Bastard

1994

Gary “Red” Hudson smelled freedom. Sitting in the jail cell of the Haywood County Detention Center in Waynesville, North Carolina, one’s nose would become overrun by the aroma of sweat and stink. The walls of the cell oozed with it. The air carried that smell, and it would knock you over if you didn’t breathe correctly, but on this day, his nose picked up a different scent.

It was sweet. It was intoxicating.

Freedom.

Two guards named Rusty and Hank led him from his cell down the corridor, where Gary received his belongings. His wallet made of brown leather. He was surprised to see it, as he thought it was missing the extent of his three-month sentence.

He was given a faded blue denim shirt, which he wore under his coveralls as he worked, and a pair of dark blue jeans. His boots, brown leather like his wallet, slid on his feet with no issue. The rest of his clothes gave him quite the struggle.

He spent three months behind bars. There wasn’t much to do while surrounded by all those walls. He could read, which he hated, so he figured he would work out when given the chance. He lifted weights, training like he was a boxer preparing for his next title fight. He destroyed his body while on the outside. Once inside, he got into the best shape of his life.

There was a part of him that did it as a way to pass the time. The other part of him did it because Gary knew what waited for him once he tasted freedom.

There was a multitude of reasons why he had been arrested. A multitude of people he left behind, and just as many he had pissed off in the process.

He was safe on the inside, but Gary knew once those bars closed, and the light of the outside world welcomed him, the safety of his well-being would be called into question. That sweet smell of freedom would be replaced by the smog. The old familiar burn of the world he knew all too well, was going to open and pull him in.

Gary “Red” Hudson knew the score all the way around. He knew there was no way to avoid it. Stepping outside, he saw his younger son, Josh standing beside his black Ranger. It looked beat to shit before he went inside, and from the look of it, Gary could tell nothing had changed.

The warm and wet summer weather swept over him. Sounds of blaring rap music, high school aged kids hooting and hollering, the loud exhaust on a Ford F350 celebrated in his eardrum.  Taking a few deep breaths, Gary took his first steps into the land of freedom.

“What’s taking you so long?” Josh asked, in a monotone country twang.

A few deep breaths escaped his lungs as Gary looked around, edging closer to the pick-up. He surveyed the land, seeing how much it had changed, or how much it hadn’t. To see if any unwanted visitors were waiting for his release as well.

Knowing one could never be too careful, but he didn’t want to worry his son, he said, “Just feels weird.”

“Do you want to go back inside?” Josh asked, playfully.

Gary remembered what Rusty said before they left him on his own. “We’ll be seeing you, Gary.”

He swore they wouldn’t, but Rusty and Hank, Gary included, knew that was more of a lie than anything else. He took one last look at the detention center, hoping he’d never see it again. Hoping he could turn his words into truth. Hoping to find hope, he climbed into the truck and Josh fired it up, before they barreled out of the parking lot.

Gary felt his entire body shift into a clench as they traveled through downtown Waynesville. They couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Once they hit the bypass, he started to breathe a little easier.

“So, where are we headed?” Josh asked.

“Home.”

Home wasn’t Waynesville, though Gary felt he didn’t have a true concept of home. He had spent years in and out of jail cells, homeless shelters, or shacking up with whatever random woman who would have anything to do with him for a few nights.

“You want to go back to Morganton?”

“Yeah.”

His son huffed and puffed. “You know there’s no reason for you to go back there.”

“Why not?”

“There’s nothing there for you. Just trouble.”

“That’s something. They say something is better than nothing, right?”

They rode in silence for a few moments, the truck wandering aimlessly over the long stretch of highway before Josh spoke again. Gary could sense the agitation. “Suit yourself.”

He knew his son was right. There was nothing but trouble for him in Morganton. Gary grew up there. He raised all kinds of Hell as a child. Despite his age, he was still very much a kid at heart. In most cases, he knew, that wasn’t a bad thing. For him, however, it was.

He never grew up. It seemed like the older he became, the more he regressed. He partied like he did when he was 17. Back then, his body could handle it. The same with his mind. Back then, he was the high school quarterback. Everyone loved him. He could do no wrong, and what wrong he did, Gary was a silver-tongued devil. He could talk himself out of any hole he dug for himself.

And that was just it. Morganton was a hole that had been dug for him. No matter how far he traveled, he could never get out. He always came back. It was the place of birth. It was where he got started on the path he never stepped off.

“Something on your mind, boy?” he asked as he found himself hating the silence. It reminded him of the many bad things he saw in the dead of night while on the inside. Inmates killing other inmates in their sleep.

“I just don’t get why you want to go back to Morganton.”

“You don’t want me there?”

Josh grew silent. “You can tell me? You’re grown.”

“Fine. I don’t want you there. Nobody who gives a damn about you, wants you there. No good will come from it.”

“Well, there will be some good. I don’t know how much, but I better enjoy it while it lasts.”

Josh went to speak but stopped himself. Gary watched his son as he shook his head, knowing he had no dog in the fight. They continued driving. The day becoming night as interstate 40 welcomed them. Gary knew it was the only warm welcome he’d receive, as home was going to be far worse than anything he would have faced in Waynesville.

____________________________________________

2019

It was another failure for Hudson, and he knew it. Alban celebrated in the ring, as Josh Hudson looked up at him, standing tall. His eyes shifted to the arena lights above, and he could do nothing but curse. Once he felt like it, he finally got to his feet and made his way to the back. He didn’t shower or anything. He wanted the stench of defeat and failure to remain on him, before he left the arena, catching a cab to his hotel room. Once he got there, he found Saber waiting for him. Mika Kozlov was there, but it was Saber who spoke.

“You failed.” The clown said with nothing less than disdain.

Hudson replied, unable to hide the disappointment in his own voice. “I know. I’m not sure if you actually watched, but I was in there. I’m the one who ate the pin.”

Mika didn’t seem to like Hudson’s response. She began to make her way toward him, but Saber stopped her, putting an arm over her chest. They locked eyes. Hudson knew despite the fact that he fucked Mika, she was still with Saber. That it seemed like he had some sort of control over her. “I did see, and as always, you seemed to second guess yourself. And when you do that, you fail. You are not the same man who helped me out of the mental institution all those years ago. You may look like Josh Hudson, but you are not him.”

“That’s cute. Have you ever heard of evolution, clown?” Hudson asked, telling himself that he would take another ass kicking if he did attack Saber, but he also knew he wasn’t about take the clown’s shit, no matter what the odds were. Saber simply nodded in response. “I’m not going to be the same person I was years ago. I’ve gotten older. Probably a little wiser. Hell…look at my promo against Dillusion? The entire reason I gave to you to go after him…I went against it in the end.”

“You had sent me back before I could listen to your words. Now, I can see why.”

“It wasn’t like you were a success, now was it?” Hudson fired back, recalling Saber losing to Dillusion as well.

“You only wanted me to wear him down. To make him vulnerable. I believe I did just that.”

“It was about the only thing you got right.” Hudson sighed, growing even more agitated. “But are we going to stand here and continue measuring dicks? If so, we need to ask Mika since she’s probably been fucked by the both of us. I know I hit it.” Mika tried to burst through again, but Saber continued to keep her back. Hudson smirked. “If we’re not going to do that, are we going to fight? If that’s why you’re here, then we need to go ahead and get on with it. I may not be able to take either of you down, but I can damn sure give you a reason to never forget me.” Saber laughed at Hudson’s statement. Hudson didn’t like it. “Something funny?”

“We have no interest in fighting a broken man. Just as we have no interest in standing by your side any longer. We will leave here and rinse ourselves of any idea we had of bringing you into our fold. Any idea that you would be able to lead us into a new era of violent enlightenment.” Saber stated.

