Chapter 2

Kendrick woke up in his bed with the alarm clock blaring. He reached his hand over to it and pushed the button on the top.

The clock crumbled like paper under his hard.

Proportional strength of a spider. Horray. he thought angrily. And now I have to buy a new clock.

Kendrick sat up in his bed and thought about the events of the day before.

...

Kendrick awoke in a hospital.

How did he end up here?

Then it flashed back into his mind. The spider. The giant freakin' spider that but him. He heard that Dr. Lance guy say that it was worth billions.

Billions. For a spider. That bit him.

"Holy shit," he said out loud.

"Huh," asked Drake who Kendrick didn't even notice was there, sleeping. Drake smiled as he saw him awake.

"There he is," Drake said. "You gave me a scare, little bro."

"Who me," Kendrick said with mock surprise.

"Yeah you," Drake said. "Apparently you got bit by a spider, owned by Farroway Enterprises. Mom and Dad are trying to sue the pants off them."

"Oh no," Kendrick said shaking his head. "It was an accident. Besides, I'm fine."

It was true, Kendrick was perfectly fine. In fact, he felt better than ever. Was that spider injected with heroin or something? Kendrick wondered...

"Yeah, but that's not gonna stop Mom for caring for her little baby." Drake then proceeded to make kissy faces, imitating their mother. "Mwah mwah mwah."

"Shut up," Kendrick said smiling. Then added. "That was actually a pretty good impression, though."

Drake took this as encouragement.

"I can't wait to see how she acts when they get here," he said. "Oh my baby, I was so worried about you! Did the bad spider hurt you, honey? I'll kill it, I swear!"

Kendrick laughed even more at this spot on depiction.

"Yeah," he said between laughs. "That seems about right."

"I know it does," Drake said. "Because they baby you like crazy."

Kendrick turned serious.

"Yeah," he said. "And they don't do anything to help you. In anything."

"Don't worry about me Ken," Drake said. "Worry about getting better."

"I told you, I'm fine," Kendrick said.

Suddenly, their mother and father burst into the room, surprising both of them. What wasn't surprising, was their mother almost smothering Kendrick with hugs and kisses, while completely ignoring the fact that their oldest son was in the room.

"Oh my baby," their mother cried. "I was so worried about you! Did the bad spider hurt you, honey? I'll kill it, I swear!"

Drake waved at Kendrick with a sad smile on his face.

"Later," he said, as he left the room, their parents not showing any acknowledgment.

"How're you feeling, son," his father asked.

"I feel fine, Dad," Kendrick said. "Can you get mom off of me?"

"Oh hush," his mom said. "There's nothing wrong with me loving my baby!"

Then, as another surprise, Tyler Farroway walked into the room, looking cautious. And he should, judging by the look given by Kendrick's parents. If looks could kill.

"Hey Mr. Farroway," Kendrick said.

"Hello, Kendrick," he said. He then asked nervously. "Can I speak to you...alone? Please?"

"If you think you're going to say anything to my baby," his mom started.

"Mom," Kendrick sighed. "Can you guys give us a sec?"

Reluctantly, their parents nodded, and left the room. Tyler looked at Kendrick with sad eyes.

"How're you feeling Kendrick," Tyler asked genuinely worried.

"I feel okay," Kendrick replied. "What kinda spider was that?"

"You just get right to the point, don't you," Tyler asked sitting down on a chair along the wall. "Now, that, that's where things get complicated."

"How so," Kendrick asked.

"That spider it bit you...it was infused by a super soldier serum...that's why it looked the way it did. And we believe that the spider's venom had traces of the serum in it." Tyler said slowly, as if explaining this to a child, which, legally, he was.

"Super soldier serum," Kendrick repeated letting that sink in.

"Yes," Tyler said. "A super soldier."

...

Kendrick picked through the pieces of the smashed clock, trying to see if he smashed the battery as well. He could still reuse that, at least.

Suddenly, acting on pure instinct, Kendrick grabbed the spider flying by his head. Kendrick was surprised by his reflexes and speed. He still had mixted feelings about this super-spider-soldier-guy thing, but at least he wouldn't have to worry about flies anymore.

