Ghosts of Regret
He sees the same red mist he sees every time; it creeps out from the darkness and surrounds him. He can feel its suffocating embrace begin to over-take him; it's all too much. And then he sees it, no not it; HER.
She's like an angel sent from heaven, a shining light to give his life and soul what it has always wanted; love. She looks at him, her face a picture of beauty and innocence, and as they embrace he forgets all of the darkness, the pain and the hardship that he has had to struggle with for so long. He holds her close in his arms, because he knows what happens, what always happens, when it gets to this part.
The laughter. The sickening, mocking, never-ending laughter. That's what he hears first, and then, as he turns to protect his angel, he sees the face of a demon; a GOBLIN. Green and evil and laughing at him, tormenting him over and over.
He looks back, seeking comfort from his angel; but she's not there. He looks up and sees her in the arms of the Goblin, high above the waters. He reaches out with a hand, and grabs hold of a spinning web.
'Not again' he thinks. He swings in, his courage burning like a fire, he stands firm and fights the Goblin. The Goblin pushes him back; he needs more strength, so he changes himself, and his Spider to help him.
The red mist envelopes him, and he emerges as a warrior in red and blue. He stands facing the Goblin, his angel lying on the ground not far; the Goblin laughs that laugh again.
"You're too late Parker! You'll never defeat me, never save your beloved Gwen Stacy. You'll die by my hands!"
The Spider watches him, NO.
"No Osborn, I will save her. I swore to protect her from all the evil in this world, and I'm not about to give up now!"
They charge at each other, holding nothing back, they each fight to destroy the other. With a mighty strike the Spider knocks the Goblin to the ground; he gets up, and realises he can't win.
"Very well boy, if I can't beat you, then I shall just destroy you!"
He watches, and with every fibre of his being he hurtles himself forward to stop the Goblin; the evil monster throws down a flaming pumpkin, and as it explodes; he watches his angel fall.
"NOOOOOO!"
The Spider is quicker; he fires out a line of webbing, like a hand stretching out to grab his angel and pull her back to him. He watches, and feels himself being pulled back, and as he struggles he knows that it will fail. He tries to reach her himself, and suddenly he can feel his body moving closer.
Yes! That's it! Just a little more now, and I can grab her!
He reaches out for her, straining to grab her delicate body. He looks at her face, as he feels the tears stream down his face; she opens her eyes and looks at him.
"Peter..."
The alarm blared away loudly, forcing reality upon him with cruel swiftness and unforgiving mercy. Peter Parker opened his eyes, and with a frustrated yell brought his hand down on the electronic clock, smashing it to pieces. He then rolled onto his back, rubbing his eyes and sighed. The sun stretched in over the horizon, its rays streaking across Peter's face. He turned his head, and looked out onto the emerging day; he did not smile, for anyone who knew Peter Parker knew that these days; he does not smile at all.
Lying in his bead, his mind becoming increasingly alert, Peter's focus shifts from the sun, to the picture on his bedside table next to him; a picture that is both a reminder of a happier time, and of his current sorrow. His eyes start to sting again, and he closes them in an effort to resist seeing her face; the effort ultimately fails.
"Gwen..."
