Healing: Part 6

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Scene 1

Off Camera

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Supreme Championship Wrestling knows her as “The Phoenix” Marie Annabelle Jones, but Jones was not her original name.  At one point she was Marie Annabelle Williams, daughter of Angelica Jones and Sean Williams.  It was only after the untimely demise of her father that Marie began to use the Jones name that is respected and feared in professional wrestling circles worldwide.  But Marie never cared about being respected or feared, all she wanted was a normal life.  She wanted to live like any other normal girl would live.

In that way she is very much like her twin sister Kimberly.  Her twin still uses the Williams name and she, too, wants normality.  Unfortunately, neither Marie nor Kimberly have normality and both trace the source of their ills back to their father.

Marie’s problems are many.  She grew up most of her life without a father figure in her life; at first due to her mother refusing to allow Sean into her life and then later due to her mother murdering Sean in cold blood.  Marie never truly got to know her father; at least, not very well.  And as a result, Marie never got the normal life she wanted.

Most children, if their parents are separated, would spend at least some time with both parents.  It’s rather difficult to do that when your father is dead.  Thus Marie spent her teenage years on the road, traveling with her mother from arena to arena, barely having the time to get an education but nowhere near enough time to make friends.  Her only friends were the wrestlers.  Then Marie became an adult and she followed in her mother’s footsteps to become a wrestler.

Her life never has been normal.

There are days when Marie can honestly say look at her life, smile, and be happy with what she has accomplished.  She is a wife, a mother, and the reigning SCW United States Champion.  Few can say that they can balance so many roles but Marie has successfully done that.

Marie can proudly say that she is managed by one of the best minds in the game; Adam Chase.  Adam has already led her to the SCW United States Championship.  Now, perhaps, another door is about to open to yet another opportunity; Taking Hold of the Flame.

SCW’s annual Taking Hold of the Flame battle royal will soon be held with the winner earning a shot at the SCW World Championship at Rise To Greatness.  Opportunities like that come very rarely and she does not want to waste it.  Marie knows what it is like to have these kinds of opportunities, opportunities to reach up and grab that brass ring and win the big one.  She knows the feeling of joy that comes when you successfully snatch that brass ring and win the big one.

She also knows the feeling of disappointment when you come up just short of the goal you have been fighting for your entire career.  Marie will do everything she can to ensure that she will be feeling joy and not disappointment.  She will do everything she can win the big one and go on to Rise To Greatness and maybe win the biggest of them all; the SCW World Championship.

It is the life of a professional wrestler and yes, overall Marie is happy with her life.  But still, at the end of the day, there are regrets.  She regrets not knowing her father.  Yet, she can’t help but wonder if Sean himself is to blame for some of what brought him down?

Then there is Kimberly herself.  Marie has no idea what specific issues Kimberly Williams has with their father or their father’s family.  Despite still using the Williams name, Kimberly has made it her mission in life to avoid all contact with her father’s family or to even acknowledge their existence.  Therefore it came as to no surprise to Marie that Kimberly balked in a big way at the notion of visiting with their paternal aunt, Sean’s sister Carolyn Williams.

Initial contact was made when Carolyn called Marie.  It had been years since Carolyn and Marie had spoken.  Marie had intentionally cut ties with the Williams family after her uncle kidnapped and raped her.  Carolyn understood the great emotional and mental trauma Marie had gone through and agreed to respect her privacy.

Carolyn could not remain silent forever.  The time came when Carolyn decided she needed to reach out one last time and attempt to reestablish a relationship with her nieces.  For Carolyn Williams it represents one last chance to reestablish a relationship, a relationship between the remaining Williams family members.

For Marie and Kimberly, this represents an opportunity for them to achieve some sense of normalcy.  And normalcy is something both women want.  It’s also risky and Marie knows it.  While she feels she can handle it, she isn’t anywhere near as confident in her sister Kimberly’s ability to handle it.

