Carnival Cavalcade Wrestling
CCW Chaos, episode #11: One Shall Stand, One Shall Fall
In the deputy commissioner’s office…
Sunny Austin, barefoot and bikinied with a bruised forehead, bursts through the door.
SUNNY: “I want Teresa. In a match. Tonight. (she splays the fingers of one hand on the desk) Make it happen.”
Jules Moreno, in a red power suit, phone in hand, blinks up at Sunny.
JULES: “Can I call you back? Thanks so much. (hangs up the phone) Sunny, I know you’re upset, but you can’t just barge in here like this. Also, Commissioner Hollander makes the matches. You know th-”
SUNNY: “There’s no one in his office. That’s why I’m here.”
JULES: “Well, I’m sorry, if he’s not here, then we have to consider the card set.”
SUNNY: “Oh bullshit! (she slaps a full pen cup off the desk) It’s not enough Cassie might lose her career — or her fucking life — tonight. It’s not enough I got robbed of the one chance I’ve ever had to be a champion. Now I can’t even get a match with the bitch who robbed me because Hollander’s not here?”
JULES: “Sunny, I can’t just…”
SUNNY: “You can just, ‘Deputy Commissioner Moreno.’ If you’re the only one with stroke here tonight, you can give me Teresa Salazar in that ring.”
JULES: “Teresa isn’t medically cleared to wrestle. She has a cracked rib.”
SUNNY: “So she can’t wrestle, but she can take my title shot away from me? I had that belt won, Jules. Twice. And Teresa, that bitch, is allowed to fuck me out of it?”
JULES: “No, she’s not allowed. But Sunny, even if I could book matches, Teresa is not medically cleared to compete.”
SUNNY: “Then book me against someone else. Feed me to that new star, that colonel; I don’t care. Cassie has the fight of her life tonight and if I don’t have some sort of distraction, I’m going to lose my mind.”
Jules scans a document on her desk.
JULES: “Riley Slade and Tiffany Green are both here and neither is booked.”
SUNNY: “Give me Tiffany. I’ll tell her.”
In the arena…
Shauna Carson is already in the ring for the opening match. Beautiful and curvy, she sweeps her long blonde hair into a cascade over one blue eye. It’s all she can do to mask her terror.
She knows what and who her opponent is. She’s heard the stories. They alone have her defeated where she stands.
The Tale of the Tape
Shauna Carson is 21, 5’5”, 145lbs with blonde hair and blue eyes. She’s an underneath girl with a record of 0-5. Shauna wrestles barefoot in a cheetah-print singlet and black knee pads. Outlaw Annie Hook is a star, currently 9-3. She is 35, 5’7”, 150lbs, with dirty-blonde hair and blue eyes. She wrestles in a black singlet, black knee pads, and cowboy-style boots with red highlights. She also wears a black cowboy hat and black leather vest as entrance gear.
Jimmy Swift gives Hook, the number one contender for the CCW Championship, a big intro, which she loves as she saunters down the aisle. The Outlaw, all smiles, ascends the ring stairs and steps through the ropes. She stows the hat and vest in her corner, then steps to the center of the ring, where referee Roger Clayton makes sure she doesn’t go any further. The Outlaw grins at Shauna.
HOOK: “You here to be my warm-up, darlin’?”
Shauna, unable to look The Outlaw in the eye, shakes her head, gaze lowered to the mat.
HOOK: “Aw, don’t be scared, honey. The ol’ Outlaw is in a good mood tonight. We got blood ’n guts in the main event, and, in two weeks, I take the title from Betty Magnum. (she leans to the side, trying to catch Shauna’s eye). I don’t brand or whip no more, little girl. Get that lil double chin up.”
Shauna pushes her gaze to meet Hook’s for just a second before the referee calls for the bell.
Outlaw Annie Hook vs. Shauna Carson
Hook dances as she circles, light on her feet, a gleam in her eye. Shauna, hands out in front of her, stays on her toes, matching pace with Outlaw, but waiting for the inevitable.
The Outlaw cocks an eyebrow Shauna’s way.
HOOK: “Goddamn, darlin,’ now that I get a look at you, I see you are a gorgeous young thing, you know that?”
Keeping her eyes riveted to Hook’s shoulders, her arms rigid, Shauna keeps circling.
HOOK (smiling): “I’m serious as all get out. You’ve got that pretty face, those eyes. My lord, those tits, that sexy shape on you, wooooo, if you were my daughter, I’d have you locked up in a tower high enough to keep even the giraffe boys away.”
Blushing, Shauna giggles, her gaze drops to the mat.
HOOK: “There it is.”
The Outlaw winds up and kicks Shauna’s lower belly so hard she drops to her knees and dry heaves. Arms wrapped around her soft middle, Shauna, falls to all fours.
