Charlie Nickles passed the time by sitting at the table in his cell with his arms stretched out before him. Charlie also stretched his legs intermittently, making full use of his newfound mobility. Nickles looked down at the broken shackles hanging freely from his limbs. The shackles running between his wrists were still functional but they were no longer attached to the table. His feet, however, were completely unbound and merely inconvenienced by the swinging chains following their every step. Nickles was pleased with himself, but he couldn’t find the strength to bring a smile to the surface. The conditions were still too dire.

Nickles leaned away from the table as he let his ever growing locks fall over the back of the chair. It had been a long time since Charlie had the chance to get a haircut or go for a shave. As such his mane and beard were considerably lengthier than usual. His black and white jumpsuit was stained with sweat. The jumpsuit’s pinstripes appeared somewhat yellow from the precipitate collected inside of the fabric.

Charlie Nickles always felt alone in this life. He felt this way out on the road, in packed stadiums, and even in his own home. Nickles felt like all he could ever do was take up space. What value could he bring to anybody? Charlie knew his own faults better than anyone. Charlie struggled daily with honesty, fidelity, and sobriety. He found that no matter how hard he tried to bridge the gap between himself and society he would always fall back into the pit of addiction.

Charlie struggled through many lonely nights during his on again and even more on again relationship with drugs and alcohol. There were many winter nights where Charlie found himself shooting up inside of an abandoned home. There was one night where Charlie took far too much. It was the night that Connie gave him the divorce papers and took the children to her sister’s house. It was the night that broke Charlie Nickles.

Charlie bit his lip and closed his eyes as he fought off the memory of the overdose. A single tear ran down his left cheek.

Charlie wasn’t always a deranged maniac: at least, not inside the ring. For a decade and a half Charlie Nickles was just your typical independent wrestler: albeit with a below .500 record. Of course he took his frustrations out on his family, but he was a true professional when he strolled up to the arena in his beat up hoopty. But Charlie felt all alone when he got to the arena. The fans in the stands, the boys backstage, the parasite promoters, none of them really gave a damn about Charlie. Most never even bothered to learn his name. To them Charlie was just another body for the meat grinder.

After month-long tours Charlie would come home with five hundred dollars in his pocket and crabs in his pubic hair. Connie was always less than pleased. Tyler and Emma remained continually distant from their absent father. When Charlie finally returned home he felt just as alone as he did in the arenas. Even still, Charlie never felt more alone than he did today. Even when Charlie was shooting up crack inside of his abandoned home he didn’t feel as alone as he did inside this room. Charlie ran his right hand through his hair as he exhaled slowly.

Did they miss him?

…..how could they?

His kids never answered the phone when he called. They never returned his letters. Tyler and Emily seemed to want nothing to do with him. Why would they care that Demos has taken his place? The children never saw anything of value in their father, or so Charlie thought. His children probably just thought that their father had finally snapped and gone clinically crazy.

Connie had probably found another four or five lovers by now. The last thing on her mind was what her ex husband was doing wearing a mask and spouting off about liberal nonsense. Charlie had made every effort to reconnect with her, to rekindle their dying flame. She could never see that all the wrestling, all the travel, all the hotel rooms: they were all for her. Charlie just wanted Connie to be able to say she was married to a champion, he wanted her to be able to brag about what a rich and successful father she found for her babies. That’s all Charlie was ever striving for….or so he liked to tell himself.

Charlie thought he had made every effort to give his family a good life, but still they were more than happy to let him rot inside the confines of his own mind: but even if his family was willing to leave him for dead, Charlie was truly sickened by Jim’s abandonment. Jim had to know something was wrong, the two would go dolphin hunting a few times every week. Why hadn’t Jim come to liberate Charlie from this prison? Charlie had been trapped in here for months. For the first few weeks Nickles had hoped that Jim would lead an army of bald men in a thrilling prison break. Time continued to pass and no help ever came. Charlie had long since started to believe that the notion was nothing but a pipe dream.

The betrayal struck Charlie deep as he heard rumors of Jimson continuing on with DDS as if nothing had changed. Jim had to know the man beneath that mask was nothing like Charlie. Jim had to know that Charlie would never go away willingly. Jim went along with Demos the whole time nonetheless. As long as Jim had a strong man to keep his head above the water, he was content to just go with the flow.

