Later that evening, after an early supper, Wilson decided to check out the underground wrestling platform at Barnes and Horr street. He was led by Vox into the huge parking lot that bordered both Barnes Bar and Horr's Hotel. They silently walked to the underground level, Vox and Jim walked in front and Wilson followed behind, thinking deeply about the fight he had with Colt.
Upon getting there, they walked in a straight line between cars until they got to a wall. Vox walked forward with a solemn look and tapped at the wall randomly as if pushing invisible buttons. He then took a step back and five seconds later, a whooshing sound was heard before the wall turned into pixels and disappeared, leaving a staircase that sloped downwards for all to see.
"Stay close. Make sure there is no lesser than a two step difference between you and the person before you!" Vox ordered, his face still solemn, as he led the way down the staircase. Jim followed two steps behind and Wilson hesitated a little and tried to sense for any signs of danger, which was basically his instincts going haywire on him. Only after he felt like the coast was clear did he rush to catch up with them, also choosing to follow behind them from a distance of two steps away from Jim.
After walking downwards for about five minutes in total silence with only Vox's shoes breaking silence by clacking on the paved stairs (Jim and Wilson were wearing sneakers that barely made any sound and was completely overwhelmed by Vox's), the staircase ended and they could see a steel door about a meter ahead.
As soon as they pushed open the steel door, the noise hit them like a shockwave.
There were the curses, lamentations and yelled advices:
"...f*ck, how could you lose? You said you had it in the bag!"
"....kill him! break his bones..."
"...yeah, again, again! Why did you stop.."
"..I swear if you lose..."
"..this is my wife's salary, I must not lose because of you!.."
"...beat him harder...."
"...why are your punches not hurting him? are you pulling your punches?"
"..f*ck! I just bet on a staged match! I'm doomed.."
"..guard..guard, you dummy!"
"...roast his motherf*cking ass..."
There were also those men and women yelling love confessions at the fighters.
"..ahh, I love you..."
"marry me, my goddess!"
"..I promise I will f*ck you right, left and center.."
Let's not go into details what happened to the man that said that last sentence. The short form was that the lady he spoke to, 'missed' and accidentally, her poison whip hit him in the face, sending him flying until he landed at Wilson's feet. He was already retching out blood and foam and convulsing before the security and medical officials could arrive to help him.
And then there was the stench of blood, sweat and tears mixed with myriad sweet scented perfumes. It was many things at once; sickening, invigorating, maddening, alluring, etc, etc.
Wilson and Jim and Vox walked around these numerous circles filled with different people circling around different duelling fighters. Some male, some female. They soon arrived at the bar/ reception area where Horr and Bar both sat together sharing a drink and laughing; Horr guffawed loudly, hoarsely and nonchalantly and Bar with a polite chuckle and a gentle, smiling face.
"Bar! Horr!" Vox yelled in greeting.
"Oh? Vox! Come on, join us, join us." Horr looked at Vox and called him to join them at the table.
"You came? What are you doing here today? I thought you wanted to see a hospitalized friend?" Bar asked.
Vox turned and pointed at Wilson who was looking away and intensely watching two huge musclebrains with arms the size of basketballs, roughly battling it out in a test of strength.
"That's him." Vox said.
"Is that the Wilson?" Horr and Bar asked at the same time. Bar was not at the day Wilson and Jim arrived.
"Yes." Vox answered.
"Oy, Wilson! Come!" Horr called.
Wilson turned and moved towards them. He stopped at their table and looked at the caller with a slight frown.
"That's Mr Horr!" Vox told him.
Immediately, Wilson's frowning face turned to a big, polite smile as he grabbed Horr's hand resting on the table and shook it.
"Such a pleasure to meet you, dear honorable sir!" He said, his face beaming, his teeth lighting up the room.
"What the...." Horr was shocked by the sudden transformation.
Bar, Jim and Vox chuckled.
"And this.." Vox said pointing at Bar. "...is Mr Bar of Barnes Bar!"
Wilson's expression somehow managed to brighten up even more. He clapped twice in exaggerated excitement. It was so loud, Bar's ears hurt. As Bar flinched, Wilson grabbed his right hand, held it with both of his and shook it vigorously.
"Honor, honor. Such a great honor to meet you sir."
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Bar asked as he released himself from Wilson's grip.
"I told him to look serious earlier." Vox explained.
"And I have never seen him like this!" Jim said.
"You sure he would not be better off seeking death for money like you?" Horr asked Vox and for a brief moment, Jim could picture Vox and Wilson doing business together.
Just imagine; Vox causing trouble and running away to hide behind Wilson who, with the same cheeky smile on, tries to appease confusedly. And then, when they try to beat them up, they have to deal with an unrelenting fighter and someone who barely feels pain but still likes to exaggeratedly yelp and howl upon the slightest hit.
For example;
*smack*
"Ooooooooww!" He would tell in pain a little too blandly, then remember that he has not expressed the pain properly and so restart with a louder pitch; "OOOOOOOOW!! IT HURTS SO MUCH! MY PRECIOUS BACK, SORRY, MY PRECIOUS LEG....hair!"
The major problem is that he usually expressed his pain loudly but his face would look very relaxed.
In the end, the offended people will end up with nothing but more frustration and anger.
Jim quickly shook his head and cleared his head of such scary thoughts.
"If you think about it, wrestling in a place like this can also be seen as a form of death seeking." Wilson said.
Apart from Jim, the other three looked at one another as they thought the words through.
"Awn!" Bar spoke first.
"That's so true!" Vox said.
"Yeah!" Horr quipped thoughtfully.
"So Wilson, have you decided to fight?" Jim asked.
Wilson looked at Jim, Vox, then at Bar and Horr before looking back at the two muscleheads fighting. One of them was already on the floor while the other roared in excitement and victory as the audience cheered for him. Wilson looked back at them and responded.
"Yes! I want to wrestle."
Jim quipped in immediately.
"So, what took you so long to answer? You just wasted our time for nothing. How dramatic!"