The Rose Skull

Chapter 9: Built on a Fault Line

(Undertakers Point of View)

I left Anastasia's place around 5 o'clock that same day to go to work. Apparently, Kane needed help setting up for his match tonight. Anastasia had to come with me because I refused to leave her at home alone. She took some persuading but agreed.

"Marrrrrrk...!" She whined as I made her get out of the car. "Just leave me beeeee!!" I chuckled. She was acting like my 7-year-old, who was at home with my ex-wife.

"C'mon, sweetheart." I said, grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the seat. "You've got things to do too, I'm sure." She instantly let her body go limp in my arms. I shrugged it off and slid my arm under her knees, wrapping my other around her shoulders and picking her up bridal style. She was very light compared to the weights I lifted when training. Probably only 100 to 130 pounds.

That was also a concerning weight for her age. But at her height and appearance, I wasn't very surprised.

Anastasia yelped as I picked her up. Instantly going back to her normal weight instead of her dead weight. "M-Mark! You put me down...!" She struggled against my grasp to no avail. I simply shook my head and headed towards the entrance.

"Mark!" She said again, raising her voice a bit this time. "If Dwayne or Foley- Fuck that! If ANY of my friends see you with me they're going to think the worst!" I slightly ignored her plea. "Well then you'll just have to tell them that I ain't a threat to you, darlin'. Won't you?" She struggled again. "Mark please!" She begged. "Before I accidentally hurt my hand again..."

I stopped in my tracks, just barely through the front door of the building. Standing in the lobby. I gently set her on her feet before grabbing the wrist of her good hand and beginning to lead her through the hallways.

She followed willingly, and a few minutes later we stopped in front of her locker room. "I'd suggest you start gathering your stuff up doll." I spoke calmly. "We have to leave tomorrow night." She nodded and planted a quick kiss on my cheek before walking into the room and shutting the door behind her.

My lips cracked into a small smile for a split second, before going back to normal. "She has no idea what she's getting herself into..." I whispered to myself before walking away to my own locker room.

(Anastasia's Point of View)

As soon as Taker's footsteps faded, I rushed to the bathroom. Quickly opening the tile compartment, I saw that the hat was...

Still there.

Whew...

I picked it up carefully and studied it. Everything from the rim, to the stitching, to the black leather garnet around the dome of the hat. I made at least ten mental notes about the physical state of the almost 13 year old hat. The garnet was slightly frayed from the pyrotechnics used during his entrances, the dome had a light spot on the back of it from exposure to pale light, there was a very specific stitch on the inside of the hat that looked like a spot where a tag used to be, and the most jutting detail that stood out to me was the fact that there was a pin with Mark's symbol on it right where the rim of the hat met the dome. It wasn't holding it together, it was just there.

I knew this would be worth thousands in the future, but I knew if his popularity kept growing the way it already was it would be practically priceless by the time he retired. If he ever did, that is.

There was a few more details I took notice to. A small tear in the stitching of the rim, a burn mark towards the front of the hat, and looking closer, there was a small purple light built into the pin! Most likely a gentle factor in the dark aura his character was meant to give off on the stage.