The Horror

“I've seen horrors... horrors that you've seen. But you have no right to call me a murderer.”

Thick smoke fills the air.  It is so thick and so black that we can barely tell that we are outside.   It is enough smoke that, if left to be exposed to for a long enough period of time, could kill a man.  Luckily this smoke slowly clears away.  Slowly, but surely, it dissipates.  As the thick black smoke dies down we can see that the scene it has been hiding is perhaps even more miserable than this one.

Building in ruin, formerly tall towering, majestic buildings now reduced to rubble.  What force on earth possibly could have caused this devastation?  None other than German Luftwaffe planes.  For this is London in the aftermath of the German bombings.

“It's impossible for words to describe what is necessary to those who do not know what horror means. Horror...”

The camera moves in through the rubble of the fallen buildings of this once majestic city.  The survivors are still underground in their bunkers, waiting for the all clear to sound.  The voice who speaks to us right now, quoting this line to us, is feminine and familiar.

“Horror has a face...”

We sift our way through the devastation of this city until we come to a female silhouette with her back turned towards the camera.  All we can tell about her is that she is wearing dark clothing and her hair is black.

Our questions are answered when she turns around.  The lovely woman, wearing a long sleeve black blouse, black dress pants, black boots, and her long black hair left to hang unrestrained to shoulder length, is none other than “Lady Gambit” Jessica Lasiewicz.  A smirk is etched across her lovely features.

“Horror has a face…and horror also has a name.  Her name is Jessica Lasiewicz.”

A few chuckles escape her lips. “Marlon Brando certainly didn’t have Dakota’s Ball in mind when he spoke those words in the now famous film Apocalypse Now.  But I do think those words and the city of London in which we will be competing for the FWA Xtreme Championship are appropriate, considering the circumstances.”

“Some call it The Blitz, but whatever name you use, for over eight months the British endured heavy bombings at the hands of Nazi Germany during World War II.  The Germans failed in their goals and, thanks to the British endurance, the Germans were eventually defeated in World War II and the free world was saved.”

“The citizens of London, though, might not have had any idea what their future held when they emerged from their bunkers and safehouses after the bombings had concluded.  All they knew was that a war like none other had just been brought to their shores.  And the fans in attendance at the 02 Arena will witness a war like none other in FWA history when the FWA Xtreme Championship is decided in the Dakota’s Ball.”

Young Lasiewicz shakes her head. “But I shouldn’t really call it Dakota’s Ball, should I?  I mean, Dakota Smith is a coward who runs away from a fight.  He is a coward who runs from Brandy Daniele, runs from Laurel Anne Hardy, and runs from me.  The fact that you run from a fight means you do not deserve to be in this match, Dakota.  It means you forfeit any right to call yourself champion, let alone have any opportunity to win it back.”

“That’s why after tonight, this match will no longer be known as Dakota’s Ball.  I will take it and own it as mine.  After the world witnesses the horror and carnage I wreak upon three hapless victims, they will have no choice but to recognize just who I am and what I am capable of.  Henceforth from that day forward Dakota’s Ball will be known as The Lasiewicz Ball, because that championship, and that match, are now mine.”

The raven haired Pole looks from side to side at the wreckage all around her and then back at the camera with a curious gaze.

“I often wonder, looking at the pictures of the aftermath, how the individual British citizen must have felt after this horror had been inflicted upon them?  I suspect one thought going through their mind was revenge, while their German counterparts were lusting after world domination.”

“The British were focused on the right goal but the Germans got off track.  The Germans lost focus.  The stupid little megalomaniac Hitler decided to invade Russia…during the Russian winter, no less.  And we know how that turned out for them, don’t we?”

Jessica points a finger into the camera. “Just as we know how it will turn out for you, Brandy.”

“You’ve lost focus, Brandy.  You only want to beat the hell out of Dakota for his cowardice and his sexist remarks.  Your focus is not on winning the FWA Xtreme Championship, which is where I suspect all of this began for you, but it has no drifted into a journey for revenge against Dakota Smith.   Getting off focus historically causes people to make mistakes.  That lust for revenge, as opposed to a desire to become champion, is already causing you to make a big mistake heading into Darkness Within.”

“You are asking for an alliance with me and Laurel Anne Hardy?” Jessica shakes her head, laughing. “That’s funny.  It’s real funny.”

She regains her composure and looks straight into the camera. “I cannot speak for Laurel but what I can say is that asking for an alliance with Jessica Lasiewicz is rather pointless, because you dumb little bitch Jessica isn’t going to be in the Dakota’s Ball at Darkness Within.  Have you not been paying attention to anything that has been said lately?  My father is the cryptic one who drops clue.  I am blunt and straightforward.  I told the entire world that you, Laurel, and Dakota can expect a dance with The Morning Star at Darkness Within.”

“You will be locked inside of a cage with The Morning Star.  You will be staring across the ring into the red demonic eyes of The Morning Star.  It will be The Morning Star that tears you apart and maims you in London, England.  You want to beg for an alliance, little girl?  Talk to Morning Star.  But I doubt it’ll be very willing to listen.”

“Finally there’s Laurel Anne Hardy…”

Jessica pauses for a few moments. “…my co-holder of the FWA Xtreme Championship.”

She chuckles.  “That’s a joke.  We both know that, don’t we?  It should be the two of us battling it out at Darkness Within, yet that coward Dakota Smith managed to get involved.  And how that idiot Brandy Daniele inserted herself into this match is beyond me!”

“But we both know that the only two people who should rightfully be in this match are you and me.  Not only are we the co-holders of the FWA Xtreme Championship but we are close to being equals in this extreme environment.  You are the one extreme artist with the ability and focus to go almost all the way at Darkness Within…”

“…almost.”

“The problem for you is that with all of your accomplishments and accolades, everyone you have defeated and every challenge you have faced, not even you can stand up to The Morning Star.  When that bell rings, not even you are safe from the coming horror.  You, along with Brandy Daniele and Dakota Smith, will be reduced to a burning heap.”

“The horror…the horror…”

“Dobranoc…”