Taking Hold of the Flame 2025

[The Matt]

1 of 2
======

==========
May 17th, 2025
Boston, Massachusetts
Off Camera
==========

The living room of the household shared by the Queen of the Death Match Kimberly Williams and her boyfriend, former professional wrestler himself Tommy Wasley, sat nestled in a leafy corner of an upscale-but-not-quite-elite Boston neighborhood. The crown molding traced across the ceiling like an architectural boast, but a closer look revealed the faintest crack splitting one corner, an imperfection Kim had proudly chosen to ignore. Gleaming hardwood floors bore the soft scuff marks of boots, paws, and perhaps the occasional dropped mug. The walls, painted a dignified shade of colonial blue, were decorated with mismatched art: a minimalist black-and-white sketch of Fenway Park hung next to a garish canvas of a dragon playing poker. The result was not chaos, but character; a lived-in fusion of earnest taste and joyful absurdity. At the center of this modest domestic kingdom was the aging velvet-cushioned sofa, wide enough to accommodate a trio of misfits with room to spare. Upon its worn surface lounged Tommy, a bearded man with the look of someone who had either conquered his fair share of wrestling exploits with plenty of battle scars and bruises to prove it. Despite this, Tommy radiated quiet amusement. His husky beard framed a face equal parts rugged and endearing, and his flannel shirt, soft from years of wear, looked almost regal in the living room’s warm lighting. Cradled on his lap sat a stuffed penguin that bore his name; Wasley. Seated on Wasley’s birdhead was a small army soldier’s hat. Its black-button eyes stared forward with mute anticipation, as if it too understood the gravity of the moment. On the end table beside the sofa, elevated like an altar to absurd royalty, sat a small cage. Inside, amid a flurry of bedding fluff and a suspiciously chewed toilet paper roll, the hamster known as Caligula stood on his hind legs with twitching whiskers and unblinking eyes. He was a rotund, caramel-furred tyrant in miniature, his tiny pink paws gripping the wire bars like a prisoner.

The room was lit by a large window framed in dark red curtains that puddled just barely on the floor. Outside, the early afternoon light filtered through bare-limbed trees, casting long shadows that crawled across the coffee table and over a clutter of notebooks, empty mugs, and a decorative candle shaped like a hand grenade. It was the kind of controlled mess that suggested frequent creativity. And then there was Kimberly. The Woman Scorned did not sit. Kimberly Williams never simply sat when she could instead command space with motion. She paced in front of the sofa like a general inspecting her troops, dressed in full faux-military splendor: olive green combat fatigues, polished black boots, and a cap that tilted at a rakish angle. Gold stars glittered on her collar, though they were clearly hot-glued on, and one shoulder bore a patch of a penguin riding a missile. Her wild red hair burst from beneath her cap like flames escaping a chimney, and her expression was grave, serious in a theatrical, slightly deranged way. Every few steps, she turned on her heel with dramatic precision, pointing a finger as if about to deliver orders that might decide the fate of nations. The Queen of the Death Match circled the room like a hawk; or perhaps more accurately, like a child who had never truly grown up, who refuses to grow up because that’s just boring. Each pass by the sofa was a performance: a chin lift, a sharp exhale, a subtle glance toward Tommy to ensure he was playing his part. The hamster watched from his cage with twitchy anticipation; the penguin remained impassive. Tommy, eyes half-lidded and one arm draped over the back of the couch, looked perfectly at ease in this absurd theater of domestic war.

“Ok maggots listen up!” Kimberly growls with unbridled rage that suits her drill sergeant impersonation to a ‘T’. “There are those in this world who believe in diplomacy. There are those who believe that we should negotiate with the enemy. Do you know what I think of negotiators and diplomats?” She stops and glares down and the hamster. “WELL DO YOU?!”

“Pretty sure he doesn’t, babe.” Tommy says.

“Did I give you permission to talk, Private Tomcat?!”

“Uh…no?”

“Then silence!” Kim declares. She continues pacing around the sofa while Tommy watches on with amusement. “I call those who cry for diplomacy weak in the knees traitors! You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth!”

“You’ve been watching Darkest Hour again, haven’t you?” Tommy asks.

