This dossier contains the journal of the professional wrestler best known as Ian Hollow, presented as is without any redactions or correction of erroneous information.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

It's about damn time we finally get the extrapolated truth about Günter Valley Wrestling!

Chapter I - The Volcano

SPOILER: Click to show

I hear Volc scream “I’m not dropping the fucking belt” in the distance as I’m having my post match chat with my opponent. Gassed I make no effort to get up to witness the commotion but here it from afar as my opponent and I give each other a “oh shit” look as much as we can while being exhausted,

Why Volc waited until 3rd match to pull this shit is beyond me. My opponent and I share
Our disappointment for Max, this was meant to be a big night for him finally getting the strap but I guess that isn’t happening now. A shame
He’s a good kid.

“I’m just happy to get booked” I claim as opponent and I laugh in agreement and continue to watch the 3rd match on the monitor as the commotion has seemingly stopped.

I wipe my face with my towel only to look up and see Volc storming into our section. “How was your match boys?” we briefly answer knowing he doesn’t really care and wants to complain about the belt situation.
“Sam wanted me drop the belt tonight, how fucked is that?” Volc declares. “What? When did that happen? My opponent asks and I chime in, “tonight’s not the night for that, it’s bad booking.” We stroke his ego enough for him to move along as we miss the finish to the 3rd match. I think if I ever get that much of an ego trip from wrestling, I’m hanging them up.

No major hiccups with the rest of the show, main event finish unsurprisingly fell flat with Volc retaining but nothing disastrous.

I thank Sam (promoter) for having me as I’m handed my pay for this evening, then start packing the ring down. Few fans ask for pictures which I’m humbled by and one girl introduces herself as Tracy and asks for my snap and if I’m staying at the venue’s hotel. I tell her I am and just need to pack my things before heading back to my room if she can wait a couple of minutes.

I have a 3 hour drive to get home so I ask Volc if I can borrow his hotel room for an hour or so and I’ll fix him up the next show as he’s going out to North’s now anyway.

To my surprise He catches my drift & gives me his spare keycard and says to drop it off at North’s later. I think he realises now that he has heat withMost of the boys now and wanted to stay on someone’s good graces, even if it was with a lower card guy. Tracy and utilise the room then I offer to drop her home, which doesn’t go down that well as she assumed she would stay the night. I tell her I have another booking the next day so I needed the rest to which she is somewhat more understanding.

I drop her home which is conveniently somewhat on the way to North’s. I drop in briefly at North’s to give Volc his card back, i tell him again I owe him big time and he asks me stay longer. I decline, reminding him how long my drive is to get home and he lets me off the hook.

My detour saved me from having to give any of the guys a lift home as I’d been getting some heat for not riding with people at other shows or offering people a ride. Driving was my time, a way to unwind and process the events after shows and that was a peace I never wanted disturbed….

Finally got home and managed to have a much needed shower. No bookings the next day so I was able to unwind for the remainder of the weekend.

Off to a great fucking start. You've had this in the chamber for a minute, haven't you? Good shit, pal!

Chapter 2 - Phoning It In

SPOILER: Click to show

I forgot to turn my phone on silent and was annoyingly woke up to a bunch of messages hitting my phone, thinking the worst I glanced at the messages to make sure no one had died and tried to get back to sleep only for the pressing matter of needing to piss to be overthrown by my desire to sleep in.

I tried to get it over and done with and sprint up to the bathroom when my lower back jarred up and it made me hobble in there. I finished up and couldn’t even stand up straight without a burning sensation going up my back as if I was being stretched like a Looney Tunes character.

I crawled back into bed, looking through the messages and it was mostly the boys gossiping about Volc getting stripped of the belt, along with Volc hitting me up about some funds for my hotel use as he won’t be back at Sam’s so I can’t really do him a favour.

I’m vague with my responses as the old saying goes “tell-a-gram,tell-a-phone,tell-a-wrestler” but just pretty much share that it’s a shame they couldn’t work something out. I try to get back to sleep and rest my back and Volc tries to call me, blocked. If you haven’t had a death in the family, knocked someone up or planned a wedding…don’t call me.

My back is somewhat concerning, more bothersome than usual and I didn’t even take that many bumps but I managed to get back to sleep. Another boring week at the saw mill passed by and it’s a double booking. Travel might just be close enough to spare a hotel, or worse case scenario sleep in my car..but handwashing my gear from the night before is going to be a total nightmare, I’d wish they’d make shit dryer friendly.

Show one goes off without a hitch, told heel not to bump me around too much because of my back so we just stuck to the classics and he worked the leg for most of the match but still pain was still present. I’m glad I don’t actually work at a fucking saw mill or I’d be crippled trying to make this my full time gig also.

“ What happened with you and Volc? heard someone say you stiffed him on a hotel?” AxMan asks me as if we’re not glorified acquaintances but I knew enough about him that I was confident his intrigue was genuine.

I retort that Volc was a main event guy up there, why would we be splitting a hotel? He’s just playing the blame game over the whole belt thing, and I’m in the crosshairs because I’m still gonna work for Sam. I changed the topic to tomorrow’s show which we are both booked on and reply that it’s at least a short drive from here.

“I know you love your drives Hollow but venue is like 3 hours from here brother…” , I frantically check my calendar app and I’d fucked up my venues, never worked for the night two promotion before but I did think it was a bit off to run two consecutive shows in the same market but I just stick to tarring the roof at this point. I explain my mistake to AxMan that I’ve royally screwed up and didn’t plan for that.

To make matters worse, pay was about half of what I was expecting but I didn’t have enough rapport with promoter to negotiate otherwise, especially considering the mediocre draw he’d use against us. I know AxMan lives locally by wrestling standards and he agrees to give me a room for the night, as he takes a break from his usual crew and explains he is still travelling down with them in the morning and I’ll still have to travel solo which he knows he won’t be a problem. He gave me grief for my love of driving despite having a nondescript white car older than some of the guys on the show. Point A to Point B I explain and I’m in no position to get in argument when I need a room & wash my gear.

Leave AxMan’s at the crack of dawn to make it to this show by crew time, which I wouldn’t have accepted the booking knowing I had this trip on my hands. I barely have enough money for fuel for this show, let alone a meal so I buy a gas station pie that’s of course dryer than the Sahara desert and a chore to eat. Just my luck.

Night two is the inverse of night one and I got stiffed almost the entire match by an unsafe dipshit that probably got his wrestling training from trampoline tutorials. Nothing out of malice towards me but he kicked me in the back numerous times, as I’ve I hadn’t told him the opposite but it was clear he was a space cadet not someone trying to shoot on me.

Pay was enough to get me fuel to get back home (6 hours away) & maybe a meal from a fine dining establishment like McDonalds (unless it was large). About what I expected the guy to pay which wouldn’t have been a problem if I didn’t mess the venues up this badly and mess up my shoe string budget for the weekend.

My back is flaring up anytime I stand up straight that I contemplate whether a Quasimodo gimmick would fly and I’m starving but need to account for fuel or any variables along the way home. I finally get to the station and fill up and contemplate buying a shower ticket over eating. I can eat something when I get home but i can’t keep driving with this back pain, which will give me enough relief to get home..

I have exactly enough to cover it, so I need to make it back on this tank and not have any mishaps or I’ll get standard and miss work tomorrow, though evidently it wasn’t paying enough to be able to keep pursuing this and pay my bills.

