My Intimate Spiderman

Salvation and Care

My story is stranger than the strangest dreams and I really do not know how to start it. So the best from the beginning...

That day was grey and monotonous. Nothing could tell that it was the day something extraordinary was going to happen. Me, Wendy Brown, 25, a black girl from New York, as usulal was coming back from work at the florist's together with my father, who had a job in an advertising agency. We got onto the suburban train in the centre, as always full of people coming home uptown. I was sitting on the bench next to my dad and staring authomatically at the dull landscape outside th window, at the houses, skyscrapers and streets passing by..

All at once something hit the carriage's roof with an awful force.

'What can that be?' - I thought. 'If only it wasn't a crash.'

I took my father's hand. There was also anxiety in his eyes. Other people looked at each other, too.

-Are we running off the rails? - someone asked.

But reality showed itself immediately in all its terror. In the air outside the window there flashed a shape with eight iron tentacles too well known from daily newspapers: Doctor Octopus, a mad scientisct who, during an experiment turned into a monster and was terrorizing the city now.

'He will kill us all in a while' - I realized. Because his metal arms were but a bit from the window and going to force their way into the compartment. And it was then when the monster's body got pushed away by something

Who possessed strengh so great as to withstand Octopus? Probably only one person in New York. The presence of Spiderman calmed me in some strange manner and kept up the others too. There were shouts to be heard: 'Go Spidey go!' and 'Kick his ass!'.

Meanwhile both the opponents kept on fighting on the train's roof but from time to time we could see through the window the shape clad in red and blue flashing with bedazzling speed and the eight iron tentacles beating the air.

Suddenly I heard a cry of terror coming from the driver's cabin.

-Doc Ock pulled out the brakes!

-It's an unfinished rail, though! - yelled my father.

All stared at each other in panic. What now? Is that the end?

-Dad! - I cried. But my father was not with me. I took a glance and spotted him at the driver's side. The rest was also crowded there. I run towards them and then I saw what they were really looking at. In front of the train as at the bow of a ship there stood Spiderman with his arms stretched out. I noticed he looked somewhat different and only after a while I realized he had no mask on his face and his dark hair was flying in the rushing air.

Terribly fast he was shooting the long threads out of his hands, with which he was trying to catch on the walls of nearby buildings. He probably hoped to slow down the train in that way. Yet he was unsucccesful for the webs were only tearing brick from the houses on both sides of the railway but the train was rushing still on.

-Everybody hang on! - he shouted to us and his voice seemed to me so familiar as if I had known it all my life.

He started shooting webs faster and faster and pulling them to himself even stronger and we stood petrified in a tense waiting. Now each of us could see we were approaching the abbyss.

I knew Spiderman's strenght and possibilities were superhuman yet I could not help the impresion that in the moment he was making the greatest effort in his life. For the amonut of web he was shooting, as to stop the running machine, was just incredible. It looked as if the rush of the train and the strained webs were about to tear off his arms and it was obvious it was excrutiatingly painful for him because eventually he started crying terribly as if he wanted to cry out his very soul.

Despite fear for the castastrophy approaching I was staring at his fight with compassion. I saw it now clearly he was not an unearthly creature but a live human who felt pain just the same.

Meanwhile in front of us there was nothing but the horizon's line... And in that moment when the train just stood on the verge of tumbling down into the precipice we started to slow down suddenly and then at once the whole vehicle as if lept forth and stood still.

Utterly spent Spiderman staggered and I knew he was passing out. Yet the people standing nearest held up his lifeless, collapsing body and did not let him fall down. They held him strongly yet delicate at the same time, as if in fear not to hurt him. When he was lying stretched high on their lifted arms I saw how much he was fragile. And the face of his, tiny, of tender features, of eyes shadowed with long eyelashes and of tangled dark hair, was just the face of a boy, of a teenager. My heart winced when I noticed wounds and bruises seen through his outfit, torn in so many places.

The passengers were passing Spiderman one to another till they carried him in that way to the middle of the compartment. They put him on the floor in an absolute silence as if the tiniest sound could disturb him. They were looking at him in silence and only after a while someone said:

-He is just a kid!

-He is no older than my son - said another voice.

After a long while Spiderman opened his eyes whose intense blue color reminded of a cloudless sky. He touched his face with his hand and as if got feared. He seemed to be embarrassed with his having no mask and that so many now knew his face. Or maybe with being seen in the moment of weakness?

For me yet he was now someone very close whom I wanted to hold and comfort. I wondered how it was that in such a delicate boy there was so much power, not that physical but that of a spirit, being necessary to undertake such hard and dangerous tasks.

I turned and saw that there was my father standing by and smiling at him.

-Everything will be alright, Spidey - he said calmly.

I remeberd that diminutive name he was sametimes labeled with in the city. Before, it had made me laugh and asscociated with childlish teenagers. Yet now I considered it fitted him far more than a distant and remote Spiderman.

