"The Sensation" Danny Starr


	Smile for me now...
	SPACEThe memories I wish would diminish seem to play through my head over and over as I lay motionless in my bed. Lacking sleep, I fear my energy level wouldn’t be sufficient to play a role in any kind of physical recreation such as a match with Michael Diamond. The only thing on my mind now was my former best friend. A man I could honestly say was my brother… but the hands of time had turned and now he is the complete opposite: A foe and why? Simply because of some minor past mistakes and false accusations. How ungrateful he must be to even think about challenging me; the person who was responsible for his entire career. I didn’t do it out of my hunger for power… I did it because like Cassandra and myself… I wanted Michael to come into my family with honor… and respect. Not once did I manipulate him into following me blindly… he was completely loyal… but modern day society has crippled his ability to understand… ’Your Hero’ is corrupted by what he has put into his own head; somehow posting blame at me for the death of his guardian, Martin. SPACEThe faces of fallen tragedies run through my mind… over and over, mocking my new mind-set as if trying to bring the monster out of the new Danny Starr. I will not allow my mistakes to haunt me any longer… If only I could stay loyal to my demands… who am I kidding? I have no control over what my mind wants me to see, hear, and feel… I’m my own worst enemy, and Michael Diamond is the puppeteer behind this melee of tragedy. It felt like hours of tossing and turning in the cold dark before looking to my digital clock to realize it had been almost 3 hours since I laid down to rest. Another cliché’ of my typical night of sleep; laying until the sun rises and then falling asleep. Perhaps it was something about the dark that was unsettling deep inside my subconscious, but none-the-less, I was still awake… and quite frankly, it’s getting old. SPACEThe same routine, of course: Climbing out of the red silk sheets wrapped around me and trailing towards the kitchen for a glass of red wine. It was the only antidote for my insomnia. I did just that, sighing with a flubber to my lips in frustration as I reached into the cabinet in search of a crystal wine glass. I felt around slowly, carefully without any fast movements when a foot step from behind startled me. I quickly turned to the sound and carelessly pushed a wine glass onto the floor, shattering it instantly. I didn’t notice it at first, I looked around in search of what I heard… peaking around the island in the middle of my kitchen. Quietly, I drift forward beginning to think it was my imagination when Heather Zimmerer came into my immediate focus. She stood there with her head cock-sided as if her neck was broken… just staring at me. I jumped back, stepping directly on the glass which immediately dug into my bare feet. Again, not noticing the pain from below… but the pain in my chest as I look at her in fear. I grab my chest and with my other hand, rub my eyes as if it was a dream. It wasn’t. I now felt the pain in my feet, and I found feel the blood dripping out from the glass that pierced my skin but never lose eye-contact with Heather. She stood there, motionless, looking back at me. I reach my hand out to touch her, even though I’m too far to even graze her… searching for the words to speak when I opened my mouth to feel a cold air suck in. Danny Starr: Who are you? SPACEI awaited her response; I awaited her wrath. Danny Starr: Are you Heather? SPACEShe wouldn’t speak… just kept standing there like a manican. Pale flesh colored her body accompanied by her beautiful hair dipped in a crimson coating. I knew what it was… but I didn’t want to think about it. It was hard enough just looking at her. This must be a dream, but its just too real. Heather: You did this to me. Danny Starr: I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… SPACEI fell to my knees directly on the shattered glass… but the tears running down my face hid the pain from my body… it was my soul that was being pierced with daggers as I covered my eyes away from the bitter reality of this tragic illusion. Danny Starr: I wish I could take it back… all the pain I caused… all of the hearts I broken for my own selfishness… I was wrong… please forgive me…. Heather: There is no forgiving where you are going. SPACESobbing, I looked up to her with tears pouring down my face as if a flood gate opened from my eyelids. Danny Starr: Where am I going? Heather: Hell, beside Lucifer himself. Danny Starr: Please… please forgive me… Heather: It’s not in my power. You stole whatever power I had to even see Ryan. You stole it from me! Danny Starr: Please…. Stop… leave me be… Heather: All the hearts you broke… all the pain you caused. You will carry