Hook snares Shauna in a front facelock, jerks her to her feet, and buries her head in the canvas with a hard DDT.
The Outlaw flips Shauna onto her back with both hands. Eyes closed and drooling, Shauna is out.
HOOK: “Aw, baby girl.”
The Outlaw, on her knees, straddles Shauna and sits on her stomach, pushing a whiney moan out of the KO’d jungle girl as the referee tolls the 1-2-3 at 1:04.
Barely a warm-up for Hook, who improves to 10-3. Shauna drops to 0-6.
Hook jumps to her feet and plants a boot on Shauna’s chest as the referee raises her hand and she’s announced the winner. The Outlaw bows to the booing crowd — though some cheer for what she just did to the barefoot blonde on the mat — and heads up the aisle.
On the Side Show Stage…
In front of the clean, new CCW backdrop, Wink McLean stares slack-jawed at the monitor, where, in true CCW fashion, the camera slowly pans the body of the defeated, moaning Shauna Carson in an invasive closeup, starting with her toes.
Someone off camera tells McLean he’s on the air, and he snaps into broadcast mode, smoothing his hair as he brings the mic to his mouth.
MCLEAN: “Hello again everyone and welcome to the Side Show Stage. Wink McLean here, and my guest at this time is putting her CCW career on the line later tonight in our hardcore main event. Tiana Miles, come on in here.
Tiana steps into the shot, shaking her head at McLean.
TIANA: “Really, McLean? That chubby loser in the ring is more important than talking to me? Did you see what I did to that girl last week? Did you like that?”
MCLEAN: “Frankly, no. I thought what you did to Shauna Carson was disgusting, like much of what you’ve done around here, Tiana.”
TIANA (smiling): “Oh, so I guess you don’t think too much of me, do you?”
MCLEAN: “No, I don’t.”
TIANA: “Well then why don’t you go back to getting a hard-on for fat trash (she snatches the mic from McLean and shoves him out of the shot) and I’ll finish this myself. (she looks into the camera) Cassie Rae, I loved you. No matter what anyone else thinks, I know I loved you. But you weren’t interested in that. You were interested in helping the other losers in that locker room try to get through another day of being losers. Well, tonight, I’ve got you all to myself. No one is going to help you while I help myself to your body, your mind, and, when I’m done with you, your career. And then Scarlett Jackson, Betty Magnum, Annie Hook, the tag champs; everyone better be lookin’ the fuck out for Tiana Miles.”
Tiana flips the mic over her shoulder and walks out of the shot. McLean lunges back in to catch it.
MCLEAN (looking into the camera): “Fans, I’m not supposed to have any biases here, but I hope tonight is the last we ever see of Tiana Miles. Let’s go back to the ring for more great CCW action.
In the arena…
Tiffany Green is already in the ring for the next match, as is her opponent, Sunny Austin.
Tough, aggressive, powerful, and, unfortunately for her, loyal. Tiffany accepted her assignment to wrestle Sunny tonight willingly, a smile on her pretty face. But now, standing in her corner, she isn’t doing her customary shadow boxing, she isn’t up on the toes, and her usually strong abs are barely defined. This is Tiffany’s first singles match in nine weeks.
Across the ring, Sunny stretches, paces, and dances in her corner, the ring lights showing off her fit, slim, lithe body and shapely, muscular legs beautifully, Sunny’s posture and demeanor reflect her pure, professional-wrestling readiness. Sunny’s eyes lock with Tiffany’s, and it’s the Oakland girl who looks away.
The Tale of the Tape
Tiffany Green is 27, 5’7”, 140lbs, with black hair and brown eyes. She wrestles in a green-camo bra top, black athletic leggings with white stripes down the sides, and two-tone black & white boxing shoes. Tiffany is an underneath girl with an 1-9 record. Her fellow underneath girl, Sunny Austin, is 24, 5’11”, 140lbs, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Her current record is 6-14. She wrestles barefoot in an orange-and-white bikini.
Jimmy Swift gives both women flat, blah underneath intros — per Commissioner Hollander’s standing order — but Sunny still gets a good pop from the crowd. She doesn’t acknowledge it.
Referee Clark Sierra calls for the bell.
Sunny Austin vs. Tiffany Green
Tiffany comes out in her signature boxing stance, bouncing, dancing, but it’s clear her heart isn’t in this match. Sunny is not just another underneath girl, she’s someone Tiffany has rooted for, tagged with, maybe lusted after just a bit. She tries to assert herself, but her punches are slow, wandering, and Sunny evades them all effortlessly.
Sunny picks her spot and caves Tiffany’s stomach in with a standing thrust side kick. The Oakland girl drops to all fours, her face a mask of pain, embarrassment, and surprise.
