Promo: Letting It Out In The Rain

[Lightning Flik 0]

Author’s Foreword

 

So this is my first writing in a long time. Please tear it to shreds so that I can get better at writing. I know it’s not that good, but at least it was an attempt. There probably some things here that need explaining, and I’ll do so at a later date. Of course, there are many things I can improve upon as well.

 

One thing that’ll I’ll explain though is that a kikuzakura is a cherry blossom tree that’s flowers can have up to one hundred petals on them. Just for reference sake.

 

+++

 

Morning dew covered the inch high, uncut grass and the first rays of light shone brightly down upon the quaint Albertan town of Redwater. With the dawn came the beginning of business as usually for the small community.

 

It wasn’t like any big city where people were bustling to beat the early morning traffic. The people of Redwater woke up early in the morning because they loved the family atmosphere that was within the rural area.

 

Everyone here knew everyone else that was a sacred secret. The head manager at the local Home Hardware, Charlie Patterson, knew that seven year old misfit Emmy Mika wanted a blue bicycle with a red bell for her birthday, and had specially ordered that one for her father. While tutoring her fellow junior high student and the most gifted athlete on the school team, Jeffery Wilkerson, Laura Pasemko found out about how his parents were divorcing. Even little five year old Morgan MaCallum knew how four year old Cecile Allison was scared of drowning.

 

There were no secrets that this town didn’t know of. That’s why when the residents looked at the top of what was called, ‘Snow Hill’, they saw a familiar face in the young man sitting with his back firmly against a cherry blossom tree. To the outside world, he was Edward James: a SWF wrestler, one half (or third) of the Wayward Sons, and also a running candidate to break the losing record streak. Yet, to everyone in Redwater, he was remembered as Eddy J: the trouble maker, the comedian, and most cheerful person you could ever know.

 

They all remembered bits of the young man when he lived there and the secrets about him they could tell. Like his dark black Caesar-like hair was covered in black forest cake during a food fight at his fifth birthday party. How he had acquired his bodybuilder like body while taking up a part-time job as a farming helper for John Atkins when he was seven because he demanded to have the responsibility. The agility he displayed was acquired by continually training at the high school’s track against the high school students when he was hardly eight years old. How it took him till he was ten for his buddies to convince him to wear informal clothing all the time, unless the occasion called for dress wear. But perhaps the Redwaterians favorite memory of the young man was when his face would come to life with just a plain old smile that shone of innocence and contentment with that of a child.

 

They could have stopped to say hi to him, but they knew better than to ask him about what he was doing in Redwater. Whenever he was on top of Snow Hill and not trying to tumble down it like in his days of old, he was trying to solve a crisis that had recently occurred within his life. He could start out being in a fairly calm mood that progressed deeply into a state of utter fury to finally ending up with him in tears of sorrow. It was why none of them paid any heed to him as he just relaxed with the tree at the crack of dawn. During these times, it was better to let him greet you than you greet him.

 

The larger half of the Wayward Sons let out a long, somber sigh. What he had on his mind was only going to be told to one soul. “You and I are becoming good friends, eh? Seems like I’m always here seeking your advice.”

 

As a slight wind picked up, the light pink leafed kikuzakura swayed as if it was agreeing with the brooding man.

 

“What can I say, it has always been very good advice.”

 

Edward looks up into the sky, as if thinking the vast blue yonder of vivid sky would ease his troubled mind. A faint, wry smile appears upon his lips.

 

“…yeah, I know, cut the praise and get straight to the chase. In the three years since I’ve left, I haven’t been able to get rid of my insatiable need to babble my heart away. But, that’s what I need your advice on. Myself.”

 

The breeze tilted the blossom tree to the point that it leaned to one side as if to question what could possibly be wrong with Edward.

 

“I was the scrawny little kid in my childhood years that was labeled the school whipping boy and beaten till I ended up in the infirmary with a busted lip, a black eye, and assorted other injuries that I forgot about. I have an odd way at looking at the world compared to everyone else, and because of it, people think I am some sort of a freak.

 

Back then, I just took the beating and did nothing to retaliate for it. Wasn’t that I didn’t want to or couldn’t do so, I always could do something in return and make them pay in spades. It was just the only way I could get them to at least be near me and accept me, was by being the school whipping boy. It is quite hard to go through school having no one there for you. Sure, I might get a person or two to be a friend, but they disappeared when I started feeling good about myself.”

 

The tree bent forwarded in the breeze, as if to nod for the young man to continue.

 

“Because of my droll outlook on life and wacky sense of humor that practically only appeals to me and a few others, I’ve become nothing more to than either some sort of freak or someone to be shunned. Not that I mind this, since, it is my entire fault and no one else’s that I am this way. I made my choices on who I am, and I can’t change me for their sake. I just wish I could be myself, and not have to worry about how everyone judges me.”

 

Soft rumbling of thunder could be heard and a small patch of darkness can be spotted south of the tree and creeping up on the small town. With heavy eyes, James can see that the storm will be upon him soon.

