Post by Declan Prescott on Jun 29, 2010 19:25:35 GMT -5
"And the opponent... he comes all the way from Sydney, Australia and weighs in at 212 pounds... The Significant Player... DECLAN PREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESCOTT!!!!"
He jogged down the ramp way and slid into the ring, raising his arms above his head, as he did so. He cast his vision around the gymnasium and grinned broadly. Of the 150 people in attendance, Declan Prescott found them in less than a second. Sitting in the front row were his three favourite faces in the entire world: Jeremy Sprocket, Daniel Hanson and Cara Costello. Declan flashed his teeth at Cara and winked, which caused her face to turn bright red.
Declan spun on the spot and found himself face to face with a man who's presence filled him both with delight and disgust at the same time. Dmitry Vega, a man Declan had wrestled more times than he cared to count, had extended his hand. Declan accepted the gesture and took a firm grip of Vega's palm. As the two shook, a hint of nervousness tickled Declan's insides. He could recount Vega's entire move set off the top of his head and knew Vega could do the same for him. Yet, because they were so evenly matched, every match between them was a total mystery. They possessed the same size, strength, speed and stamina. They had often been accused of being brothers. Neither had ever gained more than two wins in a row over the other and any match could go any way at any time.
"Good luck, Ducky," Vega whispered with a grin.
Vega then snapped his hand away from Declan's. Declan wondered how the name 'Ducky' had ever come to be his, but didn't have time to reflect too deeply, as the bell rang.
The two instantly locked up and both looked for a knee to the gut on their opponent. Just as quickly as their legs smashed together, both men had raised their second leg in a second wave of attack. Again both men's limbs crashed together and this time they both fell to the floor. Declan was back to his feet, at the exact moment Vega was. Both men swung their right fists and blocked the other's attack with their left.
For over twenty minutes it continued. Neither athlete could land a single attack on the other. As they began to wear down, eventually punches and kicks slipped by the opponent's defences. Blows finally began to land, but it was still dead even. Whenever one man landed an attack, he opened himself up enough to be hit in return.
Declan could feel the sweat flooding over his body and splashing to the canvas. His muscles had tightened to the verge of breaking point and not just from the physical exhaustion. As every second passed, the atmosphere inside the gymnasium grew more intense. With every moment, the fans became more desperate to see who would slip first. Declan's determination that it would not be him, was unwavering. He had too much on the line. Daniel would mock him. Jeremy would be furious. Cara would be disappointed.
No! The pressure would not break The Significant Player!
With lightning speed that he had no right to possess, Declan's foot smashed with unseen speed into Vega's kneecap. Dmitry fell to his knees and let out an excruciating cry of agony. Declan clenched his right fist and felt the sweat squeeze out in all directions. He raised his arm and, without the slightest hint of hesitation, sent a thunderous right hand belting straight into Vega's forehead. His opponent fell lifelessly to the mat and the fans erupted with cheers.
Declan closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. The air was musty and reeked of body odour. But the atmosphere that accompanied the air, was the sweetest scent he had ever known. The fans cheered for him. They revelled in his success. He was a hero to them.
Declan opened his eyes and spun on the spot. His eyes widened with alarm as he stared at the three seats his friends had taken up.
One of them was empty.
Jeremy sternly shook his head at Declan, while Hanson's look of concern was set on the front doors of the building. Declan swung on the spot and saw two figures leaving the gymnasium. One was the trembling figure of Cara Costello. The other sent a wind of ice down Declan's spine. He had never seen the man with yellow teeth, cracked skin and slits of eyes, but Cara's description of him made the man's identity unmistakable.
"Damien..." the words seemed to whisper themselves from Declan's mouth.
Suddenly, Declan felt a hammering blow echo through his head and the world turned to blackness.
Declan opened his eyes and saw the face of a wise, hardened veteran staring down at him. His thin lips were sent in a stern frown and his eyes were pointed, menacingly. Declan gulped and spoke, with a grin.
"Did I do bad?"
"Declan Prescott, you're a fool!" Jeremy spat, his words propelled by anger.
"I'll take that was a 'yes'."
Declan reached into the air and felt a hand grasp his. Daniel pulled him to his feet and Declan shook the cobwebs from his head, before seeing that he was in a wrestling ring. The fans had started to leave, although many were conversing with wrestlers who had agreed to a meet and greet.
