Trust That You Will Be Devoured!

The eyelids go heavy first.

Next up is that sudden moment of realization, the horrifying awareness, you cannot breath. Asphyxiation is second.

Finally, it all gets better. All grogginess and bruises lose form like a tablespoon of fentanyl (even if that isn’t possible) from your best friend to null your suffering. The steady hand provides reassurance and good health yet what’s being offered no matter the bond that exists, is a drug with a name that brings bad reputation. Your suspicions may just be added weight piled onto your back with shame of ever considering they would betray you. But your questioning may be what protects you even if the bruises remain there for however long they may need to heal.

Even if no harm was intended, who’s to say you can handle taking it? Wag your tail and gulp it down or painstakingly weigh your options and grip your nose and look away then digesting it. The details are null if you weren’t ever destined to wake up.

Can’t tell though, you need to pass out first. Whether it’s permanent or not well, that decides on an endless amount of variables.

You’ll get back up after biting the BULLET if your body wants you to.

Wouldn’t it be awfully unsettling if the drug didn’t want you to wake up though and you knew that before taking it? Oooo. Scary.

Feels better to not be aching though when you do pass out. However much that means is up to you.





The bell rings and the audience is a blended mixture of just flat and disappointed. The thing that everyone expected to happen one month or two ago happened now.

Kwame Bullet falls limp in the embrace brought on by John Lipnick at Cyberslam.

Then the followup that everyone foresaw, he isn’t released even when it’s over.

Unlike the everso common Bolek or Gary Reid speciality of causing serious injury by not letting go, keeping the victim imprisoned in it after the bell isn’t a threat of destruction, it’s a showcase of diminishing image. Folk don’t commonly tap, they commonly pass. Yet they remain propped up by their throats like they’re locked in a noose with the chair kicked out. Despite not being quite there in that ring, he’s showing them off to all the eyes and cameras to remember like they’re his toy at show and tell. In his arms, by his will, they are nothing more than hanging ragdolls he can let fall at any time.

Means something when the threat isn’t injury but rather just embarrassment and defacing. Dishonoring. That’s Lipnick’s speciality though.

Too bad it doesn’t matter how much he diminishes the godlike wrestling superhero legend status Kwame picked by just performing like he’s always off a perc.

His season defining moment, arguable to be as valuable if not more important than his initial Undisputed Championship victory is accompanied by an absence of something so small yet always was an indication of Lipnick’s position within a situation, his smile.

Revenge is his. The one thing that was debatable about his career so far has a giant checkmark next to it since he solved the mystery of if he could ever beat Kwame Bullet.

It’s perfect. It’s happy Lipnick Celebration Video level stuff.

Yet the only expression on his face is hollowing despondency.

No matter what he can forcefully return to himself, he cannot gain what he cannot grasp anymore.

His “family” with no music, as probably ordered by Lipnick so they don’t interrupt his moment, all walk onto the ramp. Ace Reeves is grinning. Chris Diamond is grinning. Robert Cross has his bag on his face. Redemption was his and those who hold the tag titles, for varying reasons, follow his word.

John dumps Kwame’s corpse right in the middle of the ring and glances down at it before turning his attention to said tag titles then right back at Kwame. Everything that someone could want is in his vision. Yet something is missing here.

His first ally Ace Reeves, damper as always, tries to high five his “savior” but is instead barked at to get a microphone.

Robert Cross already knows what to do in this situation, somehow, he gets a shining black chair from under the ring and throws it into the ring. Lipnick catches the chair and weighs it out, gets a feel for it.

Chris Diamond is the only one that’s purposeless in this situation, he’s just taken his seat on top of a turnbuckle. The partnership he has with Lipnick spawned on two promises. Lipnick told him the truth. Lipnick will get him another shot at the Undisputed Championship one day. Now he’s one step closer to winning it for himself. Kinda mixed messages. He’s the newest member but he still looks the most out of place.

