I’VE HEARD ABOUT YOU

The camera fades in to Nova walking down one of the arena hallways, geared up for the first actual wrestling match he’s had in months. He passes a large framed poster on the wall. 

PRIME Presents

ReVolution 129

May 30, 2007

Universal Championship Match

“The Risen Star” Nova (c)

vs.

“The Queen of the Ring” Lindsay Troy

Nova stares up at the advertisement for the night his Universal Title run came to an end, and his smile fades as a shadow at the end of the hallway casts a pall over Memory Lane. He turns to face it.

It’s Bruce “Violence Jack” Shanahan.

Clad in a jet-black suit with a blood-red tie, Shanahan slowly walks up the hallway towards the Risen Star. Nova instinctively reaches down, adjusts his knee guards and boot laces, then checks his gloves and elbow pads.

Nova advances towards Violence Jack. Shanahan grins.

Bruce Shanahan: I’ve heard about you, Nova.

Nova pulls a cigarette from behind his ear and somehow retrieves a lighter from his tights.

Nova: (lighting his cigarette and taking a drag) I’ve heard about you too, Bruce.

Bruce Shanahan: I’ve spoken about your…situation…with Julian. He agrees. We’ve let your nonsense with this Survivor game show run its course, to whatever end. 

Nova looks around as the hallway seems to shrink in on itself. Suddenly what felt like overwhelming fluorescent lighting is reduced to a few flickering bulbs. Shanahan takes another step forward, unfazed by the cigarette smoke swirling around the Starchild.

Bruce Shanahan: But when it ends – and it will end – you need treatment, Nova. You will get treatment. 

Nova looks Shanahan up and down, observing as the tattoos that criss-cross Violence Jack’s body begin to swim and dart about his arms, legs, and head. 

Bruce Shanahan: MESSIAH will save you.

Nova takes a last drag and stomps out his cigarette on the concrete floor before staring Shanahan in the face, a broad grin stretching out his graying beard.

Nova: Well I guess Johnny and I better make sure it doesn’t end, then, shouldn’t we? 

Shanahan’s smile fades.

Bruce Shanahan: It will end, Nova. And we will be there…waiting.

He turns and marches off into the darkness that consumes the end of the hallway.

Nova turns his head back towards the ReVolution poster on the wall, but the feeling is gone. He shakes dark cobwebs out of his head. 

Nova: I need to find Johnny. It’s time to do this.

He turns back where he came from and marches down the hallway.