NEW - NOIR EXTREME WRESTLING

 

Hana_Jeong: The day arrived. I'm facing the whore that almost killed in my own loft. I'm going to do to her what I can't do outside the ballroom, otherwise, I'd end up in prison for the rest of my life. I enter through the Hammerstein Ballroom's backdoor. The staff immediately directs me down a dingy hallway toward an old, cramped locker room to get ready, keeping me strictly separated from Lauren. Thanks to Alexa, I already know Lauren and Madeleine are planning to poison me before the match. When I step into the room, I see a fresh white towel, some lotions, energetic snacks, a cute black aluminum water bottle... and a single rose sitting on a rotten wooden bench. And then a figure steps out from the shadows. "Hana... I came here with apologies. As you know, Lauren controls Noir, and there's little I can do but play along with her... I hope you understand. I just made this for you, so you feel comfy in what is and always will be your home. I wish you the best luck" Madeleine says, revealing herself from the dark with that sickly-sweet corporate tone. "Thank you, Madeleine," I reply, my voice completely level as I grab the aluminum bottle. "It's very kind of you. Now, if you excuse me, I need to get ready for my match." I raise the bottle, tipping it back and pretending to take a deep gulp. Madeleine stands there, her eyes locked fixated on my throat to make sure I swallow every drop. Satisfied, a small, arrogant smirk touches her lips before she turns on her heel and leaves the room. The second the door clicks shut, I spit the mouthful into the sink and pour the rest of the laced liquid straight down the drain. I pull my phone out from my leather jacket. A new message lights up the screen: Alexa: I got everything recorded. I stare at the text for a second, my jaw clenching tightly.

Lauren_James: "It's done. In few minutes she will be convulsing on the floor" Madeleine's text hits my phone. I just stand there staring at the screen with this nasty, cruel smile taking over my face. I turn to the mirror, fixing my gear, checking every angle. "Hana Jeong, you are so fucked," I laugh to myself, shaking my head. The little staff girl peeks into my room, looking like she's about to throw up from nerves. "U-Um... Lauren? Please, we need you at the backstage. You enter in 5 minutes." "Yeah, whatever. Get out of my face," I snap, adjusting my shinguards last time. Tonight, I'm putting her out for good. She thought she could be the hero without any power behind her? Pure Hana's stupidity. I walk down the dark backstage corridor like I own the place, my shoes pounding against the concrete floor. I pull up right behind the heavy red curtain and lean against the wall, taking a look around. I don't see Hana anywhere. My grin gets even wider. Looks like that cocktail's already doing its job, leaving that helpless bitch knocked flat out on her locker room floor before she can even step out here.

Hana_Jeong: I finish up my dark lipstick, trace my liner, and throw my leather jacket over my shoulders. I am unnaturally, dead calm for a woman who has waited every single second for this exact moment. I slide my pitch-black sunglasses into place, blending perfectly with the dark look. I step out of that dungeon of a locker room and head up the back stairs. The staff standing along the concrete walls freeze, watching me in dead silence. I’m a completely different woman now: the girl Lauren tried to destroy in my own home is gone. As I walk down the narrow hallway, I pass right by Alexa. I catch her eye and offer a faint smirk The shy assistant gives me a tiny, tentative smile back. And then I turn the corner... and I see you. My heart instantly jumps into my throat, hammering against my ribs. I knew this moment was coming, but I completely undercounted the violent, raw physical effect you still have on me. Every instinct screams, but I keep my composure locked tight. I step right up next to you, standing shoulder-to-shoulder behind the red curtain just like we used to back when we were partners.

Lauren_James: I catch a glimpse out of the corner of my eye and my heart almost stops. You're standing right next to me in perfect fucking shape, looking drop-dead drop-dead gorgeous, and radiating this cold, lethal energy through those dark shades. Madeleine swore up and down that shit was supposed to hit your system instantly. My mouth drops open for a split second before I catch myself, but I can't even hide the sheer shock on my face. "What the absolute fuck...?" I mutter under my breath, my eyes darting over you up and down like I'm looking at a ghost.

Hana_Jeong: I look straight into those piercing blue eyes, leaning in so close our noses almost touch. My voice is low, cold, and dripping with venom from behind my dark shades. "It's gonna take a hell of a lot more than some cheap fucking drug to take me down, Lauren. And you know it. The more you keep underestimating me... the deeper your fall is gonna be, bitch." Before either of us can breathe, two security guys and a panicked staffer shove their way between us, hands frantically up in the air. "Woah, woah! Back up, both of you!" the staffer shouts nervously, looking between us like a fuse is about to blow. "Hana, you know the rules! No physical contact until that bell rings or the match is officially off!"

Lauren_James: Your words hit me like a solid punch straight to the gut, but I don't let it show for a damn second. I roll my eyes, glaring at the panicked staffer before snapping my gaze right back to you, a nasty, smug grin creeping onto my lips. "Yeah, Hana, listen to the man and back the fuck up," I say, leaning around the security guy's shoulder so you hear every filthy word. I tilt my head, my blue eyes narrowing as I drop my voice to a bitter whisper trying to provoke you. "You wanna talk about a deep fall? Let’s talk about your pathetic parents. I still remember the look on your face when I ripped that stupid little picture of them into shreds right in front of you. They're rotting six feet under, Hana, and trust me they'd be fucking disgusted watching what a weak, crying little bitch their daughter turned out to be." I spit on the concrete right at the toes of your shoes, crossing my arms as the heavy curtain finally gets pulled for your entrance.

Hana_Jeong: I stay dead quiet, my face completely impassive as your vicious words echo through the concrete hallway. A slow, terrifying smile creeps onto my lips. "Tonight, I finish you, Lauren," I say softly. I turn my back on you, facing the heavy fabric of the red curtain. "Hana, you're up! Go, go!" the stage hand shouts, frantically waving his arms. Republica - Ready to Go explodes through the arena speakers. Before I step through, I stop and turn my head one last time, looking at you over my dark sunglasses. "My parents loved me more than anything in this world, Lauren," I say, my voice steady, deep, and heavy with emotion. "I knew what love felt like every single day of my life while they were alive. You can't say the same about your parents or anyone else." Without waiting for your response, I push through the curtain and walk out into the sea of screaming fans. There's no explosive energy in my entrance tonight, no flashy taunts. I walk down the ramp between the guardrails, slapping the outstretched hands of the crowd, using their warmth to anchor my own frayed nerves. The emotional weight of everything is crushing, but I keep my eyes forward. In the end I shared more with you than with my best friend Sara. I slide under the bottom rope and stand tall in the center of the ring. Slowly, I pull off my dark sunglasses and slip off my leather jacket, tossing them to ringside. I turn around and lock my eyes onto the red curtain, waiting for you to walk out into my world.

Lauren_James: I glare at your back as you walk out, my face twisted in pure disdain. But under all that leather and ice, something raw and rotten inside me burns like acid. I hate you. God, I hate you so fucking much. I was born into privilege. I had the money, the connections, the top-tier training, the best of everything. I was never supposed to look at some orphaned Korean girl from a poor neighborhood and feel like she was better than me. You built yourself up from absolute nothing, brick by brick, winning everyone's love without a single dime or corporate backer. I had to buy and manipulate everything you got naturally. That’s why you drive me fucking crazy. That’s why I hate your guts. But tonight, none of your little hard-luck fairy tale matters. Tonight, I’m putting you out for good. I’m killing "Hana Jeong, the Korean Sweetheart" right here in front of these stupid mark fans. Iggy Azalea - Fancy blasts through the arena, the heavy beat vibrating the floorboards. I strut out through the red curtain, instantly throwing both of my middle fingers high in the air at the screaming crowd as they rain down endless boos. I march down the ramp, my eyes locked on you the entire time. You don't break eye contact for a single second. I slide into the ring, pop up to my feet, and slap that infuriating, arrogant smile right back onto my face. I walk straight up to you, standing inches from your face. The poor little female referee scrambles between us, her hands trembling violently as she tries to keep us apart, her voice shaking as she stammers, "P-please... stay in your corners until the bell!" I don't look at her. I just keep staring into your eyes, waiting for the bell to ring so I can tear you apart.

Hana_Jeong: My eyes don't leave yours for a fraction of a second while the ring announcer runs through the rules. When the word deportation echoes through the PA system, my right eyebrow lifts slightly, and a dark, icy smile spreads across my face. You really thought that threat would make me sweat, didn't you? You thought leverage over my legal status would make my knees buckle. The ring announcer scurries out between the ropes, abandoning us to the circle of canvas. I turn and walk back to my corner, reaching over the top rope to grab my leather jacket. I reach deep into the inner breast pocket, my fingers brushing against the heavy cardstock of a polaroid replica, a copy of the exact photo of my parents you tore to pieces in my living room. I pull it out just enough to look at their faces, discreetly press my lips against the warm gloss of the image, and whisper a silent plea for their strength. I slide it safely back into the deep pocket, zip it shut, and hand the jacket off to a trembling staff girl at ringside. I turn back to face you, bouncing on the balls of my feet, loosening up my shoulders, and running through my warm-up jumps.

Lauren_James: As we separate and each head to our corners, the words of your condition echo through my head, and my whole damn world instantly shatters. You brilliant, clever bitch. First the poison fails completely, and now you’ve legally locked out Ameli, Madeleine, and every bit of backup I had lined up. I can feel the hot rage surging up my neck, burning through my chest. I try with everything in me to keep my cool, but I am fucking furious. It doesn't matter, I tell myself, grinding my teeth together until my jaw aches. I’ve been training like a maniac. I’ve already broken you once in your own damn living room, and tonight won't be a single bit different. DING! DING! DING! The bell rings, and the arena explodes into a deafening roar. I pop up on my toes, bouncing slightly as I start slowly circling you, keeping my center of gravity low. I raise my arms, tracking your every move, and without warning, I launch myself straight at you to lock up into a heavy collar-and-elbow tie-up, driving all my weight forward!

