Given the situation, I was ready to die. Nothing to come home to, nothing to look forward to. I just fought, for my life if nothing else. I’d all but given up completely. Yet she sat by me, when I looked up at her, smiling back at me, it was only then I decided to fight. I never did lose consciousness. She held my hand, and that was enough…. But that was then.

William Stone lies bare chest on a bed, white sheets cover his lower body. He rests his left arm behind his head, as he stares up in the dark. Laurie lies in an almost identical position. She reaches down to pull the white sheets up to cover her cold naked body. She lies at the extreme edge of the bed, an expression of fear strike her as she stares upward, resting his forearm over her chest to prevent the sheets from slipping away from her.

Stone V.O.
But this is now, right? I’m not even sure there’s anything left to save, I don’t wish to die, but I’ve no desire to live. The empty shell left behind by the vacation of my soul, carries only rage and despair. I look at her now, I see Laurie. No longer my saviour, just Laurie… I wish her out of my life, for her safety. I don’t know how much longer I can control myself around her. The sickness rises in me every day, searing my hate to boiling point. I feel nothing, I have nothing, I am nothing. I am without pain, yet I live. I am without heart, yet I live. I am dead, but I keep breathing.

Headlights from cars pass by the window, lighting up the interior for a matter of seconds, the circular pattern raised from the walls, white washed in suburban clarity. A sliding mirrored wardrobe reflects images of Laurie and William back toward them, they go unseen by unseeing eyes. The carpet even in the light appears grey in the shadows. And a E-Machines 370 Personal Computer sits idle on a desk top to one side of the room, scattered with empty Coca Cola and Dr Pepper Bottles, an Ash Tray that heaps with ash and cigarette buts. Empty Regal King-size Cigarette Packs are piled to one side of the monitor, while unopened packs sit readily to the other side. And one open pack by the ash tray, a black Zippo Lighter rests on top of the Pack, in Gold Letters the words “From The Ashes” are scripted into the black casing of the lighter.

Laurie’s hair is splayed over the pillow in all it’s length and beauty, her angelic face corrupted by fear and melancholy. Her dazzling green eyes remain open as she stares somewhat stereotypically of William Stone, into the nothingness.

Stone V.O.
She hasn’t spoke a word to me since that night, I left Quenten Barnes in the hole he dug for himself. My revenge on Tre Crawford will not be shared, it will be my own. I step into that ring with his destruction on my mind, in my decaying heart. Quenten and I share an enemy, nothing more, this wont unite us. My compassion for this world is gone, my hatred for it grows with every breath I take, it’s people are lost to me now.

Laurie fidgets for a moment.

Stone V.O.
I once thought to myself, if the end of the world meant ending the suffering of the people on this planet, I’d gladly welcome it.

Stone casts a glance at Laurie.

Stone V.O.
No longer, I’d do everything I could to prevent that end, to watch the mindless animals I share this existence with squirm, starve and bleed.

Laurie finally settles down, resting still on her back, her startling green eyes open wide and focused on the ceiling, she lies silently as thoughts rattle through her mind.

Laurie V.O.
I’m leaving tomorrow, I wont come back. William is lost to me now. He’s not the man I thought he was, the man I’ve loved for this long. I don’t even know that man. My William is not a coward, my William does not leave the man who saved him to face two of his adversaries alone. It’s over now.

Both close their eyes at that point, William rolls onto his side, looking away from Laurie who remains on her back, her legs cross under the sheets. No sooner than William closes his eyes, they snap back open, he looks around as he stands at the top of the ramp in the Adelphia Coliseum, of Nashville, kitted in the usual PPW set up, the PurePainTron showing the usual images associated with the arrival of William Stone to the ring. And Disturbed’s Down With the Sickness blares over the PA system. After a few seconds he regains his orientation after a moment, then heads down the ramp toward the ring.