Hudson nodded. “That’s good. Well, I’m bored so if we aren’t fighting or fucking, please get the fuck out of my room.”

He and Saber stood nose to nose for a few moments, before the clown motioned to Mika with his hand. Hudson stepped aside, pointing to the door, before watching them leave his room. Once they were gone, he made sure to lock it. He wouldn’t put it past them to sneak back inside and try to attack him, or maim him, or something far worse. He knew Saber was sick, and that Mika was probably worse than he and the clown combined.

Once he felt it was safe, Hudson took a shower, finally rinsing the sweat of loss and the grime of defeat from his battered body. The God of Wrestling tournament had been nothing short of grueling. He made it to the finals, which wasn’t something many had expected, as they had counted him more times than not over the last few years. He hadn’t had the greatest of track records. At least not like he used to. It was a thought that didn’t quite sit well with him, but as Hudson rested his head on the pillow, finding himself staring up at the ceiling just as he did the arena lights after Alban beat him, he couldn’t help but question just what in the Hell he was going to do about it.

____________________________________________

1994

They drove without saying a word, as the drive to Morganton was a little over an hour. Gary hated the silence still. He wanted to speak to Josh, but he didn’t know what to say. They could talk about sports as Josh was always on the up and up. He had been since he started playing little league football.

Gary missed a lot of the kid’s games.

He turned the radio up, instead. The sounds of Led Zeppelin filled the cab. Leaning back into the seat, he let the music take him far away from his troubles. He could have been a star athlete. Probably could have gone pro, but his real love was music.

He couldn’t sing to save his life. He sounded like a cat that had smoked six packs a day. He couldn’t play guitar, but he was a wiz on the fucking drums. Gary always took pride in that.

He had to swallow it every time he thought about how good he was. How good he used to be. How good he could have been. Instead, he chose the life he led.

That life led he and Josh to the worst best bar in the little city no one probably knew of. It rested half a mile from the old bowling alley that held a lot of life when Gary was growing up, but it had since died out, and closed. It was nothing more than an antique. One of the many that Morganton held near and dear.

The music as well as the hoots and hollers vibrated the ground they walked on as Gary and Josh made their way into Thunder Blues. It was a small bar from the looks of it, but when you stepped inside, you could tell it had a much bigger feel. Everything, and everyone, was alive and well.

Gary noticed familiar faces glancing over at him, sharing a look with him, like time stopped for a few moments. When things started again, he made his way to the bar. Josh followed, looking unsure. He felt the same way as his son, but Gary did a better job of hiding it.

“You sure this is a good idea?”

“I don’t know kid, but here we are.” The bartender walked up. A young woman that looked familiar. Gary couldn’t put his finger on it. He was certain they fucked the last time he was in town.

“What will it be?”

“Get me a shot of Jack. You want anything?” Josh looked at him, shaking his head. Damn boy! You could try to look like you’re having a good time, at least! He thought before giving the potential lay a smile and nod. She returned with his drink before he had a chance to turn around. He took the shot, letting it burn. He felt it in his stomach as well as the back of his teeth.

“Want another?”

His face held pain as he nodded. “Hit me.”

The bartender made another shot and Gary downed it just as fast. He leaned back, wincing when he heard Josh whisper in his ear. “Don’t you think you should slow down a little bit?”

Gary exhaled. “What the fuck for? This is a bar. You’re supposed to drink and have a good time. Well…” he said, looking his son up and down, “Most of us are. I guess you’re the exception.”

“One of us needs to be sober just in case shit goes south.”

“You worry too much.” Gary replied, before ordering another shot. He reached for it as soon as the hot thing behind the bar placed it on the counter, but Josh scooped it up, downing it himself. “The fuck did you do that for?”

“I told you to slow down.”

“I just got out of jail.”

“No shit! Don’t you want to do your best to stay out longer than six months?”

“Does it really fucking matter?”

He saw the look in his son’s eyes, and Gary wanted to care. He wanted to give a shit. To tell Josh everything was fine. That he would slow down, but the look in his son’s eyes told him all he needed to know. Nothing was going to be alright.

Even if he did slow down.

Thunder Blues belonged to a ghost from his past. Someone Gary had known for as long as he could remember. That ghost used to be his best friend. They spent their youth corrupting one another, with him getting the short end of the stick.

Seeing that ghost walking toward him, Gary knew nothing had changed.

“Red.”

Gary ordered another shot. The ghost gave his approval. Another shot down. Gary wiped the residue from the bottom of his chin. “Randall.”

“Is this your boy?”

“One of them.”

“Yeah I’m Josh. Sorry if we…”

Gary cupped Josh in the back of the head. “There’s nothing for you to apologize for.”

Randall grinned. “Not at all, kid. You’ve done nothing wrong. Not yet, at least.”

“Something wrong with me having a drink in your bar, Randall?”

“Normally, I’d say no. But since its you, things aren’t exactly normal. Are they, Red?”

“Only my friends call me Red. You know that.”

“Just as I’m sure you can tell by the look on my face, that I don’t give a fuck.”

“I suppose I can.”

“Come with me.”

Randall, along with his cronies, moved passed them. Gary didn’t budge. He wasn’t sure if it was due to fear or a lack of caring at that point. It could have been a combination of the two.

“I’m not asking, Red.” He said, with a certain hiss. His grin was mocking. The glare in his eyes was something else entirely. Almost haunting. Those eyes shifted from Gary to Josh, back to Gary. “No need to do this in front of the kid.”

Gary looked at his son. He could see the fear in the boy’s eyes. That fear matched his, as he was certain he was afraid. That he did care now more than ever. Not about his own safety, but for Josh’s. “Go warm the truck, kid. I’ll be out before you know it.”

“Are you sure?” Josh asked, trying his best to sound tough.

“I’ll be out before you know it.”

____________________________________________

2019

Hudson changed his flight the next day to California, and after a slight delay, made his way through the skies, landing in the hell hole known as Los Angeles. He grabbed a quick bite to eat, because the plain food was fucking horrible. He knew he had no real call to be back in California, but he was there any way. His plan was to link back up with his ex-wife, Rachel. Something told him it wasn’t going to end well, but he felt he had to try.

After he got a bite to eat, he caught a cab and drove around, before he felt it was time to go by Rachel’s place. It was Regan’s beach house from what he remembered, just as he remembered things didn’t go that great the last time he was there. Rachel kicked him. It seemed like they were about to come to blows. He knew he had hurt her worse than anyone may have ever hurt her, inside and out of the ring, away from the lights, cameras, and the action. He didn’t see a vehicle parked near the house as he inched closer. He walked around, peering in the windows, and saw no movement, so he sat against the front door, out of the sun, and he waited.

He waited. And he waited some more.

But as day turned into night, she never showed up. Hudson knew it was going to be a lost cause. He wanted to talk with her, spend time with her, but also sleep on her couch. He wasn’t getting any of that, so he made his way back to the city streets, fetching a cab which transported him to the nearest hotel. He got a room, and found himself in the bathroom, staring at his own reflection.

“You brought this upon yourself, you dumb son of a bitch. What did you expect?” He asked himself, with a chuckle, meant to mock himself. “Did you think she was going to show up because you wanted her to? Did you think she was going to let you back into her life because you had this idea in your head that she would?” He questioned himself, because calling himself a dumb son of a bitch once again.

He made his way to the hotel bar and began to drink away whatever sorrows were trying to creep into his mind. It was what his father had always done, and who would he be to not follow suit? He drank and would carry random conversations with random women, letting them know of his intentions to sleep with someone that night. He didn’t want anything else. Nine out of the ten times he had tried ended up with him receiving disgusted looks, as well as being called a piece of shit.