"What happened?" Declan asked, having no memory of anything before his morning shower.
"Vega got you real good," Hanson said, as Declan noticed his own body was sweating profusely. "Kicked you right in the back of the head and won the match."
"Wow, that doesn't sound like me," Declan said, rubbing the back of his head. Sure enough, he could already feel a large, swelling lump. "How'd I let his foot reach the back of my head?"
"You -"
"Silence!" Jeremy hissed, instantly causing Daniel to stop speaking. "Declan, you should have won this match. I'm truly disappointed in you."
"Why won't you tell me?" Declan asked, still as puzzled as ever.
"It isn't important," Jeremy commanded.
"You're lying," Declan said, pointedly. "It was important. If I only I could remember! I just! Something! CARA!"
The memories returned to Declan in an instant. She was in danger. She needed his help!
Declan lunged toward the exit, but felt a firm grip take hold of his arm. Declan spun angrily on the spot and saw Jeremy holding onto him, with an iron grasp.
"Let go!" Declan spat, feeling the rage rising in his being.
"I know you want to be her hero, Declan," Jeremy spoke, his words heavy and burdened. "But it is not your place. It is her life. If she is unhappy with it, it is her responsibility to change it. You cannot interfere."
"That's bullshit!" Declan roared, ripping his arm away from Jeremy. As he did this, Jeremy's eyes grew wide with shock. He had never encountered such disobedience in his finest student. "She's nineteen years old and completely defenceless! I'm not going to sit by and let that piece of shit destroy her! She doesn't deserve that! No one does!"
"You can't change the world," Jeremy said solemnly, as Declan was halfway through the ropes. "She has to choose to be with you Declan, otherwise you're no better than he is."
"She wants to be with me!"
"If she does, she will choose to be with you. You don't have the right to involve yourself!"
"FUCK YOU!"
Declan's body froze, as Jeremy's face seemed to age over a century. The mentor cast his vision at the sweat stricken canvas below him and sighed.
"You are the most talented athlete I have ever seen," Jeremy said. "You have the ability to surpass even me. You are greater than Dmitry Vega. You proved that tonight. You proved that when you had this match won. But Declan, if you truly wish to be the greatest wrestler of all time, you must dedicate yourself to it and it alone. You cannot chase after a woman and your dream at the same time. She will blind you. She already has."
"Then I guess I'm blind!" Declan hissed, although there was a sense of defeat about his words. As if he was filled with regret.
"If you intervene," Jeremy stated gloomily, his eyes not leaving the canvas. "I can no longer be your teacher."
"What?!"
"You have all the potential in the world Declan. But if you do not have the dedication required, you have no place under my wing."
Jeremy now looked up and Declan gasped. His best friend's eyes were filled with tears. Declan looked away and forced the thoughts out of his mind, as he leapt over the safety barrier and bolted towards the exit.
Declan stared through the window of Stephanie Minx's flat. Inside, Stephanie was cowering in a corner of the front room. Standing tall in the middle of the room, with knife in hand, was Damien Noose. Kneeling before him and shaking uncontrollably, was a blubbering Cara Costello. Declan sighed and watched on, knowing his presence would not go unnoticed for long.
"You stupid, ungrateful whore," Damien hissed. "What did I tell you about seeing him?"
"I'm sorry," Cara moaned into her arms. "Please! Please!"
"I asked you a fucking question, you pathetic animal," Damien spat, resting the knife on Cara's shaking crown.
"You said not to see him!"
"You really are a fucking idiot piece of shit. I told you that if you see him again, I'll kill you."
"NO! I'M SORRY!! I'M SO, SO SORRY!!"
"I really don't care!" Damien roared, before erupting into cruel laughter. He soon composed himself and spoke once more. "Do you think he loves you?"
"He said he loves me..."
Damien burst into laughter a second time.
"Oh fuck, bitch," he mused. "You're a piece of ass. That's it. You're a doll for us to fuck as we please. That's all you are and all you were ever meant to be. You know why?"
Cara simply cried weakly. Damien punched her in the face with his spare hand, sending her reeling to the floor. Blood splattered from her nose, as her head went bouncing against the carpet.
"It's because no one could ever love you!" he roared and began marching toward her quivering body, that was now sprawled defencelessly over the floor. He knelt down over her and pressed the knife to her throat. "You're not even a person. You're just a thing. I want you to know, that after you die, I'm going to film your dead corpse being raped. Your body is just going to be a piece of meat to take whatever the fuck we say. There'll be no difference to when you were alive."
