12-29-2022, 05:54 AM
December 26, 2022
It still didn’t feel real to Patience Young that her father was dead. It was only two weeks ago that his heart had had enough and stopped beating. The fact that he wasn’t there for his granddaughter’s second Christmas was heartbreaking enough. However, what made it more surreal was when Patience learned that on December 14, twenty-seven years to the day was the day that her mother died.
Since the hospital, Patience hasn’t been able to do much of anything. In fact, her husband, Woody Hoyt and her daughter who doesn’t quite understand what is going on are concerned about her. She hasn’t been eating, spending most of her time in bed just sleeping, and for the small amount of time that she is awake she listens to the “lullaby” that dad played when she was fussy. Despite the lyrics of “Don’t Cry” by Guns and Roses urging her not to, the tears just wouldn't stop.
However, on this day it wasn’t like the previous days. Without saying a word to her husband, she left their home. She thought about driving to her father’s home, because sooner or later she was supposed to have to settle his affairs, box up his stuff, and sell the home. Though, she knew that today was not going to be that day, because she was going to need not only more strength to do that, but help. Right now, she was on her way to possibly making a big mistake.
She was recalling the conversation that she had with her husband before she received the call about her father. How the only way she was planning to get back into the ring was on the night that her father was set to wrestle in a retirement match. That match is never going to happen now, but she could still honor his memory by wrestling one last match. So, she needed to get some special gear made for the show.
Knowing that it was short notice she wasn’t going to be able to custom order the gear and have it in time. However, she knew one person who could make it on such short notice, but more than likely already had some of the parts made from other previous events. Which is why she is standing in front of her cousin’s home. She knocked on the door and when it was answered, she wasn’t surprised to see Chase Hawkins, her cousin’s husband, standing in the doorway.
“I need to speak with Sammy.” Patience said, as Chase looked at her as she stood in the frame of the door looking down, just like the Ninja Turtles in the first theatrical movie release when Splinter was taken from them.
Chase said, “Come in.” As he opened the door wider to allow her passage into the foyer of the house. “How are you doing?”
"I’m numb.” Patience walked past him and into the warmth of the house.
“Understandable, but it will pass. I felt the same way when my grandfather passed. You feel lost and alone, but you have a family that cares about you. Don't shut them out.” Patience knew that Chase was just trying to help, but she didn’t need sympathy and words of encouragement right now. All she needs is some ring gear made so that she can wrestle in the end of the year battle royal.
“I appreciate that, but where is Sammy?” Patience looked around the home as she walked into the living room. Normally, she would take a little bit of time to catch up with Chase and even visit with A.J. as well. However, time is a precious thing that she doesn’t have at the moment.
“She’s in her crafting room.” He said, and that was all she needed to hear, because it was possible that she was already expecting her to show up or at least call and ask for the outfit. Luckily, she didn’t need Chase to show her the way to the workshop. This is because since Sam’s ordeal she’s gotten familiar with it, because she’s had to play delivery driver to bring her supplies.
Sam hasn't left home very often since the ordeal. In fact, Patience was more than a little surprised that she came to the hospital. She was glad that she did see her cousin make the trip for her dad, but at the same time she could tell how uncomfortable she was. Patience opened the door to the shop and just as she thought, Sam was already working on the outfit. She was using orange, blue, white, and black fabric for a different project.
“Sammy, are you alright?" Patience asked, as she didn’t want to assume that she was right.
“Yes, if you want Goku themed gear.” Sam didn’t look up at the hand stitching she was doing for the “Kame” house logo. She smiled for the first time in two weeks feeling like she could smile, but as she stood there watching the stitch work that Sam was doing it just drew attention to the fact that she was wearing arm warmers that covered just about all the way up to her elbow. Considering how cold it had been that would be normal, but Patience knew that it was a double meaning for Sam.
“Wouldn’t that be easier with a sewing machine?” Patience knew that in Sam’s mind that it wouldn’t be easier, because of how much of a perfectionist that she was when it comes to cosplay-based ring attire. Due to the injuries she sustained during her ordeal, Patience realized doing everything by hand would be much more difficult.
“I actually tried using it... it broke.” Patience’s eyes opened wide in shock. The fact that she was right that it would be easier for Sam, but that Sam actually tried to do it was the most shocking part of it. Patience wondered if she was dealing with any lasting effects from the scars left behind by the way her wrists were bound.