I go to the shower rooms, located around the back of the station and hobbled my way into the shower, my stomach grumbling as I turn the water on which to my surprise is actually warm. A brief moment of relief washes over me, until I start contemplating my life.
I’m hours away from home, banged up and broke and I’m marking out over a hot shower as if just won the lottery. “This is livin’ Barry”

My lottery win was interrupted as I hear an intense banging on the door, i step out of the water while it’s still running so I can try to hear them better and they are demanding i hurry up. I try to retort and explain I’m getting dressed, the added of stress of trying to put my pants back on with my back pain. Why don’t they just use a fucking key like everywhere else?

I managed to get my shirt and shoes on as if I’m prepared for boot camp with the incessant yelling, this reasonable person will hopefully appreciate the water is still running for them as I prepare to open the door…

Chapter 3 - ClockWork

SPOILER: Click to show

I pulled the door open and the knocker appears as a scrawny man with a pullover hoodie as much as I glanced at him before dragging him into the room. In a rage pulled him down and repeatedly starting uppercutting him in the face and then kneeing him. The initial confusion subsided and he attempted to fight back but it was clear it was too late and I’d probably broken his nose judging by the amount of blood that was now dripping onto my clothes. Finally it took one more blow for to the head for him to drop and I dragged him into the running shower.

I look at the blood on my hands with it thankfully avoiding my clean(ish) clothes and it snapped me into the reality of what I’d just done. I grabbed my bag, careful to not get any blood on my gear as o zipped up, ran back into the gas station.

“This junkie motherfucker tried to jump me in the showers” I scream to the clerk twice before he understands what I’m saying as I hobble closer. He comes to aid me as I show him the blood on my hands but I just tell him I have to go and he just throws me a water bottle. Wonder if I could have scored a free candy bar while I was at it..

I “run” back to my car as much my hunched over back will allow and speed off initially but made sure it keep to the limit once I got away, spilling a tiny amount of water on my hands to get the blood off as I drive along gradually, scrapping into it on the parts that were dried.


Most of the trip was a blur as I came to terms with what I had just done, my hands shaking as I gripped the steering wheel initially but the slog of the long trip home began to take its toll on me until I heard the sirens in the background..

I pull over, fuck this it I’m done. I run through all possible scenarios in my mind, surely they don’t have cams in the showers? I can just say I acted in self defence..why did I tell the cashier, stupid! Off to Jail I’m going..

Officer asked me how I am, then if I’d been drinking any tonight. It’s an RBT/RDT, the sigh of relief washes over me as I blow 0.00 and test negative. He makes small talk and I explain I’m a wrestler which was going to go one of two ways, but he tells his son watches and jokes not to bodyslam him. I was somehow able to mask my tense demeanour and get through it without any alarm bells. Say what you will about the cops in this country but they are definitely a lot more chill compared to other places.

Once cop drove away the feeling of relief washed over me as if nothing had even happened at the gas station, especially when I got home unscathed and eating my leftovers in my fridge felt like a king’s feast.

yet in set in the following day that repercussions could still come my way but it wasn’t at the forefront of my mind.

Thought there would be no excitement at my mundane week and I’m told that In a months time, there is a strong possibly talent scouts from one of the major promotions is going to be at Sam’s show, so to bring my A-Game.

My first cynical thought was I’ll believe it when I see it but I can’t pretend as if this wasn’t the light at the end of the ever growing tunnel this existence was dragging me into.

I contemplated letting my back rest up between now and then but cancelling others bookings before this would get me heat, and potentially someone to stooge to me off of Sam’s show if they have connections elsewhere..man if I could at least be a main event guy, let alone in a top promotion I wouldn’t have to worry about the politics that much.

Like clockwork, it’s the weekend again and let’s do all this shit all over again and have the venues right this time…

Why is Barry giving me vibes that Fergus Ferguson might've committed manslaughter IRL?

-_-

Jul 15, 2021 21:06:20 GMT 🤯 said:

Why is Barry giving me vibes that Fergus Ferguson might've committed manslaughter IRL?

-_-

Barry Isn’t his name, was reference to this commercial which gets referenced a lot by Aussies 😂 ^


(I vehemently deny these baseless allegations 😒)

Chapter 4 - The Juice

SPOILER: Click to show

Another weekend ahead of me and the clockwork ensues another round of travelling and squeezing every last penny as I drive through the endless motorways, the same scene of lights and trees as far as the eye can see. I’ve decided to sleep in my car this weekend and save trying to bum a room off someone.

Yet another double header weekend that I wish I was in the position to pull myself out of as I my back pain tips the scale to the intolerable side. My match is nothing to write home about as I go through the motions and the heel gets the heat and I get the pop, opponent is good enough that I was able to drift through on autopilot with minimal wear and tear to the nagging back pain.

The match finished without issue and one of the workers asks me about the talent scouting coming up, I feign ignorance and tell him I haven’t heard about it. The locker room discusses potential signees and one of the “nice to meet you” workers I’ve met multiple times chimes in. He tells me “don’t worry Hollow, they don’t piss test”.. I gave him a blank stare waiting for him to elaborate and he backs off “…I mean you’re a big guy.” I took it as a backhanded compliment but I can barely afford a juice let alone getting on the juice.

Packing the ring down after the show a few fans approach me for photographs which was a much needed motivator after the nightmare that was last week as the stress of the fate of “the shower guy” sits in the recesses of my mind. Surely I just knocked him out, If that.

One of the fans after getting a photo tells me his girlfriend also goes to the shows and saw me wrestle. He shows me a picture,it’s Tracy.
I try to mask my reaction and feign interest asking how long they’ve been together, he tells me 2 years and they have been talking of getting engaged. My lack of excitement disappoints him and I just tell him not to rush into things and concentrate on his goals which he is visibly annoyed by, I’m trying to help you bro!

I pretend I have to go help with the truck and excuse myself from the situation. It’s a small world after all… I think to myself and concentrate on packing the ring down and can get to the final show of the weekend.

Now it’s time for the usual night time drive, I’ll make sure I don’t stop off for a relaxing shower this time as my mind ponders that as well as the Tracy situation being added to my conscious. Most of the boys wouldn’t care one way or the other I suppose, I justify to myself as I travel on the monotone motorways I’ve become accustomed to and ponder my life choices to keep myself awake. The fatigue overwhelms me and I find a somewhat secluded spot to park and hope for no troubles.

I awake from the fetal position I curled myself into the back of my car in as I’m awoken by a phone call from promoter of the day. I’m told that someone has pulled out the show and i’m needed for a deathmatch. Before I can voice my hesitation, i’m told I will be getting the strap as they know I always honour my bookings so they want to run angle with me for a few months. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is and I don’t want to admit to anyone that I need sometime off for the evolving back injury as my spot will just be given to someone else, as the situation I now find myself in signifies.

I muster up enough excitement to sound grateful for being given the belt but a death match was the last thing I needed at the moment and there’s no real way of phoning it in through this one, one silver lining is at least is they told me the payday will be a good increase to my usual rate but I’ll believe it when I see it especially if the house is down.

I decide to sedate my stress and get something to eat from the trip at least grateful I didn’t have to starve myself compared to last weekend.
As I dine at the roadhouse my enjoyment of the meal is diluted by ever growing stress about the situation at the station last week as if I was suddenly going to find myself handcuffed at a random roadhouse on a Sunday afternoon. I’m sure it’s not the first time there’s been a brawl at a gas station at 3am but even if there was no consequences for my actions surely I should still feel some form of guilt?

I get to the venue, dreading my match up. I know this isn’t going to be a walk in the park especially when I see some of the gimmicks laid out on the ring truck as I arrive. At least I’m winning the belt I mutter to myself as I try not to hobble too much and give anyone a inkling of the physical state I am in.