Hana_Jeong: All I want is to drive my fist straight through your pretty face, but the second you drop into a wrestling stance, my instincts take over and I follow suit. We clash in the center of the ring, locking up with a heavy, sickening thud. A guttural groan escapes my throat as our shoulders collide. Pure physical power surges between us in terms of raw strength, we are terrifyingly dead even. Pushing against you is like trying to move a brick wall, so I don't waste my energy trying to out-muscle you. I instantly switch gears to pure technique. Before you can adjust your footing, I slip my arm under your control, whip behind your neck, and wrench your head down into a lightning-fast, bone-snapping headlock! I crank my hips, locking my grip tight, grinding my forearm right against your jawline to squeeze the air straight out of your lungs!

Lauren_James: The second that forearm grinds against my jaw, pain flashes behind my eyes, but I react instantly. I drive my elbow straight back, slamming it hard twice into your ribsfeeling your grip loosen just enough for me to breathe. I slip my head free, grab you by the shoulder, and throw all my weight behind a violent Irish whip, flinging you toward the far ropes! As you rebound off the cables and fly back toward the center of the ring, I plant my boots into the canvas, swing my right arm back, and wind up for a brutal, high-impact clothesline aiming to take your head clean off your shoulders!

Hana_Jeong: "RGGGHH!" The sharp impact of your elbows against my ribs breaks my hold, and before I can set my feet, you send me hurtling across the canvas. My back slams into the middle rope, the elastic snapping taut before hurling me straight back toward the center of the ring. I see your right arm winding up, aiming a brutal clothesline right at my throat. At the very last microsecond, I duck my head beneath your swinging forearm. The wind from your strike whistles past my ear as I duck under, sprinting straight past you toward the opposing cables. I hit the far ropes hard, planting my boots onto the bottom strand and launching myself backward with explosive speed. Flying back toward you, I leap straight into the air, wrapping both of my legs tightly around your neck to hook a lightning-fast running headscissors takedown. I twist my hips violently in mid-air, using my momentum to whip your head and shoulders straight down toward the canvas.

Lauren_James: "ARRRGHHH!" As my feet leave the canvas, panic kicks in, and my hands frantically snatch at your tights in mid-air. It isn't enough to stop the rotation, but it breaks the leverage just enough to keep me from spiking on my head. I go crashing down hard onto my upper back, the canvas shaking under the impact! I roll straight over my shoulders, using the momentum to scramble back to my feet, my chest heaving as pure anger burns through my veins. "Bitch...!" I spit, wiping a lock of hair out of my face. The second I see you popping up from the mat, I don't give you a single second to breathe. I drop my head, grit my teeth, and charge at you like a runaway train, aiming to spear you straight into the turnbuckle.

Hana_Jeong: I see you charging at me like a madwoman, head lowered, trying to spear me into the corner. Instead of dodging, I plant my left foot, coil my hips, and spring straight up into the air, launching both of my feet directly toward your oncoming face for a pinpoint standing dropkick.

Lauren_James: As you launch into the air, I drop my shoulder at the absolute last microsecond. Your boots swipe empty air right over my head, and I slide flat on my stomach right underneath your suspended body! You crash hard onto the canvas behind me, but I'm already scrambling. I spring up to my feet, sprint to the nearest ropes, and hit the cables hard, gathering maximum speed on the rebound. You’re just starting to turn around, still getting your footing from the missed dropkick, when I spring off the canvas. I wrap both of my legs firmly around your neck, arching my back in mid-air to lock in a slick, lightning-fast headscissors takedown of my own! With a violent twist of my hips, I whip you around, slamming your back and shoulders down hard onto the mat right in the middle of the ring. "How do you like that, biaaatch?!" I scream, rolling right back to my feet with a cocky grin.

Hana_Jeong: I hit the canvas with a sickening thud, sent flying entirely off-balance by your headscissors. My back slams flat against the mat, but the adrenaline rushing through my veins won't let me stay down. I roll backward and pop up onto one knee, wiping a trace of dark lipstick off my chin as my eyes lock back onto yours. You're standing there with that insufferable, arrogant smirk, taunting me. I hate to admit it, but you've clearly been putting in work your speed and high-flying moves are crisp, inexistent in the last time we stood in this ring together. So you want to dance high-flying style now, Lauren? Fine. Let's fucking dance. I push off my knee and spring forward, charging straight at you with rage in my eyes! I draw my right arm back, pulling my fist deep as if I'm about to plant a heavy right hook right across your jaw, using the punch as complete bait to try force you into a high-risk dodge or counter.

Lauren_James: I see your fist drawing back, and the moment you step into the punch, I dive straight down, dropping flat on my stomach against the mat! You're forced to leap right over my prone body, your momentum carrying you helplessly forward straight into the far ropes. You weren't expecting me to drop low, and the split-second hesitation leaves you completely wide open on the rebound. As you are about to bounce off the cables and come flying back toward me, I pop back up onto my feet, spring into the air, and extend both boots with surgical precision aiming a vicious dropkick in your face when you come back to me.

Hana_Jeong: As I fly back toward you, I hook both of my arms tightly over the top rope, my feet dragging across the canvas to break my momentum instantly. Your dropkick misses completely, driving hard into thin air before you go crashing down onto the mat. I don't waste a single second. The moment you roll onto your knees and start pushing yourself up, I charge forward, leaping into the air to attempt a lightning-fast enzuigiri kick straight to the back of your head!

Lauren_James: I miss completely, my boots driving into thin air, and I go crashing hard onto the canvas. I scramble up onto my knees, my head still spinning from the missed leap and that's when it happens. PASSSSSH! Your kickpad connects with terrifying force straight to the back of my skull. A blinding white light flashes behind my eyes, and my head snaps forward as my body goes completely limp. I collapse face-first onto the mat, the sound in the arena blurring into a muffled roar. Instinctively, my hands claw at my head as I roll sideways across the canvas, dazed and disoriented, until my shoulders hit the bottom rope. I struggle to breathe, my vision swimming as I try to push myself off the floor.

Hana_Jeong: I drop to one knee for a brief second, pulling in a deep, burning breath to steady my racing pulse and slow my heart down. Now... now it's my turn. I stalk over to where you're slumping against the ropes, haul you up by a tight handful of your blonde hair, and glare into your dazed face. "Get up, bitch," I snarl under my breath. I pull your head down, leverage my hip, and swing with all my strength to drive your face directly into the hard steel pad of the top turnbuckle!

Lauren_James: BAM! My face smashes right into the pad, the violent impact rattling my teeth and sending a shockwave of white-hot pain straight up into my skull. My grip breaks, and I stumble backward, grabbing at my chin as tears of pure shock sting the corners of my eyes. "Ah, fuck!" I gasp out, holding my jaw in agony as I lean heavily into the corner, dazed and clutching my face.

Hana_Jeong: I step right into the corner, shoving your hands out of the way to expose your bare chest. I pull my right hand all the way back, arching my spine to get maximum torque, and swing with everything I try to deliver you a blisteringly loud chest chop.

Lauren_James: PASSSSSSSSHHHHHH! The sound echoes like a gunshot through the ballroom. A searing wave of heat explodes across my chest, instantly turning the skin a raw, angry red. "FUUUUUUUCK!" I shriek, the breath knocked completely out of my lungs. My legs buckle beneath me, and I drop hard onto one knee, clutching at my chest as it throbs with intense, burning pain. Tears of rage and shock spring to my eyes, but I force my head up, glaring at you with pure, unfiltered venom through the blonde hair hanging over my face.

Hana_Jeong: I reach down and snatch another tight handful of your blonde hair, wrenching you back up onto your feet with zero mercy. I lean right into your space, my eyes burning with months of built-up hatred. "This is just the beginning, whore," I hiss right against your cheek, my voice dripping with ice. "I long awaited for this." I draw my hand all the way back, opening my palm wide, and swing with full force to attempt a vicious, blinding slap right across your face.

Lauren_James: PAAAAAAAASSHHHHHH! The slap cracks through the arena like a whip. My head snaps violently to the side, my blonde hair whipping across my face as my entire body jolts from the impact. A blinding flash of white sparks across my vision, and the left side of my face instantly catches fire with a stinging, throbbing heat. My knees buckle completely and I crash back down onto the canvas, one hand tightly clutching my burning cheek. "You bitch!" I scream through my teeth, tears of sheer rage welling up in my eyes. I look up at you from the mat, my breathing ragged and heavy, jaw clenched so tight it aches as I glare at you with absolute, unadulterated hatred.

Hana_Jeong: I step right up to you while you're slumping on your knees, reach down, and yank your head back by a tight fistful of your blonde hair, forcing you to look straight into my eyes. "You finally learn your place next to me, bitch," I snarl, my voice laced with pure venom. I pull my right arm all the way back, curling my fingers into a tight fist, and wind up, preparing to drive a heavy, vicious punch right down into your face.

Lauren_James: The second you pull your fist back, desperation takes over. I violently throw my hands up, tearing my hair out of your grip, and throw my body over the bottom rope, rolling awkwardly out of the ring and crashing down onto the concrete floor outside. I stagger back, holding the side of my head, panting heavily as I frantically pull my blonde hair out of my face and yank up my loose knee pad. The Hammerstein Ballroom crowd is showering me with deafening boos and insults, but my head is pounding, my chest is on fire, and my face is throbbing. Fuck this. "Nah, I'm done with this shit!" I spit, turning my back on the ring entirely. Ignoring the screaming fans, I throw my leg over the black padded guardrail, desperately scrambling to climb over it and flee into the crowd to get the hell away from you.

Hana_Jeong: Seeing you try to run like a coward makes my blood boil past the boiling point. You don't get to ruin my life, try to poison me, jeopardizing the memory of my parents, and then just walk away. "Get back here, you fucking coward!" I roar. I roll out under the bottom rope, my boots slamming hard onto the concrete outside the ring. Sprinting with pure, unadulterated fury, I charge full speed toward the guardrail. The moment you haul yourself over into the sea of screaming fans, I don't hesitate. I leap, planting one foot directly onto the steel guardrail, and spring off the metal with explosive force, flying straight toward the crowd! In mid-air, I extend both of my boots, launching a desperate, high-risk missile dropkick aimed straight at your shoulder blades to blast you back over the barrier.

