So, for the first time in a while I am posting an original story that I can legally put my name to. This isn’t ghostwritten material it’s a writing exercise using the word “samurai” as a prompt. The story centers around a reality show that presents professional fights with a twist they can happen anytime and anywhere. The only rule is last man standing. It was a lot of fun to write and I hope you enjoy it.
Happy Christmas, Hannukah, Yule, and whatever you may be celebrating at this time of year. Bring on 2021!
FADE IN
Psychedelic multicolored Silhouettes throw punches and kicks as names flash by the background in a polka trash style. Big block letters appear: SUCKER PUNCH!
INT. SUCKER PUNCH STUDIO – NIGHT
Two men in suits, one sporting a rattle snake tattoo on the side of his head the other with a conservative hair cut, smile at the camera behind a shiny black desk. Behind them is a chain link fence in front of a graffitied brick wall with a burnt out busted up neon sign reading Sucker Punch between the two men.
The tattooed man speaks first “I am Gunther Stevens.”
“And I am Mikel Norn welcoming you to the Sucker Punch pre-show,” Mikel switches to another camera view. “Tonight we will see Anthony Briars face off against none other than the Immortal Mark Gentry and it looks like one for the ages. Gunther Stevens has the tale of the tape”
The camera switches to a two shot Gunther chimes in almost immediately, “This season has just been a roller coaster and this fight promises to be exactly what the doctor ordered. I have to say on a personal note I am really digging this kid Anthony Briars. He’s got the makings of a champion and could take it all the way to the final.”
“He is going up against the Mark Gentry and there is a reason they call him Immortal, Gunther.”
“Absolutely, Gentry is no slouch, He was a machine in seasons twelve, thirteen and again in the All Star season fifteen but It has been two years and he ain’t getting any younger.”
“I can see where you’re coming from but Gentry is undefeated in eleven straight fights on Sucker Punch not to mention his formidable MMA record of twenty seven and two by TKO early in his career,” Mikel scoffs then shakes his head. “I just don’t see it going Briars way.”
“It’s a gut feeling, man. I have seen a lot of passion in this young man and I got a feeling he’ll have the upper hand on Gentry.”
“How does it break down, Gunther?” Mikel asks.
The camera shifts to a Gunther’s side. “Tale of the tape would agree with my colleague and by the numbers it appears that Anthony Briars has his work cut out for him. The Immortal Mark Gentry at 37 has a three and a half inch reach advantage as well as thirteen pounds of muscle on the new comer. At six foot four Gentry looks like a beast compared to the more svelte Briars.
“Briars is definitely the underdog but he has one thing that I haven’t seen in a long time, heart. Every since Kraft started sponsoring him in the lower divisions he has been an impressive competitor in a variety of environments from bar, junkyard, basketball court, and even spectacularly in his debut hallway fight in his own tenement building. I just see a lot of style and a lot of heart in this new comer and hope he proves the skeptics wrong.”
Camera cuts again to the two shot as Mikel speaks to the camera, “That would be awesome to see but for now we will take a break to hear from our sponsors. We’ll be right back with Nikki Bing on the street and exclusive footage from one of our dark matches that sadly ended in tragedy. See you in a few,” He smiles and winks at the camera.
The floor director yells, “Okay and we’re out that’s three minutes,” She turns away and moves next to the camera operator.
Gunther calls out, “Can I get some alka seltzer over here?” A production assistant nods and turns to find the prize.
“Briars is your pic, huh?” Mikel said casually.
“No fucking way but Kraft paid me thirty five hundred to puff his ass up on screen.”
Mikel was floored, “God, they must be pushing this kid hard.”
Gunther belches, “Yeah, I don’t see it. That kid is gonna get murdered.”
INT. CLUB – NIGHT
Anthony looks at the beat sheet and shakes his head as he reads it over. He shines his phone flashlight on the page, “Tyler!”
A black haired man with a band t-shirt and jeans approaches at the sound of his name. “What is it Anthony?” He asks.
“Why am I drinking, I’m supposed to fight Gentry tonight. Why the fuck would I get drunk before a fight?” He asks as he shoves the sheet into the producer’s chest crumpled. “I ain’t doing that.”
“Listen, you’re not supposed to know you’re gonna fight. You know the premise, anytime…”
“Yeah yeah, anywhere. I don’t drink, though. I’ve been pretty clear about that, Tyler.”
“Kraft says you drink, so you drink tonight,” Tyler says with a shrug. “They’re merging with Pernod Ricard so your drinking Absolut tonight. Make sure you mention the product name, by the way.”
“Is Kraft in charge of this shoot? I mean I can drink cranberry juice. It’ll look like I’m drinking visually.”
“Kraft isn’t but they are in charge of you,” he throws his hands up, “If it helps at all Gentry is supposed to be drinking in the same club when he happens on you so no advantage but they need you drinking Absolut.”
“Could they at least pick a better liquor?”
“Not my call,” he leans in close to Anthony, “and too be honest you’re on thin ice after that whole anti-capitalism thing at your last fight.”
“What?” Anthony takes a step back. “I plugged a meat coop.”
“Kraft didn’t like it. Drink the vodka,” he says then turns back to the surrounding crew, “Alright bring it in, I need steady cam and boom, now.”
Anthony sits back in the white leather couch that looks pink under the neon. The assistant director a redheaded woman with a variety of pens in her hair appears with an attractive cocoa skinned girl showing a lot of skin, “This is Bianca and she will be your date for tonight.”
Anthony stands up and shakes her hand courteously, “Reality television,” he says with a roll of his eyes.
She laughs and says, “Hi, I’ve been watching your fights. I’m a big fan.”
“Thank you, please have a seat, I hope you like Vodka.” He says as he sits next to her.