Charlie thought he deserved better from Jim. Charlie put Jimson on when no one else would. Charlie knew what it was like to be counted out and dismissed, so he gave Jimson a shot and pushed him as far as he could. Charlie considered himself a good friend to Jim, but even more than that, Charlie considered himself to be the basis for all of Jim’s newfound success. Before Charlie took him under his wing Jim was nothing but opening match fodder. But now? Jim’s once abysmal record was quickly approaching .500 and Jim now had impressive wins over Atara Themis, Thunder Knuckles, Betsy Granger, and Miss Fury to boast about. Jim owed Charlie everything. But still Jim paid Charlie’s plight no mind when his masked captor was parading about inside of a stolen body.

Charlie spit on the ground as the disrespect sunk in. Charlie had been alone with nothing but his thoughts for months. Charlie has had nothing but time to ponder his life, to think about the things that really matter to him. Charlie hadn’t gotten his fix for months. He hadn’t heard an audience pop for him since Snow Job. He hadn’t felt a woman’s touch since 2020. Charlie missed the once familiar feelings, the cheap rushes of serotonin.

Charlie spoke just to break the overbearing silence.

I would give it all to hold that belt for just one moment.

Connie, Tyler, Emily, Jimson.

I would throw them all into the abyss to have my hand raised.

I couldn’t care less what happens to them.

I couldn’t care less what happens to me.

If it meant I could be the champion for a second I would damn us all to hell.

Charlie’s face contorted into a scowl as his eyebrows narrowed.

They weren’t here for me in my darkest hour.

Why should I be there for them in my brightest hour?

This is the moment I have trained my whole life for. Everything I have ever done has led to this moment.

Who the fuck does Demos think he is to deprive me?

Charlie clenches his fists as he leans forward in his chair.

When I get out of here, that shitstirrer is first in line for classic garroting. That democrat thug isn’t going to stand between me and my manifest destiny.

I have dreamed of this moment for all my life. I let it slip through my fingers once before. I won’t let it happen twice.

This time it will be much, much easier. We all know why.

Charlie leaned back as a sense of calmness overtook him. A sly smile spread across his dry lips.

Chris Page is no Sarah Lacklan. After all it was Sarah Lacklan that climbed down with the briefcase at Leap of Faith, not Chris Page. He had every opportunity, the same as Sarah, to walk away from Leap of Faith as the universal champion. I suppose it just wasn’t meant to be.

But word on the street is that Chris Page doesn’t want to talk about Leap of Faith. He wants to talk about Relentless. So let’s talk Relentless.

Charlie leaned forward in his chair as he begin to gesticulate with his cuffed hands.

First off, I main evented Relentless in 2020 you dope fiend. I know it’s hard for Chris Page to keep track of who main evented which Relentless, you know with all that dope he smokes and his limited first hand experience. It’s a lot easier to remember which main event was which when you were in one of them. Chris Page doesn’t have that luxury, unfortunately: and no, Chris, being Robert’s special guest friend doesn’t count as a main event billing.

But fuck it, let’s talk about night three of Relentless. The 2020 show, Chris Page. Try to keep up.

You and I both lost title matches that night. I put out a pathetic effort and failed miserably in front of a sold out audience against Lacklan for the universal championship. You put out a pathetic effort and failed miserably in front of a sold out audience against Thunder Knuckles for the television championship.

Now I’ll be the last person to denigrate the television belt or ol’ Thunder Knucks- if we all pretend like he’s any good that’s just another three points in Charlie’s score column. Of course Chris Page will say that this loss to Knuckles was before Knuckles was really trying, but that’s a bit besides the point, isn’t it?

Thunder Knuckles wasn’t the only man that beat Chris Page at Relentless last time around. Thaddeus Duke also snuck a win in! Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re going to say, Chris Page ran like a dog with his tail between his legs and he threw the match instead of competing to the finish so it doesn’t count. Page sure has got a real championship pedigree, eh?

Shit, let’s talk about Relentless 2019. Couldn’t get yourself booked for a match on the show? Injury keep you sidelined for all but the briefest cameo appearances? Tough luck.

But fuck it, let’s peel back another layer of this stanky ass onion skinned motherfucker’s resume. Let’s go ahead and skip back to the pay per view before Relentless 2019- maybe you were taking a victory lap after a huge pay per view win.

Nope. Just kidding. You weren’t.

