HWA Message Board: No One Left...Nothing Left...Nothing to Lose

The morning after her trip to Toledo had arrived. She got up, went to the kitchen and poured a glass of coconut water. It was already 70 degrees this early in the morning and she grabbed the tv remote and cut the tv on before returning to the kitchen to think what she might eat for breakfast. The sound of the television draws her attention.

(Reporter): ….also in news out of Toledo, Ohio a deadly fire at the Hoff Wildlife Center saw an estimated millions of dollars in damages and the unfortunate loss of and endangered species of African Elephant, one said to be nearly 50 years old. Joining us now is Dr. Dave Balfour, a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and one of the foremost authorities on African Elephants. Dr. Balfour, thank you for joining us.

(Dr. Balfour): Thank you for having me.

(Reporter): Doctor, what impact does the loss of this elephant have?

(Dr. Balfour): Most importantly, it’s a harsh reminder that African forest elephants are a critically endangered species due to poaching and loss of habitat. Our last estimate just 3 years ago accounted for 415,000 elephants across Africa, and of that number we estimate that 17,000 are killed each year. You do the math, in roughly two decades from now this species could be wiped off the face of the planet.

(Reporter): Those are startling figures, and nearly impossible to imnagine that babies born today may never even see one of these majestic creatures. Fortunately, there are people like yourself and Christopher Hoff who operates the Hoff Wildlife Center working to prevent that. Do you think there was some way this death could have been prevented?

(Dr. Balfour): Christopher Hoff’s name comes up within many circles in the community. I don’t know him personally but I’m familiar with his work and his center. I can’t say if this was negligence, or an insufficient fire suppression system, but it is a most unfortunate loss. I’d very much like to…

She grabbed the remote and turned the tv off. It seemed her name hadn’t come into the conversation...yet. She wondered if Wolfy would release any footage of her on site or if he wanted to play Sherrif and take care of matters himself. She’d gotten more than she bargained for in Toledo. She hadn’t expected to see Wolfy himself, and she certainly hadn’t expected to see Maniac. On top of that discovering his outright berating of her had sent her in a tailspin. His words hurt, and because they hurt she realized how right he had been when he said he knew she was still “in there!” The Erica that loved him as a friend and mentor, somewhere inside she had held hope of reuniting with him, but he had stabbed that hope and it was just as dead as that fuking elephant. She felts hands on her shoulder, hard, callused claws that radiated heat.

(DreamMaster): You had to see it for yourself, and now the tether has been severed. Now, you belong to me, only me, and we will make them suffer.

Maniac’s cruel words hammered in her head. The demon summoned them and shoved them brutally back into focus.

“…always having that resting bitch face…”

“…mean-spirited, rude, selfish, demonic, horse humping, cock juggling thunder kunt…”

(DreamMaster): You thought he cared for you, loved you? Love does not exist. Only pain exists, the pain you carry, the pain we inflict…I have been your Maestro all along. Instructing you in the ways of chaos and ash. We will set the world on fire. We will watch it all burn. We will dance in the snowing of its black ash.

“Nada,” she thought. She had nothing left but the demon and he’d been right. Only pain did exist. The pain of the lie of friendship. The pain of rejection. The pain of rewardless hard work. The pain of empty promises. The pain of abandonment. The pain of disownment. Pain was her companion now, she could wield it…he could show her how. She opened the HWA app sitting the phone in front of her at a distance. Her voice still with a defeated, broken sound to it began.

(Erica): I bet you think you’re going to do something special now at Havoc Wolfy. I bet you want revenge. Tell me…what did you do with the body? You didn’t just leave it there for the kiddies to see? Did you chop it up into manageable pieces? You bury it? You cremate it? You tossed it out to sea for Shark to nibble on? Maybe I’ll visit your fuking kids club this week so you can educate us all on how carcasses are disposed of outside the wild.

A smile cracked on her face.

(Erica): I can’t wait for Havoc now. I can’t wait for Tobias and I to finally get our hands on the two of you and put you in your place. Do you think that because I’m a woman you’ll have some advantage? Ask Hans what I can do in that ring. I’ve been fighting men my whole life. While you were fighting your urges for baboon pussy I was in the ring fighting. While shark was pretending to be a bad ass in the bathtub, I was fighting on the streets. You’re wrestling wanna-be’s.

A hint of anger ticked in her voice.

(Erica): You shouldn’t even be here pendejos! You’re in our world and everybody’s going to see the difference between Tobias and I’s real talent against two freaks dressed like wrestlers. I can’t tell you how I’ve waited for this, and having Tobias by my side who’s suffered your injustice since day one makes this all the sweeter. La Pesadilla Mexicana is coming and I fuking dare you to try and stop me! As a matter of fact, you…

Her voice pauses as her eyes blaze red. Her head and shoulder jerk sharply to the side and refocuses on the camera with a sickening grin, drool drops from the corner of her mouth and then the deep guttural mix of her voice and the demon is heard.

(DreamMaster): Tobias Clarke…our partner. The “Lazy Butt Goblin!” The man who nearly drowned. What were your thoughts when the muck of that river filled your lungs? Were you driven by survival……or revenge? Did the trauma awaken you?

When we enter the ring at Havoc I wish to see you. I wish to see the dark blood that boils beneath your skin. I want to see the bridle they put in your mouth come undone. Bite it with your teeth if you must, break them to splinter and bleed a delightful pain as I guide you past their rules.

Your skills alone will only go so far in their world, confined by their rules…you must follow me outside them. I will take you to places they dare not go. Winning is not enough…this Wolfy and this Shark…they must savor our suffering. Will you join us in giving it to them?

Her head drops, there’s a moment of silence and when she lifts her head her face and eyes are normal, it’s as if she hadn’t realized what happened picking up where she had left off.

(Erica): As a matter of fact, you don’t stand a chance no matter what you do, and I hope you’re watching Michelle. Watch what we do to your little friends. Do as he said and don’t try to save him, but just in case you want to try, I’m happy to reacquaint you with another old friend.

Erica holds up the footrest from Maniac’s old wheelchair and smiles.

(Erica): I would dedicate this match to you Sean, but I’m not. I know you wish it were you getting your hands on Wolfy, but you’re too busy playing the good boy that you won’t give in, too weak. La Pesadilla Mexicana’s got this. It’s the HWA way isn’t it? Everyone’s supposed to bow to the crown prince of the kingdom right? Everyone else does the heavy lifting and you waltz in and take all the credit and the spotlight? You spoiled piece of shit, this is for me, this is for Tobias. This is for us victims of the world abused by others and oppressed by those in power above us and at Havoc…we will be heard!

She stares at the cameras, anger tracing her face as the scene fades to black.