Asked Patience. ‘Is there anything that I can do to help?” She had a little bit of experience making costumes, but nothing elaborate like the gears and cosplays that Sam had designed in the past. She won’t admit it, but this one time for Comic Con she made Chase a full, detailed, and more to the point accurate Bat-suit. Sam stops for a moment to ponder the offer, but before she has a chance to answer, Patience’s phone buzzes with a new text alert.
“I’ll let you know... is that important?” Sam got back to work on the logo patch. Patience looked at her lock screen to see that the message was from Ashlynn. However, she can’t tell what it is, because all the text says is two images.
"I have a couple of images from Ashlynn." Patience debated whether to open the message to find out what they are, but the fact that she wasn't woman enough to say anything made her decision easier. Perhaps she is still not ready to let go of the aftermath of Patience's decision to retire two years ago.
“Isn’t this the first time in two years that she has tried to contact you?” Patience knew that Sam was right. Well if you don’t count the brief moment that they had in passing at the hospital the day that her father died. She might be ready to move, but she isn't sure how. So she’s probably acting like nothing happened.”
"Perhaps you are right." Sam had a point, but nothing could have prepared her for what she was about to see. As she opened the message another one came in and instinctively, Patience’s eyes were drawn to that one first, because there was actually text in it. ‘You must think of me as a coward, but I couldn’t find the words to say to you in person. We’re sisters.’
Although she couldn't believe what she had just read, when she looked at the images, she had to at least acknowledge some legitimacy. The one image was the front of the photograph that Ashlynn got from their father that showed both of the girls with their parents. Another image shows their names, time of birth, and birthdays for both girls on the back. Sam suddenly stopped working to look at Patience. When Sam sensed something was wrong, he stopped working to check on Patience.
“Are you okay? You look like a ghost.” Patience didn’t know how to respond to her cousin. Her brain was again overwhelmed. If it wasn’t heartbreaking enough losing her father, now she learns that she has a sister. She knew that they looked as if they could be related in some way, but she figured that she might have been a cousin. Given that her Uncle Johnny has never been married, but has slept with a lot of women. Not to mention the fact that her Uncle Rick, has had several extra marital affairs that could have resulted in another child like Sam.
“I have a sister!?!” Patience’s knee buckled at that moment as she fell down to her knees again. Sam hearing what Patience said, her face took on a bewildered look as she didn’t know what was going on.
===============================================================================
Campfire Confessions – Ember Young
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The sound of a match being stuck is heard. In the course of the explosion, half of Ember Young's face is illuminated as the wooden stick bursts into flame. Right now, Ember was holding the match between her thumb and index finger of her right hand. It is as if the small flame dances along the contours of her face. This leads to the shadows moving along the contours of her face as the flame dances in front of it. In this way, her face appears to be moving while she is standing still at the same time.
“Welcome to campfire confessions! Normally I would be doing this with an actual campfire, but given the short notice and the temperature outside right now. So we're doing a stripped-down version for this very special occasion," she says.
"Just a match, my Go-Pro camera, and a hell of a lot of emotion." She smirks as she drops the match down just before the flame gets to her finger tips. After a short pause, there is a 'PSST', indicating that the match was dropped into some kind of container of water. Ember lit another match, bringing light back into the dark room.
"I know a lot of you are thinking, why am I coming back for the End of the Year Invitational? When I was last here I was scared of getting into the ring. Some of you probably remember me begging you to take it easy on me, because of my neck." It was again necessary to drop the match, because the flame was getting too close to her finger tips.
"I'm returning, because of my father." Ember says as she leaves the room in total darkness, but that isn't the only thing that is heard. Even though the camera can't clearly see what is being done, Ember is obviously moving something around.
Ember said, her voice laced with an almost bitter tone as she spoke. "For most of you, you don't know who my father is nor do you care about him." Eventually, she lit another match, but as the light illuminated the room there was something different about it. There were now three candles in front of Ember, which she could be seen lighting one by one.
"My father," Ember said, as she put the match out after she ignited the last of the candles. Ember then looks down at the top of the table that the candles are placed on, which is just out of Go-Pro's view. She picks up what is quickly identified as a picture frame. "Sorry had to change things up a little bit."
"This is my father, Michael Young." She says, as she turns the frame to show the picture to the camera. The photograph in the frame is probably one of his greatest accomplishments. It's from the night he won the XWL World Heavyweight championship for the first time, by defeating David Holmes in an Insanity cage match. Having dove off the top of the triple tier cage down on to Holmes to put him through the announce table.
