A Snake Survives Heavy On Lonely Energy

3/22/25

Prologue

I stared at the wall with what I could only assume are horrendously bloodshot eyes. I hadn’t been sleeping well since getting back to North America and that thirteen-hour plane ride did my body no favors. Doc nodded and then pointed to the unconscious body of Jack Marley who hadn’t left the compound’s nurse office since we all returned from Japan.

It had become a daily occurrence since right after Manhunt ended, “what did he think he was doing?” I had asked that question more times than Ellis Jackson looks at himself in the mirror before leaving for the day.

Doc shrugged and whispered, “following orders.”

The Octopus has a lot of security measures and one of them happens to be cameras with active mics on them. They were everywhere and where we were now, was no different. Where Doc must be careful, I just didn’t care anymore. Me watching what I was saying was the last thing on my mind. I was stabbed, chased by a bear, shot with a tranquilizer gun, and then beaten senseless all in just a month’s time.

My body was struggling to walk to the bathroom after all the damage it took while training in Japan. That was all before competing in one of the more painful matches I had been involved in. The manhunt had left some scars, but I also left with a smirk on my face.

“Whose orders, Doc?”

Doc looked at the camera and then back at me, “I am just trying to make you presentable for the board meeting. I don’t have any leeway after what Ellis saw and said.”

I groaned and rubbed my eyes. I was exhausted and still hadn’t found the courage to talk to Doc about what I had remembered in my unconscious state while falling down Mount Fuji. The Tengu do love to trick travelers, so who is to say that what I saw wasn’t just an illusion?

Yokai! (Aliens!)

“And you just go along with it, huh?” It came out harsher than I had planned, but it was hard to control the inflection of my voice after what I had just gone through.

He stopped checking the stitches in my thigh. His pause didn’t last long but what he did was unexpected. He looked at me and nodded, “yes.”

Ouch.

Maybe I hadn’t been harsh enough.

I am never one to fully understand the complexities of what another has gone through. It was hard for me show empathy for something I did not understand nor have gone through on that type of level. Doc had spent more time with my mom. Doc had put his entire life on hold to be a part of HER life.

How can you move on from that?

Would you even want to?

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, “my bad,” was all I could muster at that time. I didn’t honestly think I had done something wrong, but the look he gave me when he said ‘yes,’ may as well have been a confession of a crime.

One…he could never take back. He was all in on what he had decided ages ago, and I don’t think I could change that.

All he did was nod back to me. He stood up and gave me the best smile he could muster and turned to walk away, “Well…guess I will see you in there.”

I mumbled to myself and then let out a long sigh. “I…well, thanks.”

He stopped and turned and looked at me and started laughing. “Did you just thank me?”

I frowned at his laugh and leaned forward from the bed I had been sitting in as he did his check up on me, “what is so surprising that I would thank the person who treats all my ridiculous injuries?”

He continued to laugh as he got to the door, “all I ask for Steve, is that you trust me and continue to move forward…regardless of what happens.” He opened the door and walked out leaving me blinking with a confused look in my face.

“I never know what is going to happen next anyway.”

I laid back down in the bed and stared at the ceiling as I waited to be called upon. I was not sure what was going to happen. Maybe I would finally be initiated into The Octopus, but I had a feeling that this was going to be a meeting that would cause some repercussions for the future.

A room full of egos.

A room full of ambitions.

A room full of sea snakes.

--

A

Snake

Survives

The Fern wilted ages ago.

The salt was washed away.

All we were left with was an increasingly large pile of crumbs.

Oh my.

Oh man.

Haha, OH SHIT.

This feels like a hot cup of cocoa on a cold winter’s night.

This just feels right, doesn’t it, buddy?

The years have been kind to you. I would say you have lapped me multiple times at this point in our wrestling careers. That is probably all you want to hear from me. You have waited for the day I would finally give you credit.

You can now confidently play volleyball on the Octane without remembering me spiking the ball into your irritating face.

