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Franklin Fresh · (05-07-2013)

[A stocky middle-aged man slams his fist hard onto the edge of an old ring, sending a cloud of dust into the air. Within the ring two young men are giving it their all, eager to show their mentor they have what it takes to be great wrestlers one day. The younger of the two competitors grabs his opponent in a tight headlock and flips him onto the mat, smiling as he does so. His opponent chokes and splutters as he tries his best to get out of the hold, but it’s locked in far too tight for escape. Within ten seconds, he taps out. Both men get to their feet, their faces red and sweaty, and then shake hands showing mutual respect and friendship for one another. The middle-aged m an slams his fist onto the edge of the ring again...]

Man - “That’s it Franklin my boy! You did it again! Another win under your belt! I always knew you would graduate my school top of the class. I could see you had it in you on day one.”

Franklin – “Thanks Bruiser, if I didn’t have such a great teacher I would have never have gotten anywhere. It was your words of wisdom that showed me the way. It seems like only yesterday that I left my family’s farm in Bloomington to train to become a wrestler, and yet here we are on the final day of wrestling school.”

Bruiser – “Yes the time has flew by, but that’s because you are so good in between those ropes Franklin! Every challenge that I have threw your way, all the stomach churning training and old school grappling, all the traditional wrestling lessons I have taught you, you soaked up like a sponge.”

[Franklin climbs out of the ring with his opponent and walks towards his mentor. As he does so he catches his reflection in a mirror and gazes at himself. He looked sweaty and tired but as happy as he ever did in wrestling school. He turns to see Bruiser rooting through his jacket pocket and pull out a small black envelope which he opens up once again and reads. He smiles and beckons Franklin over.]

Bruiser – “I was going to save showing you this for later, but I don’t think I can. I have been holding onto this all week and it felt as if I had hot coals in my pockets. Do you remember when I taped some of your matches a few weeks ago? I told you it was just for me to watch so that I could give you some feedback. Well Franklin, I lied…”

Franklin – “You lied? Well what were the recordings for?”

Bruiser – “The fact is Franklin; you are the best pupil I have ever had here. You have so much potential. The way you move in the ring, the way you have mastered the fundamentals, the effort and determination you have to be a professional wrestler. I decided I would do everything I could to help you get your first professional wrestling match. Franklin, those tapes were made so that I could send them out to different wrestling promotions all across the country. This letter that I hold in my hand is a response Franklin…”

Franklin – “You mean to say that there’s a company out there that’s interested in me? That’s amazing Bruiser. i haven’t even left the school yet and I already have job opportunities waiting for me outside these walls? That is brilliant!”

Bruiser – “Well it is… and it isn’t. The company is XWF. Don’t get me wrong, they are a top company and the fact they have expressed interest in you signing a contract with them is an incredible thing at your age with no real experience, and I am very proud of you. However, personally I don’t think you should accept…”

[Franklin stands staring at his old mentor with a bewildered look on his face. He pushes a blonde curl of hair from his brow as he looks down and stares at the black letter. He notices the Electric blue lettering emblazoned upon the envelope and almost feels the electricity jolt him through his body. Butterflies begin to flutter in his stomach at the thought of standing in front of a real crowd and having his first wrestling match of his career.]

Franklin - “I don’t understand. For what reason would you have me turn this down? You just said it yourself that it is a top company.”

Bruiser – “You are just a kid Franklin. You have some god given talent and I am positive you will go far, but in the XWF environment I feel it will be detrimental to your health and wellbeing. I told you and the other kids in my school that I was forced to retire from professional wrestling early due to injuries I sustained in my career. The promotion I got those injuries was the XWF.”

Franklin – “What happened?”

Bruiser – “The X stands for Xtreme franklin… in every sense of the word. The place is full of vicious competitors desperate to make it to the top. They all can and will do anything to be the best, whether by destroying your body, your mind, or your spirit. I had a lot of experience working independent shows before I was offered work there; however I still ended up a victim of that environment. I don’t want the same for you. At the end of the day you are your own man and it is your choice… but I don’t want to see you chewed up and spat out in that place like so many people are.”

[Bruiser slowly hobbles over to a chair and sits his broken body down. Franklin watches as his mentor rubs his index finger over numerous scars on his body, showing Franklin the realities of the XWF. Although a little sickened and full of pity for his trainer and friend, Franklin does not turn away.]

Franklin- “What happened to you was horrible, and I’m sure your story isn’t a unique one, but I want to be the best. If I want to be the best it means I have to defeat the best and defeating the best means going to the best promotion in the world. You are right about me being a kid. You are right about the kind of monsters that rule the hell that is XWF. You think I have never heard of it? Of course I have! I want to be a superstar and if I have an opportunity to compete with the best in the world then I have to accept the risks and grab that opportunity with both hands.”

[Bruiser sighs and nods his head. He shakily gets to his feet and walks over to an old battered television and video player on a trolley. He plugs it in and wheels it towards Franklin and picks up a video tape along the way .After loading up the video tape, the two men sit upon some seats in front of the screen.]

Bruiser – “Before you make a decision, I want you to watch this tape. It is from one of their brands called ‘Wednesday Night Warfare’. This is considered the family friendly show. Now you are going to get a taste of the world you will be entering should you say yes to this developmental contract the company has sent out for you. I warn you now kid, if you have a weak constitution you might want to look away.”

Franklin – “It can’t be that brutal can it?”

[Bruiser clicks the play button on the remote control and the tape begins. Franklin notices that the show is dated from just a few short days ago, and feels an excitement begin to build within him. The two men sit in utter silence and watch the entire show and witness such things as Eric Rex almost crushing an opponent’s throat with a flying triangle hold, a bizarre man named white lion roaring with pure aggression at his opponents and beating his chest like a mad man, a superstar name Bryce tied to a cage wall with barbed wire with an agonizing look on his face, and finally the main event match that saw four men destroying one another in a tag team match. The tape stops and Franklin’s eyes continue to stare at the blank television screen. He is speechless. Bruiser nods with a silent understanding of the thoughts that are running through his star pupils head. Franklin notices that his hands are shaking, but is not sure if it was his excitement from earlier of the shock of seeing such brutality in what was apparently the most family friendly of the company’s shows.]

Franklin – “That was unbelievable...”

Bruiser – “I know. The letter here is from the general manager of that show you have just watched. If you are interested he can book you for the first match on next week’s card. Look kid, why don’t we wait and see whether any of the other promotions I contacted have interest in you. You are not ready for the brutality of XWF.”

Franklin – “I am not going to let this opportunity pass me by. Send a response to XWF letting them know I am interested in working for them. Did you hear the crowd? They were deafening. I want that! I want to take on the best and perform in front of the greatest crowds in the world, and I am not going to get that anywhere else am I. I have made my Decision.”

Bruiser – “Then god help you Franklin. They might eat you alive in there.”

[The mentor hobbles away to his office with the XWF letter in hand, leaving Franklin now alone in the training area. He looks down at his shaking hands and then to the empty ring he has spent the last year of his life training in.]

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