Carnival Cavalcade Wrestling
CCW Chaos, episode #13: ...comes around
In the arena…
The music plays and the pyro blares as another episode of Carnival Cavalcade Wrestling Chaos begins.
Wink McLean, hair and tux on the very tip of point, stands in the middle of the ring, mic in hand.
MCLEAN: “Hello again everyone and welcome to CCW! Tonight, the board of directors will evaluate our two commissioners right here in the ring, and CCW Champion Betty Magnum will team with The Coal Miner’s Daughters to face The Posse!
“Right now, please welcome my guest at this time. She is the former Tri-County Champion and one of the deadliest wrestlers on the roster. From the wilds of Brazil, this is Anna Konda!”
Her slow, sinister music plays, and the Brazilian beauty makes her way down the aisle to a mixed reaction. Anna Konda is dressed in her ring gear — a skin-tight, snake-print bodysuit and black ballet flats laced up past her calves — as she saunters down the aisle, allowing a sly smile to those fans, all men, who cheer her or beckon her to come closer. She remains in the center of the aisle.
Konda slides up the ring steps and into the ring. She stands, hands on hips, and whips her golden-brown hair over her shoulder, then sidles up to McLean, ignoring his offer of a handshake.
MCLEAN: “Anna Konda, it’s been three weeks since we’ve seen you in in this ring, when you defeated Cassie Rae with your signature sleeper hold…but then you appeared to show Cassie some kindness in helping her recover. Can you explain that?
KONDA: “Wink McLean, you, and most of these people, are not worthy of any explanation for anything I do. (smiles through the boos) And Cassie Rae is, for me, an easy opponent to defeat. But I did not like Tiana Miles. She was a coward. I wanted Cassie Rae to be the winner against Tiana Miles so we would be rid of her forever. And we are.”
Some cheers for that.
MCLEAN: “Well, if it’s not a new attitude, why did you request this time? We’ve got four matches and a front-office evaluation to get to.”
Konda grabs McLean by the bow tie.
MCLEAN: “Hey, don’t put your hands on me, madam, I’ve got a fleet of lawyers.”
Konda snatches the mic from McLean and shoves him away.
KONDA (staring at McLean): “Do not ever question me that way. Weak man. (she steps forward, looking into the hard camera) I am here for one reason. Betty Magnum, Annie Hook, I don’t care who prevails in the steel-cage match next week. Anna Konda is a hunter, and I will get what I hunt. As of now, I am hunting the Carnival Cavalcade Wrestling Championship. Whichever of you comes out of that cage with the belt should treasure it. You will not have it for long.”
In the underneath locker room…
Cassie Rae, in street clothes, and Sunny Austin, and Riley Slade, in ring gear, are grouped around the little metal chair in the peeling corner of the dingy room. They’re all smiling, Cassie is doing most of the talking.
On the near end of the bench away from the lockers, Jessica Kelly and Shauna Carson, both in gear, are in deep conversation, with Jessica making a series of gestures that mimic wrestling moves.
On the far end of the that bench sits Gothica, in her gear, legs out and crossed at the ankles, reading a cheap paperback.
Josie Myer, in her gear, flip-flops on, sits at her open locker, legs spread, elbows on her thighs, hands clasped. Sitting a ways down the bench is Teresa Salazar, in gear. She closes her locker, then crossed to stand over Josie.
TERESA: “Hey.”
JOSIE (looks up): “Hey.”
TERESA: “Can I sit?”
JOSIE: “Sure.”
Teresa does, straddling the bench, facing Josie.
TERESA: “So, it’s you and me out there tonight.”
JOSIE: “It is.”
TERESA: “I know you know I’m gonna try to beat you, and I know you’re gonna try to beat me. But I want you to know now, I’m not gonna take any weapons out there. No knucks. Nothing else. OK?”
JOSIE: “OK…”
TERESA: “I’m telling you that because I respect you and I don’t think a match between us should involve shit like that.”
JOSIE: “OK.”
TERESA: “But I’m also gonna tell you this. (leans in) If I get any chance to cheat, bend the rules, break the rules, to put you away, Josie, I’m gonna take it.”
JOSIE: “I’m sure you are.”
TERESA: “I need to beat you to get closer to the Tri-County title. But I’m telling you what I’m telling you now out of respect.”
JOSIE: “Or to get in my head.”
TERESA (sits up, wolfish grin): “Or to get in your head. (she stands) See you out there.”
Teresa leaves. Josie puts her head in her hands, toes curling in her flip-flops.
JOSIE: “Fuck.”
In the arena…
Melora O’Brien is already in the ring for the opening match. She’s lost 10 pounds since she started wrestling in her green bikini, which started as Commissioner Hollander’s attempt to humiliate her for gaining weight. It didn’t work, and, in the weeks since, Melora has gained in fitness and confidence. She’s still got her curves and her belly, but she’s also got a win she didn’t have and a growing, steady supply of catcalls and wolf whistles to reinforce her decision to show more skin.
Referee Sarah Lawrence strolls over as ring announcer Jimmy Swift makes his way into the ring.
LAWRENCE: “Hey, babe, you’re looking great.”
MELORA: “Thanks. I’m a dead girl waiting in this match though. She beat me in 18 seconds the last time we wrestled.”
