BEDTIME STORY

Fuck off and die, Tom?

At Colossus, I'm taking everything from you. You won't be able to “save” anyone when I'm finished with you. You won't be able to come out here and parade around as a 'good guy'. They don’t know it yet, but I will save the fans from being disappointed and let down by you.

Because I've had enough disappointment from you for a lifetime, I've been let down enough by people like you. If anything, we need saving from you.

The Rose you've seen these past few weeks? That's the 'nice' Rose you've been getting. You see, I'm like the woman your mother and father always warned you about. Beware of those crazy women because they will seduce you, make you think they're good girls, and then, in the blink of an eye, they leave you in a ditch somewhere, wondering what just happened.

At Colossus, you’re getting the “real” Rose, who will smash your face in and make you taste your blood, leaving you shattered for everyone to see.

If you want to know if I'm lying, find out.

It'll be the last fucking thing you do.

In a distant land, a young teenager found himself at a crossroads. He lived in a town part of a larger kingdom, where he worked as a woodcutter. One fateful day, he heard a commotion nearby and quickly rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, he witnessed his friend lying on the ground with a trickle of blood running down his forehead while an older teenager stood over him.

"Hey!" the young teenager shouted, catching the attention of the older teenager. With a dangerous look in his eyes, the older teenager replied, "Go away." Ignoring the warning, the young teenager bravely stepped in to protect his fallen friend. The larger boy seemed determined to strike him, but before he could, the young teen swiftly punched him in the jaw, sending him staggering back.

Chest heaving, the young boy observed the harasser in shock as he retreated. Onlookers were equally stunned by the turn of events. The harasser threatened, "You're a fool. My father is the prince’s brother. You will surely regret this day." With that, he stormed away, intent on seeking retribution. Meanwhile, the young teen turned his attention to his friend, helping him up while he expressed his gratitude through pained breaths.

Word spread throughout the village, and the boy's mother rushed to him, enveloping him in a tight embrace. "My boy," she said proudly, holding him close. His father watched on, knowing that his son had marked himself as an opponent of the king, silently offering a prayer for his protection.

Deep within the young boy, something awakened. He had witnessed the injustice perpetrated by those who abused their power under the guise of the prince. On that day, he had resolved to end such oppression. The villagers approached him, expressing their gratitude and shaking his hand, a feeling that brought him great joy.

Three of the prince's men approached the boy the following day, intending to apprehend him. He was determined to stand his ground and fight back against those who caused harm to others. Defiantly, he pulled his arm away from their grasp. A crowd quickly formed, witnessing his unwavering stance.

Although they sought to make an example out of him, they fell far short of their goal. The boy fought back, forcing the guards to retreat, and a jubilant celebration erupted. With his head held high, he surveyed the scene, witnessing the impact of the day's events.

As days turned into weeks and weeks into months, the legend of this boy grew. He became renowned as a defender of the weak and vulnerable, a champion for those in need.

And as his legend grew, so did his influence.

You don't get it, Tom, because I thought you were a friend. I thought you were my father's friend. And all along, you lied to my face. Loyalty in this game is just a smoke show. It's not real; it has never been real.

You're a carny, you piece of shit, and I should have known all along. Your greatest enemy is staring back at you in the mirror, and you will never come to terms with it. If we’re being honest, you want to accept what I’ve told you, but your ego gets in the way time and time again.

But not me. I see that person in the mirror daily and rise to the challenge. I fight through the alcohol and drugs coursing through my veins. I fight through the mistakes and stumbles I make daily and strive to be better every day. I fight this fight for these four men who will forever have my back, but most importantly, for my little girl at home who refuses to stop believing in me. Because I'm all she's got, and she's all I've got in the end. And I'll be damned if I'm not going to show her how to fight back.

I'll be damned if I'm not going to show her how to own her mistakes and keep moving forward at the same time. We have too many pasty old white men in this world telling us how it's going to be, how it should be, and not taking responsibility for their bullshit.

My little girl, she's not going to live in a world like that, that mirrors you.

Instead, I will tear it down, brick by brick, person by person, and build the world that I want her to live in.

The teenager transformed into a man and formed friendships wherever he went. One day, while in a nearby town, he encountered two of the prince’s guards. Being a wanted fugitive, they pursued him, and he fought back, determined to avoid capture. Just as a third guard arrived at the scene, a mysterious man swiftly incapacitated him from behind. With the other two guards distracted, the mysterious man unbalanced them and escaped with the hero.

They raced through the village and sought refuge in the mysterious man's house. Peering out the window, they believed they were safe from the prince’s men and shook hands.

"Thank you," expressed the hero, to which the mysterious man dismissed it. As they stood there, getting to know each other, a third person joined them—a woman who caught the hero's attention, particularly her pregnant belly.

"Oh my," he exclaimed. "A new friend and you're expecting a child."

The mysterious man chuckled and nodded, embracing his wife.

"Well then, I can't stay here for long. I don't want any trouble to come to the three of you. I will leave, but once the guards have gone, I will return and build a crib for your newborn as a token of gratitude."

