[Gabe]

 OOC: Haven't the energy to proofread, but I'll fix any errors post-results. Good luck to Sammeh, Maggie, and Sprinkles!

• Scene 1
- The Coloring Book •

It is up to each of us to paint his or her own destiny. We are given a blank canvas to express ourselves upon, however, the majority of the time it is not our fingertips holding the brush that paints. The more we allow people to shape us in their image, the more we lose touch of whom we really are. But it can stop anytime you want it to, all you have to do is take control of the brush. Do not let others define you and paint you with stereotypes. We define ourselves. We are the artists.

He sat frozen underneath the table, knowing any minute they could find him. Kneeling on the cold floor, his arms wrapped around his body, hugging himself; not only to warm him, but to suppress his shakiness. The sounds of his pulsating heartbeat reverberating throughout his head slowly ate away at the dead of night.

”He’s got to be around here somewhere. I’ll check the dining room, you check the kitchen,” ordered the man.

The boy didn’t believe in God, but he prayed more than any devoutly religious person ever had. He didn’t want to be saved or to run, it was courage he seeked. Climax Control fast approached; bravery nowhere to be seen.

Muted heels tapped against the tiled floor. The boy’s eyes scanned underneath the tablecloth for shadows as his lungs squeezed, tightly hitching his breath within his throat. The large dining room table he hid under was where he usually felt safe. He could think about his upcoming match against Rage and Melody, but like usual, people always wanted to interfere with his plans - antagonizing him, despite him not bothering the world. His hiding spot no longer a haven for his thoughts.

"Found him.”

All the air inside his brittle chest left his body at that moment. He could see the fear in the breath that escaped his still lips, visible in the cold climate. His leg was snatched and yanked upon. His fingertips tried embedding themselves between the tiles before ultimately submitting to total despair.

"You thought you could hide from us? You’re not going to be much use on Sunday. Cowards don’t win matches.” The man pulled Gabriel from underneath the table and into the open. The large dining hall was fit for royalty, instead it hosted himself and his father.

“Where was he?”

His mother stormed into the hall, running to her husband and son. Their voices echoed around the room.

"Where do you think he was? Under the table like usual. You gave birth to a loser who is too scared to fight his own battles. Why can’t he be more like his sister?”

““Because he isn’t Jemma. That’s why.”

"No, he’s a failure, or at least he will be when Rage shows the world what he’s really made of. The guy’s a six-foot-eight, three-hundred-pound giant. He’ll crush your son this weekend, but he’ll do more than just injure his arm like last week.”

“He’s our son.”

His mother picked him from the floor, grabbing hold of his filthy t-shirt collar and stood him next to her.

“Even if he is a disappointment at times.

Gabriel balled his fists and kept them to his sides. Having become accustomed to face down and clenched teeth, he fought back the tears forming in his eyes, knowing it will be just another thing his father mocks him for. No matter what he did, it was never good enough for his father. He favored his younger sister, Jemma, or at least that’s what Gabriel thought.

"And that Melody girl, ha! Do you think he’s got what it takes to stop her winning the match? Of course not. Aww, does little Gabriel have a crush? It’s pathetic. He should treat her how Rage does, only then will he be on the right path to becoming a man and have a chance at winning the match.”

“There’s no harm in letting him have his little fantasies, and they’re only friends.”

"Jemma won’t hold back, she’ll give it her all, it doesn’t matter if she’s against her friends or not. That Melody calls him her Nutella of her life, and he calls her Sprinkles. Don’t make me sick. Is he in the wrestling business to win matches or to make friends?”

The two continued to tower over him, talking as if he wasn’t there. All he could think about was wishing that he really were invisible, maybe then he wouldn’t be such a burden to the world - and to his parents.

"Take him to his bedroom. I don’t want him in my sight.””

Gabriel chewed his lower lip, knowing if he dared look up to see the disappointment on his father’s face, he would no longer be able to stop a river of tears flooding down his cheeks. His mother took hold of his hand and dragged him through the dining room as her husband commanded. They exited the large doors and into a hallway.

“You know your father doesn’t mean everything he says. You just don’t have what it takes to succeed in the harsh world of wrestling, that’s all. He wants what’s best for you, honest.”

"I haven’t done anything wrong," said the softly spoken boy, with a crackled voice.

“I know, honey. Your father gets upset because you take to Twitter and embarrass the family. He’s right when he says you should be more like your sister. She’s fought hard to get into the wrestling business, and she has learned to respect he peers, not run her mouth off every chance she gets. She is more than capable of handling herself against Melody at Climax Control, just try not to mess things up, okay?”

She smiled at him, like that would even help. Leading him to the outside of his bedroom, she patted the top of his head and opened the door.