He welcomed it because he knew it was true. On the tenth try however, he found himself back in his room with a young woman and her friend. They started in the elevator, sucking one’s tit while the other sucked on him. They barely made it into the room, as hands went everywhere, and he found himself inside one, as the other bent over the bed with her ass in the air. He played around with that as well after carrying the other woman closer.

His night was filled with more excitement than he expected. He made them good. At least that was how they seemed. For the night, he forgot about his failures. He forgot about Rachel, but by morning, after not having slept, he felt as empty as he did before he started drinking in the hotel bar.

He caught a shower and booked a flight to New York City.

It was time to go home.

When he arrived, he found his house empty. There was no Rachel. There was no Kristen. No Jayden. It was empty, just as he was. He tried to call another ex.

Trish Wiseman.

She answered after the second call. “Yes, Josh?”

He paused for a moment, as he didn’t expect her to answer. Once he regrouped, he was able to strike up conversation. “How are you, Trish?”

“I’m busy but what can I do for you?”

“Is Alex home?” He asked, knowing he hadn’t seen his oldest son in nearly three years. He wasn’t sure why he was asking, because their relationship was like Hudson’s with his father. Almost nonexistent.

“No, he isn’t. Have you tried his cell?” She asked.

“You know that I’ve never been given his cell number, Trish.” He stated.

“Well, then I don’t know what to tell you, Josh. I can take a message.”

He sighed. “Can you give me his number? Maybe he’d like to talk to me.”

“We both know I’m not going to do that, Josh so I don’t even know why you’re asking.”

“You have a point. Well, I guess…” He said, doing his best to refrain from cursing her out. He knew that was what his father would have done. “I guess just tell him I called, and that I asked about him. I hope he’s doing well.”

“He’s doing great, Josh. I can tell you that. He’s overcome a lot since you and I ended things. I can’t put into words how well he’s doing.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“Alright. I’ll tell him you called. If there’s not anything else, I need to get off here.”

“There’s nothing else.” He replied. He didn’t get a chance to finish his statement, as the call ended as soon as he said the word ‘else’. He sat there for a few moments, looking at his phone. There was part of him that felt like calling Bree. He felt there was still a chance to fix whatever he didn’t really fuck up the previous year with his cash-in against Sienna Swann, but he couldn’t bring himself to call her. He even looked at Rachel’s number. He had kept it, as he always felt there was a chance that they’d find their way back to one another. As time had gone on, the slimmer that chance became, and he knew it even if Hudson didn’t want to outright admit it.

He looked at another number and exhaled deeply. He didn’t want to end up lonely like his father had become, but he couldn’t get over the voice in his head telling him it was going to happen. He exhaled deeply once more before making the call.

After a few rings, she answered. “Hello?”

“Hey…Kristen…it’s me…Josh…”

____________________________________________

1994

It felt like the music died. The hooting and hollering no longer existed. That’s what it felt like at least, as Gary followed Randall and the cronies to the back of the bar, shutting themselves off from the chaos that ensued. They left the good times for the loneliness of a back-room.

A back-room Gary knew all too well.

He and Randall worked for the bar’s original owner. An old fucker named Don. Nobody fucked with Don. He owned a lot more in the small town of Morganton than just Thunder Blues.

He ran weapons, dope, and money. Owned a lot of pigs, too. That was how he kept out of jail. It was a trick he didn’t pass down to Gary. Randall got the secret, it seemed. But those two were inseparable back in the day. It was Gary who started working with the old man first. He felt on top of the world with the excitement that came with the jobs handed to him, as well as the thrills that came with the money lining his pockets.

A run-in with some rich pricks from high school changed all that. They jumped Gary, taking his money and whatever product Don had him running that day. Gary was able to bring Randall along for back-up. Those rich pricks were never heard from again. Nobody knew where they ended up except for Don. When Gary, or anyone else told you that you didn’t fuck with Don, those words were meant to ring true.

After each job was complete, they’d meet in the back-room. Don handed them their cuts. They’d party, though Randall didn’t party too hard from what Gary remembered. That was why he took over for Don when the old man went down for the dirt nap. That was why Gary ended up in and out of jail every time he turned around.

He wanted to turn around and run for the door, but he knew there was no use. Whatever was going to happen, would happen. He could only escape it for so long.

What’s coming for you will eventually get you. He knew it all too well. It was something Don instilled in him and Randall.

A statement they could never forget.

“So, what’s the fucking deal Randall?”

Gary got his answer in the form of a fist into the center of his chest. He felt the air rip through his lungs, before trying to draw it back in, like it was grasping for straws but getting nothing. He choked on desperation as he struggled to maintain his balance, only to fall to his knees as they buckled.

“Why don’t you tell me why the fuck you’re here, Gary? Especially after I’ve told you I didn’t want to see your fucking face here ever again. I felt like I made myself pretty goddamn clear the last time we saw one another.”

“This is my home.” He said, speaking in fragments.

“No, it isn’t.” Randall stated, dropping to his level, as their eyes locked. “I did you a favor when I let you leave here last time. You were free to go do whatever the fuck you wanted. You got yourself in trouble up the mountain. Did some cell time from what I heard. You got out…when? Today?”

“So, fucking what?” Gary asked, still trying to gather his breath as well as his bearings. The shots of Jack were talking to him. They told him what he already knew. He should have listened to Josh. He should have slowed the fuck down.

“I figured you would have been smart. I know that’s saying a lot. I figured you would have stayed away for a few days. Maybe two weeks, at least. But no, you come back here the same fucking day you get out.”

Gary hacked up whatever phlegm that punch knocked loose, spitting it on the floor. He looked at Randall. “My kid is with me.”

“You should have thought about that before you came back home.”

Gary spit again, closing his eyes as he shook his head. He told himself he should have stayed in Waynesville.

“Can you do me one more favor?”

He heard Randall chuckle. The man he once knew as his best friend, someone he told he’d die for when they were teenagers, stopped laughing. Things got quiet. Too quiet. Just like they did at night as he tried to sleep in his cell. Just like they did when something bad was about to happen.

“No more favors, Gary. You should have known this was going to happen when you showed your fucking mug around here.”

“What’s coming for you will eventually get you,” Gary said, letting out a laugh of his own as he struggled to his feet.

“That’s cute, man. Taking a trip down memory lane before you have known left. Real fucking cute.”

Gary saw the glare of the Glock, and he knew what was coming. Just as he knew then why he wanted to go to Morganton. Why he wanted to return to that hole already dug for him. He wanted an ending. He didn’t want to keep running.

He also knew he wanted to go out on his terms.

“Let me do you a favor, Randall.”

“What are you talking about?”

Gary exhaled. It hurt, but he started to sing, spilling secrets and hitting all the high notes. He was buying himself time. It wouldn’t be much, but it was something.

____________________________________________

2019

“What do you want, Josh?” He heard Kristen ask with a sigh. He could tell she was already disappointed.

“I wanted to see how you were.” He said, not sure of what to say, or if there was any truth to his words. He knew he didn’t want to be alone.

“If I remember correctly…” Kristen began. “You wanted nothing to do with me or Jayden. Was that a lie, or do you have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about most of the time. I mean, if you want my opinion, I think it’s the latter. But that’s just me.” She said with a mocking chuckle.

He grinned, telling himself of how much he seemed to love her attitude. “You’re probably right.” He replied. “I don’t know what the fuck I’m talking about. But how is Jayden?”

“You don’t really get to ask me that.” She fired back. He knew she was beyond pissed, just as he knew that she had every single right to be. “You lost that right when you gave him up. And you have no idea what kind of shit he’s been through since the last time you two spoke. Fuck, I shouldn’t even be talking to you.”