“Damn right I have, Private Tomcat! Now shut your trap and listen up! That goes for all three of you because while the traitors have been clamoring for peace, the enemy has been growing strong and now the war has come to OUR doorstep! The enemy wants to take our freedoms! They already took our Daleks!

“Because Daleks are against HOA guidelines…” Tommy’s voice trails off.

“And who wrote the HOA guidelines, Private Tomcat?!” Kimberly angrily asks. Tommy shrugs his shoulders. “The enemy! The enemy will continue to take and take until there is nothing left! But I say no more! Someone has to stand up to this evil empire and that person shall be me…” she motions to Tommy, the penguin, and Caligula the hamster “...and all of you! We shall stand up to the evil empire and we shall win!”

“Babe, I’m really glad you’re into history and all of these war movies…”

“I’m gonna watch Apocalypse Now tomorrow!” She says, grinning from ear to ear.

“Thank God you didn’t watch that before you gave this speech.” Tommy smirks. “But, uh, I think you might be overreacting just a smidge in calling the Homeowner’s Association an empire, let alone an evil one.”

“Yes but Karen Lassiter is the HOA President and she IS evil!” Kim smirks.

“Yeah, I know, she offended you recently.” Tommy sighs and shrugs her shoulders. “But do you honestly have any idea how difficult it is to challenge a Homeowner’s Association? Do you have any idea how hard it is to take them on? They have contracts that we signed and agreements that we made when we signed those contracts. Karen is gonna have the courts on her side. If you push her buttons too much…”

“Of course The Evil Empire will have the corrupt legal system on its side! But have no fear, Private Tomcat!” Kim says happily. “I have a plan!”

Tommy chuckles quietly and makes room on the sofa. He motions for The Woman Scorned to join him. “Tell me all about it, babe.” Instantly, Williams walks over and sits down on the sofa next to Tommy. He wraps his arm around her lovingly. Kimberly is still grinning ear to ear, eager and excited about these supposed plans of hers to stop the so-called ‘evil empire’ of Karen Lassiter and the homeowner’s association.

“Well my first thought was to conjure that demon…”

“Demon?” Tommy’s eyes grow wide.

“You remember! The one that still owes me five dollars!”

“Oh right.” Tommy rolls his eyes. “Babe, have you considered the fact that demons aren’t real? Besides, if they are and…uh…if one does owe you five dollars…would you really trust that one to help you?”

“Ok good points, all of them!” Kimberly agrees. “I have other plans!” She points to the hamster. “Caligula here has connections to the seedy underworld of the Mormon Mafia. He can talk to them and they’ll take care of Karen…if you catch my drift…” she winks playfully. Tommy chuckles.

“Uh, babe, don’t forget that Caligula is just a hamster, he doesn’t actually talk, doesn’t have connections, and I am pretty sure there is no such thing as a Mormon Mafia.”

“Crap, you’re right.” Williams sighs. “Fine! I’ll kidnap her and replace her!”

“Nope.” Tommy shakes his head. “Won’t work.”

“Yes it will!” Kim says with frustration. “I kidnapped Marie and replaced her! If I can do it once I can do it again!”

“Yes, well, kidnapping your identical twin sister landed you in a mental hospital.” Tommy points out. “Also Karen Lassiter looks NOTHING like you. It only worked with Marie because you two are IDENTICAL TWINS.”

“Oh right…” Kim folds her arms over her chest and pouts “...fighting wars can be so hard.”

“I know.” Tommy kisses Kimberly on the cheek. “Instead of going for a full scale war, why don’t we just, you know, move?”

“Move?!” Kim seems stunned at the suggestion. Tommy nods his head.

“Of course. I mean, face it, you weren’t exactly fond of the place when we first moved in. It was too nice for your standards. Now on top of that, you’re having to deal with a…well…a literal Karen. So let’s just our losses and move somewhere that might fit your style better and where we don’t have to deal with a homeowner’s association.”

“You are suggesting that I quit?” Kim shakes her head vehemently. “I may be a lot of things, but I am NOT a quitter! I am not going to let her run me off! Besides, it has been my childhood dream to go to war with a HOA President named Karen Lassiter.”

“That’s quite a specific dream, babe.” Tommy laughs. “But don’t you have other dreams to focus on?”

“Well there is ONE other dream that I have, one goal that means more to me right now than gouging Karen’s eyes out.”