Having been intimidated, controlled, and dominated in more than her share of matches, Sunny recognizes two things: she has Tiffany outclassed — which she knew before the match, but would never say — and she has Tiffany cowed.
Sunny knows she’s going to win, a nearly unknown sensation for her.
Tiffany, back on her feet, winded, throws a huge desperation overhand right, her strongest punch.
Sunny knows she’ll be knocked out if that punch connects, but she also sees it coming from 10 miles away. Almost casually, she sidesteps Tiffany’s fist and lifts her knee straight into the Oakland girl’s navel. Vomiting a guttural cry on the way down, Tiffany crumples to the mat, both brawny arms wrapped around her softened middle.
It’s all Sunny from there. Tiffany offers no resistance as the bikini beauty leads her through a series of hard kicks, a head scissors on the mat, a body slam, and a gorgeous front-handspring leg drop out of the corner.
Back on her feet, the crowd in the palm of her hand, Sunny knows the match is over; she can pin Tiffany easily. But there’s still some frustration deep in her slim belly. She still sees Teresa Salazar panting, writhing, moaning on the canvas. And even though Sunny knows it’s Tiffany, she decides with a nod to take maybe just a bit of advantage of the Oakland girl’s helpless state.
Tiffany is fully compliant as Sunny hauls her back to her feet and shoots her into the ropes. Sunny plants her feet wide, gets low and catches Tiffany on the rebound with a tight, hard spinning powerslam that splatters the Oakland girl on the mat.
On her knees, Sunny spares her vanquished opponent an empathetic look, then leans her belly and hips across Tiffany’s chest, whips her blonde mane over her shoulder, and arches her back. Sunny gives the crowd a big smile as the crowd counts the 1-2-3 along with the referee, who calls for the bell at 2:43.
Sunny kisses Tiffany’s sweaty cheek, then pops up to her hands and knees and lays a hand on Tiffany’s heaving stomach.
SUNNY: “Love you, girl. I owe you.”
Sunny, still an underneath girl with a losing record, gets lots of glory as the referee raises her hand and favors her with a smile. Mindful of who’s lying defeated on the canvas, Sunny gives the fans a quick, sexy little pose, then heads to the back.
The win moves Sunny to 7-14. Tiffany, spiraling, drops to 1-10.
In the underneath locker room…
Melora O’Brien is sitting in front of her open locker.
Riley Slade and Josie Myer — both in their ring gear, which is basically their street clothes — watch the monitor, where the referee is helping Tiffany roll out of the ring.
RILEY: “Wow, I thought Sunny and Tiffany would have a competitive match, but Sunny destroyed her.”
JOSIE: “Sunny’s angry, and I mean (shrugs) she’s a much better wrestler than Tiffany.”
Riley, stepping gently in her Skippies, moves to the corner, where Cassie Rae, in her ring gear, sits in the little metal chair, facing the wall.
RILEY: “Cass, Sunny won. Pinned Tiffany in like three minutes. I thought Tiffany would give her much more of a match.”
CASSIE: “Gotta give Tiffany a break. It’s really hard to separate friendships and reputations from what happens in the ring. Josie is right; Sunny is angry, and she’s become a great wrestler. But Tiffany gave up before the match started. Not her fault. It’s something you learn. (she gives Riley a smile) Something for you to learn, young lady.”
RILEY: “I never realized how much of wrestling is mental and emotional. No wonder I always lose. Heh. (she crouches, lays a hand on Cassie’s thigh) How are you?”
CASSIE: “I’m OK. (smiles, lays her hand over Riley’s) I’m getting there, mentally and emotionally.”
RILEY: “Oh, OK. Sorry, I’ll let you alone.
Riley starts to get up, but Cassie holds on to her hand, keeping them eye-to-eye.
CASSIE: “I love you. You know that, right?”
RILEY (tearing up): “Of course. I love you too. You’ve done so much for me. Got me my one win. (she kneels) You’re like my family. I don’t think I can do this without you.”
CASSIE: “Well, first, I am going to fight with everything I have tonight to make sure I stay here for you. For all you girls.”
Riley nods.
CASSIE: “But if I lose, I am still going to be a phone call or a visit away, OK? I’m not gonna leave you. (she pushes Riley’s hair away from her eyes) You can be great here.”
Riley hugs Cassie’s waist, then wipes her tears away and goes back to the monitor, where Josie greets her with a warm, sustained hug.
Outside the trainer’s room…
Tiffany Green, still in her gear, emerges from the trainer’s room, no bandages or ice packs, but a hand on her sore back and her stomach testing the lip of her waistband just slightly. A pair of ring attendants bump her as they rush to wherever they’re going. Muttering, cursing, Tiffany heads for the underneath locker room, but only gets as far as an alcove 10 feet from the trainer’s room, where Sizzlin’ Scarlett Jackson is leaning against the wall, arms folded.