these chains until your day of judgment… SPACEI didn’t want to hear it any longer… I covered my ears with my hands, and closed my eyes screaming at the top of my lungs for her to be gone. After a minute or so, I lifted my head to see if she was still there, but to my surprise she was gone… the pain in my foot injected into my awareness and I rose to my feet looking down at the mess. I wiped the tears from my face and ran my thumb up my nose releasing any mucus blocking my nostrils. I dropped down to my knees and began picking pieces of glass up, delivering it to the nearby trash can to my left. SPACEOn the floor was a puddle of blood from my feet… I grabbed a hand-rag from the counter-top and soaked up as much as I could… as the blood soaked in, I rose to my feet and relentlessly reached for another wine glass. As I opened the bottle of wine, I looked around as if paranoid of Heather’s return. Thinking back to what had just took place in this very kitchen, I poured the wine into the glass, then took a swig of the wine bottle itself continuously gulping it to no avail. When I tilted the bottle down and released my lips from the neck… I was under the presence of yet another unexpected visitor. Danny Starr: What are you doing in my house… Zack Tyler: You’re the reason my child was never born… Danny Starr: What are you talking about? Zack Tyler: In 2002... You killed my baby, you sick son of a bitch. Danny Starr: No… I couldn’t have… Zack Tyler: You did! With a mallet to my girl’s stomach… you’re going to pay, Starr… Danny Starr: I’m sorry… Zack Tyler: The time is NOW! Danny Starr: No! SPACEI ran at him to defend my domain, but when I got to his face…. It was not him… it was my father. I backed up slowly, locking eyes with the man who poisoned my mother with his venom. Without losing eye-contact, I took a well needed swig from the bottle. Danny Starr: Father… John Starr: Did you honestly think you were going to get rid of me? Sending Jakob Grimes to do your dirty work like the pussy you are. Couldn’t even stand up to me like a man! Danny Starr: But Father, I’m… John Starr: You’re what? An embarrassment to the family name? Of course you are… the minute you were born, you were the downfall of the Starr’s empire. Look at you… crying like a little girl over the smallest things… crying like your sister. Danny Starr: Shut up… John Starr: Or what? You going to have me killed, Danny boy? Danny Starr: You’re dead… John Starr: Well, that’s not completely true, Danny… I’m still very much alive… in you! Danny Starr: I will never be like you! SPACEI grabbed the closest thing I could find; that being a toaster, and threw it towards my Father. In my rage, he disappeared and the toaster smashed into the wall behind his appearance. Panting out of breath, I threw my closed fist into the counter-top in frustration. I needed to get away from this torment… I needed to escape this living nightmare… In my robe, I wandered to the backyard, squabbling for the key to the Hall of Sensation. In the midst of all these horrors, I figured the only way to escape them were to hide inside my own personal world… my place of collecting… my place of highest achievements. SPACEWhen I unlocked the door, I heard a grinding of the key against the steel. When it opened, it was naturally dark… I reached for the light on the side, but when I flicked it… the dark remained. I tried once again, but the attempt was futile… It was better in the dark anyway. I closed the doors behind me creating a complete room of darkness. I figured I was safe from the inner demons when suddenly, I heard a sound of friction followed by a bright flame appearing in the corner of the Hall of Sensation. SPACEI was fearful… a million thoughts going through my head at once… wondering how someone got into my personal grounds when the doors were clearly locked from the outside… and the key wasn’t moved. I knew at this point that these ghosts weren’t going to hurt me physically… just emotionally and mentally… I now understand this is God’s way of punishment… but who was behind the final curtain… behind the cigar being lit in the corner of my hall? Man: Hello, Danny… I see you’ve recovered after 3 long years… tell me… was it Baby that did the most damage or was it a mental thing? SPACEI knew exactly who it was. Danny Starr: I don’t know, Steven… you’re the expert. Why don’t you tell me. SPACESteven Fury… one of my most hated adversaries… former co-member of the High Society under Eric Rayne. He was the last match I had before disappearing for 3 years… he was the reason I became so obsessed and self centered that I ended up killing Heather. Steven Fury: Well, I’m come to do the bidding of the man downstairs, Danny boy. SPACEHe sniffs into the air… I could only see his orange colored face from the light of the