“We do love you.”

"I love you, too."

Those words were supposed to fill someone with joy and spark excitement deep down in their core. His words were hollow and meaningless, afraid if he doesn’t say them back he would get a beating. She opened his bedroom door with a smile and ushered him inside, locked it, then left.

The room had very little light; the only source coming from a small stained glass window next to a makeshift bunk bed.

“How’d it go?” Whispered a voice in the corner.

"The same as usual. Just leave me alone."

Gabriel’s feet stomped across the wooden floor until he reached the only other object in the room: a large metal trunk. One arm pushed open the huge lid, while his other hand dug inside. After moments of searching it, his hand resurfaced and the other let the lid drop back down, sounding a loud thud. He gripped the object firmly and walked over to the corner of the room, dropping to his knees, then sat down.

“Are you excited about the match?”

The question was answered with silence. Gabriel opened the object--a book of blank pages--and flicked through the pages until he landed on a drawing he drew of himself. The sounds of pitter-patter feet scurried across the dark room and stopped next to him. A soft scratching noise followed by a burst of light lit up the corner of the room where Gabriel sat. His little sister, Jemma, held onto the base of a candle and held it over his book.

“This will help.”

The child Jemma smiled at her older brother. The candlelight caught the edge of her soft face and gorgeous red hair. Gabriel snatched the candle from her and tossed it across the room, causing it to be extinguished mid-flight. It hit the wall and rolled across the floor.

"I said leave me alone! I wish I never had a sister sometimes."

Immediately he wished he never said that. Although he couldn’t see her eyes, he knew they were frowning. Her eyes were the most amazing part about her, they were like portals to her emotions. And right now, those portals were beginning to fill with water. He sat there silent in the dark, coloring in his drawing.

“Fine. I was only trying to help you see your drawing, you big jerk.”

"That’s right," he snapped. "It’s my drawing. Not yours, moms, or dads - it’s mine. I color it in how I want it to look. This drawing doesn’t have to worry about a stupid family and a silly wrestling match.”

“I believe in you,” she murmured. “Even if everybody else doesn’t. We can win on Sunday, right?”

He paused, searching for answers. The darkness hid his smile. She had always believed in him and he had never thanked her for trusting her mean big brother.

“You’ll take care of Rage, while I take care of Melody. That’s what you said.”

"Jem, I don’t want to talk about the match." His voice grew with frustration, wanting to be as far from the match as mentally possibly.

“But you said--”

"Go away! Just leave me alone!!"

Complete darkness ensued. Echoes of a familiar voice made itself present.

"Baby...What’s wrong? Wake up, babe.”

Gabriel’s eyes were anchored shut, but the more Amy nudged him, they slowly became unstuck. He sat up. She leaned against his back and draped an arm over the front of his chest.

"Fuck. Another dream."

"You were shouting again. This is must be the fourth time this week you’ve had these kinds of dreams. Rage really got you that worried? Its fine if you’re scared of him honey. Dude’s built like a monster."

He pushed off the bed, forcing himself past her arm.

"I’m not scared of Rage. Why is everybody saying that!? I’m more scared of Melody than that dumb Neanderthal."

"I was only playing. I believe in you."


• Scene 2
-   A Silver Lining •

Dreams can be a funny thing. All they really are is a bunch of neurons causing chaos in one’s brain while asleep. Some try to pry open the remnants of last night’s sleep, hoping to find some inner answers their consciousness won’t give them. Others, like Gabriel, believe it’s a fatuous and arduous task trying to find meaning where there is none. It’s just a dream, or at least that’s how he wanted to perceive it. He needed to clear his mind and wash away any doubts before heading into the one-hundredth episode of Climax Control. Sin City Wrestling wanted to make it the biggest show yet, which meant all eyes were going to be fixed on the show. Failure, success, emotions, and the pressure were heightened for the milestone show.

Gabriel’s eyes were clamped shut as he was cautiously led forwards.

"Are we there yet?"

"You’re more annoying than my cousin. He’s only four. We’re not far now, just make sure you’re not peeking through my fingers."

He tried assessing his surroundings by patting his sneakers against the floor, but the only information he could vaguely gather was that he was walking on uneven ground.

"Okay. We’re here."

She pulled her hands away from his eyes and stood beside him. Her innocent and gleeful smile pushed up her cheeks, somewhat resembling a chipmunk. Kirsty, Gabriel’s long-time friend, was somebody he could always turn to during troubled times. She often floated into his life like a butterfly of quirky and odd advice, but then disappear when he didn’t need her. She pulled down on her long pink dress, excited at where they were.

"I know, amazing right!? I’ve, like, been dying to show you this place for ages."

