"Peter. Peter, Peter, Peter. Isn't this so cool?" Ned asks, shaking me by the shoulder.
"It totally is, dude. This is awesome. The only thing better than a tour of OsCorp Industries is Stark Tower."
"Peter, I expected better of you," Ned gave me a 'look'. It said 'I'm so disappointed in you'. "It's called Avengers' Tower now."
I face-palm. "Frickity-frack on a stick. You're right, Ned. I can't believe I did that. The Avengers are my favorite heroes."
"I know! Isn't Bruce Banner the best?" Ned gushes.
"We both know I like Tony Stark more, but Dr. Banner is definitely the second best."
"Peter. Ned. Pay attention," Mr. Harrington calls over to us.
"That's what you get, Penis," Flash sniggers quiet enough for only us two to hear.
"Just ignore him. Just ignore him," I chant under my breath. The class continues to walk and listen to our tour guide drone on about one thing or another. We come to a stop by a containment area that looks like it's holding . . . spiders? Sweet! Spiders are so cool!
"This is OsCorp's newest study. We are trying to create a biocable similar to the spiders' silk. What you see here are a few different species of spiders we are testing on. Now, I cannot tell you what tests we are giving them because most of this project is top secret," our tour guide explains.
"A few?" Ned whispers to me looking at the few dozen different species of spiders contained.
"Yeah, didn't you know that there are over 43,000 different species of spiders? This is so cool! Spiders are awesome! I wonder how OsCorp is going to use this biocable?" I whisper back, bouncing on my toes with thinly concealed excitement.
"Now I'm afraid that concludes our tour for today and it is time to let you go home," our tour guide announces.
"Thank you so much for that wonderful tour. I'm sure my students all enjoyed it," Mr. Harrington said.
There is one thing that none of us noticed as we started heading out. A single spider had gotten loose and was climbing over our shoes. In what seemed to be its final hope to survive it climbed up my shoe and onto my leg. Of course I didn't notice this until it was too late. It finished its climb up me and bit down on the back of my neck.
"Ah!" I quickly stifle my scream as my hand reaches back and smacks the back of my neck.
"Dude, are you okay? What was that?" Ned asks me. It seems like he was the only one to notice.
"Ah, it was nothing. I just had this sudden, itch. Yeah, itch. You know the kind of itch that comes out of nowhere and at first it's kind of like a stabbing pain, then it starts itching," I cover quickly, scratching my neck. I hope he buys it.
"Yeah, I know what you're talking about. I hate when that happens," Ned agrees with me, nodding his head. Oh, thank gosh. He bought it. I take my hand off my neck and keep it closed. It feels like there's something in there. Ned and I continue talking about what we saw during the tour as we board the bus. Ned walks in the bus ahead of me so I take this chance and open my hand and what looks like a spider is in it. The spider must have bitten me because it was scared and I killed it. Poor spider. I stick it in my pocket and sit down next to Ned. It's starting to get a little warm in here.
"Alright, kids," Mr. Harrington calls out over the din, "I hope you payed attention during the tour because there will be a quiz tomorrow. As the tour did take all day, when we get back to the school you will get to go home. I will see you all tomorrow."
"Hey, Ned, is it hot on this bus or is it just me?" I ask wiping sweat off my forehead.
"I think it's just you, Pe-," Ned cut himself off as he turned to look at me. "Peter? Are you okay? You don't look so good."
"I-I'll be f-fine. I just need t-to get home and s-sleep for a bit." Ned kept asking me questions on how I felt until we pulled into the school's parking lot.
"C'mon, I'll walk you home."
"Ned, you don't have to do that! You live in the opposite direction!"
"Yes, I do, Peter. You look like you're about to pass out. Plus, you only live a few blocks away. It's not that far."
"Okay, Ned. I give in. You can walk me home."
"Wow, you really must be sick to give up that easily," he jokes. "Who are you and what did you do to Peter Parker?"
He's right, though. I really don't feel good. I'm exhausted and hot and a bunch of other things I don't feel like describing. It's so bad that I completely forget about the spider in my pocket. "Oh har-de-har Ned. Let's just get me home."
On our walk back to my house I stumble a few times and Ned has to catch me. The more time progresses, the weaker I feel. Even though we are only walking a few blocks it feels like it's taking forever. By the time we reach the door I am fully leaning on Ned.
Ned opens the door and shouts for Aunt May and Uncle Ben. "Mr. and Mrs. Parker! I don't think Peter feels too well. He looks like he's about to pass out."
Aunt May emerges from the living room with Uncle Ben following her. "Ned, how many times do we have to tell you to call us May and Ben?" May scolds Ned. "Wait, what's wrong with-?" That is the last thing I hear and all I see is black.
The first time I wake up, (that I remember) I'm not sure what's going on, but it seems as though everything is not quite as blurry as usual and it's still dark out. The next thing I know is I'm waking up again and I can tell the sun is shining through my window, even with my eyes closed. "Ugh," I groan, not wanting to open my eyes as I can tell it's going to be bright.
"Peter! You're awake!" Uncle Ben says.
"Uncle Ben," I gripe, my eyes still closed, "it's too early for this. Can't you quiet down?"
"Peter, it's noon and it's Thursday. You've been in and out of consciousness with a fever for two days. Your fever finally broke last night. If it didn't we would've called the hospital."
"What!" I cry out, shooting up from my bed and finally opening up my eyes. I was right, it is bright. I squint my eyes until I get used to the brightness and continue what I was saying. "What do you mean I was out of it for two days?!"
A few minutes after you and Ned walked through the door you passed out and Ned helped me carry you to your bed. He wouldn't leave until his mom called him and told him to come home. It should be about lunchtime at the school; you should call him."
"Okay, Uncle Ben, I will." I put my glasses on and grab my phone to call Ned. I notice as I'm scrolling through my contacts that everything is a little blurry. Not as bad as it is without my glasses, but still noticeable. Oh, please don't let my eyesight get any worse. If it does, it won't be long until I'm legally blind. I select Ned's number and wait for him to pick up. He does after the first ring.
"Peter! Dude! Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just woke up and Uncle Ben told me what happened. I'll probably go back to school tomorrow."
"Yes, please do. It's so lonely without you here. I have no one to talk to. Lunch is almost over so I gotta go. I'm glad you're feeling better. Bye, Peter."
"Bye, Ned."