LAWRENCE: “Well, I’m just the humble underneath-girl-turned-ref, so I don’t know, but I bet, if she beat you that fast last time, she’ll go for whatever she beat you with this time, too.”
She shrugs, smiling, and strolls away. Melora, allowing herself just a brief smirk, shakes out her shoulders, arms, and hands, trying to get ready to compete.
The Tale of the Tape
Melora O’Brien, an underneath girl, is 25, 5’5”, 145lbs with red hair and green eyes. She wrestles in a green bikini, white knee pads, and green boots. She is currently 3-6. A towering, powerful star, The Iron Maiden is 35, 6’, 175lbs, with dyed silver hair and gray eyes under mushroom cloud contacts. She wrestles in a black & silver, sleeveless, full-length bodysuit, a silver-studded black belt, and chunky two-tone black & silver boots. She’s 11-3.
The music and pyro evoking her Mad Max Meets S&M persona and look, The Iron Maiden makes her way to the ring in her usual deliberate, determined fashion. She stomps up the ring steps, and stares at Melora through her mushroom-cloud contacts.
The referee, a blue-haired, punky ex-wrestler in this case, calls for the bell.
The Iron Maiden vs. Melora O’Brien
Maiden strides to the middle of the ring. Melora hangs back near her corner.
MAIDEN: “Scared? Come out here and meet me.”
Caught in her opponent’s glare, Melora obeys.
MAIDEN: “Haven’t I beat you before? Quick?”
MELORA (nods): “Eighteen seconds.”
MAIDEN: “Well, let’s see about 16.”
Maiden throws a huge kick, ticketed for Melora’s soft, exposed stomach, but that is what she did last time — just like referee Lawrence suggested.
Melora catches Maiden’s chunky boot, spins her around with surprising force, then uses the strength she’s always had but rarely shown to power Maiden’s neck and shoulders to the mat with a back suplex. With the crowd still buzzing its shock, Melora drops a hard elbow to Maiden’s chest, then another, then adds a knee drop to the same spot. Scrambling, panting, Melora grabs The Iron Maiden’s far leg with both hands and rocks back across her chest.
The referee is right there.
1…
Maiden powers her shoulders off the mat, knocking Melora back onto her knees. Maiden sits up and smashes Melora across the face with a hard slap.
“OOOOooooooo!” goes the crowd.
Seeing stars, a hand on her scarlet cheek, Melora’s other hand comes from somewhere behind her hip and slaps Maiden’s face with a sharp crack.
OOOOOOOOOOOOoo!” goes the crowd.
Both wrestlers get back to their feet. Maiden’s big kick finds Melora’s belly this time, and she Irish whips the Irish girl hard into the corner. Maiden charges, fire in her atomic eyes, but Melora gets both knees up and Maiden takes them square in the chest, sending her reeling.
Melora charges out of the corner, leaps, and catches Maiden with a flying clothesline.
But she doesn’t go down.
Back on her feet, Melora plants her boots on the canvas, seizes Maiden around her muscular midsection, and turns the six-footer over with a gut-wrench suplex.
With the crowd in a mixture of awe, support, and disbelief, Melora dashes to the corner, gets herself to the second rope and jumps…
…but Maiden gets her thick boot up and Melora absolutely eats it. Arms dangling, she falls backward to the mat like the last bowling pin in a suspenseful spare.
Back on her feet, Maiden stomps Melora’s belly, hard, driving the air out of her, then pulls the Irish girl to her feet and shoots her to the ropes.
Breathless, hurting, Melora still has the presence of mind to duck the huge clotheslines on the rebound, but Maiden follows her into the opposite ropes and lifts her cannonball knee into Melora’s battered stomach. Melora, clutching her red belly, collapses against the ropes and spills to the outside.
Referee Lawrence leaps between The Irom Maiden and the ropes.
LAWRENCE: “Get back, Maiden. Go to a neutral corner. Go.”
The referee begins the 10-count, but Maiden ignores her instructions and goes right out after Melora. Barely able to stand up straight, Melora throws punches into Maiden’s hard abs, but they’re far too weak to do damage and the atomic powerhouse shoves the Irish beauty back into the ring under the bottom rope.
The referee admonishes Maiden as she slides back in, but she ignores Lawrence and winds her fingers into Melora’s pretty, red hair, hauling her to her feet.
Huffing, puffing and in pain, Melora summons what she’s got left and beats Maiden to the kick in the stomach. As much to her surprise as anyone’s, her kick hits Maiden’s navel square, and there’s enough on it to stun her. Eyes wide, Melora spins and hooks her arm around Maiden’s chin, looking for a stunner, but the postapocalyptic powerhouse shoves her off into the ropes.
This time, Maiden buries the boot in Melora’s middle on the rebound and, one big Fallout Powerbomb later, the referee tolls the academic 1-2-3 and calls for the bell at 3:35.
Furious at having had to wrestle this girl for this long to win, Maiden spins up to one knee, grabs Melora by the hair, and cocks her big fist.
LAWRENCE: “Don’t you do it, Maiden. You won the match, she’s done. Let’s go, Maiden. It’s over.”
The Iron Maiden doesn’t look at the referee, but she lets Melora’s head drop back to the canvas and gets to her feet. She raises her arms, glares Lawrence away from her, then steps through the ropes and heads for the back.
The win, which she had to earn, makes Maiden 12-3. Scrappy and valiant in defeat, Melora falls to 3-7.
