The Spider: Origins

September 21, 2022

I step into the cemetery, quiet with Emily holding Kamala on one side and Claire on my other.

I'm holding two small bouquets of flowers as I walk past rows and rows of tombstones until I find the pair I'm looking for.

Mikey R Allesio

June 16, 1978 - September 21, 2008

Ken B Beller

September 9, 1999 - September 21, 2008

I frown, feeling detached in a way even as I set down the flowers on both their graves. "Sorry I'm a couple days late for your birthday, Ken. And that I missed last year's visit. I've been busy."

In all honesty, I could barely remember the two of them. Ken was my brother, and Mikey my uncle. Both died in the same car accident. Only Ken's father walked away from it alive.

I was young when it happened, only seven at the time. And add onto the trauma induced memory loss, I only have three memories concerning them. If that.

I honestly only visited them out of guilt. But also as a way to vent about the things that have happened to me in the year since I last spoke to them.

I sit down in front of the two headstones, between the two. "Hi guys." I whisper, "Do I have quite the life update for ya."

"They died when you were rather young, didn't they?" Emily asked quietly as we ate some takeout on a roof back in LA.

I nod, "Yeah. I don't really remember much about them, unfortunately. I honestly only visit out of obligation and a way to vent about the stuff that's been happening."

Emily hesitates a moment before she speaks, "Do you know what exactly happened?"

I shook my head, "Just that they died in a car crash. I did hear, or I made it up in my head, that my uncle had actually survived the crash but that he'd been dragged out and stabbed by junkies or something. Which, obviously, ended up clarified later that yes, he did actually die in that crash."

"How the hell did the murder conspiracy happen?" It was Claire that had asked that, baffled.

I shrug, "I ain't gotta clue. Child's mind I guess."

Emily scoffs as she hands Kamala a fry, "What the fuck were you watching that made your mind bypass accident and fall straight to murder conspiracies?"

I pout at her, "Hey. Don't diss my kid self." I turned away, drinking some of my soda, "Besides, the only thing I can actually remember avidly watching when I was a kid was Pokemon."

Emily nods, "The early pokemon was on some shit. You remember that episode where Ash and Pikachu die and fuck with Brock and Misty?"

I laugh, "Yeah. I really liked that episode. I'm pretty sure that's the thing that sparked my interest in death."

The tenseness I'd felt all day after going back to my home state was melting away, the more time I spent with my sisters and niece.

"Aw! You didn't invite us?"

The three of us turn to see Venom landing on the roof behind us before it melts away to reveal a young black haired boy. Eddie.

Eddie had been the youngest of the men taken at only 18 years of age and just barely graduated. His family had left him in a hospital when it seemed like his sickness wasn't getting better and he became too much of a financial strain on them.

Eddie says he doesn't blame them but you'd have to be blind not to see that it affected his ability to trust people and that it hurt him deeply.

I picked up the untouched bag in front of me and held it up, "We didn't know if you'd been able to join us since you've been busy with your new job but we did get you something just in case."

The tense line of his shoulders relax partially and he smiles as he approaches the circle we had. Emily and I shift to make room for him.

"Speaking of, how is that new job?"

Eddie brightens up and immediately begins to divulge everything that's happened the past week at his new journalist job.

One he wouldn't have gotten had it not been for me speaking with my coworker about him, who had a brother who worked there and was willing to give Eddie a chance.

I watch with a soft smile as he moves his hands with his storytelling, Venom leaking out to snatch up half of one of the five burgers we'd gotten for them.

"It's good you're happy with the job." I told him.

He smiles brightly, "I've honestly always wanted to be a journalist or reporter, so this is a dream come true for me. We probably wouldn't be here without you."

Venom nuzzles against Eddie and grunts out, "Yeah. I'd probably still be stuck under a microscope without ya."

"The only thing good that came out of the whole experience is that I met you guys and Venom." He brings his hand up to pat said monster on his head. 

"Could've done without the pain the bonding caused, though." He adds. Venom nudges him again and Eddie absently hugs him.

Even with the loss we've all suffered, we found each other. We have each other even if we have no one else.