A woman screamed in the corridor of the hotel and many people came out of their rooms. Chris Benoit was the only wrestler left in the hotel. The others had left a while ago for the arena and prepare. He simply had stayed behind because he had overslept. He was already locking the door to his room when from the corner of his eye he thought he saw Batista, half naked making a run for the elevators.

"Dave!" he shouted. Batista halted and turned hastily towards Chris. He met his questioning eyes but didn't stick around. Instead he picked up his pace and ran for the stairs.

"Hey Dave! Wait up!" he shouted more concerned this time. The terrified and panicked look in his eyes had alarmed him.

Then he heard a woman scream. There were footsteps of people running to check it out, and then someone yelled

"Somebody call an ambulance"

The ruckus was coming from the direction of Dave's room. Normally Chris wouldn't stay and look, being as late as he was for the arena, but he had just seen Batista sneak out of the hotel like a thief. Then he remembered that he was the one who was supposed to pick Rey from the hospital.

'So where the hell is Rey?' he wondered. He walked towards the crowd gathered outside a room. As he approached he noticed that they were standing outside Dave's room, and broke out in a sprint. He pushed some people out of his way; a couple even fell on the floor before he reached the door. The old woman who had seen the terrifying sight was also there by the door shaking, her husband trying to calm her down and make her move away from there. When Chris entered the room, he too froze.

"Oh my God" he called out as hope left his soul.

Rey lay face down on the floor, his back turned to the door, for everybody to see.

And they all could. There was so much blood, so many wounds, so many slashes, deep lacerations across his back. A man was kneeling above his head, talking to him.

'Sir… can you hear me… sir!"

But Rey wasn't responding. His eyes were closed and if it wasn't for the wounds and the blood, one might thought he was sleeping. His expression was so peaceful and happy. Chris came close to the man.

"What happened?"

He young man, who judging from the uniform worked at the hotel, looked up at Benoit and recognising him, replied.

"We heard a woman scream and we ran. We found him here… like this. I don't know what happened. We called for an ambulance. Do you know him?"

Chris wasn't surprised from the question. Wearing a mask gave Rey some privacy. Still there were people who knew his face, but obviously this one didn't.

"Yes…" he mumbled. "This is…" he hesitated. He didn't want to use Rey's stage name for fear of being recognised from the crowd outside the room, still lingering. "This is Oscar Guttierrez… a friend… is he…?" he didn't finish the question. Perhaps he didn't want to. The young man understood and nodded.

"No, he is not dead…yet. He is still breathing, but he has to go to the hospital… I don't dare move him"

Chris didn't know what to do at this point but wait. He turned and looked at all these people gathered, staring at Rey as if he was a god damn freak show, and he snapped.

"Go away… get out… now… if you are not a doctor then you have no business here… Do you hear me?" the Rabid Wolverine yelled. They were startled from his anger but he didn't leave them much choice. They left finally when he shut the door to their faces.

He stood by the door and looked at Rey. His heart was racing and he wished the ambulance was racing too.

He had no idea how long he had been running or where he was going. The blood had dried on his hands a long time ago and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't wipe it off. He had fled the hotel room like a hunted rabbit with a lion in its tail. He vaguely remembered Chris Benoit calling out his name and he thought he heard a woman scream but after that everything was a blur. He couldn't really see where he was going. The faces of the people who walked the streets where all the same; the sounds, their voices where all the same; the black spell still reverberated in his ears and their eyes… their blood eyes burned…

He was going insane. He was loosing his mind. He could still taste the blood he had drunk… he could still feel the warmth it had brought him and he hated himself for still loving how it had made him feel…for still wanting to have more…

He found his way in some secluded and abandoned building where no one but the rats and the homeless found shelter and there he screamed. He didn't remember how long he was there. He couldn't think anything else but Him… he couldn't stop the tremble of his hands and the rattle of his teeth.

Am I cold?

