Empty Arena

“ Stop asking me for nudes social media!” I winced as I heard the final line from my drunken escapade. Me and the rest of Killer Instinct were in the office of Sin City Wrestling’s booker, Howard Lucas along with Bret.

We were watching the video I had uploaded to Twitter the night we had all won gold. Bret was hiding his face in the palm of his hand. Howard was sitting at his desk, leaning back, giving us a look of disappointment. He was old, sixty-seven going on sixty-eight. He was bald with a long white mustache and tired blue eyes behind thick glasses.

“ You want to explain yourself?” He asked us. None of us said anything, what could we say? Howard took a moment to look at each of us individually then spoke again.

“ I found your celebration in catering humorous. I was fine with it. I actually quite enjoyed it. However, I can’t be having my talent act like this.”

“ We’re sorry,” I ventured and my stablemates quickly agreed. Howard sighed and stroked his beard, deep in thought.

“ This is your first incident and there was no real harm done. As long as you remain on your best behavior from here on out, I think a warning should suffice. But let me make myself clear. If anything like this happens again you will all be suspended. Do I make myself clear?”

“ Yes sir,” we said in succession.

“ Good. Now Josh, go get ready. Your Empty Arena Match is kicking off the show tonight.”

I nodded and left the office with a relieved sigh. I looked around the unfamiliar backstage area. We were in Los Angeles California for a cross-promotional event with the All-Star Wrestling Federation. My opponent Isaiah Thomas was seen as my counterpart in this federation, this why he and I were to compete in an Empty Arena match for my championship. I put on my black trunks, knee pads, and elbow pads then dressed in my Freddy Kruger inspired entrance attire and my championship draped over my left shoulder completed the look. Before I headed out I looked in the full-length mirror.

Three hours a day in the gym had caused me to bulk up. I stood at 6ft 3 now and had started letting my rust-colored beard grow out.

“ I should really get a buzz cut,” I murmured looking at my unkempt hair. I shrugged before leaving my locker room. I went to the backstage area, excited for the match. Empty Arena match as always been a favorite of mine, I actually like the silence the lack of a crowd provides. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the cheering from thousands of fans but there’s just something about an empty arena I enjoy.

When I got to the curtain, You’re Gonna Go Far Kid by The Offspring, Isaiah’s entrance music was playing. After a few minutes, his entrance theme died down. My individual theme, No one will survive by CFO$ began to play. I took a deep breath and went through the curtain. Aside from my theme song and commentary the arena was silent. I looked at the empty arena for a moment before slowly walking down the ramp, heading for the ring where Isaiah waited for me.

Isaiah had tattoos all over his arms, the left side of his head was shaved, the hair on the right side was purple. His nose was pierced and for ring attire, he wore a black tank top and black pants. I entered the ring and got in his face holding up my championship. Myself and Isaiah started yelling at each other. His New Zealand accent and my American accent echoed throughout the arena. I handed my championship to the referee and backed up in a corner, deciding now was the best time to take off my entrance gear. The bell rang, giving the okay for me and Isaiah to start tearing each other apart.

We ran at each other punching each other over and over again. Isaiah backed me against the ropes then sent us both over the top rope with a clothesline. Isaiah stood up and whipped me into the barricade. Isaiah wasted no time in getting a steel chair from under the ring. He walked towards me but before he could swing the chair at me, I kicked him in the stomach. I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and threw him over the barricade. I grabbed the steel chair and hopped after him.

Isaiah stood up and hit me with a Superkick. I dropped the chair and stumbled back a few steps. Isaiah grabbed the chair and cracked me upside the head with it. I fell on my back and Isaiah put my ankle inside the steel chair. I stomped on the chair as hard as he could, crushing my ankle. I spat, swore, and thrashed around, moving a few inches away. Isaiah advanced on me but I sprang to my feet and tackled him.