Gabriel stood bemused. Her golden hair ran down past her shoulders, stopping halfway down her back. She span in a circle on her bare feet, breathing in the fresh air.

"You’ve brought me to a forest? I asked for your advice regarding my upcoming match, not to rape and murder me."

Too busy looking at the picture-esque fairy-tale green grass and trees which looked like they had been crafted by Walt Disney himself, her balled fist crashed down onto the top of his head.

"That’s so not funny, Gabe! I came here to help you, not listen to your dumb jokes. Are you going to accept my help or not!?"

His palm furiously rubbed the top of his head, hoping it would somehow ease the burning pain. Kirsty was a sweet girl with a bitter temper. Often, she would flare up momentarily, only to be completely calm moments later. Gabriel put it down as one of her quirks.

"Well, I like to come her to relax and think about my problems. There’s so much someone like you could learn from this forest."

"You’ve got the strangest idiosyncrasies, you know that?"

"I’m not an idiot!"

"No. It’s, uh--nevermind. Don’t hit me again, that hurts. What can I learn from this place? Tree, grass, and a few bunny rabbits; what’s the big deal?"

She scoffed at him and placed both her hands on her hips.

"Because I friggin’ said so. Now look, you made me curse. Tell me about your match."

She bounced on her tiptoes, leading him through the trees. Sunlight pierced through the branches and onto Gabriel’s Jeans and t-shirt, warming him for just a second, until she grabbed his hand and yanked him into the shade.

"It’s weird. I’m a kid again. I’m always hiding from my dad, never living up to his standards, and he laughs at me when he hears I’m up against Rage and Melody."

"You don’t sound as confident as you tell everyone you are."

He sighed as she stopped still, looking at him with pursed lips.

"I don’t know. Sometimes it feels I’m only portraying a confident guy. Maybe if Rage believes I’m going to win, then it might actually happen. In all seriousness, the guy has muscles growing upon muscles. How is that fair? I can’t compete with that. He aligns himself with those Sins, while I’ve got nobody. I’ve got Amy, Jemma, Melody, and those pervert Players Club members on my side."

"Melody - your opponent, Melody?"

"Ha, yeah. We’re good friends. I want Jemma to win but then I also want Melody to win. My sister is my sister, obviously. It’s her second ever match, and she’s tagging with me, so it’s a big deal. But Melody is just starting out as a wrestler, too. And she’s pretty damn good, going by her last match. She’s a sweetheart.

All three of them want to be in the match and have earned the right to be there. Me, I’m just a fraud. I tell so many lies that I start to believe them, I just can’t believe the one where I say I’m the best."

"Oh, boo hoo, mister. You don’t know how good you’ve got it."

Kirsty pointed to baby tree which reached her waist. Its brittle branches frowning, not receiving much sunlight due to the taller trees overshadowing it.

"You’re a wrestler for Sin City Wrestling! Sure, you might not be getting all the spotlight and confidence-boosting you need, but you’ve come this far on your own, why give up now? It’ll all be for nothing if you let Rage get into your head and make you quit. Only quitters quit."

"That might just be the most obvious statement I’ve ever heard."

Her fist wildly swung into the side of his arm. Her voice grew.

"You know what I mean!! Look at this tree. It doesn’t just give up, rot, and die. It gathers what little sunlight it can and makes the most of it. You need to make the most of your opportunities when you get them. Some doofus is twice the size of you and will pound you face into jelly, so what? It doesn’t stop you from going out there and giving it your all."

"Jesus. You really know how to massage my deflated ego."

"I know, right. Sometimes I surprise myself."

She bit her smiling bottom lip and took hold of Gabriel again, venturing deeper into the forest.

"Here’s a thought. Maybe instead of fearing Rage, is there anything you like about him? You could always learn things from him until you become a good wrestler."

"I am a good wrestler," he scowled. "I’m just not that good. While Jemma focuses on Melody, I need to wear Rage down, he’s pretty athletic. I’ll have to be one-hundred percent focused because if he hit his ‘Rage Slam’ on me, I’d be out for the count."

"There you have it, you big numpty. Stay alert and on guard, and remember not to give up because it’ll all be for nothing. All this hard work and training, make it count. And make sure Jemma knows what to expect from Melody. Her good looks might trick you, so they might trick your sister, too. Just like me and my good looks fool you into thinking I’m friendly."

She fluttered her eyelashes at him, quirking a smile. He laughed and nudged her shoulder.

"Right, let’s get you out of here. You need to prepare for your match and stop being such a Debbie Downer. Show everyone what a little tree can do."


• Scene 3
- Overcoming Obstacles •

The remaining few days went by, Gabriel trying to piece everything together. Kirsty was right - he had earned the right to look Rage face-to-face and not be intimidated. Undefeatable is a beguiling word, but in reality, it’s nothing more than a word. Rage and Melody would go down like a lead balloon with the Titanic painted across its hard skin.