On the canvas, Melora’s eyes open. She blinks up into the lights until Lawrence’s head blocks them out.
LAWRENCE (a hand on Melora’s chest): “Hey, babe. You did amazing. Just breathe for me, OK? Nice and slow. Anything broken?”
MELORA (shakes her head): “No…don’t think so.”
LAWRENCE: “You need the docs?”
MELORA: “No, just…Sarah, give me a second if you can. I’d really like…to walk out on my own this time.”
In the underneath locker room…
Sunny, Jessica, Riley, and Shauna watch the monitor, where referee Lawrence holds the ropes open for Melora to slowly step through them.
At the far end of the bench away from the lockers, Cassie, in her white tank, low-rise jeans, and flat sandals, approaches Gothica, who lowers her paperback and pulls her feet back under the bench.
CASSIE: “Hey.”
GOTHICA: “Hey. Sorry, did you guys need the room? I could-”
CASSIE: “No. Aubrey. I wanted to talk if you have a sec.”
GOTHICA: “Of course. (she drops the book on the bench and pivots to face Cassie as she sits) What’s…what’s up?”
CASSIE: “I wanted to see how you’re doing. I’m sorry I wasn’t here for your first match back.”
GOTHICA (shaking her head): “Oh god, it was…whatever. Maiden took pity on me. I deserved a much bigger beating.”
CASSIE: “Is that going to be your attitude in all your matches?”
GOTHICA: “No, I mean, I’d love to… (she slumps, stoop-shouldered) Never mind.”
CASSIE (smiling): “You want to beat Sunny tonight.”
Gothica looks at the floor between them.
CASSIE: “Hey. Look at me.”
Gothica looks.
CASSIE: “You better fucking want to beat Sunny tonight or you shouldn’t be here.”
GOTHICA (sits up): “I’m sorry. Cass, you’re right. I just…I…”
CASSIE: “Aubrey. Look at me.”
She does.
CASSIE: “What’s wrong?”
GOTHICA (tearing up): “I…I don’t know how to be here. And I feel so bad. And so fucking stupid.”
CASSIE (holds out her hands): “Gimme.”
Gothica puts her hands in Cassie’s. Cassie slides closer.
CASSIE: “This is wrestling. This is our job. Our life. Do you agree with that?”
Gothica nods, tears rolling.
CASSIE: “Do you feel that? Inside?”
GOTHICA: “Yes.”
CASSIE: “Good, I’m glad. So, listen, I can’t change how you feel about your past, but I want you to hear me now. (leans into Gothica’s eye line) You are welcome here.”
GOTHICA (crying): “Oh god, Cass. (pulls Cassie into a hug) I’m so sorry for being such a mess. It’s so embarrassing.”
CASSIE (peels away from Gothica but keeps hold of her shoulders): “Give yourself the time to come all the way back, OK? It’s not a one-week thing.”
GOTHICA (sniffling): “Yeah. OK.”
CASSIE: “And, babe, (she retakes Gothica’s hands) whether it’s Sunny tonight, or someone down the line, you’ve gotta decide you’re allowed to win.”
In the commissioner’s office…
Hollander paces the room as Zehra watches from the chaise lounge and Duke Derringer, arms folded, mustache broad, watches from near it.
HOLLANDER: “This has got to work. The only way to get out of this is to get out ahead of it. That’s why, Duke, when we get out there, I want your guards to surround Moreno immediately, yeah? A real show of force. We’re gonna need that to keep her on the back foot, you know? Intimidated.”
Derringer strokes his bald head with one wide hand.
DERRINGER: “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea, Hollis. Might look bad to the board. Make them think you’ve got something to hide.”
Hollander stops pacing.
HOLLANDER: “I don’t have anything to hide, Duke. Do you think I have something to hide?”
DERRINGER (shrugs, palms up): “Of course not. But-”
HOLLANDER: “Zehra, do you think I have something to hide?”
ZEHRA: “Of course not. (adjusts her sexy pose) Except for maybe how much you love me.”
HOLLANDER (stone faced): “Yeah… (turns to Derringer) I think my guard idea is a good one. If you’d rather stay here in the office, I can lead them to the ring myself.”
DERRINGER: “No, I’ll…I’ll be there.”
In the arena…
Teresa Salazar and Josie Myer are both already in the ring for the next match.
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The Tale of the Tape
Josie Myer, an underneath girl with an 0-7 record, is 24, 5’6”, 125lbs, with a curly mop of dark brown hair and brown eyes. She wrestles barefoot in a plain, black sports bra and cuffed, gray, low-rise sweatpants. She wears black flip-flops to the ring. Teresa Salazar is an underneath girl with an 3-7 record. She is 44, 5’8”, 135lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes. She wrestles in a backless, black singlet, cut high over her hips, black knee pads, and black boots with a blood-red flame pattern embroidered in them.
Keeping her gaze on the mat, Josie slips out of her flip-flops and slides them under the bottom turnbuckle. She drapes her ankle over the second rope and gets some deep stretches in as Jimmy Swift gives the wrestlers their soulless, underneath-girl intros.
Teresa Salazar vs. Josie Myer
Referee Jessie Motley calls for the bell and the wrestlers circle, Teresa smiling, stalking; Josie sidestepping, bounding on the balls of her feet.