Cara let out one final, desperate wail, before Damien began slicing into her skin.
"I'm sorry, teacher," Declan whispered into the wind.
He lifted his leg into the air and, with tremendous force, slammed his foot into the heavy, wooden frame. The door smashed clumsily from it's hinges and Declan marched into the room.
Damien spun on the spot and let out a quivering cry of terror. He thrust the bloody knife uselessly at Declan. Declan grabbed his adversary by the wrist and positioned his second arm, under Damien's elbow. Declan hammered his palm upward and a loud snap was heard, as Damien's elbow now pointed in the opposite direction to what it had moments before. Damien squealed and writhed in agony, before Declan kicked him in the face and sent him crashing into the nearest wall.
Declan knelt down over Cara's motionless body, as tears streamed down his cheeks. He pressed his ear to her lips and smiled with relief, as he felt a warm, quivering breath of air tickle the side of his skin. He wiped the blood from her neck with a thumb and saw the cut was only millimetres deep. Physically, it would recover.
He slipped his arms around her body, that was drenched in sweat, just as he had been. Though he frowned, as the liquid that covered her body was ice cold. He lifted her to her feet and she instantly wrapped both arms around him.
Declan cast his vision at Damien, who's pants were now soaked wet. The beast was shuddering uncontrollably against the wall. Declan rolled his eyes and then turned back to Cara, who had now buried her watery face in into his bare chest.
“Cara,” Declan whispered. “You have a choice to make, now.”
Cara’s body froze and Declan heard her whisper something to herself, although he could not identify the words. She slowly looked up at him and swallowed deeply.
“You can choose to stay here or come with me,” Declan said, reassuringly rubbing her shoulders. “He can’t hurt you now, no matter what you say. And I won’t, even if you choose to remain. You’re free to make your decision, without penalty.”
Cara’s eyes widened and she dug her nails into Declan’s back. He didn’t move, unsure how he should respond. Cara stared into his eyes for several long moments, before forcing her head sideways, as if it were a rusty gate scratching against the ground. The instant her eyes met Damien’s he opened his mouth and spat at her.
“You fucking bitch! I’m going to fucking grape you and kill yo -”
“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Declan roared, casting a blazing rage of a gaze at the heap that was Damien Noose.
Cara opened her mouth to speak, but Declan gently placed a finger to her lips. She quickly closed her mouth and looked at the floor.
“Before you decide,” he whispered into her ear. “There’s something I want to make abundantly clear to you.”
As he said this, Cara’s entire body clenched tightly and she let out a small, frightened squeak. Declan kissed her gently on her freezing, wet forehead and then strolled toward the still shaking Damien. He grabbed him by the Adams apple and Damien’s mouth instantly sprang open in pain, but no words would emanate. Declan lifted Damien’s body off the ground, leaving only his feet draped across the floor.
“Can you speak?” Declan demanded of the spineless beast he held in a single hand.
Damien’s eyes bulged with tremendous pain and he gasped for air, but no words would form.
“They say,” Declan began, staring into Cara’s eyes, with a serene calmness. “That the most frightening monsters are also the most cowardly. They use the dark to exploit the vulnerability of all people. Can you remember one time in the last 19 years when you weren’t afraid?”
Cara gasped and fell to the floor. Declan released his grip on Damien and the sack of meat fell to the carpet. Declan approached Cara and sat down in front of her. She was crying and gnawing nervously on her bottom lip.
“H... how... how did you say that?” she mumbled, staring at the floor the entire time.
“With my mouth,” Declan replied, with a grin.
“Why did you say it?”
“I love you.”
Cara broke down and began balling her eyes out. She threw her body onto Declan and cried uncontrollably into his shoulder.
“And I want you to know,” Declan said slipping a hand underneath Cara and holding her up, as he rose to his feet. “That if you come with me, that man will never be able to hurt you again.”
“I’ve always wanted to be with you,” Cara moped. “Ever since I first met you.”
“Then tell him that.”
Cara looked up at Declan and she began slowly shaking her head.
“I’m afraid you must,” Declan said. “You can only truly be free if you seize that freedom for yourself.”
Declan removed his hand from under Cara and she slid her feet onto the floor. She nervously stumbled towards Damien, who was hissing vehemently, but could still not form any speech. Cara shot a terrified glance back at Declan, who nodded reassuringly. She gulped deeply and turned back to the sprawling mess that was Damien Noose.
