"Tell my family that I love them."
Those were May Parker's last words before the building exploded, taking her life away.
Those words were still ringing inside Mayhem's head as she looked in distraught at the burning building in front of her.
This must be dream. A horrible nightmare. It couldn't be possible that May just died in front of her. She's Spider-Girl and she has proven she can get out of any mess!!
'Yes, she'll get out', Mayhem thought as she ripped away from the webbing May threw at her and sat perched on the edge of a window sill, 'In a just a few seconds she'll come swinging out, with a few bruises and burns. She'll yell at me and then we'll go home and pretend that this never happened.'
She sat there for the next five minutes, looking on as the flames devoured the building and debris began to fall down at the street. She became completely unaware of the whole world, the only sounds in her head were May's last words and the sound of the crackling fire, until finally the shrilling sound of a siren brought her back to reality.
Down below, a fire truck had parked at the entrance with a few dozen police cars by its side. A crowd of curious spectators gathered around.
Mayhem looked back at the building in despair. Temptation to go inside the inferno was gnawing her insides and she felt just about ready to make the leap, but she didn't. The flames were everywhere and Mayhem knew she would drop dead the moment she stepped inside.
With a sigh, she jumped onto the roof of the building she was in, and ran off, her heart silently aching inside her chest
The Parker residence, which was peacefully quiet a mere hour ago, was now erupting into skittish chaos. Mary Jane Watson-Parker was on the phone, desperately trying to get a hold on her daughter and leaving worry-filled messages, asking her where she was and to come home. Peter Parker was on the phone as well, except that he was calling everyone who knew May, asking them if they had any clue where she was and to watch out for her. In the middle of it all was the television, blaring away that an abandoned construction building had caught on fire and exploded and from what witness reports stated, Spider-Girl was seen going inside the building with an unknown super-powered assailant.
The witnesses also stated that they never saw Spider-Girl come out of the building before it exploded.
Outside of the house, perched on a nearby tree and watching the events through a window, was Mayhem or as the Parkers knew her, April. She sat there in silence, May's death and the events that happened shortly after she arrived home replaying over and over inside her again.
Her plan was really simple
Since she was a human and symbiote hybrid, she possessed the ability to change her appearance, and she had planned to use that as a way to replace May. Her parents wouldn't suspect a thing and they would be unaware of her death. Unfortunately though, May's mother was able to see through the disguise and without a word, Mayhem fled the scene the instant she began shouting at her.
After that, Mayhem knew she would never be able to step foot into that house again.
Her thoughts were cut off when she noticed a car park in front of the house and a familiar woman step out. Mayhem shivered as she instantly recognized the woman; she was Inspector Ruiz from the police department, meaning that she worked alongside May's father and from what May told her, was the one who sent out a warrant for her arrest after the woman named Gwen Reilly was found dead in an alley.
Her instincts blared at her to get out of here as soon as possible, but she remained glued to her spot. Why was she feeling afraid? She wasn't the one responsible for Gwen Reilly's death, so she had nothing to fear. Also, Inspector Ruiz may have some intel on the explosion and hopefully, May must've been found alive.
"Inspector Ruiz! What brings you here?" Mary Jane asked when she opened the door. Even though most of Mayhem's vision was covered by leaves, she was able to catch a glimpse of Mary Jane wiping away a small tear from her eye.
"Is your husband here? I'd like to talk to him.", the inspector responded with an edge to her voice.
"I'm here, Inspector Ruiz!" Peter appeared and stood beside his wife at the doorway. "I'm sorry, but our daughter, May, has disappeared and we've been trying to get a hold of-"
"How long did you know?" Ruiz sharply cut in.
Peter's face was immediately clouded with fake confusion. "What did you say?"
"How long did you know?"
Peter averted his eyes. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, Inspector."
"Don't shit with me, Parker!" Ruiz's temper was boiling. "I just came back from the scene of the explosion and Phil Urich told me everything. So, answer my question, how long did you know!"
Peter Parker sighed and looked at Ruiz straight in the eye. "I knew since the beginning. I also trained her and gave her my blessing to take my mantle.", he confessed.
Upon hearing his confession, Ruiz closed her eyes and took a deep breath before speaking once more. "That means you were never friends with the original Spider-Man, you were him."
He nodded once again. "Yes and May inherited my powers."
No one said anything after that. A tense silence hung over them like a curtain and it would've remained like that until Mary Jane spoke up.
"Something happened to May, right? If something happened to her or if she's in the hospital right now, please tell us.", Mary Jane begged, tears on the brim of her eyes
Although she couldn't see Ruiz's face, Mayhem noticed a huge change in her and the tension disappeared as the inspector began to speak again.
"After the firefighter's put out the fire, they went inside after the reports of Spider-Girl going in and never coming out before the explosion began to go around."
She paused for a moment to cough before resuming.
