[The Gallery.]
[The click of a lamp turning on can be heard.]
[The room is empty. Occupied only by what sits in the middle next to the end table with a lamp.]
[A small recliner and table.]
“When I was just a young boy my father used to play a game with me.”
“It was a simple game but I would learn so much from it.”
[As we walk around the recliner, we catch a glimpse of who’s speaking.]
[Jasper Redgrave.]
[He leans forward towards the table where the board game sits.]
[Reaching out, he presses one of the game’s buttons.]
“You press this little button here, and it opens the hippos mouth. The objective is to eat more marbles than everyone else.”
“And while, even now, I say that the game was simple.. I still couldn’t manage to beat my pops.”
[He snickers to himself, thinking back fondly.]
“I remember sitting around for hours through the nights just trying to figure out how I could finally claim the victory over my dear old dad.”
“Yet each and every time he pulled that game out, I just couldn’t do it.”
“No matter how fast I pressed the button, or how methodical I thought I could be.. my father would always adapt.”
[Redgrave seemingly becomes lost in the game as his eyes track the marbles that move around the board. Occasionally, he would press the button.]
“In just a few short days, the hungriest of hippos will gather in one ring.”
“Four teams of three will do battle. It will be absolute chaos.”
“Some will try to outpower one another by being faster on the button while others will try to plan their attacks. Some will try to outrun their competition while others will try to out wit them.”
“But at the end of the night, the ones who will be left standing are the ones who were able to adapt.”
[Click. Another press of the button.]
“I’ve been adapting all my life.”
“When I was sent to Death Row, I was able to acclimate to the hell I was placed in and come out the other side.”
“When CJ Thorpe stabbed me in the back, I didn’t lay down. I didn’t call it quits.”
“Instead, I used that as fuel to transform into something much more dangerous than I have ever been.”
[Another click of the button.]
“At Chain Reaction, there’s no doubt that chaos will ensue.”
“Twelve of the hungriest hippos in all of Arcadia will show up with their mouths open and their bellies empty.”
“Each of them looking to carry their team to a victory. Each of them salivating at the mouth for that opportunity to face off for the number one contendership..”
“But I’m the hungriest of them all.”
[Jasper grabs the tray from under his hippo and dumps all the marbles out into his hand.]
“And I will be the one to leave with all the marbles.”
[Jasper stands up and stuffs the handful of marbles into his pocket before flashing a twisted smile.]
[Fade.]