(( Berkeley, California. The sun is still up, but the night time is soon approaching. The people in the city are on their way home from work, for the most part, but in other parts of the city, people's work is just beginning.
Gilman Street. The traffic going down the street is slower than usual. Skateboarders are along the curbs, darting in and out in front of what cars are on the street. But one of these skaters in particular, is on his way to a certain home.
The Gilman Apartments. Matt skates past it. And stops. This was where he was heading. More specifically, to apartment #13. Zero's apartment. There was something bugging him about the apartment. Something had happened in there last night. And Matt wanted to find out what.
Last night, he had been under the light on the bottom level talking to his friends, when a loud crash was heard upstairs, coming from Zero's apartment. He had ran up to see what had happened, but the door was locked, and the window was blinded. He knocked, but he received no answer.
His interest and concern was sparked. He had to know what had happened in there. He knew what Zero had done to the locker room Friday. Totally destroyed it. He wondered if Zero had done the same to his own apartment.
He thought he understood what was wrong. When Karen had came out to hit Zero with that chair, Matt knew that Zero lossed something. As he watched the television, he saw Zero transform before his eyes. He saw a man who's emotions were becoming evident. True emotions. And then, shattered.
He had to find out what had happened in Zero's apartment last night. He knew that it was all probably linked together.
He got off the curb, and approached the stairs. He walked up to the second level, and walked to room #13. He knocked. He waited for about a minute, but there was no answer. He looked inside of the window. It was no longer blinded, but the light were out in the apartment, so he could still not see anything.
He felt the door knob. It was unlocked. So, maybe Zero was home now. He raised his hand to knock again, but as he did, the door swung open.....
Skating further down the street, Matt's two friends, Jason and Chris, were talking about Matt, and his wanting to get to know Zero better. ))
" Man, I tell ya. It's like, Matt has become so interested with that Zero guy now. Shit, he's even checking out the alley beside those apartments now. It's like, Zero has awed his or something. "
" I know what you mean. But I was talking to Matt about that. He said he finds Zero very interesting. He said he's unlike anyone he has ever met before. He said Zero is like, a young guy, only 24 or something, but he seems much older than that. Like, he thinks differently than most young people do.
Jason:
Chris:
But at the same time, he's still a young guy. In fact, he even skated on Matt's board a while back. Matt said he was pretty good. He said he didn't realize that wrestlers were into that kind of stuff. "
(( They stopped skating when they came to a bus stop bench. The propped their boards onto the bench, and sat down for a minute. ))
" Yeah, that's what he told me. But he's still a wrestler. Or whatever he calls that style of how he wrestles. I wonder why Matt was going by his house today. "
" I think it had something to do with a loud crash or some shit that Matt had heard last night. I dunno, but he's there right now, probably.
Jason:
Chris:
Well, enough of this bullshit. There is a new ledge that was just made over on 6th street. Let's go check it out! "
(( The two get up from the bench, lay their boards down on the ground, and push off.
.......The door opened to Zero's apartment. Matt looks past the door. But no one was standing inside. He was starting to wonder. What was going on? He knew the door didn't just open up on itself.
He started to take a step in, when, from behind the door, Zero stepped across. He was wearing a pair of board shorts. He didn't have a shirt on, making his tattoos very clear that ran from his shoulder to his elbow. Matt looked at Zero, and Zero at him, as well. They didn't speak at first.
Matt noticed Zero's face. It was very dark looking. A kind of solemn look, and very worn out. He knew that Zero wasn't resting easy, even back in his hometown.
Matt was the first to speak. ))
" Zero. Sorry to be interupting whatever you were doing. I was just wondering what had happened last night. I was outside, under the light on the first level, and I heard a loud crash come from your apartment. I was just wondering if everything was ok. "
Matt:
(( Zero looked at Matt, not in a negative way, but just in a gazey fashion. He looked over Matt, to see if any of his friends were with him. There were none. ))
" Come on in. I need someone, anyone, to talk to, before I just go off and kill myself. "
Zero:
(( Matt looked into Zero's eyes. He knew that Zero wasn't just talking. Karen must had really hit him hard, for Zero was looking worse than he had last time he had talked to him.