Then Ace hands The Mastermind his microphone and rolls in the ring just to slide into his usual corner when this stuff happens. Every Renascence assault usually follows this script except the present lack of joy from Lippy.

Robert Cross however, he doesn’t even enter the ring. He’s just frozen in his placement outside the ring.

John Lipnick:
So, the prophecy we all knew fulfills itself. I learnt from my failures as any man should and I overcame them. Y’all, I have to say it, this was rough for me. My pleasures suffered due to this individual, can’t jetski or go wine tasting with Ace when this negative cloud hangin’ over myself look so much like ya. My humanity, our humanity, was one that glorified anger toward those that cause negative energies toward ourselves. This pushes the moment I could conjure right now of vengeance. I am still human, that is the ugliest feature about myself.

And the most human thing I could do at this moment, matches with the most putrid. My heart is aching for me to hurt you..

John crouches down and grabs a handful of Kwame's locks and tugs on them. Talking face to face is what he craves even if the playing field isn’t anything close to even right now. Kwame is already stirring awake too, always was one tough cookie.

John Lipnick:
I need you to hear this because I know you never talked about me too much, didn’t use this microphone much. I NEED you to understand, how much you’ve shaken me. How ugly you’ve made me. I talk about my issues, I don’t hide them.

I see your face and I have fantasies of how I could scrape it on the most unkempt stone road I could drive to. I see your eyeballs and I am sickened to my core that blind girls exist because you’ve used your ability to see to only make it so you can see worse possibilities for me. Your existence has only mattered since the moment you decided to make things horrible for another human being, for me. I want to be human right now, I want to indulge and show you what I learned from the worst people I’ve ever met. Maybe y’know…

Maybe…

He’s dual wielding both the microphone and the chair. The sword and the pen. Never strayed away from either. But this time?

Lipnick doesn’t pick the sword.

His weapon falls and clangs against the wrestling mat.

Instead, he walks over to the ropes and holds them open for Cross to let himself in.

Kwame isn’t being tortured by Lipnick today and the crowd likes it so there is some cheers but something just stinks here. The situation is uncomfortable.

John Lipnick:
Maybe I would of done that if I wasn’t John Lipnick. If I was just some regular Joe on the side of the street that just happened to have the same position John Lipnick does, I would have done that. However, it was never my goal and never my purpose to hurt people because all they’ve done is wound my pride. You are human, you are hideous. But I’ve ascended beyond eye for eye.

Lipnick nods his head and his plotting smile regains form.

John Lipnick:
But hey hey hey hey, I don’t think I’m leaving after that…

Lipnick shrugs his shoulders and bends over to once again grab the steel chair.

John Lipnick:
Some sweet Mr. Lipnick lore for y’all, write it down I’d like it to be the papers the kiddos write in school about me! My grandaddy, y’know, was actually a judge!

His free hand grasps the legs of it.

John Lipnick:
I love kids. I love all of you. When you repopulate, I hope you keep my lessons in mind and the next generation can be better than Kwame. But until they grow up, it’s our duty to protect them. Cops arrest people not because they wronged them individually…

Robert Cross grabs the other end.

John Lipnick:
But because if there was no law, then anyone would be free to commit horrendous things. Every lawbreaker has to face something for society. For the families of who they’ve hurt. I have no place to hurt Kwame, I am not selfish enough for that. I wake up in the morning and I think I need to be a role model. But I said it already, humanity is awful….

When I see on the news that some dumb looking thirty something year ol’ ran a dog fighting pit, that is when I believe in ALTERNATE methods of judgement right?

My grandma used to get super hyped up yellin stuff up like “See that John? Bastard should be locked in there with them dogs for doin what he did!” and I chuckled a lil’ at her excitement but I see her reasoning. I agree with it, a sucker should be devoured by the innocence he tainted.

You should be devoured for what you’ve done to my family and what you’ve done to the world.