“What’s that?”

“Becoming SCW World Champion.”

“Oh well that’s interesting.” Tommy nods his head. “I gotta say, though, I didn’t think you cared that much about being World Champion? Hell, didn’t you threaten to burn the SCW World Title?”

“Yep…” Kim snickers “...but that was when I didn’t really understand the enormity of what it means to be at the top of the company. Being World Champion was Marie’s dream at the time. She knew the feeling as she had been World Champion in other promotions…namely GCW. But I was willing to help her achieve that goal. I didn’t really want the SCW World Title then, but Shaun Cruiserweight put me in that double jeopardy match for the title for some ungodly reason. Still, I was in it and I was gonna compete…not for myself but for Marie. I really wasn’t gonna burn it if I won, I was just gonna give it to Marie.” She chuckles. “That’s probably why I didn’t win. I didn’t care enough. I didn’t have the passion or determination.”

“You do now?” Tommy asks, arching a brow.

“A lot has changed. I got another title shot since then…against Owen Cruze. But even then I think my focus was off. I was Underground Champion and it was winner take all. I was more focused on elevating the Underground Title than I was on actually winning the SCW World Title. Still I came close to winning.”

“So are you writing off becoming Underground Champion for a sixth time?” Tommy asks. Kim shakes her head.

“No…well I don’t know.” She sighs. “I just know my sisters have all won world titles. My mother and aunt are both former world champions. But none could do that here, none of them won the SCW World Title. I want to make them proud, I want to make my family proud, by winning the SCW World Title. And that means Taking Hold of the Flame…” her voice trails off.

“Yeah, that isn’t gonna be easy.” He shakes his head. “But I know you can do it.”

“And I will do it.” She insists. “I may have some personal issues with this Karen and her HOA. But that’s a minor problem. Taking Hold of the Flame is my focus, Tommy. I know that winning it is the quickest way to a World Title Match.” She holds up two fingers. “Two years in a row I turned in impressive performances. Two years in a row I came close. But this year has to be my year.”

“And it will be, babe.” Tommy smiles warmly. “You got me, your penguin, Caligula, and of course your Kimmymaniacs backing you up.”

“Thanks.” Kim hugs him in a tight embrace. Eventually she breaks her grip and stands back up. “Now then, maggots, can I resume my WAR PLANNING against the evil empire?!”

“Sure…” Tommy laughs “...just be careful!”

“I don’t know the meaning of the word!” Kim proudly declares.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of.”

==========
May 18th, 2025
Boston, Massachusetts
Off Camera
==========

The sun hung lazily in the mid-morning sky, filtered through the light haze of a bright day in Boston, Massachusetts. The air was warm with just the right nip of chill to remind Boston residents that summer had not yet claimed the city. Birds chirped half-heartedly from the budding trees. Kimberly Williams lay draped across a lounge chair on her modest backyard patio as if it were a throne made for scandal. The patio itself was a modest space of clean stone pavers surrounded by a white privacy fence, just high enough to give her room to act out her insane antics, but not quite high enough to keep her out of the HOA’s (and Karen Lassiter’s) crosshairs. A mismatched collection of potted plants cluttered the edges. The Dalek Karen Lassiter had encountered last time is gone, just as she had requested. But Kim has had it replaced. Standing there in the center of the lawn is a ten foot tall, massive cardboard cutout SCW’s former top man in charge, Mr. D.

But none of that compared to Kimberly herself. She wore what could only be described as the unholy offspring of a circus ringleader and a Venetian opera diva. A crimson velvet tailcoat, hem trailing dramatically across the patio stones, clung to her shoulders with unnecessary shoulder pads that gave her the silhouette of a villainous matriarch from a 1980s soap opera. Beneath the coat, a sparkling gold corset clashed gloriously with zebra-striped leggings tucked into thigh-high patent leather boots with absurd heels that glinted like obsidian. A monocle dangled from a golden chain around her neck, though it was clearly plastic and designed for a Halloween costume. To complete the ensemble, she wore a towering, feathered headpiece, a riot of peacock blues and lime green that looked like it could take flight on its own given a strong enough gust of wind. In one hand she held a wine glass filled not with wine, but neon orange sports drink. In the other, she languidly twirled a bubble wand, sending the occasional iridescent orb drifting into the air like emissaries of absurdity. She heard the click of shoes indicating the arrival of a visitor. Kim is not surprised. She was anticipating this. She was counting on this. This is the arrival of the woman who represents ‘the evil empire’ as Kim calls it; Karen Lassiter.