Right before Relentless 2019 you lost to some nobody named Ranma Saotome at the XX PPV. Well, let’s be generous to Chris. Maybe he had a big win at the pay per view BEFORE the pay per view BEFORE Relentless 2019.What happened at the pay per view before double x?

Chris Page failed to land his Leap of Faith and lost to Robert Main for the universal championship.

Wow, Chris. Between Leap of Faith 2019, Leap of Faith 2020, and High Stakes you’ve let at least three shots at the universal championship slip through your fingers. But if we peel back your resume some more, Page, we both know you’ve lost far more matches for the universal championship than you’ve won.

But let’s be fair to you, Chris.

What happened at the pay per view BEFORE the pay per view BEFORE the pay per view BEFORE Relentless 2019, which again, you refused to be booked for. So what happened at War Games 2019?

It’s predictable. Chris Page lost.

Cost his whole team the match. Lost to fucking Drew Anarchyle of all people. Maybe if Drew wasn’t such a gullible fucking idiot he would have flexed that fact a bit more to frazzle Page’s fragile psyche before March Madness. Then again, if Drew wasn’t such a gullible fucking idiot he wouldn’t have joined the Apex Hypothosis.

But let’s be fair to Chris Page. Let’s get the full context of his big story. What happened at the pay per view BEFORE the pay per view BEFORE the pay per view BEFORE the pay per view BEFORE Relentless 2019? Well they didn’t want to book Chris Page for that one.

Nickles smiles as a soft chuckle rumbles out of his belly. Charlie’s shackles shake slightly as he repositions his body.

If you listen to Chris Page I might not be a very good wrestler, but I’ve damned sure never lost three fucking pay per view matches in a row!

But at least Chris Page is honest in his behind the scenes footage about what an absolutely unnoteworthy figure he has been throughout his XWF tenure. That slutty Jezebel going by Jessica is literally in Miami to attend the wrestling show her friend is working! She’s going to have a basic familiarity with the card, the company, and what the faces on her ticket look like.

And she had no fucking clue who Chris Page was.

Isn’t that something? Dude works his ass off for decades to try and make it in this business and people coming to watch the shows don’t even know who the hell he is. Of course, it doesn’t help that he was on a big losing streak and not even booked for the show, but still. I bet Jessica would have known who Sarah Lacklan was. I’m just saying…

Nickles winks at nothing in particular as the smile stays fixed to his face.

Demos can’t keep me away from you forever, Chris Page. Remember that.

Why do you even care about what that masked freak has to say? You should be keeping your eyes on the REAL Charlie Nickles. I would hate for you to be under a false impression about who’s coming down that ramp to meet you on Saturday Night Savage. It would be so tragic if you trained all week for the wrong opponent.

It’s not Demos that’s coming down that ramp to take your championship.

It’s going to be ME.

Nickles stares straight ahead with fire in his eyes.

This is the moment I was born for. I may never see another like it. No chains will be able to hold me back from my fate!

Nickles spread his arms wide with great furor. The shackles between his wrists snapped as Charlie ascended to his feet.

If Chris Page dares to stand between me and my fate, I will rip his tongue from his throat while I punch his teeth through his jaw! And if still he does not yield I will take his very tongue and wrap it around his neck! And if still he does not yield I will send him to hell alongside Connie and Jim with a Devil Hook Drop! He won’t be standing in my way after I hit a couple of those!

I would do anything to win the universal championship! I don’t need fifteen minutes of fame with it. I just need one glorious moment. Just one moment will have made my life worth living. It will have made every sacrifice worth it.

Connie, Tyler, Emily.

I would sacrifice them all to make my life worth living.

Just imagine what I’m planning to do to you, Chris Page.

Charlie released one last smirk as he looked around the empty room. Charlie’s gaze fell upon the somewhat dented door before his head slowly began to lower. His sights were soon set on the table before him as his confidence turned to dejection. The thrill of the promo was over. It was good fun while it lasted, but it just didn’t feel the same to Charlie. There were no lighting crews, there was no camera, no director. There was just a lifeless room. The same room that Charlie had been confined to for months. Charlie slumped back into his chair as the reality of his situation laid itself bare.

Charlie leaned his head back as his eyelids crawled over his watery sockets. Charlie let the darkness take him. Anything was better than this. The prisoner slipped into a soft slumber.

