Josh and I stood outside Body Reserve smoking our cigarettes before our hours long training. Not a healthy thing to do, especially outside a gym, but in a way it's a ritual. Kind of like getting sinning out of your system before interring priesthood. We chat about the good ol' days we spent here, nearly ruining for bodies, all the spills we've taken off the top turnbuckle (especially me, being as tall as I am), the time I back body dropped Josh out of the ring onto our unsuspecting trainer, Adam Grey.

'Did you hear about Adam's death?' I question before taking a hit of my cigarette.

'Yeah... I heard. He died fighting his best friend at some wrestling event, am I right?'

'I watched it as it happened at this OWF pay-per-view. It wasn't anyone's fault or anything like that, it was purely an accident. No one could help what happened. It's shitty though. Adam was about to make this big return to wrestling and was cut short by this electrical malfunction. He was a good man. A bit off, but still a good man.'

'He was. Goddamn hilarious too. The man had me in tears sometimes. He was also one the best I've ever seen in the entire wrestling game. But what happened to his friend?' Josh says taking one of the final hits left of his cigarette.

'He went on wrestling but he was never the same after Adam died. Some say his mind snapped from the guilt of thinking he was the one to blame of his death. He reported seeing Adam's ghost often and it began effecting his matches until eventually he disappeared off the face of the Earth. I haven't heard anything about him as of late.'

'... Fucked up. ' Josh tosses his cigarette.

'Yeah it is. Oh, before I forget I need to be back at my apartment before nightfall.'

'Why? Big date?'

'No, just need to be home by then.'

'Afraid your mom will bitch you out?'

'No.'

'Afraid of the dark?'

'You're getting warmer, but... just stop asking. I just need to be home by then.'

'Afraid of what's in the dark?'

'You're getting... just stop asking!'

'There's something out in the dark you're afraid of? Dude, you're seven foot tall! You're the thing in the dark that people are afraid of! Plus man, you're rather dark yourself. You look like a black metal band's wet dream, not to mention a bigger version of Pete Steele, which is saying something!'

'You'd never understand, man. Let's just get to it.'

'Okay, I'll take your word for it. Did you bring any gear with you?'

'No. I had no idea we'd be doing this.' I toss my cigarette.

After paying the manager to use the ring for a couple hours and a half hour of stretching, we were ready to give the ring, as well as ourselves, hell. In one bound, Josh was on the apron and in the ring. He was a couple inches about six foot and still had his MMA stature. He's the most agile man of his size I've ever seen and after his years of being absent from the game he still hasn't missed a beat. Me, I took my time stepping over the top rope while Josh looked over to me with a sarcastic smart-ass look in his eyes.

After sizing each other up we lock up. Me with my larger stature and greater arm strength forced Josh near the closest turnbuckle and I forced my arms out of the lock up and quickly grab Josh by the neck and with a lifting heave, tossed him into the turnbuckle. With a sudden rush I charge at Josh with a clothesline but he quickly spun out of the way a second before impact. Turning, I was met with a kick to the stomach and Josh run to the opposite ropes and I caught him with a boot to the face which worried me, because I think he might be knocked out and we just begun sparring.

Josh laid there for a moment but his eyes told me he was fine. Without missing a beat I hit the ropes myself and leaped as high as I could to deliver a elbow drop but met with nothing. I take my time to reach my feet as caught me from behind with a sleeper hold. I managed to stand back to my feet, grab from behind my head to clutch Josh's neck and flip him over my shoulders down to the mat.

Things went this way for about fifteen minutes. I'll get a couple of moves in and Josh will get his. We were never this polite in HFW. In our matches I usually dominated but this was practice and I let Josh know that we needed to kick it up a notched by becoming relentless. Josh's breathing is becoming labored so I decided to end it then and there. When Josh got back to his feet I grabbed him by the throat, tossed his right arm over my right arm, lifted him up and slammed him back down. Standing over his body I gave the typical cut-throat gesture, lifted him up into the crucifix position and tossed forward slightly to get a grip around his waist and drove him down into a powerbomb. Josh lays motionless and place my foot on his chest. Before I could count the crowd around the ring beat me to it. Josh stood back up and we looked to each other with surprised grins. There are about twenty guy standing about the ring clapping and with that I was reminded of that electric feeling.

Outside Josh and I smoked cigarettes and chatted about our last match that took place minutes ago. Steam rolled of our warm bodies as we wasted time talking about our times in HFW and Josh talked of how badly he wanted to return to the bizz which made me feel guilty. I was so caught up in our conversation that I didn't realize the sun was going down and that I wouldn't be able to make it home by nightfall.

'Listen I need to go. Do you want to hang out at my place and smoke up?' I toss my cigarette without thinking.

'I'd love to but I got to get dinner ready for when the misses get's home. I'm off work tomorrow maybe I'll stop by and we'll do that. Maybe even hit up the gym again, what do ya say?'

'Yeah sounds great. Sorry to run but I got to go.'

It was too difficult to make it back home. Things got in the way but I'm here and I'm glad. Standing out here on my balcony I watch as this beautiful city becomes a nightmare in my eyes. No one will understand. I don't expect them too. I was once a night person, now I'm seeking shelter from the darkness. What a horrible night to have a curse...