cigar tip. Steven Fury: You smell the brimstone… the sulfur? We’re so close to home, Starr. Danny Starr: So now you think you’re the grim reaper? Steven Fury: And you must think this is a lucid dream, don’t you, Danny? Far from it… this is the reality. It’s quite similar to the Christmas Story where the past, present and future come to make Scrooge realize his fate so he can prevent it… but Danny, you’re too far down the high way to hell to turn back now. Danny Starr: So why the party? Isn’t it kind of late for an intervention? Steven Fury: Perhaps… or maybe, just maybe there’s a different reason. Danny Starr: What reason would that be, Fury? Steven Fury: Well, telling you would spoil the fun, wouldn’t it now, Danny boy. Danny Starr: It seems no matter how hard I try, there’s just no redemption for me… so what is my fate, Fury? Steven Fury: I’m not here to show you the end… I’m here to show you the beginning of the end. It can still be prevented if you can see… if you can look deeper than you have been. Danny Starr: What is this about? Steven Fury: No more free rides, Danny… your answers are all printed… signed by the devil himself. SPACEBefore I could utter another word… his face disappeared and the cigar fell to the ground still lit. I quickly stomped on it before it spread to my Persian rug… suddenly, without hesitation, a quiet storm had crept up on me. All I could hear was the rain clapping against the roof of this small addition…. But now I could see the inside of this Hall of Sensation… SPACEThe lightning lit up most of the hall… as I slowly walked past the portraits of fallen tragedies… I came to my small office that was installed for my personal business time. I walked in, for the door was already opened. The lightning made it visible enough to see detail… when I came to my desk to see the chair was facing the window. A sense of de ja vu rained upon me… this exact moment had taken place before.. But when? I was skeptical to twist the chair around, unsure of what was awaiting me… but I did… ready for anything. Now I remember why I recognize this scene… this is the exact moment I lived when I returned from Peru for the first time… I say this because on the chair, leaning against the back was a piece of paper with my name on it. The memory is so clear… and the letter read the same exact words… Dear Danny, SPACEIf you are reading this, you are home from Peru. Welcome back, Old friend. I do regret to inform you, however, that your beloved sister and nephew have moved to Europe for the time being. They left no number or address to be reached at… Other than that, I truly hope you are staying this time… of course, due to the fact I’ve been paying the city to leave your only real salvation standing, along with the rubble you left to replace you. SPACEThe HWA is not dead, Danny… it has rebuilt itself… believe me, I’ve stepped in the ring myself… and I was quite honestly disgusted with the fact everyone thought I was you. No offense, but that was just too much for me. I showed up at the end of the show, just foreshadowing your existence and everyone thought I was Danny Starr. SPACEThis is a new chance for you, Danny… whether it is 1 month, or 10 years… your return is very relevant in the history of your career. You don’t want to be titled a one hit wonder, now do you? Of course not, Danny Starr’s pride would not allow that breed of animal to step near him. Do what you are born to do, Danny… you have a gift. I’ll be in touch when I see you have made your decision… make it wise, chum. SPACESPACESPACESPACESPACESPACESPACESPACESPACESincerely Eric Rayne Danny Starr: Wait a minute… SPACEI noticed something that I never paid mind to in the past. It was in the second paragraph… I looked back to read it even closer… SPACEThe HWA is not dead, Danny… it has rebuilt itself… believe me, I’ve stepped in the ring myself… and I was quite honestly disgusted with the fact everyone thought I was you. No offense, but that was just too much for me. I showed up at the end of the show, just foreshadowing your existence and everyone thought I was Danny Starr. Danny Starr: Thought it was me… Oh My God… SPACESuddenly, in my head, I heard a phone ring… I was startled by it… it kept ringing over and over in my head until finally I woke up in my silk sheets… jumping up in a cold sweat like every night. Once again my mind played tricks on me… Everything came together in that instant, and realized everything was just a bad dream… the phone was still ringing, obviously what had woken me up in the first place. SPACEI looked at the clock, it was 11:30... I had just gotten in bed… Danny Starr: God damnit… SPACEJust then, a soft lovely voice from the side of me speaks out. Jenn Copelin: What is it? SPACEShe was half asleep… her eyes still closed trying to wake up to see me. Danny