- A Man With No Existence -
- Changes -
Part Three
-[ Zo� nods with approval and The Butcher lets her go. He takes the wad of cash and puts it back in his jacket to keep it safe. He and Zo� stand up from the table, leave their left over food, and walk to the counter to pay the bill. Zo� plays because she insisted and The Butcher knows better than to argue with a woman, especially if she�s willing to pay for something. They leave the restaurant and walk across the street to the apartment complex where Ricardo runs his escort service out of his apartment. Zo� reaches into her purse and pulls out the keys for the front door and leads The Butcher into the building. The Butcher notices the place is busy for an apartment building as Zo� leads him to the 4th Floor. Kids are playing ball in the middle of the hallway. Someone is playing rap music very loudly out of their apartment. There�s even a drug deal or two happening in the halls. Finally, they reach apartment number 411. Zo� turns to him before she reaches for the doorknob. ]-
Zo�: Are you sure you really want to do this? He�s going to be pissed off at you and probably have you killed.
The Butcher: Doesn�t matter to me. I�m already dead to the world.
Zo�: Suite yourself.
-[ She opens the unlocked door and they walk in. The place smell of smut and sex, with the occasional hint of a marijuana odor in the air. There is loud rap music being played in the background, and as they walk through the apartment, it gets louder. The apartment does not appear to be a place where a normal person would live; it appears to be more of a hang out place for Ricardo and his friends as well as a place of business. As they walk by the bed room, you can see two women getting screwed by a man in bed. The Butcher rolls his eyes, closes the door, and keeps on following. They walk into the living room, where the source of the rap music is coming from, and find Ricardo sitting in a comfortable zebra colored futon listening to the john complain to him over the music. On the other side of the room, one of Ricardo�s friends is receiving a blow job without a care in the world. As Zo� and The Butcher walk in, Ricardo remains seated but the john starts jumping up and down pointing at The Butcher. ]-
John: That�s the guy! That�s the guy!
Ricardo: Shut up!
-[ Ricardo reaches for the remote control to his stereo system and turns down the music. The john is clenching his fists and is showing his anger towards The Butcher but The Butcher remains calm. Ricardo fingers Zo� over towards him and she obeys. ]-
Ricardo: Where�s my cut, Zo�?
-[ Zo� reaches into her purse to pull out the money she was paid earlier by the john. ]-
The Butcher: Don�t pay him.
Ricardo: Excuse me. Who the fuck do you think you are? I�m doing business here.
-[ Ricardo grabs Zo� by the hair, takes his money from her hand, and brings her closer to him so he can shove his tongue down her throat. ]-
The Butcher: Let her go.
-[ Ricardo doesn�t listen and starts to bring his free hand up Zo�s skirt while he kisses her, just to piss off The Butcher and show him who is in control. Zo� fights back, but Ricardo lets her go because he got what he wanted. He then shoves her to the floor. As Zo� moves towards The Butcher, Ricardo sticks his index and middle fingers, from the hand that went up her skirt, into his mouth and slowly tastes them. The Butcher helps Zo� to her feet. ]-
The Butcher: You all right?
Zo�: I think so.
-[ Ricardo looks at the john. ]-
Ricardo: So this is the chrome magnum mother fucker that threatened your life?
John: Damn right it is. I didn�t finish with that slut, so what ya gonna do about it?
-[ Ricardo looks at The Butcher. ]-
Ricardo: Who are you, homey? Her brother? Hired protection?
The Butcher: No, just someone who frowns upon scum like you and him who beat women, rape them, and in his case, attempt to kill them.
-[ Ricardo looks at the john again with an angry face. ]-
Ricardo: You tryin� to kill one of my finest pieces of ass so she doesn�t get paid? I don�t like that. Then I don�t get paid.
John: No! He�s lying!
Ricardo: You betta hope he is for your sake. Zo�, go into my bedroom and get undressed. I�ll be with yous in a minute.
The Butcher: She isn�t going to do that.
Ricardo: What you talkin� about bro? I own that fine piece of ass and I�ll ride it whenever I fuckin� feel like it. She owes me some satisfaction after a long day�s worth of work.
The Butcher: She�s done working for you,�homes.
-[ Ricardo stands up and walks over to The Butcher to get in his face. Just as he does that, two if his friends walk into the doorway to block any exit. ]-
Ricardo: You betta re-think that,�homes.