Karen Lassiter approached from the side gate, which Kimberly had thoughtfully left unlocked. The gate creaked with a practiced sort of disapproval, announcing the arrival of someone who always traveled with the air of reluctant enforcement. Her hair was neatly bobbed and streaked with the precise kind of blonde that required scheduled maintenance. Her pastel blouse and khaki slacks were as crisp as her expression was tight. Her clipboard, of course there was a clipboard, was held against her chest like armor. The tension that always accompanied Karen’s presence drifted into the yard like secondhand perfume. Kimberly did not flinch. She adjusted the peacock feathers on her headpiece, exhaled as if exhausted by the sheer effort of being fabulous, and took another slow sip of her lurid sports drink. A bubble popped just as Karen reached the edge of the patio, narrowly missing her nose. Kim knew this would be the start of just the latest of her games. One she’d been rehearsing for all morning. The stage was set. The curtain was up. And now, at last, the players stood in position.

“Karen!” Kim says gleefully, as if she is happy to see her here. And in a way, she is. This is the perfect opportunity to annoy her. This is Kim’s ‘war strategy’...annoy the piss out of Lassiter. “My favorite HOA President!” She swings her legs over the edge of the lounge chair and quickly stands up. “How the hell are ya?!”

“I WAS in a good mood…” Karen remarks coldly “...then I saw you looking like…” she makes a look of disgust, like she’s about to vomit “...like this!”

“Awww thanks!” Kim exclaims. “I aim to please!”

“Obviously you are STILL choosing to act like a troublemaker instead of abiding by the rules.” Karen says scoldingly, like a parent talking to her child. Kim smirks knowingly.

“I do NOT act like a troublemaker. I AM a troublemaker.” She winks. “Get it right, Karen.”

“That much we can agree on.” Lassiter rolls her eyes.

“Why do you sound so grumpy, Kare-Bear?” Kim asks. “I mean, you should be happy. You asked me to get rid of the Dalek and I did.”

“Yes, yes you did.” Karen growls and then points up at the ten foot tall Mr. D. “But you just replaced one monstrosity with another!”

“That is NOT a monstrosity!” Kim says, feigning offense. “That is a Canadian!”

“That is a giant…thing…”

“No, it’s a Canadian.” Kim tilts her head to one side and studies Karen. “You aren’t prejudiced against Canadians, ARE YOU?” She asks playfully. “That might be against one of your HOA policies.”

“What?!” Karen exclaims. “Why would I be prejudiced against Canada?!”

“Good.” Kim smirks. “Otherwise I would have to report you to the HOA.”

“Listen here, Williams.” Karen says, her patience is growing thin and she appears to be ready to burst into an angry rage at a moment’s notice. “I stopped by just to check on you, to see if you were complying by HOA guidelines. I asked you to get rid of that giant pepper shaker thing…”

“Dalek.”

“Whatever! I asked you to get rid of it…”

“And I did!” Kim bows. “You’re welcome! Glad I could help!”

“You didn’t help and you certainly didn’t abide by the guidelines!” Karen points at Mr. D again. “You just replaced the giant pepper shaker with a giant Canadian!”

“His name is Mr. D and he wishes you would respect his life choices.” Kim states firmly.

“I don’t care!” Karen shouts angrily. “Take Mr. D down and send him back to Toronto or wherever the hell you got him from! Do it now or else!”

“Or else what?” Kim asks with a jovial grin on her face. Karen does not look happy at all. She places her hands on her hips.

“There will be consequences for continued non-compliance, Ms. Williams.” Karen’s voice is spitting with anger. “As a matter of fact, tomorrow there happens to be a meeting of the homeowner’s association…” she points a finger at Kim “...and you and your walrus of a boyfriend had better show up!”

“I didn’t know I was dating a walrus!” Kim grins from ear to ear. “I can’t wait to tell my friends! They’ll be so jealous!”

“Shut up!” Karen exclaims. “Just take note that there is a HOA meeting tomorrow and you BOTH had better be there. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”

“Sir, yes sir!” Kim says, playfully saluting Karen.