Looking at the spider in his hand, Kendrick suddenly had the urge to put it in his mouth and eat it.

That's gross, Kendrick thought in disgust to his sudden impulses. But look at it squirming...

"What the shit are you doing?" Kendrick's roommate Marshall asked, breaking Kendrick's thoughts.

Marshall was a skinny white guy about the same height as Kendrick, but about half an inch taller. He had short black hair, but he dies it blond to match his "hero" Eminem, who he was named after. Marshall wanted to be the next great rapper, saying he was going to call himself Skittles and him and Eminem would be in a rap duo.

"Huh," Kendrick asked.

"You're looking at that fly like it's fried chicken," Marshall said.

"You're funny," Kendrick stated as he let the fly go, it flying into the air.

"Oh, dude my bad," Marshall said. "I didn't mean that to be racist or nothing."

Kendrick playfully put up the middle finger to his roommate. Before he could form another thought, what appeared to be bone appeared over the elongated finger with a sharp point.

"Holy shit!" Marshall yelled out loud.

Kendrick quickly shook his hand in the air, trying to get the weird thing off of him. The second he aligned his fingers again, the bone disappeared back into his hand.

"What the hell was that," Marshall asked. "I mean, what the hell was that?"

Kendrick tried extending all of his fingers to see if the bone appeared on the others. It didn't. The bone only appeared when he put up the birdie.

"Kendrick!"

Kendrick snapped back into attention.

"Huh?"

"What the shit was that," Marshall asked again, obviously scared.

"What was what?" Kendrick said as casually as he could.

"Don't even try that bullshit, dude, what was that," Marshall said again.

Kendrick sighed.

I guess I never was the best secret keeper, he thought. Shit.

Kendrick told Marshall everything about the spider bite, and everything about his powers. He didn't see another choice. Except, maybe, killing Marshall, but that would've been too messy.

"So," Marshall said. "You have spider powers?"

"I don't really know," Kendrick shrugged. "I haven't had the chance to test it."

"So test it," Marshall said.

"Test for what," Kendrick said. "I don't know what the spider gave me."

"Well, try sticking to the wall."

Kendrick looked at the wall of their dorm. The thought of being able to scale it with his hands did seem appealing. But, come on. He was a human. Not a spider.

A human with spider powers, Kendrick thought.

It was true, the previous day at the hospital, Tyler Farroway said the spider probably passed on its abilities to him. But, could he stick to walls? That seemed like pushing it a little.

Kendrick put his hand on the wall. He didn't feel anything different about it. Then, he put his right foot on the wall, and he felt a kind of suction in his hands in feet.

No way, Kendrick thought.

Kendrick put his other hand and foot on the wall, and was surprised to see that he was sticking to the wall. It didn't even feel weird. It felt normal. Natural. Like he'd been doing it his whole life.

Kendrick looked behind him. Marshall had fainted. Kendrick smiled to himself.

Hopefully he forgets all of this, he thought.

Kendrick continued to crawl up the wall, to the ceiling. He didn't even feel dizzy or anything. He actually felt calm. Like all the weight was off his shoulders.

There was a knock on the door. And all the weight went back on his shoulders.

"You guys are late," a voice came from behind the door.

"Oh, uh, hold on," Kendrick said.

Okay, now how was he going to get down? Suddenly, Kendrick started to fall to the floor, but he twisted himself in the air, landing on his feet without a sound.

Kendrick walked to the door, and opened the door and his best friend, Jen Farrell was standing there.

Jen was a girl one year younger than Kendrick. She always had this knowing expression on her face that showed she knew what you were thinking before you thought it. She had boucy red hair and emerald green eyes that tore right into your soul. She was wearing her favorite shirt that was blue (or turquoise as she said) that had a star on it, and some jeans.

"Oh," Kendrick said. "Hey, Jen. I thought you were one of the custodians."

Jen's eyes west big as she saw him.

"Uh hey," she said seemingly in a daze.

"What's wrong?"

"Uh, Kendrick," she said not looking him in the eye. "What happened to you?"

"Huh?"

