Anthony Douglas #10

[djblue]

FADE IN

I/E: Outside the arena in an alley, inside the arena in the rafters - Afternoon

Anthony Douglas sits on concrete steps in front of a metal door in an alley next to the arena Trauma will accord. There are pidgeons all around him. He wears his black duster and his cowboy hat. He wears his fingerless black biker gloves. His head his down as to hide his face from the camera. His voice is low, cold, distant and emotionless.

ANTHONY
Sometimes, the light bothers my eyes. I have tried for years to avoid the light, but I cannot. Perhaps it is the still inevitability that I, someday, am doomed to the pit! Deep down, I know that is my fate. I know why I cannot stand the light. Because all my world is darkness and the light is the darkness' natural enemy. Light destroys darkness, like ends darkness. My life is darkness because all I see is my family's faces! I tried to leave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I ever thought I could be. I do anything to burn their light out! I never understood the meaning of devotion and family until you were taken from me. All I want to do is be with you again, but I do not have the power to put my fire out. So, it burns, and it festers and smolders, until all my conscienceness is consumed by heat and flame. All I want it to be at peace, yet peace has never found me.

Anthony throws a piece of bread at the pidgeons.

ANTHONY
I learned never to trust anyone. I learned through the school of hard knocks that the only person I should trust in this world is me! I do not help people! I have found two people who look at the world and see the world the way I do and, at least in a limited way, the fire has died down some. I don't bother with people, which is why, Blade, I didn't bother with you! I knew in my heart, and so did you, that back in the HHW you couldn't beat that stupid little elven man child person, whatever the hell he wants to be. . .that eye color changing fraud! You knew, I knew it. . .so you reached out to me! "Anthony, I know you hate him as much as I do! Help me beat his ass." Give me a break. . .weakness on your part does not make up for intelligence on mine! Why should I have helped you? You bring up semantics, Blade. . .I wouldn't have pissed on you if you were on fire, I damn well wasn't going to give you the time of day in your "Boiler Room Brawl." Sad thing is, you whine and cry like the best of them, son. Ever since you come here, you haven't done anything but cry!

Anthony stands up and walks in the door.

ANTHONY
You talk about how I ran from you, how Jason Willard ran from you, how your the best. Whatever. Son, I beat your ass in the HHW and I don't see myself running now. All this jawjacking and whining and crying isn't help you, Blade. Because, come Trauma, I'll prove Blade, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the only "wrestling" you do well is the wrestling with the decision of paper or plastic at the supermarket, and the only "fighting" you can do is fighting to stay awake after your head his the pillow at night.

Anthony walks into an empty arena. He sits and looks at the rafters.

ANTHONY <as Anthony continues, his voice gets louder, faster and angrier>
Now, you want to apologize to the fans because you've been pushed too far by me? Blade, apologize all you want. Maybe you can dig back some of that courage you had back in the HHW. Maybe if you listened to Al Laiman and his stupid little advice, you wouldn't be a red stain on the mat come Tuesday. So, since you think, in that rather small mind of yours and in your under-whelming craptacular fashion that I am running from you, son. . .I'm right here! We don't have to wait for the match! I'll spend all of Tramua beating your ass more black and blue than a Harlem cub scout. . .then, when you're done crying and bitching, I'll call "Whine-1-1" and bring the "waah-bulance" down here, strap your ass into a stretcher, stop off at McDonalds to buy you come "French Cries" and a "Waah-burger," stop at a bar so you can wash that all down with a "Whine-eken" then send you on a one way trip straight to hell since you know, as well as I know, you don't have what it takes anymore! You want to talk about busting people open! I spent 4 years in Florence state Prison in Arizona getting that sh*t done to me or me doing that sh*t almost daily! You don't scare me, son. . .you don't scare me with your stupid little "Angel of Death" bullsh*t just like Lantlas doesn't scare me with this "eye color changing, ficition fantasy realm, D & D Elven bullsh*t!"

Anthony pulls out a switchblade and make a slash on his forehead. He begins to bleed.

ANTHONY [in a blind rage]
You want to see blood son? You want to see my blood, Blade? <Anthony punches his forehead, making the cut bigger.> I am not afraid of bleeding! I've bled before, I'll do it again! You want to talk about me running from you! I have never run from anyone in my life, Blade, and a crusted piece of sh*t like you isn't going to be the first, either! So, still there, on your ass, and cry like a little bitch with a skinned knee! The only thing you're doing is showing yourself for the jackass you were in the HHW and the bigger jackass you are now! You're pissed because I pushed you to violence. . .Blade, I've been pushed since Iwas 17 years old. I've been pushed around for 10 years and when I die, because of who and what I am, I know I'm going straight to hell. Talk in your metaphors, Blade! You're right, it could have been you and me beating Lantlas. You can kiss my ass, all you do know is bitch and cry! You wanted my help, but I wasn't going to give it to a loser like you! I wasn't going to help a piece of crap that needs assistance to take a sh*t in the morning because he's too stupid and weak to do it him.

Anthony's face is completely red. Suddenly, Anthony stops talking. He looks up again, then, panting, closes his eyes.

ANTHONY <calming down>
Scratch that, you aren't too weak to need help. You'll be that way after Trauma. The only thing that keeps me here is the fact that, every time I pick up my .44 magnum I keep next to my bed and put it in my mouth, all I hear is my family telling me to stop and not do it. And I feel my baby sister's hand pulling the gun from my mouth. Blade, the only reason I haven't killed someone is I hear my family telling me to stop before it's too late and I do kill someone! I spent 4 years in prison for beating a man within an inch of his life! I stopped because I hear my sister's voice pleading with me to stop before I really collapsed that guy's skull! Recently, I've been listening to what my family tells me to do! The only reason I'm not going to beat you into liquid sh*t is my mother and father's voice begging for me to show you mercy. Anthony Douglas has no room for compassion or empathy, son! The only thing I know is hatred! I am more faithful to my family than I could ever have believed I could be. You assaulted a child because you saw my face and that is cause enough to turn your face inside out to make it look like your ass! But my family's begging me to show you mercy! Right now, I'm inclined to do so! In our fight on Tuesday, I doubt I will be! Because all I'll see is you assaulting that child, and all I'll see from that point on are my fists, your face and the color red. . .with deep crimson on the side. Because blood will be spilled, but it won't be mine, Blade! At that point, hopefully I will hear my family begging me to stop! And you better hope I do too.

Anthony wipes his face with his hand and looks at the blood. He smiles and walks away.

FADE TO BLACK