Lauren_James: I'm shoving my way through the hostile crowd, yelling, "Get the fuck out of my way!" Suddenly, the fans around me start scattering, screaming and diving out of the path. I turn my head around to see what the hell is happening, and BAAAAM! Both of your boots drive straight into my back with crushing, terrifying force! The impact explodes through my spine, blasting me off my feet and hurling me violently through the air. I slam hard against the concrete floor, tumbling and rolling back-first across the dirty ground among the spilled drinks and screaming fans. My head snaps back, and I gasp for air, completely winded, groaning in sheer agony as I try to crawl away from you on all fours!

Hana_Jeong: The Hammerstein crowd goes absolutely insane, the entire venue shaking as hundreds of fans stomp their feet and roar in unison: "N-E-W! N-E-W! N-E-W!" I don't give you a single second to crawl. I stalk through the parting sea of fans, my eyes dark with sheer malice. As you try to drag yourself along the floor on all fours, I wind up my leg like a kicker taking a field goal and swing my boot with full force, attempting a brutal, humiliating soccer kick straight into your butt!

Lauren_James: "ARRRGHHH!" your shin guard connects, sending a jolting shock of pain through me as I let out a pathetic, high-pitched yelp. Panicking, I scramble forward on my hands and knees like a terrified animal, clawing at the concrete to gain any ground I can. You're a woman possessed, operating on pure, unadulterated fury and right now, I'm just a desperate bitch trying to save my own skin. I push myself up off the floor, stumbling backward through the chaotic crowd. My eyes dart around wildly until I spot a teenage girl in a wrestling tee standing in the front row. Without a second thought, I snatch her by the shoulders, yank her in front of me, and violently shove her straight into your path to buy myself time. While you're caught off guard by the fan colliding with you, I reach over the barricade, grab an empty steel folding chair, and swing it high over my head. With a wild, ruthless look in my eyes, I charge right back at you, swinging the steel chair down with all my strength to try and smash it over you and the girl you're holding!

Hana_Jeong: I catch the scared fan by the shoulders and shove her out of harms way just in time but before I can even bring my hands back up, PASSSSHHHHH! The steel chair connects flush against the side of my head. The impact sounds like a gunshot in the crowded floor section. White light flashes violently behind my eyelids, my vision instantly blurring as my eyes roll up into my head. Consciousness completely slips away, my legs turning to lead, and I collapse sideways, crashing heavily across a row of aligned steel chairs set up in the crowd! The chairs bend and rattle under my dead weight, leaving me limp and motionless among the scattered debris.

Lauren_James: Standing over you as you lie dazed and broken across the row of bent steel chairs, a hysterical, cruel laugh tears from my throat. Pain is still radiating through my entire body, but the sight of you out cold fuels me with toxic adrenaline. "Now you learn your place next to me!" I scream down at you, my voice echoing over the angry roars of the crowd. "At my feet, you useless whore!" I lift the steel chair high over my head once more, my muscles straining, and swing it down with full, vicious torque, aiming to smash the cold metal edge directly across your exposed back!

Hana_Jeong: "AAAAAARGHHHHHH!" The scream is ripped straight from my throat as the sharp metal edge crashes into my lower back. My entire spine snaps backward, arching violently off the bent chairs as a blinding wave of agony spreads through my nerves like liquid fire. It feels like my lower back was literally split open. The chair shot crushes me flat against the metal frame, knocking every last bit of air out of my lungs. Tears stream down my face, cutting through the sweat and grime as I lie there twitching, unable to even pull my legs under me to crawl as the burning heat in my spine consumes everything.

Lauren_James: I drop the bent steel chair, my chest heaving as a twisted smile spreads across my face. Watching you writhe on those chairs is pure ecstasy. I reach down into the tangled metal, snatch a handful of your hair, and violently haul you off the broken chairs. Pushing past the screaming fans, I drag you up the stairs of the stands, kicking empty cups and trash out of the way as I pull your limp weight toward the arena bar counter. "I think you are thirsty, bitch!" I snarl against your ear. With all the strength I have left, I yank your head back by the hair, wind up, and drive your face down full-force toward the edge of the wooden bar counter!

Hana_Jeong: Just as my face is about to smash into the wooden edge, I slam my boot against the front of the counter, bracing all my weight to halt the momentum cold. Before you can react, I throw my arm back and drive a sharp, brutal elbow straight up into your chinto break grip on my hair and forcing you to stagger back. I slump against the counter, clutching my lower back with one hand as my chest heaves violently. I take a deep, ragged breath, my vision swimming as I try to clear the fog from the chair shots and gather enough strength to keep fighting.

Lauren_James: "FAAACK!" I shriek, staggering back a few paces as the elbow jolts through my jaw. My vision flashes red, but the blinding pain only fuels my rage. "You fucking bitch!" I yell through gritted teeth, spitting a wad of blood onto the floor. Ignoring the throbbing in my chin, I lock my eyes on you leaning against the bar. I charge right back in, winding my arm up with everything I've got, and throw a heavy, vicious right hook straight at your face!

Hana_Jeong: The second your fist comes flying toward me, I grab the lip of the wooden counter behind me with both hands, using it as an anchor. Digging deep into my core, I drive through the agonizing fire in my lower back and snap my legs upward, wrapping my thighs tightly around your neck! I use the leverage to pull my body up, instantly balancing myself atop your shoulders. Surprising you with the sudden weight, I throw my upper body backward, twisting my hips violently to drive you through a headscissors takedown attempting to flip you upside down and slam you hard onto the concrete floor.

Lauren_James: As your legs lock around my neck, panic surges through me. I frantically clutch at your thighs with both hands, trying to anchor myself but the momentum is already too strong. Within a split-second, my feet leave the ground. I'm flipped upside down through the air, completely helpless, before my back slams flat into the unforgiving concrete floor! "AAAAAAAAH!" The impact shakes my entire skeleton, knocking the wind clean out of my lungs. My grip slips from your thighs as I arch my back in agony, gasping for air on the dirty ground next to the bar while the crowd explodes into wild cheers around us.

Hana_Jeong: My head is spinning, but seeing you writhe on the concrete gives me a second wind. Dragging myself up, I haul my bruised body onto the top of the bar counter. Standing tall above the chaotic crowd, I glare down at you, waiting for you to struggle to your feet. The second you drag yourself up to your knees and stumble into position, I don't hesitate. I spring off the polished wood, leaping high into the air! I tuck my knees tight into my chest, flipping end-over-end into a tight cannonball in mid-air aiming to crash the full weight of my back straight down onto your chest!

Lauren_James: "You fucker... AAAAHHHH!" My scream cuts short as the sheer, brutal weight of your back crashes directly into my chest! The force drives me instantly flat against the concrete floor, the back of my head bouncing hard against the stone as the air is completely violently forced out of my lungs. I'm pinned beneath your broken, aching body, gasping like a fish out of water, clutching at my ribs as my eyes roll toward the ceiling lights. We're both lying there in a heap next to the bar, surrounded by screaming fans, completely battered and barely able to move.

Hana_Jeong: The Hammerstein crowd erupts into a deafening roar, the energy in the arena surging through my veins as I push myself up off your shattered chest. "YEAAAHHHH!" I scream at the top of my lungs, feeding off the wild cheers echoing off the walls. Adrenaline masking the agonizing fire in my lower back, I reach down and wrap both hands tightly into your hair. Ignoring your groans, I drag you across the concrete floor, pulling your dead weight toward the heavy steel emergency exit door at the side of the venue. I set my feet, arch my back, and yank with every ounce of power left in my arms attempting a violent hair toss to fling you headfirst into the hard metal door!

Lauren_James: I desperately clutch at your hands buried in my hair, completely helpless as you fling me through the air. CLAAAANG! My body crashes violently against the heavy steel door, the deafening metallic impact echoing down the hallway as my shoulder and ribs absorb the full brunt of the hit. "Aaaaaagh!" I groan, collapsing to my knees at the base of the door, clutching my shoulder in sheer agony. Panicking and desperate to survive your onslaught, I hurl my weight against the crash bar of the emergency exit. The heavy door swings open with a harsh screech, and I throw myself through it into the dark stairway beyond illuminated only by a dim red emergency light. I scramble up the cold concrete stairs as fast as my battered body can manage, taking two steps at a time before my strength completely gives out. I collapse hard onto my hands and knees at the stairwell landing, wheezing heavily under the red glow "Oh fuck.."

Hana_Jeong: BANG! I kick the heavy steel emergency door wide open, the loud slam echoing into the tight stairwell. Bathed in the dim red glow, I look to my left and spot you struggling on your knees at the landing above. I march up the concrete steps toward you, "Come back, you coward," I hiss through my teeth, my voice dripping with venom as I reach the landing and loom right over you.

Lauren_James: I drop to my hands and knees, letting my shoulders heave as I squeeze my eyes shut to force out fake tears. "Hana... please... I don't want to do this... please let's talk," I blubber, making my voice tremble as if I'm completely broken, whimpering under the blood-red glow of the emergency light. As I pathetically bow my head, my hand sneaks down to the side of my right kickpad. My fingers slip behind the heavy lining, gripping the handle of a small concealed blade I stashed before the match. "Please Hana, I'm begging you. You know I can't win," I sob softly, keeping my head down and waiting for you to take that final step closer into my trap ready to slash whatever part of your body the second you get in range.

Hana_Jeong: For a split second, looking down at your scared face under the dim red light, I hesitate. My chest heaves, my mind racing is she really breaking down out of sight of the crowd? Is she surrendering? "You know I won't stop now, Lauren. It's too late! Get back into the fight!" I scream down at you, my voice cracking under the sheer weight of the pain and emotion. Tears brim in my eyes, barely contained as I fight back the urge to wipe them away. The anger is still hot in my blood, but for a tiny moment, my guard drops as I stare at you. "You can't be doing this now" My voice trembles.

Lauren_James: "I'm on my knees asking for your mercy, Hana, for fuck sake!" I sob aloud, my voice echoing off the tight concrete walls of the stairwell as tears stream down my cheeks. I slump back into the corner of the landing, curling up against the painted brick to make myself look as small, broken, and defeated as humanly possible. My left hand covers my face in apparent shame but under the shadow of my body, my right hand grips the hidden blade tight, my knuckles white against the handle. I keep my eyes tracking your feet through my fingers, waiting for you to take that one final step forward so I can pierce right through your flesh.