Starr: It’s okay, Jenn… just a phone call… go back to sleep, babe. SPACEWithout hesitation she rolled back over in her side of the bed, and pulled the silk comforter over her shoulders. I looked at my cell phone lighting up on the bedside table… and grabbed it. I looked at the cover and the caller-ID read Eric. I answered it on the last ring… Danny Starr: Salutations, my friend… Eric Rayne: Danny… I hope I’m not interrupting anything. Danny Starr: Why would you think that? Eric Rayne: Well, I mean you are home again and I imagine Miss Copelin is giving you company. Danny Starr: With all due respect Eric, Thats the last thing on my mind… Eric Rayne: But of course… did you see Diamond’s interview on Survival? He couldn’t stop talking about you until it came to who his best friend was… So ungrateful. Danny Starr: Something has been peeving me as of late, Eric. Eric Rayne: What’s that, Danny? Danny Starr: Why is it that these fans have such a hunger for two best friends to become bitter rivals? It’s like they thrive for the destruction of happiness… Eric Rayne: It’s like the days of Rome, Danny… they didn’t feel for the gladiators… they just wanted blood shed… not much has changed, my friend. Just ignore them… you know why you are in this… Danny Starr: This time, I will not look at him like a former brother… I will look at him just as I have looked at enemies in the past… to me… he is just another face on the wall… in the Hall of Sensation… Eric Rayne: That’s what I like to hear… and I will be right by your side the entire time… helping you place Michael Diamond’s portrait on that wall along with the others… SPACEIt was then I was reminded of the lucid dream… the foreshadowing it seems of what’s next to come… Eric Rayne was out for blood… and at Crash N Burn… I will be as well… It was just then Jenn sat up to me.. I was expecting hell for keeping her awake, but when I looked into her eyes she looked hungry… Jenn Copelin: Last thing on your mind? SPACEShe whispered with her luscious lips which she is now biting the side of… Danny Starr: Hey, Listen Eric…. (Fake yawn) It’s actually my bed-time… We will continue this conversation tomorrow, shall we? Eric Rayne: Very well… You kids have fun now… don’t let her injure you before your big match… Danny Starr: Funny guy… SPACEI folded my phone in half and tossed it to the floor as Jenn rose up and grabbed my neck gently… she pulled herself up and we began kissing passionately. She pulled me down on top of her as we continued kissing… I slowly rubbed my fingers threw her hair and stroked the back of her neck giving her chills. I released my lips from hers and began aiming towards her neck… she is now breathing heavy when she pushes me off her enough to lock eyes… Jenn Copelin: I love you… SPACEFor the first time in our 5 year history… she looked deep inside my soul… looking passed my burdens… my mistakes… my past and told me she loved me. From the minute she said that… for the first time in my life… I fell in love with a woman but not just any woman… Jenn Copelin… the love of my life. Danny Starr: I love you too… SPACEWe looked back into each other’s eyes once again and restarted kissing… in all of my troubles… the one thing I have is Jenn… the calm of my storm. SPACEThey say people only want to see a show… they don’t care about the people involved… they just want to see blood shed and completely destruction. Respect is gone… that’s why there’s no sympathy or empathy involved in Me and Michael’s situation… people over-look our history as close friends… but title our hatred Best friend vs. best friend… showcasing the deterioration of what was once a great friendship… a sensational brotherhood… but nothing now will stop the inevitable… and the inevitable will take place at Crash N’ Burn… SPACEMichael Diamond; the time for talk has ended… you can blame me for the troubles in your life, but what you cannot do is point the finger at me… a person who didn’t do anything to you. It was you who brought this upon yourself… a simple apology for what I was responsible for wouldn’t do the trick… no, you weren’t out for apologies… you’re not even out for what you claim: Justice… you’re simply out for stardom. SPACENow that I have returned after 3 years… you want to get rid of me. I helped you up to where you were when I was gone and now you’re so ungrateful of what I have done for you… you are trying to eliminate “The Sensation” Danny Starr. SPACEIn Rome, the gladiators would fight in different types of battles… all for the enjoyment of the gamblers… the audience… the rich… just like this. They didn’t care if it were friend against friend… foe against foe… family against family… and nothing has changed to this day. Crash N Burn will be the end of the road for you Michael Diamond… So smile for me now, Brother.