My opponent Reznor is a deathmatch icon and he runs me through all the spots from the match as if he is describing individual gifts he is going to give to me rather than inflict “staged” suffering upon me.

As much as I dreaded it the day just kept going by quicker and quicker and before I knew it, Reznor was in the ring waiting for me. I stood behind the music guy as my heart is pumping as I know I’ve reached the point of no return with my entrance music blaring through the arena accompanied by the boom of the announcers voice echoing through my body as I step through the curtain….

SPOILER: Click to show

Chapter 5 - The Dream

SPOILER: Click to show

I enter to a great babyface pop, surprising considering I’m filling in for someone but welcomed nonetheless.

Reznor and I lock eyes and we milk the start of the match as we have to go 20 mins and I’m sure as shit not spending all of it getting hit with deathmatch gimmicks. Should be easier enough as Rez is calling the match as almost all heels do. I get my usual babyface shtick in, just waiting for the first gimmick spot to kick in.

We brawl to the outside and Reznor hits me in the upper back with a chair, nothing I haven’t dealt with before, we brawl back and forth on the outside until i’m awoken out of autopilot mode with a barbed wire bat to the ribs, it definitely stings but nothing alarming.

We get to the beat down and Reznor works me
down and tells me to sell while he goes to the outside. He takes his time which isn’t good as I slowly sell up to the robes, only to be smashed over the head with what I presumed at the time
was a light tube. It shocked me more than anything, and I as I sold down the referee passed me a blade.

I reluctantly grab it as Reznor tells me to get some colour before getting some heat to the crowd. I take the razor to the top of my forehead and Nick myself horizontally hoping I didn’t go to deep, having never done it before.

Once the blood trickles down my eye the adrenaline kicked in and went back on the offensive, slamming Reznor on to the barb wire board he must have slide into the ring while I was selling.

I was getting gassed a bit faster than usual but if anything the blood was an annoying distraction rather than cause for alarm. I search the ring for gimmicks and find a burlap sack and any Wrestling fan can guess it’s contents and I’m not particularly thrilled by having a light tube smashed over my head without warning.

I spill the thumbtacks into the ring and set up Reznor for a sidewalk slam of sorts. The agile motherfucker swung himself to his feet and bulldoged me right into the tacks.

I’ve been no stranger to pain throughout my life but this was 4 on the Schmidt index as the crowd witness my genuine reaction as I still make sure to sell my face to them.

At this point I’m thinking at least I’ve hardly bumped, not that it would make sense for Reznor to bump me around much with our size difference anyway. I roll out the ring hoping some of the tacks will dislodge from my skin but I feel like I’ve been dropped in a needle pit.

I find a kendo stick and go to town on Reznor, lighting up his back with successive hits before putting him on the chin lock position and grazing it against his head, hoping to hard way him for the undisclosed blade situation. Just a receipt nothing personal.

Success as the blood trickles down from his head and I run off the ropes to give him a kick to the sternum and I work my way to my comeback and hit my five moves of doom while incorporating the various gimmicks we incorporated into the match up.

I hit my finish and go for the cover

1…..2, Reznor kicks out?! What the fuck? Did he just go into business for himself. I run off the ropes and give him the stiffest knee to the shoulder as he sits up. The referee checks on him then comes over to me and in the moment I was hoping I’d injured him. He tells me superplex through sheet glass for the finish which Reznor obviously just called to him.
I understand calling stuff on the fly but not when we are going home and killing my finish?

I throw him out of the ring and tell him to get the glass as truthfully I had no idea where it was, the physical toll was really taking it’s place as I began to feel exhausted and dizzy.

I heard the sound of Reznor eating the ring with some form of gimmick then as if I pressed skip on a video I remember having one red eye open as the other one wouldn’t open as I glanced at the ceiling.

From this point on I remember looking at the championship in my lap backstage and searing pain shooting through my back as a murmuring of soft feminine chatter is around me as I was handed either paper or a towel..or a teddy bear for all I could tell you. I’d finally being given the strap somewhere and I didn’t even get to witness it firsthand. The dream comes true!

I delayed my sleep as much as I could sitting on my bed, my throbbing headache coming in second place behind my back pain as I kept running my back and limbs thinking there was still tacks in my back.

On my bed?…how did I get here?! I felt a sensation overcome my body as I’ve I had discovered something sinister only for me to realise it was my desire to vomit as I just narrowly made into the bathroom. I made a judgment in error and knelt down as it came in waves, my mission to put the pieces together of how I came to be home “safe and sound” disrupted.

I placed my hand on the bowl to pull my legs up & stand only for my body to disagree and I fell to the side, trained to still bump and protect my head from smacking the tiles. I laid my head down on my outstretched arm and laughed bitterly..forcing myself to sleep on the floor as if it were penance and I’d be granted Absolution for my sins…

Uh oh, concussion!

Chapter 6 - Free Samples

SPOILER: Click to show

Rising up off the floor to the stench of my own unflushed vomit was I sign I needed to do something about my back considering how much of an effort it was to finally get up, as well as the concussion situation. I’d been rocked a few times before but not to the point of not remembering entire portions of the evening.

I cleaned the bathroom and crawled into the shower (no disruptions) and had time to assess my situation, which couldn’t have come at a worse possible time. Talent scouts are coming to Sam’s this weekend, I’m concussed and it’s a miracle whatever is going on with my back hasn’t put me off the shelf by now. It’s going to hurt moping through the week let alone taking …bumps on the weekend.

Mop?! it’s Monday! I stop the shower to find wherever my phone was last, digging frantically through my belongings as I dry myself. I check the time then call in to explain the situation only to be met with a long pause and laughter.

“Wow you really are out of it, one of the wrestlers already let us know. Maybe they need to make those plastic chairs softer haha…”

My eyes rolled as the call dropped off but admittedly relieved that I hadn’t been fired for no showing. The relief subsided when I factored in that I’d go out of my way to not mention my shoot job, not that most wrestlers bring them up anyway but who let them know?

One of my many travelling companions? I see an alert saying I have a message request from Mindy, other than the customary handshakes I’ve barely spoken to her, what does she want?

She fills in the piece of the puzzle. “Hey Hollow, we drove you and your car home last night & let your boss know what happened. You owe me one, that belt is mine haha”

That’s a long round trip for someone I barely know, I really do owe her and whoever “we” is one. Speaking of owing, I checked my wallet to see what my payday was for the match. I slowly count it twice as it’s more than double what I was expecting. I know I’m concussed but i had little cash on me as usual before said match, championship bonus I guess?

Can I pay for a new body? This is likely the only opportunity I’ll get to a living out of this, I’ll be there as long as I’m breathing. Speaking of opportunities, I should reach out to Sam and get Mindy on this show..they always sign one male, one female every time they get someone from around here so it’s the least I can do.

I scroll through my messages which are more than usual and it’s a variation of “good match bro” or take care, I’d be flattered if I wasn’t smart to the fact it’s just people knowing I have leverage there now I’m the champ.

I contact Mindy thanking her if she wants to a spot on Sam’s show I can probably get her booked & talent scouts are going to be there.
She agrees and thankfully it’s not a hard sell to convince Sam as female wrestlers are a scarce commodity.

The work week takes its toll on my back and I don’t have time to make a doctors appointment without calling out again and I already missed out on getting paid for Monday. Friday I’m walking like an old man, how I’m going to pull off a serviceable match let alone a match to impress the scouts is beyond me. Just my luck.