"They found someone under a bunch of debris. It was Spider-Girl and we couldn't identify who she was, because of the state she was in, until Urich came in and ran over to her, screaming out her name. After we calmed him down, he told us everything. From what we can assume, the fire was started when someone bumped into the electric box and destroyed it. Your daughter unfortunately was crushed by some beams from the ceiling and was unable to get out when the fire reached a group painting supplies. I'm sorry to say this, but your daughter died the instant the building exploded."
A wail of despair filled the air and Mary Jane held onto her husband's shirt, tears now spilling from her eyes. Peter's eyes were wide with shock and disbelief. Mayhem...she just sat there, her mind once again replaying the last seconds of May's life.
Tell my family that I love them
Tell my family that I love them
Her death still played in her mind way after Ruiz left and as she was witnessing the chaos going on inside the Parker house; Mary Jane was sitting in the couch, sobbing and muttering May's name multiple times, while Peter was ripping apart his old suit, shouting out that Spider-Man has brought nothing but death for him.
"First Uncle Ben!"
Rip
"Then Gwen Stacy!"
Rip
"Ben Reilly!"
Rip
"Now, May!!My own daughter!"
Rip
The suit was nothing but scraps of fabric now; a legacy finally destroyed.
Mary Jane stared at Peter, tears still in her eyes. She seemed about ready to say something until Benjy, awakened by his father's shouts, began to cry from upstairs. After she had left, Peter dropped to his knees and began to sob.
"I should've destroyed all this junk the moment she was born. I should've never let her become Spider-Girl," he said, his words laced with bitter guilt, "If I had done that, she would still be here. It's my fault she's….."
'No, it's my fault', Mayhem thought, almost tempted to voice it out, but refrained herself from doing so. She wish she could go inside and comfort the old guy, but she knew if she did, he would kick her out or worse, call the police on her. He never liked her since the very beginning; in his eyes, she was the clone and May was his real daughter, the original.
No one would ever be able to replace May.
May "Mayday" Mary Parker
October 31, 1994 - August 6, 2010
Loving daughter, sister, friend, and courageous hero
Those were the words they put on her headstone, along with a recent school picture of hers that was settled right on top of her name.
May was smiling happily in the photo; her blue eyes were bright, and her brown hair was beautiful as ever. Seeing this, Mayhem found it hard to believe that the burnt girl she saw at the morgue a few days ago was the same girl in the picture.
With a sigh, she averted her eyes and looked over at all the flowers and gifts everyone left her: from white roses, orchids, and lilies to Spider-Girl drawings, plushies, and thank-you cards.
A low growl escaped Mayhem's throat and she could feel anger boiling inside. Why did they bother giving May all this stuff now that's she's dead and can't see it? Why didn't they give this to her when she was alive?
The anger faded and she closed her eyes, tightening her grip on the bouquet of purple hyacinths that she had on her hand.
Without a word, she set them down in front of the headstone and walked away.
She growled in defiance and with her long claws, she scratched the monster across the face, forcing it to release its hold on her.
"You made a terrible mistake of coming here by your lonesome!" She screeched and without hesitation, she leaped on top of the monster just as it was trying to regain its balance.
It lashed out at her and snapped at her, but she was quicker and it's neck was quickly ripped out.
Mayhem stood over the body and silently watched as the red and blackish symbiote removed itself from its host, who had been a teenager.
"MAYHEM!"
She turned around at the call of her name and watched as Torus Storm, also known as Super Storm from the former Fantastic 6, run towards her, carrying a flame thrower. She grabbed it from him the moment he was standing beside her and pointed it at the symbiote on the floor before pulling the trigger.
Her mind was completely blank as she watched the symbiote wither away into nothing.
Torus looked at her and rested a hand on her shoulder. He opened his mouth to say something, but she pushed the flame thrower back into his hands and walked away.
She continued walking in utter silence down the sewer until she reached a fence decorated with many photos; they were photos of the friends and families they lost over the years since the Carnage outbreak began, an outbreak that she caused.
With a shaking hand, she reached over for a certain photo; it was May's family, seven years after her death. Both Peter and Mary Jane continued on with their lives, trying their best to overcome the grief and keep May's memory alive by telling Benjy all about her until they were gruesomely killed four months ago.
Mayhem didn't know most of the details of what happened, only that the Parker family moved into Normie Osborn's house to protect themselves from the Carnage outbreak when it started. Somehow those wretched creatures broke into the well-secured house and slaughtered everyone that lived there...everyone that was dear to May.
She moved her hand away.
It was her fault that they had died. After May's death, she lost herself for a bit and cut a bloody swath through the supervillian community. It was something that she was mighty proud of at the time, placing all those damned villains in body bags. She had expected to receive praise for ridding New York of those menaces, but just like May had warned her of, she got hate and soon enough, everyone was after her.
It continued to be that way until she accidentally murdered American Dream, leader of the new Avengers. Once that happened, the government turned to Black Paramilitary Services and handed them many samples of the Carnage symbiote. The whole plan was that they were going to have a of handful soldiers bond with the symbiote and to ensure they could dominate over it, the company came up with a "safe" procedure. Unfortunately it failed as the soldiers they had picked had a hunger for blood and violence that instantly grew once Carnage had taken over their bodies.