EXT. BOURBON STREET – NIGHT
A gorgeous blonde in a silver dress with a microphone in her hand is surrounded by tourists who are all hooting and hollering. Her left hand is held to her ear as she struggles to listen to Mikel in the studio, “Thank you Mikel, it appears to be going down shortly! Behind me is Saints and Sinners the bar once owned by Channing Tatum and rumor has it both The Immortal Mark Gentry has just entered the building and I know Anthony is inside but he is in the upper level. It is possible that may might pass like ships in the night but the smart money finds that unlikely. Either way word on the street is we are in for a hell of a show on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter! How about this crowd!”
The crowd screams as she turns to them and asks them to show Sucker Punch some love. She laughs and shouts with them with her hands up before touching her ear again. “Well I do know that Anthony has had a few drinks, especially after what happened to his teammate in that dark match. I have to say this season is in New Orleans and gators exist here,” she says with a shrug. “Thoughts and prayers to Erma Dalton’s family,” She reaches up to her ear again, “Something is happening inside.”
INT. NIGHT CLUB – NIGHT
Anthony takes down the drink and turns to Bianca. The scene is a pleasant moment between a man and a woman with Anthony’s muscles bulging nicely through the fabric of his shirt and Bianca’s bosom heaving and almost translucent under the neon glow. Anthony feels his stomach knot up as he swallows down the vodka. “Not a fan of vodka?” she says at his reaction.
“No, I love Absolut, just feeling weird about today, the show, just everything,” he says but doesn’t feel convinced himself.
“You ready, Briars!” A loud booming voice comes from the darkness and is silhouetted by red light. The camera pans to him. The tall thick man called the Immortal presses forward. His facial tattoos come into view as the camera light hits him.
Anthony is already on his feet when the camera pivots back to him. He throws the table to the side to give him some space as he widens his stance. “I just come here to drink man, we don’t have to do this now,” the shot of vodka was already coursing through his veins and his head felt foggy.
“You know the rules, anytime, anywhere,” The brute growls as he moves closer to Anthony. Anthony springs forward with a jab that catches Mark but it’s the overhand cross that shows him he means business.
Two camera crews are on the scene, one for each fighter and they maneuver around the fighters carefully as Gentry is knocked back from the punch. Mark spears the younger fighter and they fall over the white leather couch. Mark beats at Anthony’s face with heavy blows but Anthony reaches up pops his ears and shoves his thumbs into the big man’s eyes. Anthony throws him over and stands to get some distance from the massive fighter. “That’s hack shit, man.” Mark says as he sits up.
“Fuck you,” Anthony retorts.
Mark stands up and looks over his opponent who stands ready with his hands up in a boxer’s stance. The cameras are zeroed in on each fighter’s expressions. Crystal clear and gorgeously textured in the Red plus formatted digital cameras.
Mark laughs and moves in to strike back when a big hand grabs him by the throat from behind. The hand is big enough to cover Mark’s muscular neck an elbow comes down hard on the center of Mark’s forehead knocking him back to the ground. The follow up stomp to his face caves in the fighter’s skull.
Anthony’s mouth drops open. “Who?”
The monster that dispatched Mark in a few brief strikes takes off the cloak covering his face, “My name is Karl and I will be your opponent for tonight. He catches Anthony hard under his left eye before knocking him hard in his abdomen with an uppercut. Anthony pushes away and dives through a pair of french doors overlooking Bourbon street. The beast follows after and Anthony clinches Karl around the neck and goes to town on his midsection wit his knees throwing in elbows to Karl’s head. Karl grunts and nails Anthony in the ribs with his big hand breaking a rib. All the air leaves Anthony’s body as he drops the clinch. Karl bats his face with his maul-like hand and Anthony can feel his jaw is dislocated if not outright broken.
The beast above him is about to finish Anthony off when he lifts up, grabbing Karl’s legs and hoisting him up over the balcony. The fall wasn’t huge but the wrought iron fence that borders the clubs patio perforated the interloper along his ribs. Anthony stands up and looks at Karl as he tries to pull himself off the fence.
EXT. BOURBON STREET – NIGHT
The camera shows Nikki’s back as she looks at Karl limply trying to pull himself from the fence. She grabs at her ear and turns quickly back to the camera. “Just wow! It looks like Anthony has survived the fight and will move on to the next round. I have no words, back to you Mikel.”
INT. SUCKER PUNCH STUDIO – NIGHT
Two shot of Gunther and Mikel as they look on with shocked expressions. Mikel shakes his head and says, “In twenty years I have never seen anything like it Gunther what are your thoughts?”
“It is unusual but it has happened before in season five when Frank Leach jumped two fighters in mid-fight eliminating both. The difference there was that Leach was an active fighter in the tournament. This comes out of nowhere and destroys the Immortal and nearly takes out Briars.”
“We’ll get the official call momentarily but as it happens Briars is the winner and will move on to the next tier fighter Thomas Finnegan fourth generation boxer and a favorite to take the whole tournament,” Mikel places a finger to his ear and looks up into the screen shocked. “Finnegan is on the scene!”
INT. CLUB – NIGHT
Tyler makes a circle gesture over his head as he approaches Anthony crumpled on the white sofa, “Alright let’s get the Gentry crew out of here and bring in Finnegan’s crew. Anthony I’m gonna need you to have another drink and try to mention the product.”
“What’s going on?” Anthony asks.
“You’re first fight wasn’t long enough so we moved to the next tier. You’re fighting Finnegan in five minutes. That’s enough time to give you for an intro, yeah?”
“I can’t fight again, I have a broken rib.”
“You now the rules anytime, anywhere. You souldn’t have plugged that Coop I guess, Kraft is really pissed off anyway we’re rolling in five, four,” He gestures three, two, and one before pointing at a dead-eyed Anthony Briars.
The End
Neon Rabbit 