Finally it’s time for the show, people are giving me odd stares as I struggle to even lift the beams as we do ring crew and Mindy tries to assist me, the only person booked who knows about my concussion situation also but I try to no sell it. My match is going to be awful, as much as Max can carry someone..I can’t go all out.

Later in the evening, I’m pissing and here a chopping/banging noise that irritates the hell out of me for some reason coming from the mirror room across from me. I open the door thinking some has locked themselves in or something and one of the boys who works as Hades looked up at me annoyed.

“What the fuck Hollow!” Sorry I reply and he tells me to sit down and shut the door. Listen I’ll give you some of this if you don’t snitch!
I go to decline which infuriates him more, look you’re moving around like my pop, you need this more than I do.

There’s no way i was leaving this room without him thinking I was going to snitch and he did have a point, so I did a line with him hoping it would get me through my match.

It did, hard to have an objective opinion on a Coke high but Max held up his end of the bargain and we are able to put on a fantastic match, crowd were super into it and I was able to pull off some of the stuff I haven’t been able to in awhile. Came through the curtain to a standing ovation and Max thanked me thoroughly for the match.

I went for some fresh air outside as being high combined with the adrenaline from my match was overwhelming and I had no idea what to expect. Mindy came to check on how I felt concussion wise and told her I was fine, trying my best to hide my state from her. She told me thanks for the booking and if i could put in a good word elsewhere she would drive me save me driving my junkbox car around.

Why she took offence to my perfectly operating vehicle I don’t know..but I was in too much of a good mood to care. The mood wore of over time and pain continued to return much to my chagrin, and packing down the ring was just as painful as putting it up. I found Hades to ask him how his match was and he was more considered with how I was doing and if I was riding back with Mindy.

He tried to see if I wanted a bag but I tried my luck to see if I had any items in stock. “Yeah I’ve got some, it ain’t free through bro..consider earlier a free sample”.

It basically cost my fee for the night, but I would have paid double that if needed. Got my bags ready and hit the road after taking the Oxy Hades gave me. I made sure to take the back roads to avoid any cops as I don’t want another random drug test after doing a line
Earlier in the night.

Driving along I wish I had just taken my chances with the motorway as this long and twisting road became more and more deserted but was confident navigation was definitely sending me In the right direction. The fog was becoming unbearable and the drowsiness starting to set in, I should have waited until I got home or got a bag off Hades instead I think to myself as my eyes flicker between glimpses off fog as I slap myself and try to turn the radio up, I frantically tune through the fuzz trying to find any station I can listen to when I hear a deafening screeching noise and the crash of metal.

FUCK! I hear a voice talking but it’s the radio finally tuning itself in as I repeatedly curse at myself. The horn of the other car repeatedly honks pounding into my head as i slowly get out to check what’s happened. “Are you ok?” “Hello” I scream..there’s no sign of a street light for miles let alone any bystanders in sight.

I get the other car window that my car isn’t t-boned into and smash the glass through my window. The bloodied lifeless face and hollow eyes i looked into I’ll never forget as the drivers neck was contorted facing toward me, his arm crushed on the other side and right leg still on the brake pedal. I backed away slowly my eyes trasnfixed on the body as if it were going to twitch and come back to life if I looked away.

I opened the door to my car with the chatter of the radio sounding like Peanut’s parents as it confirms my car is still running. My bonnet has seen better days but we are still in business, I reverse back slowly then speed off as much as my 20 something year old junkbox car will allow as I curse to myself, tears running down my face as I desperately try to focus on whatever the radio is saying.

“The landlady who provided him with garret, dinners, and attendance, lived on the floor below, and every time he went out he was obliged to pass her kitch..” oh for fucksake, I can get one station and it’s the book reading club I muttered as I turned it off.

I felt like the cartoon character chasing the doorway in the hall that continuously extends as the remainder of the drive seemed never ending but it finally came to an end as I pulled into my storage closet of an apartment. I sat down and stared blankly at the walls, my hands trembling as I put my face in my palms.

“What’s done is done” I repeat to myself, trembling through my bag to find the rest of the Oxy Hades gave me and take it so I can get some sleep.

I am awoken by an incredibly loud banging on my door, each knock sends chills down my spin as if a giant gavel is being smacked against my door. The initial freeze wears off and I pull myself up, awaiting my fate at the other side of the door frame…

Chapter 7 - 777

SPOILER: Click to show

I pull open the door, knowing that judgement day is finally upon me. I open the door, I hear chatter knowing its two people. I don’t have a back door or a window to suddenly jump through and I can hardly run through this broom closet. My hand shakes as I twist the knob and i pull the door back towards me.

“Hello sir, we are here to spread the word of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ” I was hoping for no witnesses but this is a huge relief. I open the screen door and simply look at the couple ecstatic they aren’t the police. They pause for a moment as i imagine they don’t get passed this part without the door slammed in their face and I confess to them. “I killed a man last night” they try their best to hide their frustration with me “making a joke” despite me telling them as matter of fact my as possible.

Bless you sir, have a great day!” They proclaim before handing me a pamphlet and scurrying away. Guess churches have to do the flyer run too.

I have a look at the pamphlet which just has information for their church and mission statement combined with a few passages.

“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” - Proverbs 28:13

Well at least I know it’s definitely Sunday and I haven’t missed work again. I’m not booked again am I? Negative on both counts, so I can crawl back into bed and continue my next day ritual of laying in bed in pain.

The usual blur of a work week is only made more “exciting” by the paranoia creeping in any moment, constantly looking over my shoulder and getting some added exercise as I have to walk to the bus stop each morning.
Wonder if Hades delivers via post.

Sitting in my broom closet, staring blankly at the ceiling as I can’t even muster up the effort to turn on the TV and flick through channels, my phone rings. I answer.

It’s the call I’ve been waiting for. In a good way.
They ask me if I’m interested in attending a tryout, in a months time. They explain the semantics of it at all, and considering it’s much more than a hotdog and a handshake if I’m signed, I’m not particularly fussed on the details, other than making sure this isn’t a prank of some description and that travel expenses are paid.

If I had family or friends to speak of this is the part where I would call them celebrate but instead a crack a slight smile then turn the TV on to start aimlessly flicking through channels that just turns into white noise. I’ve just got an opportunity for everything I’ve ever wanted but it happened so nonchalantly I don’t know how to feel. Finally the TV grabs my attention as a commercial for a local used car dealership pops up, until I’m interrupted by another phone call.

It’s Mindy. She tells me she has been offered a tryout and has clearly been crying tears of joy and is hard to understand at points talking so fast. She thanks me for getting her booked on Sam’s show though I’m unable to get a word in. I mentioned I’m going to the tryout also and before I can even finish my sentence she explains we can fly in together and is running through every possible scenario she could do
on TV. I organise my main concern which is lifts for the weekend if I get her booked on the shows I’m on, to which she asked what happened to my car.

Fuck! I explain how old my car was and it’s finally bit the dust. I need to dispose of this car ASAP, not worth getting it fixed as someone somewhere will recognise the plates. I don’t care how isolated that road was, there’s always someone watching whether you know or not. What about when I’m on TV?

I focus back in to her talking as she asks if I know anyone else was asked to go the tryouts. Not that I know of? But deep down I’m hoping there isn’t as they are only going to sign one of each and it better be me on the male side.

Do you remember if Hades is on the card Saturday? “Yeah he’s in a tag. Shouldn’t you know this? You’re the one booked” she exclaims. Touché, but I’m not going to explain why it’s been a stressful week. She ends the call and my lift is sorted.