Gabriel cleared his throat and gripped the microphone tightly. Climax Control's one-hundredth episode was imminent, all that was left was for the cameras to begin filming. He thought he would take the opportunity to address the fans, his opponents, and even himself.

“I Will Not Bow” by Breaking Benjamin blasts through the titantron as Gabriel shifted his weight onto the balls of his feet. Every time he stepped through the curtain, his nerves would clench onto his insides, giving him a sickly feeling. This time the nerves weren’t there. He pushed past the black curtain and immediately got bathed by the venue’s lights. In just a pair of jeans and boots, he made his way past the SCW fans, who greeted him with a mixture of cheers and boos. As he approached the ring, his eyes assessed the arena, making sure there were no blind spots where Rage, or even Melody, could sneak up on him and go for a pre-emptive strike.

Gabriel ascended the steel steps, wasting little time, and entered the ring through the middle rope. He motioned for his music to be cut and brought the microphone to his mouth, speaking over the already rowdy crowd.

"Listen. I could come out here and say What’s up Nevada, the Joint, or try some other kind of beguiling technique to get all you guys and girls on my side tonight, but that’s not going to happen. Before we get started, I thought I’d do something I don’t usually do by addressing everybody before the show actually begins. You’re all aware me and my sister will be going against Rage and Melody tonight, in a rare intergender tag match.

While yes, I am excited, all week long I’ve been contemplating the what-ifs regarding this match. You all saw Rage attack me upon my return, to which I replied by leaping off the small titantron and landed an elbow to his face. He couldn’t leave it at one-one, though. He then attacked me last week and tried to bend my arm in ways it doesn’t want to bend.

Well, ever since then, I’ve been worried about the outcome of this match. Also, Melody is a good friend of mine, so to have her rub it in my face is just going to kill me."

He paused, somewhat half-heartedly hoping for some kind of laugh from the fans, but he received nothing. Again, he cleared his throat and took in a deep breath.

"I didn’t know if this business was for me. Every single thing I’ve wanted to accomplish in life has failed. I’ve disappointed my family, my friends, but most of all myself. Rather than sit in a puddle of regrets, I’ve decided to come out here and let Rage and Melody know that if they are going to beat me and Jemma, we’re not going to lie down and wait to be trodden on.

I’ve met amazing people such as Roxi Johnson, who has taught me to no longer succeed in being a failure. Stay true to myself and my friends, and the rest is easy. And then I’ve met Rage, who had made me so kid-level scared that I could see nothing but a loss when we both meet in the ring. It bothered me why I let this overrated, roided-up guy get to me. His only friends are that perverted cult, the Seven Deadly Sins. He hates anything with a pulse. The guy is a loser of such epic proportions, it’s embarrassing. The only thing original about him tonight is his tag-team partner, Melody Grace. "

Gabriel let out a smile as some members of the crowd whistled and jeered.

"Melody is my Sprinkles, and I’m the Nutella of her life. I told Jemma to go easy on her, I don’t exactly want my best friend hurt. But Melody told me not to confuse her friendliness with an unwillingness to win. For one night only she was going to attempt to kick my ass, well, Jem’s ass. Melody’s desire for this business is something that I can only aspire to. I watched her the other week, when she tapped out Necra, and she proved to the world she is the future of this company. Sure, she’s a bit ditsy, she’s young, gullible, and hangs with wrongens like Rage, but I can’t think of a better person to lose to."

He paused for the last time, thinking of a good way to end it before he had to go ready for imminently approaching match.

"I wanted to keep this short and sweet, just like Sprinkles. I just came to say I’ve been running away from my fears for a long time now, but there are people who have had much worse childhoods and overcome seemingly impossible obstacles and odds to get where they are today. So, after making friends with some of the greatest people here in this company, I think I have actually found my niche in the world. Win or lose, I’m proud of myself, Jemma, Melody, and even Rage. I’ve always longed for admiration from other people, but it’s never enough because I didn’t have my own backing, but now I do.

Rage and Melody might be the favorites going into this match but me and Jemma will give it our all and go down fighting like the champions we are. I don’t see Melody and Rage in the opposite corner, I see two opponents who I’ll fight through blood, sweat, and tears to overcome. Then, at the end of the night, I can finally say I’m proud of myself; through all the bullshit I’ve had to put up with during the years, I’m still here, and I’ll fight until the final breath leaves my aching lungs."

He dropped the mic, which hit the ring canvas with a thud. “I Will Not Bow” began to play through the sound system again, and the cameras fade to a smirking Gabriel.