Hana_Jeong: "Get up, Lauren. We have to go back in there." I scream, the raw emotion ripping through my raw throat. I take those final steps up the concrete landing, approaching your curled-up form in the corner. The whole scene feels utterly surreal and bizarre, the deafening roar of the Hammerstein Ballroom muffled behind heavy steel doors, replaced only by the low hum of the dim red emergency light casting harsh shadows over us. Standing right over you, my hands tremble slightly as I look down at my bitter enemy sobbing at my feet, my guard completely lowered as I reach down to grab you by the collar and pull you back into the match.

Lauren_James: The moment your fingers touch my collar, I drop the pathetic act. A vicious, twisted snarl explodes from my mouth as I burst upward off the concrete floor! "DIE, YOU BITCH!" With blinding speed, I drive my lower body upward, thrusting the small concealed blade straight at your exposed abdomen aiming to sink the cold metal deep into your stomach before you can even react.

Hana_Jeong: The moment the red light flashes off the steel, survival instinct kicks in. I hurl my body backward with a frantic twist, falling on the floor but the metal bites into my flesh anyway. A blinding burst of pain tears through my side. The blade slashes shallowly across my rib, scausing a small bleeding scratch. A sharp streak of hot blood instantly seeps out, soaking my attire. I stumble back, my back slamming hard into the cold concrete wall of the stairwell for support. My hands fly to the burning slice, pressing down to stem the bleeding. My breath hitches in my throat, my chest heaving violently as I stare down at you in absolute, sickening shock. My eyes are wide and paralyzed with terror. The emotional rage from moments ago completely vanishes, replaced by a cold, suffocating horror under the dim red glow. "You... you just tried to kill me..." I whisper, my voice trembling violently as I press myself flatter against the wall, terrified of the woman standing in front of me.

Lauren_James: "Sorry, sister. You asked for this." A cold, psychopathic grin spreads across my blood-smeared face as I spring off the stairs! Driven by pure, unhinged desperation, I leap toward you, raising the bloody blade high over my head. I swing the knife down with terrifying force, driving the point straight toward the soft gap between your neck and collarbone aiming to sink the steel deep into your chest and end this once and for all!

Hana_Jeong: Adrenaline surges through my veins, snapping me out of the paralyzing shock just as the cold steel descends toward my throat. I throw both hands up, locking my fingers around your wrists mere inches from my skin. Our muscles strain against each other under the blood-red light, the sharp tip hovering right between my neck and collarbone. Pain throbs from the shallow wound at my waist, but the sheer horror turns into raw, unadulterated hatred. "ARRGGHHH... fuck you, you demon!" I roar into your face, my vision tunneling. Driven by pure survival, I yank your arms down to create space and drive my forehead forward with everything I have left attempting a brutal, desperate headbutt straight into the bridge of your nose to force you to drop the knife!

Lauren_James: "FUCCKKK!" The violent crack of your skull against my nose sends blinding white light flashing behind my eyes. I stumble backward, my boots catching on the edge of the steps as I almost tumble down the stairwell. The knife slips from my numb fingers, clattering loudly down the concrete steps into the darkness below. I press my hand against my face, wincing as warm, thick blood bubbles up, filling my nostrils and dripping down my chin. I stare at your terrified, wide eyes then glance down at the raw, bleeding scratch carved just below your bra. WTF am I doing?! A sickening wave of sudden clarity hits me like a bucket of ice water. The red haze clears, leaving me cold and nauseous at what I almost just did. Panic setting in, I turn around and sprint up the remaining stairs, pushing through the heavy exit door at the top. I burst into the dimly lit corridor leading to the VIP private loges. Panting heavily, I duck into one of the open boxes. A group of wealthy spectators sipping champagne and eating snacks gasp in horror, dropping their glasses as a blood-smeared, panting mess interrupts their night. I ignore them and stumble straight to the front railing, clutching the brass bar with both hands. The entire Hammerstein Ballroom suddenly gasps, thousands of eyes swiveling upward to point at me high up in the loge. Directly underneath my box just a dozen feet below is the main commentary table. Both commentators freeze, staring up at me in absolute shock, their headsets half-off.

Hana_Jeong: I collapse down the cold concrete wall, my knees giving out as I slide into a heap on the stairwell floor. My hand presses tight against the bleeding slash on my side, my entire body trembling violently as the chilling reality sinks in: I almost just died in a stairwell. I burst into uncontrolled, sobbing gasps under the red glow, clutching my ribs as tears streak through the sweat and grime on my face. No... no more. I force a long, ragged breath into my burning lungs. The anger is gone. The revenge is gone. This isn't wrestling anymore this is pure, desperate survival. There can only be one of us in this world. Dragging myself up using the handrail, I stagger up the stairs and push through the door into the carpeted VIP corridor. I spot two women in fancy dresses gasping in terror near an open loge entrance. Looking past them, I see you standing at the brass railing, staring down at the crowd. Every remaining drop of adrenaline fires at once. I break into a full-speed, frantic sprint into the private box! Ignoring the screaming patrons, I charge straight at your back like a desperate freight train aiming to punch you right in the face

Lauren_James: The deafening roar of the Hammerstein crowd hits like a tidal wave the second I turn back toward the entrance just in time to see you sprinting full-tilt through the doorway! Your eyes are wide, consumed by pure, animalistic survival instinct as you launch yourself against me. At the very last microsecond, I try to throw my weight aside. My slick, sweat-drenched body slips against yours preventing to get punched, but our bodies get entangled, I lose balance and I wrap my arms around your torso. We both fall over the rail. For one agonizing, floating second, we are in the air. Then gravity violently drags us down the three-meter drop. THUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMM-CRASH! We crash straight through the center of the wooden commentary table! The structure instantly disintegrates under our combined weight, sending splintered plywood, crushed monitors, metal framing, and loose wires exploding outward in every direction! The thick wood absorbs just enough of the impact to keep us from snapping our spines on the concrete floor, but the sheer force still knocks every single molecule of air out of our bodies. The commentators dive out of their chairs in absolute terror as we lay motionless side-by-side in the wreckage, surrounded by smoke, shattered equipment, and a crowd that has completely lost its collective mind.

Hana_Jeong: The world goes completely silent. A sharp, high-pitched ringing fills my ears, drowning out the screaming crowd, the referee, and the shattered monitors sparking near my face. The impact centered right on my shoulder, sending a blinding wave of white-hot shock straight down my spine. I freeze for a few agonizing seconds, hyperventilating as I mentally scan my body realizing through the throbbing agony that the joint isn't dislocated, just violently bruised. Desperate to get away from you, I grit my teeth and shove your heavy, limp leg off mine with a ragged grunt. "Nnnnggh..." I force my trembling arms to push against the splintered wreckage, slowly rolling my battered body off the remains of the table and onto the cold concrete floor, clutching my aching shoulder under the blinding house lights.

Lauren_James: Your heavy shove sends my limp, battered frame rolling off the shattered plywood debris and onto the hard floor. The agonizing ache in my shoulder and ribs makes my vision blur, but the deafening roar of the crowd suddenly comes rushing back, pounding against my eardrums like a hammer. "Gahhh... fuck..." I choke out, coughing against the dust and smoke rising from the smashed electronics. Driven by pure panic, I turn over onto my stomach and drag myself forward on my elbows, pulling my dead weight away from you in the opposite direction. Fans in the front row scramble backward in terror, knocking over metal folding chairs as they clear a wide path for me. Blood drips from my nose onto the black mats as I crawl on all fours, my breathing ragged and shallow, desperately trying to put distance between us while my vision swims under the harsh arena lights.

Hana_Jeong: My head is spinning as I watch you stagger away. The shock of the fall and the lingering terror from the stairwell leave me trembling, but the primal need to survive drives me forward. I limp back toward the ringside area, my legs shaking so badly that when I try to vault the guardrail, my foot catches the top bar. I slide over it pathetically, hitting the padded floor in an awkward heap. "Damn it..." I gasp, dragging myself right back up. Wrestling moves mean nothing now this isn't a match anymore. I drop to my knees, reach under the ring apron, and drag out a thick, solid kendo stick. My fingers tighten around the grip, the wooden weapon rattling in my trembling hands. With blood soaking through my gear from the waist wound and my shoulder throbbing in agony, I turn back toward where you're crawling, holding the kendo stick high as I go after you.

Lauren_James: I drag myself over the sticky floor toward the arena bar, every breath burning in my chest. Reaching out with numb, shaking fingers, I grab the edge of the wooden counter and hoist my battered body up, leaning heavily against the bar for support as my knees threaten to buckle. Through my blood-splattered vision, I see you marching toward me, the kendo stick gripped tight in your hands. Total panic takes over. I throw both hands up in front of my face, palms open, trembling violently as I press my back flat against the counter. "Hana, wait! Don't! Please!" I plead, my voice cracking into a frantic whimper as I raise my hands to protect myself, terrified of the wooden blade in your grip.

Hana_Jeong: This time, there is no hesitation. No second-guessing. No giving you the benefit of the doubt. I pull the kendo stick back with both hands, throwing my full weight and every ounce of desperate fury behind the swing.

Lauren_James: "AHHHHHHHHH!" The sheer force of the impact shatters the air in my lungs, sending a blinding bolt of agony screaming through my side. I collapse inward, curling into a tight ball as my knees completely give out, crashing hard onto the sticky floor behind the bar. "AAAAAAAAAH! Fuck! FUCK!" I shriek, clutching my ribs with both arms as if trying to hold my broken body together. Tears and blood mix as they spill down my face, my entire frame shivering violently from the white-hot pain as I lie helpless at your boots.

Hana_Jeong: Driven by a dark, relentless momentum, I drop to one knee, wrap my fingers tight into your hair, and yank your head back violently. Before you can even catch your breath, I jam the thick wooden length of the kendo stick horizontally straight under your throat. I throw my chest and body weight forward, pinning you backward against the solid wooden base of the bar counter. "Look at me!" I snarl, the wood digging hard into your windpipe, cutting off your air as I press all my weight into the stick to keep you completely trapped.