The biggest highlight of this is I can wait until
word gets around and renegotiate my prices for the shows in the interim and get myself a car to hold me over until the tryout. Surely they will sign me? Right? I really don’t want to take the bus and really on lifts for a whole month.


It’s the weekend again and my gear is packed, just one show this weekend so I better get a good payday out of this and Mindy better show up on time….

Chapter 8 - Chaos

SPOILER: Click to show

Word travels like wildfire in the world of professional wrestling and the word had already been twisted that myself, Mindy and another wrestler that works as Kristy Kaos had been signed.

I hadn’t bothered to correct anyone either, except to bluff to promoters and get a hefty price increase. though I am surprised they are looking at an uneven number of people. Mindy picked me up as to schedule and i remembered instantly why I liked driving alone her naive optimism.

I do my best to drown out her incessant ramblings about the mundane wonders of the universe as I gaze at the endless replay of road signs, trees and motorways that I’m all too familiar with. We seemingly have nothing in common other than doing the other a favour, which is how this shady business works.

Finally we arrive at the arena and we found out our matches have changed. It’s now Mindy and I vs Hades & Kristy Kaos in a mixed tag match. Should be a fairly easy match and I can rest my back up a bit.

Kirsty and Mindy put most of the match together and we were happy for them to have as much ring time as they wanted as I didn’t want to do anything stupid with this tryout coming up and Hades was just there for extracurricular activity of which I partook in,
free of charge.

match was going as planned until we powdered to the outside and Kaos set up for a dive she didn’t call. Mindy and I huddled together to catch her but we smacked in to each other bouncing off and Kaos got sent crashing to the hardwood floor. She yells out in pain as we’ve got an X situation on our hands.
Hades throws me into the ring and calls an audible, rolling me up for the win even though neither of us were legal.

Referee helps Kaos to the back after we’re already out the back on the monitor. I realise my nose is bleeding and I do my best to kayfabe it. The moment of truth reveals itself and Kaos yells at us for not catching her as Mindy tries to apologise profusely. I interrupt and berate me her for doing the dive without calling it, and not diving correctly as we were in perfect position to catch her. Promoter mends to her and event staff take her to get medical attention.

I storm off and Mindy follows me only for promoter to follow us and for her to begin to start apologising profusely. Kaos needs more training, she’s unsafe I tell him as I show the blood dripping from my nose. Mindy slowly escapes the conversation but I wasn’t in the mood for a potential lecture. He just tells me to be more careful next time and I just ask the most important question, can Mindy and I get our fee and go? He tells me he’ll still fix me up on the agreed upon price but he’ll pay her seperate.

“Are you going to stiff her over this shit?” I ask bewildered. “No I’m not Hollow, word is you stole Reznor’s payday after that gimmick match, so I’ll give it to her directly. I explain the dumb motherfucker concussed me and I don’t even remember anything after that match. “Is there some heat there over the niece situation?” i can’t see my own face but it is one of bewilderment. He drops it and sorts out my payday, which is quite a bump to my normal rate.

Show done and Mindy finished doing ring crew as I get some goods from Hades who was too out of it by now to weigh in on the injury situation. Mindy and I leave and she gives some tissues and wanted to check to see if my nose was broken or cracked. I assured her it was fine, definitely oblivious to what was happening.

On the drive back she was almost in tears over the whole situation with Kristy Kaos. I tell her “it is what it is” and the cold hard truth…no one cares about you in this business. They care about what they can gain for you. “I care” she retorts back. Other than getting her booked I don’t know why she thought we would make good travel partners but it’s gas money for her I guess. Besides its probably not worth buying a new car if I’m going to fly out to the tryout soon and if Hades is on every show I’m on, he’s probably going to get a cut each time too.
Only been once a week so far, nothing to worry about and I just saved the new stuff for a special occasion.

Mindy says goodbye as she drops me home and tells me to take care & joking tells me to hurry up and get my car fixed I’m going to be so negative on car rides.

My car! Fuck. I need to take it to the wreckers ASAP.

Did you catch that, Ness? Ian dropping PW's catchphrase on poor Mindy!

Chapter 9 - Day Trip

SPOILER: Click to show

Finally took my car in to the wreckers, avoided as much small talk as possible other than to explain that it was a roadkill situation. “What did you hit a mammoth?” No I actually ran over a man for asking too many questions. I responded deadpan and he cracks up in laughter. I got more money back from the car than what i was expecting, guess it has more value as scrap metal.

I made my hike back towards my house and realised I miscalculated how much of a walk to would be to get back to my apartment, though I enjoyed my walk through the back roads to get some much needed peace of mind and my back was handling it, first I’ve made note of it in awhile so sign of improvement but still not ideal this close to tryouts. Speaking of, I should probably jog back to check on my fitness levels going into it, as I've been around long enough to phone it through matches when needed.

Back to the endless monotony. Throughout my break i got a message about dropping the belt to Reznor in a triple threat with Vulc involved also. That isn’t going to work for me brother. I ask if it’s a rib to which i don’t get a response.
Absolutely livid, i just won the belt and have to work with that unsafe moron and he’ll probably get the same response from Vulc. I’m told i need to drop the belt anyway if i’m going to get signed by explain it’s only a tryout and ask what the point of putting it on me was if i was just going to drop it the next show. Absolutely pointless, though i should have pretended i had been given a guaranteed contract that way i could have got my fee even higher than it is now.

I return to my shift to continue my duties and walk into the bathroom to see a young man hunched over the sink. I put up the closed for cleaning sign for his privacy as well as the wet floor sign for added measure. I ask him if he’s ok and he tries to brush me off at first but it is super obvious to me that he’s tripping. I tell him to relax and that the entrance has been blocked off so he can calm down and splash some water in his face but he’s not having it. Finally i tell him i’ll get on it with him to which he retorts he doesn’t have anything else on him. It only takes me walking a step closer for him to fold and shakingly pass me the goods which i snatch out of his hand. C’mon bro i’ll sort this out for you, follow me.
I take him into the office to see the nurse and explain i found him in the restroom vomiting and is feeling unwell. They thank me for taking him in and he only seems to have a small grasp on reality so he doesn’t bother to elaborate and I let the office deal with him.

I decided to enjoy my new findings the following day at work and I can't detail much that happened in surface reality but my tasks were completed. The closer the tryout gets the more frustrating it is trying to grind through each slow day straight-laced and i’m already doing enough coke that i don’t need to start tripping at my day job on top of. It’s like the fateful night of driving where the continuous road just felt like an ever expanding highway despite me knowing in the back of my mind i’m on the final lap to my goal.


Mindy messages me to tell me she is winning the women’s belt on this show and feign as much excitement as i possibly can for her but it’s clear to see it’s a political move. I can’t blame Mindy for being naive and oblivious to her surroundings when i didn’t do the math and release that Reznor is her uncle and that’s how they managed to get my now-scrap metal car back to me. So bet is since Mindy and i became travel partners chinese whispers has become that we are romantically involved. So i can guarantee Reznor is counting on me no-showing this show or refusing to do the favours to put me in a bad light before my tryout and knows i don’t want to work Vulc either. Mindy won’t get involved because Reznor is her uncle and she’ll understandably too focused and happy about her match. Plus didn’t they just tell me they want the belt off me for my tryout but Mindy is winning one on the exact same show as we attend the exact same tryout? Maybe i should finally get that doctors appointment and get checked out, that way i can claim i wasn’t medically cleared to compete and show a certificate for the first time in history indy wrestling requires paper work.