The Butcher: I think I will�
-[ The Butcher slams his right palm into Ricardo�s throat, instantly bringing him down and gagging for air. The two thugs that were blocking the door come up from behind The Butcher but he throws one over him and through the glass table. The other one gets his fist caught by The Butcher and he starts to squeeze it. He then brings the guy down with a leg trip and then knocks him out with a heavy punch to the face. The guy that was on the sofa getting a blow job stands up and tries to pull his pants up but The Butcher points to the man to sit back down. ]-
The Butcher: Sit your ass back down.
-[ The guy does and The Butcher grabs a pillow off the sofa and throws it to the guy. ]-
The Butcher: Hate to leave you hanging. Cover yourself up for the lady.
-[ The john is standing over by the zebra futon in fear. The Butcher points to him. ]-
The Butcher: Do you want to give it a try again?
John: No!
The Butcher: Good. Stand still then.
-[ The Butcher walks over to Ricardo, who is still on all fours and gagging for air. ]-
The Butcher: I re-thought the idea and, yeah, she�s still done working for you.
-[ The Butcher walks past him and over to the chair to grab Ricardo�s cut from Zo� selling her body. As he picks up the money, Zo� kicks Ricardo square in the face, which knocks him over and out cold. She then spits on his disfigured face. The Butcher hands Zo� the money and looks down at Ricardo. ]-
The Butcher: Nice touch.
Zo�: Yeah, not so bad yourself. Now lets get out of here.
The Butcher: I agree.
-[ The Butcher turns to the nameless john to intimidate him one last time. ]-
The Butcher: Well don�t just stand there. Clean this mess up.
-[ The john nods his head and starts acting like he�s busy cleaning up as The Butcher and Zo� exit the apartment. They walk down the hall towards the stairwell and begin to leave the building like nothing has happened. As they walk out onto the sidewalk, they both face each other to say good-bye and go on with the rest of their lives. ]-
Zo�: You�re so cool! I mean, you didn�t even flinch back there. How the hell can you walk into a situation like that and show no fear at all?
The Butcher: I�m used to tougher guys than those punks. Besides, I really had nothing to lose anyway. Remember, I�m still dead to this world.
Zo�: Well you were full of life back there!
The Butcher: Yeah.
Zo�: So�
The Butcher: So�
Zo�: What did you need me to help you out with anyway?
The Butcher: What do you mean?
Zo�: Back in the house earlier you said I might be able to help you. You�ve made it clear you don�t want to spread my legs, so what is it that I can help you with?
The Butcher: You all ready helped me.
Zo�: How?
The Butcher: By just talking with me. I came back to this world with nothing. No life. No wife. No house. Not even a name. I at least had a memorable conversation. Thank you.
Zo�: Are you serious? That�s all you wanted?
The Butcher: Yes.
-[ Zo� gets closer to him and appears to want to kiss him but she knows better than that. Besides, he�s got a good foot on her in size and it would be hard to plant one on him anyway. So instead she reaches into her purse and pulls out her cell phone. She hands it to The Butcher and he takes it with a confused look on his face. ]-
The Butcher: What�s this for?
Zo�: You have no idea where your wife is but you know you�ve still got friends in San Francisco, so why not call them? Don�t worry, I�ve got free long distance.
The Butcher: You sure?
Zo�: Yeah. Go ahead and call them to tell them you�re alive. It�s the least I can do.
The Butcher: Thanks.
-[ As The Butcher starts to dial the number on the phone, Zo� walks away from him and sits on the steps of the apartment building to give him some privacy. As the phone rings through, Zo� smiles at him and he smiles back. She feels really bad for him because she knows what it�s like to have almost nothing since she moved out here with only a luggage of clothes and her car. But he has nothing except the clothes on his back. He has no where to go and no one to see. Finally, someone picks up on the other end. ]-
Cody: Hello?
-[ The friends that The Butcher has called is none other than the legendary GFWA Tag Team, Cody and Tomorrow Man, collectively known as A Tendency 2 Start Fires in the wrestling business. Those two have been there for him since he met them over 4 years ago, and he considers them his best friends even though they live on the other side of the country. ]-
The Butcher: Cody?
Cody: Yeah? Who is this?