“You’re right. I don’t have the right.” Hudson stated. “I don’t have a single fucking right, but when we get down to the thick of the matter, he is still my son.”

“Since when?”

He bit his lip, knowing he really didn’t have a goddamn dog in this fight. “He and I had some good times before things went to shit, Kristen. You can admit that at least.” She said nothing, so he continued. “The boy was kidnapped. I think it not only changed him, but me as well.”

“I know it changed you both. But he needed you once he was returned home, Josh. He needed you and you did nothing but push him the fuck away. Now, I have to deal with the repercussions of your choices and your actions.” Kristen said, her voice raising with each passing moment. He knew she cared about the child more than anyone else ever did. He knew there was no way to deny that. Just as he knew he couldn’t deny her words as truth. He did push the boy away, trying to force him to learn how to defend himself.

“Look.” He said after a long pause. “I wanted to see how you two were. At least you. I care about Jayden, just as I care about you. I wasn’t in the best head space, Kristen. If that wasn’t obvious then I have no idea what I can really say here.”

“You can tell me what it is that you want.”

He exhaled deeply and nodded. “I wanted to see you. I know I can’t see Jayden. At least not right now, but there’s no reason we can’t see one another. I know you cared about me. I don’t know if you do, but I know that you did.”

“You know that I did, Josh.” She said, exhaling deeply as well. “You know that I still do. And if you don’t then you really are a fucking asshole.”

“I am, Kristen. I can’t deny that but…” His voice broke for a moment or two. Hudson cleared his throat before he managed to continue. “I’d like to make it up to you.”

“Don’t fuck with me, Josh. I can’t deal with it.”

He nodded. “I know. And I’m not. Look…I will book you a flight to New York. See if you can get someone to watch Jayden. I’d come there, but it probably wouldn’t be best. But if you accept the ticket and come here, then I will do all I can to show you that I can change.”

“You’ll show me?” She said with a slight snicker. He knew she wasn’t biting, but she wasn’t exactly turning it down, either.

“I will most certainly try my best. That’s all I can say.”

She grew silent for a few moments, and as he did at Rachel’s, Hudson waited. Kristen released a sigh. He couldn’t tell if it was filled with relief, sadness, or both. “I will think about it.”

“How will I know your answer?”

“You’ll when, and if, you see me.” She replied. He went to speak, but before he could, the call was ended.

Feeling slightly rejuvenated, Hudson made his way to his gym and wrestling school. He saw some of his students there. Most of them said hello, while others kept their distance. He figured it was because they knew he wouldn’t be in the best of moods after losing the God of Wrestling tournament. He slipped some earbuds and cranked up some music, before he began to hammer away at the heavy bag. He didn’t take his eyes off it until it got to the point that he could barely throw a punch.

He finally stepped back, letting his earbuds drops, as he took a deep breath. That was when he heard a voice. “I pity the fool.”

He turned to find a rather fit and lean dark-haired female before him. He had seen her a few times in his trainings, and he knew they had spoken a few times, but he couldn’t quite place her name, which Hudson hated, because with the way she looked, she wasn’t someone you’d want to forget.

“You like that, huh?” He said, with a grin before grabbing a bottle of water.

“Like what?”

“Beating the shit out of the heavy bag?”

She grinned. “I don’t think that’s what I liked if I’m being honest.”

“What do you like?”

Her grin remained. “It should be pretty obvious. I’ve waited all night to talk to you. Wanted to make sure we were alone.”

“And why would you want to do that…um….”

“The name’s Erica. Erica Eden. You know you’re blowing it, right?”

He shrugged. “Eden huh? Like the garden?”

“Yeah, maybe. The only difference is that I don’t care to sin. I like temptation.”

He let out a laugh, as he found himself feeling more tempted with each passing moment, as something told him he needed to get to know Erica Eden a lot better. To the point he wouldn’t forget her.

____________________________________________

1994

At the age of 17, Josh Hudson couldn’t believe he had to deal with so much bullshit with his dad. He shook his head as he remembered when his father called, asking him to get him out of jail. He just finished cleaning the kitchen, while his then girlfriend Andrea, got the kids, her two boys, down for bed. Josh sat on the couch in the living room of her home, which rested in a quiet neighborhood near the outskirts of a little town called Morganton, when he looked up to find Andrea standing in the doorway.

“Hey.” She said quietly but with a seductive smirk. He felt my heart pick up the pace, as she sauntered closer. She sat on his lap, and his hands were on her hips as her lips met his.  Quality time was sort of a rarity in the house with two boys keeping them preoccupied from sun up to sundown. Their lips met and shirts were removed, as hands grabbed and rubbed.

And then, the phone rang.

“Who the hell is calling at this hour?” she asked, climbing off him in frustration. He sat, in his own frustration, as she walked over to the kitchen where the phone rested. She tossed it to Josh. “It’s a weird number. Not sure who it is.”

He shrugged as he rolled the phone in his fingers. “I’ll find out.” He stated as he answered the call. An automated message was followed by his father’s voice, and while he felt annoyed and regretted it, he accepted the call. “Hello?”

Once the call ended, Andrea sighed and shook her head as she stood in the kitchen. “I can’t believe you agreed to pick him up.”

“He has no one else.” He replied, repeating his father’s words.

“He could call your mom.”

“We both know that’ll get him nowhere.”

“I just don’t think you need to waste your entire day for him, when he’s the one who got into trouble in the first place.”

He nodded, knowing she was right, but her family was different than Josh’s. She wasn’t exposed to the same things he had been exposed to. Her life seemed to be mainly sunshine and rainbows when it came to her parents, while his was covered in dirt and grime.

“Yeah, I know he did. I’ll never understand why he did what he did for our dad, but he did it.”

“Can’t he call your sister?” she asked. He could tell she didn’t want him to go.

He shook his head as he rose from the couch, the blood flow traveling upwards once again, “That’s not going to happen, either. I’m all he’s got.” He said, thinking if he said it a few more times then he’d actually believe it. “Look, if there was any other way, I’d take it, but we both know I can’t leave him hanging.”

“You’re too damn nice,” she said as he pulled her in close. Being too nice is something he had heard many people say. Those same people, like Andrea, didn’t know all the details of his past. He worked hard to keep it buried.

He knew there was a saying about not being able to keep secrets hidden. He also knew it to be true, which meant he’d have to work even harder.

He felt he had been working for most of his life to do so. Once he felt content with that, Hudson worked hard to scrape together a regular, everyday normal life.

“I know they say nice guys finish last.” He stated, before pressing his lips to her forehead as she stood just a few inches shorter than him. “But, I lucked out with you. You get me.”

“Because I love you, dork.”

Their lips met once again, and again, as he spoke. “Well, since you love me…” He recalled how their lips met once more, “Is there any way that we can finish what we started?”

She smiled, kissing him again before she replied. “Not a chance. I’m not in the mood anymore.”

“I can change that.”

She faked a yawn. “I don’t think so. I’m going to bed. Goodnight.”

She walked away as he cursed his father, for cock blocking him yet again. It was something he had done numerous times since he lost my V-card in high school. As he sat in his pick-up outside Thunder Blues, waiting for his father to emerge, he couldn’t help but laugh. He planned to drop his dad off wherever the fuck the old man planned to go, before going to Andrea’s. She had told him the boys were with their father, so they’d have the house to themselves. The idea seemed nothing short of amazing, as Andrea was great in the sack. Probably the best he had ever had up to that point. She was a little older than him and more experienced. He also had to keep her a secret due to the age difference. She had more of an edge to her as well, something he hoped to pick up on, and have it rub off on him. He didn’t like being nice.

