Voices In My Head

[The scene opens to Michael backstage post Warfare, he sits on a bench in the locker room looking at the floor with a black towel draped over his head. The room is empty as the other competitors have long been gone, Michael sits, stewing over the events that took place hours earlier, just then we hear a door open. Steve Sayors walks in with a camera crew looking a little tentative as he slowly walks closer to Michael with a microphone in his hand.]

Steve Sayors: “Uh, we were wondering if we could have a few moments of your time.”

[Michael’s eyes dart up a little as he finally notices Steve and the cameras in the room, he stares at Steve for a moment before slowly nodding his head.]

Steve Sayors: “Well it would appear things didn’t quite go your way earlier tonight, now while you seemingly did your best to hold your own out there, it appeared that Robbie Bourbon illegally raking your eyes was somewhat of a turning point that would ultimately spell out your doom. Do you have anything to say about Robbie’s blatant cheating?”

[Michael stands up and begins to answer, but before he does he hears the voice of another man not in the room, a man whose voice is quite familiar to him.]

“There’s no such thing as a fair fight son.”

[Michael shakes his head looking somewhat bewildered before answering Steve’s question.]

Michael: “There’s no such thing as a fair fight Steve, it’s about doing whatever it takes to put your opponent down, that’s all Robbie was doing, I can’t fault him for that.”

[Steve nods his head slowly, obviously not in agreement with Michael’s statement, but content to move on.]

Steve Sayors: “Well leading up to this match, you mentioned that you were looking to usher in the “Marksmen Era”. Unfortunately you lost, how just that change things as you move forward.”

[Michael’s face grows into a smirk.]

Michael: “Things are going just as I planned Steve, yes winning the Hart Championship would have been a great accomplishment, but even still I did exactly what I said I was going to do. The Marksmen Era has indeed begun Mister Sayors, I don’t know exactly how close you were paying attention Steve but I did something that not a lot of men in the XWF can claim. I knocked big and bad, Robbie Bourbon off his feet not once, but twice.”

[Michael holds up two fingers.]

Michael: “And the next time I step in the ring with that behemoth of a man, and trust me Robbie there will be a next time, the outcome will be much, much different.”

“But you lost.”

[Michael hears his father’s voice once again.]

“Your a loser.”

[Michael tilts his head and taps the side of his head as if he is trying to get water out of his ear, Steve stares at him bewildered for a moment before moving on.]

Steve Sayors: “Well I guess that’s something. Now at the next Warfare you have been pitted against another XWF Newcomer, Link Rexx. Do you have any initial thoughts on your upcoming opponent?”

Michael: “Link Rexx huh?”

“Your a loser and a failure son.”

[Before Michael can answer, the voice of his father creeps back into his head.]

“Honestly Son, I don’t know how you came from my nut sack, your pathetic.”

[Michael shakes his head violently causing Steve to jump back a little looking frightened.]

Steve Sayors: “Are you okay?”

[Michael stops shaking his head, and takes a deep breath as he tries to regain his composure.]

Michael: “Yeah, yeah...Sorry, anyways Link Rexx.”

“I mean you just can’t get anything right can you?”

Michael: “Yes I can.”

[Michael utters a response to his father’s voice out loud, much to the bewilderment of Sayors.]

“You couldn’t play sports, you couldn’t hold a job, and now you can’t even win one match?”

[Michael begins to breath heavily, looking visibly angry.]

Michael: “Yes I can.”

Steve Sayors: “Umm, are you sure you’re okay?”

[Steve asks the question as he begins to slowly back away, creating space between him and Michael. Michael ignores him, instead choosing to continue the conversation with the voice in his head.]

Michael: “I can dammit! I know I can, I will win, and I’ll do better in this business than you ever did. One way or another I’ll prove you wrong, I’ll prove them all wrong.”

[Steve looks very uncomfortable and quite nervous as this point, but he decides to be professional and soldier on, albeit at a relatively safe distance.]

Steve Sayors: “Is everything okay mister Archer? Do you want us to leave?”

[Steve asks hopeful that the answer will be yes, as he reaches for the doorknob of the locker room. Michael simply stands still staring at the ground as he can hear the laughter of his father rattling in his head. Michael begins to shake as he balls his fists, his father’s mocking laughter echoing throughout his head. Steve turns toward the camera man and speaks in a low voice.]

Steve Sayors: “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

[Steve slowly opens the door looking back at Michael who continues to shake furiously, Steve holds the door for the camera man and quickly shuffles out behind him leaving Michael alone in the room once again. The laughter finally subsides from Michael’s head as he finally stops shaking, Michael’s breath is labored as he tries to pull himself together.]

