Resurfacing
My prone body falling awkwardly to the mat after a simple kick, and a drop of blood landing right next to my face, as the first feeling of a slender amount of weight laying across my body reaches my nervous system and travels to my brain. My leg raising under the control of someone else, and a groan of defeat escaping my lips. I can still feel the impact of someone's hand banging three times against the coarse, meshy fabric of the ring mats, and my head being jostled with each ominous slap of skin against canvas. My eyes peering in every direction, trying to regain some semblance of coherent thought, but coming up short.
I glanced up to see her body lift off of mine, and raise her arms in the air, recieving a raucous ovation from the sea of nobodies out in the black abyss. I couldn't see them, nor feel them, only hear their clapping and cheering, jeering me in the process. The victor had taken more than the spoils, I lay a broken man, wishing to all things mighty that I would die here. I could see all the shining faces of the few people that were cheering me on turn to utter disapointment and disgust under the newfound evidence. I was not what they wanted.
I recall rolling out of the ring while hearing the exact words I had promised myself I wouldn't be hearing that night. Above all, I hated her for breaking me that evening, and worst of all it wasn't the first time. She was the only one who had broken me, and I loathed her for it. Looking back in dismay, one last time, I finally ducked out of the arena, avoiding any humiliation I would feel from anyone else. My unbreakable body, now broken, I limped from the stadium to a parked car, and made my exit from this little world of mine.
Rediscovery
[I return to a home where all the furniture has already been set up, and I move in to try and live a life that has been left off by someone else. How can I pick up the pieces if I don't know where they are, or where they fit? My stupor is all reaching, creating a misty haze over my brain, keeping anything resembling a conscious thought beneath my skin. I've returned here, to what I once called home after months of absolute blankness. I'm not sure what all has happened, I can cleary remember all that happened leading up to those blank months, but I can't remember my time off itself.]
[My home feels cold and lifeless, much like how I feel most of the time now, however, a light is on in the living room, so I go to it, desperately wanting to not be alone during this time of rediscovery. I walk down the hallway towards the living room, feeling the floor through the soles of my shoes for the first time in a long while, bringing back certain familiar sensations that have long been dormant. I round the corner, and enter the room to find a short blonde woman stooping over a counter top, leafing through a pile of envelopes. She doesn't notice me at first, but I clear my throat, and soon she has hopped backward, holding the envelopes in front of her chest in defence against an intruder. Her eyes brighten as she recognizes me, an act that I can't seem to do anymore, even when looking in a mirror.]
Woman: Marcus?!
[She just stares at me, I'm not sure how to react, I'm no longer sure if I am Marcus anymore, so I just stare blankly back at her, hoping she'll give off some sort of feeling, something that helps me remember... anything.]
Woman: I... I didn't know when you'd be back, or even if you would be...
[The reaction she seems to be prying for, isn't going to come from me, I'm more of a stranger to her and this house than her to me or it. I just stand there aloof.]
Woman: I put all of your mail here, on the countertop. All of your bills have been paid off in advance like you asked. [She turns slightly towards the mail sitting on the counter, shuffling through it carefully, while watching me out of the corner of her eye.] I seperated bills into one pile, and all of the letters and things into another so it'd be easier for you to read, when... IF you got home.
[She turns completely toward me, smiling proudly, crossing her arms uncomfortably. What do I say to someone I don't know yet apparently knows me so well? I bite my tongue, something tries to push out of my lips, but I hold whatever it is in.]
Woman: It's good to see you... you're looking.... *ahem* well.
[I haven't the foggiest idea how I must look to her, I can only look disheveled and tattered in my sandy clothes. I move slowly forward, not exactly sure what is on my own mind anymore.]
Gaines: Who are you?
[Her startled expression tells me I should know the answer to this question, but I don't.]
Woman: I'm... I'm Wendy Richards, your neighbour... you... asked me to watch the house for you after you left...
[I feel so confused.]
Gaines: Left where? Where did I go? Why did I leave?
[The puzzled look on her face disturbs me. She seems only slightly more confused than me now. Funbling backwards into the counter as I continue to approach her slowly, she knocks an envelope off the counter and onto the floor. She bends down quickly to pick it up, I leap forward, not sure whether I'm lunging to help or to hinder. She jumps back into a stand, suddenly looking frightened. Of me?]
Wendy: I'm sorry.... I'm sorry.
[I stop dead, not sure what I'm doing or even what I'm thinking anymore.]
Wendy: Are you... are you all right, Marcus? You don't seem...