Every possible scenario rang through my head on Friday afternoon as I finished my shift and did my ritual of carefully re-packing my bag to perfection. I’ve got enough magic left to last me for another show but i contact hades and vaguely ask if he could supply me for my upcoming trip to which he responds “Have you ever been to an airport before Hollow?”. Touche.
I think i’ve backed perfectly until i realise that i haven’t packed the belt that is in fact in my position and not the promoters which is giving me a lot more leverage than i thought i had, as well as alarming that i didn’t discover that it was inside my tiny abode. I look at it closely and just realise it’s a replica belt that they have covered up to put their logo over, really spare no expense when it came to giving me this prestigious championship. I realise it is in my first ever title win and the sinking feeling sets in that i am feeling no joy over my first official title win, instead i’m just lamenting over it’s poor design and having to drop it so soon.
I stare down at the belt hoping that any second the joy will overwhelm the cynicism but it never comes to fruition as i put myself into bed preparing for tomorrow.

Mindy is early and even more chirpy than usual as i throw my bag over my shoulder and head out to the car as i begin to lock the door. “Forgetting something CHAMP?” Mindy laughs and shakes her head in disbelief that i would forget to bring my prestigious championship belt a long with me.

Chapter 10 - It’s a Shoot

SPOILER: Click to show

My last booking before the big tryout, I’m trying my hardest not to think about the upcoming dramas involved with dropping this belt. “I didn’t realise Reznor was your uncle?” I asked and she replies “Yeah, I don’t think you realise a lot of things lately, you’re in your own world” she remarks in a snarky seemingly uncharacteristic manner, maybe she is on to my emerging party habits after shows and just playing dumb. “With your concussion? You seem out of since. Should probably go get checked out before the tryout.” Won’t be any good news I retort to which she laughs.

She asks for advice on her match which is appreciated and not knowing her opponent I make up a 10-12 match, which I’m sure her opponent will probably want to change 90% of anyway. I ask her the same and she gives me ideas as well as what to do for the finish.

I break her the news that I am not going over and she seems genuinely surprised, either has a great poker face or is sincere..hard to trust anyone in wrestling as courteous they may be and asked who I’m dropping the belt to. I reply Reznor and she laughs that Vulc isn’t going to like that.

Hopefully I can rely on the two of them arguing and promoter will come to conclusion to let me keep the strap but I don’t know whether they are cool or not.

Finally we get to the arena and I make sure to seperate myself from Mindy as we do the rounds and shake everyone’s hands. Even though there is nothing going on between us, perception is truth on the indys.

I fake smile and shake hands with both Vulc and Reznor and I can already tell something is up. I put my bags down in a secluded spot and turn around and they are both behind me. “So are you splitting your fee between us tonight Hollow?” I begin to retort but Reznor accuses me of stealing his fee from the last show. “I was out of it, didn’t you drive me home?! I ask and he exclaims “So you didn’t think it was odd you had more cash than usual the next day?” He asks. “How do you know how much money I carry? I answer back only to be cut of by Vulc. “You owe me for the hotel as well Hollow, don’t play dumb.” This guy wants money for letting me borrow his hotel for an hour, probably would have cheaper to buy a hooker and use my car.

Ok first all of all, Reznor you should have A) Made sure you got you free handed to you on the night and B) stayed in wrestling school a bit longer and not rely on that deathmatch garbage, so you’d learn not to drop people on their head. As for you Vulc, “I didn’t think it was going to be an issue to borrow your hotel for an hour while you got over your tantrum about doing the job.” Reznor gives me a wide stare wondering what I needed the hotel for an hour for. God forbid that his niece isn’t the only female In existence and we aren’t dating. Reznor starts to mention me not catching Kristy Kaos but i cut them off.

“fuck both of you I’m leaving!” Get me a Coke on the way out?” Vulc exclaims and Reznor snickers. Guarantee you that Vulc thinks he is going over not Reznor and he hasn’t been broken the news yet.

I grab my bag and belt and rush to the exit and as Murphy’s law would have it I run into the promoter. He doesn’t read the room and tells me someone is here doing audio interviews If I’m interested.

I tell him I’m not doing the match and I’m bailing. “Didn’t you ride here with Mindy” he asks, touché. “It’s a small world Hollow, you’ve got more to lose in this situation than I do, especially when they are only looking to sign one of you”. I have no idea where he got that assumption about one of us from but I swallow my pride and realise he’s right, word will definitely get around to one of the talent agents that I no-showed and he will make sure of it. “Vulc is pinning Rez, now take your happy pills and suck it up” I begrudgingly make my way back inside and put my bags back down. Guess I wasn’t the only one not wanting to do the job if Vulc is going over now.

I give myself time to cool off as I do walk of shame back into the venue and ask Mindy and her opponent how the match preparation is going. They discuss various reversals as the promoter wants the finish to be a submission.
Their match is on before intermission so I’ll have a chance to watch it. Mindy explains she asked promoter if we can leave ASAP and said it was fine, so we will leave as soon as the main event which is my match is over. She didn’t elaborate as to why, but I’m not arguing during this situation.

I sit by myself, avoiding the duo although they can see that I’m back. Worst case scenario we will call it in the ring if they don’t approach me. Speaking of approaching, one of the boys comes over to me and hands me a wrapped gift and says happy birthday from Hades and walks off. The temptation to enjoy myself this show is strong but I’m also stubborn to stay straight during this show just to prove a point.
I’m assuming this is an IOU situation.

Interview guy is here and he pulls Vulc aside to
record and Reznor leaves me alone. I watch the start of the show and at this point I simply don’t care what happens in my match, I just to
Want to get it over and done with. I watch Mindy’s match and it goes really well, crowd are behind her and it all ran smoothly, new women’s champion.

She is in tears as she comes through the curtain, incredibly proud of her accomplishment. She hugs her opponent and then me and they start the usual apologising for spots they forgot that the crowd don’t know about it. Reznor bumps me aside to congratulate her and asks me when are going to over our match snidely.

Vulc comes out shortly after from his interview and we just agree to call it in the ring. Match is serviceable, no one is exceedingly stiff throughout the match which is surprising but there’s definitely tension there. Vulc decides to take it home early and hits Reznor with his finish. 1-2-3, the winner and new ch…

I grab the microphone out of the announcers hands on the outside and cut a heel promo proclaiming myself to still be the champion as I was never pinned and take the belt with me as Vulc looks at me with an astonished look on his face. I storm past the curtain,grab my bag as promoter yells at me but I barge past and throw the belt in my bag and met Mindy in the car where she is already waiting.

“Damn Hollow, You could have got changed you know?” She laughs unaware of promoter In distance who clearly tried to chase me down..and failed. The tryouts are in a few days anyway, by the time word gets out we will already be there, so stuff that promotion and my payday, on to bigger and better things.

Only a few days to go now I exclaim to Mindy,
and she tells me she has never been to the airport before, a place I’m well accustomed to. “Pack light, CHAMP” I exclaim, warning her of the cost of the excess baggage fees. She tells me how exciting is that this could be the last time we travel down these same motorways we both know like the back of our hand and I agree, staring out the windshield again to the endless replay of the road signs, trees obscured by darkness and the broken white lines illuminated by the headlights.

Mindy pressed the button to tune through radio stations in her car, a fair upgrade from the dial in my now scrap metal junkbox and the station begins “Police are appealing for information on an alleged hit”….

Ian going into business for himself like that is brilliant. Fans probably just thought it was part of the show!

Also, Ian absolutely needs to make "Hit & Run" the name of his new heel finisher.