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SCARLETT: “Hey, sister.”
TIFFANY: “Hey…”
SCARLETT: “You got a second?”
TIFFANY: “I’m really…I’m just kinda embarrassed right now, girl. Maybe we could-”
SCARLETT: “No, c’mere. You need to talk now.”
She tugs Tiffany into the dingy alcove, where one uncovered bulb barely reaches into the corners. Tiffany leans her back to the wall, wrists crossed over her forehead, eyes closed.
TIFFANY: “I know what you’re gonna say. I fucked up. I let Sunny beat me.”
SCARLETT: “You definitely let Sunny beat you but it’s not a fuck-up. I know how close y’all are in that locker room. We don’t have that in my locker room at all.”
TIFFANY: “Maybe that’s why y’all have all the goddamn wins. I’m at 1-10 now, girl. And the one win I got was when you, Sunny, and Cassie were my tag partners. And I felt like such shit out there tonight. I felt like…I wasn’t allowed to beat Sunny. I mean…(shrug) it’s fuckin’ Sunny, y’know?”
SCARLETT: “I do know. She’s a great girl. And she’s a great wrestler now too. (she makes sure she has Tiffany’s eye) I’ll tell you two things straight-up Tiff. One is you were never going to beat Sunny, she’s a much better wrestler than you.”
TIFFANY: “Thanks for noticing.”
SCARLETT: “And the other thing is Sunny had my ass stone-cold pinned, twice, in our match last week. If it wasn’t for the ref being late and then that bitch Teresa interfering, you would have lost to the Tri-County Champion tonight.”
TIFFANY (helpless shrug): So, what are we talking about here? Some kind of hit on Sunny? I can’t be about that, sis.”
SCARLETT: “No, nothing like that. I know Sunny’s your girl. Shit, Sunny’s my girl. This isn’t about Sunny. (she pushes her finger onto Tiffany’s softened abs) It’s about you.”
TIFFANY: “Fuck… (rolls her eyes, lays her head back against the wall) What about me?”
SCARLETT: “You’re lost. And not just tonight.”
Tiffany looks away, eyes glassy.
TIFFANY: “Sister, I want to trust you but…”
SCARLETT: “Don’t trust me because I’m the only other Black girl in this place who ain’t Tiana Miles. Trust me because I’m a wrestler like our girl Sunny is a wrestler like Betty Magnum is a wrestler…like I think you want to be a wrestler.”
TIFFANY (eyes closed): “That feels…too far away.”
SCARLETT: “Right now, it is far away, I ain’t gonna lie. But Tiff, there’s something all y’all got in that underneath locker room, y’all’ve got heart. But I see that Irish girl use it, I see that new girl, Joey?”
TIFFANY: “Josie.”
SCARLETT: “I see Josie use it. And lord knows I see Sunny and Cassie Rae use it. (she tilts her head) But where’s your heart, sister? I know it’s in there. (she lays her hand on Tiffany’s chest) There it is. Right there. And it’s strong. But you don’t use it.”
TIFFANY: “God, it’s hard to say this shit. And fuck, this ain’t no therapy session, Scarlett. I just feel so stupid. So embarrassed.”
SCARLETT (stepping back): “Tiff, I want to help you. And I have what I think is a great fuckin’ idea for something we could do together. But I’m not tryin’ to hurt you or make things worse, so maybe we should just back off for n-”
TIFFANY (even voiced): “I’m just a bitch off the street. OK? There it is. (shrugs) I don’t belong here. I feel so outta place in that locker room. And it ain’t about race. I love those girls, and I know they love me. It’s about they’re fuckin’ wrestlers and I’m some ignorant-ass dyke from Oakland who thinks a couple street fights makes her a pro wrestler. But I’m not. No fuckin’ way, dude. (she slides down the wall into a crouch, head in her hands) I’m sorry, Scarlett, I know you’re not tryna hear shit like this.”
Scarlett crouches opposite Tiffany, hands on Tiffany’s knees.
SCARLETT: “Let’s sit here for a quick sec and feel this, then I want to go somewhere and really talk.”
In the underneath locker room…
Cassie and Sunny are huddled in the corner with the little metal chair. Riley and Josie are in conversation on the long bench away from the lockers. Melora stands up, shuts her locker, and turns toward the door.
CASSIE: “Hey, hey. Wait up.”
She trots across the floor to Melora, but stops before crossing over into the dimmer light near the lockers. She beckons Melora forward.
CASSIE: “Let’s see.”
