- Event: Refueled XII
The scene opens to a grey and cold Philadelphia morning. The sounds of shipping horns can be heard as the dock workers go about their regular Tuesday morning business, as the camera pans onto a large man wearing a black leather jacket, black pants and black 40’s style hat. The large man walks past several of the dock workers who stop what they’re doing and stare, obviously showing they know who the large individual is.
The large man continues on his path along a wharf until he finds a man leaning against a large wooden pole, with three other guys, laughing while they’re talking to each other. They all see the large man walking towards them and stop their laughing and conversation. The smiles on their faces disappear as the nervous look on their faces show that they also know who the large man is.
“Great morning for a walk, isnt it?” Said the large man.
“What are you doing around here, Trip?” Said the obvious person of interest to Trip.
Trip smiles and asks, “I hear you had a great weekend Gino, collecting from your junkie customers.”
Gino opens his arms and says, “If suckers are weak for what I have, it’s not my fault.”
“You’re right!” Trip replied. “I get you it! You’re a businessman!”
“You’re damn right I’m a businessman.” Gino replied with a cocky grin on his face while he leans on the pole.
“Gino, I’m kind of broke right now and I could use some of that cash you took pushing your crap.” Trip politely asked.
“I can help you out with a loan compounded with interest.” Gino suggested with a confident and cocky tone.
“I don’t really need a loan but I am happy to accept a gift from you.” Trip replied with equal confidence.
Gino starts to laugh before saying, “There’s no chance in fucking hell I’m giving you any money. You know I have to kick some upstairs to the Big Guy.”
Trip smirks while nodding before unloading a huge right hand which lands flush on Gino’s mouth and nose, dropping Gino on his back. His friends rush to help him up.
“Oh shit Gino! Are you ok?” Trip asked with a concerned tone while looking distraught at the same time.
“Get out of here Trip!” Yelled one of Gino’s friends with a scared tone.
“Why did you do this, Gino?” Trip asked. “This was your fault, right?” He continued to ask,
While trying to get on his knees, Gino says “You’re nothing but an asshole that tries to make a name for himself by beating people up.”
Austin smiles and gives out a half laugh before kicking Gino in the face and knocks him out cold. Trip reaches into Gino’s pockets and pulls out a big wad of cash and roughly counts through it to make sure it was a decent score.
“I dont care who you have to kick your money up to, just know I own these docks and you better have my money for me next time I see you.” Trip said with a stern tone.
Trip looks at Gino’s terrified friends while somewhat folding the money up and putting it inside his coat pocket. He keeps his hands in his pockets as he begins to walk away, with a proud look all over his face from his little score.
The scene now moves to Trip walking down a street later that same day. He walks towards a set of stairs that are adjoined to the front door of an apartment building. Trip walks up those stairs, opens the door and continues on in to an old, run down wooden stairwell that leads up to some more apartment doors. Trip walks up and then pulls out his key and opens the apartment door.
Trip walks into the bare, one room apartment. The kitchen, living room and bedroom are all one big room. The room has one torn up couch, an old steel framed bed with a seventies style dresser, second hand fridge and small wooden dining table next to the fridge with a small thirty two inch television on the table.
Picking up the remote control, Trip turns on the television for some background noise, if for anything else. He walks over to his kettle to turn it on so he can make himself a cup of coffee to try and warm up from his cold cold morning walk. He walks over to a built in cupboard and pulls out a tin of coffee. He walks to the wooden dining table and sits down so he can take the money out of his coat pocket that he just took from Gino.
He opens the coffee tin and puts most of the money inside it, adding to the large amounts of money that is already there. He walks over to the cupboard again and hides the tin behind some other cans that are already there.
It was then, Trip hears a commercial on the television advertising for HOTv subscriptions. Trip slowly turns his head and watches the advertisement. It as if time had stood still for Trip as a wave of emotions comes flooding back to him. He turns his head and looks at the bare wall in front of him as memories start flooding back to him.
“Yes! He’s still alive!” A voice could be heard as the scene starts to focus to some bright lights. “Jesus Christ you’re lucky to be alive again, Austin!” The voice continued.
The scene now changes to Austin Reeves coming to, laying in a bed in a hospital room. “It’s great to have you back with us, Austin.” Said the Doctor with a smile on her face while standing next to Austin’s bed.
Austin looks around and realizes that he’s in hospital with no clue how he got there. “Do you know where you are?” The Doctor asked.
“Obviously I’m in a fucking hospital” Austin painfully replied.
“Do you know what happened?” The Doctor asked.
Austin just shook his head from side to side to say no.
“The short version is that you had actually died during a wrestling match.” The Doctor said with a serious tone. “Somehow, backstage when they were putting you in an ambulance, your heart started again.” She continued.
Austin stares at her while memories of being at the arena are the only ones he has left to try and figure out what the Doctor is trying to tell him.
“Do you remember?” She asked.
Austin shakes his head and replies with a soft, “No.”
“I’ll get one of our people in our admin department to call someone at HOW and let them know you’re still alive.” The Doctor said happily. “They’ll be surprised to hear the news.”
Austin thinks for a few seconds while the Doctor starts to walk out of his room before saying, “Don’t say anything to anyone.”
The Doctor stops walking and turns to Austin and asks, “Why would you not want anyone to know? I’ll bet they’d love to know you’re ok.”
“They think I’m dead.” Austin said. “I’d prefer they all think I’m dead. This way I can finally walk away from them for good.”
The nurse nods her head and says, “If that’s what you want. I’ll let admin know not to call anyone.”
The scene changes back to Trip staring at the bare wall in front of him with the kettle whistling, telling him that the water has boiled. He walks over to the table and picks up the remote control to turn the television off.
For Trip, his life as Austin Reeves is dead. It died in the ring against Mike Best.
He is now and will forever be known as Paul “Trip” Trippard
………..scene ends.