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"The Wolf of Afghanistan" Joshua Schuler · (05-20-2017)

The scene opens to the parking lot of what appears to be an abandoned building that was most likely condemned years ago. Micheal Graves is pacing back and forth and breathing erratically. It seems that his failed attempts to gain the affections of Dolly Waters are taking a toll on his patience. Suddenly a voice cries out from the distance.

”Hey Graves!”

Micheal turns around to see his friend and manager, Terry Blackstone walking out from the dark run down building.

”Micheal, the lights just went out. Can you check the fuse box?”

Micheal already looked annoyed before Terry came out here. The look that’s on his face upon hearing Terry’s request is so scorching that it’s amazing that his mask doesn’t erupt in flames.

”Are your fucking legs broken!? Why can’t you check it!?”

Terry lets out a deep sigh, ashamed with the answer that he is about to give.

”Mike, I… I’m afraid of the dark. I don’t want to go down to the basement alone.”

Micheal shakes his head in disbelief. For a man that used to refer to himself as the “Demon of Bakersfield”, it’s pretty pathetic to admit to being afraid of the dark.

”Fine, I’ll take a look. I need to check on Dolly anyhow.”

Micheal shoves past Terry, knocking him to the side as he charges into the dark doorway. The camera cuts to the basement with an obvious edited for TV moment as Micheal is coming down the cement steps leading into the dark abyss. With nothing but a dim flashlight to lead his way, Micheal stomps his way to the bottom of the steps. The first thing that he does is shine the flashlight over to his cages. First Dolly Waters, then Amber Kichler. Dolly is curled up in a ball, possibly asleep. Amber, on the other hand, is wide awake. Her clothes are tattered and dirty. Her eyes locked on Graves, a weird smile that still somehow looks blank is painted on her face. Micheal huff's slightly before focusing the flashlight on the electrical box. Micheal approaches the box and notices something amiss almost immediately. It seems that one of the fuses has blown. Micheal slowly pans the light around the room before locking onto an old toolbox tucked away on a shelf on the far side of the room. Micheal starts to walk over to it, but the whispers of Amber catch his attention. Micheal changes course and kneels down to the small child's cage.

”Did you say something dear?”

The girl leans in close, smashing her face tightly through the bars of her cage.

”Are you going to wrestle soon daddy?”

Micheal smirks as he reaches out and gently caresses Amber’s chin with his thumb and index finger.

”Yes honey, daddy will be wrestling real soon”

The girl coos as Michael touches her face.

”Who are you gonna kill daddy?”

“Nobody of any concern dear.”

Amber swells out her lower lip and shoots Graves the puppy dog eyes. Graves sighs, but then smiles immediately afterward.

”Fine sweetie, I’ll tell you about them.”

Graves stands up and looks down at the small girl in the cage.

”On May 31st the XWF Universe will bear witness to something that is so rare in this day and age that we should charge double for admission. On this edition of Warfare, the currently reigning XWF Trios Champions are going to DEFEND their titles within a month of winning them! Say what you want about AX3, but we are fighting champions! We’re not content to sit back and coast by while blaming management for our lack of title defenses. Case in point, WE DEMANDED THIS MATCH!”

“That’s right, nobody told us that we had to defend shit, we told management that we were going to defend these titles and that they needed to dig up some talent to challenge us. Of course, as always management failed at their ONE JOB! Because instead of talent, we get Bearded War Pig, Cadryn Tiberius, and… Gabriel Emerick?”

“Just who is this Gabriel Emerick? Well, after doing a little bit of research, and I do mean a little, because this guy hasn’t done shit in this company so far. I was able to find out that this guy is the brother of Mike Emerick, an equally unimpressive fuckwit who bounced shortly before I made my return. I guess the fucker is dead now though, and little Gabe has come to the XWF to find those responsible and make them pay. Well, Gabe, I didn’t have anything to do with Mike’s breakdown or death, but if it will help motivate you to not be a bitch, I’ll be sure to dig up the fuckers corpse and take a hot smelly shit in his mouth! What is it that you really plan to accomplish here in the XWF? Why rush through wrestling training in an effort to get here and enact some ridiculous plan for revenge? Why put yourself in a situation where you are forced to face better men than you head on in a fair fight? You come into the XWF half cocked, thinking that you’re going to accomplish something, but the fact is, you’re just going to get bombarded with ridicule and losses until you end up going down the same path that brought on your brother's demise. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to seek your justice on the streets? I can see how one would argue that standing toe to toe with one’s adversary in a fair fight would be the more honorable thing to do, but this isn’t about honor is it? Your fucking brother’s flesh is being feasted upon by maggots! One does not concern oneself with trivial things such as honor in a situation like this. No instead, one should seek swift justice to avenge a fallen loved one, but the fact of the matter is that I see through you. I see you for what you truly are. You don’t give a fuck about your brother, or the circumstances that lead to his death. What you care about is your own fame. You shot to succeed where your brother failed, here in the XWF. You’ve used his name and the story of his tragic end as a means to get your foot in the door. As a way for the fans to instantly relate to you, maybe even cheer for you. The problem with that is, even with how insignificant your brother was to this company, to these fans, you’re even more so. Nobody gives a shit about you, or your little crusade. Not the fans… Not the talent… Not management… and definitely not your partners. As a matter of fact, I guarantee that both the Pig of War and the Clown Cowboy are hating the fact that your name is attached to theirs in any way, knowing that whatever small chance they had at beating AX3 was lost the moment that you were chosen to be their third. Your involvement in this match will prove to be nothing more than a handicap for the men who are required to depend on you, and you know it.”