Hands clasped in front of her, Melora steps into the light, clad in a green bikini, white knee pads, and green boots.
Cassie, smiling, steps up and unclasps Melora’s hands. Blushing, Melora lets them dangle at her sides.
CASSIE (still smiling): “Did you alter this?”
MELORA (smiling, blushing): “I bought one that fit me a little better.”
JOSIE: “So fucking hot, dude. Oh my god.”
MELORA: “Thank you.”
Indeed, the new bikini — replacing one Commissioner Hollander made Melora wear in an attempt to embarrass her for gaining weight — hugs and compliments her soft, curvy body.
Cassie puts her arm around Melora’s bare shoulders and walks her toward the door.
CASSIE: “Were you just going to sneak out?”
MELORA: “Well, it’s not called an Irish good-bye for nothing.”
CASSIE (chuckles): “Seriously, don’t you think I’d want to see you before you wrestle the CCW champion?”
MELORA: “I didn’t want to bother you, Cass. And, frankly, I don’t even want to think about you losing tonight.”
CASSIE: “Well, I’m not gonna lose tonight if I can help it. (she stops, turns Melora to face her, hands on Melora’s shoulders) And of course I want to see you before you wrestle Betty. Tell you how proud of you I am.”
MELORA: “I’m just a warmup for her, Cass. I know that. I didn’t earn a title shot or nothin.”
CASSIE: “Mel, I’ve been here 10 years. I’ve never had a match with the CCW champion. But you’re getting that chance. Don’t you dare let Betty use you as a warm-up. Give her a fucking match, Mel. You can do that.”
Melora throws her arms around Cassie.
MELORA: “Don’t you fuckin’ lose tonight, Cass. I’ll never forgive you.”
CASSIE (smiling): “I love you, Mel. Go put Betty to work.”
In the deputy commissioner’s office…
Jules watches the monitor as Melora climbs into the ring to wait for her match. Security chief Duke Derringer, broad of shoulder and of mustache, stands behind her, arms folded.
DERRINGER: “Hollis made that poor chubby girl wear that bikini to wrestle Zehra. She won though.”
Jules squints at the screen.
JULES: “That’s not the same bikini. Or she had the first one altered. Good for her. Jesus, these underneath girls have so much heart.”
DERRINGER: “Think that’ll all go away if Cassie Rae gets beat tonight?”
JULES: “I think…I’m not thinking about that.”
In the arena…
Indeed, Melora O’Brien, in her new green bikini, is already in the ring for the next match. And indeed, she got some catcalls and wolf whistles when she climbed into the ring. Sure, there were some jokes and nastiness too, but none of them are anything Melora’s not thought of before, and a few fans, men and young girls, continue to tell her she’s beautiful and sexy as she stands in her corner.
She turns to one of the little girls and waves. The girl’s smile manifests as a burst of warmth in Melora’s face and belly.
MELORA: “OK, Jesus, time to focus…”
The Tale of the Tape
Melora O’Brien, an underneath girl, is 25, 5’5”, 145lbs with red hair and green eyes. For just the second time — and the first time, voluntarily — she’s wrestling in a green bikini with white knee pads, and green boots. She is currently 3-5. Betty Magnum, the CCW Champion, is 32, 5’7”, 145lbs, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She wrestles in a denim-patterned bra top, denim-patterned athletic leggings, and cowboy-style wrestling boots. She is currently 15-3.
Jimmy Swift gives the CCW champion a huge intro. Betty’s music, and the reaction for her, rattle in Melora’s chest. Taking a break from her intense rivalry with Outlaw Annie Hook, Betty climbs to the second rope in the corner and lets the crowd shower her with glory, arms outstretched, head back.
In her corner, Melora shifts her weight from hip to hip. Watching the CCW champion — so pretty, so powerful — Melora’s hands wander to her soft belly, her face red; just a small, Irish underneath girl.
MELORA: “No. (she clenches her fists at her sides) No.”
Referee Jessie Motley calls for the bell.
Non-Title Match
Betty Magnum vs. Melora O’Brien
Circling, Betty extends her hand.
BETTY: “All right, girl. Let’s go.”
Melora nods. They share a quick handshake.
They tie-up, and Betty finds Melora’s stomach with a hard knee. Doubled up, Melora is easy prey for the whip into the ropes. Unable to catch her breath on the rebound, Melora runs straight into a belly-to-belly suplex, Betty’s finisher, but the champion over rotates and Melora crashes to the mat on her hip, not her back.
Still, Betty floats over and grab Melora’s thigh for a leg-hook pin.
The referee is in position.
1…
2…
Crying out, Melora bucks with everything she’s got. Her shoulder pops off the mat.
Betty, on her rear end, and the referee, on her knees, share a stunned look.