 

“Yeah, I know I shouldn’t care what others think of me, but the problem with that is the fact that sooner or later, they’ll come to depend on me and it’ll be a pretty bad problem. I don’t mind helping others with their predicaments, it is just I solve their predicaments I get tossed away like last week’s trash. I tire of that feeling, ya know?

 

I want to be the guy everyone respects for what he does, I want to be the person people can always depend on not letting them down, and I want to be me instead of what others see of me. I don’t want to feel the loneliness, the rejection, the selflessness, and just not to have the worst things happen that kill the upswing to my life that I have at any given point.”

 

As the sound of thunder once again sent a loud crash throughout the air, drops of rain began to fell to the earth. Normally, the stout young man would be annoyed with the rain, as it would disrupt his mood. Yet, this time felt different. With each passing moment in this rain, underneath his cherry blossom tree, he felt more relaxed than he had been in a long time. His voice did begin to gain a hint of bitterness to the tone, though.

 

“Speaking of the worst things, I just have had enough to scream! At the age of seven, I was diagnosed with asthma and it sucked living out weeks of my life in hospital when I got a seriously bad spell. Three years later and I’m a witness in a trial for one of the local goons attacking me and thankfully I got him away from my life finally. Another three pass, I lost my cat that I considered my brother and went through a year of physiotherapy to strength my knees’ muscles that have never fully recovered. About the same time, I was kicking the bloody Hades out of one of the bullies at my school during gym class, before I had gotten jumped on by six other people and left in a bloody mess on the floor with no help from anyone else – might I also add no one got suspended.”

 

A mixture of raindrops and tears flowed down from Eddy’s face as he continues to rant onward, as the drizzling weather conditions just steadily get worse. His voice chokes up about now, as he’s just letting it all out.

 

“I’ve lost family members, pets I’ve grown attached to, had to hold down part time jobs to help pay the bills around the house, my so-called friends backstab me for a good laugh, and the best part is, that’s just touching the surface of the mind numbing crap I’ve lived through. Only two made me almost wish to stop braving the weather and slashing my wrists to end it all.”

 

The howl of the winds curves the tree forward, and let’s the leaves from its branches shelter the lad from the droplets. His voice becomes coarse from all the tears that he has shed, fueled by his hatred for his life’s problems.

 

“It was eight years ago that you introduced me to Katie Harding. At first, she and I assumed a mild friendly relationship, but you would have no of it, and demanded we go out like boyfriend and girlfriend. She and I were stunned by your insistence, and also your devious shenanigans to have us get together alone, that eventually we got steady. Five years later, Katie goes off to some stupid party and gets drunk, lays up with a guy she hardly knew, and gets pregnant.

 

I was devastated. My heart broke. I mean, I understand alcohol can make you do some stupid things, but she and I had been together for five years. To turn that away on one night of partying just crushed my spirit. I was simply taken aback with what she said, and didn’t know how to respond. Right after she told me that she’d be going to be with the other guy for the sake of her kid(s). She didn’t even care how I felt; she left me in one fell swoop.

 

…the next day, you died in the hospital.”

 

His massive arm came up and brushed the tears away from his now bloodshot eyes. He pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth in attempts to keep it from drying out.

 

“I sat there helpless to do anything for you, holding your free hand tightly in my two. I wanted more than anything for you to get better, as it was nothing more than a high fever, or so I thought. I swore to you that I would live out my dream of being a professional wrestler and winning a World Championship, thinking that might make you get better because I promised you I would. You replied to me with a small smile, ‘promise me that you’ll just do well in life.’

 

I felt your hand slide from mine, and I knew you were gone from this life.”

 

The kikuzakura returned to its normal place as the wind died down. Droplets of rain were once again falling onto Edward and soaking his clothes. His head lowered as he recalled that very moment and a rift of shivers were sent hurtling from the top of his spine all the way down.

 

“I had failed our promise that I made on your death bed. With grandfather dying just two days ago, it only pains me even more so about that vow. I only completed becoming a professional wrestler and I fail at that as I’m just a jobber boy to the rest of the federation…

 

Maybe that’s why I’ll never amount to anything. I’m nothing more than second rate. Always have, always will be. I’m nothing like those heroes you liked in the video games, saving the girl in distress, and all that…”

 

His eyes closed as he nodded his head. He was an absolute fool to think he could ever make her… No, his wish come true. His heart wanted more than anything to show her that he could do this. He wanted everything to do this and it killed his very self pride and worth not to be able too.

 

“So that explains everything.”

 

James knew that voice instantly. He looked over his shoulder to see someone who put up with him for so long (although in a very short time). That would be his fellow Wayward Son, Alan Clark. His shoulder length dark brown hair was drenched in the rain, his long trench like coat was looking quite heavy upon his broad shoulders, and his sea green eyes were staring hard at the younger of the two.

 

Eddy J didn’t get it. He was quite sure he told Alan that he was going home for awhile to clear up his own thoughts. So what the hell was Alan doing here now?

