1 Hour After Ethan’s Graduation Ceremony

“I’m so proud of you babe!” Sarah exclaimed with excitement. I had finally made my way through the crowd of people into her embracing arms.

“I guess I was right, my Dad didn’t make it?” I said slightly dejected. Although our relationship had been futile, in my heart I still wanted my Father there. I guess it was wishful thinking, as the voice of reason inside my head kept telling me he wouldn’t come.

"I didn’t see him Ethan, which is really NOT cool. Who bails on their own Sons graduation?” She said looking rather angry, a side of Sarah rarely shown. She was normally so calm and collected, rarely ever expressing her emotions.

“It’s really not a big deal, you’re here. That’s what’s important to me” I said with a big smile on my face.

“Okay Sarah, I have get going, I have that match in a couple hours. I’ll see you at home, don’t think I forgot my surprise.” I said while winking at her in an attempt to be smooth.

“Yeah, slight problem with that. I don’t have a ride back home and I am not taking public transit on my own. I guess I am coming to your match. Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid, you won’t get hurt.” She tilted her head waiting for a response.

“Oh yeah babe, don’t worry, this guy has lost like 5 matches in a row. I don’t even think he has a win yet.” I told her with confidence. It wasn’t a lie, he wasn’t much competition. It was a perfect going away match for me.

When we arrived at the arena, an old public gymnasium in the heart of the city, we were greeted by some of the hardcore fans, hanging out before the show. They wanted to talk wrestling with us, find out some personal stories, grab some pictures. I was more than happy to oblige. By this time I was pretty well known in the North East I had been competing for over 5 years and traveled through all the major cities at some point. New York was my home, I wanted my last match to be here, in front of the fans who cheered me when I was green.

AN HOUR LATER

“Okay Sarah, my match is almost up, you should head out there and watch” I said while putting the finishing touches on my wrist tape. Today I was wearing a brighter outfit than usual, blue and yellow wrestling trunks with the matching boots, elbow and knee pads.

“I will, but please be safe, don’t do anything stupid out there. You know I worry.” She leaned in for a kiss. I closed my eyes and kissed her back.

I don’t have the clearest of memories from that point on. It was kind of a blur. I remember walking out to the largest crowd I had seen to that point in my career. They had signs reading “THANK YOU ETHAN” “GOOD LUCK ETHAN”. One thing about New Yorkers, they sure appreciated a hard worker. I had done my best to learn my craft and that resonated with them.

The match went pretty much as I expected, I remember looking out into the crowd and seeing Sarah smiling back at me. I was in complete control of the match. That’s when things got worse.

I had hit my opponent with my favourite move, a Fisherman DDT. I could have easily won the match there, but I looked out to the crowd. They were all standing, cheering and applauding. I felt a rush come over me, something I had never felt before. I felt like I owed them something, if this was going to be my last moment in the ring, I was going to go out with a bang. I wanted them to remember me. I wanted that night to live forever.
With my opponent laying the center of the ring, I climbed the turnbuckles to the top rope. It all goes blank after that.

I woke up the next morning in a hospital bed, the New York Times sitting beside my hospital bed the headline read “SON OF BILLIONAIRE WILLIAM BIRD INJURED IN PRO WRESTLING MATCH”


THE NEXT MORNING

-PLAY-
A video clip on a desktop PC starts playing. The footage obviously not professional, from a regular home camera begins to play on the TV.

“This is from last night?” he asks quickly

“Yes Sir” a deep voice responds

“This is what happened?” he asks again

“Yes Sir” the voice responds again

The video footage shows Ethan Bird, wrestling at a local New York House show.

ANNOUNCER: I have no idea what he’s doing! Ethan is a big man, the top rope isn’t a place we see him often, I can’t begin to imagine what is going through his head!

The video shows Ethan leap into the air, he is attempting a shooting star.

ANNOUNCER: OH MY GOD, ETHAN DIDN’T LAND IT, HE LANDED ON HIS HEAD!! CALL THE EMT’S GET HIM SOME HELP!!!
The TV shuts off.

“Where is he?!?” he yells in anger

“He’s at New York General Hospital.” The voice responds quickly

“Let’s go, drive me there!” He demands

“Do you really think that’s the best idea Mr. Bird?”

JUNE 29th 2015


The scene opens to an alley in New York City. Ethan is standing atop a literal soap box with a crowd of his ‘followers’ listening intently to his words.
Given the weather we have been experiencing in the Northeast, it’s no surprise that the skies are filled with clouds. A light scattering of rain makes its way down towards the concrete jungle that is New York City.

