear minds. Mine has definitely been more clouded than what it needed to be, my escape was winning championships and winning matches. That's what got me through all the heartache and despair.
“I know what I have been saying, but to come back HERE of all places…”
“Kev, this is your very own ground zero of your most tragic pain, so much history is centered here.”
“History? You killed my Brotherhood here…”
The Camp Sunny Lake that Lester Parish gifted to the cause was ran down even more due to lack of upkeep and it still holds a lot of pain for me. Just saying the words, Karma killed my Brotherhood, causes my head to spin.
“It was the Dark Queen, love… You know that… But this isn’t about that, is it? Look at what I did for you.”
Karma isn’t the greatest wife, I admit that, but she as crazy as it sounds, always has my best interest at heart. We both are standing here in the rec hall of the camp and she has decorated it for the day of the dead, because on halloween the dead will return to their loved ones, so she says. She claims that I will encounter those who have fallen and I can make amends.
“I know and all of this is a great gesture, I just don’t know what good it will do… I mean, I told you about the ghost passenger encounter, but then again I still feel that was all in my mind. We almost lost DK that day after all…”
“If you have a chance to talk to your loved ones again, I say we take that shot.”
The rec hall is decorated top to bottom in black and white sugar skulls and lit black and white candles. Karma even went as far as dressing herself up in a very spanish inspired sugar skull dancer outfit in a nice fitted black and white dress that hides her baby bump a bit.
“You’re right and you did all of this for me… How could I not at least try?”
The joy I see Karma show from my response reminds me of the good that we have had in our lives and how much it outweighs the bad. If she wants me to dig up my past for the betterment of our souls, then I will play along.
“So what do we do first?”
“I’m obviously dressed for the occasion and I’ll allow a pass for you for just wearing that handsome Johnny Cash-esque attire you look so good in. I put down a salt circle for us to stand in the middle of, because we are going to be opening a gateway that will be open to anyone…”
“Or anything?”
Karma’s nod is a bit unsettling, but I’ve seen plenty of movies that give idea of what could be a potential outcome with playing with a gateway to the dead.
“Are you scared?”
“No. I have the Creeping Death inside of me, what is there to really to be scared of?”
“Good point, just be open minded about this, okay?”
“I will try my best.”
We step within the salt circle and we look around the room watching the candles dance in the dark.
“So we just stand here? Isn’t this suppose to work on Halloween?”
“That’s when the doorway is freely open… With this ritual we are going to just creep the door open a little bit to get a connection on the other side.”
“A little bit, huh?”
“Just enough to get that connection and then we will slam it shut, okay?”
“Alright, you’re the one who has tapped into this day of the dead stuff… I’m just a long for the ride.”
“Well hold on baby!”
Karma pulls out a little black book and she starts to recite words that are very english, but nothing that I have ever heard before. As she reads them out loud the candles that are dancing in the dark room starts to move even more rapidly. Before we know it Karma finishes the words in her book and nothing but silence takes over the room. I feel the urge to speak, but I am held back from Karma pulling at my shoulder. I turn around and standing in front of us is Lester Parish in his leather mask, dressed in red flannel and blue jeans with brown work boots. A slight uncharacteristic smile rests on his lips.
“Kevin Bishop the 2x UCI World Heavyweight champion and King of The Brotherhood… Has a nice ring to it.”
I can’t believe my eyes… The last time I saw him he was tortured to death, this can’t be my old friend.
“Don’t be afraid, I’m not a vengeful ghost standing before you, I’m only here to help ease your mind… You’ve fought hard to avenge me and our fallen brothers and I wasn’t surprised you forgave your wife.”
I notice Karma staring straight through Parish.
“The Dark Queen was merciless in her approach and I am truly sorry I couldn’t stop her plan from taking your guys’s life away.”
“You see, she’s such a pleasant spirit, Kevin.”
I don’t bite what Parish is serving up here, but I allow him to continue.
