The Haunting of Lyndsey Baker

For 22-year-old Lyndsey Baker, it was a turning point very early in her young wrestling career. She debuted for Mavens of Combat, a women's wrestling promotion that has operated for 35 years, just 18 months ago, but she has already gained a lot of steam and is looked at for contention for MOC's World Championship. Everything was coming up so quickly for Lyndsey as her career was just getting started.

And then, the hauntings started.

Lyndsey had only been competing for 18 months, but for the last three of them, she found herself being haunted by a banshee. Not a literal one, though. A masked villainess known as the Emerald Banshee had been targeting Lyndsey, appearing to Lyndsey during matches, taunting her backstage, even crashing Lyndsey's workout sessions. Finally, having had enough, Lyndsey entered the ring and called out her demented foe.

"Emerald Banshee!" shouted Lyndsey. "For months, you've been stalking and attacking me, and for what? Am I some sort of threat to you or something? Are you looking to prove something to yourself? Whatever your reasons, I am still here and I want to face you one-on-one!" Loud cheers erupted following Lyndsey's passionate challenge, but the cheers and the feel good moment were interrupted by the sounds of maniacal cackling. The attention turned to the video screen, and there she was, the Emerald Banshee, donning an emerald green bodysuit with black streaks, as well as an intimidating mask.

"Lyndsey, my little lassie," the Banshee purred in her Irish brogue. "Look at you standing out there, so full of so much fire! Or are you just whistling through the graveyard. There will be no whistling my graveyard! You want me, you will get your wish. One-on-one on St. Patrick's Day! And regarding my reasons, little lassie, you'll only find out if you survive my onslaught."

The match was set. St. Patrick's Day, March 17. Lyndsey would face off against the Silver Banshee, and while Lyndsey was ready, someone close to her was quite nervous.

"Are you sure about this, dearie?"

The question of concern came from Lyndsey's own mother, Mona Baker, a Irish-born wrestling legend who has won her share of titles and had her various rivals as she competed in her native Ireland, as well as in the US, where she got married and had Lyndsey. She was always proud of Lyndsey's drive, but she couldn't help but be the concerned mother.

"Mom, I have to do this," said Lyndsey. "I can't let this Emerald Banshee think she can intimidate me." Lyndsey noticed a look on Mona's face, one o concern, but also a bit of a knowing look. "Mom, are you OK?"

"I'm fine," said Mona. "Just be careful out there."

St. Patrick's Day arrived, and on that day, Lyndsey made her entrance, donning festive green and white gear with three shamrocks, one on each side and one as the centerpiece. After receiving cheers for her entrance, out came the Emerald Banshee, making a slow and ominous pace to the ring while on the receiving end of a chorus of boos. Lyndsey stared a hole into her villainous foe, refusing to show any fear or trepidation towards the Banshee. She had no time to bask in the fact that she was in the biggest match of her career. Lyndsey was focused on two things: surviving the Banshee, and getting answers.

The bell rang, and the Banshee went on the attack quickly. Lyndsey delivered blows of her own, but the Banshee was bent on not allowing any leeway to her opponent. Within three minutes of the match, Lyndsey was body slammed by the Banshee, who relished in the control she was wielding.

"Look at you," the Banshee taunted. "Mama's bright little prodigy. I warned you, little lassie. I warned you about stepping up to me!" Lyndsey had heard this before; the taunts about her being a second-generation wrestler. She brushed them off before, but this was different. It seemed personal somehow--deeply personal. Lyndsey found herself in the Banshee's headlock, but even as the Banshee was barking at the crowd for trying to will Lyndsey on, Lyndsey still thought about the Banshee's comments, and she became fired up. She fought out of the headlock, and delivered rights and lefts to her evil foe, followed by a stiff clothesline.

Lyndsey was back in it, and she felt the energy from the cheering crowd. She delivered a suplex and made the match's first pinning attempt, but it was only a two count. Lyndsey didn't stop there. She managed to deliver a devastating spear to the Banshee, but only managed another two count. Even so, Lyndsey was in control. Lyndsey was focused on surviving the Banshee, but now? Now she believed she could win! Unfortunately for Lyndsey, the Banshee had other plans, and she rose up and delivered a swift kick to Lyndsey, stopping her momentum.