Melora O’Brien just kicked out of the CCW champion’s finisher.
Betty beats Melora back to her feet, seizes the Irish girl’s wrist and shoulder, and shoots her into the ropes again. Melora, breathing, thinking, sees another belly-to-belly coming and counters it into a hip toss that sends Betty sprawling.
MOTLEY: “Holy shit.”
Betty scrambles up and into the corner. Melora gets a head of steam and charges in, but Betty sidesteps and Melora crashes, chest-first, into the buckle. Slipping behind, Betty locks her arms around Melora’s waist and takes her over backward with a release German suplex. Landing hard on her neck and shoulders, Melora, groaning, tries to roll to her side.
Betty grabs Melora’s red hair and pulls her to her feet, then hosses her up and drives her to the canvas with a body slam.
Melora, back arched, cries out, holding her back. Betty grabs one of Melora’s boots, then the other, and holds her legs apart. With the referee warning Betty to keep it clean, Melora, knowing what’s coming, wraps her arms around her stomach…
…so Betty boots her in the head.
Melora falls back to the mat, holding her head, and then the unavoidable stomp to her belly comes, Betty’s boot heel digging in below Melora’s navel.
Dazed, her stomach burning, Melora tries to crawl to the ropes, but Betty, strolling, stalks her easily and pulls her back to her feet. Melora’s throws a wild, desperation right. Betty ducks it easily, but it’s a set up and Melora works an inside cradle on the CCW champion.
Referee Motley drops down.
1…
2…
Betty powers out.
Tired, winded, Melora pushes back to her feet and absolutely eats a huge Betty clothesline. Flat on her back, Melora writhes, belly heaving. Moaning, she tries to make the roll to her side, trying to keep her shoulders off the mat.
Betty wrenches Melora up by the arm and whips her hard into the ropes. Dazed and in pain with no more fight left, Melora rebounds and runs straight into a thunderous belly-to-belly, this one driving all the air out of her.
Melora lays stunned, unable to breathe, as Betty yanks her leg in the air, putting the Irish girl’s thigh and ass on display as the referee counts the 1-2-3 at 2:53.
The win makes the CCW champion 16-3. Melora drops to 3-6.
Betty rolls to a knee and lays her hand on Melora’s chest.
BETTY: “Get your breath, babe. Good match.”
The CCW champion bounces up, gets her hand raised, then soaks up her glory as the referee drops to one knee next to Melora.
MOTLEY: “You gonna be OK, or should I call the docs?”
Melora, gasping for air but getting it, shakes her head.
MELORA: “I’ll…I’ll make it.”
MOTLEY (gives Melora a quick belly pat): “OK. I’ll give you a sec.”
The referee raises Betty’s arm again while the crowd cheers and the music plays.
On the mat, Melora O’Brien, defeated underneath girl, smiles between gasps.
In the Room Where It Happened…
Cassie and Sunny stand face-to-face, hands interlaced, in the room with the wooden table and one naked bulb. This is the room in which Tiana attacked Cassie, Cassie and Sunny first made love, and Sunny was held when Tiana kidnapped her.
Now, there are no tears, just slow, even breathing and stillness.
SUNNY: “No matter what, it’s gonna be me and you, OK?”
CASSIE: “OK. But I want to stay here and watch you win matches. Win championships.”
SUNNY: “Then I guess you better beat this girl tonight.”
CASSIE: “I guess I better.”
Sunny lays her forehead against Cassie’s.
SUNNY: “I go wherever you go.”
Cassie, eyes closed, lays her head on Sunny’s chest and sighs.
In the deputy commissioner’s office…
Derringer heads for the door.
JULES: “Where are you going?”
DERRINGER: “To the ring. Don’t we have to guard this main event?”
JULES: “No. (she sits back, fingers steepled) I think we’ll sit this one out.”
In the arena…
Cassie Rae is already in the ring for the main event that will determine her CCW fate. She’s in her ring gear with one significant addition. For the first time in her career, Cassie isn’t wrestling barefoot. Short, black wrestling boots guard her feet as she stretches in her corner. Her breathing is even, deep, controlled. Cassie is ready.
No matter what comes.
The Tale of the Tape
Cassie Rae is an underneath girl with a 5-17 record. She’s 34, 5’3”, and 130lbs, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. She wrestles in a half tee, low-rise cutoff jean shorts, and short black boots. Tiana Miles is 24, 5’5”, 135lbs, with black hair and dark brown eyes. She wrestles in a neon purple bra top, neon purple short shorts, neon purple knee pads, and black Chuck Taylor sneakers. A star, Tiana enters at 12-8.
Jimmy Swift clears his throat and brings the mic to his mouth.
