Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2023 16:57:37 GMT -5
Trent stands in the backyard of his Atlantic City, New Jersey home, at his feet sits an almost completely painted black coffin. The scent of sawdust and wood varnish fills the air, mingling with the smell of fresh paint. The camera focuses on Trent, wearing his wrestling gear, meticulously working on a wooden casket. The sound of tools clinking against the wood echoes in the background. Trent mutters to himself.
“Almost done... this casket is gonna be the final resting place for my opponent.”
As Trent continues his work, the door to the workshop creaks open, and his older brother Dante steps inside. Dante looks serious but concerned as he takes in the sight of Trent's handcrafted casket. Dante’s voice is soft as he starts to speak.
“Trent, we need to talk.”
Trent pauses, setting down his tools and wiping sweat from his brow. He turns to face Dante, his expression defensive yet vulnerable.
“What do you want, Dante? I'm busy preparing for my casket match against Lucy. I don't have time for family drama.”
“I know this is a crucial moment for you, Trent, but I couldn't ignore what I've been hearing.”
“Let me guess, people are talking trash about me, calling me a coward and saying I'm using Alexandra to get ahead. It’s nothing that Spencer hasn’t already tried and several others before him.”
“I won't deny that some people may have their opinions, but you know what truly matters is what you believe in your heart.”
Trent is clearly frustrated with Dante’s words.
“That's the problem, Dante. I've worked so hard to prove myself in this business, but it feels like no matter what I do, I'm never good enough. And now, with Alexandra by my side, they think I'm just riding her coattails.”
“You're a talented wrestler, Trent, and nobody can take that away from you. But sometimes, people need to see beyond the surface to understand the truth.”
He places a hand on his brother's shoulder and Trent looks away from him.
“It's just... I've been struggling, Dante. I've doubted myself, questioned if I have what it takes to be a champion. Alexandra believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. But now, I wonder if I'm just using her as a crutch.”
“Trent are you listening to yourself? Hell, everyone has moments of doubt. What matters is how you handle them. You're not a coward, and you're not using Alexandra. She sees something in you, something that sets you apart from the rest.”
Trent looks at Dante, tilting his head.
“You really think so?”
“I know so. You've got the heart of a fighter, Trent. You've done things in this industry that would scare most people. And if you want to prove yourself, do it for yourself. Show the world that you're a force to be reckoned with, not because of who's standing beside you, but because of the fire that burns within you. I still can’t believe you lied to her.”
Trent takes a moment to absorb his brother's words, and a newfound determination glimmers in his eyes. He glares at his brother for a moment before speaking.
“No I didn’t need to. Do I really need to tell her? She thinks I was injured and too afraid to get back into the ring. In a way, she was right. I was afraid. It’s what allowed Spencer to win.”
“So you lie to your best friend and your biggest supporter? What do you gain from that?”
“Look, people want to think I’m using her, that I’m a coward. I’m not. What better way to show them?”
He places his hand on the casket.
“You’ve gone absolutely mad haven’t you? No one thinks you are a coward Trent. I doubt very seriously that your opponent Lucy thinks you are a coward. No one in their right mind agrees to a casket match.”
“After rise, everyone will see that Spencer’s win was a God Damned fluke.”
Dante looks at his brother tilting his head with a slightly confused look. Trent smiles evilly down at the coffin between them.
“Lucy is going to pay for what Spencer Adams did. She’s collateral damage. When I’ve finished with her, Spencer and I will meet again and I will take everything from him. Because let’s face it, when it comes down to it, I’m willing to put my body on the line, are they?”
Trent returns to work on the casket, a cold, dead stare in his eyes. Dante watches as his brother slowly descends into madness once again. He shakes his head, rises to his feet and places a hand on his brother’s shoulder, whispering something in his ear. Spencer smirks and laughs for a moment before moving back to painting the intricate work on the top of it.
Trent is seen sitting on the top of the coffin, in a room lit with candles. Clearly this coffin has been moved from its original place of creation, to an area that looks like it’s set up to be a wake. He lifts his head, looking into the camera. He takes a few moments to collect his thoughts before starting to speak.
“Congratulations Spencer, you beat me in my return match, but see you fucked up, my friend. You failed to kill me. So you won a match and that Rise World Championship. A championship you claim you don’t give a shit about. A title you didn’t even want. But that isn’t the point, this is."
He puts his hand down on the casket under him. He nods and smiles into the camera, patting it a few times.
“All you did was awaken a part of me I didn’t know still existed. Thanks for that by the way, but you really should find Lucy and apologize in advance for what YOU’VE caused. After our match at Rise, little Lucy won’t be the same.”
He takes another moment to pause, knowing that he was going to have to focus on beating Lucy, before he could get back to Spencer. But all in due time, right? He hops off the casket and flips it upright, so everyone can see the beautiful artwork on it. Skulls, roses and RIP in blood red letters. He smiles knowing what’s waiting for her inside this coffin of horrors.
“You like it Lucy my dear? I made it for you. It is your coffin love, I do hope you will enjoy it, as I have enjoyed making it. When our match is over and I close this down on top of you, keep in mind, it’s Spencer you can thank for the pain you will endure. You see my dear Lucy, I learned something at Revival. I found out things I thought were long since dead, aren’t really dead. Revival was my Pet Sematary moment. The man that’s walking into Rise in just a few days time, isn’t the same man who left Revival with his head hung in shame. No, I buried that man, the man you’ll be dealing with isn’t afraid to put your pretty little carcass in this..”
He throws the door off, revealing a red velvet and thumbtack lined casket. He laughs, shaking his head.
“You see Lucy, it’s a shame it has to be you going in it. But rest assured that soon enough, so will Spencer, over and over until he sees that his ego is just the incoherent ramblings of a scared little boy who thinks if he bucks the system, he will get somewhere. Fucking moron. I do hope however, that you will at least be a good sport. But I do feel sorry that someone as pretty as you must suffer for his mistake, but such is life, am I right?”
Trent shrugs his shoulders. He reaches out and runs his fingers over the thumbtacks before placing his hand in and pressing it palm down into the thumbtacks. He doesn’t flinch even as blood begins to trickle down from his hand.
“You see, I’ve trained my body to not feel pain, at least not in the same way most people do. Where most people would be screaming in pain, I welcome it. Tell me my dark Princess, are you ready to bleed to prove you deserve a shot at Spencer for MY title? Let's see just how far you are willing to go my dear. Goodnight Princess.”
He pulls his hand off, licking the blood off it. He closes his eyes, relishing in the feeling and the taste. It proves to him, he’s still alive. The real question left hanging in the air was, is Lucy willing to take a ride to hell? The scene fades to black on the image of Trent's mouth with blood dripping from it.