TERESA: “You watching me? You gotta watch me, Josie.”
JOSIE: “Watch her, ref. She cheats.”
MOTLEY: “I know she does. Let’s keep it down the line, Salazar.”
Still grinning, Teresa locks up with Josie and, using her slight height and weight advantage, forces Josie back into the corner. The referee asks Teresa for a clean break, and she obliges.
Though Josie still flinches.
They tie up again and Teresa grabs a side headlock, goes behind, forces a cry out of Josie with a hammer lock, then trips the barefoot girl to the mat, reworks the hammerlock into a half nelson and, with Josie grunting and kicking her resistance, pulls her over onto her back, shoulders down.
1…
2…
Using her strong lower body, Josie bucks just enough to get her shoulder off the mat, but Teresa stays on her. She hooks both of Josie’s arms, pulls her back to her feet, and takes her over with a butterfly suplex.
Josie lands hard on her back, knees and feet up. Teresa hooks both her legs, slides her other arm behind Josie’s head and locks her hands, compressing Josie into a little ball on the canvas.
1…
2…
Teresa’s fingers aren’t quite strong enough, and the young ex-gymnast uses her abs and hips to power out. Josie scrambles back to her feet, but her face is red and her breathing is already heavy.
Teresa, moving forward, hands out, makes sure she has Josie’s gaze, then slides one hand toward her knee pad.
Josie, eyes wide, lunges for Teresa’s hand, but Salazar jerks it away and buries her knee in Josie’s stomach, doubling her up.
JOSIE: “Oh fuck….fuck…”
Teresa winks at the referee, then gathers the flat-footed Josie up in a three-quarter nelson, pinning her shoulders and hooking her near leg tight.
Screaming, kicking her free leg, crying out in protest, Josie can’t escape. She’s pinned at 1:45.
Teresa rolls to her feet, both arms over her head, laughing and yelling in triumph as Jimmy Swift announces her the winner.
Only Teresa could connive her way to a win by following all the rules. She improves to 4-7. Josie, outfoxed and outclassed by a much better wrestler, is now 0-8.
Referee Motley raises Teresa’s hand, shares a knowing look with her, then gets to one knee next to Josie, who’s still breathing heavy on her back, knees up, feet flat on the canvas, forearms crossed over her eyes.
MOTLEY: “You OK, Myer?”
JOSIE: “Yeah. That was really embarrassing.”
MOTLEY: “She’s a vet and she’s still got it. You’ve got it too, babe, but you’re still new.”
Josie lets her arms drop to the mat.
JOSIE: “What did she pin me with?”
MOTLEY: “Three-quarter nelson. Amateur move. (she offers her hand and pulls Josie up to a seated position) Other than the suplex…and, well, the knee, she used all amateur moves.”
Josie slouches, her stomach creased into tiny rolls. Her lower lip puckered, she blinks up at the referee.
JOSIE: “So, basically, she outsmarted the fuck out of me.”
MOTLEY: “Afraid so. You want a hand up?”
JOSIE: “No. I think I’m gonna just… (makes a sliding motion with her hand) slink out under the bottom after this one.”
At the Sideshow Stage…
In front of the CCW backdrop, Wink McLean is with CCW Champion Betty Magnum, who’s got the newly restored title belt over her shoulder.
MCLEAN: “Betty, later tonight, you’re teaming with The Coal Miner’s Daughters to take on The Posse. But, last week, the Daughters took on a new attitude, torturing and humiliating their underneath opponents, something you’ve never done. Can the former tag champions be trusted?”
BETTY: “Wink, I don’t know what got into them last week, but the last thing those girls would ever do is embarrass their daddy back home, so I expect them to be right by my side while we take out The Posse. (looks into the camera) And then, Annie Hook, it’s just you and me in the cage.”
MCLEAN: “Betty, very quickly. Anna Konda was in the ring to start show saying she’s next in line for the CCW Championship. Will she be on your mind next week?”
BETTY (gives him a look): “I hope you know me, and this sport, better than that, McLean. My mind is right where it needs to be, on The Posse tonight. And it’ll be on Annie Hook next week. Whoever gets a shot at this title next is up to the commissioner…whoever that may be.”
In a room somewhere deep in the arena…
Sizzlin’ Scarlett Jackson and Tiffany Green, both in skin-tight workout gear, grapple, counter, and parry with each other on a large mat. Two overhead lights allow them to see what they’re doing.
Scarlett slips behind Tiffany, but the larger girl drops to one knee and takes her over with a snap mare. Scarlett lands on her feet, but Tiffany sneaks in behind, rolls her up, then quickly transitions to a grapevine pin, spreading Scarlett’s legs and pinning her arms down above her head.
Their hips and bellies are pressed tight, hot breath on each other’s faces, mouths open, close.
SCARLETT: “That was awesome. You got me.”
TIFFANY: “Yeah. (swallows hard) I got you.”
SCARLETT (smiling): “You want to try something else or are you gonna stretch me out until I submit.”
TIFFANY: C’mon, girl. (she releases Scarlett and sits against the wall) Don’t say shit like that.”
Scarlett sits up, arms resting on her knees.
SCARLETT: “Say shit like what? I was joking, babe. C’mon.”
TIFFANY: “Why are you doing this?”
SCARLETT (rolls her eyes): “This again?”