Matt stepped inside the door, and Zero closed the door behind him.
The room was dimly lit. Clothes were thrown about the apartment. A lamp was on the floor, it's pieces shattered across the carpet. The couch was overturned, laying on it's side. And, it looked like pictures frames were shattered, all across the floor in the apartment.
Matt turned, and saw, behind the door, was a shattered television. Could that of been?...He turned to Zero. ))
" What was that loud crash from last night? "
Matt:
(( Zero looked down at the ground, and put his hands in his pockets. He turned from Matt, and walked over to a desk. He then slid down against it. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a smashed pack of cigarettes. There was one left, even though it was almost flat, itself. Zero grabbed a lighter, and lit the cigarette. ))
" It was that television. You probably heard when it smashed against the wall, and the monitor glass erupted. "
Zero:
(( Matt looked at Zero, then at the TV. ))
" But why? "
Matt:
(( Zero took a long, deep drag from his cigarette. He held it in for a while, and then, turning his head to the left and up, blew the smoke out. For a few moments, he sat there in silence, almost as if he was thinking of the best response. Finally, though, he answered Matt. ))
" I had been going through the channels. I had to do something to try and relax. But, I came across a channel, and there was Havoc speaking. I stopped. And there......was Karen, right behind him. I couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it. It was hard seeing her and him together. It angered me. I couldn't even hear the rest of what he had to say. I grabbed the televison, and just threw it as hard as I could against the door.
Zero:
It was kind of late at night when this happened. Probably around 11 or 12 o'clock. Was that when you heard it? "
" Yeah. Damn man, Havoc's really getting at you, isn't he? "
Matt:
(( Zero takes another drag from his cigarette. This time, he quickly blow it out. ))
" Havoc is merely trying to use Karen it to get to me. I see Havoc as hiding behind Karen. He's using her. She can't see this, though. She's blind to what he is doing.
Zero:
Havoc has a goal to one day beat me, something that he has never accomplished. And he sees Karen as his only way to get me to want to fight him. But he didn't have to bring Karen into it. I would of fought him.
What's bugging me is that Karen has turned on me. I used to think that she would never turn on me, no matter what happened to us in our relationship. It is that that is eating away at me. She is the reason for all of this. And Havoc is playing off of that, in hopes of realizing his dream. To beat Zero. Something that will never happen. "
(( Zero takes what is left of his cigarette, and puts it out on the carpet in his apartment. He then gets up, and walks over to a table, and grabs a t-shirt. Sliding it on, he walks over to Matt, and past him.
Matt stands still in the apartment, wondering what Zero is doing. Zero hasn't said a word, he is just getting dressed for something.
Zero reaches past the smashed television, and grabs a NOFX beanie. Matt figured it was to cover up Zero's strewn hair.
Zero put it on, lowering it down to his eyebrow, and his eyebrow ring. Then, Zero turned, and opened the front door. It was starting to get dark outside.
He turned to Matt before he walked out. ))
" Close the door on your way out. "
Zero:
(( Zero turned, and walked out, going towards the steps.
Matt stood still for a moment. Huh? Where was Zero going? Why was he just leaving him here alone, IN HIS OWN HOUSE?
Matt turned, to walk towards the door. He wouldn't just stay in Zero's house, even if Zero was letting him. He took one step, and heard a snap. He looked down. It was one of the picture frames that was laying across Zero's floor.
Matt quickly picked up the 8 x 10 frame, just to make sure he hadn't initiated the crack. He brought it up, and turned the frame around so see the glass. It had already been shattered. But.....who was this person?
He looked hard, though it was hard telling exactly who it was from the glass which distorted the pic. It appeared to be a female. Blonde hair, with what looked like blue streaks going through it. Matt thought she had a cute face. But wait....was this Karen? Matt wasn't sure. Karen who was with Havoc did look familiar to this person, but yet, different.
Matt quickly laid the frame back down on the floor where he had gotten it, and walked to the door. He walked outside, into the new night air, and closed the door.