“I hate you,” she said, void of any emotion. “I’m leaving.”
Declan smiled broadly and placed his hand in hers. The pair began strolling towards the door. Declan suddenly stopped, at seeing Stephanie Minx still sitting in the corner, completely silently.
“If you want to leave,” Declan said. “Now is the time to do it.”
“I don’t have anywhere to go,” the dark haired woman mumbled.
“But you have somewhere to leave,” Declan replied gently. “Isn’t that enough?”
“He’ll come after me,” she wept.
“I doubt that,” Declan said. “He remains in his realm, because beyond it, he’s powerless. But on the off chance he does pursue, you can simply deny him again.”
“It’s not that simple!” she spat.
“Yes it is,” Declan said and walked out of the flat, hand-in-hand with Cara Costello.
“I didn’t think you were going to come for me,” she whispered.
“There’s not a thing in the world that could have stopped me.”
Declan Prescott woke up and felt the sting of the sun penetrating his eyes, that had not yet adapted to the light. The pain, however, was offset by a gentle tickling he felt on his neck. He cast his eyes downward, to see Cara gently kissing him.
“Good morning,” he said, wrapping his arms around her midsection and pulling her body towards his.
“Hi!” she squeaked, pressing both her palms firmly to Declan’s cheeks. “How’d you sleep?!”
“Really well,” he replied, running a hand through her hair. “But waking up was the nicest part.”
Cara giggled and buried her head into Declan’s chest.
“Can I ask you something?” Declan inquired.
“You just did, silly,” she responded, roughly ticking Declan’s sides with her nails.
“Something else,” he replied euphorically, clearly enjoying the sensation.
“Okay,” she said, obviously far more fascinated by Declan’s body than his words.
“Do you think Brandon Brown is dedicated, solely, to being the greatest wrestler he can be?”
Cara suddenly stopped and slowly pressed her forehead to Declan’s.
“Yes,” was her answer.
“I do too,” Decan said. “Do you think I can beat him? Even if you aren’t at ringside?”
“No.”
Declan frowned, as Cara stuck her tongue out, playfully.
“I know you can,” she whispered.
Declan grinned and spoke the words, “me too.”
End
He jogged down the ramp way and slid into the ring, raising his arms above his head, as he did so. He cast his vision around the gymnasium and grinned broadly. Of the 150 people in attendance, Declan Prescott found them in less than a second. Sitting in the front row were his three favourite faces in the entire world: Jeremy Sprocket, Daniel Hanson and Cara Costello. Declan flashed his teeth at Cara and winked, which caused her face to turn bright red.
Declan spun on the spot and found himself face to face with a man who's presence filled him both with delight and disgust at the same time. Dmitry Vega, a man Declan had wrestled more times than he cared to count, had extended his hand. Declan accepted the gesture and took a firm grip of Vega's palm. As the two shook, a hint of nervousness tickled Declan's insides. He could recount Vega's entire move set off the top of his head and knew Vega could do the same for him. Yet, because they were so evenly matched, every match between them was a total mystery. They possessed the same size, strength, speed and stamina. They had often been accused of being brothers. Neither had ever gained more than two wins in a row over the other and any match could go any way at any time.
"Good luck, Ducky," Vega whispered with a grin.
Vega then snapped his hand away from Declan's. Declan wondered how the name 'Ducky' had ever come to be his, but didn't have time to reflect too deeply, as the bell rang.
The two instantly locked up and both looked for a knee to the gut on their opponent. Just as quickly as their legs smashed together, both men had raised their second leg in a second wave of attack. Again both men's limbs crashed together and this time they both fell to the floor. Declan was back to his feet, at the exact moment Vega was. Both men swung their right fists and blocked the other's attack with their left.
For over twenty minutes it continued. Neither athlete could land a single attack on the other. As they began to wear down, eventually punches and kicks slipped by the opponent's defences. Blows finally began to land, but it was still dead even. Whenever one man landed an attack, he opened himself up enough to be hit in return.
Declan could feel the sweat flooding over his body and splashing to the canvas. His muscles had tightened to the verge of breaking point and not just from the physical exhaustion. As every second passed, the atmosphere inside the gymnasium grew more intense. With every moment, the fans became more desperate to see who would slip first. Declan's determination that it would not be him, was unwavering. He had too much on the line. Daniel would mock him. Jeremy would be furious. Cara would be disappointed.
