Post by Tombstone on Feb 27, 2012 2:49:16 GMT -5
February 25th, 2012
Pure Mayhem
Pure Mayhem
Ashley Stone bursts through the curtains, leaving the crowd (and Hyde) behind her. Chris follows not too far behind, glancing over his shoulder for a moment before catching up to her.
"Ash, slow down!"
She shakes her head, moving as fast as she can toward the parking lot. Numerous CPW workers stare at them as they pass by. Chris looks over his shoulder again, not able to shake a feeling he had. He kept expecting to see John right behind them. But he wasn't there. He turns back to Ashley, who is now well ahead of him.
"ASHLEY! SLOW DOWN!"
"I just want to get the hell out of here! Can we do that please???"
Chris jogs to catch up to her, putting his arm around her, which she promptly brushes off. He shakes his head, biting his tongue. She wipes tears from her eyes, her face a pale white. That was the closest she had been to John in well over a year. And that was the last time she wanted to be that close to him. She breathes heavily, trying to regain her composure. Chris glances at her, now matching her stride for stride. They walk though a set of doors, entering the arena parking lot. The cold night air hits their skin. Ashley takes in a deep breath, the panic in her beginning to subside.
"Ashley... There's nothing to worry about."
She lets out a nervous laugh, shaking her head.
"There's plenty to worry about, Chris. Are you completely oblivious to what just happened?"
"No, I'm not."
"Then why are you saying there's nothing to worry about???"
Chris sighs, looking up at the night sky.
"Because you have to look at everything. John obviously wants some kind of revenge and he's not going to get it. As far as I'm concerned, we're even. End of story."
Ashley stops dead in her tracks, her eyes wild.
"That's your problem right there. You keep calling him John when he's obviously not who you knew anymore! Even I can see that! I was his boss, remember? The way he was then... It was like two completely different people on any given day. But now, he's just this... this... nutjob!"
Chris turns toward her, trying to hide a smile.
"Ash, that's John. He's got screws loose. I know that. And it's my fault. I know that too. But he doesn't want an apology from me. He wants something that I'm not going to give him. He's trying to suck me back in. I'm not going to allow that. You are my only focus now. We're going to fly back to Boston, pack up and move back to LA. Hell, we can hire some people to bring most of the crap to us. We're leaving this all behind. I'm done with CPW for good."
"Oh, I get it now. You just want to run away from everything. You didn't want to tell the cops what happened that night. You don't want to take care of it yourself. You just want to run away and forget it all, don't you? You're leaving a huge door open that leaves us in danger! Can't you see that?"
Stone shakes his head, trying to remain calm.
"Nothing is going to happen, Ashley! He's got what he wanted! A place he can do whatever twisted thing he wants! You really think someone like him is going to remain focused on the past?"
"Did you not listen to him? This isn't about Mexico, Chris! Not in the slightest! That doctor... what was his name?"
Chris lowers his eyes, his hand immediately reaching into his pocket, looking for cigarettes that weren't there.
"Dr. Schuster."
"Schuster told you his condition! And you, like a fucking idiot, didn't believe him! You thought you could be you, throw your money around because you can get whatever you want! But then you decided that you didn't want to do it anymore! All those plans you two made, the whole Jekyll and Hyde thing... you just threw it out the window! That doctor told you that he wasn't John King anymore! Who you see today is who he is!"
Chris' hand clinches in his pocket. He really wanted a cigarette.
"Bullshit! He found that fucking mask in that shithole hospital and started calling himself Hyde. But take that mask off and who do you see? John King. The plans we made don't matter anymore! I walked away from it all goddammit! I walked away for you! I don't believe a damn word this man says and you shouldn't either."
Ashley stares at him in disbelief, her arms crossed, trying to keep herself warm.
"YOU FOUND HIM IN A FUCKING MENTAL HOSPITAL! WHAT DON'T YOU GET?!? ARE YOU JUST IN COMPLETE DENIAL OR ARE YOU REALLY THAT DENSE???"
Goddamn, he really needed a cigarette.
"THAT'S WHY YOU SHOULDN'T BUY INTO A SINGLE FUCKING THING HE SAYS! HE'S A CERTIFIED NUT! Or at least he was! Until I took him out of there! I didn't leave a door open, Ash. I closed it tonight. We're in the clear. I made it crystal fucking clear to him that I'm done. Done, Ashley."
She sighs, her breath visible in the air.
"I know what you said. And I believe you. But... something doesn't feel right with all this. He broke into our house! I saw him standing over you, your blood all over the place. He's not just going to let you walk away. I told you we shouldn't have come here tonight!"
Chris scoffs, throwing his arms in the air and turning around, walking off. Ashley follows him, arms still crossed. He looks over at her, a sneer on his face.
"I had to come here tonight, Ashley. I had to close this chapter of my life so I can start the next one with you. You didn't have to come with me, especially if it was going to make you that uncomfortable. Both of us knew he would show up."