He was sitting on a production crate. His face is covered in a crimson mask. The title is over his left shoulder, and she is sitting on his right looking at her father in wonderment with a smile on her face. This is a ten year old Patience. "He was a wrestler, known mostly as The Tragic Hero, but for a time he was the controversial Suicidal Superman."
"What does that have to do with the price of tea and China?" Ember asked. "He was fearless and for his entire career he just did everything that came to his mind and then asked for forgiveness. His reasoning for this was his catchphrase... tragedy spares no one."
Ember pauses, as if to let that statement sink into the viewers of this confession.
"He knew that all too well, because he had lost the love of his life, the mother of his... children. In the following years, his girlfriend Tyra slept with an entire locker room behind his back including one of my uncles. His girlfriend Skylar... a woman that was the closest thing that I had to a mother decided to ghost him after he proposed to her." Ember paused again, but this time it was more for her to take a breath. "Then twenty-seven years to the day of my mother's death, his heart gives out, and he dies."
"Tragedy spares no one, something that I came to realize while remembering my father these last couple of weeks. In all of that, there was a lesson that I learned, and that is that no matter what I'm doing tragedy could strike me. I could slip getting out of the tub injuring my neck again, I could die in my sleep tonight, or I could be shot during a home invasion." Ember returned the picture to the table.
"For one night only, I'm returning to SCW, but not as the timid and afraid dying ember you're used to seeing." Ember leans a few inches forward to blow the candle that is to the left of the one in the center.
"I'm coming back as the Ember that was driven through a quadruple stack of tables by Pierce Manning in the SCCW." Ember chuckles. "Just one ember, even a dying one, can reignite into a raging inferno."
"I'm planning to channel my father for the invitational and wrestle with no regrets." Ember blew out the candle to the right of the one that was the center of the trio. The lighting in the room got just a little bit darker with the loss of the second candle.
Ember declares before blowing out the final candle, "I will be the FIRE that will burn down the rings." Instead of seeing a room in total darkness again after blowing out the final candle, the screen of the room has been transformed into a wall of flames before burning into a black screen as evidence of a little post-production editing.
{ Fin. }
It still didn’t feel real to Patience Young that her father was dead. It was only two weeks ago that his heart had had enough and stopped beating. The fact that he wasn’t there for his granddaughter’s second Christmas was heartbreaking enough. However, what made it more surreal was when Patience learned that on December 14, twenty-seven years to the day was the day that her mother died.
Since the hospital, Patience hasn’t been able to do much of anything. In fact, her husband, Woody Hoyt and her daughter who doesn’t quite understand what is going on are concerned about her. She hasn’t been eating, spending most of her time in bed just sleeping, and for the small amount of time that she is awake she listens to the “lullaby” that dad played when she was fussy. Despite the lyrics of “Don’t Cry” by Guns and Roses urging her not to, the tears just wouldn't stop.
However, on this day it wasn’t like the previous days. Without saying a word to her husband, she left their home. She thought about driving to her father’s home, because sooner or later she was supposed to have to settle his affairs, box up his stuff, and sell the home. Though, she knew that today was not going to be that day, because she was going to need not only more strength to do that, but help. Right now, she was on her way to possibly making a big mistake.
She was recalling the conversation that she had with her husband before she received the call about her father. How the only way she was planning to get back into the ring was on the night that her father was set to wrestle in a retirement match. That match is never going to happen now, but she could still honor his memory by wrestling one last match. So, she needed to get some special gear made for the show.
Knowing that it was short notice she wasn’t going to be able to custom order the gear and have it in time. However, she knew one person who could make it on such short notice, but more than likely already had some of the parts made from other previous events. Which is why she is standing in front of her cousin’s home. She knocked on the door and when it was answered, she wasn’t surprised to see Chase Hawkins, her cousin’s husband, standing in the doorway.
“I need to speak with Sammy.” Patience said, as Chase looked at her as she stood in the frame of the door looking down, just like the Ninja Turtles in the first theatrical movie release when Splinter was taken from them.
Chase said, “Come in.” As he opened the door wider to allow her passage into the foyer of the house. “How are you doing?”
"I’m numb.” Patience walked past him and into the warmth of the house.
