Echoes of Life
Life in a way has its own echoes of the universe withheld in it. You are constantly fighting against the grain, always battling to overcome it and then it attacks you, brings you down to earth and you realise you are a miniscule little human, following the same old narrative until you are awoken or woke as the kids say. You believe in this bubble you surrounded yourself in, to protect your ego to quantify your achievements but then you are smacked in the face with the knowledge that you’re not as good as you think you are.
Melissa Aki was musing about life as she lay in a swimming pool, feeling the hot sun burning away the last molecules of the water on her skin.
She had thought she would come into Sin City, blaze a trail, beat all comers on her way to the top, as she had done virtually everywhere, she had been. Defeating the former roulette champion had made her ego expand again. The match with Seleana and Amber had not turned out well at all. She was certain she could beat both of them, but she failed. She abhorred failure in all forms.
It had been nice to talk to Seleana, she thought, to clear the air after the match and she spoke with Amber too and after watching it she could see that Amber had star written all over her. She had been so ego driven that she thought she could turn up and knock out either or both women very easily, but it didn’t work like that. She was overconfident and it showed. Losses in life are about learning. You do not learn with victories; they paper over the cracks and all you do is build yourself up with no solid basis for it. She lived to win and to win titles, but it had seemed so far off that she couldn’t see a title again on the horizon for her but someone in the management circle must have thought highly of her as she has a Roulette championship match at SummerXXXTreme VII. Maybe it was down to her victory over Candy but she couldn’t let that opportunity slip and now she had to face Bea Banhart. She knew she had to take this match and win otherwise it would show she is in a championship match based on reputation rather than being one of the best newcomers they could have wished to sign. Damn that ego getting in the way again.
She may have fallen down from her very own pedestal but this was a time to prove why she was seen as one of the very best in the world and a victory as well as the championship match which she would be helping Seleana, would be her path to redemption. She would show why she has so much inner belief in herself. She would show them why she was signed and why she can and will be the roulette champion. It’s time for Melissa to break free of the shackles the demon Daniela holds her with and time for her to go all out, break some bitches, take some gold and prove that she is what she always said she was – a winner!
Melissa slunk down into the water, her legs resting on the bottom of the pool as she falls into a lotus position as the bubbles float to the surface from her open mouth as she meditates what is next for her life in and out of the squared circle. Then it hit her. Angel was travelling around breaking faces. She would call her sister and they would have the most fun road trip ever.
Sisters Aren’t doing it for themselves.
“Why are we going at the speed of sound?” Her sister Hannah asked.
“It’s the way I drive, honeylove, you should know that!”
They were in her road custom mustang convertible. Their long black hair was whipping their faces as they rocked out to some Shinedown mix from her Spotify. Hannah detested rock music and hung on as Maki zipped around bends, as she looked over at her sister.
“BTS not this load of garbage, Melly. Mind the god damned road, Mel.”
“This is supposed to be a nice trip to bond, Sis. Be nice. Nothing wrong with rocking out, letting the wind flow through your hair, having fun, enjoying being sisters, you know?”
“Do not for one-minute act like we are best mates, Melly. You’re my sister so I am tied to you for the rest of my life. Yes, I would prefer we were close but that will never be the way so stop forcing it. Driving in peace is what I want. Where are we going anyway?”
Maki lifted her aviators and stared at her sister who in turn gave her an admonished look and pointed to the road.
“Vegas, baby! The land of the debauched and the unholy. You ever been?”
“For crying out loud. Vegas? Why would I ever set foot in that cesspit of human dysfunction? I literally cannot believe you’re driving me there. What the hell!”
Maki swerved as there was some roadkill in front of her and as a lover of animals whether alive or dead, she really didn’t want to run over it.
“Sorry, Han. What’s your issue with Vegas? Anyway, I have a match there for my new company from there so thought you would like to see Vegas and watch my match, you know?”
She sighed, “Seriously? Among all the disease infected places you could take me in a global pandemic you want me to go and see you fight half naked sluts in Las Vegas?”