"What do you mean I didn't have to come along? You told me what you were going to do! I knew you were going to need all the support you can get! Whether you can admit it or not, I know how hard it is for you to turn your back on all of this."
"It's not hard..."
"Chris... There's nobody around. You don't have to lie to me."
"I SAID IT'S NOT HARD! I WANT--"
He stops himself, taking in a deep breath.
"I want to leave this behind. You're all I got left and I'm not going to risk it anymore by doing something that does nothing but drive a wedge between us. My mind is clear on this, Ash. And nothing is going to change that."
She reaches into her jacket pocket, pulling out the rental keys. She looks at their car in the distance, disarming the alarm.
"I know that. And like I said, I believe every word you say. But Hyde isn't going to just go away. This is all a game to him. He made that pretty crystal fucking clear himself."
"Don't call him that..."
"That's who he is, Chris."
"No, he's not."
"Then you're in denial. You know you made him what he is, but you can't accept the fact that you made him somebody completely different. You didn't close a door tonight. You left it wide open with a great big welcome mat right in front of it."
"There you go again. The door is closed, Ash. John isn't going to be an issue. None of what happened tonight is going to be an issue."
"Now that I don't believe."
They approach the car, Ashley going to the driver's side. She gets in, slamming her door. Stone opens his, putting one leg in. He stops, looking back at the arena. Again, he expected John to be there, watching them. He wouldn't admit it to Ashley... But he had the same unsettling feeling she had. Something just didn't feel right about John, about tonight. But they both could have been feeling like that because of everything that happened in the matter of minutes. He shrugs, getting in the car and sliding on his seat belt.
He was going to stand by his word that he was done. He really wanted to just move on and start anew with Ashley. And nothing was going to change his mind.
She backs out of the parking space, hitting the gas and speeding out of the parking lot. He looks over at her, reaching out for her hand. She takes it, squeezing it tightly. She looks over at him for a moment, frustration still all over her face.
"I love you, Ash. You just gotta trust me on this."
She looks back to the road for a moment, then looks back at him, a smile finally forming on her face. She squeezes his hand again, nodding her head.
"I love you, too. And you know I'm with you all the way. But if you think I'm going to keep all these thoughts to myself, you're dead wrong."
He cracks a smile himself, nodding.
"I can see that. But I'm not going to let anything come between us. Not again. If he wants to show up to our house again, let him. I said I'm done in the ring. But that doesn't mean I can't protect us in our own home."
She smiles, looking at the arena in the rear view mirror.
"That makes me feel a little better about this."
"Good. Now stop at the next gas station. I need a fucking cigarette."
She laughs, nodding her head.
"You know what? That sounds great!"
"Ash, slow down!"
She shakes her head, moving as fast as she can toward the parking lot. Numerous CPW workers stare at them as they pass by. Chris looks over his shoulder again, not able to shake a feeling he had. He kept expecting to see John right behind them. But he wasn't there. He turns back to Ashley, who is now well ahead of him.
"ASHLEY! SLOW DOWN!"
"I just want to get the hell out of here! Can we do that please???"
Chris jogs to catch up to her, putting his arm around her, which she promptly brushes off. He shakes his head, biting his tongue. She wipes tears from her eyes, her face a pale white. That was the closest she had been to John in well over a year. And that was the last time she wanted to be that close to him. She breathes heavily, trying to regain her composure. Chris glances at her, now matching her stride for stride. They walk though a set of doors, entering the arena parking lot. The cold night air hits their skin. Ashley takes in a deep breath, the panic in her beginning to subside.
"Ashley... There's nothing to worry about."
She lets out a nervous laugh, shaking her head.
"There's plenty to worry about, Chris. Are you completely oblivious to what just happened?"
"No, I'm not."
"Then why are you saying there's nothing to worry about???"
Chris sighs, looking up at the night sky.
"Because you have to look at everything. John obviously wants some kind of revenge and he's not going to get it. As far as I'm concerned, we're even. End of story."
Ashley stops dead in her tracks, her eyes wild.
"That's your problem right there. You keep calling him John when he's obviously not who you knew anymore! Even I can see that! I was his boss, remember? The way he was then... It was like two completely different people on any given day. But now, he's just this... this... nutjob!"
Chris turns toward her, trying to hide a smile.
"Ash, that's John. He's got screws loose. I know that. And it's my fault. I know that too. But he doesn't want an apology from me. He wants something that I'm not going to give him. He's trying to suck me back in. I'm not going to allow that. You are my only focus now. We're going to fly back to Boston, pack up and move back to LA. Hell, we can hire some people to bring most of the crap to us. We're leaving this all behind. I'm done with CPW for good."
"Oh, I get it now. You just want to run away from everything. You didn't want to tell the cops what happened that night. You don't want to take care of it yourself. You just want to run away and forget it all, don't you? You're leaving a huge door open that leaves us in danger! Can't you see that?"
Stone shakes his head, trying to remain calm.