Lauren_James: "ARRGGHHHHHHHH!" My eyes bulge in sheer panic as the wood crushes against my throat, shutting off my air completely. Choking and desperate, my hand scrambles blindly across the sticky counter behind me, my fingers frantically searching for anything anything to break your hold. My knuckles slam against a heavy glass beer bottle. I wrap my shaking fingers tight around the neck of the bottle, summon every last drop of fading strength, and whip it with all my force straight at the side of your head.

Hana_Jeong: The heavy glass shatters with a sickening, explosive CRACK right against the side of my head! "AAAAAAAH!" The blinding explosion of pain sends a jolt of pure agony straight down my spine. The kendo stick slips instantly from my numb fingers as my hands fly up to clutch my head. The force throws me off balance I tumble backward, my knees slamming hard onto the floor beside the bar. Hot, thick blood bursts from the jagged gash on my forehead, instantly surging through my fingers, blinding my left eye, and dripping down my chin and chest in a horrific crimson stream. I double over on my knees, panting in ragged, guttural gasps as the entire room spins in a blurred haze of blood and shattered glass.

Lauren_James: Coughed-up blood sprays onto the floor as I gasp for air, my throat burning from where you choked me. But seeing you on your knees, blinded by your own blood, the survival instinct kicks right back in. I don't waste a second. I grab the dropped kendo stick from the glass-strewn floor, grit my teeth through the agony in my ribs, and try to unleash a wild, a series of hits on your body.

Hana_Jeong: "AAAAAARRGGHH! STOP! AAAGGHH!" The relentless, brutal barrage tears through my flesh, each strike echoing like a gunshot through my skull. The first hit across my back detonates a supernova of blinding pain, but the second, third, fourth, and fifth rain down before my brain can even process the agony. I collapse face-first onto the sticky, glass-strewn floor, instinctively curling into a desperate, tight ball to protect my neck. Guttural, animalistic screams tear from my throat, broken by ragged, shuddering sobs as the heavy wood repeatedly tenderizes my bruised shoulders and raw back. My body convulses violently with every crack of the stick. The thick, hot blood streaming from my shattered forehead pools on the floor, mixing with sweat and tears, blinding me completely as the brutal blows knock every last drop of air from my lungs. Every muscle in my body is screaming, trembling uncontrollably in absolute, overwhelming agony.

Lauren_James: I look down at your broken, blood-soaked form trembling on the sticky floor. The crimson streaming from your forehead covers your face like a horrific mask, mixing with the sweat and tears pooling around you. "Red always suited you good, bitch," I spit, coughing up a mouthful of blood as I drop the splintered kendo stick. Driven by pure, cold malice, I reach down and wrap my fingers tight around the crown of your slick, black hair. I yank back hard, forcing your head up for a second before dragging your limp, battered body across the debris-strewn floor like a ragdoll. Your boots drag dead weight behind us as I pull you back toward the ringside area, ignoring the horrified gasps of the front-row fans. Reaching the steel barricade, I lift you up by your hair and gear and heave your body over the top throwing you carelessly over the guardrail where you crash heavily onto the padded floor right next to the ring apron.

Hana_Jeong: The world is a blinding blur of red and spinning lights. I can't tell where the ring ends and the arena floor begins, the deafening noise of the crowd echoing like a muffled roar underwater. Hot blood keeps pouring out from the gashes on my head, flowing into my eyes and dripping off my nose in thick, steady streams. "Nnngh... no..." I choke out, my brain completely foggy as concussion and blood loss take their toll. On pure instinct, I place my hands on the ringside floor. I push with my bruised legs, weakly crawling away from you in a desperate, slow motion, leaving a heavy trail of crimson smeared across the mat behind me as I scramble aimlessly to escape

Lauren_James: I turn toward the front row, throwing my arms out wide as blood drips from my torn gear, my ribs screaming with every breath. "Is this your hero?!" I roar at the crowd, my voice echoing violently off the arena ceiling. My eyes lock onto a teenage girl in the front row, clutching a Hana t-shirt to her chest with tears streaming down her face. A dark, sadistic grin breaks across my bloody face. I step right up to the rail, towering over her. "Your hero dies tonight!" I scream right in her face, watching her shrink back in terror. I turn away, stomping over to the ring apron. I reach underneath, haul out a heavy, wooden folding table, and snap its metal legs open, setting it up right on the floor at ringside. With the trap set, I march back over to your crawling, blood-soaked form. I reach down, grab a handful of your slick black hair, and drag your dead weight straight toward the table. "Get up!" I growl, pulling your head back and slamming your face hard down toward the flat wooden surface!

Hana_Jeong: The wood groans under the dead-weight impact as my blood-slicked face slams hard against the table surface. A dull, sickening thud echoes through my skull, sending fresh bursts of white static flashing behind my eyes. My legs completely give out beneath me rubbery, uncooperative, and completely drained of strength. Instead of standing, my lower body buckles instantly, causing me to slide uselessly over the edge of the table. My limp form slumps downward, sliding across the slick wooden grain until I collapse into an awkward, crumpled heap on the padded floor right beside it. My chest heaves in shallow, ragged gasps, leaving a thick crimson smear across the table edge as I lay there, completely defenseless at your feet.

Lauren_James: A cruel, ragged laugh tears from my throat as I haul your limp frame off the floor, gripping the slick fabric of your top and trunks. I heave your dead weight up and lay you flat, belly-up across the center of the wooden table. Your eyes are glassy, your blood painting the pale wood deep crimson. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's pray an eulogy for Hana's soul!" I shout to the horrified crowd, cackling wildly through the pain in my shattered ribs. Driven by pure madness, I reach under the ring and drag out a tall steel ladder, forcing the heavy metal frame open next to the table. I grab the rungs, my hands trembling as I begin to climb. I've never attempted anything like this in my entire life the ladder shakes violently under my weight, each step sending white-hot agony through my chest. At the very top, towering high above the ringside floor, I look down at your motionlessly draped body. "Die, bitch!" I scream into the arena lights. I launch myself straight off the top rung, leg extended high, plummeting through the air in a desperate, lethal leg drop aimed directly at your throat and chest!

Hana_Jeong: For a brief, fleeting moment, the screaming crowd and the smell of copper completely fade away. I’m somewhere soft and far from the arena floor, drifting through warm light. In the quiet haze of semi-consciousness, I hear the gentle voices of my family echoing through the fog, calling my name... Hana... Hana... Hana... Then, the cold reality of the floor pulls me back. My eyelids flutter open, heavy and slick with crimson. Everything is filtered through a terrifying red glaze. Through the fog, my drifting eyes catch the sight of that teenage girl at the barrier, her face pale, tears streaking her cheeks as she desperately screams my name with everything she has. My vision shifts straight up and adrenaline hits like a thunderbolt. You’re plummeting out of the arena lights, leg cocked, descending straight toward my chest. In the raw, fraction-of-a-second instinct of pure survival, my battered body reacts before my mind even registers it. I throw myself to the side, rolling violently off the edge of the wooden table a split-second before you crash down.

Lauren_James: Gravity takes over with ruthless speed. Missing your target, my heavy landing clips the rigid wooden edge of the table at a terrible angle. The table creaks violently without snapping, sending my body bouncing hard off the frame and hurtling down onto the unpadded concrete floor below. A sickening shockwave blasts straight up through my hip and lower back. "AAAAAH FUCKKKKK!" I shriek at the top of my lungs, my voice cracking as a fresh wave of blinding, agony explodes through my glutes and lower spine. I instantly fold up, clutching my tailbone and hip with both hands as I roll around in pure agony on the cold floor, kicking my legs wildly, completely incapacitated by the horrific impact.

Hana_Jeong: Blood dripping down my neck, I dig my palms into the floor and force my trembling legs to straighten. Every breath feels like swallowing glass, but seeing you writhing on the concrete sparks a final, dangerous surge of adrenaline. I limp over, reach down, and wrap a handful of your sweat-slicked hair tightly around my fist. "Not today, bitch" I groan, my voice raspy and dripping with venom. I haul you up and drag your thrashing body across the floor toward the heavy steel steps at the corner of the ring. I pull your head back and violently try to drive your face straight into the unforgiving metal not one but three times.

Lauren_James: "AAHHHHH... NOO!" CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! My high-pitched shrieks melt into muffled, wet gasps as my skull bounces violently off the unforgiving steel. White light explodes in my brain, instantly shattering my vision into a chaotic mess of ringing noise and darkness. My arms go completely limp, flopping uselessly to my sides. The strength drains from my frame in a single, terrifying second. As your fist releases my hair, I collapse awkwardly across the sharp edge of the bottom step, completely lifeless. My upper body rolls backward off the metal, and I fall like pure, dead weight onto the cold ringside floor my eyes rolled back, my head bleeding, completely motionless in a pool of my own blood and sweat.

Hana_Jeong: Tears of overwhelming, volcanic rage mix with the warm blood running into my eyes as I glare down at your limp, bloodied body. My whole frame shakes uncontrollably, an explosive storm of pure hatred tearing through my chest. "nggghhh... damn you..." I sob out, a choked, furious weep escaping my throat. I drop to my knees beside the apron, blindly sweeping my blood-stained hands under the ring structure, searching for anything left to destroy you. My fingers wrap around the heavy, sharp rim of a heavy galvanized steel trash can. I haul it out, drag it up, and hurl it violently over the top rope, letting it crash loudly onto the canvas inside. "Get up, whore!" I slap your face hard, the sharp crack echoing off the steps to shock your unconscious body back into reality. Before you can even process the sting, I yank you up by your red-stained blonde hair, hauling your limp frame onto the apron and shoving you headfirst through the bottom ropes onto the ring floor, ready to end this once and for all.

Lauren_James: "Ahhh... fuck..." My voice is barely a choked whisper, thick with blood that now surges freely from the gashes on my forehead. My brain feels like it's sloshing inside a shattered skull, the ringing in my ears nearly deafening as I drag my broken body back into reality. The red dye from my blonde hair mixes with thick, fresh crimson, staining the white canvas beneath me as I force my eyes to open. I see you standing over me like a nightmare, and absolute terror takes hold. With every muscle in my back and ribs screaming in agony, I dig my fingers desperately into the canvas. I pull myself forward, crawling blindly toward the far turnbuckle, desperately trying to put any distance between us while leaving a sickening red trail in my wake.