All those thoughts faded however, as soon as he looked up and saw his father stumbling out of the bar. He hesitated for a few moments, figuring the old man was drunk. The truth was revealed when the man people knew as Gary “Red” Hudson stepped into the light coming off a nearby street lamp. His father was battered and bloodied. He held his hands up and Josh could tell two fingers were missing. He watched his father collapse face first into the pavement. He took a few deep breaths, trying to swallow the fear before bolting from his truck, grabbing his father, pulling the old fucker to his feet, before dragging him toward the truck. Josh told himself that whatever trouble his father found himself in could find its way outside to meet them, to ensure they didn’t leave the parking lot.

____________________________________________

2019

There was a knock at his door, causing Hudson to wake up. He had fallen asleep on the living room floor. An empty bottle of whiskey rested beside him. It took him a few moments to get to his feet. When he did, the entire room started to spin, so he had to use the wall in order to make his way to the door. He didn’t even bother to look out the window to see who stood on the other side. Part of him hoped it was going to be someone he had pissed off, like Sienna. Maybe she was going to finally crack and kill someone. He would have been okay if she had chosen him to be her first victim.

That all changed when he opened the door, and there she should. He choked a bit as he locked eyes with her. “Kristen…”

She stood, looking at him for a few moments, before looking down. He could tell she didn’t know what to say or do. And neither did he. She kept her eyes to the ground as she replied. “Yeah. It’s me.”

“Would you like to come in?”

“I’m not really sure what to do, Josh. I guess that would be a start.”

He nodded, before stepping aside and letting her in. He followed her through the hallway corridor before they ended up in the living room. She looked down at the bottle before looking at him. “I guess old habits die hard, don’t they?” She said, bending down and grabbing the bottle from the floor.

“Its been a rough couple of weeks. What can I say?” He asked, giving a slight chuckle that she didn’t seem to buy.”

“Look…Josh…” She began, breaking eye contact once again. She took a deep breath and shook her head, still not looking at him. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. We’re not at that point. Hell…” She gave a shrug. “Who knows if we will get to that point ever again.”

He took a few steps closer and she stepped backward. “It’s alright, Kristen.”

“I don’t know if it really is. I feel so fucking uneasy around you. I didn’t know if I would or not, but being here in front of you…” She scoffed. “It feels like our time together wasn’t real.”

“But it was.” He found himself saying, which surprised Hudson, and he wasn’t sure why. “I promise that it was.” He took another step closer. That time, she didn’t move. Hudson got to where he was just an inch or two away. He felt like he could hear her heartbeat, noticing her chest moving faster.

“You promise?” She asked, letting out a chuckle of her own.

“Yes.” He said, and before he knew it, Hudson reached over and grabbed her. He pulled her close, pressing his lips to hers. She resisted at first, but he didn’t stop and eventually she caved, kissing him back, showing more passion than Andrea, Rachel, or even Bree ever did. He welcomed it, feeding off it, craving it, needing it. That passion erupted on the living room floor, in the bed, then in the shower, before finding its way back to the bed once again.

That was how they spent the first two of three days together. The uneasiness returned here and there, but that passion would return as well, erasing any doubt, at least for the time being.

On the third day, they had breakfast. He said he needed to run by the school for a training session. Kristen gave him a kiss. “Sounds good. Hurry back. Maybe we can shower together.”

“I’d like that.” He said, giving her another kiss, before making his exit from the house, getting into his truck and hitting the main highway. He had gotten a newer truck, adding some modifications to it, such as adding a small arsenal to the twin cab after Jayden had been kidnapped nearly a year ago. He didn’t want to keep making the same mistakes.

He arrived at his school and went inside. He worked out a little bit with the free weights on his own, as his students did their thing. Once they cleared out, he found himself standing in the middle of his ring, looking across it at Erica Eden, telling himself to focus on training and not the way her gear squeezed her in all the right places.

“Alright.” He began. “Time to learn some chain wrestling. Technical wrestling is a lost art. There seems to be no passion for it.”

“You don’t have to worry about me then. I have nothing but passion. For wrestling.” Erica said, stepping forward. “Among other things.” She said, looking him up and down, before looking deep into his eyes. He quickly grabbed her and tossed her to the mat, locking in a side headlock, telling her to fight her way out. She struggled at first, but Erica continued to fight, something he admired, something he couldn’t help but enjoy. She managed to finally break the hold, and they both got to their feet, before tying up again. He breathed in her scent, watching as sweat began to form and slowly drip off her body. Hudson wanted to taste her, but instead, he transitioned behind her, locking his arms around her waist. He felt as she pushed her ass into him and looked over her shoulder at him as she gave him a grin, letting him know it was fully intentional. “Is that the best you got?”

He spun her around, and their lips met. Wrestling gear was removed from their bodies and tossed to the mat, where their bodies became intertwined. Hudson knew what he was doing was wrong, but he couldn’t ignore how right it felt. As he thrusted into Erica, he told himself that he should have seen this coming. That he should have known Kristen was too good for him, that the entire idea of them being together was too good to be true. That she satisfied a need, and cured his loneliness, but it wasn’t real. That was why when he heard her…”Josh…” And he looked up, he felt nothing, just a tiny hint of shame that Kristen had caught him. He looked down at Erica who smirked and shrugged, before Hudson pulled himself out of her and got to his feet, just in time to watch Kristen storm out of the gym.

“Should I wait here?” Erica asked, placing her hands behind her head to provide a bit of cushion as she seemed relaxed despite the situation.

“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”

“Oh.” She said with a nod. “Well, I will go grab a shower. I’ll make sure it’s a long one. Maybe you can join me after you finish breaking her heart.”

“You think that’s what I’m going to do?”

She climbed to her feet. “Looks like you’re already there. You’ve crossed a line you can’t come back from. No need to even try.”

He said nothing else as he got dressed and made his way outside. Kristen was parked in the car she had left at his house months prior before their trip to Morganton, beside his truck, as she sat in the driver’s side, hands on the steering wheel. She planned to drive back to North Carolina as he recalled, saying it would give her time to really think about things, depending on how their time together went. “Kristen…” He managed to say, knowing there wasn’t anything to really think about.

“Fuck you.” She said, not making eye contact, as she stared straight ahead. He went to speak, but she cut him off. “I cannot fucking believe I came to see you. I should have known…” She groaned, appearing to be fighting back tears, as she continued. “I should have known you weren’t real. I should have known that everything you had to say was bullshit.”

“Can I say something?” He asked, and she finally looked at him. Her eyes told him that he really had some fucking balls to ask such a question.

He went to speak but she cut him off. “Whatever the hell it is that you have to say, Josh…fucking save it. I don’t give a damn anymore. Do not contact me. Jayden and I are going to fine without you. Just as we were fine before you decided to call me a few weeks ago.”

He looked down, letting out a sigh. She put the car in drive, before pressing on the brake as they locked eyes. “I do want to ask you something. I don’t want your answer, because God knows that there is no truth to it. But I want to know…what happened to you to make you such a bastard?”

Without thinking, Hudson went to reply but Kristen peeled out of the parking lot. He watched her leave, before standing there in silence for a few moments. He finally returned inside, going into the locker room showers, joining Erica, knowing there was nothing else left for him to do.

He couldn’t help but repeat Kristen’s question over and over in his mind.

What happened to you to make you such a bastard?

____________________________________________

1994

Josh Hudson drove around, recalling the events of earlier in the night. He got his father to the hospital, despite the old man’s protests. Josh didn’t know what to do. He just knew he had to take care of his dad, no matter what. He couldn’t help that he had a lot of his mother in him, that protective and nurturing side.

“Get me the fuck out of here!” “Red” shouted as Josh brought his truck into the emergency room entrance area. He got out of the truck, grabbing a wheelchair, before returning to the truck and opening the passenger side door. His father lashed out at him, but only connected with the ground as Josh stepped out of the way.

