In the subterranean, labyrinthine tunnels of the Underlook, walk two distinguished professional entertainers: Montague Cervantes and Bill. Just Bill. Monty is a man of great talent and renown, highly respected among his peers in show business. His compatriot, a man of equally impressive flair, lacks the same esteem and prestige as the Showman.
On this particular occasion, Cervantes, who has long harbored a deep-seated hatred for Bill, has devised a cunning scheme to eliminate his friend and would-be rival. After acquiring a rare and highly coveted barrel of sherry, he had invited Bill to accompany him to the farm to sample the prized beverage.
As they make their way through the dark and winding tunnels, Montague regales Bill with tales of his impressive history and innovation in the art of wrestling. All the while, he conceals his true intentions beneath a veil of deceit and guile.
It doesn’t hurt that Bill is utterly befuddled thanks to the spirits swirling inside him. Bill had put up no resistance when Monty pulled him to his feet and led him into the underground hotel. He does interrupt the Mothman every couple of sentences to ask for reassurance that they’re almost to the second cask.
Upon reaching their destination, The Showman ushers Bill into a small alcove where the barrel of sherry is stored, promising again to share the rare and exquisite beverage. As Bill reaches for the cork, however, Monty seizes the opportunity, snatching Bill by the arm and shackling him to the wall with rusted, but still strong chains.
At first, Bill is taken aback by Monty's sudden aggression, unable to react. Eventually, though, he begins to beg for mercy. The Doctor-Professor is unmoved, his desire to eliminate his competition consuming him completely. He begins to taunt and jeer at Bill.
Bill writhes and struggles against his restraints as The Showman begins to wall him up in the alcove, brick by brick, all the while gloating over this impending victory. Bill's pleas for leniency fall on deaf ears, and soon he’s entombed completely, his screams echoing throughout the Underlook.
The Doctor-Professor, triumphant in his revenge, taps the final brick with a trowel, sealing Bill's fate forevermore. Filled with a sense of vindication and satisfaction, Monty smiles as the echoes of Bill's final screams echo madly up and down the halls of the Underlook.
“Hello?! You can’t do this! Hello! I am a human! Please!”
I can only regard Zane Scott with the highest esteem and utmost respect. Though we may not share the closest of friendships, we have happened upon a professional relationship that will help both of our ships to rise. In that regard, I should offer him my most sincere apologies, for in the coming contest, my hand is forced. I must regrettably vanquish Zane from this tournament.
As he is no doubt aware, we now share having suffered recent setbacks where Lucy Wylde is concerned. The Omen continues to prove stalwart, holding steadfast despite constant bombardment. Myself, I fear not, for I will soon redeem myself and wrest back the ground I’ve lost in influence here.
Alas, a glance across the brackets of the Survival of the Fittest tournament reveals that, in order to reach the final, I most likely will be required to eliminate anyone worthy of sharing that final stage with. Almost anyone… there’s a chance my old friend Tony Savage might join me in the final ring.
Should I emerge victorious this week, having regrettably ousted Zane, my next opponent shall be none other than the revered Bogeyman, JC. As entertaining and dangerous as a kangaroo may be in a match, my firsthand experience with JC tells me that he’s the more threatening opponent. Though he is a foe of the most formidable sort, hesitation will be nonexistent when we both advance to the next round. Nothing will deter me from dragging a main event worthy performance from him.
But that’s a promise to be fulfilled when that week comes. For now, the epic clash that approaches must not be overlooked.
Having always been intrigued by the works of Edgar Allan Poe, and harboring what could only be described as a subtle, but deep, appreciation for the macabre and the mysterious, The Showman has made a pilgrimage out of this trip to Baltimore, Maryland. In the hometown of the “Godly” Ken Davison, he knows that he must explore all the spots that pertain to the famous writer.
First on his list is the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, where Poe had lived with his aunt and cousins during the 1830s. Monty is struck by the humble surroundings and the stark simplicity of the house. It’s easy to imagine Poe sitting at his desk, writing his stories by candlelight. The Mothman spends several hours exploring the museum, poring over the exhibits and absorbing every detail he can.
The Showman is so engrossed in the exhibits that he loses track of time. He wanders from room to room, marveling at the artifacts and imagining the great writer himself moving through the same space so many years ago.