“They tell me, that I need to prove myself. They say that this Wednesday, I have to goto war with 3 other men just to prove myself worthy. The only thing that I have learned from this, is they don’t understand me. They don’t know who I am, they don’t know that I am their God. But they will…”

Ethan shuffles to his right, removing a battered umbrella and opening it, sheltering he and he alone from the rainfall. One of the men in the crowd holds up an old fashion shoulder mounted video camera and motions for Ethan to speak into it.

“What did I tell you? Last week, I stood here and told you all what would happen at Madness. Like a great novelist, I foreshadowed it for you all. I told you, I would break Sidney Cutter and leave him unconscious. I sat here, from my hilltop and proclaimed to all of you, my flock, that I would beat him. I told you all I would leave him broken, I did. Reality is something people run from. For people like Sidney Cutter reality crushes dreams, for a man like Ethan Bird, reality is the one great equalizer. Last week, Sidney Cutter found reality hurts. For last week I served as a reality check for both of you. At Madness I served the reality that I have ARRIVED. Last week, the non-believers and the XWF lockeroom alike took notice. Ethan Bird is everything he has claimed to be. It will not be long before I hold all the gold, all of the possessions this organization holds so dear. I care not, for these worldly possessions. Titles, championships, they only help me to further my message. They serve as a vessel to better tell my story.”

“When I think about these men, the ones they have put in my way. I can’t help but chuckle. I listen to Cain’s comments and the only think I can think, is that he sounds like a man attempting to convince himself. You see Cain, in your heart, that thing beating inside your chest, I know what you feel. You feel fear. You’re afraid to again, like you did last week. You’re afraid that another loss, will render you obsolete. So you train, you work, your hype yourself up. Until finally, deep down in your gut, you’ve convinced yourself that you belong. There’s only one small problem with that, it doesn’t last. Those feelings of fear, those nerves all that nervous energy, it will return to you. When you first stare across the ring at me and realize you are facing a man who is closer to a GOD! When you first strike me and realize you’re in over your head. I’ll watch your eyes, watch the fear return. I promise you boy, I am everything that you fear… and you won’t be waking up from your nightmare on Wednesday.”

“Fontanna claims to be a monster. My friend, to whom are you a monster? Monsters are things your parents warn you about, the things that go bump in the night. Ethan Bird is a monster, Jack the Ripper a monster. You’re a comedy act, yet you don’t know it. You’re the type of man, that we laugh at, that we find pathetic. The type of man, who irrationally thinks he belongs in a ring with me. You, Fontanna, are no monster. But soon, you’ll be able to reach out and touch one first hand. You’ll play a role in this horror story, an important one. But my boy, you won’t be the monster, but rather the victim, the sacrificial lamb being led to the slaughter. I promise you this week, you will be slaughtered.”

“Thunderbolt X. I’ve been around this game a long time. Never, in my years travelling this world, have I run into a man with a more idiotic name. The strategy is almost brilliant, picking a ridiculous name so that no one takes you seriously. However, where you fall short my son, is that you don’t need to be taken seriously. You don’t win, you don’t make an impact. Frankly, no one cares about you at all.”

“I know what each of you is thinking, in your simplistic little minds, I haven’t paid my dues, I haven’t put in my time. Hell, I haven’t even climbed the ladder yet. Let me teach you all something right now about life, it isn’t fair. I don’t give a shit about paying my dues, ask Sidney Cutter or Eli James about my abilities. Each of them came miles short of besting me. Putting in time, is for failures, like the three other men I face this week. If I want something, I reach out and take it. I want the XWF championship and I’m taking my first step towards it. Ladders, well ladders are for normal men. While each of you dreams of climbing to the top of the ladder, one step at a time, I take giant leaps. For each of you, this week is going to experience the nightmare that is Ethan Bird first hand. Stand across from me and understand that I don’t fear you. I don’t fear anything you can do to me. You can’t hurt me, you can’t take from me as I have nothing. In all of your worlds, I am invincible, your nightmare come to life.”

“I’ll leave you all with one last example of foreshadowing, at the end of this week ETHAN BIRD will stand victorious, the first brush stroke of my masterpiece will be made having just won the number one contenders spot, and you will all flock to me. They say the journey of a thousand miles, starts with a single step. My first few steps will be over the fallen bodies I leave at MadFare.”