With that, Karen turns on her heel and storms away in a huff. Kimberly is waving at her the entire time with a grin on her face. It is obvious that The Woman Scorned enjoyed every bit of this encounter. A few moments later, once Karen Lassiter is safely out of range, Tommy Wasley enters the scene and joins his girlfriend on the patio.

“You had fun, didn’t you?” He asks.

“It was a blast!” Kim says gleefully. “Did ya see it?”

“I saw the whole thing.” He says, nodding his head. “So is this your strategy? Just be obnoxious until she leaves you alone?”

“Yup.” Kim nods her head. “If there’s one thing I’m great at, its being obnoxious!”

“Yeah, well, leaving isn’t her only option. She could try to force us to leave.” Tommy points out. “Did you think about that?”

“Eh, don’t worry.” Kim scoffs. “I’ll cross that bridge when and IF we get there.” She snickers. “For now, I’m gonna enjoy this.”

“We may have to cross that bridge earlier than you think.” Tommy points out. “Remember we got that meeting tomorrow.”

“I was gonna skip it.” Kim says. “I do have other things to focus on, like Taking Hold of the Flame.”

“You SHOULD be focusing on Taking Hold of the Flame, but skipping this meeting now is not a good idea. She made it a point to invite you…well, order you…and after all you’ve done to intentionally annoy her, it is obvious that you are going to be a topic of discussion tomorrow night. And if you aren’t there, then she has free reign to say whatever she wants about you.”

“Yeah, I see your point.” Williams smirks. “Oh well…I’ll just make her regret inviting me!”

==========
May 19th, 2025
Boston, Massachusetts
Off Camera
==========

The community center in Boston, Massachusetts had faux-brick facade and grand double doors that seemed to suggest a miniature town hall, but the illusion wore thin the moment one stepped inside. The walls were lined with bland motivational posters left over from a bulk order, likely ordered by Karen Lassiter herself to promote her idea of how the HOA should be run. Some of these slogans included: “Civility is Strength,” “Harmony Builds Community,” “Quiet Voices, Big Impact”; all printed in pastel gradients that clashed unforgivably with the beige carpet. Overhead, fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, flickering now and then with a nervous tic that had gone ignored for months. A long folding table stretched across the front of the room, draped in a navy-blue cloth. The folding chairs were the kind that pinched the back if you sat too far back, but they’d been arranged in painfully neat rows for the dozen or so residents trickling in. Most were retirees with polite smiles and quiet grumbles, dressed in the uniform of upper-middle-class civility: pressed slacks, cardigans, loafers, and neutral tones. A large coffee urn burbled in the back corner next to a tray of sugar cookies that looked like they’d been bought more out of obligation than generosity.

Kimberly Williams and Tommy Wasley were not blending in. They entered as a unit, a united front of defiant whimsy against the beige monotony. Tommy wore a crisp white shirt that might have been formal if not for the unbuttoned collar, the paisley suspenders in bright violet and gold, and the rolled-up sleeves. His khaki slacks were actually tailored, though his brown leather boots had clearly seen better days. His beard was combed but unruly, like a man who had wrestled with the mirror and made peace with partial defeat. Kim, by contrast, had clearly planned her outfit as a declaration of war. She wore a mismatched ensemble that included a purple silk blouse, a hot pink miniskirt, and olive green high heel shoes. A belt cinched at her waist with a comically oversized gold buckle in the shape of a penguin. Her hair was twisted up in a gravity-defying style, pinned in place with at least three glittering chopsticks. She wore sunglasses indoors. They were heart-shaped. As they made their way to the third row of chairs, several heads turned. One woman audibly gasped. Karen Lassiter, seated at the head table in a powder-blue pantsuit, stiffened like a woman who had just tasted something sour but didn’t want to be rude about it. Her eyes locked onto Kimberly’s ensemble with the weariness of a soldier recognizing a familiar battlefield. Tommy offered a polite nod to a man near the coffee maker. Kim didn’t acknowledge anyone. She sat with the poise of a woman claiming a throne. Tommy eased into the seat next to her with practiced nonchalance, crossing one ankle over his knee and resting his arm along the back of her chair. The room settled with the hum of hushed conversations and shuffling papers. A gavel, unnecessarily large, lay waiting near the edge of the long table up front. Karen reached for her clipboard. Someone coughed. The door closed with a soft thud.