TIFFANY: Yeah, this again. (she watches Scarlett get up) You’re the Tri-County champion. And I can’t win a match to save my fuckin’ life, dude. (she motions between them) What is this?”
Scarlett grabs a towel and a wattle bottle from the floor and drops into one of two steel chairs in the room.
SCARLETT: “This is me trying to get you into a position to win a fuckin’ match to save your life, bitch. Why is that not OK with you?”
Tiffany lets her head fall back against the wall.
TIFFANY: “I got a couple things fucking with me. First is… (she risks a look at Scarlett) you’re hot as fuck and we’re rollin’ around on this mat. A lot.”
Scarlett can’t suppress her laugh. Tiffany laughs too.
SCARLETT: “Well, you’re a head-turner too, sister, but I like the brothers, unfortunately for me.”
TIFFANY (still giggling): “I know, but it does fuck with me. Especially since…”
SCARLET: Come on. (sits forward, forearms on her knees) I know what’s coming. Just say it.”
TIFFANY: “No one helps me. Why would you help me?”
Scarlett stands up, puts the towel and bottle on the chair.
SCARLETT: “First, I’ll admit it, I don’t like seeing the only other Black girl in the company on her back every week. It’s not a good look for us.”
TIFFANY: “Goddamn, girl, you know how embarrassing that is?”
SCARLETT: “Second… (she crosses to Tiffany and kneels on the mat in front of her) I’m doing this because I can feel how frustrated you are, how angry you are, how hurt you are, and how locked-up you are.”
TIFFANY (rolling her teary eyes): “Come on, girl, damn.”
SCARLETT: “I look at you, Tiff, and I feel you in ways I know Cassie Rae can’t. In ways my girl Sunny can’t. They’ve got they’re stories, and I know they’re rough. But your story is different. And I know that story. Maybe not all of it, but enough to know you’ve been all locked-up and lost in that ring.”
TIFFANY: “So what happens if you unlock me?”
SCARLETT: “When I unlock you… (big smile) you and I are gonna collect some more gold.”
In the underneath locker room…
Cassie, Sunny, Jessica, Melora, Riley, and Shauna are gathered around the monitor for what’s about to happen in the ring. Gothica remains on the far side of the long bench, reading her book.
They all look over as Josie, barefoot, flip-flops in hand, walks in and sits right down next to Teresa at the lockers.
TERESA (smiling): “Hey.”
JOSIE: “Hey.”
TERESA: “You angry?”
JOSIE: “Nope. You beat me. You outsmarted me and you beat me, just like you wanted to. (she nudges Teresa with her shoulder) Good match.”
Josie gets up.
TERESA: “Hey, there’s no fucking way I should tell you this, but I did what I did because I couldn’t have you doing all that flipping around you do. I wouldn’t have kept up. You might have won.”
JOSIE (hugs her shoes to her chest): “I know. You know when I realized that?”
TERESA: “Sometime between the two count and the three count?”
JOSIE: “Yep…”
Teresa smiles, Josie shrugs and goes to her locker.
In the arena…
No one is in the ring but the ring announcer, who gets the signal from the timekeeper.
SWIFT: “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the deputy commissioner of CCW, Jules Moreno!”
The crowd gives Jules a nice hand as she heads down the aisle in her maroon power suit and matching heels. She carries a few files under her arm as Swift holds the ropes open and she steps into the ring. Moreno waves to the fans, who give her another wave of adoration.
SWIFT: “And now, please welcome the esteemed commissioner of Carnival Cavalcade Wrestling, Hollis Hollander!”
There’s an element of the crowd — the old-school, misogynist, sadistic segment — that screams its collective throat sore for Hollander, but the vast majority of fans hit the commissioner with a torrential cascade of boos and hatred.
Surrounded by all six of Derringer’s security guards, but no Derringer, Hollander climbs into the ring, a big grin on his red face. He snatches Jimmy Swift’s mic and orders the ring announcer to the floor.
HOLLANDER: “Before we get started with this so-called evaluation from our…board of directors, I’d like these gentlemen to please surround Deputy Commissioner Moreno at once. Don’t let her leave the ring.”
Some looking lascivious, others uncomfortable, the six guards form a circle around Jules, who, indeed, looks scared and intimidated. The timekeeper slides her a mic.
JULES: “I don’t know what this is, Hollis, but it’s not necessary. Where is Duke Derringer?”
HOLLANDER: “You mean the Duke Derringer who’s obviously been conspiring with you to get me removed from office? Forget him. I fired him. The security guards are under my direct control now.”
The ring of guards moves in closer, tightening around Jules, who looks for a gap to slip through, but there is none.
HOLLANDER (smiling): “Now then, let’s get to Deputy Commissioner Moreno’s list of infractions, shall we?”
The crowd swells to a roar as The Iron Maiden, Hannah Hammer, and Sizzlin’ Scarlett Jackson charge down the aisle and slide into the ring.
MAIDEN: “Protect the deputy commissioner!”
The three wrestlers force their way through the security guards, who reform their circle around all four women, but the wrestlers put Jules between them, keeping the guards at bay.
Outside the guard ring, Hollander stares, red-faced.
HOLLANDER: “Ladies, you might find after this meeting you’ve made a grave error here tonight.”
JULES: “I’m not sure about that, Hollis, because this is not going to be a discussion.”
