Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2023 23:22:31 GMT -5
The scene fades in, but not completely, and attention is drawn to a close up of an open flame. It flickers gently and free, casting an orange glow that bleeds across the screen, growing dimmer to the point that the light doesn't touch the edges. All is silent for just a few seconds before a voice cuts through.
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is with me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor…and the misguided."
A slow zoom out from the flame and a pan to the right shows David Carroll, hunched over with a book in his lap. The candle illuminates just enough of the room so that we can see David's head, the collar of his shirt, his hands and the Bible that they hold. His dark brown eyes move back and forth across the open page, his mouth moving the slightest bit without sound. As if his voice catches up to his lips, he begins to speak again.
"He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. He bestows unto me His splendor, His patience and His forgiveness. It is for this very reason that I…"
David stops for a moment in mid-sentence. His mouth hangs open, his head raises and eyes roll up. He stares into the darkness of the room above him for a beat, then closes his eyes and swallows hard.
"I know. It is not enough to just try. I must lead by your example."
His head lowers and his eyes open so that he now stares into the camera. A brief flash of intensity is softened, and he provides a contrite smile to all those watching.
"The Grand Voyage has come and gone. To say that things didn't go my way would be a 'grand' understatement."
Carroll chuckles quietly.
"What was supposed to be my coronation as the new Heritage Champion, a Heritage Champion that could serve as a role model for the UWL fans and for the wrestling community, was not to be. I was close. I was very close. I did my best. God answered that prayer, because again, I am not so vain as to pray for victory, but I will always pray that I am able to perform at my best. Because I believe, I TRULY believe, that I can overcome any obstacle when I am at my best."
The camera pulls back a little further to reveal a table that the candle is perched upon. David sets the Bible down on the table, and behind him we can see three dark silhouettes in the shape of people. Their features cannot be made out though.
"I showed up that fateful night, and I took everything that Jackson Burnside could dish out. He dropped his three hundred pound frame and leg across my throat, something that usually puts his opponents away, but not me! Not me, no, I kicked out of that to the surprise of him and all the fans in attendance. Not only did I kick out, but I got back up and took it to him. I got him on the ground and I got him hurt. In the process, I knocked over the referee, completely by accident, to which I apologized afterwards. At that moment, when I knew I had victory in hand…"
David extends his left hand and opens it, palm up to the ceiling. He then closes it swiftly.
"…it was snatched away. Taken, forcefully, by a man who continues to rebuff my hand in friendship. Billy Danielson."
The camera pulls back the slightest and a few more silhouettes in darkness appear behind and around David.
"Billy, I just don't understand and I don't know how to make it any clearer. You have continuously misinterpreted my intentions time and time again. We had our match, and I won. It was only my second match in the company, and considering your track record and the level of prestige you hold, it was probably my greatest victory. During the match I saw something in you. I saw the greatness which you were struggling to find. You called yourself a loser, I said on the contrary. Losing to the World Champion and then losing to me is not something you should've been ashamed of. But then, you made the biggest mistake of letting the fans get into your head and letting them think that I was your enemy. That I was a cause of your losing ways, why? Because I showed up during your match? I showed up to support. And how to you show your appreciation?"
David leans forward, elbows propped on his knees as the camera zooms a little closer this time.
"By viciously attacking me? By shouting in my face as I lay unconscious, screaming that we were even? Even how, Billy? When did I assault you during your match? When did I lay a finger on you other than when we were in the ring competing as gentlemen? There's only two possibilities that I can think of. One, you let the fans and the commentators, the non-believers, get in your head and tell you that I was the enemy. Or two…you're not willing to accept the Lord as your Savior. You're not willing to better yourself, you're not willing to atone for your past and current sins. I am not God, but I could've been your counsel. Lead a horse to a river, but you can't make him drink the water. If that's the case Billy, then I suppose we are to be enemies. I could've lead you down the righteous path and back to light. Sometimes you have to be wrong though, and learn the hard way."
David raises his hand again towards the open flame on the table before him. The camera pans back further to show those dark silhouettes surrounding David on all sides. We continue to pull back to finally see that the figures are just ordinary looking people of all ages, dressed casually with their heads down, chins tucked into their chest. Their eyes are closed, hands folded together over their waist. David looks directly into the camera without a trace of a smile.
