The sound of scuffling and a loud thump is heard. Crying and sobbing fills the void of the church as a result of the previous sounds. The young boy by the name of Johnny is tied in a chair as he had fallen over trying to wiggle out of the chair. As he fell, his arm is caught between the chair in the floor resulting in immense pain in the young boy’s elbow and forearm. Cory Scarecrow staggers into the room walking as if in a trance.

Please… please sir… just let me go. I didn’t mean anything by coming in here… it was an accident. I promise to keep this place a secret!

The being stared down at the boy before responding with…

All hail The Higher Power. All hail The Prophet. All hail The Asylum.

The boy begins crying as Scarecrow rights the chair up and walks to the back of the room behind him. Tommy begins crying even more until he hears it. It’s faint, but he instantly recognizes that bloodcurdling sound. The vile vocals of that vicious laugh reverberate off the walls of the small room as HE enters. Tommy squeezes his eyes shut as he tries to be as quiet as possible. A gloved hand comes across his head. It runs through his short hair before gently pulling his face upwards.

Now, now… there’s no need to cry! I’M HOME! Daddy’s here. Why are you crying anyways? I brought you something! Now stop that blubbering and look here…. LOOK HERE.

Tommy slowly opens his eyes to look up at Hysteria who is staring right into his eyes. The inkstains on the mask shift their image to form something strangely soothing to Tommy. The mysterious aura of the mask seems to emit a soothing presence. Hysteria steps away and presents Guppy’s title belt.

Hysteria sets it on the table that is now upright in the small room. He begins laughing at the title.

You like this belt, Tommy Boy? You think it’s pretty? Does the very image of this gold make you strive for greatness? TOMMY! YOU will answer when your father asks you a question. Answer me. Now.

The young boy is quiet. He looks up at Hysteria with more tears coming to the corners of his eyes. Hysteria looks through a duffle bag in the corner of the room and pulls out a hammer. He slowly drops it on his hand as if waiting for Tommy to answer. Tommy just stares at him with fear in his eyes.

Tommy… I asked you a question. I expect an answer.

Hysteria seems to be growing more and more peeved by the lack of answer. His grip on the hammer tightens.

Tommy… I asked you a fucking question. ANSWER ME. NOW.

The boy begins crying as Hysteria raises his voice. Hysteria rushes across the room and brings the hammer up over his head.

BOY. TELL ME OR ELSE I’LL… I’ll…

Tommy looks up at him with tearful eyes. Something about the look on the face of Tommy strikes a chord within Hysteria. He drops his raised hand. He takes a step back and looks at the young lad. He turns and takes his hat off. He stops mid-drop and turns abruptly. His focus looks in on the swelling on the arm of Tommy. He drops the mat in mid walk to the chair of him.

Soldier. What happened to his arm?

All hail The Higher Power. All hail The Prophet. All hail The Asylum.

What do you mean you found him that way? You found him on his arm as he had knocked the chair over? What the FUCK are you useful for then? You have one duty. ONE FUCKING DUTY. I told you to watch the boy.

Hysteria begins laughing wildly now as he begins slamming his fist on the wall.

Duty. BAHAHAMAHAHA! Okay… Ooookay. Now, Scarecrow. Come here.

The Soldier stays in the back of the room unmoving. Hysteria motions for Scarecrow to come closer. Scarecrow walks and gets within a few feet. Hysteria grabs him by the shirt and pulls him close despite Scarecrow being taller. He kicks Scarecrow in the knee making him fall to his knees. Hysteria then looks down at him and begins to chuckle softly to himself.

Hehehe….

Hysteria stares into the eyes of Scarecrow before plunging his hand into the face of Scarecrow. Cory begins flailing wildly and crying out in pain! Blood is gushing around the hand of Hysteria from the cut in Cory’s face. Cory begins clutching at the long red gash down his face side. Hysteria kicks him hard in the chest sending him buckling over onto the floor. He stares at Hysteria with eyes of fright before scrambling to his feet and rushing out of the room. Hysteria looks at Tommy and shakes his head.

My apologies for making you witness such a… violent action. But THAT… hehe that fucker. He… forced my hand.

Hysteria shows the bloody piece of glass. He flings it across the room.

You see? Don’t you see now, Tommy? That’s the difference. That’s the difference between FORCED and willing admittance. Once you’ve been selected via force… there’s no escaping the loving and open embrace of The Higher Power. If it were up to me, they’d ALL be FORCED. Hahahahehehe. Alas, they can’t be. If they were, I’d get extremely bored and lonesome. There’s only so much talking I can do with myself. You know, Tommy?

