Part Two
Peter walked into the movie theater with Mary Jane. The darkened lights made following the lights to the seats necessary. Even with his heightened senses he still stumbled his way through the darkness.
They slowly walked through the aisles until reaching the center and quietly sitting down. Peter handed the bucket of popcorn to MJ and clutched his bag of Twizzlers. "What's this movie about again?" He whispered as the previews began. The theater slowly filled up as customers took their seats.
"I don't know." MJ responded, "But I hear it's really good."
"Oh." Peter replied, "Who am I to argue with the mob?" He pulled a twizzler from the bag and took a hearty bite.
MJ took a few handfuls of the popcorn, "I love this stuff." She remarked before offering Peter some who declined. "What's wrong? You're not on a diet are you?" She asked jokingly.
"No, it's just that I'm a little distracted." Peter said rubbing his brow wearily. "Gwen's been a little anxious to get the ball rolling between us."
"You're going to have to tell her eventually, tiger." MJ said informingly, "She's going to find out eventually, better now than later."
Peter sighed, "I know. It's just that she looks at me so adoringly, I can't bring myself to do it."
MJ nodded, "I've seen her. I was hoping she'd get the clue when you guys stopped going out but she's resilient." She ran her fingers through her hair, pondering the various aspects of the complex situation, "Tomorrow we'll tell her no matter what. Both of us, I'll be there to help."
"Yeah, that sounds good. It's better than my plan about telling her at the wedding." Peter replied sarcastically, "It's not going to be easy."
"Not by a long-shot." MJ replied. Another preview came and went. An idea came to her. She quietly put the popcorn down on the floor and wrapped her arms around his chest, "Peter." She said mischievously.
"Yes?" He asked like a frightened school-boy.
MJ smiled, "I was thinking, it's been a while, maybe we should go out for a swing around town after the movie ends." She brushed her hand against his chin, "We need some time alone."
Peter gulped, "Kay'."
She bumped her foot against the popcorn sending it sprawling across the floor, "Damn it." MJ cursed reaching for the bucket. When she picked her head up from below the seats with what was left of her popcorn she found Gwen standing over her and Peter.
"Hi, guys." Gwen said happily, "This is a real surprise. Why didn't you say you were going out tonight?"
"Oh…um…it was a sort of spur of the moment thing." Peter said surprised while MJ froze totally up.
"This is so, great, now we can watch the movie together!" Gwen sat beside Peter and hung her arms around him, "This is just a great surprise."
Peter looked at an annoyed MJ munching on her popcorn and he placed his hands in his face, "It's definitely a surprise."
The black creature stood in the alley, hidden in the shadows. Its tongue played against the edge of its shark-like teeth. It could see people leave the movie theater. The faces were meaningless to him.
That is, all but a few. It spotted Parker leaving in the company of a redhead and blonde. It knew the blonde well enough, she was Gwen Stacy. The girl had been infatuated with Parker and he has a result had had mixed feelings about her. She wasn't the one it wanted.
The monster looked to the right of Parker, the girl he was secretly holding hands with. "Hello Mary Jane." Contempt dripped from its voice and his hands trembled with rage.
It could emerge from the shadows, strike at the three with everything it had and probably win. "No." It said to itself almost as if reminding another. "We don't just want Parker, we want Spider-Man."
"He wronged us." It said, the tone slightly different, "We deserve retribution just as much."
The monster snarled, "Let him have today." It stated confidently, "Tomorrow is another day." It stated behind a toothy grin.
"No excuses." Gwen demanded as they walked down the crowded street, "You're going out with me tomorrow."
Peter raised an eye curiously, "I am?"
"Yes, to a restaurant for a classy dinner." Gwen remarked, "Just the two of us, it'll be romantic." She said; making sure Mary Jane could hear her well enough. "After all, it's been a while since we were together."
Whatever truce had formed between the two young ladies during Peter's absence was now off. Gwen had once had the advantage, now she was playing in MJ's court.
Gwen put on her seductive demeanor, casting an aura around her that affected everyone, "Maybe afterwards, we can do something really special."
Peter looked at an increasingly irate MJ in the corner of his eyes and braced himself for the storm that was coming.
It was the early hours of the morning. The sun would be rising soon and business owners prepared for another work day. Money was to be made. Roderick Kingsly stepped up his corporate war against Osborn Industries another notch. A Grocery store owner planned to start displaying adult magazines to boost his sagging profits.
Meanwhile, one newspaper stand owner prepared to open for the rushing owner. He rubbed his eyes, exhausted from the never-ending work. The relative silence of the city was comforting, he could take a moment to close his eyes and only hear the rush of wind flowing by.
He grabbed a stack of newspapers from the New York Post. The string was still neatly tied in order to hold them together. They had an image of Spider-Man on the cover, swinging by a skyscraper effortlessly. Those pictures always boosted sales.
The owner placed the stack of newspapers on the street and turned away for a moment to grab his knife in order to cut the string. He went to face the papers and only was met with confusion. The stack was gone, vanished into thin-air.
He scanned his surroundings and saw only deserted streets. Then a scrap of paper fell from the air. The owner grimaced, "What in the name of God?" He looked at the sky only to see the torn remnants of the entire stack floating to the ground like confetti.