“You dumb bastard!” he shouted before grabbing his father and wrestling him into the chair. He wheeled him inside as anyone and everyone looked at them, gawking. He could just since their words, as his father had quite the reputation all over the state of NC. A reputation that started in Morganton. Josh got his father checked in, giving as little detail as possible in regards to what happened that left “Red” in the state he was in. He then sat beside his father, who was trying to avoid anyone and everyone as they sat in the waiting room. “They’re going to see you soon, they said. They can tell you’re a higher risk than the rest of these fuckers in here.”

“I can’t fucking believe you brought me here.” His father growled. “I don’t need to be here. You don’t know what kind of shit you’re stirring up, boy.”

“I don’t fucking care, Dad. Look at yourself.” He hissed, pointing at various injuries. “You didn’t need to be at Thunder Blues, dealing with Randall’s sorry ass. But you fucking went there anyway. Why? I don’t know. I guess I’m not the only one stirring up shit, am I?”

“If you give any shit about me son…” His father began before coughing up whatever sickness was trying to make its way out. “You will get me out of here.”

“I do care about you.” Josh said. “I don’t know how much, but I care enough to not let you leave here. They can take care of you, and right now by the looks of shit.” He said, looking his father up and down. “You need all the goddamn help you can get.”

“You are just like your fucking mother. Always soft.”

“My mother has nothing to do with this. I’m trying to help you.”

“She has everything to do with it. She’s done nothing but nurture you. Any time I was ever hard on you, she was there to patch up your wounds. It was pathetic. Just like you’re being right now.” His father hissed, the anguish on his face mixing with disdain.

“I’m doing this because you need it. I’m doing this so your sorry ass doesn’t fucking die, dad! I’m sorry that’s not good enough for you, but it is what it is.” He fired back, trying to keep his voice down to not bring anymore unwanted attention to them.

“Like I said…you’re goddamn weak and pathetic.”

Josh turned away, biting his tongue and any tears that he felt trying to escape his eyes. He was pissed and sad at his father’s words. The man had never given him anything positive. Even when he trained him for wrestling, he was always negative, burying him with insult after insult. He said he did as a way of tough love, to push him to be better, but even when he felt he was better, his father was there to shut that shit down.

Before he knew it, he found himself asking his father a question. As soon as it fell from his mouth, Josh wished he hadn’t. “What can I do to prove to you that I’m neither of those things?”

His father looked at him and went to answer, but they were called to the back. Josh went with his father and sat there as he fed the hospital staff lines of bullshit to ease their worried minds. It seemed to work, but neither of them were sure. They were eventually led to a room, where his father was placed onto a bed and hooked up to different tubes.

Once staff cleared, they sat in silence for quite awhile. Josh hoped his father had forgotten his question. The old man spoke however, letting him know nothing had been forgotten.

“You want to know what you can do to prove you’re not fucking weak or pathetic?”
He swallowed before facing his father. “What?”

“You see…” his father began. “I’m tired, son. I’m just so goddamn tired. Had I not been that way, this…” He paused to point out his injuries before he continued. “None of this shit would have fucking happened.”

“But it did.”

His father nodded. “It did, and that is where you can prove something to me. Hell not just to me, but to yourself.”

“And what would I be proving?”

His father grinned. “I don’t believe it will happen, but you can prove that you’re not weak or pathetic. You can prove that you have some of my cold-blooded nature in you, even if its just a fucking little. That could help your standing in my eyes.”

He could tell where his father’s mind was going, and it scared him, but that didn’t stop him from asking another question. “What do I need to do?”

His father said it was simple. He went to his grandparents’ shed, grabbing one of the old gas cans that never really got used. He went to one of the few gas stations that would still be open into the wee hours of the night, before filling the can up. He tossed it in the back of his truck and continued to drive through the night, repeating his father’s instruction over and over in his mind, before he eventually found himself parking behind Thunder Blues, far enough away that his truck wasn’t visible, being swallowed by the darkness the night offered.

As he sat there, he remembered the phone conversation he had with Andrea after he left the hospital. “He wants you to do what?” She asked. He could sense the fear in her voice. She knew nothing of what he had to do when he was much younger. “You know that is insane, right?” He said nothing. “Right?” She asked, the sound of her voice heightened.

“I don’t know what it is.” He managed to say, despite knowing exactly what it was that he was being asked. He knew exactly what his father requested. The only thing he couldn’t quite put his finger on was why he was doing it.

“Yes, you do! Yes you do, Josh!” Andrea shouted into the phone. He heard her sniffling, which told him she was crying. “You don’t have to do this. You don’t owe that bastard anything. You know that. Fuck…” She exhaled deeply after drawing in a deep breath twice as fast. “I know that you know that. In your heart of hearts.”

“In my heart of hearts…” He said, as if he was questioning the entire concept.

“Yes.” She replied. “I know you have a good heart, Josh. I know you do. You’ve been nothing but amazing to me and my boys.” He pictured her kids, and the good times he had had with them. Running through the halls of her house, screaming and yelling as they played. That translated to outside as well. He didn’t want them to be like kids their age who were turning more to staying inside playing video games. He wanted them to explore the great outdoors, just as he had to.

“And you know that for sure?” He asked as if he was trying to believe her. He wanted to, but given the direction he was headed, he couldn’t help but question it.

She grew silent. He called her name. He listened as she took another deep breath. He figured she was starting to question things as well. Josh knew she had good reason to. They both did. “You’re really starting to scare me.” She finally said.

“I’m scared myself. My father said fear is a strong emotion. He also said it’s better to be the one who is feared, instead of the fearful.” He said, as he recalled memories from his past.

“When did he say that?”

He sighed. “He had taken me hunting. We weren’t looking for deer. We were looking for wild pigs. We had set a trap, before getting up into our deer stand, where we waited. Every time I wanted to talk, my father would smack me in the back of the head. He said less talking can get into the mind of your enemy, or your prey. They won’t know what to expect. And when I wanted to cry, I forced myself to suck it up. My father never did anything half-assed, and that included hitting me.”

He continued. “I can’t remember how long it took, but we waited for quite some time. I was just chilled out and laid back telling myself we wouldn’t catch anything. That all changed when my ears were filled with the most awful sound I believe I have ever heard.” He remembered pausing from his story, as the sound began to ring in his ears.

“We caught a pig. That thing squealed as loud as it could, crying out. I remember how excited my father got as he bolted from the stand. I followed, moving a little slower until he threatened to beat my ass all through the woods. I took off after him, and there I stood next to him. We watched the pig thrash around, trying to find an escape, but being unable to do so.”

He released a deep breath as he relived the memory. “My father handed me a knife, but I was too afraid to take it. I told him I was afraid. He gave me a back-hand, knocking me on my ass. He asked me if I was going to be afraid the rest of my life. I told him I didn’t want to, even though I was still scared shitless. That was when I took the knife, as he uttered those words to me…those words that prompted me to tell you this, babe…”

“Please don’t call me that right now.” She said, sniffling more as he could hear her crying harder, while trying to muffle it while covering her mouth.

He spoke once again, “I held that knife and I took a step closer. The pig had stopped thrashing. It just stood there, looking at me out of the corner of its eye. I watched its body move as it breathed rapidly. It was like it knew what was coming. Like it was just hoping it wouldn’t happen, but it did.” He sighed. “My father told me where to drive the blade, and I did. I stuck the pig over and over. It cried out, so I kept sticking it as if I was trying to drown out its cries in my head. I kept going until there was no longer any life in that pig. My father told me that I held control over that pig and it knew it. He said controlling fear allowed us to control any situation.”