A smile appeared on the woman as she hugged him, and the mysterious man patted the hero's shoulder. Swiftly, the man left the house, sticking to his principles of avoiding provocation where possible.

He encountered a woman with dark hair and piercing eyes during his escape. Sensing her confusion, he invited her onto his horse and guided her back to her hut. She tightly held onto his wrist as he helped her rest and gazed into his eyes.

"You are a man who has performed countless acts of kindness, aiding others. Yet, you will face a formidable challenge that surpasses your imagination. A crucial decision awaits you. Choose wisely, for your soul will be at stake. Remember your true essence."

The man listened to the woman's words, expressed his gratitude, and continued his journey, internalizing her advice and promising never to forget.

You have never been loyal a day in your life.

There's a saying, Tom: I'd rather have four quarters than a hundred pennies. You're the fucking penny. Those four men who stand by me? They're quarters. They supported me through the most challenging days of my life. They lifted me when I fell. They were there during my lowest moments and never abandoned me.

They didn't tell me to fuck off and die. They didn't know me when I was a teenage girl. They didn't have my father bail them out when they needed it the most. They believed in me, and I in them.

So when you criticize them? Talk shit about them? You're now attacking my family. And I think you know something about that, don't you? Big scary Paxton Ray came to your house and beat on your brother? And what did you want to do? You tried to rip his head off his body and beat him with it.

That's what I'm going to do to you. Because you let me down. You let my father down. You denigrate my family, running your mouth about them. But even on their worst days, they're better than you.

I will stand firm for them because they don't care about the blood coursing through my veins. They care about my heart's strength and will ensure it remains strong. Because they own their mistakes, and you try to rewrite history to make yourself seem better than you are.

Why?

Because you're a fucking mark for yourself.

However, the man eventually forgot. His pride soared as he continued to help those in need, confounding the prince’s guards. He returned to the village, where he met the mysterious man and built the crib. Over time, he encountered a woman with fair hair and a soft face. They soon had two children, and the mysterious man assisted him by helping around the village and looking out for his friend.

One fateful night, a peculiar dream haunted him. Unlike any previous dreams, it kept him tossing and turning in bed, unable to shake it off.

In the dream, he stood in a field surrounded by darkening skies. The storm closed in from all directions, leaving only a tiny patch of grass. Across from him stood an angry figure emanating palpable hostility. Bewildered and uncertain of his transgressions, he raised his hands in defense. The force confronting him warned of an impending reckoning of his own making.

Defiant, he stood his ground, unwavering in his convictions. However, the woman scarred his mind with these words:

"You caused this."

The next day, he woke up drenched in sweat, down to his very bones. Intrigued by his restless night, his wife looked at him expectantly, but he refused to share what had troubled him. Instead, he stepped outside, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

Throughout the day, the words "you caused this" echoed in his mind. He became nervous, fearful of what was to come, and grew desperate.

You love the sound of your own voice, Tom.

You love coming out here, ranting and raving, what we now call mansplaining. You talk about how virtuous you are, how you're the "good guy." You know what I think? It's because you're weak. You're loud so no one will notice how much of a shell of your former self you have become.

Truth is, you’d probably die if you ever stopped talking. That’s a day to look forward to.

There was a time when you stood for something. When people heard your name, they knew it carried weight. You used to settle disputes in the ring like a wrestler and get the win. Now you hide in the back with a microphone and say whatever will get you applause. But it's not the same. Not even fucking close.

You strive to have the last word, regardless of how wrong you are. Hell, Paxton Ray beat you to a bloody pulp, and you still had to have the final word. Fucking mark for yourself.

You have a problem because when Colossus arrives, you'll have to face me and confront your demons. I am the result of what you created.

Just imagine, if you were even half the person you claim to be, I wouldn't even be in the ring. I wouldn't have considered it. But watching you, show after show, parading around like some kind of white knight, fueled every fiber of my being. And now, you have a problem: me. Because I no longer believe the lies you spew or the bullshit you spread.

You created this problem, and it's not a problem you can solve with empty words or false aggression. That’s become your legacy this past year, creating problems for yourself. Making fun of Arthur Pleasant? Hiding Nora? You’ve created those situations, and yet we are the ones who have to pay the price.

The outcome of Colossus can go one of two ways: either you defeat me and do what everyone expects from you, beating the young girl who has only had one match.

Or you lose to me and prove just how right I am. You show that you're no longer the person you once were, that you're living in the shadow of your glory days that have long passed. And then, everyone will see you for the fraud that I've known you to be for quite some time now. And you will have to live with that.

And I don't give two fucks about it.

The man, haunted by the dream, rallied his allies to assist him in his battle against the oppressive prince. However, instead of providing aid to those in need, they took the offensive, a stark departure from his previous approach.

Years later, while helping a young girl, the man was approached by a panicked woman.

"Sir, you know my father. He is sick. Could you please help him?"

Although the man vaguely recognized the woman, he explained that he didn't have the time to assist her father as he was currently occupied with the young girl. Disheartened, the woman left, concerned about her father's condition.

