Off-Camera
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Zdunich Residence
Hollywood Hills
Los Angeles, California
7:01 AM PDT
The noise makes Seleana Zdunich walk away from a workout earlier than she had meant to. Training for a battle royal with championship stakes was no small mountain to climb, especially not when it involved Kat Jones, Mercedes Vargas, Tempest, Ariana Angelos, Luna Vanity, Krystal Wolfe and Sam Marlowe. But the chime on the phone giving a message alert was insistent and thus, Seleana pulled herself away to check her phone. As she looks at the screen and the text message waiting for her she almost drops her phone right there.
Christina
Hey Sel how are you we need to talk
With her right hand holding onto the phone, her left hand comes up to cover her mouth as thoughts of apprehensive horror start dancing in her head. She starts to type an answer but can’t bring herself to hit the buttons. After what seems like years, she punches in a response of nothing but a question mark, sends it off and closes her eyes.
Seleana
?
What could this mean? Were the signs she’d seen but didn’t want to admit were all real? How bad was it? Had Christina…?
She shakes her head. No, she was not going to jump to wild conclusions based on a one line text message sent at what amounted to the crack of dawn. She exhales heavily and opens her eyes just as the next chime comes in. This time, it wasn’t Christina.
Stephanie Sullivan
Hey Sel… You need to really check on Crystal. She told me she’s been drinking again and she doesn’t want to hurt you. Make sure you watch her, she’s been dealing with some demons.
Stephanie was both the girlfriend of Seleana’s cousin, Nadja Lindström, but also Christina’s best friend. What was going on? Seleana sits reading this message for a long time, staring at the stark truth that was also staring back at her.
He’d known… but hoped against hope she was wrong…
Now that the hope had been smashed, what could she say? Alex was gone and Christina was diving into the deep water again. Aurora was already blaming herself for Alex leaving, now Christina would be unpredictable and how would the little girl take this?
Especially with her birthday coming up in a little over a month’s time?
Seleana looks at the message again and sucks in a deep breath. How bad was this and how much would Christina tell her? Nodding coolly to herself, she finally musters an answer.
Seleana
Tack
Just as she sends it off, the next chime sounds alerting her to the next message coming in. Was iot Stephanie answering her back or was Christina? She was almost loathe to look. Taking the chance, she taps the button to reveal the answer.
Christina
I…
Closing her eyes, Seleana exhales heavily. Here it came.
Seleana
Have you done more than drink?
A different hope now entered Seleana’s heart, mind and soul. The hope that Christina had not doven all the way off the wagon and started back into cocaine and everything that would come with that. With Dean Matthews gone, there was a momentary power vacuum in that world and who knew what those people would do if Christina got desperate and reckless. Even with the Shieldmaidens and Chrome Dragons around, things could happen. The notification chime cuts those thoughts off.
Christina
I… no… Im trying not too please I don’t want to go to rehab
A million different thoughts flood Seleana’s mind at once. Was that hesitation? Was it because she had and didn’t want to admit it? Trying? Did that mean she’d thought about it? Did that mean she already had some and was talking herself out of it? Was that about the alcohol? Had she already done something else like she tended to do when alcohol came into play? She places a hand on the table and steadies herself before replying.
Seleana
What DO you want, Estrellita?
She sends the message off and braces for the answer.
Christina
To be back home. Don’t tell Aurora but I feel weak and Crystal is getting stronger every day. The thought and pride of success is too much to overcome
Seleana closes her eyes again. Aurora would understand but not understand at the same time. It was nice to see Christina trying to shield their daughter from whatever this was even knowing that there really was no fully shielding her from this. Aurora was already asking questions as if she’d seen things but didn’t want to say such and was also asking if it was her fault. Opening her eyes, Seleana punches in a response and hits send.
Seleana
You need help of some sort, ja?
The answer comes back almost immediately. Exactly as Seleana feared.
Christina
Yes
A second message follows before any response can be made.
Christina
And I don’t wanna lose our marriage. I been staying with Stephanie and Nadja for a bit but I wanna be with you
So that was what had taken her longer than expected to return from her business trip. That also explained why Stephanie sent the message she sent. She was present to see it first hand.
Seleana
Jag älskar dig, Stjärna.
She could only hope telling Christina that she loved her and calling that nickname in Swedish would at least make her smile.
Christina
Te Amo mas
Seeing the same message come back in answer manages to make Seleana smile for a second. The smile fades as the reality starts to set in. Christina was off the wagon and nobody knew how bad this was going to be but even more… she was avoiding coming home to face her wife and child about it.
Seleana sighs as a tear starts down her face.
Seleana Zdunich: Snälla kom hem.
On-Camera
Friday, October 6, 2023
Driveway
Zdunich Residence
Hollywood Hills
Los Angeles, California
4:51 PM PDT
The camera opens on Seleana standing next to a rented black sedan and nods slowly.
Seleana Zdunich: Kat Jones, Mercedes Vargas, Tempest, Ariana Angelos, Luna Vanity, Krystal Wolfe and Sam Marlowe…
She almost laughs despite herself.
Seleana Zdunich: That is a tall order no matter what the prize but when it is a championship?
A pall comes over her face, causing her eyes to glare laserlike into the camera.
Seleana Zdunich: The SCW Bombshell Internet Championship and we are all capable of winning this.
She pauses to nod acknowledgement.
Seleana Zdunich: I know some will disagree but they are wrong and simply do not wish to admit because it means they have to admit they can all be defeated.
She nods firmly.
Seleana Zdunich: Ja, Kat Jones, Mercedes Vargas, Luna Vanity, Other Crystal, Tempest, Ariana Angelos, Sam Marlowe, we are all able to win but we are also all able to be defeated.
She points into the camera.
Seleana Zdunich: This will be a spectacle when we all get in and fight for this championship to fill the vacancy and void left behind.
Her hand lowers even as the glare intensifies.
Seleana Zdunich: Say whatever you want but you all know the truth. We…
She points more to herself than anything else.
Seleana Zdunich: We are all of us capable and we are all going to give it our best square go to win it all!
She pauses and looks down at her feet for a second, her entire expression changing. She takes a deep breath and then looks back up into the camera.
Seleana Zdunich: Stjärna…
Looking into the lens, sadness creeps into her eyes.
Seleana Zdunich: Snälla kom hem.
She tries to blink back the tears that are threatening to emerge.
Seleana Zdunich: Por favor, Estrellita, ven a casa.
Allowing herself a second to compose herself, her expression turns back into a fearsome glare.
Seleana Zdunich: I will see you all there.