Chapter 11 - The Gift That Keeps Giving

SPOILER: Click to show

and run incident that took place on Forrest hills drive..” she runs through another few stations before complaining that there wasn’t any music on, and switches it off as we sit in silence. It feels like an eternity as the tension builds and I play back that horrific night in my head, there’s no way this was a separate incident.

I’m sure they will interview the 2 people that drive on those backroads this year” I state and she laughs “you’re not wrong”. I asked her if she was happy with her match and she states she is for the most part, except for the few spots she forgot. “So how was your match?”
“No complaints” I respond to which she responds “I. “I can’t believe it either…” I respond, I should learn my lesson to stop starting conversations I want no part in.

She tells me she’s already planned out the travel arrangements, I can stay at her place the night before as she lives closer to the airport and will take her car down which Rez will pick up later. I ask why she doesn’t want to take a taxi and she replies “because we’re still Indy wrestlers”, touché. Even someone that’s never been on a plane understands the cost of taxi trips to the airport.


Only a few more days and we fly out, there’s no way anyone took note of my car on the trip, it was as nondescript as a motor vehicle can be. Nothing happened over the shower incident either, I don’t know what I’m worried about, maybe that pamphlet I received can perform miracles. I Just have to get the work done and fly out that’s it.

I wake up in pain as is the usual sore Sunday ritual, contemplating enjoying the present Hades gave me to ride out the rest of the day but maybe I can save it for work, the joys of working unsupervised. My phone rings, I let it go once, and then I get up to check who it is as it rings twice, it’s Mindy.

“What the hell Hollow? You didn’t tell me about the stunt you pulled on the show!” “You didn’t ask..” I respond. “Look I know you got me this tryout coming up and I’m grateful, but I’ve done plenty for you since. Can you please just return the belt to Vulc for me? You’re making me look bad in the process.” She’s right, I’ve definitely benefitted from her hospitality since I got concussed so i can’t really argue.
I agree but that doesn’t solve the second problem, I don’t know where Vulc lives. She tells me the address and hangs up. Probably not the time to ask for a lift there…

I search for the address and as luck would have it it’s not far from the work site on Tuesday, I double check with Mindy as that seems to convenient to be true.

It’s inevitably Monday I’m conducting my usual mopping duties with nothing worth noting until my lunch break rolls around and I check to see my phone has blown up with notifications. “Did u see the shit Vulc said about you bro??” Is the top text I have, attached with screenshot.

“What are your thoughts on the two potential signees, Mindy and Ian Hollow?”

V: I couldn’t be happier for Mindy, for a rookie she has the heart and determination to make it in this business and I wish all the best for her…”

R: …and Hollow?

V: Hollow is an incredible performer and from what I’ve heard a true in-ring general but that’s where my praise ends. This signing situation has gone to his head as well as his own personal demons. It’s a shame as he used to be a nice kid but there is absolutely no place for refusing to do the honours in this business. There is plenty of more deserving people on the Indies who should be taking his opportunity….”

..Well i’m glad he threw in some foreplay in before he decided to fuck me this close to the finish line. Vulc talking about people refusing to do jobs? What’s next, Hades rocks a “Just Say No” shirt? Disgraceful. I’m sure the big league don’t read this dudes shitty wrestling newz website but I can’t be sure. Last day of work until I fly out and I have to get up even earlier to give this moron his belt back, Great.
The rest of the shift flew by as I was too distracted by my disdain for Vulc. One shift done, one to go.

As I’m riding on the bus I get a text from Mindy, apologising for her outburst but she just didn’t want any dramas this close to the tryouts. She then tells me that Rez can’t make it pick up her car, so Vulc will pick it up instead. I don’t really know why that concerns me but could she have chosen ANYONE else? Whatever. Just have to get on the plane and I’m set.

Final day of work, up at the crack of down just to give Vulc his precious cargo back, at least I can be amused by giving him a rude awakening. I message Mindy to let her know I did the favours after all.

Just as Murphy’s law would have it final day is an absolute chore, whenever you have somewhere to be or it’s the last day of something it’s non-stop issues. I consider just doing a haphazard cleaning job and calling it a day but i don’t want to jeopardise my illustrious commercial cleaning career if the tryout doesn’t go my way, so I make sure everything is spotless as per usual. It at least keeps my mind off the pressure of the tryouts and the drag of being at the airport.

I’ve had an unbelievable amount of luck lately, maybe the plane will just swan dive into the ground while I’m watching a mediocre in-flight movie and enjoying a $6 Diet Coke that takes 1 years to settle.

Mindy is waiting in front of my house in her car,
I assumed she was going to message me and give me time to shower and pack my belongings appropriately for the airport but I guess not, not even time to celebrate. I grab my stuff that was waiting to be neatly packed and haphazardly throw it into my bag and get in her car.”

“Tomorrow’s the big day!”’ She offers a high-five, I try to match her energy but it isn’t happening after a big day at work. She asks me how work was and I explain it was simply exhausting and time consuming, I realise I have no idea where she works but I’m not that interested. We can be wrestling superstars whether it’s on the indies or the big leagues.

Mindy has her couch rugged up for me to sleep on and her stuff packed ready to go on the corner. I ask to use the shower and she tells me she will organise dinner while I’m doing so. Drying down afterwards in front of the mirror I take a long hard look at myself, convincing myself I have the capability of doing what’s needed. This is all I’ve ever dreamed of, and it’s right at my fingertips I can’t flake now

There’s a knock on the door and I’m startled only to realise she got pizza delivered, not an ideal choice for our last supper before the tryouts but as long as I don’t have to pay for it I’m happy. Besides I’ve had enough drugs in
my system lately to kill a brown dog, I doubt a few slices will kill me.

She wisely calls it an early night and it gives me time to frantically repack my bag appropriately, nice and neat. No matter how many times I go the airport, I’m held up by someone in shock their luggage is overweight or arguing as to why they can’t take a $4 deodorant can onboard with them. After I’ve checked the bag for the thousand time, I called it a night and try to sleep.

Today is the day. Even the nerves are getting to Mindy as she isn’t in her usual cheering manner but more so just wanting to get the drive to the airport over. She sends Vulc a message to confirm he is able to pick up the car.

As luck would have it, there is impromptu roadwork and it’s some of the worst traffic we have ever encountered that’s saying something coming from two wrestlers. If it was up to me I would have pulled a dad move and got there several hours before boarding but it wasn’t my call. Of course it takes us awhile to find a park which further diminishes the time we have left to board the plane and do my best to hide my obvious frustration but she clearly feels the same way.

We pull up and do the half run you see people do who are about to miss a train. We’re doing better time than we thought but not by much.
I rush over to the security checkpoint as Mindy stops. “What are you doing?” I ask. She explains she still hasn’t heard from Vulc and doesn’t want to pay the huge parking fee when we get back. “Whatever, I’ll just pay it when we get back. We could be Big league money I joke”. “Ladies first” she jokes as I brush past her to get back the security checkpoint and put my luggage on the conveyor belt.

Shoes/belt off, no jewellery, laptops Yada Yada I know the drill by now. Get the scan done, get the wand done and go about my day.

I collect my belongings and wait in the distance as Mindy goes through the checkpoint. Her bag goes through the scanner and she is stopped and motioned by two guards to come to talk to them.

I look up to find where my gate is, it’s just boarding loyalty members at the moment so I quickly grab a magazine and some chewing gum so my ears don’t pop and line up to board the flight. Once we are herded in I take my seat and stretch my arms out to the empty seat next to me as they repeat the final calls for the missing passengers ad nauseam.