He looked out past the apartments. Zero was no where to be seen. Where could he have gone? Then, he remembered. The alley. It seemed that that was where Zero was always at.
Matt quickly walked down the steps, and started making his way towards the alley.
When he came to the entrance to it, he could see Zero at the far end, sitting on a stack of pallettes, with a cloud of smoke surrounding him. There was still one other thing that Matt was wondering. He started to proceed down the alley.
When he arrived, Zero eyes were shadowed by the beanie hanging low on top of them. Matt couldn't see his eyes. Zero saw Matt, though, but didn't say anything to him.
Finally, Matt spoke up. ))
" I'm just wondering. With all of this about Karen weighing so heavily on you, why don't you take a break? It has to be taking a tole on you. Then, in a few months, you could come back, and be fresh again.
Matt:
That way, when you have matches like the one with Kevin Powers, you can be focused on them, and not on Karen, and she won't be messing up your whole outlook. "
(( Zero raised his head up, his eyes becoming apparant, but lowered his head back down again. He took a drag from his cigarette, and answered Matt as the smoke slowly leaked from his mouth. ))
" I can't take a break from how I feel. I can't escape. At night, when I lay in bed, they're still with me. Thoughts, images, they're all there. By leaving for a while, it will only compound what is happening. It will make me envious, and angry that I did nothing to soothe my conscious. By escaping, I'm not facing up to my problems, and they will only mulitiply on top of each other. Therefore, I can't rest. Not now.
Zero:
With Powers, I am not sure why we are fighting. There is no purpose for us to fight. Unless, it is another thing setup by Havoc. Him signing this match, hoping that Powers will take me out, so he won't have to, or try to, at least.
But, with Powers, he is the only man to hand me a loss in my return, and I will gladly return the favor to him. Regardless of what Havoc's overall plan is. He knows what the real issue is. And he can't escape from it. "
(( Matt sits there, thinking about what Zero had said. It all does center around Havoc, he thought. It all tied in. But, there was something else he was wondering, too. ))
" If you don't want to answer this, I understand. But, how come you're always in this alley? Even though you have a perfectly fine apartment. "
Matt:
(( Zero looked around him, at the interior to the alley. His gaze wondered around, finally, coming back to Matt. Taking a quick drag of his cigarette, and then throwing it, he responded. ))
" Growing up, this alley was my home. It was where I sought refuge. Whenever I needed help, it was here where I found it. Whenever something was troubling me, it was here where I found a solution. This alley has been the parents that I never had. It has been the friend that would never turn it's back on me.
Zero:
Even though I have an apartment now, it still isn't home. Nothing can ever truly be home, except for this alley. It is here, and only here, where I can truly find a kind of peace. And through the solitude of it, it has helped me become who I am today.
Now, for a question for you. Why are you asking me all of these questions? Why are you following me around now? "
(( Matt kinda blushed. Why was he asking all of these questions? Zero had every right to know. But what would he tell him, in a way that would sound logical?
Matt took a deep breath, and told him the best way that he knew how to. ))
" Well, it's kinda weird. I remember you from years back. I was only about 15 or so, but I remember hearing about the guy who was always in this alley. He never really fit in to any groups, but was respected by those who knew him.
Matt:
And then, it was made known that you went on to become a wrestler, and everyone here couldn't believe that they were now seeing you on televison. They tried to say that they knew you real well, but actually, no one even knew your real name. They all just knew you as Zero.
But, after I moved out of my parents home, I moved into the Gilman Apartments. I had no idea you lived here, too. But, one day, I saw you on the second level. I din't recognize you at first, but soon, it hit me. It was Zero.
I have always been intrigued by how you are in the HEW. How you constantly refuse total acceptance from anyone, and have never really trusted anyone.
I was just curious to see if it was just an act. I know that a lot of wrestlers have an on screen, and off screen personality. But I realize that the two are hardly ever the same. So, I wondered about it, and finally, decided to talk to you. And realized, that it was who you truly were. "
(( Zero said nothing. He just sat in total silence, as Matt did, as well. They did this, as the view slowly faded out...... ))
midi: "Infected" by Bad Religion