“Then we have The Bearded War Pig. First of all, this dipshit has the gall to come into the XWF and tell the world that his first love is ANYTHING that’s not XWF! There why in the fuck are you even here Pig?! If you look at this company as some sort of hobby to fill your down time, then why bother? Champions aren’t made from part timers that always have their eye on what they deem a true calling. Either you’re in the shit day in and day out, or you're just wasting everyone’s time. As a Marine, I’d think that you would understand something as simple as that! Oh, but you're going to put the XWF first NOW because you have some old hag on your arm!? Well good for you Pig! I’m sure the XWF Universe is excited to have a guy that has smoked himself so fucking brain dead that he doesn’t even realize the major shit storm that he can bring down upon himself and his country while talking about a recent black op in war zone that the U.S. supposedly doesn’t have “boots to ground”. You’re a fucking idiot Pig! No smarter out of the ring than you are inside of it. You really think that coming back and wrestling a group of nobodies in a number one contendership to the TV title impresses anyone? Of course, you were booked in that match, because you fucking SUUUCK! Look at who you’re in there with man, Mezian, R.L. Edgar… fucking Luigi? Do you REALLY find a sense of pride sharing the ring with those men? Has you career thus far been so shit that you would really celebrate the idea of facing some of the most forgettable names in the XWF over a shot at the shittest title in the company? We all know that title hasn’t meant shit since the day that Jim Caedus dropped it to take the top prize, and the idea of any of you guys challenging for it does nothing to improve its credibility! I do see the plus side for ya though. At least in that match, you actually stand a chance of walking away the victor. It must be hard to sit there and know that you're following match will amount to a certain defeat at the hands of the most decorated group in the XWF today, AX3!”

“Then we have my favorite punching bag here in the XWF. The cereal killing jester to the Kings, the self-proclaimed “man”, Cadryn Tiberius! Cadryn, how did it feel to look at the booking sheet and see that you were facing three men that you have failed to beat at every turn? OH WAIT, CORRECTION! You did ALMOST beat Chris Chaos. I had almost forgotten about that being a bragging right for you. See, I’ve quit paying you much attention as of late. Not only because of my recent termination or the fact that I’m currently invested in courting my beautiful Dolly, but also because it has become embarrassing for me to watch you go back to fighting broken down old has-beens like Barney Green or rising, but very green talents like Jack Cain. But hey, at least you don’t have to brag about almost winning matches anymore. Now you can captivate everyone with tales of your very hard fought victories while jerking the curtain! The problem with this match, however, lies in the fact that you aren’t facing the lack of talent that you’ve grown accustomed to. Instead, you’re facing three of the hottest names in the business today, and once again, I’ll remind you… Three guys that you’ve never been able to beat. I would suggest leaning on your partners for help. Let them carry you to victory in this match, but like I said before, they’re both a couple of talentless idiots as well, They may be even lamer than you in the ring. I guess that would make you team captain then, huh? Captain Idiot seems like a title that fits you well. Not as well as just plain old BITCH does though. It amuses me that we have a guy running around the XWF with the name Bitch Doctor, and it’s somehow not you! Whether you’re sucking the Kings teat for protection, or trying to record your promos when your wife isn’t looking. Everything about you screams bitch. You’re a grown ass man, you should be able to handle your woman and fight your own battles, but you can’t, can you? No, instead you prove to the world that you are that same scared little child that was killing cereal. You haven’t grown as a person, and you’re damn sure not a man. A point that AX3 will be happy to prove again, and again, and… you get the point.”

”Oh shut the fuck up already!”

Graves shoots an icy stare to the cage that contains Dolly Waters. He grumbles something to himself as he walks over to the toolbox from earlier and begins digging inside of it. After a moment he pulls out a spare fuse. Micheal walks back over to the fuse box and with his screwdriver, he reaches into pop the old fuse how. When he does there is a bright spark and a loud pop. Graves flies back a couple of feet and crumbles to the ground unconscious.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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