"It's over now!" the Banshee hissed. "Consider this a lesson, little lassie. A hard and brutal lesson. The Banshee cackled as she picked up Lyndsey and was set on finishing her off, but in a surprising move, Lyndsey rolled up the Banshee for a very vital three-count! Lyndsey's arm was raised for the victory, but her celebration was short-lived as the Banshee grabbed her from behind.

"Enough!"

Lyndsey recognized that booming voice, to her surprise, and in an even more unexpected moment, Mona came out, microphone in hand, and made a beeline for the ring. "It's over, Banshee!" exclaimed Mona. "You lost fair and square! Now are you going to take off that mask, or will I have to do it?" Fully defeated, the Banshee released Lyndsey, and slowly took off her mask. The crowd was stunned over seeing the face of the Emerald Banshee; a face that was familiar to everyone in the arena, most of all Mona and Lyndsey.

"Aunt Mo?!"

To Lyndsey, she was Aunt Mo, but to the crowd in attendance, she was Maureen O'Hanlon, one of the most vicious villainesses in the Irish wrestling scene. Nicknamed "The Mad Queen of Dublin," Maureen's entire persona was built on her penchant for intimidation, violence, and psychological warfare.

"Hey, little sister," said Maureen, who gave a fiendish smile as she looked at Mona. The sisters' relationship was always an interesting one; they were close, but they did have arguments. In fact, they were actually rivals in the ring, with the siblings' feud and matches being among the most talked about in women's wrestling.

"I knew you were behind this!" exclaimed Mona. "I should have stopped you before you had the chance."

"Mom, you knew about this?" asked Lyndsey, drawing a somewhat guilt-ridden sigh from Mona.

"About six months ago," said Mona, "your aunt visited me and talked about how well you were doing in only a year of wrestling. She then went on about how she thinks today's girls have it too easy and that they needed a tougher approach. I laughed it off, but Maureen had that look on her face--that evil look."

"Oh, here we go!" said Maureen. "You always do this, Mona. Sweet little Mona being pushed around by her 'evil' big sister. Lyndsey needed this, she needed to be reminded of where she truly came from!"

"She has me and she has Bryce," Mona replied.

"Oh, how cute," teased Maureen. "Lyndsey has Bryce's surname, but she's an O'Hanlon, true and true. I just wanted to bring that out of her." Maureen later grabbed Lyndsey, much to the crowd's shock, and gave a sinister smile at Mona before saying:

"Just like I did for you, little sis."

Maureen cackled, much to Mona's fury, but Lyndsey freed herself from her aunt's clutches and finally spoke up.

"Both of you, that's enough!" exclaimed Lyndsey. "Mom, you should have told me about what Aunt Mo was pulling, and you should have trusted me to handle it on my own. I know you want the best for me, and I appreciate you so much, but I'm a big girl and I can fight my own battles." She gave a sly smile before turning to her aunt and saying:

"Just ask your sister."

The crowd gave their "oohs" over the shot that Lyndsey fired at her aunt, but Maureen remained defiant and played it up.

"Shut up!" Maureen snarled at the crowd before turning her attention to her niece. "Watch it, little lassie. I've been doing this since before you came into this world."

"So has Mom," said Lyndsey. "But she's not the one who came at me for months. You were. And guess what? I not only survived your crazed test, I beat you one, two, three!" The crowd roared in support, but Lyndsey managed to calm herself down and speak from the heart. "Look, I know what I signed up for, and I'm still all in. I want to follow the same path as my mom and my auntie. Both of you made me the very person you see in this ring."

Mona and Maureen took one look at Lyndsey, and then looked at each other, with the fury and intensity gone. This time, they faced each other knowing what they truly are: close sisters who loved each other and loved Lyndsey. With that, Lyndsey, Mona, and Maureen engaged in a group hug, much to the extreme delight of the fans in attendance. The events of St. Patrick's Day turned into the stuff of legends quickly. Lyndsey received acclaim for defeating a big time legend. Mona and Bryce continued to voice their pride in their daughter. Maureen was a proud aunt, but being the heel that she always had been in her career, she vowed to get payback. Outside the ring, and maybe inside it, the entire family remained a tight unit, united in support and love.

This is my entry into Mike Singleton's March unofficial challenge! Thank you for reading!