The hollow sound of wind among the empty walls gave him no answer. He looked around with his scared eyes and then down at his hands. He still had Rey's blood on them. He couldn't scream anymore. Instead he just looked his hands. Light came from a window but Dave couldn't tell if it was daylight or the night lights of the streets and the stores. It didn't matter. His mind was torn into a thousand pieces. He was shaking uncontrollably and he was crying from the desperation.

My God… what have I done? My God, please forgive me…

But no one was there to answer him as the sobs grew. He brought his bloody hands up to his face and still crying he licked them. He traced his tongue and sucked every drop of the sweet red liquid like a maniac.

Then he began laughing. A mixture of cry and laugh as he looked at his hands…

Then silence.

He felt like someone was looking at him, mocking and spitting at him. He stood up frantically searching, his eyes darting in every directions like a thief caught in the act… ready for anything and anybody.

A broken mirror stood at the corner of the room dusted and covered with spider webs. He didn't have to step closer. He could see his idol from where he stood. But who was this man that was looking back at him? He didn't recognise him but those eyes… where they his? The idol looked intensely back at him disapprovingly and then he felt the shame. He looked at this idol whose clothes where covered with blood; the same blood that now covered his lips.

No

He stepped back and looking one last time his hands turned on his heels and ran away again…

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The arena was jam-packed with wrestling fans for a while now and the time was approaching for Smackdown to air. Backstage the crew and producers were almost in place waiting and the Smackdown roster was in the locker room preparing and chatting. Eddie was planned to fight Rey but since Rey was unable to wrestle there had been a change of plans. Their one-to-one match had changed to a match against Chris Benoit. The rest of the card remained unchanged much to the delight of the fans. Orton would go one to one against JBL, the Undertaker against Batista, the MNM against Heidenreich and the Animal, Booker T against Christian. Orlando Jordan who was supposed to wrestle Benoit in a grudge match for the USA championship title was left with no match at all. In the locker room, he was the only one without his wrestling gear on, and feeling a little depressed. Eddie sat beside him and patted him on the shoulder.

"Listen… I'm really sorry things worked out like this. You know Rey didn't mean for this to happen…"

"Hey… no sweat man" Orlando interrupted and smiled. "So I missed a match, so what? I'll have my match next week."

"Still…"

"Eddie, don't worry about it" and stormed out of the locker room, not waiting for Eddie to finish. He was left speechless looking at the door. Mark Callaway was a few steps away and watched the whole scene and shook his head.

"What?" Eddie asked. Mark just nodded.

"That guy needs to relax a bit"

"Yeah… tell me about it."

"So how's Rey doing? Is he coming tonight?"

"I don't think so. Dave picked him up from the hospital earlier today. He was in no position to wrestle."

"And speaking of Dave… have you seen him yet?"

"Actually no... I haven't seen Benoit either. When we left the hotel, they didn't come with us… Hey guys…' he yelled to attract the others attention "has any one of you seen Batista or Benoit in the arena tonight?"

All shook their heads negatively. Both Mark and Eddie had a bad feeling about their absence and they understood each other just by looking one another.

"What do you think?" Eddie asked."I don't know. Just have a weird feeling. I've had it for a while now…since…"

"Since we got here" Eddie completed the sentence.

"Yeah" Mark nodded and clutching his leather coat headed for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Look for them."

"Hold on, I am coming too."

The arena was quite big and tonight was full of people. The backstage area was too crowded and their search soon became a struggle to avoid the crew and the others form any annoying questions. It appeared no one had seen Batista or Benoit. They looked everywhere, in the bathrooms, in the private areas, the production office, the second locker room, even the women's locker rooms but found nothing. The time for the show was approaching and they were only half an hour before the start. The crowd was becoming restless. They had almost given up when they spotted Benoit from a distance speaking privately to Teddy Long. Benoit seemed agitated about something, and he was waving his hands vividly.