HOLLANDER: “Oh, yes it is. Because I have evidence that you, Jules Moreno, signed Colonel Besiegen and sent her into this ring to destroy a young, Jewish wrestler. A truly sick display.”
JULES: “I did sign that contract, but I don’t make the matches here. The reality is-”
HOLLANDER: “I also happen to know you re-signed Blonde and Gothica so that you could reform The Pack and take over CCW for yourself.”
The Iron Maiden and Hannah Hammer side-eye Jules for a moment. Scarlett keeps her eyes on the guards.
JULES: “I signed those young women because they wanted another chance in this company and I gave it to them. The idea I, of all people, would want The Pack back is patently absurd.”
HOLLANDER: “Well, I happen to kn-”
JULES: “Hollis, I’ll stop you right there. As I said, this is not going to be a conversation. It’s going to be (she points up at the CarniTron) an announcement.”
The crowd cheers as the big screen above comes to life. Wink McLean, sweat beading his forehead, is sitting…somewhere in the bowels of the arena, holding a CCW-marked folder.
Hollander recoils from the screen, squinting at Jules.
HOLANDER: “What is this, Ms. Moreno?”
JULES: “This is board of directors’ evaluation. Wink, please read what’s in that folder.”
On the screen, McLean opens the folder and takes a single document from inside. Holding it in both hands, he clears his throat and reads in his clearest, deepest announcer voice.
MCLEAN: “This is a directive from the Carnival Cavalcade Wrestling Board of Directors, which has, for the past several months, grown increasingly concerned with the actions of Commissioner Hollis Hollander. Commissioner Hollander’s leadership during the Pack crisis was questionable and ineffective, and he hired two college students to be assaulted in the ring by CCW talent. Earlier this year, he allowed a series of banned Rodeo Queen Challenges to take place. And he interfered in a CCW Championship match in an attempt to transfer the title from The Iron Maiden to All-American Amy Steel.”
Maiden stares at Hollander.
HOLLANDER: “Just a minute, McLean, you traitor. These are not high crimes, and the rest is a judgement call. There’s no way the board can-”
JULES: “Finish the statement, Wink.”
MCLEAN: “With all of the forgoing previously known, the board was made aware, through sworn testimony, that Commissioner Hollander knowingly and purposely signed wrestler Rhonda Thomassen to a star contract under the specific condition she wrestle in CCW as Colonel Besiegen, a thinly veiled Nazi persona she hadn’t utilized in years.”
The crowd buzzes and boos.
HOLLANDER: “That’s…that’s not…Jules was the one who-”
MCLEAN: “Commissioner Hollander then assigned underneath girl Josie Myer, whom he correctly surmised is Jewish, to be Thomassen/Besiegen’s first opponent, and instructed Besiegen be ‘extra brutal’ because a rookie referee, Sarah Lawrence, would be officiating the match.”
The boos nearly drown McLean out. Fans start throwing chunks of garbage at Hollander.
HOLLANDER: “This is outrageous! I refuse to stand here and-”
MCLEAN: “Ms. Myer was never told who her opponent would be that night, and the board was informed Commissioner Hollander told others the entire incident, and Colonel Besigen’s continued presence in the company, would be ‘great for ratings.’ The board vehemently disagrees with the commissioner’s assessment, his judgement, and, indeed, his entire philosophy. (McLean looks into the camera) This is the last straw.”
Hollander kicks the ropes as the crowd roars.
HOLLANDER: “McLean, if you finish reading that thing, I’ll sue you for everyth-”
MCLEAN: “Effective immediately, the board makes the following official.
“First, that Josie Myer be allowed, at no cost to her, whatever time off and/or counseling she needs to recover from her ordeal. (crowd cheers)
“Second, that Jules Moreno is hereby named the interim commissioner of Carnival Cavalcade Wrestling until such time a new permanent commissioner can be hired. (crowd cheers bigger).
“Third, that Hollis Hollander is hereby suspended without pay for the remainder of his contract, for which the board will not entertain a renewal. (McLean looks at the camera, smiling) In short: Hollis Hollander, you’re fired!”
The crowd erupts. Jules gives the security guards a nod. They turn and surround Hollander, who, practically rips his own clothes off trying to get at Jules. The Iron Maiden, Hannah Hammer, and Scarlett Jackson relax, smiling, shaking hands, as Jules strides to the middle of the ring.
JULES: “Thank you very much to for reading that statement, Wink. (points at the security guards) Now get this trash out of my ring, boys. We’ve got two more matches to get to!”
The security guards descend on Hollander, who literally kicks and screams as they drag him out of the ring and up the aisle.
In the star locker room…
The Posse, The Russian Farmhands, Anna Konda, All-American Amy Steel, and BRICKHOUSE are gathered around the big monitor, as the security guards drag former commissioner Hollander up the aisle.
Outlaw Annie Hook turns to the others.
HOOK: “Well. That probably ain’t good.
In the underneath locker room…
Jessica, Melora, Josie, Tiffany, and Shauna exchange hugs, cheers, and a few tears around the little, cracked monitor as Jules waves to the fans and shakes hands with the wrestlers who came out to protect her.
Sitting at her locker, Teresa spares the scene a smile and a nod.
In the corner, on the little metal chair, Cassie sits with her face in her hands, weeping. Riley approaches her.