Silence fell between them. He didn’t know what else to say. He knew if she hadn’t been scared of him before, she surely was by the end of his tale. “Andrea?” He finally asked, and listened as another heavy breath escaped her lungs.

“I don’t know what to say, Josh.”

He nodded. “You don’t have to say anything. You can forget everything I said. You don’t need to worry yourself. I will come over tomorrow…”

She cut him off before he could finish his statement. “No…no. If you do what your father asks you…there will be no need for you to come over. And not just tomorrow. I’m talking ever again, Josh. You won’t get to see me or my boys ever again.”

“Andrea…”

She cut him off again. “I’m being fucking serious, Josh. Your father is a goddamn monster. I know everything you’ve told me, and I refuse to be around you, or allow my children around you, if you start to go down the same path as him.”

“I’m not him.”

“If you do this, then you might as well be him.” She said, and he could feel the coldness in her voice. He knew he probably needed to feel it. “If you do this, you will never get out of this town. You wanted to get us out of here, remember?”

“You don’t think I can get out of here?”

“You’ll be tied to this place forever.”

He went to speak, but said nothing. Silence fell between them once again, until she sniffled as she exhaled. “I guess I will know your answer soon enough. Won’t I?”

“You don’t have to end things.”

“If you do this, then I won’t have a choice.” She said, before ending the call. He tried to tell himself, everything was going to be alright, as he continued on the mission he had been sent to do.

He repeated his father’s words some more, before he looked over at the gas can. He opened the driver’s side door, and stepped outside, his eyes on the bar.

What happened next played out into his dreams, causing them to become nightmares. His mind and body could only handle but so many, as Josh Hudson finally woke up, finding himself inside his father’s hospital room. The old man was awake. His face had been clean of blood, but it was still bruised. His hands were bandaged. Josh noticed the TV was on.

There was a news report about a bar that had caught fire the night before. The reporter stated several were injured, with the owner being in critical condition, and had to be air lifted to Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina. The news report ended, and his father turned the television off. They looked at one another, locking eyes. He noticed his father’s smile, something he never really saw, unless the old man was in the process of making others miserable in some way, shape, or form.

“You did good son. You did really good.” His father said, before resting his head against his pillow, and closing his eyes.

Josh stared at his father, his brain trying to conjure up memories of any time in their past where his father uttered such words, but as it had been the night before, there was nothing there. He continued to look at his father before whispering to him. “Thank you.”

He said, knowing his father more than likely didn’t hear him.

All he knew was that his father was proud of him. He felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. That he was no longer filled with fear. He had conquered fear the night before. All he felt was relief. Even a sense of power. He wanted to maintain hold of that power. He wanted to feed off the fear of others, because it made that sense of power stronger. He chuckled to himself, telling himself that he had always wanted to know what that felt like. And now that he knew, he never wanted to forget it. That he couldn’t forget it. He promised himself that he wouldn’t.

He lost track of time thinking about this, before he finally rose to his feet, leaving his father, knowing he’d never be the same again. Josh Hudson told himself that whatever he felt, he owed it to his father. His father was the one person who wanted to see him reach his full potential after all.

As he made his way through the hospital hallways, his phone rang. “Hello?”

“I know your answer.” It was Andrea.

“I did what I was asked to do.”

“And I had asked you not to. I guess I can see where your loyalty lies.” She said, and it sounded as if she hadn’t slept a wink due to crying all night.

He stepped into the waiting room, feeling it would be best for no one to hear their conversation, especially with everything on the news. “I did it for my father. Do you not get that? If you could have seen the way he looked after what they did to him…” He exhaled, and shook his head, remembering how “Red” looked when he stumbled out of the bar. “I have no doubt in my fucking mind…” He felt his body want to pause as he grew frustrated with her, but that didn’t stop the words. “I have no doubt in my mind that you would have done the same exact thing.”

“No. I wouldn’t have. I have responsibilities. Responsibilities that I thought you wanted to share with me.”

“You’re the one kicking me out.”

“If you honestly think we could go back to things being normal after this, then you really are a fucking monster. Just like your father.”

He drew in a deep breath. “Maybe I am.”

“I don’t think there is a maybe to it.”

The call ended before he could say anything else. He looked at his phone, ignoring the part of him that wanted to call her back. He repeated his own thoughts about his father to himself, how the old man wanted to see him succeed and to reach his full potential. The man had raised him to be a bastard, and if anything was going to save him in this fucked up world, that was going to be it.

____________________________________________

Promo

Josh Hudson could be seen sitting. His head and face filled the entire camera’s view. Slow and slightly eerie music began to play. Hudson took a deep breath as he looked down away from the camera. As the breath exited his lungs, he looked up and began to speak. “I’ve made very little noise in the few months. I’ve come on Twitter here and there. I’ve stirred up some shit. I made it to the finals of the God of Wrestling tournament. I even challenged Blake Mason to a match that will probably not happen. Why? Because at the end of the day, I love this sport. I love this business. I’m good at many, many things but wrestling, I feel I am the greatest. Blake on the other hand, I question his heart most of the time. Just as I question the heart of the SCW more and more these days.” Hudson stated, before slowly shaking his head.

He took another deep breath, before giving a shrug as he continued. “Now, I know what you’re thinking. Who am I to say anything about the heart of SCW? It is the premiere wrestling promotion in this industry. It is the greatest of all time when it comes to this business. Yes, it has been around a long, long time. A lot longer than most. I’ve been with the SCW through the good, and the bad. I’ve been with it at its peaks, as well as when it has found itself in the lowest of valleys, walking towards a potential death. Oh yes, the SCW has almost closed quite a bit in my time. The old gimp wanted to pull the plug so many times, but he never did.”

“He had heart. Just as the SCW had heart. But now, you can tell that heart beat is slowly dying. Things just aren’t the same. There is no competition. The idea that anyone can beat anyone…you might as well as chalk that up to nonexistent like the ratings. I mean, I get it. It is because the SCW doesn’t have any competition anymore in terms of the product. EMERGE really isn’t shit. Its just bad. When I was in my heyday, the SCW was filled with individuals who you could tell apart. It was also filled with individuals who were all ready to step up. You had a few stragglers, but like I said, it was a few. Everyone was hungry, ready to go out to the ring, and tear any house the fuck down.” Clips played, showcasing various matches throughout the many eras of SCW. Matches such as Cid Turner vs. Greg Cherry, Jason Zero vs. Chad Evans, Chad Evans vs. Damian Angel, Josh Hudson vs. Thorn, David Helms, and even Jake Starr. The clips ended, returning its focus on Hudson, as he continued to speak.

“The SCW has lost sight of what made it great. The spirit of competition. Wrestling. The key ingredients that the SCW has done nothing but flush down the fucking toilet over the last damn near decade. The company doesn’t know what to do with itself. It truly doesn’t. It is an overstuffed and overcrowded ship that is starting to sink. It came into contact with a force much more powerful than it could ever be, and that is known as time.” There was a quick break away from Hudson, as the image of a clock appeared in the camera’s view. The view returned to Hudson once again.

“Time hasn’t been kind to SCW. The company, and those in charge, got comfortable and content with the lack of competition. They signed anyone and everyone. Half its roster is filled with people who share the same personality traits. Very few on the roster, are able to stand up and stand out on their own. The SCW has gotten to the point where it only really pushes one or two certain superstars at the expense of others. Those who are trying to lead the charge simply do not know what to do with the talent it has. I mean, the SCW should start cutting people like Max Kane who can’t even bother to find a fucking video camera to cut a goddamn promo. That little arrogant waste of space shouldn’t even be allowed near a wrestling company until he actually shows he gives a shit.”