[Scratching my head and feeling fever pitched, I step back, looking around anxiously. This whole house seems so foreign to me, and I lived here for so many years. Clouding my mind, I look at her, desperately seeking any information she can tell me about where I've been, what I've done, and why I left.]
Wendy: [With an air of total sincerity.] Marcus, what happened to you?
[I step backward, until I fall back into an easy chair, my surroundings are still so new... I can only shake my head unknowingly.]
Wendy: [Reaching back while maintaining eye contact with me, she grabs hold of a large manilla envelope off the counter and holds it out slightly.] This came for you... about a week after you left... most of the other stuff from GWA I threw out, but this was from the editing department and thought you might want to see it.
[I remember GWA, I remember everything I had to do with it... I even remember signing back on just before coming here. One of those isntinctive reactions I seem to have that come from my very gut.]
Wendy: Marcus, I'm not going to ask anymore questions... I will let you keep your privacy, I'm sure if it were me, I'd want the same thing. So I'm just going to leave this on the coffee table and leave you alone, okay?
[She makes to go until I grab a hold of her wrist tightly, my stomach feels knotted up, I feel like I have to get out of here; but I know if I do I won't be any smarter than I was when I left and got myself into whatever mess I'm in now. She stops, quickly recoiling from my movement, and taking on a defensive posture as if I'm about to hurt her or something unseen to me.]
Gaines: W... Wendy? Listen... I'm having some trouble... remembering right now. I have no clue where I've been, why I left, or even why the hell I came back. Please... just tell me something... anything that can help me figure some things out.
[I've never seen an incredulous look before, I don't even know what the word means, but I'm sure now I've seen one. She looks back at me blankly, either not comprehending or not wanting to. I can't help but feel at least a little helpless here.]
Wendy: Marcus? You're serious?
[I nod.]
Wendy: [She sighs.] Marcus... I have no idea where you went... and I don't really know why you left. I just figured it had somethign to do with you losing to Reina Saiaki that night... I'm sorry I can't be anymore help than that... I figure if you watch the videotape in that package you might know something more... at least more than I can tell you.
[Her face, a matter-of-fact one. She just stares at me for a moment, until finally moving to the television and popping the videotape into the VCR. She presses play and stands back.]
[The footage comes on of some sort of movie trailer or promo or something, the words "THE SIXTH SENSE: MARCUS GAINES EDITION" scroll across the screen, and then fades back to black. I blink, then watch as the scene fades in to me and a young boy walking down a street.]
----------------------------
[Doctor Malcolm Crowe and Cole walk side-by-side down an empty sidewalk, shelter under several oak trees. Cole looks straight ahead while Malcolm looks down at Cole trying to start up a conversation.]
Gaines (Dr. Malcolm Crowe): Cole... tell me again what your secret is.
[Cole looks up at him suspiciously.]
Cole: I.... I see dead people... Why do you keep making me say that?
[Dr Crowe stops walking and gets down on one knee in front of Cole and grabs a hold of him, jerking him backward quickly.]
Malcolm: Because you little piece of donkey piss! I'm not a dead person and you can see me can't you?! So what does that damn well tell you about your little theory, there?
[Trying to stop Malcolm from shaking him.]
Cole: But.... Doctor Crowe.... You're.... hurting....me....
[Doctor Crowe violently slaps Cole across the cheek.]
Cole: OWWWWW.... DOCTOR CROWWWWE?!
Malcolm: Heh heh heh. No I'm not... it's called acting you stupid little lumox. Now shut the hell up and tell me how it is that you see dead people. I can keep shaking you, allllll day.
[The scene slowly fades out with Malcolm shaking Cole, the little boy's entire body flopping around under the pressure being exerted by Malcolm's over-the-top jostling.]
----------------------------
[Wendy laughs quietly behind me as the camera fades to black, but I find it hard to laugh, or even make sense of what I just saw. It all seems vaguely familiar to me, yet I can't justify myself acting in something so foolish. The only reaction I can have is a big grimace, unbelieving that this person is me, or was me.]
Wendy: Don't worry, there's more.
[I feign a smile.]
Gaines: What is this exactly?
Wendy: I guess it's a promotional video you did for GWA before you left.
Gaines: I, knowingly made that sh%t?
[She glanced down at me in surprise.]
Wendy: You don't like it?
[I shake my head indignantly.]
Wendy: [Sighs loudly.] Well, at least watch the rest of it before you go judging your own work.
[I turn back to the screen as it fades back into another picture of me standing behind the boy, in front of a door, I wish I could reach into the television screen and rip the stupid grin off my face.]