I got to my feet and threw Isaiah into the barricade. I waited for him to stir and crushed his head with a running knee. I leaned against the barricade for a few moments, staring at the empty ring.

“ Hey shut up!” I yelled kicking Isaiah who was groaning. I hauled him to his feet and dragged him to the stairs. I attempted to suplex him but Isaiah blocked it and countered with one of his own. My spine met the edge of the stairs, sending pain racing throughout my body. Isaiah started to climb the stairs and after taking a moment to recover I went after him.

“ Get back here you son of a bitch!” I yelled after him.

“ Ahhhh that’s cute, he thinks he’s going to get me!” Isaiah yelled back. He was well ahead of me and was out of sight when I neared the top of the stairs. Just when I finished climbing the stairs I was met with a trash can lid to the face. I staggered and clutched onto the railing for support.

“ Bon Voyage!” Isaiah yelled before kicking me in the stomach and throwing me back down the stairs. I tumbled down the stairs, stopping halfway down. Isaiah was laughing as he slowly walking down the stairs. I picked myself up and walked down to the ring.

“ That’s right Jason run!” I heard Isaiah yell. I made it to the barricade and instead of climbing over it, I waited for Isaiah to walk closer.

“ Special Delivery!” I suddenly yelled, grabbing a steel chair and spinning around, smacking him across the face with it. Isaiah spun around and fell on one knee. I set the steel chair up on the other side of the barricade. I walked back over to Isaiah and dragged him to the barricade. I set him up and executed a Double Underhook DDT onto the steel chair. Isaiah fell in his back and after taking a couple of minutes to showboat, I decided to grab a kendo stick from under the ring.

I made Isaiah set up in a sitting position and twirled the keno stick around. I walked behind Isaiah and readied my weapon.

“ We’re going on a trip on our favorite rocket ship!” I yelled as I smashed the kendo struck across Isaiah’s back. I brought the kendo stick down on Isaiah until it splintered. I grabbed a jagged piece of the kendo stick and dig it into the exposed flesh of Isaiah’s forehead. He yelled and thrashed, trying to fight me off. I carved my Unitas in his forehead then let him go. I went over to the commentator’s table and grabbed my phone, really thankful I had thought to take it out before the match.

“ Play the damn song!” I growled at the commentators. Making a show of being scared, the commentary team did as I instructed. Fork In The Garbage Disposal started to play. I hauled Isaiah to his feet and threw him against the steel post. I started punching Isaiah in time with the music, each time I heard the word “ yes “ I punched Isaiah in the face. As the music sped up, I punched him more and more until it was time to “ do the fork in the garbage disposal.” Once I was done, I was greeted by a bicycle kick to the face.

I fell on my back, selling the kick like I had gotten shot out of a cannon. Isaiah seethed at me, blood flowing down his face. He peeled back the protective padding exposing the concrete floor. He picked me up and hit me with a DDT on the concrete. He picked me up and threw me into the barricade. He sent me over the barricade with another bicycle kick.

I crawled away from Isaiah who slowly followed me carrying a steel chain. He soon closed the distances and wrapped the chain around my neck. He began to choke me out, his blood dripping into my forehead. I sold slowly passing out for the camera. The referee lifted my arm once and it fell. He lifted it twice with the same result. When he lifted my arm for the third time I kept it help upright, meaning the match was still on.

I elbowed Isaiah a few times in the stomach. He backed up, loosening the hold on the chain. I removed the chain from around my neck and crawled away. We slowly walked through the rows of empty chairs to a door. I opened it first and tried to smash Isaiah with it. He blocked it and head butted me. I stumbled away and walked away again. We were now in a backstage area, people scurried out of the way when they saw us coming.

I opened a door to my left that led to an empty office. I spotted a small potted plant then hid behind the door. Isaiah stormed in, looking around wildly. I smirked and smashed the pot against his skull. Slightly moist soil exploded everywhere. He dropped like a sack of potatoes and I went for the cover.