No! The pressure would not break The Significant Player!
With lightning speed that he had no right to possess, Declan's foot smashed with unseen speed into Vega's kneecap. Dmitry fell to his knees and let out an excruciating cry of agony. Declan clenched his right fist and felt the sweat squeeze out in all directions. He raised his arm and, without the slightest hint of hesitation, sent a thunderous right hand belting straight into Vega's forehead. His opponent fell lifelessly to the mat and the fans erupted with cheers.
Declan closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. The air was musty and reeked of body odour. But the atmosphere that accompanied the air, was the sweetest scent he had ever known. The fans cheered for him. They revelled in his success. He was a hero to them.
Declan opened his eyes and spun on the spot. His eyes widened with alarm as he stared at the three seats his friends had taken up.
One of them was empty.
Jeremy sternly shook his head at Declan, while Hanson's look of concern was set on the front doors of the building. Declan swung on the spot and saw two figures leaving the gymnasium. One was the trembling figure of Cara Costello. The other sent a wind of ice down Declan's spine. He had never seen the man with yellow teeth, cracked skin and slits of eyes, but Cara's description of him made the man's identity unmistakable.
"Damien..." the words seemed to whisper themselves from Declan's mouth.
Suddenly, Declan felt a hammering blow echo through his head and the world turned to blackness.
* * * * *
Declan opened his eyes and saw the face of a wise, hardened veteran staring down at him. His thin lips were sent in a stern frown and his eyes were pointed, menacingly. Declan gulped and spoke, with a grin.
"Did I do bad?"
"Declan Prescott, you're a fool!" Jeremy spat, his words propelled by anger.
"I'll take that was a 'yes'."
Declan reached into the air and felt a hand grasp his. Daniel pulled him to his feet and Declan shook the cobwebs from his head, before seeing that he was in a wrestling ring. The fans had started to leave, although many were conversing with wrestlers who had agreed to a meet and greet.
"What happened?" Declan asked, having no memory of anything before his morning shower.
"Vega got you real good," Hanson said, as Declan noticed his own body was sweating profusely. "Kicked you right in the back of the head and won the match."
"Wow, that doesn't sound like me," Declan said, rubbing the back of his head. Sure enough, he could already feel a large, swelling lump. "How'd I let his foot reach the back of my head?"
"You -"
"Silence!" Jeremy hissed, instantly causing Daniel to stop speaking. "Declan, you should have won this match. I'm truly disappointed in you."
"Why won't you tell me?" Declan asked, still as puzzled as ever.
"It isn't important," Jeremy commanded.
"You're lying," Declan said, pointedly. "It was important. If I only I could remember! I just! Something! CARA!"
The memories returned to Declan in an instant. She was in danger. She needed his help!
Declan lunged toward the exit, but felt a firm grip take hold of his arm. Declan spun angrily on the spot and saw Jeremy holding onto him, with an iron grasp.
"Let go!" Declan spat, feeling the rage rising in his being.
"I know you want to be her hero, Declan," Jeremy spoke, his words heavy and burdened. "But it is not your place. It is her life. If she is unhappy with it, it is her responsibility to change it. You cannot interfere."
"That's bullshit!" Declan roared, ripping his arm away from Jeremy. As he did this, Jeremy's eyes grew wide with shock. He had never encountered such disobedience in his finest student. "She's nineteen years old and completely defenceless! I'm not going to sit by and let that piece of shit destroy her! She doesn't deserve that! No one does!"
"You can't change the world," Jeremy said solemnly, as Declan was halfway through the ropes. "She has to choose to be with you Declan, otherwise you're no better than he is."
"She wants to be with me!"
"If she does, she will choose to be with you. You don't have the right to involve yourself!"
"FUCK YOU!"
Declan's body froze, as Jeremy's face seemed to age over a century. The mentor cast his vision at the sweat stricken canvas below him and sighed.
"You are the most talented athlete I have ever seen," Jeremy said. "You have the ability to surpass even me. You are greater than Dmitry Vega. You proved that tonight. You proved that when you had this match won. But Declan, if you truly wish to be the greatest wrestler of all time, you must dedicate yourself to it and it alone. You cannot chase after a woman and your dream at the same time. She will blind you. She already has."
