Threaded Mode | Linear Mode

Shawn Warstein · (07-15-2020)

The skyline of Paris is illuminated, as the city glows vibrantly. As I roll over and slowly open my eyes to look out the window. I crack my neck and sit up. As I pick up an empty bottle of bourbon and toss it aside I take a deep breath.

A light in the bedroom shines from under the door. As I shuffle towards the bathroom. As I get closer a shadow quickly moves past and out of sight.

“Okay.” I shake my head.

She’s still here. At least she’s okay.

As the water begins to pour out of the faucet I splash the water around a bit. A creaking door causes me to look at the shadows under the door.

“Where’d you go?” A softer tone than what has been the case comes from the other side of the door.

“Just go lay back down and get some sleep.” Am I an idiot? Probably, this isn’t how I thought any of this was going to go. She wasn’t supposed to be in Paris. We weren’t supposed to be in the same room. We weren’t together. I can’t allow her to do something that she might regret, regardless of how much I want it. Idiot, sure but with her I can’t be.

“Ok.” Her voice sounds downtrodden as the door to the bedroom opens and slams shut.

That’s an odd reaction.

I grab a rag from the counter, soak it in water and ring it out. As I wipe my face I take yet another deep breath and stare in the mirror.

Just go in there you moron. You don’t have to do anything. She’s probably just looking for someone to be with, and she chose you.

I quickly shake my head and run the rag over my face again.

But it shouldn’t be this hard. It shouldn’t have been like this. I shouldn’t have had to grab all of those things before her. I shouldn’t have had to hide it. It should’ve been a happy moment for us. Not some torturous scavenger hunt against time. This was supposed to be a dream, not reliving a nightmare.

I toss the rag down and exit the bathroom. The light is still on in the bedroom.

Just go in there.

I take a few steps towards the bedroom before I stop and turn around and head to the kitchen area. I open the fridge door and just stand there staring inside as the cool air gives me a chill.

Fine. If you’re going to play the idiot card, then at least bring her a bottle of water. You can’t have her having a hangover in the morning, that will just compound things and make it worse.

I snatch a bottle of water and shut the doors. As I approach the bedroom door I take a deep breath and reach for the doorknob. My hand isn’t trembling.

Interesting.

I slowly turn the knob and open the door. Atara is curled up with her back towards me. The blanket tucked firmly under her chin and she appears to be sleeping. I set the bottle of water down on the nightstand and sit down on the edge of the bed.

Seems like you’re too late…. or as you think perfect timing.

I pat my hands on the bed and turn off the lamp on the nightstand. As I slowly open the door I’m caught in the threshold. I place my forehead against the door jam.

This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.

I slowly shut the door and returned to the couch. I grab the box and open it up. I stare at it for what seems like forever.

Who knows if this is even what she wants. Hell, who knows if it’s even what I want.

I close the lid on the box and pick up the brick. I turn it over to the other side revealing the diamond. A short smile.

Yeah…. clever. This goes with what’s in the box.

I set the brick on top of the box and grab the envelope. I run my finger over the wax Themis Family crest.

Now this, maybe, was a step too far, but that’s just what she does to me.

I toss the envelope haphazardly on the table and lay down staring at the ceiling.

Maybe it’s better that she doesn’t get these? Maybe her getting those would all lead to where we are now. Two separate people, living two separate lives. Only memories to look fondly or maybe in her case ,down on.

I slowly close my eyes.

———Dream Land————
——-Otherwise known as——-
—The Only Place Mastermind can beat me—

As my eyes open I’m greeted to a funeral home. I look down and see I’m wearing an all black suit. I look good if I say so myself. There aren’t many people around as I walk through the door. There are a few people misty eyed but no one is really crying. As I walk in the door all eyes turn directly to me.

I walk into the gallery and see it. This is a funeral for Mastermind. All of his accomplishments are listed on a big board next to the closed casket. Noticeably missing from the accomplishments is a (1x Universal Champion) banner.

Neat… I won.