RILEY: “Cass? Are you OK? Do you want me to get Sunny?”
Cassie looks up, crying, smiling, and reaches for Riley.
CASSIE: “No, let Sunny get ready. Come here?”
RILEY: “Of course. (Riley kneels, lets Cassie take her hands) Are you sure you’re OK?”
CASSIE: “It just hit me, real hard, now that he’s gone. Sunny will never have to go through what I went through. These girls here will never have to go through what I went through. (she chokes up) And…oh baby, I’m so happy you won’t ever have to go through what I went through.”
Cassie gathers Riley into her arms. They embrace, tight, and cry together.
In the arena…
Sunny Austin and Gothica are both already in the ring for the next match. Sunny is smiling, slightly teary, but bouncing and stretching in her corner, ready to wrestle.
Gothica is crying.
The Tale of the Tape
Entering with an 0-16 record, Gothica is 22, 5’4”, 135lbs, with dyed black hair and green eyes. She wrestles in a backless black singlet, with the middle section shear, and black knee pads. On her feet are black, strappy, knee-length gladiator sandals. Underneath girl Sunny Austin is 24, 5’11”, 140lbs, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Her current record is 7-14. She wrestles barefoot in an orange-and-white bikini.
Referee Clark Sierra exchanges a look with Jimmy Swift, then approaches the corner.
SIERRA: “Gothica, you good? We’ve got a match here. Time to go to work.”
Wiping away tears but continuing to sob, Gothica nods.
GOTHICA: “OK, yeah. I’m ready.”
SIERRA (shrugging): “Are you sure?”
GOTHICA (still clearly crying): “Yeah. I can go.”
Swift comes over, gives a Gothica a quizzical look.
SWIFT: “What’re we doing, Clark? Is this match happening?”
GOTHICA: “Yes! Fuck. Just ring the bell.”
The crowd, already buzzing, pops with a few cheers and catcalls as Sunny crosses the ring.
SUNNY: “Guys, give us a second?”
Swift and the referee move back to the center of the ring. The moment Gothica meets Sunny’s gaze, she breaks down.
SUNNY: “Oh god. C’mere, babe.”
The crowd, some in tune with the emotions in the ring, aww their sympathy. Others just wolf whistle at two women hugging.
GOTHICA (crying into Sunny’s chest): “I didn’t think he’d actually get fired. I thought, he’ll find a way to win; he always does. And then when they said…I swear to God, Sunny, before that, I thought I might end the night back in that office.”
Sunny holds Gothica’s shoulders at arm’s length.
SUNNY: “This is crazy. We can’t have a match like this.”
GOTHICA: “No, I…it just hit me hard that’s he’s actually gone. Lemme just…”
SUNNY: “You just told me you thought you might end up a slave by the end of the night. I’m not doing this.”
GOTHICA (shaking her head): “I thought I was…y’know…past it.”
SUNNY: “Maybe you are, but this was still a big shock. I get that.”
GOTHICA (looking at her hands): “I’m like…shaking. This is so embarrassing.”
The crowd stirs into a building cheer as…someone is coming down the aisle.
Sunny signals the referee.
SUNNY: “Yeah, we’re not gonna do this. She’s a mess.”
The crowd’s cheers level out into a buzz as Cassie Rae, still in her street clothes, climbs into the ring. She nods at the referee, smiles at Sunny, then crosses to Gothica, who half-collapses into her arms, sobbing anew.
CASSIE: “OK, babe. OK. He’s gone. No more. You can let it out now.”
Holding Gothica’s head against her chest, Cassie looks at Sunny, who looks at the referee.
SUNNY: “Can we maybe get another girl in here?”
SIERRA: “I don’t…maybe? Jimmy?”
SWIFT: “Hang on.”
The ring announcer goes to the ropes and has an exchange with the timekeeper. He comes back to the middle of the ring, shaking his head, gesturing in the negative. He clears his throat, mic in place.
SWIFT: “Ladies and gentlemen, due to unforeseen circumstances, the scheduled match between Sunny Austin and Gothica will not take place tonight. Instead, please enjoy this highlight reel of recent CCW action.”
The house lights go dark as some of the crowd boos. A light, We Want Sunny chant goes up, as Swift and the referee leave the ring.
Sunny goes to the corner, where Cassie and Gothica are facing each other. Gothica is still upset, but her breathing is slower, more even. She shakes her head at Sunny.
GOTHICA: “I’m so sorry. I should have just laid down for you.”
SUNNY: “No, that’s bullshit. I don’t want that. Would you have wanted me to lay down for you?”
GOTHICA: “Christ, no.”
SUNNY: “Then you and I will go to Moreno and get back on the card for next week. And when I see you back here, I want every fucking thing you’ve got.”
Gothica looks from Sunny to Cassie, who nods.
CASSIE: “She means it.”
GOTHICA (nodding): “He’s really gone.”
Cassie and Sunny smile.
CASSIE: “He’s really gone.
In the interim commissioner’s office…
At her desk, jacket over her chair, pen in her hands, Jules watches the monitor, where Gothica, Sunny, and Cassie all head out of the ring together.
JULES: “Well, better that than a wrestler has a full-blown PTSD incident mid-match.”
She turns to senior referee Jack Blake and referee Sarah Lawrence, both standing at parade rest opposite her desk.