----------------------------
[Malcolm stands ominously behind Cole as Cole looks at the doorknob, deciding in his head whether to open the door or not, Malcolm gently pushes Cole's shoulder, nudging him closer to the door. Cole looks angrily back at Dr. Crowe and scowls.]
Cole: Doctor Crowe, why is it you keep pushing me into doing things I don't want to do... I don't want to see what's behind that door. I'm too scared of what I'm going to find.
Malcolm: [Gets down on one knee, and turns Cole to face him.] Cole, you said you wanted to help these so-called dead people. So get helping.
[Malcolm nudges Cole forward harder, but Cole resists Malcolm's prodding.]
Cole: I don't want to doctor Crowe, I'm scared.
Malcolm: [Malcolm brings his face closer to Cole's and grits his teeth.] Cole, what's scarier; Some imaginary ghosts... [Malcolm breathes vehemenantly while pulling out a medium-sized black-handled switchblade from his coat pocket and draws the blade out with a resounding click. He brings the blade close to Cole's cheek and rests it there as Cole becomes visibly more frightened.] Or this switchblade sharp enough to cut through leather like it was butter?
Cole: [Responding as soon as the question is asked.] The knife.
Malcolm: [Smiling maliciously.] Fine choice, laddie. Now go into the stinkin' room.
[Malcolm half-heartedly jabs the knife into Cole's back forcing him to walk to the door and open it, his uneasiness mounts as his hand reaches for the knob; Whether it's from the impending spooks behind the door, or Malcolms Switchblade shenanigans, is unknown. The scene fades to black.]
----------------------------
[I'm having trouble digesting what I'm seeing. Watching this stuff, watching me back before all of this happened makes me feel nauseous. I feel so out of place, not only in this house, but in this whole universe, as if I've been somewhere else that is so far neither above nor below where I am. It's like I can feel all of the pieces of matter that makeup my skin, my insides and even the little pieces of me that are outside of my body.]
[Wendy, apparently taking her eyes from the television screen watches me carefully, I'm not even sure what I must look like right now, staring out at no given direction at all, and yet focusing on so many unseen things; I must, truly look mystified beyond belief to her. She just stares for a while at me, not really aware that I'm even able to pay attention to what she is doing while I'm caught up in what all of the things that I am. HAzing out, I quickly jump up slightly, startling Wendy in the process who jumps back.]
Wendy: Marcus... [Puts her warming hand on my shoulder for comfort.] What happened to you? Why are you acting so strangely? I know I'm just your neighbour and we're not really great friends or anything but I'm starting to get a little worried. You're not acting at all like yourself, or at least what I know of you.
[I glance back at her awkwardly, trying to come up with an answer for her that will satisfy her and myself. I only wish I knew what to tell her... I shrug my shouldr causing her hand to fall off and rest on the back of the chair. Feeling indignated, she surrenders herself to sitting back into the chair, avoiding any eye contact with me.]
Gaines: Wendy, I told you. I have no clue. Everything around here seems so strange. Just let me watch the tape and try and forget whatever it is you have on your mind right now, okay?
[She looks downward, hurt from something I said, but I'm not sure why.]
Wendy: All right, Marcus. Just know that I've always been here for you, and I always will be. Even through all of the problems that Debra put you through, I've been here to talk to, try and remember that.
[My ears perk up, something peaking my interest, something familiar, that name? Debra. I can recall her. I think I can at least. I'm grasping at straws now, however. I turn around in the chair almost completely to face Wendy who again seems startled by my sudden movement. I rest my knee on the cushion of the chair, eagerly wanting to pursue this.]
Gaines: Who is Debra? Why does her name seem so familiar to me?
[Her brow furls, and something tells me this was a stupid question just by seeing the look on her face.]
Wendy: You only used to talk about her all the time. You said she was your psychiatrist, then she nearly ruined your life until somethign happened, and then she was like your girlfriend or something. God, I've never heard anyone go on and on about someone as much as you did about her. [Cocking her head to one side.] I can't believe you don't remember her.
[I shake my head. I remember Debra, yet I don't. Something so ingenuine about my memories about her.]
Gaines: I told you, I can't remember a lot of things. Tell me more. Anything you know about her.
[She shrugs.]
Wendy: I really don't know anymore than that. The only stuff I know about her is what you've told me about her, and what I just said is about it.
[I look downward, wishing I had more to go on.]
Wendy: [Pointing at the television.] Marcus, there's more.
[I look at the screen seeing it slowly expanding outward from a small white dot in the centre of the screen and fading in to white.]
----------------------------
[The scene opens with the familiar orchestra sounds of the popular Who Wants to be a Millionaire television show on ABC. The lights on the stage do their usual quick fade downward on the centre of the stage, focusing all eyes on Regis Philbin and the person in the "hot seat".]
