THE SEVENTH CIRCLE OF HELL
We return from commercial to the ringside area.
Nick Stuart: Welcome back to ReVival, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight has already been a great show and we haven’t even hit the main event yet!
Richard Parker: I just hope that Praporschik Stanislav gets a chance to correct The Anglo Luchador for his actions against Paxton Ray.
Nick Stuart: There is a lot to unpack with that statement, but right now I’m being told Eddie Cross is on his way out.
On cue, “Cross Off” by Mark Morton hits the PA and the fans turn their attention toward the entrance. As Chester Bennington screams GONE BY! Eddie Cross, sans gaming glasses in his normal olive drab GG shirt, walks out and plays to the crowd. They respond with cheers for the young talent.
After playing up the buzz for a moment, he holds up a finger and walks backstage briefly, emerging with a long, ominous, box that is made of pau wood decorated with a lapalapa motif carved into the face. He slaps a few hands on his way down to the ring and makes his way up the steps with deliberate pace.
Nick Stuart: There is an absolute buzz of energy that didn’t exist the last time this young man was in the ring, and one can’t help but wonder if he has finally turned the corner on his potential.
Richard Parker: I’ll believe it when I see it, Nick.
Eddie lays his box on the mat in the center of the ring and grabs a microphone from Vince Howard, who is standing by ringside. The young man runs his hand through his bright red shocked hair and paces in the ring while the crowd cools.
Eddie Cross: AAAAAALLLLLL RIIIIIGHT, DETROOOOIIIT!
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
He waits for the crowd to die down before addressing the elephant in the room.
Eddie Cross: For the past few months you’ve seen a tragedy unfold in front of your eyes. Family against family. Best friends at odds. Blood spilled at the hands of someone I trusted with my life.
A beat.
Eddie Cross: Multiple times.
He pauses and circles around, addressing everyone in the arena. The fans seem to rally behind the underdog that has had a rough go in 2023.
Eddie Cross: There is a saying that “once you are bitten by a snake, you’re forever scared of a length of rope.” I’m here to tell you right here, right now, I ain’t scared of the snake or the bite.
He runs his hand across his forehead, already marked with scars and healing gouges from two weeks ago.
Eddie Cross: As a matter of fact, I want to invite the snake into my home. What do you say Dave? Do you have the guts to come out here and answer for what you’ve done or do you need to blindside me again?
Eddie roams from rope to rope lifting his hands to get the crowd to taunt his former mentor into showing himself. As he works the fans into a fervor, eventually a slow roar of boos begins as Dave Gibson walks out unaccompanied by music. He mocks the crowd with his hands, telling them to keep booing.
Dave finally makes it to the ring, rolls in, and grabs a microphone of his own. He taps the mic a couple times and smiles at his former protege, but first he takes a shot at the crowd.
Dave Gibson: Oh, boo, boo. Yeah, the bad guy is here. Spare me. You all should be thanking me! The hard work of people like me made it possible for you to sit there and watch this company! I deserve your respect!!!
The crowd boos even louder and he soaks it in gleefully. Finally he turns his attention to the young man across the ring.
Dave Gibson: OK Eddie, what do you think you have to say to me?
EC stares intently at his trainer before taking a step forward to look him in the eyes.
Eddie Cross: I’ve had a lot of time to think about this, Dave. Two weeks of pain. Two weeks of tending bruised ribs, cuts healing, and worst of all, Two weeks of a broken heart.
Dave smirks, a sinister sheen in his eyes.
Eddie Cross: I thought maybe you were trying to teach me some point in your own warped way after the first attack. I thought maybe this was a lesson. But it wasn’t, was it?
The fans jeer and Dave mouths the words “that’s it?” to Eddie, though they are inaudible.
Finally, Dave shrugs and holds his mic up.
Dave Gibson: I’m not pretending I’m anything else and I never have. You know better than that. This has always been your problem, Eddie. You look at everyone else and say “this guy or that gal has it out for me.” You don’t realize that it isn’t about me or anyone else, it’s about the business. If you don’t take care of your own neck, nobody else will.
Eddie snorts. He takes a moment to pace and stare down his mentor.
Eddie Cross: So that’s it, huh? You’re just looking after your own neck? Is that all I ever was to you? A way back in?
Dave Gibson: Now hold on, I never said that.
Eddie Cross: YOU DON’T HAVE TO!
The crowd reacts by standing behind Eddie and cheering. Clearly flustered by his emotions, he steels himself, breathing rapidly. Finally, he gathers himself enough to continue.