SWIFT: “The following contest is a hardcore match scheduled for one fall, and the loser will have to leave Carnival Cavalcade Wrestling forever!”
The crowd covers Tiana in boos, drowning out her music as she makes her way to the ring quiet and determined. She climbs the ring steps, wipes her feet on the apron, and vaults over the top rope. She doesn’t look at the crowd, she doesn’t look at the mat, she doesn’t look anywhere but at Cassie, who gives her stare back to her, just as intense, just as angry.
They started in the underneath locker room as friends, then tag partners, then lovers, then bitter enemies while Tiana ruled The Pack, and now, for the first and last time, as opponents in the ring. One of the most torrid, dark chapters of CCW’s story is about to close.
The crowd is buzzing as senior referee Jack Blake calls for the bell.
Hardcore Loser Leaves CCW Match
Tiana Miles vs. Cassie Rae
They circle, Tiana strutting, Cassie bouncing.
TIANA: “Last chance to come back to me.”
CASSIE: “You’ll have to kill me and drag my body out of here. Seems like something you would do.”
They lock-up.
The match is two minutes old before the crowd quiets way down. Cassie is simply not a match for Tiana at this point in their careers. Ten years older than Tiana, a little soft in the middle where Tiana is rock hard, Cassie isn’t strong enough or fast enough to gain an advantage, and Tiana is more than skilled enough to escape or reverse any hold Cassie tries. At the 2:44 mark, Tiana tosses Cassie into the turnbuckles and drills her in the chest with a beautiful back handspring elbow. Cassie staggers from the corner, gasping, falls to her knees, then her face.
Tiana, strutting, kicks Cassie over onto her back and plants a Chuck Taylor on her breasts.
1…
2…
Cassie lifts her shoulder and slaps Tiana’s foot off her chest but can only roll as far as her side.
Tiana kicks Cassie in the back, forcing a scream from her, then wrenches her to her feet by two handfuls of hair and throws her out of the ring. Cassie tumbles through the ropes, hits her back on the apron and crashes face-first to the concrete floor.
The referee jumps out of the ring, asking Cassie if she wants to quit. She refuses.
Laughing, mocking the crowd’s boos, Tiana strolls down the ring steps and makes her way around the ring, where Cassie wraps a camera cable around her neck and uses it to beal Tiana into the steel barrier in front of the crowd. Cassie struggles back to the apron and dives off, stabbing her elbow into Tiana’s back…and smashing her own hip on the concrete.
For the next five minutes, Cassie and Tiana batter each other with anything they can fill their hands with — chairs, the ring bell, the ring-bell hammer, Jimmy Swift’s mic, the timekeeper’s headset. At 6:22, Tiana grabs a soda from a fan, throws it in Cassie’s eyes, boots her in the belly, and tosses her into the ring steps. Cassie slumps against the steel, frantically rubbing her eyes, as Tiana stalks her, grinning and giggling. Cassie jumps up and charges, screaming, but Tiana dips her head and back body drops Cassie onto the concrete.
Referee Blake swoops in, begging Cassie to give up the match, but — breathless, crying out, wracked with pain, half blind — she screams her refusal to quit.
Taking her sweet time, Tiana throws two steel chairs into the ring, slides in, sets them up facing each other, then slides back out and pulls Cassie to her feet. Cassie throws a desperate right, then a left, but Tiana blocks both punches and drives her head into the bridge of Cassie’s nose. Cassie collapses to her knees, grabbing at her face.
Blood drips from between her fingers.
Tiana tosses Cassie under the bottom rope, where she settles out, spread-eagle, her soft little belly heaving, her face covered in blood. Tiana rolls into the ring, followed by the referee. Tiana stands over Cassie, slaps her bloody face a few times, then nonchalantly puts her Chuck Taylor on Cassie’s stomach.
Rolling his eyes, referee Blake drop down.
1…
2…
Tiana takes her foot off Cassie’s belly and stomps her head.
The referee shoves Tiana aside and kneels over Cassie, wiping blood out of her face and checking her wound.
BLAKE: “Cassie, you’re gonna need stiches and you’re bleeding bad. Sweetheart, please, let me ring it, this isn’t worth it.”
CASSIE: “Don’t fucking…do it, Jack. This is…my life.”
Shaking his head, the referee signals the timekeeper the match will continue.
Tiana pushes the referee aside with her hip and pulls Cassie to her feet. She wipes some new blood from Cassie’s face.
TIANA: “I’ll give you one more chance, and then I’m gonna end you. Be with me, Cass. I love you.”
With everything she has left, Cassie spits blood and saliva in Tiana’s face. Tiana slaps Cassie hard, then grabs a handful of her blood-matted hair and kisses her.
Cassie sinks her teeth into Tiana’s lower lip.