Michael: “I’ll prove them all wrong.”

[With that the scene fades.]

---

The Way Your World Ends

[The scene reopens to the sight of Michael Archer Jr sitting in a suede chair in front of a fireplace. Michael is wearing blue jeans, and a white tank top, he is looking down at a book in his hands.]

Michael: “This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.”

[Michael closes the book and looks up at the camera.]

Michael: “T.S Elliot wrote that. As I prepare for my next match at Wednesday Night Warfare, the words of Elliot continue to run through my head, especially as it pertains to you Mister Rexx.”

[Michael readjusts himself in the chair, crossing his right leg over his left so that his foot rests on his knee.]

Michael: “Because you see Link, this is how your world ends. When you step into that ring with me it will be the end of your XWF career, I am going to beat you down so badly that you will never even think, never even consider entering a wrestling ring again. Honestly Rexx I feel bad. I feel bad that you drew the short straw, that you got the unlucky assignment of being the next mark for Michael Archer Junior. I feel bad that this will be not only your first match here in the XWF, as well as your last. Although honestly Rexx I can’t feel too bad, after all you did choose this.

You chose to become a professional wrestler, just as I did, you chose to work your way up, to make a name for yourself just as I did. You chose to try your hand at the big leagues here in the XWF, just as I did. Now rather your reason for coming here was fame, money or what have you, that’s irrelevant, because unfortunately Link you will find none of those things. The only thing you will find Rexxy-Boy is yours truly standing tall as you lay face down on the mat reconsidering the various life choices that brought you to this moment by the time that final bell rings signalling the end of our match.”

[Michael puts his leg down and sits up a little pushing the book closer to his body as he rests his elbows on his knees. Michael has a smirk on his face as he continues.]

Michael: “You’ll wonder to yourself, maybe I should’ve taken that McDonald's job a little more seriously, maybe I should’ve worked a little harder to keep that little indie rock band I had going, maybe I should’ve done literally anything other than become a professional wrestler. Because honestly Rexx I can tell just by looking at you, your not cut out for this line of work. Hate to say it kid but your just not, I mean I’m sure you may have had your little bit of success in some kind of little promotion in the middle of who gives a fuck Delaware or wherever your from, but none of that matters here. None of that matters in the big leagues Rexx, this is a whole other level, something that I found out on Christmas, I guess you’d call it my own personal Christmas present courtesy of the XWF.

I made my debut against four of the best and longest tendered members of the XWF, and in case you missed it Link...I survived, true I may have gotten my ass kicked, but I survived, and I did exactly what I said I was going to do. I said that rather I win or lose I will make my mark here, and I did just that. I took Robbie Bourbon down twice, I made him a believer, I showed him exactly why I belong here. I look at you Link and I don’t see that same fire that a man such as myself possesses, I don’t see the same drive, the fire that burns from within that is one hundred percent required to thrive at this level of the industry. No Mister Rexx, when I look at you all I see is a punk kid who just wants to hang out with his burnout friends and play shitty music in someone’s mom’s garage.”

[Michael slinks back in his chair, relaxing his posture.]

Michael: “But maybe I’m wrong, maybe you are the real deal, maybe you are here because like me you do love this sport, and you couldn’t imagine doing anything else with your life. One thing I know I’m not wrong about though is the fact that when you step in the ring with me, your world will end. After Warfare you will never be the same again Rexx, you will rock into that arena a punk wannabe rock star, and you will limp out a beaten and battered man. After Warfare when you slink your way back into the locker room, when you pack your bags Link, it will be for the last time here in the XWF. You will be the next mark Link Rexx, and I’m going to make his one count, I’m going to make an example of you, and for that I apologize. It’s not your fault Link, but I have something to prove, you see I already proved I can hang in the ring with men like, Robbie Bourbon, and Barney Green. Now I have to prove that I can succeed in this environment, that I can thrive under the bright lights, and I will do exactly that at your expense Mister Rexx. I will make an example of you, I will embarrass you. It’s nothing personal Rexx, it’s just the next phase of my plan, the next step in ushering in the Marksmen Era.”

[Michael once again sits up in his chair, staring directly into the camera.]

Michael: “This is the next step in my hostile takeover of the XWF, my rise to the top, it could’ve been anyone Link, unfortunately it had to be you, unfortunately this is how your world ends, just as quickly as it began, in a whimper.”

[with that Michael stands up, holding the book in his hand, he carelessly throws it the fireplace behind him as he walks away and the scene fades.]