Robert Cross emotionlessly lifts that steel chair up in the air. No joy in doing it, no sadness in doing it. Just doing it like his brain was empty.

John Lipnick:
Because by breaking that streak, you’ve committed a cardinal sin. You’ve hurt Cross and you’ve hurt Ace so I’m going to let mob mentality come through. I’ll let you be devoured in this world of dogs. I’m going to go through everything you’ve done to not me, but to everyone. When I am done going through this list, he stops swinging that thing. Okay?

The only thing overpowering the sudden outcry of boos is the loud clanging of the steel against flesh. Barely any break between swings just one after another. Sickening part is, Kwame just woke up at the worst moment. His loud grunts are ignored by the volume of the microphone as The Great Redeemer begins to go spit the laws that he believes Kwame has violated.

John Lipnick:
I enjoy looking at forums in my free time. I love interaction! Predictions super common thang yeah? Read em all the time, I think it’s important to see who has confidence in me. I’m going to read the ones for Cyberslam for the match we just had.

John Lipnick:
First vote is for John Lipnick!

Kwame Bullet:
GAH!

John Lipnick:
Second is, check this out….

John Lipnick!

Kwame Bullet:
MGAFH!

John Lipnick:
Third, two more to go by the way,

It’s me again!

Kwame Bullet:
GO TO HELL!

John Lipnick:
Here it goes though…

Kwame Bullet, 3-1…

Kwame Bullet:
FUAH!

John Lipnick:
Again? Yeah, again.

Kwame Bullet.

See, you’re an amazing competitor! You beat me after all! But but but but but…

People shouldn’t be depending on you to win. You aren’t a role model, you’re just a wrestler. My image is all that’s guiding people to try more. There is nothing to be learned from following Kwame Bullet..

The battery with the chair stops for a minute and Kwame, even after all of this is still trying to fight. He attempts to lift himself up with shivering elbows that give just for him to fall face first. But he tries again, painfully, and does it. Lipnick didn’t expect that, no one probably did. His lips in a smile just transform into a dumbfounded almost gasp. But he shakes his head and goes down to his knees to meet his rival. Heads so close together they’re almost headbutting each other, yet Kwame isn’t going for it. No no, he isn’t stupid, he can’t cut through Lipnick’s armor right now. But he can wound something…

John Lipnick:
My family, of everyone here, not just the closest brothers I have with me tonight, are going to be hurt for decades because of you. Of all people, being the one to end the most legendary streak there will ever be in this business. You are the reason why the votes aren’t 100% on me, you're the reason why some people doubt me. You could be kneeling before me but I am talking down to you right now, I am talking man to man. What you did was harmful to everyone. People shouldn't have any confidence or rooting for you. You aren't an idol. You aren't fit to be a role model, Yet the biggest thing of all is that by placing these doubts in peoples heads you-

Kwame Bullet:
I couldn’t give less of a shit about whatever you’re saying…

He could always wound Lipnick’s ego. He could just make him look silly. The crowd that was just sitting on their hands listening to the disturbing sherman brought on by John Lipnick come alive to let the support for Kwame’s message be known. The so-called “Master Of The Camera” John Lipnick failed again. Just that pointless one line from the loser is going to be talked about more than his whole speech. Kwame Bullet….even now…

Has one more win over John Lipnick that no one else has yet.

Making the untouchable look weak.

Lipnick’s entire posture changes. All expression of confidence and power here is gone. Instead he’s shaking with anger, a vein is nearly popping out his head.

John Lipnick, The All-Powerful, is having a brain aneurysm because someone told him that they just don’t care.

John Lipnick:
WRETCH!

On that note Robert Cross smites the chair onto and through the head of Kwame, breaking the chair just with the force he swung it with. Yet for a single moment, captured in only a split second photograph.

Kwame Bullet was giving the toothiest shiteating grin with a chair broken around his neck to an extremely annoyed looking John Lipnick. Press isn't on his side here.

That’s what most people will remember about this match and this night.