What a day.

What a celebration of friendship.

What a Manhunt.

The G’Odd Couple together again.

You just couldn’t help yourself, could you? It was just the icing on a cake you have been making off and on for a few months now. Always a sly remark. A literal false history lesson told to Minion that he could spout towards me. A news post claiming you would get me to help you at Manhunt.

You got all wide eyed and excited when you saw me. I can’t blame you. My beautiful bald head makes all the wrestlers swoon. It didn’t seem to work out for you in that instance though.

You can win all the titles.

You can be voted into the Hall of Fame.

You are still a petty motherfucker though…aren’t you?

Heh.

While you were being cradled in the arms of Hessian after you won Manhunt, I know exactly what you couldn’t forget.

Between all the celebrations: It’s a Harracle.

Between all the kudos from the Bandits: It’s a Harracle.

Knowing you have another date with Farthington, with the Universal Title on the line: It’s a Harracle.

It’s a Harracle!

It’s a Harracle!

It’s a Harracle!

One for each time I have connected with it and pinned you.

What’s a little neck realignment between friends, right?

Don’t get it twisted, Jiles…my cool buddy, we will always be mates. I don’t feel any ill will towards you because I have always known exactly who you are. Even when you became depressed and The eGG Bandits left you, I never for once took it seriously. It was just a tantrum from a man child who was never told he was good enough when he was a kid.

Jiles, I want to tell you from the bottom of what’s left of my heart: you are good enough. It’s just that you are such an annoying twat, that it is near impossible to give you a compliment.

It’s funny though, because when we first crossed paths, I would have probably been the one touted as the absolute asshole. I believe there is an odd magnetism between us which leaves us both better off financially but morally broke as people. We are drawn to make each other worse, and I don’t fully think that PRIME understands this.

They don’t see me, like YOU do, Cancer. They don’t comprehend what we have been through as enemies and later as partners. I must tip my hat to you because while others in PRIME ignore my existence you will always remember me. If I were a myth, I would only be kept alive because of your utter resentfulness towards me.

The profanities and lies from you sustain my existence, and I thank you for that.

I wish it could be different.

Does anyone believe that?

A day where we both bump into each other and become nostalgic for when we did trust falls on the Octane. When we ate food blindfolded to build trust and where we both agreed it would be STEVE HARRISON and cancer jiles as the announced tag champions.

Heh, guessing you will try to forget the day I beat you for the Five Star Championship.

I am going to bury you in every doubt you have about yourself. I can see the fear through those T-Shades, pal and it is probably the most attractive look you have.

I get a bit hot and bothered when I see you flailing around and yelling at Hessian to defend your honor. It takes me back to when I was a respected wrestler and people tried to avoid me.

People like you.

Can you put the effort in now, Jiles?

Can you silence the echoes in that empty head of yours about never beating me?

You have your spot in PRIME history while I have nothing but some shallow victories over a crumb who never showed up.

The truth is…this means a lot more to me, then you.

It always has.

It always will.

A snake can only survive so long.

What do you think I will do to cut its head off?

I have shown you the respect you don’t warrant but that doesn’t mean I don’t have something trying to escape deep down that wants nothing more than your downfall.

Sayo…

Sorry. We are never doing that again.

…For Us!

--

3/22/25

The Meeting

It felt like I was walking into a Nobel's ballroom party. “Now, introducing the esteemed Immortal Jellyfish who once blessed us with many Miracles: Steve Harrison.”

I wish.

It was more like: “you can come in now.”

Sigh.

Just a second thought member of some organization that cannot even explain to me what they do or when I will be initiated. I popped my head into the room and looked around to see annoyed and angry faces around the table.

Oh yay.

I swiftly walked into the room without looking anyone in the eye and sat down.

I thought I was sitting down I mean.

“No.”