“Well here we are…” Tommy sounds rather nervous as his voice trails off. Kimberly, however, seems to be rather excited. In fact, she seems eager to tackle this next challenge in her quest to ‘vanquish the evil empire’ of the Homeowner’s Association that she and Tommy are having to deal with. Kimberly’s most recent encounter with Karen Lassiter was carefully orchestrated to further infuriate her, to continue to annoy her without doing anything to overtly defy HOA guidelines. Kimberly was asked to take down her life size Dalek statue…and she did…but she replaced it with a massive cardboard cutout of SCW’s Mr. D. No one told her she could not put Mr. D up in her yard. It was a minor technicality that even Karen Lassiter could not deny. But coincidentally a meeting of the HOA is taking place the next day and The Woman Scorned anticipates action from her ‘sworn enemy’ Karen Lassiter.

“A bunch of old people.” Kim whines. “There’s a few people our age but not many.”

“I wouldn’t worry about our demographics. I would be worrying about what Karen has in store for you. You have been a thorn in her side for over a month now and she doesn’t seem like the type to just forgive and forget. She’s likely gonna bring up this feud between you two.”

“Bring it on.” Kim smirks knowingly. “I came prepared for war.” She produces her purse and opens it up, showing Tommy that there is a taser tucked inside. “See?”

“You are joking, right babe?” Tommy asks.

“Have you ever known me to be serious?” Kim says, winking playfully. Tommy shakes her head.

“Never. But, uh, that taser isn’t exactly what I was talking about.” Tommy chuckles. “I mean, you need to be ready to defend yourself against whatever accusations she throws your way.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Kim folds her arms over her chest. “I just hope this meeting gets over with quickly. Karen is really cramping my style and my schedule by practically forcing my hand and forcing me to be here tonight!

“I know, I know, you want to prepare for Taking Hold of the Flame.”

“It isn’t just a matter of wanting to win…” Kim sighs “...everyone in the damn company wants to win it. But I need to win it. I HAVE to win it. For too long I have asked myself if I truly was worthy of carrying on my mother’s legacy, the Jones Wrestling legacy. Was I worthy of being a Dragon like my mom? My legendary mother never won Taking Hold of the Flame. She never won the SCW World Title. She never main evented Rise To Greatness. But if I were to do that…” Kim smirks “...if I were to win the Flame, go to the main event of Rise To Greatness, and become SCW World Champion, then yeah, I would prove that I am worthy of carrying on my family name.”

“You’re crazy.” Tommy says.

“Tell me something I don’t already know.”

“I’m serious, your nuttier than a fruitcake.” Tommy chuckles. “You are crazy if you think that you need to do anything else to prove that you are worthy. You are one of the best to do it, Kim, and this stupid meeting won’t hinder you from achieving your goal. So don’t sweat it. Besides…” Tommy kisses her on her cheek. “...you did start this. You provoked Karen.”

“What is this? You taking her side?” Kim seems surprised.

“Just pointing out facts, babe. But I…” Tommy, along with everyone else in the room still engaged in their own idle conversations, are interrupted by the loud banging of the gavel. Kim, Tommy, and the entire room turn their attention towards Karen, who holds the gavel in her hand authoritatively. She pauses for a moment before setting it back down. Kim and Tommy brace themselves. They know that the time is now.

“As President of the Homeowner’s Association I would like to call this meeting to order. And as President, I would like to begin by addressing a particular problem that has arisen…”

“Order! Order in the court!” Kim cries out, feigning anger. “Objection, your honor!”

“What is your problem, Ms. Williams?” Karen asks.

“Aren’t we supposed to read the minutes of the previous meeting first? I mean, that’s proper procedure, right?”

“This is a unique situation.” Karen points out.

“Whatever you say.” Kim winks. “But I might have to report you to the HOA for breaking procedure.”

The Woman Scorned can see based on the redness in Karen’s face that the last sentence really irked the HOA President. Karen does her best to maintain her composure as she continues with her meeting.

“Like I said, Ms. Williams, this is a unique situation.” She points a finger at Kimberly. “And, to be perfectly frank, I am glad you interrupted me, because this unique situation involves you.”