[Regis smiles at the camera, and at Marcus.]
Regis Philbin: Hello, and welcome back to Who Wants to be a Millionaire! If you're just joining us, Val Kilmer has won-
[Marcus quickly holds his hand up.]
Gaines: Uh, Reeg... I'm not-
[Regis laughs loudly, and the audience follows suit, halting Marcus' interruption.]
Regis: Val, please! Let me at least get through my little spiel here, and you can get on to answering more questions, okay?
[Marcus frowns a second then nods, unquestioningly.]
Regis: All right, Val Kilmer has just answered the three-hundred dollar question correctly, and so we move on to the four hundred dollar question right now.
[The question screen comes up, and Regis' voice is heard reading out the questions.]
Regis: Which of the following are not songs by the beatles? Is it A) Back in the U.S.S.R. B) Penny Lane. C) Horse with No Name. or D) The Long and Winding Road?
[The screen cuts back to Marcus' face, stewing carefully over the questions, looking rather frazzled as he looks them over.]
Gaines: Well, I'm not a huge Beatles fan, but I know enough songs that both Back in the U.S.S.R. and Penny Lane are indeed Beatles songs. However, I'm not too sure about C) or D).
[Marcus begins biting his lower lip hastily as he reads over the questions.]
Gaines: Hmmm. I'm really not too sure about this. I'm not very familiar with all of the other music the Beatles have done, you know?
Regis: Think it over. Usually, whichever one stands out at you is the correct answer. Do any of these answers stand out at you?
Gaines: Well... not really... Reeg... I think I'd like to use a lifeline.
[Regis sighs, then chuckles lightly.]
Regis: Believe me, I'd love to let you, but you used all three lifelines just getting to the four-hundred dollar question.
[The entire audience laughs quietly as Marcus looks up at Regis shocked.]
Gaines: I was positive there are four lifelines...
Regis: I'm sorry, Val, only three.
Gaines: Uh, you realize I'm not Val Kilmer, right?
[Regis looks at Marcus contemptuously.]
Regis: What do you mean?
Gaines: I mean, I'm not Val Kilmer. I'm Marcus Gaines. GWA superstar extraordinaire.
Regis: But... you said before the show that you were-
[Marcus lets out a loud belly laugh then leans back in his chair.]
Gaines: That was before the show, Regis.
[Gaines smiles widely as the scene quickly cuts to black just as Regis is seen walking off the set, and security guards rushing onset to grab Marcus.]
----------------------------
[I look back at Wendy to see her smiling from ear to ear.]
Gaines: Was that real, or just some promotional thing I was doing?
Wendy: Um, no. That actually happened. I remember watching it a while ago. Apparently you actually told them you were Val Kilmer.
Gaines: And he is?
Wendy: [Shrugs.] Beats me.
Gaines: I've always acted this way?
[She nods, and that isn't what I wanted to see. What I was then, seems so distant from whatever it is that I am now. Over my absence I've changed, and either become something better, or worse; I've yet to decide which it is. I turn back to the screen, feeling useless and stupid, not knowing how I should be reacting. Wendy obviously notices this.]
Wendy: It isn't a bad thing, Marcus. Most women find a sense of humour a very good asset in a man.
[I roll my eyes, failing to find a point.]
Wendy: Well, I thought that it was pretty funny at least.
[I turn back to face the T.V. feeling her eyes trying to penetrate my skull, perhaps trying to figure out what's going on inside of my head right now. If she could figure it out than she'd have an advantage that I don't. I just can't seem to stop feeling so muddled and cloudy. Like Loch Ness on an average day is my mind.]
----------------------------
[The scene fades in to a marker like those used to make film editing much easier. The marker covers the whole screen, it reads scene one, take one near the bottom, with an L.E.D display showing the number one in red lettering.]
Voice: Marcus Gaines promotion, Take one.
[The marker is removed from the screen revealing a black set with only this image to meet the viewers gaze.]
[Marcus just stands in front of the camera grinning, his enormous frame takes up the whole shot, leaving little to guess at, or even to try and imagine. A voice is heard of camera.]
Voice: Holy sh%t... What the hell happened to your neck?!
[Marcus looks fuzzily at the screen, furling his brow in the process.]
Gaines: What do you mean?
Second Voice: DUDE! It's bigger than your fricking head.
[Gaines steps forward, his face turning red, as a ripple courses through his forehead, and a vein looks like it's about to burst just above his eye.]
Gaines: You take that back, boy.