I looked to my right to see Ellis Jackson, in all his irritating glory, shaking his head at me. I moaned when I saw him. It had been days since I had seen him, but it had felt like ten minutes. His finger pointed to the end of the table where I was originally introduced to this establishment on New Year’s Eve. I moved a few feet down the table and sat at the extremely uncomfortable chair. I crossed my legs and looked at the floor as I closed my eyes preparing myself for whatever might come.

In my mind, I was frantically giving Ellis the middle finger. Unfortunately, I have become too classy it seems too actually do it.

More like afraid.

I heard the door reopen and opened my eyes a bit and saw Clarice holding the door. Then my eyes got larger as SHE strutted into the room as if she was walking the catwalk and everyone had come to see her.

I guess we all were there to see her.

She sure knew how to take it all in.

The posture.

The confidence.

The way her eyes seemed to read everyone around her correctly.

The Marine Biologist in all her splendor.

It gave me a shiver down my spine when she locked her eyes on me. She gave me the coldest smile I had ever seen. I attempted to smile back at her, but I felt all the muscles in my face just freeze and I ended up just staring at her.  I was looking into the eyes of someone who truly didn’t seem to have any genuine emotions.

Or at least, any I could find. She was too composed to show any weakness.

“I will start this meeting off with complimenting you on your progress, my immortal jellyfish.”

“You’re welcome,” said the most obnoxious man in the room.

She turned and looked at Ellis the cold smile had been replaced with a blank stare. It was the type of stare movies always give a killer before they strike. “Well, of course we will thank you for the work you have put in…sea roach.”

Ellis’s face went white when he saw her face. “I…thanks.”

Lawson leaned forward on the table and looked at his brother, “Jack was not sent to the Tokyo Dome for you to tell him to put his health on the line for Steve. We were in Tokyo cleaning up your mess and you went and created another one for us.”

That was the information I had been waiting for. Why was that fool taking a beat down for me in a match where being pinned wasn’t the end anyway. Now, well…it was Ellis, what a surprise. I was unable to keep silent any longer, “what was the point?”

Everyone turned to me but before anyone could respond SHE began again, ignoring what I had said. “Ren, Ellis? Did you not think that JD, Jack, and Rico showing up in Tokyo was for any other reason than soothing angry allies?”

Ellis gulped and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “It—it—it was all about helping Steve progress. I knew I could use Ren to do whatever I wanted and didn’t think…”

She put her hand up, her face seemingly getting redder as Ellis’s got whiter, “exactly, you didn’t think. I am not stupid, Ellis. Why do you make up excuses that you must know I won’t believe? You went to Japan and put Steve through hell so you could steal a spotlight and make decisions that were opposite of what we discussed. What are WE supposed to do with you now?”

Ellis stood up, clenched his hands and leaned forward with his fists on the table, “everything I did got that coward the match he has wanted for years. I won’t apologize for the results, sister. Maybe I have made some poor decisions, but it was all for The Octopus.”

She tapped her right index finger on the table, “sit down--NOW!”

He obliged.

“And yet, he is still not being initiated today,” she calmly concluded. Ellis looked at her with a shocked look on his face as he was sure this was the day.

I grumbled and my voice was suddenly found, but I was unable to control it, “WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE…WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE WANT FROM ME?

Lawson responded, “that’s a good start.”

I Iet out a deep breath, attempting to get myself under control. I looked at my former mentor and responded, “is this a game of hot or cold?”

Lawson smiled as he leaned back in his Octopus table chair. “I’d say you are running lukewarm. Progress, followed up with falling back into your ‘woe is me’ attitude will only leave you failing again. Also, do you think a few wins and a decent showing in Manhunt means a damn thing? This is the bar at its lowest if that is the case. I didn’t train you to accept your place. Where is the passion to stand on people’s necks?”

Oof, it felt like he had just taken aim and shot me between the eyes.

The reality that dawned on me at that moment made me wince. I had just realized that even though I complain about Ellis I had begun to lean on him because I was still having trouble achieving who I was.

