All I heard was the words 'Brain Bleed'.

"What do you mean about Brain Bleed?"

PARAMEDIC #1: "The Doctors will know more once we get you to the hospital."

MARIA: "What hospital are you going to be taking him to?"

PARAMEDIC #2: "At the moment Hutt Hospital. That's the closest but a decision will be made on where else you can go once they assess you there."

"What do you mean?"

PARAMEDIC #2: "It looks as though you are suffering a traumatic brain injury. Hutt Hospital isn't equipped for those types of brain injuries, but it's the closest hospital we can get you to, to assess you, and keep you sedated, so you can be safe to travel if need be. We need to get you ready to move, but at the moment it's not safe. Until we pump all this medication into you, then you'll be okay to transport."

So not only am I suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury I also have to worry about going to a hospital that isn't equipped to deal with TBI's. Not only that but also my life is on the line.

But just as I was beginning to stress about my current situation, I was starting to feel light-headed. The heat had gone, my headache was going away, the ringing in my ears was starting to die down, and my vision, OMG my vision was returning.

PARAMEDIC #1: "How are you feeling now?"

"My headache is almost gone, the ringing in my ears is dying down, I'm not feeling hot anymore, in fact, I'm feeling like I'm floating, and I can see properly now."

MARIA: "Are you guys sure he wasn't suffering from a stroke."

I could see both the Paramedics shake their heads.

PARAMEDIC #2: "If he was suffering a stroke, one half of his face would be drooping, he would be slurring his words, and he would have lost all use of one of his arms. This is a TBI."

MARIA: "What's a TBI?"

"Traumatic Brain Injury."

Even I knew what a TBI was. I had heard about it from friends who had suffered it through training. Usually, it's career-threatening. If not life-threatening.

PARAMEDIC #2: "Correct that's right."

The first paramedic rechecked my blood pressure

PARAMEDIC #1: "Good it's come down, we can now safely move you to the ambulance and get you to Hutt Hospital. We are both going to help you out to the door where the bed is. We will put you on the bed, then place you in the ambulance and transport you to the hospital. You are in good hands."

I knew I was in good hands the moment that my headache was going, that I wasn't feeling hot anymore, that the ringing in my ears was not as loud as it had gotten to, I mean if you on the other end of that, you would certainly be worried about why your ears were ringing that loud, and my sight was back. I thought I was going blind. Could you see it, a Blind Mastermind, losing all the fucking time to people like Jim The Jim Jimson, Peter FN Gilmour, Ash what's her name, even Barney Fucking Green.

I would still compete in the XWF even if it killed me because I love the place. The only way that I would not compete would be if Vinnie or Theo told me I couldn't compete any me.

Shit Vinnie, Theo. Shit Smoking Bob Williams.

"Babe I need you to ring Vinnie Lane, Theo Pryce, and even Warfare General Manager Smoking Bob Williams, and tell them the situation. I won't be back for a month or two."

PARAMEDIC #1: "What's this for?"

"My name is Mastermind, and I'm a professional wrestling competing for XWF."

PARAMEDIC #1: "Now I know where I've seen you from. But it was inappropriate to ask. You won't be wrestling for at least 6 months."

"Why?"

PARAMEDIC #2: "You should wait until you've seen the Doctors. It's not our area to say anything."

I asked again, and this time sternly "WHY?"

PARAMEDIC #1: "Because usually with TBI's it's 6 months before you can drive again," (THAT FIRST PART IS TRUE), "or at least play sports again."

"FUCK"

PARAMEDIC #2: "We need you to relax. We can't afford to let your blood pressure rise again. We need to get you to the hospital."

MARIA: "Calm down babe. I will get in contact with Mr. Lane. Mr. Pryce. And Mr. Williams once we get to the hospital and they are sorting you out."

"Do you promise?"

MARIA: "Of course I promise."

I sat back feeling light-headed. The drugs that they gave me were working.

PARAMEDIC #1: "Okay so here's how we are going to do this. I need you to walk from here to outside. We will both be on either side of you. We just need to ascertain just how serious you are, so we can tell the medical team. If you can't walk I'll go get the stretcher. Are you ready?"

I nodded. I was ready as if I was ever going to be.

PARAMEDIC #1: "Let's go then."

I stood up and felt dizzy. Both Paramedics supported me on either side.

PARAMEDIC #2: "We'll take this slow and steady. We will go at your own pace."

"I thought you guys said it was vital that I get to the hospital immediately?"

PARAMEDIC #1: "At the moment you can stand, which is a good sign, and also you can walk. It's still serious, but it's great that you are standing up. Take it slow and take it easy."

So with one of the paramedics holding onto me, and also holding my drip, we headed towards the door of my office. Then we headed down the long passageway, and then headed for the main room, and then out towards the front door. All of this was painstakingly slow. It took about almost twenty minutes when it was only possibly a 5-minute walk normally.