This is what brings the sibling pair together on this day at Marie’s home in Boston, Massachusetts.  They are in the living room, which is a comfortably big area with cream colored carpeting, a matching off white leather sofa, two matching recliners, both perpendicular to the sofa, and a flat screen television mounted to the wall above the fireplace.  There is a window against the wall allowing the sunlight from outside to stream in.  Two large potted plants are on either side of the window.

Jones is decked out a feminine yet simplistic attire consisting of an ankle length floral print flowing skirt, brown sandals, and a long sleeved red blouse.  Her long ginger locks hang unrestrained to shoulder length.  She is sitting comfortably on the sofa, with her feet tucked up underneath her, as she watches her twin sibling Kimberly, pacing the floors like a caged, stressed out lion.

Kimberly is nowhere near as feminine as Marie is, and is dressed in torn denim jeans, black boots, and a black sleeveless top.  It is evidenced by the look on Kimberly’s face that she is very anxious about today, for today she meets with her aunt Carolyn.

“Try and calm down, Kim.”

“I can’t.” Kimberly says as she continues pacing. “I just can’t.”

“Well you need to,” Marie smirks “if you keep pacing you’ll create a trench.”

And suddenly Kimberly stops pacing.  She turns to face Marie with an angry glare in her eyes, a glare of pure hatred.  She marches towards her sister and wraps her hands around her throat.

“You think this is funny?!”

“N…no…ack!”

“I’m stressing the fuck out over here and you make jokes?!”

“Kimberly…ack…”  Marie is clearly struggling for breath “…please…”

Marie’s pleading finally causes Kimberly to snap out of it.  She lets go and her eyes grow wide as she realizes what she nearly did to her own sister.  Kimberly slowly backs away from Marie, shaking her head.

“Marie, I…I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s ok, Kim,” Marie stands up and slowly, but cautiously, approaches her sister “it really is ok.”

Marie embraces her sister in a tight hug by the fireplace.  “I understand.”

“No, you don’t.” Kimberly shakes her head.  “You really don’t.”

“Look at me, Kim.” After breaking the embrace, Marie guides her sister’s head so that they are looking at each other in the eyes. “We both have our own issues with our dad and his family.”

Marie grins. “Some of our issues may be a bit more…extreme…”

“That what you call me now?” Kimberly says with an uneasy grin. “Extreme?”

“Your issues, maybe.” Marie winks. “But yeah, we both have our own issues, and I do believe today, meeting our Aunt Carolyn, that this could help in a big way.”

Kimberly sighs and shrugs her shoulders. “I hope you’re right.”

“I know I’m right.”

Jones does her best to sound confident but, in truth, she is just as anxious about this meeting with their Aunt Carolyn as Kimberly is.  She may be more anxious than Kimberly is.  The truth of the matter is that Kimberly is only acting this way because she never received any true social training growing up.  Marie has had all of the social training that a young girl would expect to receive.  Jones had learned quite well how to mask her true emotions in certain social situations.  She knows how anxious she is about this upcoming visit and she suspects that Kimberly is nowhere near as anxious as her.

Her reverie is interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing.  Both Kimberly and Marie lock eyes and seem to know what this means…

“Carolyn?”

“Yeah,” Marie nods her head “I’ll go answer the door.”

The Phoenix turns from her sibling and with some trepidation exits the living room and makes her way to the front door.  The doorbell rings a second time along the way.  Upon reaching the door, Jones wastes no time in reaching for the knob and turning it.  She pulls it open and standing there, looking classy yet demure, is her Aunt Carolyn Williams.

“Hi Aunt Carolyn…”

“It’s so good to see you again, Marie.”  Carolyn says quietly.  “Where’s Kimberly?”

“Through here.”

Jones and Carolyn briefly embrace before Marie steps aside, allowing Carolyn entrance into the home.  After shutting the door behind Carolyn, Marie leads her back through the hall and towards the living room.  Butterflies and nerves are running through Marie’s body.  They enter the living room and immediately find Kimberly standing with her back turned towards them at the fireplace.  Marie clears her throat to try and get her attention.

