A Brush with Death

Doctor: "You're Mr. Matthews, correct?"

Chuck looks up to see an older looking man poking his head into the waiting room. He seems distraught about something. Chuck has been sitting in the waiting room for the better part of the last hour, his chin resting in folded hands. Chuck gets to his feet, nodding slowly.

Chuck Matthews: "Yeah. Everything alright?"

The doctor opens his mouth, but no words come out. He motions to Chuck.

Doctor: "I think it's best you come with me."

Chuck takes a deep breath, and follows the doctor through the halls of the hospital, to an area near the end. He stops at the curtain, and solemnly faces Chuck.

Doctor: "Before I take you in there...I want to assure you, we did everything we could."

Chuck's face falls. He stares at the doctor. What was he saying?

Doctor: "The procedure went splendidly. Both were delivered without any problems. But...your sister...she ah..."

Chuck shakes his head. This wasn't really happening, was it?

Doctor: "I'm not exactly sure what happened. She suddenly began to have these strange convulsions...and we..."

Chuck Matthews: "You what?"

He was afraid he already knew the answer...but he had to hear it for himself.

Doctor: "We....lost her."

Chuck stands there for a moment. The moment the doctor had stuck his head into the lobby, Chuck knew something was wrong...but this was the news? For a moment, it seems too surreal. It couldn't truly be happening.

Chuck Matthews: "I want to see her."

He puts his hand on the curtain. The doctor makes an attempt to stop him, but Chuck pulls the curtain open before he has the chance. Chuck stares at the scene before him. Jessica Matthews lies in her bed, her face deathly white. Corey sits in a chair next to her. He holds her hand in both of his. His head is bowed, and he doesn't say a word. He doesn't look up when Chuck walks in.

Corey Casey: "Matthews..."

His voice cracks. Chuck opens his mouth to say something, but no words come out. For the first time in as long as he can remember, Chuck is speechless. The sight is simply too...tense, almost. Surreal might be the best way to put it. Chuck stares at his older sister. She was only a year older...but Chuck had never known her as well as he thought he should have. She had changed a lot when Chuck had left the house. Both of them had. Two entirely new people...they could have run into each other on the street and not realized they were related...hell, they HAD done that at one point...but over the past year, they had become reacquainted. Chuck was reminded of just how close he and his sister had been in their younger days...

...and now she was gone...

Chuck Matthews: "Where are the kids?"

Corey nods his head to a crib sitting in the corner of the room. Chuck cautiously approaches it, and stares over the edge, into it. Two infants, curled up next to each other, wrapped in a single blanket. A tiny blue medical bracelet is around the wrist of the boy...a pink one for the girl.

Chuck Matthews: "You name them?"

Corey Casey: "Yeah."

Corey seems to struggle to get out such a simple word. Chuck never knew Corey that well. He made a point to keep it that way. They had a...less than pleasant history. It was only when Corey and Jessica got close that Chuck began to try and push his dislike of the man aside. It was important to her. Even now though, it was strange to be in the room with Casey. As if Jessica's death meant the only thing keeping their hatred at bay was gone...and he would attack him at any moment...but no. Corey remained motionless, sitting by her bedside, staring at the floor. Chuck had never considered Corey an emotional person. As far as Chuck knew, Corey had only ever expressed two emotions throughout his entire life: Angry, and REALLY angry. Now though....he seemed almost lost. Wrecked. Was that sadness?

Chuck returns his attention to the kids in the crib. He takes a deep breath. Despite them being the children of a man he had spent years trying to destroy...they were his niece and nephew. The spawn of his sister and his worst enemy...oh, how life liked to fuck with you sometimes. He slowly lifts the girl out of the crib, staring at her. Her eyes are closed tight. Chuck stares at her for a moment. He'd never held a baby before. It was...strange. Something so small, so helpless...it's life depended on the reliability of others...on a mother who had just passed away. Chuck wonders for a moment if either child realizes what's happened. Their mother...gone before they can walk or talk.

The girl opens her eyes, staring at Chuck. Her eyes are deathly white, and when she smiles, wharp, pointed teeth poke out of her mouth. Chuck jumps, then-

???: "Uncle Chuck!"

Chuck's eyes pop open. He's laying in bed...in his own home. That was a dream?

???: "Uncle Chuck?"

Chuck slowly turns, looking to see Zack standing next to the bed, shaking him awake.

Chuck Matthews: "What?"

Zack Matthews: "Someone's at the door."

Chuck Matthews: "Who?"

Zack Matthews: "He says his name is John East...something."

Chuck Matthews: "Eastwick?"

Zack Matthews: "I think so."

Chuck groans.

Chuck Matthews: "Tell him I'll be down in a few."

Zack nods and heads out. Chuck stares at the ceiling for a moment. He'd had such a strange dream...but he was quickly forgetting the details. He glances over at his clock. Noon.

Chuck Matthews: "Fuck..."

He rolls out of bed, slowly standing up before heading to the bathroom. He stares at his reflection in the mirror. Nothing out of the ordinary, really. Yet, he feels nervous. Some sinking feeling in his gut that something was wrong. He shakes his head and grabs a shirt off his dresser, pulling it over his head as he goes downstairs. Johnny Electric stands at the doorway, smirking.

Chuck Matthews: "How's it going, Johnny?"

John Eastwick: "Not too bad, man. Yourself?"

Chuck Matthews: "Just woke up."

John shakes his head, laughing.

John Eastwick: "Sounds like you."

Chuck stares at him for a moment.

Chuck Matthews: “You gonna come in?”

Johnny shrugs, and steps into the house.

John Eastwick: “Who answered the door?”

Chuck Matthews: “Zack. Paul’s kid.”

John Eastwick: “You never mentioned him before.”