“Kid, you are on a rise, you have been since i first saw you in the WCF trying to help so many find Betterment in their lives… But you’ve got caught up in the power of it all. You let that chase for the Gold become who you were and I see you have another shot at this Killing Floor pay per view… I think it’ll be best for you to lose it in the end, because you don’t need that title to be what defines you.”
“It never defined me, but it did make me the top draw of UCI.”
“You think your frenemy Zombie McMorris demands he holds the World title to be declared a top draw? He raises the bar when someone gives him the opportunity and he didn’t need the World title to showcase that. With your thinking, how did you make it this far without me?”
Parish laughs deeply which triggers uncontrollable eye rolling.
“You were a good ear to talk to and you did have good feedback on the journey at hand… But I earned my spot at the top of the company on my own merits.”
“That you did and we are all proud of you for that.”
“We?”
Just then another figure from my past steps forward, that being Darren Knight dressed in a white v-neck and black jeans with black boots, his long dark hair rests on his shoulders.
“That we are, Plague.”
Another smile that I wouldn’t normally see from a man who has a dark past unmatched.
“Plague? I haven’t heard that in awhile…”
“Why because some jackoff challenged you to steal the name away from you? A name that I made something and you let just slip away to nothing?”
“I fought…”
“You gave up. Hell as much good you have done in UCI still can’t cover up your failures in WCF… And you’re looking to move along to challenge their top guys to a fight waving your little UCI flag? You crumble under pressure, that’s how it is so easy to be proud of how far you have come.”
“Now, Darren, Kevin has done swell without our guidance, don’t speak so ill of him… He surpassed your leadership didn’t he?”
“He surpassed it because I gave up before him, that’s why I’m worried for him…”
“There’s the difference between you and I, Darren. I didn’t give up when everything was stacked against me.”
“Boys please, this is suppose to be a positive thing here…”
Karma here to save the day, causing the other two to back down.
“I was just saying, I’ve always known Kevin was meant for great things and I know Parish thinks the same as I do.”
“Kevin was always a good leader to get something accomplished, he just needed a little pushing in the right direction from time to time.”
“You speak of me as if I don’t have anything left to strive for… Meant for great things, ha, I have achieved great successes and I will continue to do so.”
Then HIS voice appeared.
“But what more do you have to prove, son?”
I turn around and Karma is pointing with a shaking finger at a peppered haired man standing at 6’5” with a giant grin on his rugged face, wearing the exact same thing as me.
“Da-dad?”
“Ha, son, you look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
I’m shaking and then her angelic voice soothes me.
“Robert, don’t be such a lameduck.”
Robert laughs and he apologizes to the dark haired woman with the black dress standing next to him.
“I’m sorry, Kara, it was too easy to throw out there.”
“Well it’s not every day a boy gets to see his deceased parents, so how about we relish in the fact and catch up.”
I look to Karma and she looks to me with a giant smile on her face.
“This is great, Kev, I’ve always wanted to meet your parents.”
Robert gives me a thumbs up with a smile.
“Great catch, son.”
I rub the back of my head.
“Heh, yeah I know…”
Karma blurts out anything just to get my mother’s attention.
“So how’s afterlife?”
My dad and mom both look at each other and then to Karma and they chuckle.
“It’s not too bad, we do keep an eye on our baby boy though, such a resilient young man.”
“Ha, my boy's been a fighting champion, I’d gladly stand in his corner any day.”
“Yeah, it wasn’t easy to get there, but I wouldn’t change the path I had to take. It definitely made me stronger.”
Robert sighs.
“But you shouldn’t of had to take that path, son… Your mother and I kick ourselves every day for not being able to be there for you… Especially those years where you lived on the streets, god I wish you never had to do that.”
“HEY! He survived because of ME!”
I spin around to see Darren shaking his fist at my dad.
“You were a terrible role model but I won’t knock on you on how you got him out of the streets. Hell, my son is a world traveling wrestler for christ’s sake.”
“I was the only role model the kid had!”
A hard place to be in right now, my biological father and my surrogate father figure yelling at one another, but I can’t allow this to continue.
“Enough! I’m alive! You’re not! Let’s leave it at that.”
My mother steps in.