“It’s too late to turn around now. Han, I am sick of your attitude. You either embrace this trip or I make sure you’re the only model travelling by greyhound, okay?”
Her sister Hannah was a catwalk model based in New York City and she had this entitled attitude ever since she was born. It infuriated Maki so much that as kids she tried to drown her sister. Hannah was the golden child as she was an absolutely beautiful girl with serious mental health issues due to her Asperger’s syndrome. Melissa, being a dutiful sister tried to help this as she practiced her Makihouse kick on her at every chance she got. She even asked for a toy vacuum cleaner for Christmas and as soon as she opened it, she slammed it into the head of her little sister. Their relationship was always complicated.
They drove in silence for a while until Hannah decided to break it. “How have you been doing in this Vegas company?”
“Okay I will bite. I won my debut against a former Roulette champion but then I lost last week, and I wasn’t really quite myself for some reason but Amber who beat me is extremely tough though I do want another shot at her. This weekend I am in a match against a tag team specialist named Bea Banhart.”
Hannah digested this. “So, you have a 1:1 record. That isn’t like you. Usually you come in and win match after match and then come unstuck because you are always so arrogant that you will win against anyone. “
“Well, if you want to call me arrogant that’s fine. I am confident in my abilities. It was a triple threat and I do not like being in a match where I do not have complete control.”
“Melly, the control freak. Colour me surprised. Instead of excuses why don’t you see where you fell short? Examine where you went wrong and improve on it? I am not into this naked fighting but seems the most plausible thing to do. Like your football team Spur. You come back better than before.”
“Thanks for the advice. I shall take it on board. We will need to stop for gas soon. Feeling hungry?”
“No. I do not eat. Have you let her come out yet?”
“Daniela? No. She keeps stirring and asking me to let her out, but I do not need some messed up demoness to help me win. Though, it is only a matter of time before she finds a way to come out and I am in the dark void again. “
“Just remember that bitch wants to consume you. Beat that Bea chick and then sort out these issues with Daniela.”
“Okay rest stop ahead. Let’s get gas and a drink. I will beat Bea and when I do, I will prove I am good enough to win the roulette’s championship. Daniela can stay gone as far as I am concerned. If I cannot beat someone without help, then it would mean my time in this industry is done and I am by no means done.”
They reach the stop as Maki pumps gas into the car, she sees Hannah catwalk her way into the restaurant, all hips and little arse. Her eyes turn black and she cackles. She jumps in the car and drives away as the lasting image of Hannah mouthing “What the fuck” as the pump breaks off and gasoline spills everywhere, Maki long gone in the distance as the place erupts into fire.
Little Fires
Meanwhile in hell…
Two huge black masses were opposite each other and slowly morphed into disgusting looking demon entities. The one on the left was holding some sort of board and was significantly taller than the other. The board holding demon was called Persephone and the one on the right was the inhabitant of your girl Maki who named herself Daniela. They did not need to speak as they always communicated via telepathy.
Persephone: You’re slacking, Daniela. How many more chances do I give you? Look at this pie chart.
The piece of paper on Persephone’s board turned into an eight feet tall Pie chat in between the two demons. The key was full of the names under the tutelage of Persephone and their percentages of souls reaped.
Persephone: As you can see our target for this month is three point five million souls reaped or tricked into giving over to us on the date their human bodies expiry date is up. Mammon is at six hundred thousand give or take. Belphegor has over a million souls reaped. He is such a star. Soon he will be vying for my place and then I will have to kill him but for now he is doing great. Leviathan has around eight hundred thousand. Asmodeus our new starter has two hundred thousand which isn’t bad for a newbie.
Daniela: Where am I in this chart? I do not see my name or a fraction of it.
Persephone: YOU’RE NOT ON IT YOU ASSCLOWN! Your percentage is so miniscule it doesn’t appear. Forty thousand. Do you even work anymore? You’re sitting around playing happy clappy lesbians with that vessel of yours and neglecting your job! I am getting pressure from the top to set fire to you and torture you for eternity for such pitiful numbers. What am I to say my boss why my subordinate isn’t pulling her weight, eh?