We take off as I stare out the window, watching the city turn from buildings to miniatures only to be obscured by the clouds once we get high enough. The seatbelt sign disappears as we level out and I flick through my magazine. Once I discovered they were only allowing room for one on the boat, adjustments had to me made.

No one cares about you in this business, they only care about what they can gain from you.

Chapter 12 - The Final Trip

SPOILER: Click to show

Tryout was a success and here we are finally are, waiting to make my grand debut on the big leagues. I knew all along it was leading to this but the reality is really starting to set in, my heart is pounding a million miles an hour as the moment of truth is upon me. The noise is deafening as I make my grand entrance, the flashing lights are blinding as I make my way down and people are yelling my name already.

All the attention is on me as I make way into the ring, the most important fight of my life as my opponent stares back at me. Everything happens so fast, the chaotic environment making it hard to focus and before I know it, it’s all over. I stand up to raise my hand as it is grabbed. The lights, the flashing, the yelling makes it a hard moment to appreciate.

I’m finally living the moment this was leading to, the dream is a reality..everything that was
being built up is here right in front of me. I look off into the distance as I reflect on the many situations I weaselled myself out off and the countless people I screwed over to get into this position. There was no punishments to speak off, no repercussions to speak off and little consequences for my own actions.

Truly the only thing I feared was the penance for my sins, no matter how close I flew to the sun it was never going to burn me. Once I can come to that realisation that judgement was never coming, I did everything in my path to make sure this day would come at all costs.

The day came at all costs and I felt nothing..
no tears of joy, weight off my shoulders or feeling off accomplishment of a live long goal achieved just as there is no feeling of sympathy for the dreams I crushed to get here,no regrets for the situations I manipulated to my benefit, nothing to feel but emptiness.

I flick through the endless messages from all of my family, many friends and people I don’t even like as they send through words of support. I look up to my Championship belt I won from Reznor that is as cold as I am and accept that


I Am Hollow.

Really fantastic build and ending. Wish some of the chapters were longer, but it had a really good balance overall.
Really hope you continue on Ian’s story, or write a new story.

You are really good at setting the scene and overall picture System

Man, I certainly feel like this is a fantastic treatment that could readily and easily be expounded upon to develop a whole book or screenplay. Would love to see that happen someday. In the meantime...

rad, I'm thinking System's Ian Hollow absolutely needs to be signed to PW Wrestling!

I'm currently on Chapter 4, plan on finishing tonight and leaving a review whenever I can. I love everything about this so far.

[Chapters 1-6]

- If this was a Youtube comment: "Like if 🤯 brought you here"

- I dig how this is flowing so far. No lengthy dialogue, just clean and concise description that feels very realistic. Unless that's just me working this read into a shoot... Or would that be me shooting this read into a work? Fuck if I know, I'm just some random mark.

- Chapter 3 was the best read yet. A lot more meat to the text while revealing the brutality of the indies/rising up in the industry in general. The constant lack of nourishing food almost sounds worse than taking bumps to me (though that's easy to say sitting in the comfort of a bed with a laptop).

- Imagine getting your ass kicked by "The Nature MAN" Quasimoto over here? WOOOOOO-ssshh!!! Then again, my unhealthy ass probably would too. 

- Beefcake Hollow isn't putting up with this green chipper's bullshit and I love it. Wait, is Hollow worried whether or not he killed shower guy? If so, it's very fitting that I have the forum skin set to 'dark mode' while reading this. Speaking of, I should switch off Steve Lacy to something more fitting while I'm reading this... Marilyn Manson mix, you say? YIP. 

- Oh hell yeah.... and oh hell no. Fucked if you do, fucked if you don't here. This was a well-written paragraph that packed some narrative punch. A deathmatch for the strap with that fucked up back, damn. I feel like you're finding your groove here even more so in Chapter 4, plus we're getting to the first real meat of the story. Well done. 

- Lmao, Pi unintentionally spoiled part of Chapter 5 for me. Oh well. Kind of had a feeling something fucked up was going to happen anyways. Oh damn, he's poppin' the color cherry? Fuuuuck. Bulldog spot sounds brutal. Pretty fitting that I went from "Sweet Dreams" to "The Dope Show" on the playlist here, knew that was a good idea. Damn, Ian doesn't even get to take in the moment... the end was almost hard to read. This man needs a break.

- Now on Chapter 6 and "Great Big White World" is playing... and hello, cocaine. Okay, this playlist thing is becoming too metta now... Guess it's time to pause the Manson for a moment. Glad to know that Hollow isn't a narc, I didn't get that vibe from him. Ol' Green Chipper from earlier is who you need to keep an eye on. And this only proves my mantra that, every ONCE IN A WHILE, a little bump of the devil's dandruff (or maybe 3/4 for old times sake, pending on your pleasure) can do a person some good.

- Standing ovation, standing schmovation: Meltzer rating or it didn't happen, BRO. Oxies are a bad deal: you're gonna have a bad time. Perks or piss off, I always say (I actually don't, that's the first time I've ever said that)...and HOLY FUCKING SHIT, yeah, that's a bad time. I picked a hell of a moment to pause my review/response/reaction, whatever this post is. Anyways, I did not see that one coming. I'll post the second part of this here soon, I'm loving everything about this so far man, really awesome job.

SPOILER: Click to show

Releasing this Friday (Oct 1st) via Amazon.
52 print pages.
Recommended for 18+.

Click the link below to pre-order.

“This book contains the travel journal of the independent wrestler best known as "Liam Hollow", presented as is without any redactions or corrections of erroneous information. Follow his descent into excess and chaos as he adapts to the dog eat dog world of the professional wrestling scene.”

$4.20 Kindle (Free if you have Kindle unlimited)
$11.00 Paperback

All printing and shipping is done via Amazon.

US:
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09H7M21Z1/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1632808447&sr=8-1

Australia:
www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09H8DKPCG/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

UK:
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B09H8DKPCG/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1632811231&sr=8-1

Canada
www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B09H8DKPCG/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1632811315&sr=8-1

That's so fucking awesome, System! Why the name change? And how did you get a cover? Design it yourself or hit up a buddy or does Amazon help out with that?

Sept 28, 2021 11:18:52 GMT 🤯 said:

That's so fucking awesome, System! Why the name change? And how did you get a cover? Design it yourself or hit up a buddy or does Amazon help out with that?

Thanks man 🥳

Boss has the same first name and a six letter surname, don’t want him thinking it’s a sneak diss when my work opens back up and co-workers talk to me about it 😂.

Had the name in mind before I even worked there but that was just for fan fic, no plans to publish it or anything.

I got the cover designed by someone on Fiverr, Amazon has a cover designer but it’s pretty basic.

Audio version, available for free
open.spotify.com/episode/4P5W29UXS6B20j8BH21MeC?si=kTAmP9RfTk2hChHGsAFTew

Oct 25, 2021 14:17:51 GMT System said:

Audio version, available for free
open.spotify.com/episode/4P5W29UXS6B20j8BH21MeC?si=kTAmP9RfTk2hChHGsAFTew

As is this couldn't get any better, you go and give it to us with your sexy sweet syrupy voice. God love you, brotha.

Mentioning my book about an Indy wrestler while doing a promo as an Indy wrestler
/indyception

I know it’s hard to hear so:

(Bullshit chant)

Vinnie Vain:
You guys couldn’t even spell bullshit even if you tried. Shut
ya mouth the President is about to address the kingdom

Me:
Most of you couldn’t even read a book, let alone write one.Like yours truly, published author as well!