Tre Crawford stands in the center of the ring pulling faces and taunting Stone like a child in pre-school. Calling him names, sticking out his tongue out, blowing raspberries and putting his thumb on his nose and wiggling his fingers the way kids do. Stone fumes and runs down to the ring full pelt, sliding in as Tre slips out the opposite side of the ring. Still Stone follows around the ring, and up the ramp. The PPW kitted arena remains quiet but for the running footsteps echoing around the empty arena. Stone chases Tre through the locker room area, and into the… Brixton Back Alley?

As Stone rounds a corner, he’s confronted with not Tre, but a thug of Latin Origin, He holds up a gun to Stones chest, and pulls the trigger before Stone has the chance to react. His eyes shut as he falls backwards, and snap open again as his back hits his bed.

Suddenly awake he looks around, day light shines in through the window of his bed room, sun light shines in rays, like a spot light from the skies lighting up Laurie who stands by her cupboard, her pink underwear revealing enough to make him stare at her beautiful form. He knows she’s leaving but he doesn’t speak out, he watches her slip her clothes into her a black bag set on the pale blue carpet, once the bag is full she pulls a blue t shirt over her head and picks a pair of khaki combats from the floor. Laurie looks down at William who stares back at her, his face full of subtle sorrow, she frowns before turning away from him, hiding her tears. Then steps out of the door and walks away from his life.

He bites his lip and rolls onto his back. He closes his eyes, protecting them from the burning light of the sun. He drifts back to sleep.

He wakes up in a room he doesn’t recognize, lit like light trying to shine through cloth, he spins around, his arms knock bells suspended from the ceiling, his feet sound like knocking at a door with each step. He spins faster and faster the knocking getting louder, the bell ringing becoming more frequent before…

He wakes up once more in his bed, the knocking and bells continue, but their origin now more clear, his front door. He gets up slowly and pulls on a pair of jeans before heading toward the door, by now who ever is out there has started trying to knock the door down. Stone laughs before opening the front door, as he does Johnny Dinucci flies through the door, and crashes to the floor. Stone looks at Dinucci for a few seconds before bursting out with laughter. He turns around and walks down past the white walls of his home, heading toward the kitchen.

Stone
You’re a very graceful man, anybody ever tell you that?

Dinucci smirks as he gets to his feet, swiping his hands down his suit straightening it out.

Dinucci
We’re supposed to be on a plane in less than an hour Will.

Stone opens his fridge and pulls out a glass coke bottle, and twists off the cap. He takes a drink and walks out of Dinucci’s sight for a few minutes, when he comes back, he has a white shirt with black letters across the front saying “Cock Lunch?” and his leather coat on, he finishes off his coke and takes a pack of cigarettes from his Coat as he walks toward Dinucci and out of the door. Dinucci follows him.

1 hour later.

A distant looking blonde sits in her blue chair, her hair bright contrasting against the dirty white walls. She’s pretty, but seems unaware of… well anything other than the fact she’s pretty. She looks around smiling as John Dinucci and William Stone walk down into the first class area of this Boeing 747 Checking their tickets and looking at the seat numbers attempting to figure out where their seats are. As they meander down the isle they come to a stop by the blonde. They stand over her while Dinucci checks the seat number, she looks up at William who flashes a boyish grin.

Dinucci
Sweet Heart, I think you’re in my seat.

The girl looks around.

Distant Blonde
I don’t know, but I paid a lot of money for this flight and this was the only good seat left.

Stone shakes his head and turns away. The girl shows her ticket to JD.

Dinucci
Yeah, you’re in coach babe.

The girl pouts and looks around.

Distant Blonde
But I paid so much, and I’m only headed to Tennessee.

Dinucci raises his hand to his forehead in frustration. Stone nudges him out of the way, and leans in close to the pretty blonde.

Stone
What’s your name luv?

Distant Blonde
Christina.

She says softly to William who’s grin seems to make her soft.

Stone
Christina, you say you’re headed to Tennessee?

She nods

Stone
Oh, you see First Class isn’t headed to Tennessee babe.

She looks around Stone to Dinucci, who nods solemnly, hiding his amusement. Looking disappointed she gets up and wonders away, stopping to thank William for his help. They sit down sharing a moment of laughter. They talk strategy quietly for the upcoming battle at Mutilation.