“Ahem, Kimberly…”

Kimberly ignores her at first.

“Kim?  Aunt Carolyn is here.”

Kimberly slowly but surely turns around, facing Marie and their Aunt Carolyn, who still stand in the doorway of the living room.

“Carolyn…”

Carolyn pleasantly smiles as she slowly approaches Kimberly.  Marie watches from afar as aunt and niece come face to face for the first time ever.  Kimberly narrows her brow, in a sharp contrast to the delightful gaze from Carolyn as she embraces Kim in a tight hug.

“Oh it is so nice to finally meet my niece!”

“I thought you already met Marie.”

“I meant you, silly!”

There was sarcasm dripping from Kimberly’s voice and Marie could sense it but clearly Carolyn could not, that or she was in denial.  Either way, Marie doesn’t want this to get out of hand so she quickly steps over to the two…

“It’s great that you two finally met,” she begins “but now that  we have the introductions out of the way, why don’t we go sit down?”

“Absolutely!” Carolyn exclaims happily. “There are so many questions I have…”

Kimberly rolls her eyes.  Marie smacks her on the back of the head to let her know that she needs to behave.  Carolyn sits down first, on the sofa.  Marie encourages Kimberly to sit next to Carolyn but she refuses.  Marie sighs and then sits down next to Carolyn instead with Kimberly finally sitting down next to Marie.

“Oh Kimberly…it’s so…” Carolyn wipes some tears from her eyes “…so wonderful to finally meet you.”

“Yeah, you said that.” Kimberly says with more sarcasm, which draws a harsh but gentle shove from Marie.

“It’s been so painful to watch you grow up, you and your sister both, but have to be there on the sidelines, watching from afar.”

“Whoa, wait a minute,” Kimberly retorts “when the hell did you watch us?  Have you been spying?!”

“Television, silly,” even Marie can’t help but snicker at this answer from Carolyn “when I heard you and Marie both were wrestlers, I couldn’t help but tune in whenever you were wrestling.  I followed both of your careers…well, I tried to anyway…there were times that were difficult….but I tried…”

Carolyn sighs with a sense of regret. “That’s been my only contact with you until now.”

“Oh…” Kimberly sighs “…well, I haven’t been as active as I once was.”

Kimberly playfully pats Marie on the head. “This is your superstar, Carolyn.”

“I’m hardly a superstar…” Marie attempts, but she is immediately cut off by Kimberly.

“Oh please,” she smirks “you are the SCW United States Champion.”

“Ok, but…” again Marie tries to get a word in but this time she’s cut off by Carolyn.

“You are the champion?  The last time we spoke you were fighting for the title.”

Marie nods her head. “Yeah, I won.  Now I’m defending it at Taking Hold of the Flame.”

“You’ll do fine, Marie.” Carolyn says sweetly. “I’m sure of it.”

“That’s not all, Carolyn,” Kimberly chimes in again, much to Marie’s chagrin “she’s also in a giant clusterfuck battle royal against thirty nine other guys and if she wins she gets a World Championship Match!”

“Damnit, Kim!” Marie exclaims angrily. “Quit it!”

“Quit what?” Kimberly asks, trying her best to look innocent.

“You know what.” Marie says quietly.

“Is something wrong?” Carolyn asks curiously and innocently.

“Nothing, except Marie here,” Kimberly says pointing to her sister “is way too humble to admit that she’s going to win that battle royal too!”

“Ok, number one,” Marie holds up one finger “there are thirty nine other competitors in that match.  I will try to win but I’m not getting my hopes up.”

Marie holds up a second finger. “And number two, we don’t need to be talking about Taking Hold of the Flame right now.”

Kimberly sticks a tongue out at Marie, which draws more of her ire.  But the laughing of Carolyn Williams distracts both her and Kimberly before either can make another move.

“What’s so funny?” Marie asks.

“You two,” she says with a smile “you are both so much like your father but in different ways.”

She points at Marie. “You are a bit of a hothead, I see, just like your father.”