Charlie didn’t know how much time had passed when he heard the door creak as it’s metal hinges rubbed against each other. Charlie cracked his eyes open as he lowered his head ever so slightly. He glanced at the marginally ajar door. He saw a tye dyed man staring at him through the crack in the doorframe. Dimes spoke in a hushed tone.

“Yo playa- how you holdin up in this foxhole?”

“I’ve been better.”

Nickles opens his eyes fully as he looks at Dimes curiously. Dimes chuckles nervously as he slowly pushes the door open. He’s holding a tray with a glass of water and a plate of scrambled eggs on it. Dimes takes a step into the room, the door still held open by the man’s body.

“I’ve been thinkin bout what you said. I can't let ya out, Demos would have my hide, but you deserve to eat, G! I ain't gonna let ya starve just cause Demos is off doing his thang. That ain't right."

Dimes started walking towards the table with the tray directly in front of his chest. The remained open behind Dimes as the gullible discomaniac walked deeper into Charlie's cell. The prisoner flashed a toothy smile to his alter ego.

"Why thank you so much for your never ending kindness, ol' Dimebag."

Charlie Dimes smiled as he set the tray down in front of Nickles.

"I'm just tryna help out where I can, ya dig? I think Demos is doing ya dirty, playa. We've always had our disagreements, but you don't deserve all this!"

"I don't know how I could ever repay you for all this, but I think I know how I can get started..."

"Ah shit G, there ain't no need to pay m-"

The prisoner's fake smile cracked in half as he shot out of his chair. His right fist hammered into Dimes's gut. Dimes never got the chance to keel over as a wild left hand struck him in the temple just as the pain from the first blow shot through his body. Charlie Dimes stumbled back against the wall as the surprise attack left him reeling. The nasty combination had caught Dimes off guard, but the situation as a whole hadn't. As Nickles started walking towards Dimes, the tye dye gangster pulled a sidearm out of his waistband. Dimes brought the gun up as he closed his left eye. His right eye stared straight down the firearm's iron sights.

BANG! BANG!

Two shots rung out. Two shots missed. Nickles ducked beneath the line of fire before launching himself into Dimes. Nickles's left hand grabbed Dimes's right wrist and smashed it against the wall. Dimes dropped the smith and wesson as Nickles's right fist shot into his throat. The weapon fell harmlessly to the ground as the two men struggled against the wall. The two men tried to gain the better position over the other as they grappled for control.

"I was trying to help you, cunt!"

"I don't need your help, Dimes!"

Charlie Nickles headbutts Dimes. The alter ego's head smashes against the concrete wall he's pressed against. A small spot of blood appears on the wall as Dimes's head ricochets back to it's original position. Charlie Nickles lets go of Dimes's wrist, repositioning his hand underneath the midsection of the tye dye titan. Charlie Nickles unleashes an explosive powerscoop slam as he smashes Dimes against the floor.

"Hrrrrgggghhhhhhhhhh"

Vertebrate crack audibly as Dimes's body is thrown against the concrete floor. Nickles wastes no time following up the scoop slam with a flurry of fists to the face. After Dimes's face begins to resemble a loose bag of beef Nickles climbs off of him. Nickles grabs Dimes by his hair before forcing the alter ego to it's knees. Nickles stares at the downed Dimes with a furious furor etched into his face. Nickles spits in the man's face before he forces him to his feet. Nickles slams Dimes's head against the table two times before rolling him on top of the table. The outstretched Dimes moans in pain as the hard table beneath him provides little to no comfort. Nickles slaps Dimes's chest hard as fuck before climbing onto the table himself.

"Urrrrrrrrrrffffff"

Nickles picks Dimes up once again. Nickles wraps his arms around the shoulders and neck of his alter ego as the two stand atop the table. Charlie kicks Charlie's feet out from under him as he brings Dimes down for a Devil Hook Drop! The table breaks immediately upon impact. Dimes and Nickles tumble to the ground. Nickles starts cackling maniacally as Dimes appears to be absolutely unconscious.

The audience point of view changes and we now see a shot of the open doorway from inside the hallway. A few seconds go by until we see Charlie Nickles walk into the metal frame of the door. Nickles cocks the hammer on the smith and wesson back as a prideful grin developed underneath his mammoth sized beard. Nickles walks through the doorway before turning sharply left. The camera remains focused on the door to the prison cell as the screen fades to black.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

A flurry of shouts ring out as the muffled screams of the wounded go unanswered. A devilish laugh blasts through the speakers as another burst of gunshots end the scene.