There emerged from the crowd two little, round-faced boys and stood before him embarrassed.

-We have something for you - said one in a solemn voice. And passed him his mask.

Spidey sat and tried smiling lightly.

-Thank you - he said in a shaking voice and put the mask on.

He started to get up slowly but staggered at once. I felt I must help him. I held him up for a short moment, brief one, yet sufficient to feel the warmth of his body. I knew it could not last too long that he was not embarrassed with his own weakness.

I did not dare to glance at him when he said silently:

-I have to go...

He made several paces but it could be seen each pace made him painful.Then my father came close to him and said warmly but steady:

-We are taking you home. Come with us.

Spidey tried to shyly protest but even louder speaking was an effort to him.

All looked at us with admiration and some jelousy that it was us who first were struck by the idea. When we were leaving the compartment holding him between us, the crowd was standing back in silence seeing off the hero with awe.

'How will we go with him through the city?'-I tried to focus on real issues - 'Sure all will get interested in him while all he needs is peace'.

My father must have been thinking the same for he approached Spidey and took off his mask tenderly. I dared to look again at his face. And was struck at how innocent and pure it was.

My father wrapped him in his long coat, by which Spidey looked even more tiny and fragile. The train stood out of the official station yet we managed to get down from the trackway and after a moment we were again in the street.

Spidey tried going straight but suddenly he stopped, leaned against a wall and glanced at us with embarrassment.

-What happened?- I asked in anxiety.

He was very pale when we heard his faint whisper:

-I... feel nauseatic.

We tried to keep him up but he bent and vomited. When he raised his head he was so pale that almost transparent. He retched several times and we were wiping the sweat off his face and tears from his eyes.

-Perhaps we should take him to the hospital?- pondered my father.

-Better no - I answered at once.

I desired to take care of him myself as to pay him back for the salvation he gave us. I had to explain this so I added:

-There would be to much mess there, and he has to rest. Better we take him home.

-But I am ok. - Spidey tried to defend himself. - I will go in a while.

Yet I had an impressin that he was feeling he had to resist only on a rule and in reality he dreamt of being taken care of.

Father took a cab and after a while we were going down the crowded streets of New York.

I sat at the back of the car with Spidey and it was obvious to me that I took his hand in mine to give him the feeling of someone's close presence.

-Strange things were going on in the town today -said the driver. -I saw Doc Ock and Spiderman on the top of Westside Tower. They were beating crap out of each other. Wonder how it ended.

-Surely Spiderman won- I said qiuckly.

And at once I felt Spidey squeezing tight my hand.

-Surely, it is a cool guy, thou - agreed the driver.

-And your boyfriend, he sick or what? - he asked after a brief moment, and I felt a wave of heat in my heart.

-He was wounded in a train crash - said my father without hestitation. - You probably heard, Doc Ock kidnapped the train which nearly fell off the track but Spiderman stopped it.

-Oh ye, me heard this. We'd look poor withot 'im.

I felt another squeeeze on my hand and then a silent whisper of Spidey:

-I did not do anything like....

-Shhh - I whispered leaning over him so I could again see the shadows under his eyes.

'He behaves as though he didn't realize his deeds' - I thought suprised and awe-struck.

When we reached our place and get out of the cab we noticed the driver staring at us strangely. At first I did not understand it: though Spidey was all covered with long coat and had no mask. Yet... from under the coat there were sticking out the long, red pointed boots which probably only one person in New York wore. But I had no strenght neither will to explain anything to nobody. I opened the door and led Spidey into the house. Our female cat, Hermione, coaxy, black-haired darling with white socks and hair brushes on the tips of her ears, was at once next to us. She was usually a bit mistrustful to strangers but now she rubbed her head against Spidey's legs and purred, closing her green eyes with delight.

'As if she knew how good he is' - I thought.- 'But perhaps she can feel it, cats are so wise though.'

The father also came in and closed the door.

-We have to bathe him and lay in bed as soon as we can. He is so spent that he is almost falling to the floor.

He took his coat off Spidey and led him into the bathroom. And then the problem emerged. Spidey's outfit, dirty and torn, was stuck to his body like a second skin. And we had no idea how to take it off.

-Listen boy... - said the father a bit perplexed. - Do you have any name, after all?

-Yes, my name is Peter - whispered Spidey.

I had not thought, up to now, that he could have any normal name. And if so, perhaps he also led a normal life and became Spiderman only in need. Maybe I had passed him by in the street some day when he was running to work or going shopping?

-So Peter, can you explain us how do you take off this crap? Otherwise we cannot wash you and you are all in dirt and blood.

Spidey (I still could not name him different) whispered silently:

-There is a zip on the side...

He raised his arm to show it and there appeared an expression of pain on his face.

-Don't tire yourself, we'll do all - the father assured him.