Carolyn then turns her attention to Kimberly. “And your father had a fun loving, jokester streak in him, much like you do.”

Marie doesn’t say anything, but she does hear Kimberly growl under her breath.  Marie turns and looks at her sister and notices the anger etched across her face. Marie braces herself for what might be coming.

“…I hate him…”

Carolyn arches her brow, surprised at this response. “Excuse me?”

“…I hate him…”

“Uh, Kimberly, please remember that…”

“I HATE HIM!” It’s too late for Marie to talk any sense into Kimberly. “I HATE HIM!”

Tears are flowing freely down Kimberly’s face as the anger quickly turns into grief as she cries.  Marie takes Kimberly and hugs her tightly.  Kimberly begins to cry on her twin sister’s shoulder.

“It’s ok, Kim, just let it all out.” Marie says gently and quietly as she pats her on t he back. “Tell us all about it.”

“I hated him…” Kimberly looks up from her crying to stare deep into Carolyn’s eyes “…I hated him because he was never there for me.  He could have visited me, he knew where I was and where to find me, but he never visited me.”

“Why…” Carolyn herself is fighting off tears and as a result finds it hard to speak “…why did he not visit you?”

“…he was too busy tormenting and torturing mom in an attempt to gain custody of Marie.  Marie was his favorite.  I was nothing to him.”

“Wha…” Marie looks at her twin with shock on her face “…I didn’t…well I suspected, but I didn’t know for sure.  I’m sorry…”

“It’s not your fault.” Kimberly says, shaking her head. “Not your fault at all.”

“I suppose,” Marie sighs “I suppose it’s true.  Daddy did visit me but…”

“But what?” Carolyn asks.

“…he never did try to work things out with mom.  Maybe they just couldn’t work it out and as a child I couldn’t understand? I don’t know, but it seemed as if they weren’t even trying to work things out.  And then…”

Tears begin to form in Marie’s eyes “…then he left me.  He was murdered and now he’s gone and he can never make things right with mom.”

Despite this revelation, laughter is heard, not from Carolyn but from Kimberly.  Marie turns and looks over at her twin sister.  Tears are still coming down her cheek and yet a smile still forms on her face.

“Looks like we both have screwed up lives and it all goes back to Sean Williams.”

Marie is surprisingly touched by this and she starts chuckling lightly as well.  Eventually Carolyn joins in as the three women all share a hearty laugh.  After a few moments Marie finally speaks up…

“I’m sorry, Aunt Carolyn,” she says “we probably are disrespecting dad’s memory.”

“Not at all.” She says, shaking her head. “Like Kimberly here, your father was a bit of a jokester.  He would not have wanted his name to be taken so seriously all of the time.”

“Yeah, well,” Kimberly says sighing “it still doesn’t affect my opinion of dear old dad…”

Carolyn grins knowingly. “I think I need to take you to see someone.”

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Scene 2

Off Camera

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Marie Annabelle Jones and her twin sister Kimberly Williams are the children of Sean Williams and Angelica Jones.  Their story is a complex and complicated one that includes deception, heartache, and eventually murder as Sean, Angelica, and even a third party fought over custody of Marie Jones.  All of this occurred while Kimberly was left seemingly unattended, with no one really caring much about whether she lived or died.  It’s enough to make anyone crazy and so you could understand how that would make Kimberly Williams into the violent, unstable human being that she is today.

Yet all she ever wanted was a normal life and to be a normal person.  She never asked for violence to be a part of her life nor did she ask for mental instability.  She sought out the help she needed at a psychiatric clinic.  There, with the help of Dr. Jennifer Warren, the head psychiatrist, she worked her way to the point where she is on the verge of completing her mission.

For her part Marie is happy for her twin sister.  She has always wanted her and Kimberly to have a normal sibling relationship and she wants Kimberly to be accepted as part of the family, but she knows that their mother and aunt, Angelica and Kayla Jones respectively, will always be wary and will never fully trust her unless Kimberly can truly prove herself.