Those creatures were created to kill her.
The death of May's parents and the terrible destruction of humankind is her fault.
If only she hadn't been so selfish, May would still be alive and things would be completely different.
"April, there you are!" Upon hearing her name, Mayhem turned around to see Cassie Lang, the former avenger known as Stinger and one of May's closest friends, running towards her and waving her arms.
As soon as she appeared, Mayhem rid herself of her symbiote outfit and changed into her other form, a forty-year old woman with a weary expression and graying brown hair. While she waited for Cassie, she pondered on how the former avenger could handle being around her; she had been the one who killed two of her closest friends and to make it worse, she looked exactly like one of them.
"What is it Cassie?" April asked when the woman caught up to her.
"It's the Mulligan!" Cassie exclaimed, a tinge of excitement noted in her voice. "Mainframe and I made a breakthrough!"
Excitement tingled through April's body. "After ten years, thank the heavens! Show me now, Cassie!"
She nodded and they both ran off.
The Mulligan….the one thing that could save humanity.
April smiled. She was finally atoning for her mistakes.
Pain
Her whole body was in pain and she couldn't move.
Where was she?
The last thing she remembered was talking to Torus and then the Carnage army found the entrance to their hideout. There was Cassie, Mainframe, and the Mulligan-
The Mulligan!
CRASH!
"THE STREETS ARE SAFER NOW BECAUSE I'M ATTENDING TO THE DRUG LORDS! AND YET YOU PORTRAY ME AS THE BAD GUY!"
That voice….it was her! Her younger self!
"Listen to yourself, April! You're killing people! That's the very definition of a bad guy!"
May! That was May's voice!
She did it! The Mulligan worked! The time was right!
Happiness surged through her as her vision cleared and she recognized the inside of the building and saw the fighting figures of her younger self and May.
She reached a hand out. Everything was going to be alright.
Agonizing pain surged through her body.
She couldn't move! Her entire body, it's paralyzed and in terrible pain; she materialized inside the wall and she was dying slowly, with her hand being the only one that was moveable and out.
Was this the end? Was she destined to fail? Was May and the whole world destined to die?
No!
NO
NO!
She can't quit! She must find the strength for the future generations! For the children!
"Heroes are supposed to to punish the guilty!" Mayhem screeched, slashing at May.
"No! Our job is to protect the helpless!" May shouted, dodging her.
Anger boiled inside Mayhem and without thinking she took aim for May, all while screeching, "SAYS YOU!!"
Immediately, May jumped away and Mayhem's long claws ended up striking an electric box instead. Sparks flew everywhere and the many pieces of cloth lying on the ground soon caught on fire.
"Look what you've done!" May screamed. "We've gotta get out of here before the flames reach those painting supplies!"
The anger was now unbearable. It had always been her fault! May always put the blame on her! "This is exactly what I'm talking about!" She screamed. "You blame everything on-"
Her sentence was cut off as her mind went blank and in a matter of seconds, images were flashing through her eyes.
May stuck under debris.
"Tell my family that I love them."
An explosion.
Grief. So much grief.
A headstone with May's name and picture on it.
More grief and this time, guilt and anger.
Blood on her hands and teeth and slaughtered villains under her feet.
Angry superheroes and more blood. Accidental murder.
CARNAGE
Army of Carnage destroying the city and killing and consuming people.
May's family is slaughtered.
Sanctuary homes in sewers and innocent children all gathered around her.
Carnage breaking through the walls.
Carnage taking over.
And just as it had started, it ended.
"Me.", Mayhem silently said, finishing her sentence and looking back to see two blackish and bluish tendrils drifting away from her and into the shadows.
A warm smile formed on her face and she closed her eyes.
'P-Please work. P-Please understand," she pleaded silently as she felt her whole body begin to melt away, 'F-Farewell, May. I...I am so sorry...F-for everything….'
"April! April! Are you alright?" May called out, breaking Mayhem away from her troubling and confusing thoughts, "You look like you've seen a-"
Her spider-sense began to tingle in the back of her head and she looked up just in time to see a beam from the ceiling break in half.
"Look out!" May yelled, flinging herself towards her.
The vision! This was how May dies! She can't let her die!
"Not this time, May! It's my turn to play hero!" Without a moment of hesitation she extended out a long tendril and pushed May away. Just as the beam fell on top of her, she heard the sound of glass shattering into little pieces as May flew through the window and the very faint thud of her body as she landed on roof of the other building.
Tears began to stream down her face and she closed her eyes as she felt the flames around her increase.
"Seems you were right, kiddo….", she began, "Just took me a lifetime to see it."
"Say goodbye to the family for me. I really did love them…in my own way…."
May was just regaining her balance when it happened, a flash of light and then a loud explosion.
She stood there in disbelief, looking at the building that was now engulfed in flames.
"A-A-April?" She stuttered.
With a trembling hand, she removed her mask and threw it aside. Tears were already running down her cheeks as she looked at the inferno in front of her and screamed,
"APPPRRRIIILLL!!!"