JULES: “Now that…former commissioner Hollander is gone, I’m going to need some help while the board finds a permanent replacement. So, Jack, you’re gonna have to do without Sarah here for a while.
BLAKE (cocks an eyebrow): “Oh?”
LAWRENCE: “Ms. Moreno?”
JULES: “I’m going to be in charge of the wrestler contracts, booking the matches, and basically everything else. That’s a lot, and I don’t want this to turn into a disaster. So, Sarah, for the time being, I’d like you to hang up the stripes and become special assistant to the interim commissioner.”
LAWRENCE: “Oh my god. Ms. Moreno. I don’t know what to say.”
JULES: “I hope you’ll say yes. Partly because you don’t have a choice and partly because I need you, Sarah. Will you do it?”
LAWRENCE (smiling): “Yes, absolutely. Of course.”
BLAKE (offering his hand): “Congratulations.”
LAWRENCE: “Thanks, chief.”
JULES: “OK. Let’s finish this show out. And we’ll say a new era begins next week.”
In the underneath locker room…
Teresa answers a knock at the door, then looks over her shoulder into the room.
TERESA: “Let’s see here…Hey, Jess, can you come take this?”
Breaking away from the still-giddy others, Jessica crosses the room and takes the door from Teresa, who goes back to her locker.
Standing outside the door, barefoot in her black, beaded bra top and billowy black harem pants, is Zehra, hands clasped tight at her waist.
ZEHRA: “Jess Kelly, I don’t know if I will be allowed to wrestle here anymore but, may I please be in here for tonight?”
Jessica steps back, opening the door wider, and gestures into the room.
JESSICA: “Sure. Why not?”
In the arena…
Jimmy Swift and referee Roger Clayton stand center ring.
SWIFT: “The following six-woman tag team contest, scheduled for one fall, is the main event of the evening! Introducing first, Outlaw Annie Hall and The Cowgirl Sisters, they are…The Posse!”
The Tale of the Tape
Outlaw Annie Hook is a star, currently 10-3. She is 35, 5’7”, 150lbs, with dirty-blonde hair and blue eyes. She wrestles in a black singlet, black knee pads, and cowboy-style boots with red highlights. She also wears a black cowboy hat and black leather vest as entrance gear. Her partners in this match, and in The Posse, are the The Cowgirl Sisters. Diamond is 26, 5’5”, 130lbs with blonde hair and blue eyes. She has an 8-5 record. Platinum is 24, 5’5”, 130lbs, with blonde hair and green eyes. Her record is 8-4. Both Cowgirls wrestle in black cropped tank tops, black bike shorts, black knee pads, and two-tone black & white boots. Betty Magnum, the CCW Champion, is 32, 5’7”, 145lbs, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She wrestles in a denim-patterned bra top, denim-patterned athletic leggings, and cowboy-style wrestling boots. She is currently 16-3. The Coal Miner’s Daughters, a star team, have matching 8-2 records. Shannon is 25, 5’8”, 150lbs, with brown hair and hazel eyes. She wrestles in gray denim overalls, a red bra top, and black work boots. Brianna is 23, 5’8”, 150lbs with brown hair and hazel eyes. She wrestles in gray denim overalls, a blue bra top, and black work boots.
Spitting, swearing, generally malcontent, The Posse stomps its way to the ring, arguing with fans and telling the cameras Hollander shouldn’t have been fired.
Swift introduces Betty Magnum and The Coal Miner’s Daughters, who are all smiles and high-fives as they make their way to the ring. Betty climbs the second turnbuckle and holds the CCW Championship aloft as the crowd cheers and her partners applaud.
The referee calls for the bell and we’re off.
Six Woman Tag Team Match
Betty Magnum & The Coal Miner’s Daughters vs. The Posse
This is all Betty’s team from the start. The Cowgirls can’t match power with the Daughters, and any technical advantage Hook might have over Shannon or Brianna is quickly negated by a tag to Betty, whose fire and energy one week from a steel-cage title match is enough to keep The Outlaw on the back foot.
At 5:54, Betty, with a whoop and a holler to the crowd, cinches Diamond up and buries her in the canvas with the belly-to-belly suplex, the champion’s finisher. Betty leans a knee onto the flattened Cowgirl’s stomach as the referee slides into place.
1…
2…
Shannon blasts Betty in the face with her big work boot, sending her sprawling.
Showered with boos and yelling at the crowd, The Coal Miner’s Daughters point at Betty, calling her “part of the problem” as they climb out of the ring and head up the aisle.
In the ring, Platinum and Hook get their kick on all over Betty, who can’t possibly defend herself from all of them. Referee Clayton backs Platinum off, but Diamond has recovered enough to pull Betty to her feet and feed her to The Outlaw for the DDT. Thanks to the assist, Hook gets all of it, knocking Betty clean out.
With The Daughters long gone, Annie Hook, cackling, plants her boot on the spread-eagle CCW champion’s heaving chest and gets the 1-2-3 at 6:23.
The Posse, with help from Betty’s own partners, humiliates the CCW Champion one week before the steel cage match for the title. Magnum and The Daughters all take a loss.
The Cowgirls corral the referee in the corner as Hook goes out and snatches the title belt from the timekeeper’s table. She brings it back into the ring, spits on it, shines it up with her sweaty forearm, and lays it across Betty’s face.
Fade Out
END OF CWW SEASON ONE