“Darren, thank you for looking out for our Kevin and thank you for giving him a craft to work on instead of dwelling in the streets. We’d be foolish to think you didn’t help mold him into the man he is today.”
“You’re welcome and I’m sorry I allowed my vices to take me away from his side.”
“Well we understand vices, that’s how Robert and I were taken away from this world too… I’m glad our mistakes helped Kevin learn to steer clear of the addictions.”
Kara smiles at Karma.
“Besides, he’s going to be a father soon himself, right?”
Karma holds her stomach and my eyes meet my old man’s.
“Yeah, definitely going to be there for my baby boy.”
Karma elbows me.
“Or girl.”
“Right… I’m going to be here one way or another. I failed to help my Brotherhood grow past their own pitfalls, I will not fail with my own flesh and blood.”
Robert smirks.
“I can see that, son. You have a drive I never had… Hell probably better than the drive old Darren over there had too. They say champions are born, but the best champions are those who blaze their own trail. You did just that, didn’t you?”
“I may have, but I have been torn for some time now… I held that UCI World title twice which is a first in company history and as well I have held the title the longest with most defenses breaking more company records… But I always feel like I have something more to prove and I don’t know why… Was it because of my shortcomings in WCF?”
“Honey we’ve been watching you in your wrestling career and we never saw you fail in any company. Why must you be so hard on yourself?”
Karma jokingly rolls her eyes and nudges me.
“It’s his prideful ego.”
“Oh yes, it’s a Bishop thing for sure, his father was no different.”
“Hey now, I was the best bowler in all of the state of New York.”
“That’s right dear…”
Kara pats Robert on the shoulder and I can’t help but smile thinking of Karma and myself.
“Don’t sweat the competition son, we believe in you and you’ve been able to accomplish so much and we don’t see you stopping just yet.”
“Funny you say that, I actually have another chance to get my title back here soon.”
“Is that right, who are you competing with?”
“Some of the toughest UCI has to offer actually, the past, the present, and the future…”
“There’s some big names, huh?”
“In a way… We have Zombie McMorris who’s the current World champion and he’s legit at getting the job done... Bonnie Blue who I have gone to war with most of this year and who has a good number of victories over me... Andre Holmes who is a hell of a talent in his own right and he’s destroyed records as well so he has my respect there… Alex Richards a monster of a man who desperately wants to be back on top, but he’s no stranger to getting hit with my Black Death finisher… Celeste Mallory who is freshly returning for the right to hold the UCI World title again and actually make her reign meaningful... Corey Bull is a bright new comer who is looking to be a true standout in this Killing Floor match and I see him eyeballing a few of us to make his UCI moment happen… Oblivion who is a veteran and a well decorated competitor who is looking for some kind of validation in his tenure of a wrestling career… Preecha Kamon a man knocked out in mere seconds after being the ring with him, so he’s probably really looking for a chance to prove he’s better than what he put forth before.”
“That does sound like a nice amount of competitors… What’s your gameplan, son?”
I figured that question would come up and I didn’t really have an answer off the top of my head.
“Nothing set in stone right now, I know that I’m going to go in there and do what I do in that ring, unlike any others.”
Darren barks at me.
“Come on, kid! I've taught you to plan better than that!”
Parish elbows Darren.
“Give him a break, he does always find a way to deliver in that ring, so what if he doesn’t have it planned out to a T?”
“Well I say with this many minds in one room, we can easily put forth the effort to help you plan… How about you start off with the guy you knocked out in seconds of squaring off with…”
“Preecha Kamon, the deaf kick boxer who is all signs and braille… I kicked his face off with ease… His handler claimed it was because Preecha’s mind was elsewhere, but that only proved one important thing… That I'm extremely dangerous when my opponents don't focus on me.”
“Son… Are you really going to get your rocks off on disposing of a cripple?”
“He's still a competitive kick boxer even through his adversity…”
“Cripples a cripple, just don't let how easily you disposed of him go to your head as a big feat… What about that new kid you spoke of?”