A few weeks later, after the man and his men had finished defeating a group of knights from the prince, the same woman urgently sought him out.

"Sir, you know my father. He is very ill, and I don't know how much time he has left. Can you please help him?"

Despite her plea, the man remained determined and informed her that he was busy with other matters. Once again, the woman left, saddened by the turn of events.

A month or two later, the woman returned to the village and found the man seated on a stump, savoring a tender piece of meat. Standing before him, anger blazed in her eyes like never before.

"You sit here and enjoy your meal. You sit here without a care in the world. My father came to your aid countless times. He was there for you when you had children."

The man listened attentively to the woman's words.

"But when he needed you the most, you were nowhere to be found. Many may remember your good deeds, but I remember the lies you spread. Look at what you have become. I remember when you stood for something, and now, you have lost yourself in the forest. You strike first and needlessly kill men whom you would have spared in the past. In one week, I will return to this village, and I will end your life."

She departed before he could react. The man sat there, momentarily lost in thought, as a memory from his youth resurfaced - a woman who had warned him of the dangers he would face.

He knew what he had to do.

“Mommy,” the small voice came from a bed two times too big for her. Rose looked down at Adeline and smiled.

“Yes, love.”

“Was the man a good man?”

Rose looked at her daughter and thought for a moment. “There is no such thing in this world as good or bad. No person is good; no person is bad. A person is just a person.”

“But, I try to be good.”

The smile spread across her face as she brushed Adeline’s hair out of her face. “You do your best, love, but do you ever lie?”

Adeline nodded.

“Exactly. A lie isn’t good. All we can do is be the best version of ourselves daily. And when you fall short, acknowledge it and try to do better the next day.”

Adeline shuffled in her bed. “Is that the idea the man had?”

Rose looked down at the book and shook her head. “No, love, he didn’t. Instead, he gathered his men and prepared to fight the woman. When that week came, the five men stood there ready to fight as a woman, grieving and hurt, approached the village. The skies darkened, and lightning streaked the skies.”

“Just like from his dream?”

Rose nodded. “Exactly. And he stood there as the woman inched towards him. The five men closed around her, threatening her and telling her to leave for good.”

“And did she?”

Rose shook her head. “She stood her ground.”

“What happened then, mama?”

Rose looked at the book far longer than she intended. She then looked at the bright light in her life and smiled.

“She did what her heart told her to do.”

Adeline looked at her, confused.

“She protected her family.” The confusion didn’t lift from Adeline as Rose closed the book.

“I didn’t think she had a family?”

Rose placed the bed on the bookshelf beside Adeline’s bed and pulled the covers over them.

“But she did. She still had her father. She had people from her village who looked to her for strength and guidance. She had a little girl that needed her mother and knew that if she didn’t do what she must at that moment, her little girl would lose everything.”

Adeline thought for a moment. “She was courageous for coming by herself.”

“Was she?” Rose inquired.

“She believed in herself far more than he believed in himself.” A moment passed as the words hung in Rose’s mind.

Adeline placed her head on her mother’s chest.

“Did the man have a chance to change his mind?”

“He did.”

“And did he take it?”

She felt Adeline’s head grow heavy and looked down to see her eyelids closing.

She smoothed the hair out of Adeline’s face before whispering, “No.”

She sat there for a moment, thoughts bouncing around her mind. Once secure Adeline was asleep, she slipped out of the room and walked into the quiet kitchen. She stood there for a moment before grabbing her phone.

Tom mentioned at ReVival 40 that he was bringing an army of his friends for their match. She intended to do the same, but as she stood in her kitchen, the thoughts were crowding her mind.

She looked at it, running the thoughts through her mind. Her fingers tapped on the screen, and she quickly pulled up her text messages. She pulled up her group chat with the rest of KING a moment later.

KING CHAT I’ve been thinking about Tom’s comments. For the match, stay in the back. I don’t care who he brings to the ring, let him. It just shows who he really is.

The text sat on her phone momentarily, her thumb hovering over the send button. She closed her eyes, settled the nerves in her stomach, and then tapped the blue button to the right of her thumb, sending the message.

Her hand gripped the top of her chair as she closed her eyes and sucked in the air around her through her teeth. She held it for a moment.

Before letting it go.

You want to take my blood? Take it, Tom. Take it, and you will see that it will leave you feeling empty inside. Take everything you can from me, but you’ll have to wait in line just like everyone else who has tried to take everything they can from me in the past year. Just be prepared because you will fail, just like everyone else has.

You are not the man you thought you were. That person is a facade. You're going to go back to your home, defeated. Your family won't be able to console you and will leave you. Eventually, your demons will emerge. Your thoughts will consume you. You will question everything you think you know. You will come face to face with your ego and beg for forgiveness. You will confront the unanswered questions you've buried deep in the darkest corners of your mind.

Only then will you experience a fraction of what I've endured this past year.

You'll seek absolution when it's all over. You will finally admit you were wrong. You will wish you took the opportunities when they were presented to you. You will come to me and beg for my forgiveness.

And I will tell you to fuck off and die, Tom.