However, as he’s admiring a particularly intricate pen and ink drawing on the wall, he backs into a display case containing one of Poe's personal quills. The case topples over, shattering the glass and sending the artifact tumbling to the floor.
Cervantes gasps in horror as the museum staff rushes over to assess the harm. They’re clearly upset, and Monty clears his throat to begin damage control.
"I'm really very sorry," he says, holding up his hands in a gesture of contrition. "It was purely an accident. I’m sure you understand."
The staff is having none of it. They tell The Showman in no uncertain terms that he must leave the museum immediately and assure him that he is not welcome back.
Monty tries to explain that he must pay his respects to Poe, but the staff is not interested. They escort him to the door and threaten to summon the local constabulary before he accepts his fate and steps through the entrance.
He walks out onto the street, feigning humiliation. Opening the right lapel of his coat, he reaches in to retrieve the pilfered quill, which now sits in the pocket where the decoy replica once sat.
The Showman also visits the site of the former Baltimore Saturday Visiter newspaper office, where Poe had won a writing contest with his short story "MS. Found in a Bottle". The building no longer stands, but Monty can imagine what it would have been like to see the young Poe bursting with pride as he collected his prize.
The Showman smirks at how this moment in literary history parallels his recent battle back in Gnaw Bone. Much as Poe had had to contend with the editor of the Visiter’s John Hewitt, who was notorious for winning his own contest, the Showman had recently had the pleasure of reminding Ken which of them was the celebrated circus performer, and which one was just an ordinary pillar of the Baltimore community.
Next, Montague makes his way to the Poe House and Grave Site, where the author had been buried before his remains were moved to Westminster Hall. The house itself is no longer standing, but Monty can see the outline of the foundation and the remnants of the garden that Poe had tended.
One significant chapter of Montague’s career had ended, perhaps the most vital, but the foundations were still there, and the dark garden they had tended together would continue to grow in thorns and choking vines. The Mothman would rise again, in fertile new ground.
Finally, he visits Westminster Hall and Burying Ground, where Poe is buried alongside his wife, Virginia. Cervantes stands in front of the gravestone, reading the inscription and silently paying his respects to the writer who had so inspired him. As he looks around the cemetery, he can't help but wonder if Poe had found inspiration for his stories in the quiet, somber atmosphere of this burial ground.
He sees firsthand how Poe had been shaped by his surroundings, and how he had used his imagination to create some of the most haunting experiences ever written. The Doctor-Professor feels inspired enough to continue exploring the dark corners of his own imagination, just as Poe had done so many years before.
The Showman’s thoughts continue to return to his “Godly” rival. Monty can't help feeling annoyed that Ken had not responded to the offer he had been given a couple of weeks back, before the massacre at Gnaw Bone. The Mothman has been hoping to collaborate with Ken on a… project, for lack of a better word. Ken's lack of response, however, is beginning to feel like a snub.
While he is pleased with the production they had worked together to execute, Monty can't help but wonder if Ken is avoiding him just because it wasn’t his hand raised at the end of the affair.
As he stands in front of the grave of Edgar Allan Poe, the Showman finds himself addressing Ken in his mind.
"Why haven't you responded to my offer?" he thought. "We could do great things together if you would simply entertain the thought. What wonders we could work."
The Mothman takes a deep breath and pushes his annoyance aside. He knows that he can't force Ken to work with him, not yet at least, and if he is to advance in the tournament, he must turn his attention to someone who seems much more eager to collaborate.
The understanding Zane and I have recently come to is but newly struck. The potential for sore feelings courses through the blood of this first round contest. Though we share that frustrating connection that links us both to The Omen, we each came away from it with a different perspective.
Daedalus and Jordana chose the opportune moment to spring their new strategy on me, catching me in the best mood I’ve been in for months up to that point. I was high off my performance at Infinity, practically strutting if I’m being modest, satisfied with how the curtain fell at the end of the night.
On the other hand, Zane was found long after Nightmare ended, babbling in the room where he’d spent the last twenty four hours. He wasn’t angry about the loss, in fact, he’d seemed resigned, by what Roxy reported. But, babbling, all the same.
Now, perhaps I could take some partial credit for his state of mind. Being alone with your demons in Gnaw Bone can be a… traumatic experience.
At any rate, knowing how difficult it is for him to deal with unexpected losses, I can only hope that he doesn’t take the result personally and terminate our gentleman’s agreement.
