A Poisonous Decision

When it comes to new talent, Valarie is responsible for developing a plan to market the newcomer. Jackson wants her to create a persona with a lethal gimmick for their new wrestler. Over the years, many stage names had been given. The man awaiting his new identity is five feet, six inches tall, with short charcoal hair and deep-set dark brown eyes. His broad shoulders match his muscular physique, his torso slightly narrower than his chest.

Valerie sits at her desk. She stares at his photo on her computer, tapping the end of her pen on her notebook. Every name Valerie comes up with seems idiotic or is taken. Then she remembers a story her Dad told her when she was obsessed with desert animals, about the deadliest scorpion in the country, located in Arizona.

She calls Jackson to run the name by him for approval. There’s no point in making further plans with the possibility of disapproval.

“Hey, Jackson, it’s Valerie. What do you think of the name Bark Scorpion for the newbie?”

“Leave off the Bark part of it. Scorpion sounds better. Was there a reason for the specific species?”

“Of the scorpions in the states, it is the deadliest.”

“We’ll stick with Scorpion. We can emphasize the type in the gimmick. Put an image on his gear and in his entrance video. Better yet, get a glass container to put it in to have at ringside.”

“That sounds dangerous. A bit overkill, don’t you think, Jackson?”

“Just order one, Valerie. You have been with the company for thirteen years; you know we go as far as we can to promote a wrestler. Have the company ship it to my main office.”

After Jackson hangs up, Valerie looks up a place to order the scorpion. It arrives a couple days later. Brown paper is wrapped around the box; there are small holes for breathing. To Jackson’s relief, the scorpion is in a plastic container. He transfers it to the small glass aquarium with a lid Valerie bought for safety. He doesn’t want to risk it piercing the plastic or climbing out.

The night arrives for the new wrestler to premiere as part of the roster. People watch as he makes his way to the ring. He is wearing black boots with blue tights, a Bark Scorpion on the butt, and the outside of his legs. His opponent, Spade, is in the ring, waiting to start the match.

Scorpion charges in under the bottom rope and stands up. They lock together for a moment, followed by Scorpion delivering a DDT to Spade. The first five minutes of the match, they fling each other into the ropes, d some chops, stomps, clotheslines, and top-rope maneuvers. All is fine until Spade throws Scorpion over the top rope for another part of their match. When Scorpion gets up, Spade spears him, sending Scorpion into the announce table, the aquarium falls to the floor. It doesn’t shatter due to the mat covering the concrete, so nobody stands up to get it.

One of the announcers asks Jackson, who is sitting ringside, why the deadly critter is out there in the first place. Jackson glares at him; you don’t question Jackson’s decisions in front of the audience. That is stated in bold, red capital letters on the contract you sign when you get hired. He explains its part of the promotion through clenched teeth, the clenched teeth a sign disciplinary action awaits the announcer after the show.

While Jackson and the announcer exchange words, the match continues with Spade pulling Scorpion up using a headlock. Scorpion escapes and counters with a suplex. Spade screams in agony. Everyone thinks he is overselling until they see the Bark Scorpion run under the ring. Nobody noticed the lid had come halfway off when the container fell.

*Scorpion image source