Eddie Cross: Week after week, month after month, year after year I did what you said, I lived your life, I became what you made me. But I realized something a couple months ago. I realized it was always just about you and your own dream. I’m not you and I was never going to be the person you could live vicariously through, and the moment you realized that you turned the situation on me so you could be relevant again.
The young man steps forward and stares Dave in the eyes.
Eddie Cross: Look at me Dave.
Dave’s thousand yard stare goes right through the young man.
Dave Gibson: I’m lookin’.
Eddie shakes his head.
Eddie Cross: You’re looking but you ain’t seeing. We’re way beyond all that now. I used to think you were the closest thing to my own father in this world. But you know what I think now?
Eddie turns his back on Dave and the crowd reacts to the disrespect. Dave fumes and his face flushes, but he controls himself.
Eddie Cross: I think you are a lonely old man that spends his days remembering the good times. I think you took me for granted.
The elder nods in acknowledgment.
Dave Gibson: That’s what you think, huh? What about my life Eddie? I agreed to train you, that’s it. I ain’t never asked for no son. And can you tell me I ain’t done that?
The young man looks on, steely, but acknowledges Dave’s point.
Eddie Cross: Yeah, you did. I just really thought you might understand things a little clearer in time. But I guess I was wrong.
Dave Gibson: You been wrong about a lot, kid. But I get it, you got your ass whooped and now you want a piece of the old man. Tell me something, do you remember what I told you in the parking lot before you blacked out?
Eddie responds coolly.
Eddie Cross: Yeah, I do. You asked what I am prepared to do for the business.
Dave’s eyes menace Eddie as the young man nervously paces.
Dave Gibson: Damn right I did.
Dave allows the answer to sink in before continuing.
Dave Gibson: Well? What are you prepared to do?
EC pauses and readies himself for what he is about to say. Once he goes down this path, there is no coming back. Finally he brings the microphone up and summons all his courage.
Eddie Cross: I thought about this a lot over the last couple weeks. I thought about what it’s going to take to show you I’m ready for the moment. I thought about what it would take to outplay you in your chess match. I thought about what it would take to truly put fear into someone who acts fearless and I think I figured it out.
Dave cocks his head wondering what Eddie is up to, perhaps for the first time, truly not knowing. He looks on with a smirk, but there is some worry that has crept in.
EC kneels down and opens the wooden case. As Gibson sees what is inside he looks like Scrooge seeing the Ghost of Jacob Marley. His eyes widen and his mouth goes agape as Eddie pulls out a battle worn, hardwood cored, red stain flecked, barbed wire wrapped Tiki Torch.
Eddie Cross: You know what this is, don’t you? I’m sure the fans don’t, but allow me a minute to indulge in some history. You and my dad aren’t just best friends. Before that, you were vicious enemies. For years.
He grasps the torch in his hand, a wicked grin takes over his face.
Eddie Cross: You fought in OSW. You fought when it became OSE. You fought in FUSE. He broke your hand and you tore up his knee. Rarely have two men been so perfectly matched for violence with one another in the industry.
As the young man paces, Dave cannot seem to take his eyes off the torch.
Eddie Cross: And it all culminated with one match, one final stand to determine who would finally be the winner of a ten year feud. The rules were simple: The match only ends with a submission or when one of you closes the door on the ambulance with the other trapped inside.
A pause to let the moment sink in.
Eddie Cross: You beat each other from one end of the arena to the other. Through mountains of chairs, garbage cans, electrical rigging, and even the roof of the ambulance, itself. It was gut check moment after gut check moment. And you blinked first.
The fans cheer as Gibson, clearly not expecting this to happen, has just figured out what Eddie is planning to do. He holds his hands up to try and slow Eddie down, but the young man will have none of it.
Eddie Cross: This is what I am prepared to do, Dave. At UltraViolence, in Chicago Illinois, it’s going to be you and me…
Dave Gibson: Now hold on Eddie… I…
Eddie Cross: IN A STRETCHER/SUBMISSION MATCH!!!
The words hit Gibson like a dagger in the gut and the fans explode as Dave looks at his student in disbelief. His eyes almost plead with Eddie, but he realizes he might have woken up more than he bargained for. He finally rolls out of the ring and as he backs his way up the ramp, he holds his hand up to his mouth.
Eddie Cross: You better dust off your Guns n’ Roses cassette and dig your gear out of the attic, because I’ll be seeing you in two weeks.
He pauses and holds a finger gun at Gibson mocking the bang noise with his mouth while the crowd cheers him on.
Eddie Cross: GG, Dave.
We then cut backstage.