Chapter 10

One of Stephanie McMahon's favourite places was an empty arena before a show. Let Shane run Dad's new Media Division, she thought, I'd rather be on the road. She looked at the empty seats that would soon be filled with screaming fans. She just finished checking her clipboard when her cellphone rang. "Hello?"

"Hi, Stephanie. It's me, Trish."

"What's up?"

"Um, I was wondering if I could get four backstage passes for some friends of my brother's. They're really big fans."

"Shouldn't be a problem. Where are you now?"

"Rupert and I are heading for the Dudleys' locker room."

"I'll meet you there. I want to see if that shower's been repaired."

Stephanie ended the call and made her way to the locker room. As she passed a dark corridor, she thought she saw something move. "Hello? Is someone there?"

She froze in place as a monster walked toward her. It looked like an extra from The Lord of the Rings. At first, she thought it was a joke, but the glowing red eyes convinced her otherwise. The fight-or-flight instinct kicked in. She flew. Fast. Screaming.

She ran down the corridor cursing her love of high heels. She looked back at the monster and subsequently collided with Edge. They went down in a pile of arms and legs.

Edge's eyes widened at the sight, and he scrambled to his feet keeping himself between Stephanie and the monster. "Look pal, I don't know who you are but ..."

Edge didn't get chance to finish as the monster punched him in the solar plexus knocking him into Stephanie. "This is not good," he said wincing.

ooOoo

Trish and Giles were turning the corner when they heard a woman's scream. They arrived in time to see the monster punch Edge who was shielding Stephanie.

Trish noticed some folded steel chairs leaning against a wall, grabbed one and hit the monster with it. The monster shook off the blow and swept the blond with a massive hand sending her spinning into her brother. Trish looked up as she felt something thundering pass her. It was Bubba followed closely by Jeff Hardy.

Bubba's younger brother Spike pulled Trish and Giles over to Stephanie and said, "Stay here. We'll handle this."

Trish watched as the small wrestler rushed off to help his brother. She fumed while her own brother said the same thing leaving her and her boss by the entrance of the locker room. "Yeah right," she said then went to find a weapon.

Trish searched the locker room and stumbled across a pipewrench near the showers. She had no idea why someone would have such a large tool for such a small job like a broken showerhead, but at the moment she didn't care. Lifting the heavy weapon with both hands, she made her way back to the fight.

Her friends were trying a group attack, all of them piling on top of the monster. Trish snuck around them then ducked as the creature surged up sending the wrestlers sprawling. It pulled out its sword. She said a little prayer and swung the pipewrench as hard as she could against the back of the monster's knees.

It fell to the ground with a roar. Before it had a chance to get up, something came down on its neck. It came down over and over until the creature's head was severed. There was low rumbling, and the head and body disappeared leaving a faint scorch mark on the floor.

Wide-eyed, Trish found her brother standing there looking very un-librarian-like with a bleeding lip and a bloody fire-ax.

"Slice and dice," he said panting slightly. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I think so," Trish replied then noticed her friends staring at her in unblinking shock. She bit her lower lip and said hesitantly. "Um, hi, guys."