Fuel- "Hemmorhage"
~Fade into a pre-recorded tape from Sunday night. Most of the NYSWF competitors have checked in to their hotel rooms to sleep. All except Matt Hoffman. He sits at the bar, nursing a beer, watching Sportscenter. He's in deep thought, until a voice breaks him from this train.~
Jonathan Storm: Congrats, Matthew….. ~Matt turns as he continues.~ So… are you glad that you broke what you made?
Hoffman: Nothing's broke.... one loss isn't the end of the world...
Storm: Believe me, I know that. The point is that you've curtailed what's inside of me...for how long is the question, though.
Hoffman: Well, I've been known to do that. ~Grins.~
Storm: Matt...what happened to me? When we sat down to plan with Robbie and Hal, I was fine. All I wanted to do was win, and repay Grady for everything. Now, every time I'm in there, I want to hurt someone. I want to pay them back for everything that's happened to me. When I put Grady in the hospital, I had no shred of remorse...where did I go wrong?
Hoffman: This is professional wrestling Jon.... we beat other people into bloody pulps
and get paid for it.... remorse is insignificant....
Storm: Matt, this isn't me though. I don't go out there and hit people with anything in reach...I'm a performer! I go out there, show them high spots they've never seen, and I hit the pay window, satisfied that I did a good job. Never in my life have I wanted to hurt someone like I have recently. I wanted to rip you apart last weekend!
Hoffman: I noticed....
Storm: When you came back, I felt it was everything else after Breakdown all over again. You and Hal just abandoned me, after we got our shit straight.
Hoffman: Hal and I fell victim to a pair of psychotics, and a vindictive front office.... if you
want to believe that was us, "abandoning" you.... than so be it....
Storm: Why didn't you tell me anything? I looked up to you, dammit!
Hoffman: You looked up to me!?!?.... Bullshit. You looked to us a source of recognition,
becasue as of the last few months, you've been too damn pathetic to get it for yourself...
Storm: Matt, I said it flat out. I wanted to be you. You're 21, and you've accomplished more than I ever will. I have my recognition, and still do. You think anyone
else will ever repeat my spots at End of Days? ~He stops and pauses, practically pissed at himself.~ Look, I wasn't here to fight you. I just wanted to say....maybe I was wrong.
Hoffman: ........About what exactly...??
Storm: Everything… I was wrong for taking things out on you...I was wrong for projecting my anger on you...and I was wrong for blaming this on you.
Hoffman: Maybe you weren't totally wrong... I suppose Hal and I should have been more vocal after things began to deteriorate... but that's in the past now.
Storm: Yeah, it is. Listen, things are getting rough, and I do want to get some revenge on Haven after what happened when Pru and I took him on. You and Mikey
need some help...you can find me.
Hoffman: Before I would even consider asking you for any help whatsoever... you'd need to get
back in touch with reality... you need to realize your place in this business... having an impressive spot or two doesn't qualifiy you to talk down to -anybody-... I don't think you've ever understood things
like that.
Storm: The problem is Matt, is that I have no clue what's real anymore. I've seen shit that would turn the hardest heart into jello, only to find out that it was an illusion.
Hoffman:.....Think back a little bit.... when did that start...??
Storm: Actually, right around the time I split with Grady, and hooked up with you guys.
Hoffman: Well, surprise surprise! ~Grins.~ Dwelling in the past, are we...??
Storm: How so…?
Hoffman: Let me ask you something.... what day is it... and what month...??
Storm: I can't remember...everything starts to blur right after Breakdown.
Hoffman: Well... lemme help ya out. ~Matt slaps Jon upside the head.~ It's
Fucking MAY!!! Many, -many- days from the last time you even -spoke- with either Hal of I.... It's over Storm, that's a part of your life that's over. Just think of it as a book Jon... in the process of
reading one, do you dwell and dwell on -one- chapter?? NO...!! You go on... to see what happens next. That's what ya need to do man... see whats next....
Storm: ~He looks at him.~ I know what's next. I want a piece of Haven, because I can beat him, and I want a piece of every member of HATE, because I
despise them. I know what I want, and believe, if I want it, I'll get it.
Hoffman: Haven would tear you to shreds, Jon.... listen to yourself... you sound like a child in a schoolyard... "I wanna piece of him!!! I wanna piece of her!!!" Lemme ask ya.... just what do you plan to use to "get a piece" of these people......??
Storm: I'll climb that ladder just like anyone else, Matt. I've paid my dues, and I'll pay many more, if that's what it takes. You know I can do it too, Matt.
Hoffman: In your present state... you can't do anything... look at yourself... yer a shell of the man that dominated the CWF.... yer a totally different person... Lemme ask ya.... Is Baja Jon gonna show up and save the fucking day when your little "depression" trip backfires and Haven's pounding you through the mat...?!?!?
Storm: Matt, I know who I am...you wanna see the man who dominated the CWF? You wanna f*cking see what I can do?! ~He rips his shirt off and throws it in his
face~ Come on! You want it, I'll show you!! I'll f*cking show you that I'm just as dominant as I was six f*cking months ago!
Hoffman: Wait.... wait. ~Storm runs at him full bore, but Matt sidesteps him and quickly puts him in a hammer lock, and runs him into a nearby wall.~ Just calm tha
fuck down Jon. ~He releases him and pushes him to the ground, after a few moments, Matt extands his hand to help Jon up, but he refuses it, and gets to his feet under his own power.~ You think
this is a fucking ploy to get under your skin you bastard!! ~he calms down, and begins to talk in a softer tone.~ I'm tellin you all this becasue I care, alright? ~Jonathan looks at him,
wiping some blood away from his nose.~ We're friends Jon....we've traveled together, we've fought together, we've met each other's families... were friends.... and friends never fucking lie, and they
-never- fucking sugar coat....
Storm: I'm not asking you to lie, Matt...I just need some truth. The first truth in a long time.
Hoffman: Well, you just f*cking got it.....
~Jon and Matt stare each other down, Storm quite coldly, Matt looking prepared for the worst. Nothing happens, save for Storm just picking up his shirt and walking away. Matt looks puzzled as he watches Jonathan. Cut to a camera showing Jon's face, as he grins. The next comment is made softly, and to himself.~
Storm: I got a lot more than truth, Matt. I got an eye opener, and an awfully big one at that.