Kendrick looked down and understood what she meant. He was shirtless, but that's not what the problem was, if you consider this a problem. The problem was, he had gotten stronger. Really stronger. He was about just as skinny as before, but his muscles were more toned. He had the muscles of a body builder in the shape of a geek. Jen started to reach for Kendrick's stomach, but stopped herself. Kendrick, looking at his new physique, didn't notice.

"Uh," Kendrick said finally. "Yeah, I've been working out. A lot."

"Yeah, I can tell," Jen said finally looking up at him. "Can you, uh, put a shirt on? You're a little distracting."

Kendrick wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying, as he got a South Pole shirt out of his closet.

"What happened to Marsh?" Jen asked, seeing him passed out on the ground.

"He falls off the bed when he sleeps," Kendrick said. "Can you wake him up for me?"

Jen walked to Marshall and started shaking him. After a few seconds, he woke up with a start.

"Spider-man!" he exclaimed.

"Spider-who?" Jen asked.

Jen was Kendrick's best friend. Had been for years. She told him everything, and vice versa. But, this is one secret he wanted to keep to himself.

"He's been having this weird dream," Kendrick said thinking fast. "About a guy dressed as a spider. I'm really starting to worry about him."

"Huh?" Marshall asked confused.

Kendrick shot Marshall a look that said, lie or I will stick my middle finger into your throat.

"Yeah, he's right. This Spider-man guy keeps stabbing me in the throat with his middle finger." Marshall said.

Jen and Kendrick both looked at him quizzically, although Kendrick for a completely different reason. Had Marshall heard his thoughts? Was one of his abilities being able to transmit his thoughts to others?

"O...kay." Jen said obviously confused. "You guys ready to head to breakfast, or would you rather talk about Marshall getting throat raped by a guy in a spider outfit?"

"Yeah, just give us a minute." Kendrick said.

"Okay," Jen said, giving one last quick glance at Kendrick before leaving.

Kendrick closed the door behind her, and turned to Marshall.

"You can't tell anybody," Kendrick said.

"Oh come on," Marshall said. "Like I don't know to not tell anyone."

"I'm serious, Marsh," Kendrick said. "Not a soul."

"Okay! Jeez, man," Marshall said then added. "But you should tell everyone, man. You could be, like, a superstar or something. Like Jesus!"

"Spider-Jesus?" Kendrick said, cracking a smile.

Marshall started putting some clothes on.

"So, you gonna ask Jen out," Marshall asked.

"What? No," Kendrick said, silently thanking God for his dark skin tone so he couldn't see him blush. "We're just friends."

"Don't feed me that bullshit, Ken," Marshall said. "She was all over your newfound abs, congrats on that by the way, and black guys love red heads."

Kendrick puts up his middle finger, his, what Kendrick was now calling it, bone claw coming out.

"Okay, chill," Marshall said holding his hands up in defense. "You don't have to gut me or nothing."

"I'm not gonna kill you," Kendrick said rolling his eyes. "I was flicking you off."

Marshall, now clothed, patted Kendrick on the back.

"Now, come on, Spider-Jesus," Marshall said. "let's go eat breakfast with the love of your life."

"Now I'm gonna kill you," Kendrick said.

...

Dr. Lance sat at his desk, mesmurised by what he was looking at.

A blood sample from Kendrick Durham.

He expected something different about the sample, but what he got was exceptional. They could make twelve super soldier serums just from the code inside hid blood.

And Tyler Farroway wanted to keep it hidden.

True, he had to steal this sample from Farroway's office. Farroway had always been sentimental to children, especially Kendrick, who he said he saw as a young version of himself. This blood could have great benefits to the scientific community, at least until they found the spider. So, obviously, Dr. Lance had to get more. Much more.

Even if that means taking it from the source.

Painfully.

...

Hope you guys enjoyed. I know the first chapter was kinda bad, and nothing really happened in thus one, but things will start picking up soon. Scout's Honor. [Fingers Crossed.]

Thanks to cabrera1234 for favoriting. Thanks to MarvelHero1610 for the advice/review. Appreciate it.

And check out Deadpool: New World. The first few chapters suck, but the last chapter I did was pretty good, I guess. R/R.

-Brad.