"Then I guess I'm blind!" Declan hissed, although there was a sense of defeat about his words. As if he was filled with regret.
"If you intervene," Jeremy stated gloomily, his eyes not leaving the canvas. "I can no longer be your teacher."
"What?!"
"You have all the potential in the world Declan. But if you do not have the dedication required, you have no place under my wing."
Jeremy now looked up and Declan gasped. His best friend's eyes were filled with tears. Declan looked away and forced the thoughts out of his mind, as he leapt over the safety barrier and bolted towards the exit.
* * * * *
Declan stared through the window of Stephanie Minx's flat. Inside, Stephanie was cowering in a corner of the front room. Standing tall in the middle of the room, with knife in hand, was Damien Noose. Kneeling before him and shaking uncontrollably, was a blubbering Cara Costello. Declan sighed and watched on, knowing his presence would not go unnoticed for long.
"You stupid, ungrateful whore," Damien hissed. "What did I tell you about seeing him?"
"I'm sorry," Cara moaned into her arms. "Please! Please!"
"I asked you a fucking question, you pathetic animal," Damien spat, resting the knife on Cara's shaking crown.
"You said not to see him!"
"You really are a fucking idiot piece of shit. I told you that if you see him again, I'll kill you."
"NO! I'M SORRY!! I'M SO, SO SORRY!!"
"I really don't care!" Damien roared, before erupting into cruel laughter. He soon composed himself and spoke once more. "Do you think he loves you?"
"He said he loves me..."
Damien burst into laughter a second time.
"Oh fuck, bitch," he mused. "You're a piece of ass. That's it. You're a doll for us to fuck as we please. That's all you are and all you were ever meant to be. You know why?"
Cara simply cried weakly. Damien punched her in the face with his spare hand, sending her reeling to the floor. Blood splattered from her nose, as her head went bouncing against the carpet.
"It's because no one could ever love you!" he roared and began marching toward her quivering body, that was now sprawled defencelessly over the floor. He knelt down over her and pressed the knife to her throat. "You're not even a person. You're just a thing. I want you to know, that after you die, I'm going to film your dead corpse being raped. Your body is just going to be a piece of meat to take whatever the fuck we say. There'll be no difference to when you were alive."
Cara let out one final, desperate wail, before Damien began slicing into her skin.
"I'm sorry, teacher," Declan whispered into the wind.
He lifted his leg into the air and, with tremendous force, slammed his foot into the heavy, wooden frame. The door smashed clumsily from it's hinges and Declan marched into the room.
Damien spun on the spot and let out a quivering cry of terror. He thrust the bloody knife uselessly at Declan. Declan grabbed his adversary by the wrist and positioned his second arm, under Damien's elbow. Declan hammered his palm upward and a loud snap was heard, as Damien's elbow now pointed in the opposite direction to what it had moments before. Damien squealed and writhed in agony, before Declan kicked him in the face and sent him crashing into the nearest wall.
Declan knelt down over Cara's motionless body, as tears streamed down his cheeks. He pressed his ear to her lips and smiled with relief, as he felt a warm, quivering breath of air tickle the side of his skin. He wiped the blood from her neck with a thumb and saw the cut was only millimetres deep. Physically, it would recover.
He slipped his arms around her body, that was drenched in sweat, just as he had been. Though he frowned, as the liquid that covered her body was ice cold. He lifted her to her feet and she instantly wrapped both arms around him.
Declan cast his vision at Damien, who's pants were now soaked wet. The beast was shuddering uncontrollably against the wall. Declan rolled his eyes and then turned back to Cara, who had now buried her watery face in into his bare chest.
“Cara,” Declan whispered. “You have a choice to make, now.”
Cara’s body froze and Declan heard her whisper something to herself, although he could not identify the words. She slowly looked up at him and swallowed deeply.
“You can choose to stay here or come with me,” Declan said, reassuringly rubbing her shoulders. “He can’t hurt you now, no matter what you say. And I won’t, even if you choose to remain. You’re free to make your decision, without penalty.”
Cara’s eyes widened and she dug her nails into Declan’s back. He didn’t move, unsure how he should respond. Cara stared into his eyes for several long moments, before forcing her head sideways, as if it were a rusty gate scratching against the ground. The instant her eyes met Damien’s he opened his mouth and spat at her.
“You fucking bitch! I’m going to fucking grape you and kill yo -”
“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Declan roared, casting a blazing rage of a gaze at the heap that was Damien Noose.
