The Week Peter Parker Learned Responsibility
CHAPTER 1
Inside a quaint Forest Hills home, on an extra hot late August Saturday night, Peter and May Parker relax in front of their TV screen. "And now onto our main story", stated a TV news anchor. "It's been one month ever since the last sighting of the Spider-Man, and super-crime has risen roughly 150%, as masked robberies, hostage scenarios and super-powered terrorism escalating a—" "I think it's time for you to go to bed", said May, noticing Peter tense up at the news report. "Has it really been a month since,.. since all that?", asked a scared Peter. "I know Gwen's funeral services ended three weeks ago, but WOW, that's uh, that's a long time." "It has, Peter. But that's all over now. All of it", she replied sternly. "What happened happened because a madman went AWOL, and you did your damnedest to save everyone. You may have been fighting as Spider-Man, but you're still my baby boy. You need just a little more time to grow, to—" "May, can we not? Can you not finish this? It's always the same ending, the same lesson", Peter interrupts. "You don't know how I'm gonna finish that sentence, Peter. And I definitely don't finish it the same each time!", retorted May. "You need just a LLLIIIIITTLLLEEEE more time to GROWWWW,"Peter sassily said in his best May voice. "I don't sound THAT nasally!" "You need to help anyone that is in need, as the power to help comes with the responsibility to help the best way you can", they both said in unison. "Well, I guess you DO know what I was gonna say", added May. "But you know that Uncle Ben lesson by heart, after all these years. He would've been proud of you." "He did have a way with words, but still, that's all you ever try to teach me every chance you get since that,.. that…" "That night with Norman. Sweetie, I knew you were scared, probably more than I was, and I want you to be more careful under that mask when you put it back on, ok?" "I'm not going to, May! It killed Gwen, it killed Norman, it made me lose Harry and it killed Uncle Ben! May, you almost died too. All it brings is death, and I'm,… I'm tired of people near me dying. I just want to have friends and a happy family, not some Halloween party freaks and weirdos chasing me downtown. Is that so much to ask for?", asked a teary-eyed Peter. May then embraced her nephew, as he broke into tears, remembering all of his fallen family and friends. "C'mon sweetie, I'll make you cranberry wheat cakes in the morning, let's both go to sleep", May comforted. "I'll let you even pick out where we get your wardrobe for next Monday, how about that?" "Ok", he whimpered, as he started to smile. "There we go, there's the Petey I know! Still time for you to go to sleep, tho. We got a busy day tomorrow."
May then grabbed her crutches, hugged her nephew good night and made sure he really did go to sleep. Her phone rings, with a Facebook notification from Anna Watson. "It's been too long since we last talked, May. Terry can't hurt us anymore, and I think we can talk now in public", the message read. May smiled, with a lone tear dripping down her right cheek. "Wait till Peter hears about this in the morning", she thought, with hope shining from her face.
END OF CHAPTER 1