TOTAL KNOCKOUT
written by Karina & Malia Achico
4 INT. WRESTLING ARENA/APARTMENT - NIGHT 4
KNOCKOUT tumbles into a short stool. To her surprise, she is still holding the cup in her grasp.
RODDY:(announcing)
Looks like our challenger is a little absent
minded in the ring today!
The whistle blows and the friends rush over to give her medical attention. RHEA slaps the cup out of her hand to keep her focused. LIQUID COURAGE strides back to his corner where he daps up his companion, BREWSKI, and his girlfriend, MIA, who wraps her arms around him giving him aggressive pecks.
MIA:
You’re doing so well babe!
KNOCKOUT inhales heavily as JOSEPH applies an excessive amount of
gauze to her face.
RHEA:
You have to actually throw a punch! Y’know? Fight
back!
KNOCKOUT:
What do you think I am doing?
RODDY:
Let's keep this party going!!
A new round begins. The music from the party can be heard, overlapping into the illusion. She changes her approach and runs at the problem head on. LIQUID COURAGE stops her in her stride causing her to run in place before she is then thrown back into reality. KNOCKOUT falls into the drink table. SAMI and BIANCA notice her and KNOCKOUT becomes more embarrassed. RHEA grabs her
shoulder for a one on one.
RHEA:
Hey you gotta slow down.
KNOCKOUT forms a meek smile before a fist strikes with an explosive right hook. She is knocked back into the ring. RHEA begins to call out LIQUID COURAGE for an interference of coaching as it cuts to the referee signaling this illegal move. RHEA approaches KNOCKOUT as the scene flickers back to the party then back to the ring.
RHEA:
Hey you got to focus. Sober up!
KNOCKOUT:
But I can’t. They're watching.
KNOCKOUT looks over to BIANCA and SAMI. In drunken stupor, they are now seen outside the ring and appear to be unrealistically gossiping about KNOCKOUT. RHEA’s gaze remains unwavering to her delusions. It flickers back to the party. The mix of boos and cheers from the arena are now apparent in her reality.
RHEA:
Listen. There is no need to beat yourself up about
this right now...
WADE pushes through the conversation followed by SASHA and JOSEPH gathering the crowd’s attention for cake.
RHEA:(CONT’D)
...let’s just go home and figure this all out
tomorrow.
KNOCKOUT:
I can’t. This was my only chance.
RHEA:
That’s not true. It’s just-
RHEA stumbles for the right words.
RHEA:(Stuttering)
This isn’t you- you wouldn’t be– it–it's just- your better than this.
KNOCKOUT turns back towards the ring fighting back tears. Why can’t I do one thing right? We faintly hear her friends' call out to her before the sound of the audience overcomes them. As she clenches her shaky hands into a fist, LIQUID COURAGE and BREWSKI go in for a double punch. KNOCKOUT is now shoved between her bending reality as moments of the party and the ring becomes more blurred than ever. She looks around seeing MIA and BREWSKI in the birthday crowd wearing party hats. RODDY now his gleaming host suit and WADE in a referee uniform, holding the cake. SASHA in the ring presents the final round then cuts to SASHA putting the candles on the cake. KNOCKOUT stumbles, unable to keep her
balance. JOSEPH and RHEA allow her to lean against them as anticipation builds to sing “HAPPY BIRTHDAY”. Her heavy head
struggles to keep focus when her eye catches LIQUID COURAGE, who emerges from the crowd. He cracks his neck before handing his cup to another party goer, KNOCKOUT pushes back in an attempt to run away. She trips and falls back into the ring. We see RHEA and the team watching from the outside as she struggles to stand once again.
RHEA:
You know you're better than this!! Pick yourself
up... everything will be ok!!
SASHA and JOSEPH give reassuring thumbs up. KNOCKOUT gives a hesitant nod as she sees LIQUID COURAGE bolt towards her. Just as he is about to step on her. She rolls over back to the party. LIQUID COURAGE and KNOCKOUT look at each other with surprise. LIQUID COURAGE attempts to do it again but KNOCKOUT rolls again.
RODDY:
Alrighty folks, I don't quite know what I am
looking at now but it seems our challenger has
finally made her move.
KNOCKOUT rolls by MIA and BREWSKI who become dumbfounded.
MIA: (grumbling)
Is that even legal?! She’s just dodging!
RHEA somehow hears this from the other side of the ring.
RHEA:
She's not dodging! She's fighting-
We see KNOCKOUT rolling around comically.
RHEA:(CONT’D)
-in her own way.
KNOCKOUT scampers to her feet maniacally laughing as she begins to run around the ring which is now filled with all party attendants. The glitter and glamor of the decorations makes LIQUID COURAGE dizzy and unable to throw a punch that lands. She runs to the edge of the ring where her friends cheer her on, wearing birthday party hats and throwing confetti... then panning to MIA and BREWSKI who are seen with party cups, booing her. She notices BIANCA sitting by herself,outside the ring, with no SAMI in sight. Before KNOCKOUT can register the situation she looks back and sees everyone waiting on her.
FRIENDS:
Finish him!
She runs over to the dizzy LIQUID COURAGE and pulls back her fist. KNOCKOUT throws her hardest jab before her fantasy becomes a reality. KNOCKOUT socks SAMI in the face before he hits the floor. Everyone clasps their hands over their mouths. JOSEPH
breaks the silence.
JOSEPH:
Ha, ohhh my god.
KNOCKOUT suddenly feels nauseous. Lights begin to caught off.
RODDY: (Announcing)
What a match! I guess it wasn’t total waste after
all!