“ One! Two! Th-“ Isaiah kicked out. I sighed and hauled Issiah to his feet. I didn’t get to do what I was planning because Isaiah decided to kick me between the legs. I dropped to my knees, holding my crotch.

“ My poor glorious testicles!” I groaned. Isaiah dragged me out of the office and started to drag me down a hallway. I started biting at his arm, causing him to let go and swear. I stood up and went to punch him but Isaiah kicked me in the penis again.

“ Not again!” I yelled falling into the fetal position. Isaiah dragged me to the catering area and started dumping food on me. Isaiah then grabbed a cup of hot coffee and with a wicked smile poured it on my crotch. I yelled in agony and tried to crawl away. However once again Isaiah kicked me in the penis. I let out a whimper as I fell facedown.

“ He keeps kicking me in the dick! Why?! Why does he keep kicking me in the dick?!” I asked out loud. Isaiah picked me up and hauled me out of catering. Isaiah hauled me to my feet and banged my head against the wall. He dragged me to the parking lot and Irish whipped me to a dark blue Dodge pick-up truck. I couldn’t help but see the irony in colliding with the vehicle. Isaiah grabbed me by the head and went to smash my head through the window but I elbowed him in the stomach a few times. Before he could recover I grabbed his head and smashed it through the rolled up window.

I collapsed, leaning against the Dodge pick-up. After taking a few minutes to relax I got to my feet and grabbed Isaiah.

“ You okay?” I whispered in his ear.

“ Never better,” he responded with a faint cheeky smikle.

“ Crazy son of a bitch,” I said with a chuckle before pulling him out of the destroyed window. I decided to drag the bloody and broken Issiah back towards the arena. People moved out of the way as we passed then stared as we walked past. When we made it back to the empty arena, Isaiah broke away from my grasp and kicked me in the dick again.

“ Stop doing that!” I yelled falling to my knees. Isaiah backed up and hit me with a Curbstomp on the stage. Isaiah went for the cover.

“ One! Two! Thre-”

At the last possible second, I kicked out. Isaiah swore as he got to his feet. He kicked me in the ribs a few times, not in any hurry to finish the match. I slowly crawled down the ramp and got halfway before standing up. I hit Isaiah with a spinning back fist then forced him back to the ring. I climbed onto the apron but Isaiah sent me back down with a superkick. I feel down from the apron and landed on my left knee.

I knew something was wrong when I felt something tug. I swore and grabbed at my knee, yelling and rolling around in agony. Isaiah looked at me in confusion, not sure if this was Kayfabe or I was actually hurt. The ringside doctor hurried towards me to check out my knee.

“ Jason, can you continue?” he asked, careful to use my Kayfabe name. I let out a hiss of pain as he gently felt my ankle that was already swelling.

“ Yeah, I’ll keep going,” I said, having to crawl to the barricade to pull myself up. When I attempted to put any weight on my ankle, fresh rolls of pain made me drop to my knees again. Isaiah was over here not and put me in a headlock after shooing the doctor away.’

“ What do you want to do Jason?” he whispered in my ear.

“ Get me back in the ring, I’ll hit you with the Kill On SIght and pin you,” I whispered back. He nodded and broke the hold. He hauled me to my feet and tossed me in the ring. I used the ropes to haul me up, my knee feeling like it was on fire. Isaiah got back in the ring and as soon as he was in distance I hit him with the Kill On Sight, better known as the Stunner and covered him,

“ One! Two! Three!”

I rolled off Isaiah as my music started to play. The referee held up my arm in victory and draped my Extreme Division Championship across my chest. I tried standing up but putting the slightest amount of weight on my knee caused me to give up, tears in my eyes. The ringside doctor entered the ring and helped me stand. With the assistance of the doctor and Isaiah, I was able to leave the ring. As they helped me up the ramp I said a small prayer mentally.

“ Dear God don’t let there be anything wrong."