Voice: No. Why should he? You look like a freak, man. How many damn steroids have you taken, weirdo?!
[Gaines, having taken enough of the banter going on behind the camera reaches forward and grabs one of the men belonging to one of the voices. Holding him high over head by the neck, Marcus looks up at him grinning, clenching his other fist tightly so as to strike a pose for the camera while he does so.]
Gaines: What do you think of me now, girly man?
Second Voice: STOP IT! YOU'RE HURTING HIM!
[Marcus has no reaction, and only continues holding the man several feet off the ground while keeping a firm grip on his neck.]
Second Voice: That's it, man. I'm going to seriously f*ck you up.
[The other man runs into the shot clutching a wooden chair by the back. He quickly swings the chair breaking it across Marcus' back. The chair breaks into tiny bits, but MArcus has no other reaction other than to drop the other man, who lands down on his knees and gasps for air desperately. Marcus turns to the other man and flexes his muscles while the man begins to cower under Gaines' cruel stare. In one swift arc, Marcus swings his arm like a bat at the man, knocking him back several feet, landing hard against the floor.]
Another Voice: NO MARCUS, NO!
[Marcus turns on his heel to face the direction where this new voice came from. He lets out a loud grizzly bear-like roar, and begins moving forward.]
Gaines: None of you can stop me. NOTHING can stop me. Not Reina, not Damm, not Bock, not Skylar... NO ONE. MWAHAHAHAHA.
[Out of nowhere, several tranquilizer darts land flush on Marcus' chest, startling him and causing him to step back. Several more fly into Marcus, causing him to drop to one knee, grasping at air with his enormous hands, clutching at the carpet on the ground, and looking aroudn the room groggily.]
Gaines: DID YOU HEAR WHAT I... SAID?! Nothing... can stop me... nothing...
[Marcus lets out a loud groan, then rolls over onto his back, and collapses all his weight on the ground.]
----------------------------
Reaction
Gaines: What in the hell was that?
[I turn to wendy again, searching for answers, but she can only shrug.]
Wendy: I don't know, Marcus. I guess it was just one of those promotional videos you did to make people laugh. At least I hope it was. That was only mildly disturbing.
[I turn back around to face the television, praying in my mind that there won't be anymore.]
Gaines: Is there anymore on the tape?
Wendy: [Getting up and walking toward the VCR.] Nope. I think that's it. That really wasn't what I thought it was, but it was still pretty fun to watch.
[I get up out of the chair and make my way to the hallway. Wendy watches me carefully.]
Wendy: Marcus. Where are you going? You just got back home...
[I stop, just as I reach the porch, and ready myself to open the door. Turning back to face her I notice something in her eyes that I didn't when I first saw her, something I haven't seen in a while.]
Gaines: I can't stay here, Wendy. This place doesn't feel like home to me. I don't know what this place feels like, anymore.
[She steps back from me.]
Wendy: So then where are you going?
[Sighing, I search for whatever words I'm looking for.]
Gaines: Being back on contract with GWA means I'll get free room and board. It'll give me a chance to figure more things out.
Wendy: You can't be wrestling... not in your condition at least. You might have a concussion or something. Or maybe even amnesia. Go to the hospital. I don't understand you, or any of this.
[Resting my weight to one side, I look at her carefully, looking her up and down, trying to find out what is on her mind.]
Gaines: I doubt I have any of those things. And if I did, I wouldn't go to a doctor anyway. I don't know what it is, I just know that whatever I need to find, it's with the GWA. I know I like wrestling, hell I might even love it, I haven't done it in a while. I'm even scheduled for a match already, it isn't anything special but I know that the things I need to figure out have something to do with that ring. Whether it's losing to this Johnny Blaze guy, or even Chris Carpenter. I only know Carpenter so who knows. All you need to worry about is your own problems. You don't even know me. You're just some woman who was watching my house for me while I was gone; Nothing more.
[I can tell she's being upset by my words. But there doesn't seem like anything better to do than say these things.]
Gaines: I suggest you forget you ever saw me, hell do whatever it is that I did and forget half your life for god's sake. I'm a wrestler again. And I'll make sure everyone remembers that. Especially these two numbnuts I'm set to face on Wednesday.
Wendy: Do you honestly think you're capable of anything anymore? How do you know you haven't forgotten everything about wrestling also? For all you know you could forget how to do half the sh%t you used to do.
Gaines: Good bye, Wendy. Have a nice life.
[I walk out of the house, and eventually down the street. I honestly don't know what it is I'm doing or where I'll take myself. I just feel drawn back to the ring. Maybe something inside of it will awaken the memories I've forgotten.]