 

“I was getting worried with how you just seemed to distance yourself from everything. So when you decided on coming home, I figured something was up.”

 

Edward inwardly wondered if his emotions were as readable as an open book.

 

“I understand where you are coming from, but you got to accept the good with the bad. You can’t just remember all the bad times in your life, or you’ll just continually dwell on them and create more bad times. Everything moves on, why don’t you?”

 

Edward just blankly stared at Alan. He couldn’t believe Clark just said that. Didn’t he get it? The pain and loneliness that has always been apart of his life is something that can’t be understood by someone he hardly knew! How dare he even think that he understood!

 

“You think you understand do you, Alan? Let me ask you this. How many people have you had to experience burying or leaving you in your life?”

 

Alan was cool and calm as he could see that James wasn’t totally in the right frame of mind at the moment. He was almost like how he was back at the Super Fun Time Arcade, an absolute emotional wreck.

 

“Quite a few. But you evaded my question. Why don’t you get on with your life? Why do you continue to feel upset about the past? Why do you feel you owe so much to these people that you forsake your own feelings and needs in order to satisfy the departed?”

 

James was trembling with rage for having to try to explain why. He didn’t need to answer Alan’s question. He was totally content on just dropping the subject like most things that came u-

 

“Dammit Edward I asked you a question,-”

 

He wanted Clark to stop it. Just shut up.

 

“-and I’m not having you just shut up and not respond with what’s going on around you like every other time.-”

 

Shut up Alan, was what rang in his mind.

 

“-I didn’t care for when you did it at the Super Fun Time Arcade, and quite fran-“

 

DAMN YOU, ALAN CLARK~!

 

“You want to know why? Fine, I owe it to those departed souls, dead or alive, as I failed them in life. These people needed me to be whatever for them, and I couldn’t be. Because of my failure, I’ve drifted alone almost all my life. No one is willing to accept who I really am.

 

At one point in my life, I thought I finally had succeeded with getting someone to like me for who I am and the pain I felt would be over, but I had it ripped from me and flaunted in front of my face. I felt like I had nothing else to live for. The only thing that drives me on is that oath I made to Yanni. Got it now?”

 

Alan waits to make sure that Edward has gotten what he needed to say before speaking what he was meaning to say.

 

“You say that those people needed you to be something but you couldn’t fulfill it, then you didn’t fail them. They expected too much of you. That’s probably how it has always been. Edward, you try so hard to be a friend, a brother, and everything else in-between when it comes to the people who you care about that maybe the expectations that they have of you are raised so high, you just can’t possibly fulfill it.”

 

Edward grunted as his eyes drifted towards the dark, thunder cloud filled sky.

 

“I’m saying this as a partner and as a friend, Edward. Maybe you expect too much of yourself as well. Why don’t you just try doing as much as you can, and if you fail, then you do. I don’t think anyone expects you to be the next Messiah, Edward. Well, besides when Bobby starts fawning over your looks.

 

Just be yourself. Is that too much to ask?”

 

Edward returned his focus on Alan, only to find the leader of the Wayward Sons walking away from the kikuzakura.

 

“Where the hell are you going?”

 

Alan turned around and laughed at the fellow Wayward Son’s question, as if it was the greatest joke in the world.

 

“Edward, didn’t you say there was an arcade in town? How about we go play some games?”

 

The gaming behemoth stared blankly at Alan for quite some time before braking out into a big innocent smile.

 

“Sure thing! I’ll be right on my way.”

 

*click*

 

Edward heard the sound of something being clasped together. And the weirdest thing was, it was coming from the tree behind him. He rounded to the direction of the noise and gazed directly at the tree.

 

To Edward’s shock, there was an SWF cameraman in the tree. He was just finishing with putting the cap back onto his camera’s lense when he looked down and saw James’ eyes looking back at him. A weak smile appeared on the cameraman’s face, for sure Eddy J didn’t want something like this displayed to the rest of the SWF. He was a dead cameraman for sure.

 

“Nothing remains a secret here anyways.”

 

The cameraman eyes were wide with disbelief at what Edward said as he walked away from the kikuzakura to go to the local arcade and play a few games.

[Secret Agent 0]

Wow, Flik, wow. I am totally impressed with this. If you would write your matches like you wrote this, you could go very far. I liked it a lot, write more please.

[Toxxic 0]

WHOAH~! BIG promo.

 

Wonderful insight into the world of Eddy J. And proof once more, if any was needed, that he's a big wet lettuce

[Lightning Flik 0]

*stunned into silence but finally finds something to say*

 

Well, um, thanks. Glad you guys enjoyed it. I was worried though as I haven't done this in some time and I personally don't think it was as good as I could've done.

[King Cucaracha 0]

I agree with Johnny.

 

More of the same please. In the ring too.

[Lightning Flik 0]

Could I get some examples of what I did well and what I can strive to do better please? I don't mind the praise, but I'd like to know where I can improve upon.