Then slowly that very banner begins to fade in. Right at the top. A picture of him celebrating with the title and my body battered and bloodied laying at his feet.

“Now, If Mr. Shawn Warstein would like to come up here and give his best friend his eulogy.” Shocked, I just keep walking until I’m standing behind the podium.

“Ahem.” I clear my throat. As I stare off into the dozen or so people watching I pat my coat and feel note cards. “Excuse me for a moment.”

I glance over the cards and shake my head.

“Well ladies and gentlemen we are all gathered here today to mourn…” I take a double take at the cards, and throw them over my shoulder Letterman style.“We are not here to mourn. We are here to rejoice. We are all here to celebrate the death of Mastermind.”

A few audible gasps can be heard from the crowd.

“He was nothing special. He was to brag about. He wasn’t my friend. He was a coward, a bitch, and someone so dry that The Brawny Corporation sued him for gimmick infringement.”

“He wasn’t necessarily a talented wrestler. No he was instead a long time veteran who tried and tried to break the glass ceiling. Eventually giving up in his pursuit of it. All of the name calling and failing finally got to him. So he concocted a horrible strategy going up against me, and it blew up in his face faster than a Meth Lab in the Appalachian Mountains.”

“Instead he spent his time ranting on and on about nonsensical lists. It’s fitting that he saw himself as a victim. It’s an easy scapegoat. It made him feel good about himself when he would eventually come up short. Mastermind only played the victim card because that’s how he saw himself in the mirror. A true champion sees themself as the…”

“Victimizer.”

“You never had the same tools I have in my tool kit. Sure in your dreams you were a champion….. but that’s it. You would’ve been just another footnote in the history of the XWF. And that’s all you’ll ever be, a post-it note left on the fridge.”

“Sweetie,
We are out of Milk, eggs, and bread….
Oh yeah and Mastermind won something…
Grapes we need grapes too.”

“Longevity will only take you so far in this industry. Mastermind is proof of that. Reach as high as you can, but make sure your feet stay on solid ground. For when you reach too high, you leave yourself vulnerable.”

“And that’s what you did on that fateful night. You thought being full of piss and vinegar was the route to take. Then it was a shitty song rip off, then finally deciding on acting like a shitty BuzzFeed article and falling into the list trope.”

“Well I can do that too.”

“The five stages of death. Denial, the longest and most arduous of them all. You truly thought you could, and you tried so hard, only to fail time and time again.”

“Anger. When you take words out of context and use them to fuel yourself. If that was something you needed to push yourself to the next level, then guess what? You never had enough in the tank to begin with. You knew right then you couldn’t keep up. I even let you take the first strike and even then… I still lapped you’re ass.”

“Then you bargained with yourself. Well if I can’t beat Shawn there’s no shame in it. I’m just happy to be included in the conversation. That’s just it. You weren’t a part of the conversation. You very well could’ve been chosen out of a fucking hat. You know like the last time you conveniently got a shot at my title.”

“Realizing all hope was lost, you fell into a deep depression. All logical thoughts were thrown out the window only for you finally…”

“Accept the Fact that since the day I came back here, you couldn’t beat me. And that was the day Mastermind truly died. All hope for a better tomorrow wiped out from existence. That day may have been your worst….”

“But for me..”

“It was just another Wednesday.”

I look over the people and watch as the banner and picture slowly begin to fade away.

——Dreamland Experience Terminated——
—-Have a Wonderful Day—

I was awoken by the sound of the bedroom opening. I take a deep breath and roll over on the couch facing the windows.

I know that’s going to be a problem in the morning but I need to get some sleep, and if she’s going to be in and out of that room all night I can’t have that light shining off and on until the sun rises.

I hear her footsteps get closer and closer to the couch. Then the water bottle being placed on the table. She slowly lifts one of my arms and extends the other.

She curls up in the crevice, and pulls an arm over the top of herself. As I slide deeper into the couch to make more room for her to fit more comfortably. I pull her in closer and give her a small kiss on the back of her head.

Maybe I was wrong.

Threaded Mode \| Linear Mode Death of a “Friend”
Author	Message