Buried Alive Prologue
"Stone Cold's in the grave, that should be it," commented Michael Cole, filling in for Jim Ross alongside Jerry "the King" Lawlor for that evening's pay per view ROCK BOTTOM calling the last match; a buried alive match between "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and the demonic Undertaker.
The Undertaker and Austin had been feuding for quite awhile now, and this was the climax of that feud. A buried alive match in which the objective was to bury one's opponent alive, was the Undertaker's specialty. The incentive for taking the match, was worth it in Austin's mind: A promised slot in the 30 man Royal Rumble at the same titled ppv next month, in which the winner of that battle royal got a shot at the WWF champion and the WWF title at WrestleMania, which Austin wanted back.
The Undertaker had successfully put Austin in the six foot grave and was now slowly pouring dirt on a prone Austin when an explosion came from the entrance to the arena.
"It's Kane!" Michael Cole exclaimed about the Undertaker's estranged brother.
"Oh my gosh! What's he doing here?" asked Lawler.
Kane went right to the grave - and right for the Undertaker. "And the two brothers go at it," said Cole, "meanwhile Stone Cold is stirring and making his way out of the grave!"
"Wait a minute, what's Paul Bearer doing?" inquired King of the Undertaker's manager and Kane's father. The obese man had gone into his coat for a bottle and poured some liquid into his handkerchief. He was now approaching a disoriented Austin.
"What do you think he's going to do with that handkerchief, Michael Cole?" asked King.
"I don't know King," answered Cole as Bearer suddenly pounced on Austin's face with the liquid - strewn cloth.
"Paul Bearer has put that rag in Austin's face and it - it looks like the Rattlesnake is losing consciousness," said Cole.
In the meantime Undertaker and Kane were battling nearby. 'Taker finally put his younger brother in the Tombstone Piledriver. He went back to the gravesite just as Bearer put a lifeless Austin in the grave.
"The Undertaker is burying Austin alive! Say good bye to Austin 3:16!" said King feverishly.
"The Undertaker relishes this task, something he has wanted to do since Stone Cold screwed him out of the WWF title at Judgment Day," Cole concurred.
The bell rang and when the camera panned to the grave, no sign of the Rattlesnake was to be found.
"The winner of this match, the Undertaker," said ring announcer Howard Finkel amidst a chorus of boos and jeers.
Then the lights dimmed and the druids, followers of the Undertaker surrounded the gravesite while the Undertaker continued to fill the hole that was now Steve Austin's grave.
"Oh come on now! Enough is enough!" Michael Cole practically shouted.
"Okay, I admit that might be going a little to far," said King growing more and more nervous as the Undertaker continued filling Austin's grave.
The druids and the Undertaker stood there after the grave was filled, blocking referees and EMT's trying to get to the grave to get Steve Austin out. The Undertaker said something in tounges with Bearer looking on approvingly.
As helpless officials, EMT's, a revived Kane and the shocked audience looked on, a bolt of lighting came down from the ceiling striking the tombstone with force. The Undertaker smiled a demonic smile and becoking his followers left the arena.
It took an hour to unearth Stone Cold Steve Austin. His eyes were closed and he was completely still. While resuscitation efforts were underway, half the WWF roster joined Kane and the fans (who did not depart), in looking on. Even Vince McMahon, Austin's arch nemesis and the owner of the WWF, who made this match was looking on with an expression of remorse.
The strangest sight some of the wrestlers would remember that night was Debra, Jeff Jarrett's new manager, coming close to the grave with black tears streaming down her face.
The EMT's shook their heads, and after trying to start Austin's heart a third time, put him on a stretcher. "Let's bag him," said one of the paramedics and the loaded Austin in an ambulance and headed to the hospital with many of the WWF wrestlers watching.
Thirty minutes later word came down that efforts to save Steve Austin's life had failed and he had been pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
Vince and his son Shane canceled all shows and sent many of the wrestlers home while the memorial and funeral services were planned.
There was a pall cast over the World Wrestling Federation for a long time after that night, some never recovering fully from it. As if to add insult to injury, the Rattlesnake's body was stolen from the morgue the next night. Nobody even wanted to speculate on the ultimate fate of the body.
The only ones who appeared happy was the Undertaker and Paul Bearer. The duo walked around with smiles and an air of fear about them. People were afraid to confront them for fear of suffering Austin's fate.
Eventually time healed most wounds and a year later the WWF was thriving once again with new stars and new feuds. But most would never forget how the book of Austin 3:16 was closed so tragically.
Or was it?