Cara opened her mouth to speak, but Declan gently placed a finger to her lips. She quickly closed her mouth and looked at the floor.
“Before you decide,” he whispered into her ear. “There’s something I want to make abundantly clear to you.”
As he said this, Cara’s entire body clenched tightly and she let out a small, frightened squeak. Declan kissed her gently on her freezing, wet forehead and then strolled toward the still shaking Damien. He grabbed him by the Adams apple and Damien’s mouth instantly sprang open in pain, but no words would emanate. Declan lifted Damien’s body off the ground, leaving only his feet draped across the floor.
“Can you speak?” Declan demanded of the spineless beast he held in a single hand.
Damien’s eyes bulged with tremendous pain and he gasped for air, but no words would form.
“They say,” Declan began, staring into Cara’s eyes, with a serene calmness. “That the most frightening monsters are also the most cowardly. They use the dark to exploit the vulnerability of all people. Can you remember one time in the last 19 years when you weren’t afraid?”
Cara gasped and fell to the floor. Declan released his grip on Damien and the sack of meat fell to the carpet. Declan approached Cara and sat down in front of her. She was crying and gnawing nervously on her bottom lip.
“H... how... how did you say that?” she mumbled, staring at the floor the entire time.
“With my mouth,” Declan replied, with a grin.
“Why did you say it?”
“I love you.”
Cara broke down and began balling her eyes out. She threw her body onto Declan and cried uncontrollably into his shoulder.
“And I want you to know,” Declan said slipping a hand underneath Cara and holding her up, as he rose to his feet. “That if you come with me, that man will never be able to hurt you again.”
“I’ve always wanted to be with you,” Cara moped. “Ever since I first met you.”
“Then tell him that.”
Cara looked up at Declan and she began slowly shaking her head.
“I’m afraid you must,” Declan said. “You can only truly be free if you seize that freedom for yourself.”
Declan removed his hand from under Cara and she slid her feet onto the floor. She nervously stumbled towards Damien, who was hissing vehemently, but could still not form any speech. Cara shot a terrified glance back at Declan, who nodded reassuringly. She gulped deeply and turned back to the sprawling mess that was Damien Noose.
“I hate you,” she said, void of any emotion. “I’m leaving.”
Declan smiled broadly and placed his hand in hers. The pair began strolling towards the door. Declan suddenly stopped, at seeing Stephanie Minx still sitting in the corner, completely silently.
“If you want to leave,” Declan said. “Now is the time to do it.”
“I don’t have anywhere to go,” the dark haired woman mumbled.
“But you have somewhere to leave,” Declan replied gently. “Isn’t that enough?”
“He’ll come after me,” she wept.
“I doubt that,” Declan said. “He remains in his realm, because beyond it, he’s powerless. But on the off chance he does pursue, you can simply deny him again.”
“It’s not that simple!” she spat.
“Yes it is,” Declan said and walked out of the flat, hand-in-hand with Cara Costello.
“I didn’t think you were going to come for me,” she whispered.
“There’s not a thing in the world that could have stopped me.”
Declan Prescott woke up and felt the sting of the sun penetrating his eyes, that had not yet adapted to the light. The pain, however, was offset by a gentle tickling he felt on his neck. He cast his eyes downward, to see Cara gently kissing him.
“Good morning,” he said, wrapping his arms around her midsection and pulling her body towards his.
“Hi!” she squeaked, pressing both her palms firmly to Declan’s cheeks. “How’d you sleep?!”
“Really well,” he replied, running a hand through her hair. “But waking up was the nicest part.”
Cara giggled and buried her head into Declan’s chest.
“Can I ask you something?” Declan inquired.
“You just did, silly,” she responded, roughly ticking Declan’s sides with her nails.
“Something else,” he replied euphorically, clearly enjoying the sensation.
“Okay,” she said, obviously far more fascinated by Declan’s body than his words.
“Do you think Brandon Brown is dedicated, solely, to being the greatest wrestler he can be?”
Cara suddenly stopped and slowly pressed her forehead to Declan’s.
“Yes,” was her answer.
“I do too,” Decan said. “Do you think I can beat him? Even if you aren’t at ringside?”
“No.”
Declan frowned, as Cara stuck her tongue out, playfully.
“I know you can,” she whispered.
Declan grinned and spoke the words, “me too.”
End