I could say I was taking steps towards it, but I was not sure if I could accept myself as that person again.

What would it take?

A tragedy?

I was still deep in thought but then saw Lawson was still staring at me. He was daring me to respond, and I didn’t know how. He shook his head and then looked at The Marine Biologist, “it seems like he doesn’t have a response so let’s get this meeting over with.”

She put a cigarette in her mouth and waited for Clarice to light it. She took a drag and then slowly exhaled and placed back in the ashtray. “I believe he will eventually get there, right Steve?”

I just nodded.

“Good. More importantly though,” she turned and looked at Doc. “Do you wish to explain yourself on this letter Ellis caught you handing to Steve?”

Doc looked down at the person he loved, “everything I do is for YOU. I believe it can be a turning point for Steve. It is better for him to not feel alone.”

She stared at the smoke moving around the room from her cigarette. She sighed and then looked back towards me. “How many times must I explain that she is not a part of the family?”

Doc blinked.

I looked sideways.

Her stare said all I needed to know about what she was thinking: do not disappoint me.

Ellis chuckled softly at the drama he helped create.

She continued, “Ellis, to show us you are truly repentant you can go speak to her,” she turned back to Doc, “and you will bring him to where she is.” She then looked back to me. She flicked her ash again, “you will be on your own when you go to Calgary.”

“I…but…”

She hissed through her cigarette, “don’t you dare complain about us speaking to Rebecca. She needs to understand that it is time for her to move on with her life. The Octopus is not for her. Now go pack and get ready to leave, unless you don’t think this match is important.”

I stood up.

My mind was racing about what could happen to Rebecca.

Was there anything I could do?

She called me out though because this match was important…too important.

Before I knew it, I was already walking towards the door and then stop to look at HER. “Have you ever despised someone so much but couldn’t fathom the person not being in your life?”

She looked away from me, “yes.”

I scoffed, as Clarice opened the door. I promptly walked out of the room and then realized as I got to outside my room, “ah yes…hers she can see, in ME, every time she looks at me.”

I cackled.

What a mess.

--

Heavy

On

Lonely

Energy

The crater in the painting on my wall.

The dresser leaning to the left because it was missing the right-hand legs.

The flowers that were once in a vase scattered across the room.

The vase broken into pieces.

All caused by an angry outburst when I began packing for Calgary.

I was being coddled.

I was given my freedom for one week. Only so I would have to rely on this family going forward.

Maybe I have felt alone.

One thing I know for sure is that in The Main Event of Revival 65 I will feel anything but lonely.

My old friend understands how it is to feel alone. He always surrounds himself with other people yet has never liked any of them. He stands on top yelling directions because he is one of the biggest cowards I have ever met.

What if they judge me?

What if they see through my act?

Haha, silly me. That is why I wear sunglasses.

You wanted human interaction so badly you began shacking up with Vickie Hall. You will laugh about doing it to get revenge on JCH. Deep down though, you enjoy spending time with someone as shallow and miserable as yourself.

Leave them in the back, Jiles.

Let our fists do the talking.

I missed you.

I hate you.

I am going to beat you.

I FEEL FUCKING ALIVE!

I looked down to see blood dripping from my left hand. Injured from putting a hole into that painting. I licked it and spat it to the floor.

HEHEHEHE.

I cannot wait to share this moment with you.

Rejoice that you now have someone to comfort you in your time of need. You will need it after I take that title from you. Then again…a loss might mean she goes looking for a new meal ticket.

Maybe you should grasp that title a bit closer, partner. Your disrespect towards it is going to come back and plague you.

A moment of enlightenment.

A time of déjà vu.

The plague, it has been a while since I dawned that moniker. I think it is only right to become the monster once more.

I will not hesitate.

I will not falter.

I look forward to looking you in the eyes and seeing that flame weaken when it remembers it has never burned me.

I am going to full counter that flame back at you, like always…

…ASSHOLE!