Screaming, bleeding, Tiana drives her knee into Cassie’s stomach and lays her across the two chairs she set up in the middle of the ring.
Her heaving belly and the blood bubbling from her lips are the only indicators Cassie is alive as she lies sprawled across the chairs.
A hand on her bleeding lip, Tiana goes to the corner and climbs to the top. Perfectly balanced, she raises her arms, a sick grin on her face as she stares down at Cassie.
The referee puts himself between Tiana and Cassie, arms up and waving.
BLAKE: “Tiana, don’t you do it! You’re break her back. You’ll kill her, Tiana, don’t do it!”
TIANA: “If she dies, no one gets her.”
She leaps, sailing over the referee’s head…
…but Jessica Kelly is in the ring! The crowd pops huge as she pulls Cassie off the chairs a split-second before Tiana crashes through them. Tiana spasms and writhes on the mat, screaming in pain.
Jessica drags Cassie to the corner, checks her wounds, then turns back toward the center of the ring. Her jaw drops.
Despite crashing and burning through two steel chairs moments earlier, Tiana is back up, her lip and gashes in her head and arm bleeding, with one of the chairs folded and ready to swing.
TIANA: “Get out of the way, Jess. You can’t stop me from having her.”
JESSICA (smiling): “Good thing it’s not just me.”
The crowd erupts as…
…Zehra slides into the ring to Tiana’s left.
…Chloe Suzuki slides into the ring on Tiana’s right.
…and Gothica, in a black singlet and gladiator sandals with straps up to her knees, slides in behind her.
GOTHICA: “Hey, Tee. Remember us?”
These four young women — three former members of The Pack, Chloe its most aggrieved victim — spend the next minute beating Tiana Miles into the mat. The crowd is unglued.
Chloe and Zehra haul Tiana up by the arms and feed her to Jessica, who sets up for a powerbomb. But, bellowing and bloody, Tiana back body drops Jessica onto one of chairs. Writhing, her back arched, Kelly rolls out and falls to the floor. Tiana clotheslines Zehra over the top, then drives a hard side kick to Chloe’s stomach, driving her through the ropes to the floor.
Tiana grabs the other chair off the mat, and turns to the corner, but only Cassie’s boots are there.
Gothica snatches the chair from Tiana and swings with everything she’s got, but Tiana drops and the chair waffles referee Blake in the face. He goes down with the chair on top of him and Tiana superkicks the stunned Gothica over the top rope.
Bloody, sweaty, drooling, growling, Tiana takes in the carnage she’s wrought, chairs and bodies all around the ring, and screams Cassie’s name into the rafters.
CASSIE: “Right her, babe.”
Tiana turns, but Cassie is already soaring from the top rope. She catches Tiana flush in the temple with a flying forearm. They crash to the mat together, Cassie on top. She gathers Tiana’s legs in her arms and leans way back onto Tiana’s chest.
But there’s no count.
CASSIE: “Jack! Jaaaaack!”
The crowd buzzes, some crying out, then explodes as referee Sarah Lawrence flies down the aisle and slides into the ring.
1…
2…
Tiana bucks and breaks the pin just before the three-count. Cursing, referee Lawrence signals the timekeeper the match is not over.
Fumbling on her hands and knees, blood in her eyes, Tiana finds the second chair on the mat. She reaches for it, but Cassie’s bare foot stomps down on her wrist. Tiana cries out, looking up at Cassie, who snatches the chair up for herself.
Cassie steps back off Tiana’s wrist and raises the chair.
On her knees, cradling her wrist, Tiana blinks up at Cassie.
TIANA: “Oh, baby, you look so sexy right now.”
Cassie crowns Tiana over the head with the chair, denting it, then throws it aside and hooks both Tiana’s legs and rocks back again.
Tiana doesn’t move or make a sound as referee Lawrence tolls the 1-2-3, ending Tiana’s CCW career at 11:54.
The crowd roars as referee Lawrence pulls Cassie up and away from the demolished Tiana. Sunny Austin slides into the ring, smiling, sobbing, and takes Cassie from the referee, who calls for help for referee Blake and Gothica as Zehra, Jessica, and Chloe climb back into the ring.
Sunny invites the others into her embrace with Cassie. The crowd cheers as Jessica and Chloe join but Zehra hangs back. Cassie reaches out to her, but Zehra drops to the mat and rolls out under the bottom rope.
Swift announces Cassie the winner as referees and EMTs come down the aisle.
Duke Derringer and three security guards follow. They collect Tiana off the mat and carry her out.
Sunny and Jessica raise Cassie’s hands, and the crowd gives her more glory than she’s had in all of the last 10 years.
For one night, Cassie Rae is the top star in the company.
Fade Out