Today’s activity was a great big step in proving herself to the world.  Today, Marie and Kimberly met with their paternal aunt, Sean Williams’ sister Carolyn Williams.  It is an important step, not only for Kimberly, but for Marie as well, because both sisters blame Sean Williams for the problems they had growing up.

So far the meeting has gone rather well, for despite deep personal issues both siblings seem to have with Sean Williams, they at least managed to open up to Carolyn with them.  Opening up to Sean’s own sister about that subject proves that they are at least beginning to form a true bond with the paternal aunt they never got to know.

Now Carolyn wants to take Marie and Kimberly to see someone.  It was a mystery at first but the sisters agreed to go, not knowing where they were going…

…but that question is about to be answered real soon.  In fact, Jones and her twin Kimberly can already see it, just up ahead as Carolyn leads them past a church, approaching their destination…

“A cemetery?” Kimberly asks incredulously, looking over at her Aunt Carolyn. “You are joking, right?”

“Trust me, Kimberly.”

“Well alright, but that zombie Orlando Cruze guy better not be there waiting on me.” Kimberly snaps back at her. “He creeps me out.”

Marie rolls her eyes.  She wishes her sister would try to take this more seriously but at least she is going.  Kimberly could have refused.  The fact that Kimberly did agree to go with Carolyn to this strange destination is evidence that perhaps the two are indeed bonding.

Kimberly isn’t the only one who needs to show some serious trust in order to come here.  She has an idea of what Carolyn has in mind and if she is correct, she isn’t sure she can hold up emotionally.  She can only imagine how Kimberly would react.

The cemetery is a jumble of stones, as if the burial places were chosen by throwing the shovel in the air and digging where it landed. They sit at jaunty angles to one another, no two of them the same shape or size.  The boughs of the cemetery twist like contorted bones, writhing in a silent scream. Beneath them lie the cold stones, each marking a dwelling place in which no-one is home.

Jones, Kimberly, and Carolyn continue to walk until they come to a brass, black iron-gate that is open.  They step through and enter the cemetery.  Immediately they are confronted with the gravestones.  It is a stark reminder to Marie of the mortality of humanity.  These stones are the foundation of the dead and memoir for the living.  No matter how hard the wind blew, or how heavy the rain fell, they stand tall as representatives of the dead. No fire could tear it down so easily.

They are a representation of the immortality that the soul expresses.  Painted and engraved with numbers, and R.I.P.'s. They are the holders of love, sadness, and anger; arising each day rapid numbers as the war of disease, emotion, and greed wages on. This is the final resting place, the first tragedy.  Marie knows this all too well, for her own grandmother and grandfather are both gone.

Her father is gone.

“We’re here.”

Carolyn announces as they come to a halt in front of one gravestone.  The gravestone was so weathered by the freeze-thaw of centuries that the engraving was to faint to be read. It had crumbled around the edges become colonized by lichen.

“Where’s here?” Marie asks, curiously.

“See for yourself.”

Carolyn points to the gravestone.  Marie kneels down to get a better look.  She reads the engraving out loud.

“Sean David Williams” Marie suddenly shoots up to her feet and looks at Carolyn “…is this where dad is?  I never knew…”

“Now you know.” Carolyn says shaking her head.

“This is a cruel joke!” Kimberly exclaims angrily.

“No, it’s not a joke.” She insists. “It is the truth.”

“Quit with the joke!” Kimberly demands, getting up in Carolyn’s face. “I know that dad is not here!”

“Well, his body isn’t here,” Carolyn says quietly, trying her best to calm Kimberly down “but his ashes were spread here.”

“No they weren’t!  It’s impossible!”

“Kimberly,” Marie steps in between Kimberly and Carolyn before anything can happen “please calm down.”

“I won’t calm down!” Kimberly angrily snaps. “Not when I know she’s lying!”

Marie frowns and tilts her head to one side. “How do you know she’s lying?”

“I…” Kimberly grows frustrated, Marie can sense that she’s hiding something “…I just know, damn it!”

“Kimberly,” Marie places her hands on her hips “there’s something you’re not telling me.”