"Nothing is going to happen, Ashley! He's got what he wanted! A place he can do whatever twisted thing he wants! You really think someone like him is going to remain focused on the past?"
"Did you not listen to him? This isn't about Mexico, Chris! Not in the slightest! That doctor... what was his name?"
Chris lowers his eyes, his hand immediately reaching into his pocket, looking for cigarettes that weren't there.
"Dr. Schuster."
"Schuster told you his condition! And you, like a fucking idiot, didn't believe him! You thought you could be you, throw your money around because you can get whatever you want! But then you decided that you didn't want to do it anymore! All those plans you two made, the whole Jekyll and Hyde thing... you just threw it out the window! That doctor told you that he wasn't John King anymore! Who you see today is who he is!"
Chris' hand clinches in his pocket. He really wanted a cigarette.
"Bullshit! He found that fucking mask in that shithole hospital and started calling himself Hyde. But take that mask off and who do you see? John King. The plans we made don't matter anymore! I walked away from it all goddammit! I walked away for you! I don't believe a damn word this man says and you shouldn't either."
Ashley stares at him in disbelief, her arms crossed, trying to keep herself warm.
"YOU FOUND HIM IN A FUCKING MENTAL HOSPITAL! WHAT DON'T YOU GET?!? ARE YOU JUST IN COMPLETE DENIAL OR ARE YOU REALLY THAT DENSE???"
Goddamn, he really needed a cigarette.
"THAT'S WHY YOU SHOULDN'T BUY INTO A SINGLE FUCKING THING HE SAYS! HE'S A CERTIFIED NUT! Or at least he was! Until I took him out of there! I didn't leave a door open, Ash. I closed it tonight. We're in the clear. I made it crystal fucking clear to him that I'm done. Done, Ashley."
She sighs, her breath visible in the air.
"I know what you said. And I believe you. But... something doesn't feel right with all this. He broke into our house! I saw him standing over you, your blood all over the place. He's not just going to let you walk away. I told you we shouldn't have come here tonight!"
Chris scoffs, throwing his arms in the air and turning around, walking off. Ashley follows him, arms still crossed. He looks over at her, a sneer on his face.
"I had to come here tonight, Ashley. I had to close this chapter of my life so I can start the next one with you. You didn't have to come with me, especially if it was going to make you that uncomfortable. Both of us knew he would show up."
"What do you mean I didn't have to come along? You told me what you were going to do! I knew you were going to need all the support you can get! Whether you can admit it or not, I know how hard it is for you to turn your back on all of this."
"It's not hard..."
"Chris... There's nobody around. You don't have to lie to me."
"I SAID IT'S NOT HARD! I WANT--"
He stops himself, taking in a deep breath.
"I want to leave this behind. You're all I got left and I'm not going to risk it anymore by doing something that does nothing but drive a wedge between us. My mind is clear on this, Ash. And nothing is going to change that."
She reaches into her jacket pocket, pulling out the rental keys. She looks at their car in the distance, disarming the alarm.
"I know that. And like I said, I believe every word you say. But Hyde isn't going to just go away. This is all a game to him. He made that pretty crystal fucking clear himself."
"Don't call him that..."
"That's who he is, Chris."
"No, he's not."
"Then you're in denial. You know you made him what he is, but you can't accept the fact that you made him somebody completely different. You didn't close a door tonight. You left it wide open with a great big welcome mat right in front of it."
"There you go again. The door is closed, Ash. John isn't going to be an issue. None of what happened tonight is going to be an issue."
"Now that I don't believe."
They approach the car, Ashley going to the driver's side. She gets in, slamming her door. Stone opens his, putting one leg in. He stops, looking back at the arena. Again, he expected John to be there, watching them. He wouldn't admit it to Ashley... But he had the same unsettling feeling she had. Something just didn't feel right about John, about tonight. But they both could have been feeling like that because of everything that happened in the matter of minutes. He shrugs, getting in the car and sliding on his seat belt.
He was going to stand by his word that he was done. He really wanted to just move on and start anew with Ashley. And nothing was going to change his mind.
She backs out of the parking space, hitting the gas and speeding out of the parking lot. He looks over at her, reaching out for her hand. She takes it, squeezing it tightly. She looks over at him for a moment, frustration still all over her face.
"I love you, Ash. You just gotta trust me on this."
She looks back to the road for a moment, then looks back at him, a smile finally forming on her face. She squeezes his hand again, nodding her head.
"I love you, too. And you know I'm with you all the way. But if you think I'm going to keep all these thoughts to myself, you're dead wrong."
He cracks a smile himself, nodding.
"I can see that. But I'm not going to let anything come between us. Not again. If he wants to show up to our house again, let him. I said I'm done in the ring. But that doesn't mean I can't protect us in our own home."
She smiles, looking at the arena in the rear view mirror.
"That makes me feel a little better about this."
"Good. Now stop at the next gas station. I need a fucking cigarette."
She laughs, nodding her head.
"You know what? That sounds great!"