Chuck Matthews: “I never mentioned I had a sister either. And look how wonderfully that worked out when I finally did.”

John laughs at his sarcastic tone.

Chuck Matthews: “In any case…she took care of him when Paul died. But she doesn’t have the time to be watching over him now. She’s got her own kids to worry about.”

John Eastwick: “And you don’t?”

Chuck shrugs.

Chuck Matthews: “None that can’t take care of themselves.”

Chuck slumps in a chair in the living room. Johnny takes a seat on the sofa, propping his feet on the coffee table.

John Eastwick: “Ever think of settling down, Chuck?”

Chuck laughs.

Chuck Matthews: “It’s crossed my mind a few times. Why?”

John Eastwick: “You just turned 26, but you struggle to keep a girlfriend longer than three months.”

Chuck Matthews: “Guess I haven’t found anyone I could see myself spending my life with.”

Johnny shakes his head.

John Eastwick: “Haven’t found someone? Or don’t want to leave your hedonistic lifestyle behind?”

Chuck raises an eyebrow.

Chuck Matthews: “Hedonistic?”

John Eastwick: “You know it’s true. Everything Chuck Matthews does, he does for himself. Right?”

Chuck opens his mouth to say something, but closes it. He can’t argue. Truth was, that was exactly what Chuck did. Everything he did, said, thought…it was all for some personal gain. Something to make himself feel good, something to put himself above the rest…right?

No, there were times he had acted to help others….well….alright, fine, there weren’t. Big deal.

John Eastwick: “So you’re getting back into the game, huh?”

Chuck Matthews: “That’s the plan.”

John Eastwick: “Can you handle it?”

Chuck looks at Johnny.

Chuck Matthews: “WHat’s that supposed to mean?”

John Eastwick: “It means in the past year alone, you’ve been in a coma, you’ve fucked up your knee twice, and you’ve been shot.”

Chuck Matthews: “Nobody ever accused me of living a dull life.”

John Eastwick: “Come on. You got Matthews Enterprises to keep you employed. Doctors said you shouldn’t be competing, didn’t they?”

Chuck Matthews: “No. So I figure why not?”

John Eastwick: “What are you trying to accomplish?”

Chuck smirks.

Chuck Matthews: “Always so suspicious, aren’t we?”

John Eastwick: “Listen. Your body’s in bad shape. There’s no two ways about it. I’m just saying, why are you risking your health for something, when you have nothing to gain? Why compete? You have all the money you need. People already know who you are. What’s the point?”

Chuck Matthews: “Why do it? Fun. Why else? Hedonistic lifestyle, remember?”

Johnny shakes his head. Chuck shrugs. He had gotten fixed up well enough. Sure, he wasn’t in the greatest shape of his life. He had more scars than he cared to count, and his knee had been blown to shit through his years wrestling…but he was in good enough health to compete. That’s all that mattered.

John Eastwick: “You’re nuts, man.”

Chuck shrugs.

Chuck Matthews: “Probably.”

He sits in silence for a moment.

Chuck Matthews: “Why are you here, anyway?”

John Eastwick: “What?”

Chuck Matthews: “I assume you came over for a reason…well, other than to tell me not to compete again.”

John laughs.

John Eastwick: “And I’m the suspicious one?”

Chuck shrugs.

Chuck Matthews: “Seriously though. What’s going on?”

Johnny is silent for a moment. Finally, he takes a deep breath.

John Eastwick: “I’m getting married.”

Chuck Matthews: “You’re joking.”

John Eastwick: “I’m not.”

Chuck stares at Johnny for a moment.

Chuck Matthews: “Kelly?”

John Eastwick: “No, some girl that I haven’t been dating for the past year and a half.”

Chuck smirks.

Chuck Matthews: “The sarcasm was completely unnecessary.”

Johnny shrugs.

John Eastwick: “I’m twenty-seven years old. I think it’s about time I slowed down a bit, you know?”

Chuck Matthews: “No. I don’t. But whatever. It’s your decision.”

John Eastwick: “Think it’s a bad idea?”

Chuck Matthews: “I wouldn’t say ‘bad.’ But you wouldn’t catch me doing it.”

John Eastwick: “I’m not you.”

Chuck Matthews: “Clearly.”

John shakes his head.

John Eastwick: “I don’t get what you’re saying.”

Chuck Matthews: “I don’t know. I guess I find it funny. Someone’s powered down the great Johnny Electric.”

John Eastwick: “…..did you really just make an electricity joke?”

Chuck Matthews: “Is that shocking at all?”

John Eastwick: “Why does everyone do that?!”

Chuck laughs.

Chuck Matthews: “This is what happens when you use Electric as a ring name!”

John shakes his head, burying his face in his hands.

John Eastwick: “Not my smartest move, was it?”

Chuck Matthews: “So what does she think about the whole Johnny Electric thing?”

John Eastwick: “Don’t make me answer that…”

Chuck smiles wide, leaning forward in his seat.

Chuck Matthews: “Dude, now you have to tell me. What did she say?”

John shakes his head.

John Eastwick: “Said it ‘turned her on.’ Made her feel some ‘surge of energy.’”

Chuck Matthews: “YES!”

Chuck laughs louder. John shakes his head.

John Eastwick: “Anyway…”

Chuck continues to laugh, trying to compose himself.

John Eastwick: “I want you to be the best man.”

Chuck stops laughing immediately.

Chuck Matthews: “Are you serious?”

John shrugs.

John Eastwick: “You’re one of my best friends. Why not?”

Chuck Matthews: “Yeah, sure, I’d be honored…you know I have a history with weddings right?”

John chuckles.

John Eastwick: “I thought about that. I think you’ll be alright.”

Chuck nods.

Chuck Matthews: “Well…congratulations, man.”