“I just,” Kimberly sighs “ok, look, remember that cabin deep in the woods Emma lived in?  She had Sean’s ashes.  I stole them and I…kinda…maybe…”

A look of disgust spreads across Marie’s face. “Oh God!  Don’t tell me you ate them?!”

“NO!  I just kinda…” she sighs again “…licked them, before burning the cabin down.”

“You lic…” Marie rolls her eyes “…you’re just sick, Kim.  Sick!”

Kimberly attempts to explain herself but the laughter coming from their Aunt Carolyn distracts both Kimberly and Marie.  Once more they look at Carolyn with confused, puzzled looks on their faces.

“You licked those ashes Emma had?” Carolyn asks, Kimberly nods her head slowly and Carolyn reacts with another chuckle. “Poor dear.”

“What’s so funny?!” Kimberly demands.

“Emma wanted Sean’s ashes.” Carolyn begins. “I didn’t want to give them to her, but she was quite persistent, to the point of threatening me.  So I gave her some ashes, fake ashes, and told her they were Sean’s.”

Carolyn motions to the ground below. “I had already cast Sean’s ashes out here at this grave plot long ago.”

Carolyn takes her hands and places one hand on Kimberly’s shoulder and the other on Marie’s shoulder.

“Listen to me, girls.  I’m not going to beg you to be a part of my life.  Don’t get me wrong, I do want you to be a part of my life, but I understand that you are both grown women and this has to be your decision.  What I did want to let you know was that your father did make mistakes, but at the end of the day he still loved you.  And more importantly, this family still loves you.”

“That so?” Kimberly asks, somewhat sarcastically. “Well I still can’t forgive Sean or his memory for ignoring me, leaving me in the hands of a lunatic, in favor of Marie.”

She looks over at Marie. “At first I took my frustrations out on you, but I realize now I was wrong.  You’re not at fault and I had to move on.  So maybe…”

Kimberly sighs “…maybe I should move on from this too?”

“Kimberly is right,” Marie says with a smile “Sean tried to love us the best way he knew how, I should move on too.”

With that Carolyn, Marie, and Kimberly embrace in a tight group hug.  So it has come and gone.  Kimberly confronted her long standing grudge against the Williams family and she has seemingly put it to rest.  Does that mean she has healed?  Does this mean she is mentally stable now and that she has achieved that sense of normalcy she always wanted?

Marie isn’t so sure.  If anything, this journey has taught Marie that there may not be one true definition of normal.  Normal to one person might be different to another person.  One person’s normal might be another person’s crazy.  Perhaps Kimberly was normal all along?

Either way, Marie is happy at least that there is some peace now with Kimberly, peace of mind and peace with the family.  And with that out of the way, maybe she can focus on the next task at hand; Taking Hold of the Flame.

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On Camera

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Did you know that June is Rebuild Your Life Month?

I didn’t know that until recently, but I do find it very appropriate because with Taking Hold of the Flame just a few days away, you have me and thirty-nine other SCW superstars, all with the opportunity of rebuilding and reshaping our lives.  We have the opportunity with this one match, on one night, to go from zero to hero, to go from nothing to something.  In one match you can go from curtain jerker to the main event of Rise To Greatness.

June will be the month when I rebuild my professional life and I will do just that at Taking Hold of the Flame.

I’ve made way too many mistakes in my life as a professional athlete; siding with Silas Mason and pulling off the #GingerHoax just to name a few.  And I’ve had so many second chances.  More chances I deserve, if I’m completely honest with myself and everyone else.

Some have refused to give me another chance.  Some have given up on me. Tabitha Silverstone, I’m looking at you.

Others have not given up on me.  Others have stuck by me; Sophie James, thank you for remaining a loyal friend.

Still others who may not have been close allies with me before are now willing to give me a chance that perhaps I do not deserve.  When Tabitha Silverstone dumped me, Adam Chase was willing to work with me, to give me a chance.  And for that, I thank him.  I have done my damndest to make sure I live up to his high expectations and to make sure he doesn’t regret taking a chance on me.

