a dimension shift? a tear in time? a multiverse?
things far above his head sneak up on peter as he deals with his secret identity being revealed. rifts in the universe as you know it are everywhere. if someone doesn't do something soon... who know...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
You had known Queens was in a state of disagreement when you decided to move there, but you hadn't expected it to be so drastic.
The news alert had popped up the day you had signed for your apartment lease. Something about the infamous neighborhood hero, Spider-Man, his secret identity having been revealed.
You hadn't thought much of it then, but as the days passed and you finally moved your things out of your father's house, the reports had grown more and more agitated.
"In a state of uproar!" One man had said on the television in the gas station.
"Does a Mask Make a Hero?" Read a title of a news stand you passed on your way to the apartment lobby with an armful of belongings.
There were homemade posters and signs stuck up too. You noticed that "We Believe Mysterio!" was the most common among the ones hung around your building. Others were there, but covered or too old and worn to make out.
"What on earth is going on?" You whispered in bewilderment as you reached your number. You fished for your key and then opened the door to reveal your new home.
It was modest, you had to admit, but you liked it instantly. It would, of course, be infinitely better than with your dad. That much was clear.
A girl walked around the corner then, a baseball bat in her hands. She jumped at seeing you, and then laughed, relieved. "I thought someone was breaking in. But weren't you s'pose to be coming next week?" She glanced towards the kitchen where a faded calendar hung over the sink.
"Yes," you admitted, shutting the door with your boot. "But I requested an advance."
Your roommate nodded. "Smart. What, with all this protesting and rioting going on, I'd marvel that they even let you start renting. Granted, they need the business." She nodded at a spot of white mold growing on the ceiling.
"Well I'm Meg, then." She held out a sturdy hand.
"___," you said, shifting the box to your other arm.
"Do you have more stuff downstairs? You shouldn't go outside alone. It can get wild, even up here, away from the parks. That's where most of it goes down."
You scrunched your eyebrows as you set the box down at your feet. "I'm confused, what riots? I haven't seen anything too horrible on the news."
Meg laughed easily and slung an arm over your shoulder, steering you both towards the door. "Guess you don't know much about it then, do ya." She said. You entered the hall and walked down the cement floor. "Figures. The government wouldn't want people like you to boycott this place for something as small as people dying on the streets every day."
"What?" You stopped just short of the stairs and looked at her.
"Well, haven't you read the signs? Don't you realize what's going on?" She turned towards you, her face full of disbelief.
You shook your head.
Meg turned her head and then met your eyes again. Slowly, she pointed to the wall behind her, where a bright green flier was hung.
You squinted to read the bolded lettering.
"It's a city-wide manhunt." Meg said.
And it looked like she was right. For the lettering on the flier read:
SPIDER-MAN IS A LIAR AND MURDERER! PETER PARKER MUST BE PUNISHED FOR HIS CRIMES! IF YOU SIDE WITH HIM, YOU SIDE WITH THE ENEMY AND WILL SORELY REGRET IT! CHOOSE WISELY.