Hana_Jeong: I slide under the bottom rope, the canvas slick with our pooled blood. Driven by absolute venom, I stalk toward your crawling frame, reach down, and haul you backward by your crimson-soaked hair. "Sit the fuck down!" I scream, hauling you into a seated position against the bottom turnbuckle. You are bleeding like a pig. Honestly, we both are. I grab the metallic trash can and force it upside down over your head and shoulders, trapping you completely in darkness, your dazed, bloodied face encased in rigid steel. Turning on my heels, I march across the ring to the opposite corner. I grab the turnbuckle ropes and hoist my battered body up to the top pad. As I stand tall on the turnbuckle, the entire arena rises to its feet in a deafening crescendo. The ambient flash of hundreds of cell phone cameras illuminates the ring, capturing the horrific, incredible moment. "I can do it..." I whisper through cracked, bloody lips. "I can do this!" I hurl my body off the top rope into a high-flying, length-of-the-ring Coast-to-Coast Dropkick. Flying fully horizontal through the air like a human missile, I cover the entire distance of the ring in a heartbeat, launching both of my boots with devastating, trajectory-guided force straight into the metallic trash can, aiming to crush the steel violently against your head.

Lauren_James: BANG! CRACK! The sound is deafening, echoing like a bomb detonating inside a sealed steel vault. Your boots slam directly into the side of the trash can with unbelievable, terminal force! The rigid metal buckles, crumples, and completely collapses inward, crushing directly against my head, face, and chest! The sheer impact drives the sharp, jagged edges of the flattened steel straight into my skin, snapping my head back into the padded turnbuckle post with sickening velocity. My muted, strangled scream is trapped entirely within the crushed metal cylinder as the world inside my head instantly shatters into pure white static. The tremendous force knocks my limp, trapped body sideways, sending me tumbling out of the corner into a helpless, crumpled heap on the blood-soaked canvas the crushed trash can still wedged tight around my head, completely motionless and broken.

Hana_Jeong: I hit the canvas flat on my upper back, the impact rattling through my spine as the wind is completely knocked out of me. For a few agonizing seconds, I just lay there staring up at the blinding arena lights, listening to the deafening, unison roar of the crowd echoing off the ceiling: "HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!" A faint, blood-slicked smirk tugs at the corner of my lips. Shane McMahon would be damn proud of that one. I force my bruised, aching body to roll over, slowly pushing myself up onto all fours. Through the red haze in my eyes, I look across the ring and see your body lying there in a crumpled heap, limbs twitching mindlessly beneath the crushed steel can. Suddenly, a high-pitched, furious voice pierces through the roar of the arena. "Stop right there, Hana Jeong! Who the fuck do you think you are?!" I turn my head toward the entrance ramp. It's Madeleine clattering down the aisle in her expensive high heels, running clumsily as she screams at me. It's so painfully obvious: she's here to create a distraction, completely ignoring the sheer brutal chaos and blood loss we both just endured. "Fuck it..." I mutter to myself under my breath. Ignoring the referee, I slide under the bottom rope, landing heavily on the ringside floor. I march straight toward her, the arena lights reflecting off the thick crimson drying on my skin. Madeleine gets right in my face, waving her hands frantically. "This match is..." BANG! I don't let her finish a single sentence. I spin on my heel, unleashing a lightning-fast, high turning kick that connects flushed and heavy right against her temple.

Hana_Jeong: Her eyes instantly roll back, and she drops like a sack of bricks, her body going completely limp on the concrete floor. The crowd erupts into absolute bedlam, the noise shaking the entire building. I look down at her motionless body, wiping a streak of blood from my chin. "I think Noir needs new management," I growl into the crowd. Reaching down, I grab Madeleine by her perfectly styled, expensive hair and drag her lifeless frame toward the remaining wooden table at ringside. I hoist her up, throwing her limp body face-up across the center of the wood. The fans in the front row are standing on their chairs, screaming at the top of their lungs, filming on their phones, and pounding on the guardrail. Everyone in the building knows exactly what's coming next.

Lauren_James: Inside the darkness of the ruined steel, the world is pure agony. Trapped beneath the crumpled metal, I fight for life, my chest heaving against the crushed frame until I finally manage to wedge my trembling, bloody hands under the rim. With a agonizing, metallic scrape, I force the mangled trash can off my head. "Haaaa... haaah..." The cool arena air hits my ruined face like ice. Blood pours into my eyes, my nose is shattered, and tears cut clean tracks through the thick crimson painting my cheeks. I break down completely, sobbing uncontrollably as my body shakes from total exhaustion and trauma. I’m completely spent. Every single muscle, bone, and nerve is broken. Hearing the crowd screaming on the opposite side of the ring where you're dragging Madeleine, I use the last fraction of energy in my body. I don't care about the match anymore. I don't care about winning. I weakly drag my upper body toward the bottom rope on the far side, hauling myself over the apron. I don't even try to land on my feet. I just let my dead weight roll off the edge, crashing hard and helpless onto the cold floor on the opposite side of the ring, completely out of sight and utterly done.

Hana_Jeong: At this moment, the girl named Hana is completely gone. There is only a women who went completely rogue. I glance toward the empty canvas where you used to be, but it doesn't matter. You’re broken, crawling in the dark on the far side of the arena floor. Your turn will come. I march back to the ring and haul my battered body onto the apron, my boots slick with wet crimson. My eyes lock onto Madeleine’s motionless frame draped helplessly across the wooden table directly below me. "Watch this!" I scream, the sound tearing ragged from my throat. I launch myself onto the top rope. My boots grip the slick strand for a fraction of a second, using the tension of the cable like a loaded catapult. Springing high off the top rope into the arena rafters, I hurl my body backward, arching my spine into a graceful, terrifying Springboard Moonsault. For a suspended heartbeat, I am upside down, floating horizontally through the blinding white arena lights a soaring silhouette of blood, sweat, and absolute madness. Then, gravity violently drags me down. BOOOOOM! The impact echoes like an artillery shell. My back slams straight into Madeleine’s chest at terminal velocity, the wood snapping with a thunderous crash. The heavy folding table explodes into a cloud of splintered oak, jagged legs, and flying sawdust, collapsing instantly beneath our combined weight. We crash through the center of the frame and smash hard into the unpadded concrete floor, the jagged pieces of the broken table flying into the front row. The crowd completely loses their minds, the floor shaking from the violent roar of twenty thousand fans as I lie amidst the wreckage, wheezing, bleeding, and laughing like a lunatic through the shattered debris.

Lauren_James: My wide, terrified eyes fixate on the absolute destruction across the floor. I don't see the shy Korean girl I left bleeding on her kitchen floor all those months ago. That girl is dead. In her place stands a crimson-soaked monster a Korean demon born from my own cruelty, unleashed and laughing amidst the broken wood and shattered bodies. Panic, dark and suffocating, grips my chest. My mind spins in a frenetic, desperate loop: She's going to do worse to me. I stumble backward, barely able to keep my feet under me, my vision fading in and out. As I hit the floor on my knees, my hand brushes against the splintered handle of the heavy kendo stick left lying in the blood. My fingers wrap around the wood by pure, primal instinct. Then, a chilling, horrible thought takes root in the darkest corner of my brain. The only way this ever ends... is if I kill her first. Tightening my grip on the weapon, I force my shattered body up. I don't look back at the ring. I don't look at the crowd. Dragging my feet as fast as my battered legs will carry me, I turn away from the ring and start hobbling directly toward the entrance.

Hana_Jeong: Every inch of my core feels like it's on fire. My ribs and abs burn with a sharp, blinding heat as I struggle to draw a single breath, resting my full weight on the unconscious body of the Noir General Manager pinned beneath me in the splintered wood. I drag myself up off the concrete, staggering two steps before collapsing hard against the steel guardrail. The fans in the front row go wild, pounding on my shoulders and back, screaming in my ears, feeding off the blood and urging me to deliver even more violence. A guy in the front row, clutching a plastic cup of beer, leans over the rail and screams right into my face: "This is awesome!" In a flash of dark rage, my bloody fingers shoot out, grabbing his t-shirt and yanking him violently toward me. My eyes are brimming with tears of pain and pure exhaustion as I stare straight into his soul. "There's nothing awesome here!" I snap, my voice thick with emotion. Before he can react, I snatch the heavy plastic cup from his grip. I raise it high, shouting to the entire arena: "To everyone out there who's suffered under a tyrant boss!" I slam the beer back, chugging a full pint of it without stopping, the cold liquid mixing with the thick blood dripping from my lips. I don't finish the glass I turn and dump the remaining cold beer straight over Madeleine's pale, unconscious face, tossing the plastic cup onto her chest. Wiping my mouth with the back of my forearm, I turn my gaze toward the entrance where you are.

Lauren_James: Every single muscle in my battered frame is screaming in revolt, but survival instincts have completely taken over. I know I can't last much longer in a straight fight because you will break what's left of me. This is my last stand. I pick another kendo wooden sword from a pile of objects next to some roady boxes. I shove the wooden handle of the kendo stick down the back of my bra top, wedging it tight against my spine. Wiping the fresh crimson out of my eyes, I look up at the towering steel superstructure arching over the entrance. It's a massive, 15-meter-tall inverted U-shape of heavy box truss, its cold aluminum reflecting the harsh yellow and purple neon lights illuminating the entire ballroom. With trembling, blood-slicked hands, I reach out and grab the lowest metal crossbeam. My fingers wrap tightly around the diagonal "X" framework, using the narrow steel struts like the rungs of a vertical ladder. I pull myself up. Clang... Clang... With every agonizing pull of my weight, the hollow aluminum structure shakes and vibrates under me. White-hot pain flashes through my glutes, ribs, and forehead with every inch I gain, but I force my feet to find footing on the narrow steel joints. Below me, security guards and fans recoil in absolute terror, their panicked screams echoing off the high ceilings of the venue as they realize how high I'm going. My heart is hammering wildly against my shattered ribs. Literally, one slip, and it's over. But I keep climbing up into the purple haze of the lighting rig.