“Christy Matthews and Rayvn Taylor should have been dropped awhile back. They were booked in championship matches despite not cutting promos, or winning matches for I don’t know how fucking long. Hell, Syren went through a period where she was in the same boat as those two. What was the point in keeping them around? Because they can still go in the ring? So fucking what? The SCW clearly has a hoarding problem.” Hudson shook his head as he chuckled slightly, as he couldn’t believe what the SCW had allowed itself to become. He took another deep breath, shrugging his shoulders yet again, before he continued.

“Shit like that has really killed the product the SCW gives its fan base. I mean, you can tell the interest isn’t there like it used to be. Maybe its because the old man stepped away. Maybe its because his idiotic daughter is in way over her head. Hell, maybe Katya should have been in charge. Or even the Wonderland when that shit was a thing.”

“Either way, I have watched since I’ve stepped away as a full time competitor, the greatest company, the company I’ve called home since 2003, step forward closer to its inevitable death, and as the last remnant of a time when things were amazing with the SCW, when things were on the constant uphill swing, I feel it is my duty to do what is necessary to preserve the survival, not of the SCW, but of the wrestling industry as a whole, and that is to pull the fucking plug on this company that is scraping by on life support.” Hudson’s demeanor changed slightly. It could be seen he was growing more and more agitated as the words continued to flow.

“That is why I am going to enter the Open Battle Royal at the End of the Year Special. That is why I am going to compete for the SCW World Championship. I’m not worried about adding another championship win to my resume. No, I am concerned with winning the SCW World Championship for another reason.”

“Because when if I win the World Championship, I am leaving the SCW. I am not going to stick around and be part of things as the ship sinks. No, I’m better than that. No, I will take the SCW World Championship home with me, and it will rest on my desk as I finish any necessary paperwork as I move forward in bringing the wrestling industry another promotion. A promotion that will help break the industry out of its funk.”

“I’m talking about IronFist Wrestling.” A photo of Hudson standing with members of what would become the IFW roster was shown.

“Yes, I am going to take control of this industry once again, but in a completely different way. You see, fuck having an overcrowded and overstuffed roster. I will have no issue with cutting where I need to. Can’t show up to cut a promo? Can’t be bothered to do so? Fuck you. You’re fired. Want to come out and bitch like Sienna Swann despite being given opportunity after opportunity…despite having the spotlight provided by TV on you week after week? I’m not putting up with that bullshit. You’re done as well.” Hudson paused for a few moments, playing a scenario out in his head. He grinned at the thought of striking Sienna. His mind wanted to conjure up further thoughts of the beating he’d love to dish out, but he exhaled deeply, returning his mind to the task at hand.

“And winning the SCW World Championship will be the perfect precursor to the SCW’s much needed death. It pains me to say that, but the truth fucking hurts as they say. I will bring that Championship to the first IFW show, and I will declare the SCW dead even if they decide to hand Sienna another title, claiming it as the new World title. It will be a lie, and the fans will see that. The same fans who are sick of dealing with Sienna, and the rest of her carbon copies.”

“I know you’re still sore at me Sienna because I made it seem like you couldn’t wrestle a match. I said you had never truly been tested in the ring. I still stand by that. I pushed you. You can deny it all you want, but I could give a shit less. I’d feel your opinion held value if you didn’t have an army of yes men signing your praises on a never-ending basis. I had issue with you skipping out on a pay per view while you held the SCW World Championship to go do a modeling show.”

“The SCW cemented itself as a laughingstock when it allowed something like that to happen. It showed that it didn’t give a shit about this industry. Just as it showed it didn’t hold the title you’ve been gifted thanks to outside interference twice now, in high regard. The fact that it has allowed such a thing to occur to the SCW World Championship, a title the Drachewych family used to give a shit about, a title this industry saw as the end all, be all…is nothing short of a goddamn travesty. And it is a slap in the face of those who competed for that title and made it what it used to be.” Clips filled the screen once more, showing champions such as CHBK, Steve Griffin, Chad Evans, Brian Kinney, Lethal Weapon, Hudson, and even Xander Valentine. Those names and faces were replaced by people like Matt Hodges, James Exeter, Shawn Winters, Jake Starr, and David Helms, before returning back to Hudson, as he continued.

“You know, deep down in that soul of bullshit of yours, that I speak the truth Sienna. Just as you know I spoke the truth that I said I’d run you the fuck over. I wasn’t being some keyboard warrior. I’m not under contract with the SCW. I can say whatever the hell I want. I’d hit you with a vehicle and do all I could to make sure it looked like an accident. I wouldn’t do it to end your life. Just your career. And you can say I just got myself in trouble, but the probability of us ever truly finding ourselves in such a situation is highly unlikely. I will settle for running you down this week as you are being forced, unlike what happened last year, to defend the SCW World Championship.”

“God, I would not put up with your shit in IFW. You would be gone at the first complaint. If you were to step up to me like you did Sasha, calling me a liar…I would have no issue in dropping you where you stood. I’d have you escorted from the building before I wiped my ass with your contract. I’m not here to create drama in an attempt to boost interest and ratings. No, I am here, as I have always been here, as the Drachewych family used to be here and stand for, pure professional wrestling.” Hudson shouted, as he glared into the camera. He took another deep breath, to calm himself.

“Now, it has become nothing more than a publicly traded company that has to cater to certain audiences, not really caring about those who give a damn about all this. About all that I helped build. All that I have helped to keep alive.”

“Pure professional wrestling. This sport, and not the entertainment aspect of it. That is where you come in, Sienna. You’re all about the glitz and the glamour. You have all the talent in the world, yet you spit in the face of the legends who paved the way for you. Who gave you a fucking platform to perform on. And that is why you don’t deserve the SCW World Championship. If you showed you were more than drama, that you were a true top talent, then I would probably care more about your well-being. I would want you to succeed.” He spoke calmly, his words coming off as eerie as the music in the background.

He sighed and shook his head. “But I could honestly care less if you ever wrestle again. I wouldn’t bat an eye if I was able to grab ahold of him, lock you in a submission, applying as much pressure as possible under there was a crack or crunch in your neck. I wouldn’t bat an eye if I broke your neck, Sienna. That is what I am going to aim to do in a few days.”

“When that bell rings, I am gunning for you. You represent all that I hate and have hated in this business for as long as I can remember. You, like the SCW, needs to be punished for the disrespect being hurtled towards those who give a damn about this industry. You, like the SCW, need to be ended on live television, for the entire world to see. You, like the SCW, need to die out and fade away, because you have done nothing but destroy. The SCW has allowed itself to be overrun by a never-ending stream of nonsensical dramatic bullshit, and in doing so, it dug its own fucking grave.”

“I am here with the shovel to do the work that needs to be done. I’m not doing it for God or the Devil. I am not doing it for the True Believers. I am doing it for the betterment of the SCW. I am doing it for the people you insult with your mere presence, Sienna.”

“At the End of the Year Special, I intend to bury the SCW. I intend to close the coffin on a company that has become a shell of its former self. I intend to close the coffin on you, Sienna Swann and your Championship reign.”

“And by winning the SCW World Championship and taking it home with me to the IFW, I will drive that final nail in, not only because I need to, but because I was fucking destined to be the one who killed the SCW, giving it the end, it may not have deserved, but that it needed.”

“Chris can drive you to the hospital in the new car I won’t want or need. He can use the money I won’t want or need to cover any medical expenses you will need after I cause you to suffer like you’ve never suffered before, all while the wrestling world rejoices, as a chapter is closed on a company that lived through the golden age before allowing itself to limp on in purgatory. As a new chapter begins, as this industry can breathe a little easier despite being clutched with an iron fist.” Hudson smiled, breathing a sigh of relief, as his diatribe ended. He leaned back, away from the camera, maintaining his smile, as everything slowly faded to black.