We finally got outside to where the ambulance was.

PARAMEDIC #2: "How are you feeling."

High with the drugs in my system.

"Ummmmm yeah I'm okay."

The first paramedic went to grab the stretcher while the second kept a hold of me.

The first paramedic pulled the stretcher out of the back of the ambulance.

PARAMEDIC #1: "Right we need you to hop on so we can strap you in!"

"Is that really necessary? I'm fine."

PARAMEDIC #1: "It's so we can transport you quickly from the ambulance into the E.R."

MARIA: "Do as you are told."

I sat down on the stretcher and laid back. They sat me up and strapped me in. Then they put me into the back of the ambulance, and Maria got in with the first Paramedic who had been given my drip. The second paramedic went straight to the front of the ambulance. The first paramedic closed the door.

PARAMEDIC #2: "I'll make the call that we are heading to Hutt Hospital."

PARAMEDIC #1: "Check."

MARIA: "How are you feeling babe."

I had been okay up until that point. I was feeling fine, and then I started feeling hot again. And then I felt nauseous.

"I think I want to be sick."

The paramedic quickly grabbed a sick bin or what we call a spew bin. But it was too late. He never gave it to me in time, and I was sick all over my trousers.

"Oh no."

PARAMEDIC #1: "It's okay."

MARIA: "Do you have something that I can clean him up."

I laid back feeling light-headed. As both Maria and the Paramedic fussed around me.

I felt really tired.

I didn't see Maria clean me up the best she could. But I heard what the first paramedic said to the second.

PARAMEDIC #1: "Better step on it. That's not a good sign."

PARAMEDIC #2: "Roger that."

I drifted off.





Next minute I heard.

PARAMEDIC #1: "We are here Mr. 'M'."

"Where?" I heard myself say

MARIA: "Hutt Hospital babe."

"Okay."

I didn't feel with it. I was drifting in and out of consciousness.

I felt the stretcher being pulled out of the ambulance.

I felt the cold air on my face.

I felt being pulled fast into the hospital where I was taken to E.R. where the paramedics talked with the Staff. I thought I heard one of them say:

"You guys better stick around, we may need to transfer him."

Then I heard Maria's voice.

MARIA: "Are you okay babe?"

"Dunno."

Then I heard another male's voice.

DOCTOR: "What seems to be the problem Mr 'M'. Can you tell me?"

"I.... felt really hot. It was really hot. Then I got a headache. That was real bad...… Then I heard my ears ringing..... It got so loud. Very.... Very.... Loud. Like ear splitting loud. Then I couldn't see. I lost my eyesight."

DOCTOR: "Out of 10 what did the heat feel like?"

"10."

DOCTOR: "Out of 10 how was the headache?"

"10."

DOCTOR: "Out of 10 how loud was the ringing in the ears?"

"20. Then some."

DOCTOR: "Out of 10 how bad was the loss of sight?"

"Almost 10 I think."

Then came the question I would be asked a lot over the next 5 weeks. And I mean a lot.

DOCTOR: "Can you tell me your name, your date of birth, the year, and where we are?"

"Like seriously?"

DOCTOR: "Please answer the question."

I thought for a moment even though I felt like I wanted to sleep.

"My name is Mastermind, I was born on 18th April 1974, it's October 2020, and I think I'm in the hospital."

DOCTOR: "Thank you. We'll put you in a room, and then you'll be taken to get an M.R.I.scab, Because of the seriousness of your situation, it won't be long. It'll be a priority."

"Okay."

The Doctor left the area where I was. I laid back and looked at Maria.

"I'm sorry."

MARIA: "Why be sorry?"

"Putting you through all of this worry."

MARIA: "I just want you to get better."

I closed my eyes. I only thought it was for a second when I heard.

ORDERLY: "Mr. Mastermind?"

I heard myself say: "Yes?"

ORDERLY: "I'm here to take you for an M.R.I scan."

MARIA: "May I go with my husband?"

ORDERLY: "I'm sorry Ma'am but it's a place where only patients go to. The scan only takes about 10 to 15 minutes. I should have him back in about half an hour."

I opened my eyes and looked at Maria.

"I'll be okay Babe. I'm in the best place." at least I thought I was

MARIA: "Okay."

I looked at the Orderly "Do I need to get into a wheelchair?"

ORDERLY: "The order from the Doctor is that I'm to take you on the bed, and you can transfer beds once we get to the M.R.I room."

"Oh okay."

I closed my eyes again, as the Orderly grabbed my bed and pushed me out of the room. I opened them and watched the lights go rolling by as the Orderly took me towards a lift. Then into a lift. I think we went down a couple of floors. I couldn't tell. I looked at my arm. I still had a drip.

