(( Topeka, Kansas. The night before the massive Friday Mayhem comes. But one man in particular has come early. He has no known purpose or reason for arriving almost a full day early. No scouting to be done, no pre-match concentrating. No, he has other reasons, which are his alone, for his early arrival.
Along the street curb in downtown Topeka, this figure makes a walk, slow and with confidence. It is a dark night, but he isn't afraid of any sudden changes in the environment. He carries his walk through the darkness, barely visible to anyone who would be on the other side of the street. The only indication of a person walking would be the occasional reflection of a metal chain draped beside the man's leg.
He walks further into the night, past store front stores and alleys. And then, he stops. A match is lit. The burning light drawing closer to his face is magnified when a car passes by, their headlights shining on his face. The face of Zero. He lights his cigarette, and then carries on down the curb of the street.
He walks a little further, and then finally comes to the corner of a street, where an alley meets the other side. There are hardly any lights shining down here. He sits down beside a phone booth, and continues to smoke his cigarette. One more drag.....he flicks the cigarette onto the street, right as a passing car extinguishes the remains of the bud.
Zero then looks around at Topeka, taking in his surroundings. From far off, he can see the arena's lights where Mayhem will be held in less than 12 hours. He thinks to himself, and then, suddenly, as if speaking to himself as two people, begins to speak aloud. ))
Zero: " It does seem as though our friend Bryson has fallen into the downward spiral. A spiral in which he will never see the normal light of day again. Almost as if.....as if he's dug a hole for his own soul! For once, the gravedigger has dug the last hole that he will ever dig.....one for himself.
This Bryson, he wonders if my "new found stable" will be watching my back. He even jumps to the conclusion that I am kissing up to the boss in order to get what I want. Is that what is really happening? Or is it what he wants to be true? Does he want it to be true so that he will have solved the puzzle? So he will be certain of what awaits him? So he can be sure that he knows exactly what he's getting into? Yes, I'm sure he wants to believe what he has come to the conclusion of. And, well, I'll give it to him. He's put up an effort. He has tried, failed of course, but still, has tried to use logic for what awaits him. But he's not ready. He never will be, even when the truth is revealed to him. "
(( Zero reaches over his shoulder, and fumbles inside of the phone booth. He looks beside the receiver. Not there. He looks to it's left. Not there. Where do they keep them here? Finally, he sees a phone book laying on the ground beside the door to the booth. He picks it up, and lights a match so he can see clearly. He then begins skimming through the book. Arnender, Asillies, Bradshaw, Buckle......the names continue. He stops the scrolling pages in the D's. He then starts looking down the names.... ))
Zero: " So many names. So many people who have been misguided throughout their whole lives. So many people who have been ridiculed, abused, and spit on during their whole life. From the time they were little, to the present time. "
(( Zero comes across the name "Douglas" in this phone book. He stops looking over the long list of names. He looks for anyone named "Lint". No one. He pauses for a moment, on what he just said. Then, just as quickly, regains his train of thought.... ))
Zero: " But, as I was saying...so many people who are misguided. It's a fair guess. So many people like Bryson. They thought they knew what they were doing, only to find out that what they were doing was wrong. Or worse yet, right, but not accepted. Well, Bryson isn't right, but he gave it his all. Like so many of these others. But, like they all tragically found out, they were wrong in their methods, and they paid for it dearly. Bryson, he still has a lot to learn, and he's too sure. He's too sure that he knows exactly what he's doing. The only problem is that he will soon find the fate of others before him. Like the list of names without faces that I hold in my hand.
He can have it figured out all he wants, but the truth is, he'll never unfold the greatest mystery of all. And that is, what is happening right before. That hunch that he just can't grasp. Anyway it goes, he'll just become one step closer to being even more confused come Friday night. "
(( Zero flips the phone book back into the phone booth. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieves a cigarette. He lights it, and starts relaxing. Suddenly, a voice from the alley beside him speaks up..... ))
" Whatever Bryson has come to the conclusion of, he will be even more lost in the web of confusion after you beat him. I'll have your back tomorrow night, rest assured. "
(( Zero nonchalantely glances into the alley, and then stands up. He starts to walk into the brim of the alley, and then disappears into the darkness of what lurks inside. ))