“Oh goodie!” Kim exclaims. “I love being the center of attention!”

“Ladies and gentlemen, this right here is but a mere glimpse into the insane world of Ms. Kimberly Williams and of the threat she poses to the peace and order of this community. Look around you! Look at these signs…Harmony Builds Community. Civility Is Strength. These are the slogans that our little community has been built upon, that we have lived by, for such a long time now.” She motions to the others gathered here in the room around the table. “All of you, including Ms. Williams and Mr. Wasley, signed the agreements binding everyone in our community to the same rules and regulations that maintain the peace and harmony of our community.” Karen points a finger at Kimberly. “But she refuses to abide by our guidelines and thus threatens peace and stability.”

“Rules are meant to be broken.” Kim says playfully.

“No, they are meant to be obeyed.” Karen says pointedly. “Now, allow me to tell you of the many infractions she has made. We have strict rules about when decorations can be displayed, what kind of decorations can be displayed, and how many decorations can be displayed. The closest holiday is July 4th, Independence Day, and the decorations she has in her yard are nowhere near resembling anything that would honor this country.”

“Ok, ok, I’ll admit, my decorations do not honor the United States of America.” Kim sighs. “The Dalek was made by the British.”

“Yes! That pepper shaker thing!” Karen shouts. “It is obscene!”

“Yes but I took it down.”

“Only to put up a giant monstrosity in its place!”

“Mr. D is not a monstrosity.” Kim sighs. “But he is Canadian so I suppose that doesn’t exactly honor the upcoming July 4th holiday, either…or Memorial Day for that matter. But I did take him down. Can I put him back up on Canada Day?”

“No!” Karen exclaims. “Your…Mr. D…is no longer allowed up!”

“You are clearly prejudiced against Canadians.” Kim points out sternly.

“Am not!”

“Now you sound like a child.” Kim snickers.

“Says the one who is disrespecting everything this community stands for!” She motions to Kim. “Look at how she is dressed! Is this how one dresses for a formal meeting?! You look like a clown?!”

“I didn’t realize there was a dress code in the HOA documents we signed.”

“There isn’t but if you had a shred of common decency you would show our community some respect.” Karen looks out at the others gathered around the table. “Do you see, ladies and gentlemen? Ms. Williams has no respect for any of you.”

“I respect them. I even respect this organization.” She points at Karen. “I just don’t respect you.”

“I do not need your respect.” Karen snaps. “But if you respected this organization then you would conform to the standards and rules of the HOA.”

“Look, Kare-Bear, you’ve had your time to speak. Now it’s my turn.” Williams stands up. Tommy sinks into his chair, nervous about what his girlfriend might say next. “I’m not gonna stand here and argue for complete anarchy within the community. Sure, certain guidelines and rules need to be in place, but do we need to be all stuck up about them? Do we need to be so damn obsessed with them that we lose sense of our individuality?” She points at Karen. “People like Kare-Bear want everyone of you to fit into a cookie cutter mold. She wants each and every single one of you to be clones. Duplicates. No individuality. We are borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.” The Woman Scorned shakes her head.

“But not me, I cannot do that and I won’t do that. I cannot conform because that’s just not in my nature. Some of you have conforming to her rules to be quite easy because, well, you all have been raised in comfort, in wealth, and in luxury. You, like Kare-Bear, come from money. But I didn’t. My life started out in a living hell, cut off from my family, had no one who cared about me, and I was on a downward spiral. I’m not gonna go into the sordid details of my life story. If you are interested, I’m sure all of you, with your wealth, can easily find out. Point is, the things that I have done tend to change a person. For a long time it made me a monster.” Her tone had been serious but then she starts grinning.

“But then I refused to let my circumstances rule my life. I decided to enjoy life! I decided to be unique! There is only ONE Kimberly Williams and you will never find anyone quite like me! I have a penguin and hamster that I talk to. Big deal! I happen to enjoy rolling around in barbed wire for a living. So what? I am a professional wrestler and soon I will kick the ever living crap out of thirty nine other competitors because I want to be SCW World Champion. Why do I put myself through that? Because I enjoy entertaining the fans. The fans love me. They find me entertaining. And if I had to poll you, I would guess that most of you find me entertaining too.” She points a finger at Karen. “But Karen…she’s just dull.”

