Overcome. ; McCann, L.

FADE IN.

  

July 29, 2014 ; 11:20 am

" Shane is far too gullible. " I said, a grin on my lips. I laid down the single red rose, the large pair of lace panties that covered half the side table of his dressing room. A note card was left reading: "XoXo, Lawanda."

I turned, stepping from the dressing room. Mission Accomplished. One and Zero. I had conquered the first task laid before me here in Visionaries of Wrestling. Step two: Starrkadian.

Once I reached the hallway, I moved away before anyone could see me. Tennis shoes carried me down the hallway toward the exit doors of the arena. Stepping outside, I took a deep breath and pulled out my cell phone. I hit the number of the last incoming call. Max.

Three rings. " Hello? Lawanda!? " He was far too excited. Maybe even more so than Shane.

With the voice modulator disguising my voice, I spoke, " Max, darlin'. So good to hear that voice. I've changed my mind. I'm willing to meet my hunk in person. He'll be in the for the surprise of a lifetime. Don't you agree?" Surprised? I think he'll be a little more than that. Revenge was soon to be mine.

" He will be. I am glad, too. This will make such a great episode. When are you willing to do this? " He asked, sounding as though he was opening a drawer and then the ruffle of papers heard.

Once more, I answered. Cue Lawanda's voice, " Aren't you a doll? Shane better be glad I'm a one man kinda woman. " Gag me. " How about we shoot for August 6th?" The next pay-per-view. Perfect.

" Great. I will set it up. "

" Good, Good. I'll see you then, Max-imus. Toodles. " Without giving him another word, I hung up the phone and pocketed the voice modulator. That grin on my lips couldn't have grown any wider. I stepped toward my car, rental, and exited in a timely manner.

---

July 29, 2014 ; 3:00 pm

War. I've overcome a good many battles, but the war still rages on. It is one that will likely never subside - not until I am six feet below the ground, at least. I've been close. I've been on that edge, teetering out of control. But something pulled me back. Something or someone. Even if I couldn't see them. Dad. Matthew. Jamie. Family. Some here. Some gone. They were my supporters, loud and clear.


" It appears that people have grown confused. They have been fed lies. They have a twisted version of a story. Let them believe it. Let them think that they know who I am. What I have overcome. I never wanted to be at the top. I only wanted to be known. It seems that I've gained that attention. I've opened a good many eyes. One Breakthrough at a time, I will rise to the top of this mountain and kick the crap out of anyone that stands as an obstacle. Number two? Or would this be four? Starrkadian. This should be an out of this world experience. "


I chuckled. Standing there, my hands pressing against the hard surface of a dresser that belonged to someone else. A dresser that had a good many memories created atop of it. It was sickening to think of, truth be told. Sickening - just as much as these stories people manipulate to gain an advantage in this industry.

Stepping stones, right? Even your best friends. No. They are incorrect. That is not what happened between myself and Shane Sparx. But soon, the truth. 

" Every
week, I engage in a war for my pride. A war that is ongoing, much like the one
our troops fight overseas every day. No, I do not stand here and compare myself
to our war heroes, our veterans that sacrifice their lives, their families for
my freedom. But in a sense, I do fight a very similar war. I stand here, a man placing a target on his back. This week, Starrkadian will stand across that ring and he
will attempt to create destruction out of my own flesh and blood. But, unlike those before me, I will not fall. I will not break. That, I
guarantee. "

I looked up, staring into the mirror. I saw a man staring back at me. A man that had been broken. A man that had been beaten. Yet, that smirk that slid into place over those lips, they told a different story. A story that has yet been untold, one that is in the making. Not everything Laura said about me was false. I was, indeed, one to overcome the odds. Starrkadian and myself are similar. We have an enemy. We seek revenge. But for one week only, we face one another; not as enemies, not as friends, but as adversaries. A teacher and a student, who will take which role?


I reached up, touching the mirror, the reflection. " I will overcome. " A promise made, not only to myself, but to those who believe in me. I made a promise on the day I broke into this industry, and I've yet to break it. 


" Starrkadian. I envy you. You've got someone coaching you along, someone verbally giving you hope. You, at this point, have more than I've got. Listen to her, my friend. Listen and you will not fail. You may not always stand victorious, and when you and I stand in that ring, I can promise you won't, but you can learn. You can still walk away with a lesson learned. You, my friend, have earned my respect. I bid you good luck. "


Mind games. Don't get me wrong, we all play them. That, however, is not my intent with Starrkadian. My words were honest. I do respect the man. He just has to learn to respect himself. In his mind, he has already failed. That means that this battle has already been decided. I have to show up and do what I do, in the end, the payoff will come.



" This match has little implications on where we go in the future of this company. There are no stipulations. There is no promise of gold with a victory, nor is there the denial of any such shot in the future with a loss. So, what is it that we are fighting for? Pride. Respect. Confidence. I have those things, but it never hurts to boost them. Starrkadian lacks the confidence. He's allowed someone else to cloud his judgement. That, alone, serves as my advantage over him. Though, I take no one lightly. This man will be no different. He's shown he can endure a beating. He's shown that he cares about his status within this organization. He has heart. He has respect. And by the end of Breakthrough, he'll have himself a loss to Lucas McCann. No hard feelings, though. It is just business. "


In our careers, we have chosen a path full of obstacles. We will walk a path full of unknown complications, and yet we somehow manage to survive. We manage to overcome, even in the wake of defeat. We continue to pick ourselves up, move along and take our next bump with a smile on our face. Some never got that opportunity. Some will walk away before they get it. I am no failure. 


I backed up, now. That reflection in the mirror grew smaller, and soon I felt my back against the cold, pale wall of my hotel room. My palms went flat against it, finger tips digging for a hold that they would never find.


" Even with my back against a wall, I will not accept failure. I will find a way, the same as I have before. I will walk away with my head high, and my arm will be raised in victory. I do not succumb to those that tell me I can't. Instead, I make them into liars. I prove them wrong and in the end, I am the one laughing loudest. Starrkadian, you must accept this destiny. Unfortunately, this week it spells defeat. You can overcome it, I already have. "


Destiny. I have created my own. Pushing off the wall, I stepped forward. My fist clenched, and the right shot forward. In a rush, it connected with the mirror, the glass cracking into a web. I looked toward my fist, bloodied. I grimaced, feeling the pain rush through me.

" Pain comes, no matter what you do. Self-inflicted. Enemy-inflicted. No matter where it comes from, there's only one thing you can do. Fight back. Fight through it. The pain doesn't control you. I control me. I will rise above the darkness. I will be victorious. That is my destiny. "


I laughed, stepping toward the sink and running the cold water. Slowly, I submerged my hand beneath the faucet, the red stained water washing down the drain. Defeat. Failure. Pain. I watched as it swirled into non-existence. I will watch as Starrkadian's chance to defeat me does the same. Respect or not, he's still my enemy even if it is for one night only. I have overcome the pain. I have overcome defeat. I will overcome at Breakthrough. Success. Destiny. Victory.

 

FADE 
OUT.