Leave it to my dad to stay on point and keeping this train on the rails. What can I truly say about Bull though? He has his own personal demons, but don't we all?
“The guy has had a troublesome life and he has an entity who seems to be pulling his strings…”
Karma and I look at each other smirking a bit.
“We know that all too well ourselves…”
“Heh, yeah your mother and I have noticed… Well is the kid any good? Or is he purely focused on the ‘other’ guy?”
Darren coughs and gets my attention.
“The real question… Has he come face to face with The Plague?”
Parish shakes his head.
“The Plague and The Creeping Death coming together… It was never meant to last, Darren…”
“The kid hasn't squared off with me and you may be right Parish… Maybe it was The Creeping Death entering me that allowed The Plague to be shed from my bones…”
My dad grabs everyone's attention again.
“But what does the kid offer to this match of yours? Is he hungry?”
“He was the first opponent of Zombie’s to actually speak out… Most of us are being more calculating on our approach, but Corey Bull chose to go in half cocked… So you ask if he’s hungry, I'd say he’s fucking starving.”
“Kevin!”
Yeah I suppose I just dropped the f bomb in front of my deceased mother.
“Sorry mom… I'm just saying the kid looks like he's willing to murder for this title opportunity…”
“I still see you as my little boy sometimes is all…”
“I get it… Hopefully you don't mind me smacking some women around…”
“It took me a bit to get behind but those girls are pretty tough from what i have seen… Your little lady there look to have been just as tough when she was in the ring too…”
“Aww thanks.”
“Well Bonnie Blue and Celeste Mallory have definitely proven their ability to go against their larger male opponents… That Mallory chick is actually willing to endanger children if it'll help her get into her opponent’s head. At least that's what she did to Andre Holmes last year… She held the UCI World title before I won it at Black Mass… Her name was dropped on returning at Killing Floor and everyone has been on the edge of their seats waiting to hear from her… But not a single word has been spoken… No teaser of what she's been up to and what's on her mind now, because the landscape has changed drastically.”
“Kev also has Bonnie Blue though and that time witch has been a thorn in my love’s side for the better part of 2017.”
My dad chimes in, which I have been waiting for far too long.
“You're letting a couple of bitches affect your livelihood? Seriously? You think for one second I would've let Rosie O’Shea out bowl me back in 82? No sir, we are Bishops god damn it. You don't owe shit to those women, the only women you have to worry about is your girl and your mother.”
Robert Bishop everyone… Ugh, the times have changed and the days of separation of sexes in the sports entertainment world is long gone.
“I hear ya… I'm just saying these girls aren't push overs and I'm going to have to keep my eyes open for anything that have to throw at me.”
Parish gets my attention by clearing his throat.
“The girls will be a challenge but I personally want to mention The Monster Oblivion… He hides his face behind a mask… Which, you know I know all too well about that life… But I just want you to know he is looking to destroy anyone and everyone in that match. He has a lot of pent up anger inside of him because he feels people don't take him as a viable threat… He feels he's more than just a fall guy to the enhancement talent. He's decorated and he's able to turn it up when he feels so inclined…”
“Oblivion is still showing up for the match? I suppose I didn't finish him off at XII last week… I fried his damn face and I'm pretty sure it was an improvement.”
I look to my mother who is standing with her arms crossed and her left foot tapping.
“Sorry ma.”
She smirks and I return my tangent to Parish.
“The Monster is a monster, I won't take that from him… But if he truly believes he is better than playing the fall guy to the enhancement talent, then maybe he should just rise to the occasion already. Hell he's so desperate to feel accepted by the companies he wrestles for, he'd gladly lose to guys like Johnny Alpha in WCF and name anyone in the Rising Stars division in UCI… Oblivion lost his bite and when I called him out on it before, I still shut him down… Needless to say, if he hopes to walk out and be something more than that fall guy, then he’s in the wrong match with the wrong talent to be a true stand out…”
“It's crazy that a man who is called The Monster is as much of a pussy as you're saying he is…”
Leave it to my dad to pick up on that message.
“Let's say this… The Monster HAD a legacy and the longer he stays around, the more diminished that legacy becomes.”
