Cowboys and Angels

32. Beyond the Mat

INT. HALL IN BRIMSON, MISSOURI

There was a wrestling match underway.

The announcer commentated through a loud-speaker. "This is a barn burner folks. Off the ropes... picks him up and, oh, it's a back breaker."

One wrestler was down. The referee began the count. The crowd was cheering.

"Oh, but only a two count. The rookie, Shawn Harley, fails to take the Hangman down."

Both wrestlers were back on their feet; one took a blow to the neck.

"Ooh. A stinger to the neck."

The wrestlers had each other in a head-lock.

"Are you seriously drunk right now?" Harley asked.

"Just shut up and get ready," the Hangman replied.

The Hangman hit Harley on the back and he fell to the ground.

"Ooh, and it's a stinger to the back," the announcer said.

"He's going in."

"Takes him to the turnbuckle."

The Hangman slammed Harley's head into the corner of the ring. The crowd roared.

The announcer said, "Oh, and we know what's coming next."

A noose fell from the ceiling and the Hangman put it around Harley's head before saying, "Bring it on, baby! It's all over. I'm gonna hang his ass."

The referee tried to intervene and the Hangman hit him on top of the head. The referee fell to the ground and The Hangman grabbed the rope, pulling it taunt so Harley began to choke.

"Oh, yeah, baby," the Hangman stated.

"It's all over now, folks," the announcer told the crowd. "We have lift-off."

Harley struggled as the rope pulled tighter around his neck. The Hangman was enjoying the theatre of it all, screaming to the crowd, who were cheering in return.

The announcer continued. "As Harley's struggling to breath now. He's turning blue."

INT. LOCKER ROOM

After the wrestling match, the Hangman was looking into his locker as he asked, "Has anyone seen my rope?"

Harley slammed the locker door closed and grabbed the Hangman. "What the hell? I almost died out there."

Another wrestler, Gunner Lawless, said, "Harley, back off."

"You're gonna take the wino's side? Really?"

"That's not what this is..."

"Whatever. You old-timers like to stick together, right? Well, do us a favor, keep a leash on your boy or he might get hurt." He walked away.

The other wrestlers drifted away until the Hangman was left alone in the locker rooms. He packed his bag and took a swig of whiskey. Then the lights went out.

"Hey!" the Hangman called as he looked around, but saw nothing. Suddenly, a noose was around his neck and he was hanging from the ceiling. He clutched at his neck, choking.

INT. BUNKER

Dean was in the library, looking at his laptop and drinking coffee when Sam entered the room.

"Hey, have you seen the, um..." Sam began as Dean tossed him a bottle of pills and Sam caught them. "Ah. Yeah. Thanks."

"Yeah, bottoms up," Dean said.

"Yeah. What's with the bag?"

"You remember Top Notch Wrestling?"

"Yeah. Those, uh, wrestling shows Dad took us to when we were kids."