So far I’d like to think I’ve done a fairly good job at keeping up my end of the bargain.  I am the SCW United States Champion.  I could easily settle for being United States Champion and, to be honest, I think I’ll make a hell of a champion.

The old me would settle for just being SCW United States Champion, but I’m looking to rebuild my life and that means leaving the past in the rearview mirror.  I can’t settle for second best or third best.  Just as my new manager said, the sky is the limit, and by God I plan to reach for the stars because I want to reinvent myself, I want to redefine who I am…

…I want to reclaim my top spot in this sport of professional wrestling.

Oh but I’m not going to do it via any means necessary.  That’s also an older version of me talking. That person is old news and we’re forgetting about her, just like we’re forgetting about the person who just settles for second best.  I am going to reclaim my top spot in professional wrestling and I am going to do it the old fashioned way.

Hard work, dedication, determination.  I will sacrifice and I will bleed.  I will pay the price.  And more specifically, at Taking Hold of the Flame, I will march through thirty nine other competitors if I have to in order to earn my into the main event of Rise To Greatness, the greatest pay per view event  of the greatest  wrestling  promotion, competing for the greatest world championship in this game…

…the SCW World Championship.

I’ve been to the top before and I know what it takes to get there.  It takes blood, sweat, and tears.  It takes someone willing to put their own body on the line.  Everywhere I’ve gone, every promotion I’ve wrestled for, I’ve been willing to do that.  This will be my first ever Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal and from what my mother and my aunt have told me, I already have a pretty damn good idea of what to expect.

War…grueling war, and a battle of attrition in which only the strongest will survive.

I get it, though.  I am not the favorite.  Former SCW World Champions such as Kennedy Street and Amy Chastaine, they are favorites.  Syren, a former SCW World Champion who is entering this match at number forty, is a clear favorite.  Even Sienna Swann, who may not be a world champion but is a double title holder, is more of a favorite than I am.

Stacy Kissinger and Craig Thomas have each other, hell, even Manvel has the advantage of having competed in a crap load of these battle royals.

But me?  I have nothing.  No expects anything from me except to be match filler.  Even Dawn Lohan said she’s watching the match just because she knows Kennedy Street is going to win the whole thing anyway and she wants to see that happen.

That should offend other competitors in that match, but not me.  I’m just going go out there and prove her and anyone else who doubts me wrong.  I don’t have Selena Frost’s “believers”, I just have myself.  But that’s the way I like it.  The deck is stacked against me, no one thinks I can win, and that’s just the way I like it because historically that’s when I perform at my absolute best.

During this month of June, the Rebuild Your Life Month, I will rebuild my professional life.  At one point I was on top of the world but I threw it away due to stupid mistakes I made.  Taking Hold of the Flame is my trial by fire, the purifying fires of purgatory itself that will lead me back into the promised land of World Championship gold.  I just need to rebuild my life, I need to rebuild and rediscover that individual who made it to the top and who can take me to the top again…

…The Crown Jewel of Professional Wrestling.  But this won’t be the old Crown Jewel of Professional Wrestling, this will be a new and improved Crown Jewel, someone who won’t allow her ego to cloud her judgments and thus cause stupid mistakes to be made.  This Crown Jewel will be fully focused on only one task; winning Taking Hold of the Flame, outlasting thirty-nine other superstars, and then being in the main event of Rise To Greatness.

That’s what I want more than anything else.  And it’s no cheesy catchphrase to elicit a positive crowd reaction.  It’s fact.  Because among the many who were willing to take a chance on me,  take a risk in giving a somewhat broken individual another chance, was Supreme Championship Wrestling.

SCW gave me an opportunity.  They didn’t have to, they could’ve thought I was too controversial an item to pick up, but they picked up my contract anyway and gave me a chance.  I’m ready to show SCW and its fans that their faith in me was not in vain.

I will win Taking Hold of the Flame and I will go on to main event Rise To Greatness where I will become SCW World Champion.