The next minute the lift door opened and I was pushed out into a small waiting room. There were humming noises coming from two separate rooms.

ORDERLY: "I'll be back when you have finished your scan."

"Okay."

The Orderly left the room. A couple of minutes later one of the doors to the other room opened and out came a bed pushed by an M.R.I assistant. She disappeared into another room. Then came back towards me.

M.R.I ASSISTANT: "Mr. Mastermind is it?"

"Yes."

M.R.I ASSISTANT: "Your M.R.I is ready to go."

"Glad to hear it."

M.R.I ASSISTANT: "But first I need to inject you with a dye."

"Okay..... wait.... what..... why?"






T.B.C

---

---

PRESENT DAY
THINKING ROOM OF MASTERMIND
MASTERMIND'S HOUSE
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND

The camera fades into the thinking room of Mastermind, as the camera goes live to the XWF Universe. It again focuses on the back of Mastermind's chair which was facing the camera.

Next second we hear:


"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz."

It was as if Mastermind was asleep in his chair and snoring.

Suddenly from off-camera, there came a cough.

There was a little giggle from the chair.

"Sorry. I fell asleep while watching Them No Good Bastards promos. Or TNGB for short.
No that should be TNGBB or Those No Good Boring Bastards.
Or how about even TNGUB or Those No Good Unoriginal Bastards.

"No, I'm not sorry. They bored me to sleep.
Why?
Because they are so unoriginal.
Because they are sheep."

Mastermind spins his chair around to face the camera.

"Both Robbie Bourbon and Thunder Knuckles came up with the same thing that every opponent of mine has been coming up with for like years now.
T-Shirts. They both brought it up.
They fucking complained about my T-Shirts.
I mean come on. Do some O R I G I N A L.
Can you at least do that Bourbon? Knuckles?
Or is that fucking too hard for you two to do?

"It must be. You guys are jealous just like everyone else when you bring up my t-shirts.
I'm the one who brought this kind of thing to the XWF. No one else ever did.
And so once I did, everyone wants to start to do it.
Just like Those No Good Boring Bastards.
Created their fucking own t-shirts.

"What I do. Is if I win a match. And that's when I win a match, not lose a match. I send my victims t-shirts for losing to me.
That's my thing. That's what I do. Stop copying me.
STOP. I ask you again. Just fucking stop.
Because it's fucking boring now."

Mastermind starts to smirk. He stops and feels the back of his head. Then sits there looking into space before remembering where he was and snapping back to attention.

"And the other thing that they both complained about was.... Me not being here since October.
They are both useless twats.
Everyone knows why I haven't been here since October.
My fucking Brain Bleed.
Where the fuck have you two been?
Oh yeah, that's right with your heads stuck up your butts.
They aren't bastards. They're stupid wankers.

"Here's the thing. Here's the crazy part.
Just think about it you idiots
Stupid fuckwits.

"Where oh where have the smart people gone?
Where oh where could they be.
Oh right, that's right they're stupid bastards, not smart bastards.

"They think this is an easy match.
They've been mentioning it around the XWF since it first appeared on the card.
They think they have this
They think all they have to do is turn up
Stupid Idiots.
You were both going through the motions singing fucking stupid songs that you think were funny but weren't
They were incoherent songs..
It's like they were fucken drunk mother fuckers.
Stupid bastards.

"You should have agreed to a three-way tag team match for the XWF Tag Team Championships at March Madness because you both won't be going to March Madness on these incoherent promos.

"Morbid and I have turned up and turned this right around on you guys, and you didn't see it coming
Stupid Unoriginal Bastards.
No that should be Stupid Unoriginal boring bastards."

Mastermind starts laughing. Then stops. Once again feeling the back of his head. Then he looks back at the camera.

"You guys were given a choice. You said NO. That's your mistake. That's on the both of you.
Well, I'll tell you this now.
The past is the past.,
That's where you both belong
Because Morbid and I are heading into the future
To take on the Tag Team Champions at March Madness.

"And when you looked back on why you didn't make it.
Then you will kick yourselves in the butts.
You should have said yes.
You should have said okay.
You should have never spoken about what other people have said
and come up with something original.
Maybe you will now.
But that's because I forced you into it.
No that's because Morbid and I forced you into it.
That's a win for us right there.
Enough said, really.

"You should have said yes
Then you would have had at least a 33 percent chance.
Now you got no chance.
Fuckwits."

Mastermind turned his chair back around to face the wall.

"Them No Good Bastards.
Just fucked it up for themselves
They can only blame it on themselves.
It's not my fault.
It's not Morbids.
It's yours and only yours.
OWN IT.

"Now if you excuse me I'll rewatch both Bourbon's and Knuckles promos because I need a good sleep."

Mastermind could be heard tapping his computer to watch one of the two promos as the camera fades out.

---