Sort of a Retirement Song

Our lives… in these empty spaces aside

Standing inside of the Center Ring, Eron knew he didn’t belong. Hell, he only made it to this ring on a technicality. He didn’t win the Greensboro Ring, and was eliminated with JA. Then again, Eron didn’t belong here in the first place. He wasn’t CSWA. Never was, never will be. However, he received a chance to ruin what could have been the final night in the history of CSWA by becoming Unified Champion. Walk into a company with a near two decade history and destroy it, piss on it, give it aids and then abort it. Eron loved these sort of situations. Looking around the ring at his opponents, his body ached. Looking over at Troy Windham, Eron’s eyes then glanced at the ring bell table, where the UNIFIED World Championship belt lay. Eron grinned.

“Funny how something like this can pan out” Eron said, under his breath.

As the final competitors entered the Center Ring, the final match was on its way to beginning. A First Chapter, a New Chapter, or a Final Chapter? Who knew. All that mattered, Eron was about to prove to Greensboro, nay, CSWA. Nay, the world.

He was King.

I'm tired of walking around with my hand on my gun
I'm tired of watching them wind you up to see if you'll run

The crowds eruptions caused the mats to shake. Eron slowly moved up from his knees, standing up, looking at Troy Windham. The crowd gave their king his due. Eron was bitter. He had taken out a legend, ruined his moment, something he was good at. However, he couldn’t do that to this man. He was untouchable. He was unstoppable. He was everything Eron worked so hard to be, and sometimes, gave up at trying. It was a tough pill to swallow, and maybe Eron preferred to choke. Walking to the railing, Eron hopped over and started to leave through the crowd, ignoring Troy Windham in the ring. Walking towards the backstage area, Eron heard “Zero” by Smashing Pumpkins play, his attention turning to the action again.

Eron watched as Dan Ryan stole his piece of the spotlight. It was time for him to ruin Troy Windham’s moment to shine. Unbelievable. Eron felt both jealous and angered, feeling as if Troy proved his place in the annals of time, and maybe Dan Ryan should just let history be. Wiping the sweat from his face, Eron watched with the security guards as Dan Ryan hit Troy Windham with a top rope Slackknife, completing the night with a new Unified Champion.

As Eron walked toward the dressing room, something came over him. A rush of energy. A breath of life. Eron walked away from the dressing room and left the Auditorium through a Fire Exit door. The feeling of the cool Greensboro night slamming against his tired body was wonderful. So much in fact that it overcame Eron, shoving him against the building. It was almost religious. Spiritual. It was as if his entire body was in complete orgasm, but none of it was sexual. Looking up to the night sky, the stars blinded Eron. Looking back down, Eron tried to catch his breath, but his breath had left him when he opened the door. It was a revelation.

Tonight I'm going to go out and have me some fun
I'm tired of walking around here with my hand on my gun

Leaning against the brick of the CSWA Auditorium, Eron’s knees buckled and gave away, falling onto his butt, legs extended. Sliding his knee to the inside of his chest, just to feel his beating chest on something, Eron looked up. The uncontrollable sweat burned his eyes, but he still had to look up to the sky. His body was in an uncontrollable shake, adrenaline still running through his body. It was something he had never felt before. Maybe he did, but it had been a long time ago. Ten years ago. He was a lot younger then, and while he was not old, his eyes told a different story.

Letting the moon enter his eyes, a smile formed upon his face. Eron worked so hard to prove he was King. Prove he ruled. Prove outside of his world that he mattered. Tonight, Eron lost, but he lost after doing what no-one else believed he could. What took years upon years to develop for many of the men he faced in the rings, Eron accomplished in one single night.

At least in his mind.

In his mind? He was King. That is all that matters. It took ten years to figure that out, but after finding it out, Eron smiled at the night sky. A moment felt like a year, or maybe it was a year. CSWA could have their moment on the inside. Eron had his outside. Closing his eyes, Eron spat on the cement and held his leg, trying to stop it from shaking.

“All I need is a place. A place… to rest.”

baby, no pain, no gain