Hana_Jeong: You’re dangling fifteen meters in the air, your bloodied body clinging to the narrow steel framework of the main box truss directly above the entrance. The massive, burning hot lighting projectors hum and glow all around you, casting long, erratic shadows across the panic-stricken crowd below. This bitch is crazy... A heavy, sickening knot tightens in the pit of my stomach. The bloodlust that’s been driving me all night suddenly clashes with a cold, creeping sense of dread. Something horrible is about to happen up there. "Get down, you coward!" I scream at the top of my lungs, my voice cracking with a terrifying mixture of rage and panic as I march toward the base of the towering steel structure. "Get the fuck down from there!"

Lauren_James: I reach the absolute peak the flat, narrow vertex of the massive horizontal beam, hovering fifteen terrifying meters over the concrete floor. The heat radiating off the massive yellow and purple spotlights bakes against my slick, bloody skin. I pull the kendo stick from the back of my top and grip the splintered handle tightly with both hands, my legs dangling precariously over the abyss. Looking down at you standing like a tiny, crimson-stained dot on the entrance ramp, the last thread of my sanity completely snaps. "If you're so brave, come up and get me!" I shriek, my voice echoing off the high ceilings of the ballroom. I burst into a hysterical, maniacal laugh a high-pitched, desperate cackle that cuts right through the panicked murmur of the crowd below. I slam the kendo stick hard against the hollow steel beam CLANG the vibration rattling straight up my arms as I grin down at you through a mask of blood and sweat, waiting to see if you have the guts to climb.

Hana_Jeong: Even this crowd... these bloodthirsty, extreme wrestling fans who cheer for broken glass and shattered bone has gone dead silent. They aren't chanting anymore. The people at the guardrail are waving their arms frantically, crying out, pleading with me not to start scaling the cold metal. "God help me..." I whisper, the words barely a breath against the humming heat of the venue lights. I reach out and wrap my raw, blood-soaked fingers around the cold aluminum, embarking on the vertical climb like I'm scaling a sheer, unforgiving cliff. My body is slick with sweat and wet crimson, every muscle quivering under the crushing weight of exhaustion. Five meters up... eight meters... ten meters... With only two meters left between us, my right boot loses its grip on the narrow steel joint. FUCCKKKK! My heart shoots straight into my throat as my foot kicks out into empty air. My hands tear at the metal, fingernails scraping uselessly against the smooth alloy as my entire weight drops! The entire ballroom gasps in unison, a horrifying, collective scream echoing through the arena. Adrenaline shoots through my veins like liquid fire. I throw my left arm over a horizontal strut, my muscle locking up violently as I catch my entire body on the framework, dangling fifteen meters above the concrete. I hang there for a agonizing second, gasping for air, before slowly, agonizingly hauling my foot back onto a secure crossbeam. "Fuck..." I wheeze, my forehead pressed against the hot steel. I lift my head and look up at you, sitting perched on the narrow horizontal beam above me. The fiery rage, the venom, the blinding hatred that drove me across the arena it's all fading away, replaced by a cold, hollow terror. I look at your shattered, bloodied face, then down at the drop below us, and finally back into your eyes. 

Lauren_James: The sudden shift in your eyes from bloodlust to pure terror does nothing to stop the desperate madness consuming my brain. I don't see a human being hanging two meters below me. I only see the woman I hate most in the world. Driven by blind, primal panic, I swing the heavy kendo stick down with everything I have left. The crowd lets out a horrified, collective scream as the thick wooden slats slam hard against the cold steel crossbeam, inches from your grip. I swing again, aiming directly for your fingers wrapped around the aluminum framework, desperately trying to smash your hands and force you to lose your hold on the truss! "FUCKING DIE!"

Hana_Jeong: "AAAAAHGGGGGGG!" The brutal wooden slats smash into my knuckles over and over WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! until the skin splits open, my blood painting the cold steel strut. The agony is blinding. My fingers go numb, the muscle memory in my hands failing as I lose my grip. Desperate to protect what's left of my hands, I scramble a few inches higher, hunching my shoulders and exposing my upper back to take the brunt of the heavy blows. Tears cut clean tracks through the dried blood on my face as I sob openly, clinging to the framework fifteen meters in the air. "You sick... bitch!" I weep, my voice trembling with raw horror. Through my tear-blurred vision, I look up just in time to see you winding up again, bringing the kendo stick down like a broadsword straight toward my exposed shoulder. In a terrifying burst of pure survival instinct, I do something completely insane. I release my right hand, letting my entire weight hang precariously off my left arm over the drop! I swing my torso hard to the side, dodging the blow by a hair's breadth. Your heavy swing misses my shoulder and slams furiously into the aluminum framework CLANG!the violent shockwave vibrating through the steel. Before you can pull the weapon back, I throw my right arm over the kendo stick, trapping the wooden shaft tightly under my armpit and against my ribs! I dig my feet into the crossbeam and pull with all the strength left in my battered body, trying to yank the weapon straight out of your hands.

Lauren_James: The violent jerk pulls my entire upper body forward, nearly dragging me straight off the top beam! Fear surges through my veins so I instantly let go of the kendo stick, letting you take the wooden weapon as I throw my weight backward onto the horizontal truss. I lie flat on my back against the narrow steel, my heart hammering against my ribs, and frantically begin to crawl backward across the beam on my hands and knees. The heat radiating off the massive yellow and purple lighting projectors inches away is unbearable, searing against my bloody, exposed skin and making the air thick and suffocating. Sweat pours into my eyes, stinging the deep cuts on my forehead as I look down at you clinging to the edge. "FUCK YOU, HANA!" I scream through my tears, my voice echoing wildly across the silent, terrified venue as I desperately crawl further out over the middle of the arena floor.

Hana_Jeong: I pull my bruised, battered frame over the lip of the structure, finally reaching the top level with the kendo stick clutched firmly in my right hand. I carefully push myself up onto my hands and knees, my heart pounding in my throat as I balance on the horizontal truss. The beam is wide enough to support us, but it's a treacherous lattice of hollow aluminum crossbeams there’s no flat ground here, only narrow, unforgiving steel gaps with a fifteen-meter drop directly beneath us. The searing heat from the massive spotlights bakes against our blood-slicked skin, making every breath feel like inhaling fire. I look down the length of the beam at you, sitting trembling among the crossbeams. The tear tracks on my face cut through the thick layers of crimson and sweat. "It's over, Lauren!" I cry out, my voice cracking with pure, desperate exhaustion. I tighten my grip on the stick, but I don't raise it to strike. "God, just give up! Look at us... this is fucking insane!"

Lauren_James: I drag my trembling body backward across the treacherous crossbeams, completely indifferent to the yawning void beneath us. The heat from the spotlights is cooking the blood on my skin, but my mind is gone snapped clean in two. "No, Hana..." I choke out, a terrifying, glassy smile breaking through the blood on my face. "You will have to throw me down... and I will have to do the same to you!" Driven by sheer delusion, I push myself backward too fast, completely careless of the open framework. CRACK! My right foot slips straight through a wide gap between the aluminum struts. Pain explodes up my knee as my leg gets violently entangled in the crossbeams. The sudden jerk snaps my balance my left foot shoots out into nothingness, and my body instantly violently tilts off the edge! "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A blood-curdling shriek rips from my throat as I lose all footing. My lower half plunges straight through the structure, both of my legs dangling uselessly in the empty fifteen-meter drop below! The sudden weight drags my torso down hard against the steel. I claw wildly at the horizontal beams, my blood-slicked fingers scraping, slipping, and barely hooking over the hot metal joints as my shoulders take the full, crushing brunt of my hanging weight.

Hana_Jeong: A sharp, violent shock hits my chest, cold terror instantly flooding my veins. All the lingering rage, the deep-seated hatred, the desire for revenge: it all vanishes in a single heartbeat, as if wiped clean by instant amnesia. Every grievance we ever had doesn't mean a damn thing anymore. You are about to plunge to your death. Without a second thought, I hurl the kendo stick into the darkness below, watching it clatter uselessly onto the distant arena floor. "Lauren, look at me! Don't panic!" I yell, my voice cracking with absolute desperation. I drop to my chest, spreading my arms and legs wide across the steel framework to distribute my weight as I begin crawling toward you as fast as the hot aluminum allows. "Listen to my voice, Lauren! Stop swinging your legs! I need you to lift your right knee... try to hook your foot back up over that lower crossbeam! Find a ledge with your toes so your legs can take your weight!" My blood-slicked knees scrape against the metal joints, the searing heat of the nearby spotlights burning my skin, but I ignore it completely. I stretch my hands out toward your desperate, scraping fingers. "Just hold on! I'm right here... I'm not going to let you fall, Lauren!"

Lauren_James: I look down between my arms, through the wide gaps in the metal framework. The floor feels a million miles away. It's a terrifying, dizzying drop that makes the entire arena spin beneath me. Tears burst from my eyes, cutting hot, clean tracks through the dried blood and sweat caking my cheeks. My fingers are slipping, losing their friction against the hot aluminum with every passing second. The panic is suffocating, completely stripping away whatever madness I had left. "I can't!" I sob, my chest heaving wildly as a ragged, helpless cry tears from my throat. "I'm stuck... my leg is wedged and I can't hold my weight much longer!" I look up at you through my tear-blurred vision, my bloody knuckles white as I cling to the hot steel for dear life. "Please, Hana... help me!" I weep, choking on my own sobs as my grip slips another inch down the metal. "Please don't let me fall!"

Hana_Jeong: Tears of sheer, unadulterated terror pour down my face, mixing with the drying blood on my cheeks as I slide the final few feet across the hot aluminum. I anchor myself, wedging my knees tight into the corner joints of the crossbeams and wrapping my left leg around the main support structure until I'm fully leveraged. Once I know I won't slip, I lean over the open gap and wrap both of my arms firmly around your waist and chest, digging my fingers into your top to get a death grip on you. "I've got you! I've got you, Lauren!" I sob, my voice trembling violently as the sheer adrenaline and panic shake my entire body. I pull upward with everything I have left, taking the crushing weight off your failing grip and easing the pressure on your wedged limb. "Okay, listen to me!" I cry, squeezing your torso tight against mine. "I'm pulling you up, but I need your help! Use whatever grip you have left to push off the metal! Bend your stuck knee, angle your foot downward to slip it out of the gap, and swing that leg back up onto the beam! Do it now, Lauren, push!"