“Bishop, I'm just saying don't take him lightly…”
“I hear ya, Parish… But truth of the matter is The Guardians are all in this match and a short alliance scenario with them is a no brainer… no matter how much they hate the man Andre has become.”
“So what's these Guardians all about, son?”
“They were once the most dominant group in all of UCI history and my Brotherhood went to WAR with them. We turned the fans against them but now they're creeping back into the picture… They noticed the landscape changed and they feel this is their time again… Alex Richards isn't a pushover and neither is Mr. Relentless, Andre Holmes. They were in the match at Black Mass where I won the UCI World title for the first time… I proved I could beat them… Hell I even defended my title against Alex Richards just to prove it wasn't a fluke victory… The thing that is a bit unsettling is what The Guardians, that's including Ms. Blue, is willing to do just to claim that top prize. Could Zombie and I put the title to the side long enough to equalize the scenario so him and I can have a true matchup? Or will the coked up madman stick to his guns and take on everyone like the only way Ol Z would do?”
“Son, if this Zombie fella thinks he can take on the world then why not just let him do and you can pick away at the bones afterward?”
“I don't know dad, it sounds to me like a dick move… Maybe it's good sportsmanship or maybe it's my pride that I want to take out ZMac on my own.”
“Pssh dick moves can get the job done sometimes and forget about good sportsmanship when that gold is on the line.”
“Robert! Don't tell our son to play dirty to get ahead. He's a proven competitor and he didn't get to where he is by relying on underhanded tactics.”
“I'm just saying the boy needs to look out for himself.”
Getting to know my parents even more here… If I did grow up with them, my father would play the devil on my shoulder while my mom played the angel…
“Kevin has done wonders in the ring and that's why I for one believe he's going to do everything in his power to walk out a 3x World champion.”
Darren chuckles.
“That does have a nice ring to it, Karma… But he still has to take out the coked up madman who has shown those of us who destroyed our lives with our vices that he uses his vice to give him a competitive edge…”
“Z and I may be bois, but he knows when it's us standing across from each other, money isn't being left on the table. We are going to tear one another apart and when that gold is on the line… There's nothing that'll be left in that ring. We will destroy our opponents and we will destroy each other to walk out as World champion. The way he shoots on his opponents come off as rambling tangents and he down plays everyone’s chances of walking out with his title… But a true champion realizes the multitude of variables that goes into retaining your title in a match like this… Every person is a true threat because there's no way in hell Z is going to be able to drive a death nail in each person… I don't care how much coke he snorts, the only thing it'll do is blur his reality…”
“Cocaine is a hell of a drug… But heroine was my vice of choice…”
“Mine was the hooch…”
“Yeah we all have vices but as we see, that's how you got where you are right now… But you mentioned it Darren, Z allows his vice to propel him. He takes a bump and he becomes a whole new man… He becomes a man possessed…”
Suddenly I feel an unsettling darkness swoop through the room.
“What was that?”
"I don't know babe..."
Karma holds my arm and my family around me start to flicker out followed by a wall of candles.
"We love you HONEY!"
"Mom!"
My mother's voice is ripped away from us along with the image of all the others that were in the room.
“They're GONE! Kevin, I told you the door would be open for anyone or anything… I think we messed up, babe!”
The dark shadow swoops past the other wall of candles and it puts out the flames. In front of us is just one wall of candles left and the shadow stands in front of them.
“Freedom always comes with a price, Kevin... But it's not one that I'm going to choose to pay myself…”
The way the shadow talks to me is so familiar.
“In time though…. Ha ha ha ha… You will learn what that price is and how you're going to pay it for me… Hope your moments with your loved ones was worth it… Because NOW you're in for a nightmare greater than the entire Killing Floor match that you're going to play in… Your end is nigh very, very soon, Kevin…”
The shadow takes out the last of the candles leaving Karma and myself in the dark.
“Karma… I don't like this one bit…”
I feel Karma rub my right arm.
“I don't either baby… I don't either…”
Fade out:
TO BE CONTINUED...