I cast a look at his red boots, those which shocked the cab-man so much. I knelt and slipped them off his legs.

And I was overwhelmed with emotin at the sight of his bare, tiny feet.

Meanwhile my father was trying to undress him delicate. It was not easy at all for the fabric glued in many places to the dried wounds and tearing it away must have been painful.

Spidey tried not to show this but we could hear silent moans coming out of his mouth.

When he was half-undressed we started to gently wash and disinfect his wounds. I could not but notice how smooth and delicate his skin was. He was slender yet not too thin, of just the ideal proportions, beautifully shaped arms and long, narrow palms. He noticed I was staring at him and blushed. In this aspect he must have been innocent too, unused that his body was watched by a female's eyes. I understood I should leave at that moment.

-I will prepare the guest room for you - I said trying that my voice sounded normal.

I did him bed, adorned it with fresh linen and fetched a warm blanket to be sure he would not be cold. I spotted in the corner of the wardrobe my warm winter slipppers in the shape of baby-seals. I reminded how small his feet were, not much bigger than mine. I thought that in those slippers he would be warm and cosy.

I heard the room's door open quiet. Spidey stood on the treshold, dressed in the too large pyjamas of my dad who was embracing him with his arm.

I approached him with the seal-slippers in my hand.

-Maybe you want warm slippers? - I asked

-What are you talking about, Wendy, such childlishness for him? - father was irritated.

I felt foolish. Really, a great hero and all, and here some plushy little animals. I had exaggerated.

-Still, they are lovely - I heard a shy voice.

Spidey slipped his feet into the seals and smiled at me palely.

-Lay down.- I said quickly. -Or maybe you would eat something?

-No, thank you - he said as usual, but I already knew that he was just trying not to absorb anyone with his person.

-So maybe cocoa at least? It will do you good.

He glanced at me with those blue eyes of his and I felt warm in the heart again.

-But do not trouble yourselves....

-I am making you a cocoa with cream in a while - I said fast.

And he smiled like a child at this.

-Wendy, we are throwing this crap into the garbage, it is all dirty and torn- stated my dad pointing at his costume.

-Don't throw it away, sir, I am going to mend it - Spidey tried to defend himself.

-OK, as you wish, but it must be uncomfortable in wearing.

Spidey made a confounded expression:

-Sometimes.....

I went to the kitchen having still in mind his subtle little face. When I had heard of Spiderman before I thought it surely was some muscled athlete of a square jaw. Meanwhile I found he was someone so delicate that I wanted to stare into his bright eyes endlesly and listed to the soothing sound of his voice.

When I came back with a cup on the tray he was already lying in bed and on the pillow next to him there curled something black.

-Hermione, you keeping company with our guest?

Spidey held out his hand and dipped it into the black fur.

-She is so soft. Is it a Norwegian Forest Cat?

'He is familiar with animals. How many surprises is there in him more?'- I thought.

-Probably she has a Norwegian blood. In the neighbourhood there had been a big black tom-cat once and he had the tail like a plume. And with him the feline of our neighbours had probably her kittens for they were very fluffy and all had tufts on the ear-tips.

During this tale about cats I felt somehow free, while Spidey seemed to listen to me with a great interest. So I started to talk on about some funny events from Hermione's childhood. He he was listening and sipping cocoa. In a momnet though, he raised his hand to his forehead and winced.

-You gotta headache? -I asked

-Well, I have had some emotions today.

-Maybe you'd like a Chinese massage?

He stared at me with a perplexed look.

-It will help you with the headache - I added fast to break all ambiguities.

-All right then - he agreed.

I put my chair near to the bed and touched slowly his temples. I started massaging with very tender moves, being all the time disconcentrated by his closeness. He was breathing peacefully and evenly so perhaps he was really relaxing. He closed his eyes and his long eyelashes were again casting shadows on his pale cheeks.

-And now hold out your hand - I asked and took his palm.

I wanted to massage his wrists. But when I touched the place I realized that it was there from where he had been casting the web that saved us. I spotted little white marks, shaped like stars. I did not dare to touch this palce, it seemed to me a sacrilege.

-What happened? - asked Spidey a bit anxious.

I knew already how he was embarrased with all compliments, so I said only:

-So it is here...

-Here? Oh, you mean this? I don't notice it anymore.

-Does it hurt when you do this? - I kept on asking, suprised by my own boldness.

-Usualy not, until I have to shoot webs so fast as today - the calm tone of his answer proved that he was treating it normally.

Dad appeared in the doorway.

-Wendy, let him sleep, he is surely very tired - he said as if strictly but in reality with a great tenderness.

We went out of the room closing the door silently. Dad looked at me and said:

-I wish one day.... but it's impossible.

I did not try to guess what he meant for I also was hiding some dreams deep inside me, the dreams I even did not dare to dream.