Tommy stares up at him with doe eyes, too frightened to cry.

Of course you do. Well fuck. I had this HEEEEEEUUUUUUGGGEEEE presentation planned and then you fucked it up for me. Now…

Hysteria picks up the hammer off the floor and begins bringing it up and down on his palm.

…does this title make you strive for greatness?

Tommy quickly blurts out…

YES!

Hysteria shakes his head.

Are you fucking kidding me? Look at this foul piece of shit.

Hysteria picks up the belt and drops it on the table.

It’s an atrocity. It’s not a title befitting The Asylum. It most DEFINITELY is not a title befitting The Higher Power. If he were here, he would bludgeon your face in for making even the slightest mention that this title represented him or The Asylum. Now you wouldn’t like that now would you? Would you like your face bludgeoned in?

Tommy shakes his head furiously as tears fly across the room.

So be glad I’m not the crazy one.

Hysteria begins cutting up at this. He holds his ribs as he leans over laughing extremely hard. He collects himself in an instant and stares ahead with the hammer in his hand. He looks down at the belt and smashes it with a blow. He looks up at Tommy. Another hammer blow to the belt. His eyes never stray from Tommy’s face. The belt is shattered into several pieces. Hysteria laughs boisterously at the belt lying before him. He lifts it up and slowly walks towards Tommy. Tommy sniffles as he looks up at Hysteria.

How… about… now? Does it make you want to strive for greatness? Does it? DOES IT?!

The young boy bites his lip and slowly shakes his head. Hysteria scoffs and presses the title to his face.

What the everlasting fuck did we JUST talk about?! SPEAK UP BOY! Speak up before I cut out your vocal chords! I’ll take them and crush them beneath my boot.

The boy stares up into the eyes of Hysteria using the same tactics he had used earlier trying to reach the sympathetic side of Hysteria.


SMACK!


Hysteria smacks the boy across the face. His next words seem to emanate in a form of a growl.

That shit won’t work on me again. I’m The Prophet, kiddo. This twisted piece of shit could care less if you’re in pain. I only did what I did to Scarecrow because he needed to know his place. Beneath me. I’m the General of this army, he’s a foot soldier. You? You’re a prisoner of war you little shit. You’re lucky I don’t start by snipping off your toes. One by one they all will fall.

Hysteria begins laughing sadistically. He presses the belt further into the face of Tommy. He calmly speaks the next word…

Speak.

Tommy speaks up as a squeak.

No.

Louder.

No.

BITCH I LIKE IT LOUD!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Hysteria begins laughing wildly as he dances around the room. He takes the belt and slams it down on the table several times. Pieces of the plates going everywhere. Hysteria then swings the belt into the wall. He grabs the belt and throws it in a small metal basket. He goes to his bag and brings out… LIGHTER FLUID. He struts over to the basket with a little pep in his step as he laughs continually. He pours the contents of the bottle into the basket. He pulls a matchbook out of his pocket and draws a solitary match out. He strikes it as the blaze erupts from the end of the match. He drops it into the basket as the basket erupts into an enormous flame! Hysteria falls onto his bunk laughing and kicking his legs in sheer enjoyment. The fire dies down quickly. Hysteria stands and pulls something out of his bag. He sets it on the table facing away from Tommy.

Now that we’ve eradicated that atrocity of a belt from the equation, it’s time to introduce the newest belt in the XWF. The beautiful… the goRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRgeous… the title for The Asylum. The Prophetic Belt of The Almighty Higher Power.



Now, young Tommy, does THIS belt bring a desire for greatness? Does it make you STRIVEEE to be better? Search yourself Tommy. You know it to be true.

Hysteria chuckles softly to himself. Tommy looks at him and nods profusely.

Yes! It makes me strive to be greater!

Good boy. Now… I need to put some plans into motion for Mr. Sane and Mr. Alden. Please see yourself out.

Tommy looks at him with confusion on his face. Hysteria laughs and snaps his fingers. Cory Scarecrow walks in and drags the chair with Tommy out of the room. Hysteria sits down in the chair behind the table. He places his gloved fingers along the top of the belt as he sighs happily. The sigh is followed by a laugh.

He’s always laughing…

What happens behind closed doors, is between me and The Higher Power. Eat your vitamins and say your prayers Sane. Because The Prophet is coming to Madness to deliver a prophecy of almighty proportions.

See you soon, fuckers.