Lauren_James: The hot, ragged bursts of your panic-laced breath fan across my bloody collarbone, but as your arms lock under my armpits, the terror in my chest suddenly dies. It freezes into something far worse. The crying stops instantly. My frantic trembling vanishes, replaced by a horrifying, stone-cold stillness. I turn my head up, my tear-stained face settling into a blank, hollow gaze as my eyes lock onto yours. Instead of pushing myself up, instead of freeing my trapped leg, my bloody hands shoot up like iron vices. I don't grab the steel. I grab you. My fingers dig violently into the meat of your forearms, snapping my wrists back to lock us together. With a sudden, sickening burst of dead weight, I completely relax my upper body, letting gravity tear me entirely off the aluminum framework. The sudden jerk rips you forward, your chest slamming hard against the outer edge of the horizontal beam. My trapped leg snaps free from the crossbeams under the shearing weight, and I plunge into empty space,dangling entirely in the open air, fifteen meters above the concrete. I’m not falling. Not yet. Because my death grip is locked onto your forearms, my full weight hanging off your bruised, straining shoulders, dragging you inch by terrifying inch toward the precipice.

Hana_Jeong: "AAAAAHHHHH!" A blood-curdling shriek of pure, unadulterated terror rips from my chest, echoing off the high, suffocating ceilings. In an instant, the packed venue, the bright lights, the hundreds of horrified spectators it all fades into absolute blackness. There is no crowd. There is no match. It’s just the two of us locked in a horrifying death game, hovering fifteen meters over nothing. The moment your cold, dead gaze hits mine and your fingers clamp around my arms, my heart completely stops. The sudden, brutal jerk of your full body weight dropping into the abyss pulls me violently forward. CLANG! My chest slams agonizingly hard against the outer edge of the horizontal steel beam, knocking the remaining breath straight out of my lungs. But my upper feet and shins manage to lock tightly under the rear crossbeam, wedging my lower body like an anchor to keep me from being dragged straight over the brink. Now I’m pinned flat on my stomach, my hands and forearms dangling out into open air, bearing the entirety of your weight as you sway over the concrete. The strain on my shoulders and elbows feels like my joints are being torn apart from the sockets. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" I scream down at you, my voice cracking into a ragged, hysterical sob, tears pouring unchecked into the blood on my face. "ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?! I CAN'T HOLD YOU LIKE THIS! WE'RE BOTH GOING TO DIE!"

Lauren_James: A cold, unsettling calmness settles over my face, standing in terrifying contrast to the chaotic, screaming void beneath us. My grip on your forearms tightens, my bloodied fingers digging deep into your flesh as my entire body sways slowly in the empty air, suspended fifteen meters above the concrete. I look up into your terrified, tear-streaked face, and a slow, twisted smile spreads across my lips a sick, broken grin painted in fresh crimson. "Do you think I would ever let you win?" I whisper, my voice chillingly steady, carrying through the dead silence that has gripped the arena floor below. The manic spark in my eyes flares hot as I give a sharp, deliberate tug downward, using every ounce of gravity to strain your locked feet against the crossbeam, dragging your chest another fraction of an inch over the cold metal edge. "If I'm falling down... you are coming with me, Hana." My knuckles turn stark white against your arms as I hold your gaze, my smile widening into something entirely unhinged. "Remember what you said? Sisters until the end!"

Hana_Jeong: The agonizing strain in my shoulder sockets is unbearable a hot, tearing fire that makes every second feel like an eternity. I sob compulsively, gasping for air as tears and sweat stream down my nose and drip into the empty air between us. Desperate to survive, I grit my teeth and fight through the blinding pain. I kick my feet higher, wedging my calves and boots deeper between the lower steel crossbeams. With a guttural, desperate effort, my upper body shifts, my core locking into the structural framework until my leverage solidifies against the truss. I’m anchored now stable enough that you can’t drag me over easily, but taking every single ounce of your dead weight on my tearing arms. "Stop, Lauren... I beg you... please, stop!" I weep, my voice breaking into a ragged, helpless plea as I stare down into your unhinged, bloody smile. The weight of your words cuts deeper than any impact we’ve taken tonight, dragging up every memory, every promise, every piece of history we burned to ashes on our way to this roof. "It doesn't need to end like this..." I sob, my fingers trembling where they cling to your wrists, my knuckles turning white as my arms shake violently under the strain. "Look at me! Please, just look at me! I can't hold you much longer... please, Lauren... don't do this to us!"

Lauren_James: The sick, twisted smile on my face slowly fades, melting away as I stare up into your sobbing, tear-stained face. Looking at the pure, desperate panic in your eyes the way you're holding onto me with everything you have despite everything I've done something deep inside me finally shatters. "Even in a moment like this..." I whisper, my voice cracking, fragile and hollow. "Even up here... you still can't give up on your goodness." A single, hot tear spills from the corner of my eye, cutting a clean path through the thick layer of dried blood caking my cheek. The burning hatred in my chest vanishes entirely, leaving only a cold, unbearable ache. "I can't live in a world where I want to be like you, Hana..." I choke out, my chest trembling as a soft sob escapes my lips. "Where no matter how hard I try, no matter how much I hurt you... you're always better than me. Understand?" My arms begin to tremble uncontrollably. The numbness creeps up from my wrists into my palms, my fingers losing all sensation. The slick mixture of sweat and warm blood coating our arms begins to give way. Inch by agonizing inch, my deadened hands start to slip down your forearms. My grip is failing, the friction completely dissolving as gravity pulls my body further into the empty void. I don't try to tighten my hold anymore. 

Hana_Jeong: I can feel the exact, sickening moment the friction gives out. Your skin begins to slide through my hands, cold and wet with a mix of sweat and crimson. A primal, violent surge of raw survival instinct explodes in my chest. Instinct takes over before my mind can even process it my fingers lock up like steel clamps, my fingernails digging so deep into the flesh of your arms that I feel your skin yield under the sheer, desperate pressure, clawing at anything to stop your descent. Every lie, every betrayal, every drop of blood you forced me to shed tonight... it all evaporates into thin air. The horror of losing you eclipses everything else. None of it matters. Nothing matters except keeping you alive. "You... you are my sister, Lauren!" I scream, my voice tearing into a ragged, guttural sob that echoes off the silent rafters. "Don't do this! I beg you, don't leave me!" My hold slips down past your elbows, sliding over your forearms until my fingers lock violently around your wrists. My arms are shaking so hard the metal truss vibrates beneath my chest, my shoulders burning with blinding agony as I hang over the edge, anchoring us together by a thread.

Lauren_James: I look up at you one last time, my eyes completely clear, washed clean of the bloodlust and the madness that drove us to the brink. Looking into your weeping face, I see the girl who loved me when no one else did the only real thing I ever had in a life built on hollow pride. "You won, Hana," I whisper softly, my voice barely carrying over the hum of the scorching venue lights. A quiet, painful smile touches my lips. "You've always been the best of us. In everything." My wrists slip through your bleeding, desperate fingers. The friction dies completely. I look right into your soul as the last thread breaks, breathing out one final, ragged groan. "I'm sorry, Hana...for everything" My fingers slide out of your grasp, and I let myself go. I plunge backward into the void. For a few agonizing seconds, the wind roars in my ears as the arena rushes upward to meet me. The shouting of the crowd fades into total silence, and a frenetic, blinding sequence of flashes invades my mind, racing past like a movie reel: my childhood... my family... the university ... the fancy parties... the luxury... And then, cutting through the noise of my entire life, the single best thing that ever happened to me... You. Your gentle smile on a quiet afternoon. Your funny, infectious silliness when the world was too heavy. The warmth of your hug when I thought I was completely alone........ My body slams violently into the massive stack of sound equipment and heavy lighting rigs at the side of the entrance, the terrifying impact shattering metal, wood, and glass in a deafening explosion of destruction and sparks. A blinding white light flashes behind my eyelids, and then... absolute, heavy darkness. My eyes close.

Hana_Jeong: "LAUREN!" The sudden, violent release of your weight snaps my upper body upward, the recoil throwing me backward onto the horizontal truss. The empty air where your hands were just holding on feels freezing cold. I roll onto my side, clutching my shredded, bleeding knuckles to my chest. The world goes completely deaf. A ringing silence fills my head, drowning out the shouting, the sirens, and the roar of the arena. I lie there on the hot metal, my chest heaving in short, frantic gasps as cold terror locks my muscles in place. Shock settles over me like concrete. Slowly, painfully, my senses begin to trickle back through the numbness. I have to get down. I roll onto my stomach, my hands shaking so violently I can barely grip the crossbeams. I crawl backward to the ladder strut and begin my descent, every step down the fifteen-meter framework feel like a lifetime. Down below, through my tear-streaked, blood-blurred vision, I can see a massive crowd of officials, security, and medical personnel swarming around the shattered mass of sound gear and crushed metal near the entrance.

Hana_Jeong: The moment my feet touch the cold concrete of the arena floor, my legs give out completely. I collapse against the base of the steel pillar, my knees slamming into the ground as I slump forward, my bloody forehead resting against the cold metal. The audio of the world around me cuts in and out, distorted and muffled like underwater static"...Here... Win...ner..." "...Na... JEOO-OO-NG..." An announcer's voice echoes hollowly through the rafters, but it means nothing. There is no hand raised in victory. There is no golden belt. There is no grand celebration for the fans who spent the night screaming for blood. Bright orange and white lights flash around me as paramedics and security staff push through the crowd, forming a protective ring around my kneeling form. "Get back! Give her space!" a voice barks above me, hands gently but firmly gripping my shoulders. "She's in shock!" "I'm... I'm ok..." I stammer, my teeth chattering as tears cut clean lines through the drying gore on my face. My weak, trembling voice can barely form the word that matters. "Lauren...? Where's... Lauren?" "Ahmm... She's being taken care of, don't worry about that right now," a paramedic says softly, dropping a heavy shock blanket over my bruised, bloodied shoulders and guiding me up off the floor. "Just focus on breathing." I don't look back at the shattered equipment where you should have fallen. I can't. Flanked by a staff medical personnel, I am quietly escorted throug hred curtain toward the backstage area.