Daniela: I am on a very important mission for the boss, Persephone. The vessel is a conduit for all the lesser demons to come through. It is vitally important work and that we keep the vessel safe. Did I not get Trump in America elected? Did I not get Johnson in the U.K elected? They have already sold their souls to me which is way more than the rest of the morons in your team. Look, what you fail to realise is I already got the Kardashians and Kanye’s soul. Even Honey Boo Boo I got and those idiotic dance mothers. I give fame to the ingrates of Earth and get their souls. I do not know why you’re harping on at me. Talk to Bez he knows what my mission is.
A massive slap from a massive hand swept Daniela off her feet as she jumped back up and snarled at Persephone who stared intently at her.
Persephone: I am your Satan damned manager! Bez as you call him is my boss and he isn’t happy with your output. You listen to me. It is not just your horns on the extraction table if you fail. I have higher bosses than you would ever know who I must report to. Plus, endless time creating spreadsheets and power point plans. If you’re not careful I will put you in a disciplinary. I have the time as its relative but let me ask about this mission. Are you even helping that vessel you’re in a chemical reaction with?
Daniela: What do you mean? Am I supposed to protect her and reap souls? They are not mutually exclusive!
Persephone: You failed to protect her and failed to gain the souls of that Amber and Seleana humans. This is dereliction of duty. You just crashed an automobile with your vessel in it which could have killed her which would have made her role as a conduit null and void. You let her be beaten without once trying to come out and vanquish them. You promised the soul of a human called Candy, but did you? Your vessel won but I do not see her in my ledger of souls. This all looks bad for you, Daniela. I may have to write you up and talk to my boss about the next course of action. SHUT UP. This is not a discussion.
Suddenly Daniela was hoisted in the air by these one hundred-foot shackles made from the skin of human beings. She struggled against them.
Persephone: As we must follow Demon Resources guidelines, you are suspended, pardon the pun, until a full review will take place upon your failure as a demon. Therefore, your vessel will be inhabited as a conduit and you will not be allowed re-entry into her body. You shall remain shackled until the review is complete. Of course, when that time comes you can have a DR representative with you but for now your suspension has started. Bye Daniela.
With that Persephone was gone. Daniela struggled against the bounds and became curious as to how strong human skin was. She just hoped her vessel would not perish before she had a chance to use that beautiful human body again.
Bea Gone Banhart
Melissa Aki had just finished her workout, striking the kicking back with all her might. She was covered in sweat and her one-piece workout gear was soaking through. She looked at us and then headed to the shower room. She came out looking a million bucks, in denim hot pants and “Maki for Routlette Champion” emblazed loose hanging vest. She had her hair in pig tails and was wearing fluorescent pink eyeliner. She nodded at us as she went to a seat by the water fountain.
“Things didn’t exactly go to plan for me last time out. I know I took it as an easily winnable match. I took Seleana and Amber for granted as the losers of this match and took my eye off the ball but seeing as I am already included in an insane Roulette championship match at Summer XXXtreme I must have done something right. I will not allow such self-destructive behaviour to cloud my judgement again. Sometimes you need a kick in the fanny to wake you up to your own shortcomings.
I know I need momentum coming into the title match against three very talented and hard to beat opponents. Do not think for one minute I treat Bea Banhart as just a warmup match for it because that is so far beyond the truth it might as well be in another galaxy. She is in a very good tag team with her husband after all but Beatrice it isn’t quite the same. You are used to having someone bail you out when you hit that period of the match when your opponent gets some traction and starts getting on top. You will be used to having this moment and then tagging out or a blind tag to give you time to get your wind back and to clear your head. You won’t have this against me. See one word that has been spoken about me throughout my whole career is that I am resilient. Another word used is that I am merciless in that ring and this rings just as true. So, while you’re wondering what to do as you cannot tag, I will be methodically breaking your beautiful face. You will get no respite. I aim to win, and I will win no matter what you come up with. “
A sweet smile spread across her face as she touched down from her cheekbone, to her jawline and then to her neck. It would be such a shame to break such a beautiful face, but she would always do whatever it took to get the victory.