“Understandable, but it will pass. I felt the same way when my grandfather passed. You feel lost and alone, but you have a family that cares about you. Don't shut them out.” Patience knew that Chase was just trying to help, but she didn’t need sympathy and words of encouragement right now. All she needs is some ring gear made so that she can wrestle in the end of the year battle royal.
“I appreciate that, but where is Sammy?” Patience looked around the home as she walked into the living room. Normally, she would take a little bit of time to catch up with Chase and even visit with A.J. as well. However, time is a precious thing that she doesn’t have at the moment.
“She’s in her crafting room.” He said, and that was all she needed to hear, because it was possible that she was already expecting her to show up or at least call and ask for the outfit. Luckily, she didn’t need Chase to show her the way to the workshop. This is because since Sam’s ordeal she’s gotten familiar with it, because she’s had to play delivery driver to bring her supplies.
Sam hasn't left home very often since the ordeal. In fact, Patience was more than a little surprised that she came to the hospital. She was glad that she did see her cousin make the trip for her dad, but at the same time she could tell how uncomfortable she was. Patience opened the door to the shop and just as she thought, Sam was already working on the outfit. She was using orange, blue, white, and black fabric for a different project.
“Sammy, are you alright?" Patience asked, as she didn’t want to assume that she was right.
“Yes, if you want Goku themed gear.” Sam didn’t look up at the hand stitching she was doing for the “Kame” house logo. She smiled for the first time in two weeks feeling like she could smile, but as she stood there watching the stitch work that Sam was doing it just drew attention to the fact that she was wearing arm warmers that covered just about all the way up to her elbow. Considering how cold it had been that would be normal, but Patience knew that it was a double meaning for Sam.
“Wouldn’t that be easier with a sewing machine?” Patience knew that in Sam’s mind that it wouldn’t be easier, because of how much of a perfectionist that she was when it comes to cosplay-based ring attire. Due to the injuries she sustained during her ordeal, Patience realized doing everything by hand would be much more difficult.
“I actually tried using it... it broke.” Patience’s eyes opened wide in shock. The fact that she was right that it would be easier for Sam, but that Sam actually tried to do it was the most shocking part of it. Patience wondered if she was dealing with any lasting effects from the scars left behind by the way her wrists were bound.
Asked Patience. ‘Is there anything that I can do to help?” She had a little bit of experience making costumes, but nothing elaborate like the gears and cosplays that Sam had designed in the past. She won’t admit it, but this one time for Comic Con she made Chase a full, detailed, and more to the point accurate Bat-suit. Sam stops for a moment to ponder the offer, but before she has a chance to answer, Patience’s phone buzzes with a new text alert.
“I’ll let you know... is that important?” Sam got back to work on the logo patch. Patience looked at her lock screen to see that the message was from Ashlynn. However, she can’t tell what it is, because all the text says is two images.
"I have a couple of images from Ashlynn." Patience debated whether to open the message to find out what they are, but the fact that she wasn't woman enough to say anything made her decision easier. Perhaps she is still not ready to let go of the aftermath of Patience's decision to retire two years ago.
“Isn’t this the first time in two years that she has tried to contact you?” Patience knew that Sam was right. Well if you don’t count the brief moment that they had in passing at the hospital the day that her father died. She might be ready to move, but she isn't sure how. So she’s probably acting like nothing happened.”
"Perhaps you are right." Sam had a point, but nothing could have prepared her for what she was about to see. As she opened the message another one came in and instinctively, Patience’s eyes were drawn to that one first, because there was actually text in it. ‘You must think of me as a coward, but I couldn’t find the words to say to you in person. We’re sisters.’
Although she couldn't believe what she had just read, when she looked at the images, she had to at least acknowledge some legitimacy. The one image was the front of the photograph that Ashlynn got from their father that showed both of the girls with their parents. Another image shows their names, time of birth, and birthdays for both girls on the back. Sam suddenly stopped working to look at Patience. When Sam sensed something was wrong, he stopped working to check on Patience.
“Are you okay? You look like a ghost.” Patience didn’t know how to respond to her cousin. Her brain was again overwhelmed. If it wasn’t heartbreaking enough losing her father, now she learns that she has a sister. She knew that they looked as if they could be related in some way, but she figured that she might have been a cousin. Given that her Uncle Johnny has never been married, but has slept with a lot of women. Not to mention the fact that her Uncle Rick, has had several extra marital affairs that could have resulted in another child like Sam.