"If you won't let me save you Billy…then nobody will."
David's fingers snuff out the flame as everything goes dark.
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is with me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor…and the misguided."
A slow zoom out from the flame and a pan to the right shows David Carroll, hunched over with a book in his lap. The candle illuminates just enough of the room so that we can see David's head, the collar of his shirt, his hands and the Bible that they hold. His dark brown eyes move back and forth across the open page, his mouth moving the slightest bit without sound. As if his voice catches up to his lips, he begins to speak again.
"He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. He bestows unto me His splendor, His patience and His forgiveness. It is for this very reason that I…"
David stops for a moment in mid-sentence. His mouth hangs open, his head raises and eyes roll up. He stares into the darkness of the room above him for a beat, then closes his eyes and swallows hard.
"I know. It is not enough to just try. I must lead by your example."
His head lowers and his eyes open so that he now stares into the camera. A brief flash of intensity is softened, and he provides a contrite smile to all those watching.
"The Grand Voyage has come and gone. To say that things didn't go my way would be a 'grand' understatement."
Carroll chuckles quietly.
"What was supposed to be my coronation as the new Heritage Champion, a Heritage Champion that could serve as a role model for the UWL fans and for the wrestling community, was not to be. I was close. I was very close. I did my best. God answered that prayer, because again, I am not so vain as to pray for victory, but I will always pray that I am able to perform at my best. Because I believe, I TRULY believe, that I can overcome any obstacle when I am at my best."
The camera pulls back a little further to reveal a table that the candle is perched upon. David sets the Bible down on the table, and behind him we can see three dark silhouettes in the shape of people. Their features cannot be made out though.
"I showed up that fateful night, and I took everything that Jackson Burnside could dish out. He dropped his three hundred pound frame and leg across my throat, something that usually puts his opponents away, but not me! Not me, no, I kicked out of that to the surprise of him and all the fans in attendance. Not only did I kick out, but I got back up and took it to him. I got him on the ground and I got him hurt. In the process, I knocked over the referee, completely by accident, to which I apologized afterwards. At that moment, when I knew I had victory in hand…"
David extends his left hand and opens it, palm up to the ceiling. He then closes it swiftly.
"…it was snatched away. Taken, forcefully, by a man who continues to rebuff my hand in friendship. Billy Danielson."
The camera pulls back the slightest and a few more silhouettes in darkness appear behind and around David.
"Billy, I just don't understand and I don't know how to make it any clearer. You have continuously misinterpreted my intentions time and time again. We had our match, and I won. It was only my second match in the company, and considering your track record and the level of prestige you hold, it was probably my greatest victory. During the match I saw something in you. I saw the greatness which you were struggling to find. You called yourself a loser, I said on the contrary. Losing to the World Champion and then losing to me is not something you should've been ashamed of. But then, you made the biggest mistake of letting the fans get into your head and letting them think that I was your enemy. That I was a cause of your losing ways, why? Because I showed up during your match? I showed up to support. And how to you show your appreciation?"
David leans forward, elbows propped on his knees as the camera zooms a little closer this time.
"By viciously attacking me? By shouting in my face as I lay unconscious, screaming that we were even? Even how, Billy? When did I assault you during your match? When did I lay a finger on you other than when we were in the ring competing as gentlemen? There's only two possibilities that I can think of. One, you let the fans and the commentators, the non-believers, get in your head and tell you that I was the enemy. Or two…you're not willing to accept the Lord as your Savior. You're not willing to better yourself, you're not willing to atone for your past and current sins. I am not God, but I could've been your counsel. Lead a horse to a river, but you can't make him drink the water. If that's the case Billy, then I suppose we are to be enemies. I could've lead you down the righteous path and back to light. Sometimes you have to be wrong though, and learn the hard way."
David raises his hand again towards the open flame on the table before him. The camera pans back further to show those dark silhouettes surrounding David on all sides. We continue to pull back to finally see that the figures are just ordinary looking people of all ages, dressed casually with their heads down, chins tucked into their chest. Their eyes are closed, hands folded together over their waist. David looks directly into the camera without a trace of a smile.
"If you won't let me save you Billy…then nobody will."
David's fingers snuff out the flame as everything goes dark.