"This doesn't look good." Mark stated and Eddie could only agree. When they got closer, their conversation stopped abruptly and Chris had a furious look on his face.

"What's going on? We've been looking all over for you. Our match starts in just under an hour and you are still in your street clothes!" Eddie scolded him. But when Chris opened his mouth to answer, Teddy grabbed his arm and stopped him. His eyes bore holes on Chris as he said meaningfully.

"Not now playa! Not now… go change." Those words only Chris understood, and they did have a strange effect on him. His anger subsided and he knew perfectly well what he was being told to do. Somewhere deep inside he knew that this wasn't the time or the place for everybody to know what had happened back at the hotel.

Chris had hurried back at the arena immediately after the ambulance had carried Rey back at the hospital. He too had searched for Dave but he had bumped into Teddy and explained what had taken place a while ago. Teddy had advised that the others should be told after the show and not before. The company had spent too much money on this trip and the fans could not be let down. In due time, they would all know. For now Chris had to get ready and Teddy had to search for Batista.

Chris left for the locker room followed by Eddie and his interminable questions.

"What's going on? Where have you been homez?"

"Eddie! Not now! I have to get ready for our match!" Chris snapped at him. "We'll talk after. I promise!" and picked up his pace leaving Eddie standing in the crowded corridor speechless.

A few corridors away, Teddy was talking to Mark. Since tonight Batista was wrestling against the Undertaker, and Dave hadn't shown up yet, Teddy figured he ought to prepare the dead man for the possibility of not having a match at all.

"I am not having a match tonight am I?" Mark asked. Teddy shook his head.

"Now hold on! Dave isn't here yet, but he might show up on time."

"Bullshit! Teddy this is me you are talking to. What's wrong?" he demanded.

Teddy lowered his head and his face got serious and concerned.

"I just spoke to the producers. Dave still hasn't come. When Chris found me, I had just talked to the hotel manager and guess what he said? He said he saw Batista leaving the hotel blood smeared on him and panic in his eyes a few moments before Rey was transported to the hospital!"

Mark was surprised at how much Teddy already knew. He always had a way of finding out what was happening among the roster before every else. He figured this was part of the reason why Vince made him the Smackdown general manager.

"Is Rey alright?"

"I don't know yet. I haven't talked to the hospital yet. Benoit found me and imagine my surprise when he already knew. What was more, he told me he had seen Rey… he says he saw him in Dave's bedroom covered in blood. What was more, he is sure he saw Dave leave the hotel in exactly the same state as the manager did. Chris waited the ambulance to arrive before heading this way… Now, Mark I don't know Rey's state, I am trying to find which hospital he is in, but given the circumstances I doubt Dave will come tonight…" Teddy paused. "I am sorry about your match"

"Screw my match Teddy. I'll help you find Dave."

Rey lay on the hospital bed face down while two nurses patched up the wounds on his back. He had regained consciousness half way to the hospital but when they arrived in the ER he had fainted again. From time to time he would wake up, open his eyes but he didn't have strength enough to bring his eyesight into focus and check out his surroundings. The only thing his mind seemed to register was the pain on his back. Then he passed out again, the voices of the nurses with their heavy British accent ringing in his ears.

He had no idea where he was or how long he had lost contact with the world of the living. He just knew it was bad. He tried to move his fingers but nothing happened. The sounds had faded and all was quiet in the room. Quiet as a…

'Quiet as a grave angel?' the voice inside asked.

'No…' Rey despaired.

'Oh but yes.'

'What do you want?'

The voice laughed, a clear metallic rusted noise resounding and shaking Rey's bones.

'In time… in time you will see. For now we wait.'

'For what?'

The voice didn't respond. It seemed to go back to the state of hibernation like before but Rey knew he wasn't free yet. He could still feel it inside him. He wanted to fight back but the mere thought of any kind of reaction made him dizzy. The room started to spin around furiously and he fainted almost immediately.