“I have a sister!?!” Patience’s knee buckled at that moment as she fell down to her knees again. Sam hearing what Patience said, her face took on a bewildered look as she didn’t know what was going on.
===============================================================================
Campfire Confessions – Ember Young
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The sound of a match being stuck is heard. In the course of the explosion, half of Ember Young's face is illuminated as the wooden stick bursts into flame. Right now, Ember was holding the match between her thumb and index finger of her right hand. It is as if the small flame dances along the contours of her face. This leads to the shadows moving along the contours of her face as the flame dances in front of it. In this way, her face appears to be moving while she is standing still at the same time.
“Welcome to campfire confessions! Normally I would be doing this with an actual campfire, but given the short notice and the temperature outside right now. So we're doing a stripped-down version for this very special occasion," she says.
"Just a match, my Go-Pro camera, and a hell of a lot of emotion." She smirks as she drops the match down just before the flame gets to her finger tips. After a short pause, there is a 'PSST', indicating that the match was dropped into some kind of container of water. Ember lit another match, bringing light back into the dark room.
"I know a lot of you are thinking, why am I coming back for the End of the Year Invitational? When I was last here I was scared of getting into the ring. Some of you probably remember me begging you to take it easy on me, because of my neck." It was again necessary to drop the match, because the flame was getting too close to her finger tips.
"I'm returning, because of my father." Ember says as she leaves the room in total darkness, but that isn't the only thing that is heard. Even though the camera can't clearly see what is being done, Ember is obviously moving something around.
Ember said, her voice laced with an almost bitter tone as she spoke. "For most of you, you don't know who my father is nor do you care about him." Eventually, she lit another match, but as the light illuminated the room there was something different about it. There were now three candles in front of Ember, which she could be seen lighting one by one.
"My father," Ember said, as she put the match out after she ignited the last of the candles. Ember then looks down at the top of the table that the candles are placed on, which is just out of Go-Pro's view. She picks up what is quickly identified as a picture frame. "Sorry had to change things up a little bit."
"This is my father, Michael Young." She says, as she turns the frame to show the picture to the camera. The photograph in the frame is probably one of his greatest accomplishments. It's from the night he won the XWL World Heavyweight championship for the first time, by defeating David Holmes in an Insanity cage match. Having dove off the top of the triple tier cage down on to Holmes to put him through the announce table.
He was sitting on a production crate. His face is covered in a crimson mask. The title is over his left shoulder, and she is sitting on his right looking at her father in wonderment with a smile on her face. This is a ten year old Patience. "He was a wrestler, known mostly as The Tragic Hero, but for a time he was the controversial Suicidal Superman."
"What does that have to do with the price of tea and China?" Ember asked. "He was fearless and for his entire career he just did everything that came to his mind and then asked for forgiveness. His reasoning for this was his catchphrase... tragedy spares no one."
Ember pauses, as if to let that statement sink into the viewers of this confession.
"He knew that all too well, because he had lost the love of his life, the mother of his... children. In the following years, his girlfriend Tyra slept with an entire locker room behind his back including one of my uncles. His girlfriend Skylar... a woman that was the closest thing that I had to a mother decided to ghost him after he proposed to her." Ember paused again, but this time it was more for her to take a breath. "Then twenty-seven years to the day of my mother's death, his heart gives out, and he dies."
"Tragedy spares no one, something that I came to realize while remembering my father these last couple of weeks. In all of that, there was a lesson that I learned, and that is that no matter what I'm doing tragedy could strike me. I could slip getting out of the tub injuring my neck again, I could die in my sleep tonight, or I could be shot during a home invasion." Ember returned the picture to the table.
"For one night only, I'm returning to SCW, but not as the timid and afraid dying ember you're used to seeing." Ember leans a few inches forward to blow the candle that is to the left of the one in the center.
"I'm coming back as the Ember that was driven through a quadruple stack of tables by Pierce Manning in the SCCW." Ember chuckles. "Just one ember, even a dying one, can reignite into a raging inferno."
"I'm planning to channel my father for the invitational and wrestle with no regrets." Ember blew out the candle to the right of the one that was the center of the trio. The lighting in the room got just a little bit darker with the loss of the second candle.
Ember declares before blowing out the final candle, "I will be the FIRE that will burn down the rings." Instead of seeing a room in total darkness again after blowing out the final candle, the screen of the room has been transformed into a wall of flames before burning into a black screen as evidence of a little post-production editing.
{ Fin. }