“Dull?!” Karen exclaims.

“You heard me.”

“I cannot believe you would say such a thing!” Karen shouts. “Apologize!”

“No.”

“Apologize!”

“Uh, babe,” Tommy whispers “maybe you should…”

“Oh alright.” Kim sighs. “I am so sorry that you are one dull, boring, little old lady.”

“What?!” Karen stands up, now furious. “This is outrageous!”

“I apologized. What else do you want?” Kim smirks knowingly. Karen is boiling over with anger. Kimberly can sense that she is about to pop, that she is about to lose control. Any moment now Karen is going to snap, Kim can sense it. But Karen does maintain a semblance of self-control. Instead of doing something she might later regret, Karen just storms away in a huff, walking past Tommy, Kim, and everyone else in attendance. Karen Lassiter storms out of the building and slams the door shut behind her. Kim chuckles.

“She took that well.”

“I dunno.” Tommy stands up. “You may have pushed here a bit too far this time, babe.”

“Nonsense.” Kim insists. “I’ve only just begun to be obnoxious.”

The others in attendance are mostly silent, many do not know quite what to think. Others talk amongst themselves, no doubt about the awkward exchange between Kimberly and Karen. It is hard to tell at this point who the remaining members of the community support; Kim or Karen. Nevertheless, this meeting ended rather abruptly and awkwardly. Kim is happy with her work and even more happy that she made Karen Lassiter so angry that she just left. But before Kim and Tommy can do anything else, another woman approaches them. She appears to be Karen’s age and, like Karen, is well dressed and well kept. Williams can only assume that she is about to make another ‘friend’ and prepares herself for the worst.

“Hi,” Kim waves playfully “did you enjoy the show?”

“Indeed I did.” The woman remarks. She extends a hand. “My name is Camilla Aldridge and I must say that I am very impressed with how you handled Karen Lassiter.”

“Oh really?” This response took Kim by surprise. She accepts the handshake. Camilla nods her head.

“Karen has always been full of herself and very bossy. It was quite refreshing to see someone finally put her in her place.”

“What can I say? I enjoy putting people like her in her place.”

“I can tell.” Camilla nods her head. “And I want to assure you, there are more people who support you than her.”

“Really?”

“Of course.” Camilla nods her head. “Do not back down, Kimberly. You have supporters.”

Just as quickly as she came by, Camilla turns and makes her exit. Kim grins from ear to ear, pleasantly surprised to learn that people here do indeed support her stance against Karen Lassiter. Tommy, however, seems confused.

“That was odd.”

“What?” Kim asks.

“Camilla.”

“What’s odd about it?” Kim asks. “She likes my work. And apparently other people do! The evil empire is about to fall because I have started a revolution!”

Indeed a revolution has been started. The status quo has been upset by The Woman Scorned and the homeowner’s association will never be the same, she has seen to that. But where this goes from here is anyone’s guess. According to this new woman, Camilla, most of the other people support Kimberly over Karen and have welcomed her challenge to Karen’s authority. Still, Karen is the HOA President, and that brings with it some great power and leverage. Kim has survived yet another encounter with Karen Lassiter. She has arguably WON this battle but the war is far from over.

Then there is another war looming on the horizon, namely Taking Hold of the Flame. For a long time The Queen of the Death Match has never focused too much on being a World Champion but now all of that is changing. She attributes this change to her growing attachment to her family. The Jones Wrestling Family is known for producing World Champions but Kim, despite being the daughter of Angelica Jones, has never truly viewed herself as a Jones, she never thought she was worthy of the name. Call it maturity, call it introspection, call it whatever you want, Kimberly is beginning to think herself more and more as worthy of the Jones Wrestling Family legacy. Now she wants to make her family proud by doing what none of them could do; win Taking Hold of the Flame and become SCW World Champion.

So Kimberly is prepared to enter Taking Hold of the Flame yet again, only this time she isn’t doing it to elevate the Underground Title or to send a message. This time she is entering for the right reasons. She knows that this battle royal is the quickest way to a World Title shot. It may not be easy but at least Taking Hold of the Flame, a match rooted in chaos, is in her wheelhouse. She is determined to make sure that this year is her year to win it all.