“You may feel that being here longer may give you an edge, knowing what to do in any given circumstance but you have never faced me. I know you will belittle me, say you’re oh so tough and driven and I will be impaled or some such nonsense. I like it when little bitches like you think they can beat me, think they can outsmart me, think they have any chance of getting into my head. See its oh so damned sweet when that Makihouse kick connects with the bridge of your nose, when the crack is heard throughout the arena, when the blood gushes out, a lovely warm trickle and I will enjoy licking that blood from your face after I have pinned you.
Now you probably have done zero research on me, but I have done copious hours on you because unlike some jumped up street urchin made good like you, I like to make sure I am as fully prepared as possible. For someone that claims to be such a proficient technical wrestler you really cannot wrestle for shit, Beatrice. It’s like you watched an old Bret Hart or Ric Flair video and declared yourself a technician. Wanna know what I do in that ring? I WIN! At all costs. I strike and strike and strike some more so your brain is confused whether to fight or run away and then I use my submission skills to weaken your body until you’re ready for the final kick. That is the difference between us. I have a game plan and you just talk shit and bend the rules which to be fair so do I but I combine all of them. I get it you got a shot at the roulette’s championship in February and I get one at Summer XXXTreme. So, this could be a good barometer of my success, but I beat a former champion and I will sacrifice you to the roulette wheel. Do you not see why you’re in this match, sweetheart? You already have a hell of a tag match after this and I move on to bigger names to defeat than yours. You’re not an easy match for me but you’re the one to take out all my angst on after what happened in my last match. I say not easy because obviously I will outwrestle you in every department and I will mess up that surgically improved face but you are sneaky and I will need to be on my guard but please do not take this as me treating you as god damned equal – because you’re nowhere near my level. You are being put on the proverbial pedestal, just by being in a match with me I am enhancing your reputation. So, when all is said and done, and you cannot breathe through your nose you better fucking thank me!”
She had a far away look in her eye, as if she was playing out the scenarios of the match in her mind, every twitch was how she would get out of the certain basic moves of Bea Banhart.
“You have caught me at a bad time for you, Beatrice. Maybe if I had won last week, like I damn well should have, I may have made the erroneous error of complacency creep in. Now you face a determined, no holds barred, complete and utter bitch. I do not want you to see my Korean Warrior make up and think of me as some childish freaking clown that you can beat with your stunning backslides and abdominal stretches. I want you to face your fears, to see what is coming for you and one way or the other I shall be victorious and move on to my quest but if you start acting like a freaking imbecile, showboating about a stupid bulldog move like you’re Greg Valentine or something you will not only be disrespecting me but also yourself and cannot abide that. Let’s see how tough you really are and if that geriatric all codger wants to help, I will knock him out with no hesitation. Much like your grotesque husband. This is not a game and I can break every bone in your body and drag you to hell if I want but you’re not worth it. What I will do is stand the victor and I will not think about your lazy, entitled little ratchet of an arse again!”
She tried to calm herself, but those emotions always got her carried away and often to her detriment. Her mind raced to the match after hers.
“At Summer XXXTreme myself and Seleana, well, we will not be the long-time friends that we are until after it has reached it’s conclusion. This is for another day, but I will be in her corner as she faces this Jessie Salco uptight bitch. I hope she wins, and she deserves to, but my attention will be on you Keira. If you even dare to step foot in that ring, to interfere, to attack Seleana on the outside I will hit you so hard your stupid Botox will spill into your eyeballs! I couldn’t care less if you screw over Jessie. She probably deserves it, but you will not touch a single hair on Seleana’s head. The world of pain you will live in afterwards will not compare. Oh, I do look forward to smashing it up with you, Keira, and Jessie and Seleana but I am going to protect my friend with the best of my abilities. This is just a warning. Do not test my patience. I will destroy your many plastic surgeries soon enough. Just remember one thing: Never Trust Maki!”
She spat the words out venomously and pushed the camera away and we see the shot of her walking away from the floor.