The Butcher: Where�s Nikki?
Cody: Here. Who the hell is this?
The Butcher: It�s me�Butch! Pass the phone to her, bro.
-[ Cody starts to laugh hysterically on the other end. ]-
Cody: The Butcher? I don�t think so. Jimmy Cortez has been dead for months now. Good one, bro.
-[ Cody hangs up the phone. The Butcher stands there with a sort of shocked face but he knew he would get a reaction like that, so he hangs up the cell phone. ]-
Zo�: Well?
The Butcher: He hung up. I should have known I�d get that response. I�m still dead to him. But he said Nikki is with him!
Zo�: Your wife?
-[ The Butcher hands the phone back to Zo� and reaches into his pocket to grab the wad of cash he promised her. ]-
The Butcher: Yeah. I have to go to San Francisco to see her again. Here�s the cash I promised you.
Zo�: How can I take your money when you did so much for me? Keep it.
-[ The Butcher puts the money back in his coat and stands there silently for a few moments. ]-
Zo�: Listen, I�ve got an insane idea. You were right about my parents and I did leave for stupid reasons so I was going to go back home. I can�t stay here, you know. Ricardo and his friends will be looking for me. So here is my crazy idea. You don�t have a car or much money to cross the country�
The Butcher: �I could catch a cheap train or something since I�m too poor to fly.
-[ The Butcher gives her a smirk. ]-
Zo�: Do you want to come with me? San Francisco isn�t that far from Oakland you know. Besides, it�s a long road trip to go on alone. I need company. So what do you say?
-[ The Butcher thinks about the idea carefully but really likes the idea of actually having somebody in his life for right now. ]-
Zo�: Please.
The Butcher: All right.
-[ Zo� jumps into his arms out of happiness and kisses him on the left cheek. The Butcher lets her down and shows her his ring finger where his golden wedding ring has been on his finger since the day he married Nikki. ]-
The Butcher: Hey now! I�m a married man!
It�s been six months since my last appearance in a wrestling ring and I honestly don�t know what to expect. Can my aging body cope and keep up with these new, younger, and fresher talent? I guess I won�t know until my first match back this weekend. The biggest concern I have right now is if my arm and shoulder can keep up. In my last match with FroZtie, he broke my left arm and collarbone�snapped my arm so viciously that the bone popped out of my skin.
As I look back at that match, which just happens to be one of the most brutal matches I have ever been in, I now know that survival is in my blood. Surviving the hostile thrashings is a personal victory for me even if I lost the match. FroZtie damn near killed me and he, along with everyone else, thought he did. But he FAILED in his attempt to rid the world of me, his mortal enemy.
FroZtie�s mental state has decreased since the last time we met, and the fact that he knows that he couldn�t get the job done on me has to bring him to the edge. Just seeing that I still walk must drive him mad. But that�s another question that enters my mind. How am I still here looking like this? In our last match, I fell into a pit of flames, and came out looking like dinner was overcooked. How can I stand here with no major scar tissue from the countless burns?
That is a question I don�t have an answer for, and probably never will. It�s just something I�ve noticed through my life. Physical pain has only been temporary while emotional pain has consumed my life and built up a ball of anger and hate. I despise FroZtie more than any man. Even Brain Watts was nothing compared to him and I hated that man with a passion.
But none of that matters because I am �dead� to this world. My house�gone. My wife�no more. Friends�non-existent right now. Money�I�ve only got what the WWC pays me. Any records of birth or death�deleted. I was given the gift of life many years ago but FroZtie took that from me. My hardships and all I�ve endured are only remembered by me and those that were involved. FroZtie appeared to have taken the gift of life away from me but he only cleaned my slate. Now I am allowed to start over again and make a new name for myself.
But I can�t. I won�t. How can I forget everything that has happened to me in my life? Forget all the people I know? Start over again? It�s just something I can never do. I want my old life back even if it was full of many low points. The high points and achievements are the reason I want to go back. They made my life worthwhile. The people I loved made my life worthwhile. And there is no way I can betray all of that.
This Sunday I will reclaim another shed of my past life. I will enter that ring and face Steve Jackson and Adam Fielder and show them what my legacy was�show them who The Butcher is and why you don�t get in his way. Sunday is the first step of many for me and I will prove to the world that my death was exaggerated.
