An Unlucky Spider (Reboot)

The journal and goodbye

Richard spent the entire night reading his dads journal. In that one night richard made it through a quarter of the journal. From the start of the journal it seemed his dad knew about Peters powers. It seemed that his dad felt it was his responsibility to mold peter into a upstanding superhero. At times during that night Richard would get angry while reading it. Most of the entries were about Peters abilities constantly growing and how they were the most incredible thing of science he'd ever seen. Reading all those kept reminding him how even with all those power peter couldn't save him and how his dad was gone. When Richard would get angry throw the book down on the hotel bed and started doing something else. But every time he got away from the book he was always drawn right back. This book was one of Richards last connections to his father. Even as he was getting ready for school the next morning he grabbed the book. Richard read it during first period, second period, third. Every class he took whatever opportunity he had to read his fathers journal. During lunch he had the journal out. The current entry was about how peter had changed his suits color. His dad believed it to have been spray painted. A few entries later it seemed that his dad was getting a little worried for peter. Peter was becoming more aggressive and power hungry. It looked like peter believed he was unstoppable and that it didn't matter what happened to the criminals he beat up as long as he stopped them. Then the date on the entries made a huge jump. The next one his dad wrote was a month after the last one. This one seemed to shock Richard. The next entry was about how the black suit hadn't been a suit at all but a symbiotic amorphous extraterrestrial by the name of Venom. After Richard read that he stopped reading the book. For the rest of that day he pondered about how his cousin had been a part of the monster that now plagued this city.

Later afternoon Richard was in his hotel room. Thinking. He had questions. Why didn't his dad ever tell Richard or his mom that peter was Spider-Man and that he was helping him? Why didn't peter tell Richards dad that the black suit was an alien until after he got rid of it? What made the alien so different now while it's a murderous monster then before when it was helping as a superhero? Who was the new Venom? He wondered so many things but the only person he could ask was peter. Richard still wasn't ready to talk to him. The only other possible way of getting answers was with the journal. So Richard turned back to the journal and got back to reading.

Time skip

Richard was now nearing the halfway point as it was way past dark. The entries getting more closer together in dates with his father making one almost every day now. Entries were getting more scattered and full of his fathers fears. They talked about how peter tried to stop Venom all those years ago. How he always came back with new cuts and bruises. Richards dad was starting to get scared. But Richard saw that his dad wrote the same thing a lot in this part. "I can't show fear to the others. Peter needs my support, May needs a husband to talk to about her own fears with the 'head hunter', and Richard..... Richard needs a father with a smile on his face so that he can grow up with a smile on his face." He wrote that down word for word in a lot of these entries now. Why? Why did he write it so many times? He then reached another entry. But this one was written more calmly and carefully like the earlier ones before Ben started writing about his fears.

"January 28th. 2012." Richard read. Richard looked at the date. It was the 27th. Then looking at the time he noticed it was almost midnight.

"I think I'm being followed. I keep getting the feeling that I'm being watched. I feel like I should be scared. But I'm not. I don't know why but I'm not. It might be the fact that I believe peter can protect this family or that I believe peter can take care of that murderous monster running loose in the city..... no.... No it's not either of those. Maybe.... could it be my time? That's the only answer I can come up with that feels right. You know what's funny is I think I knew the entire time since I was being watch that my time was almost up. I don't know what's going to happen to me. But if this is it. I guess I should write some final goodbyes. May.... if your reading this that means you either found this book and learned that peter is Spider-Man or someone else found it and after telling you peter is Spider-Man you started to read this or something else. I'm sorry for keeping it a secret. Peter being a superhero means he will make enemies. Enemies that will do whatever it takes to get back at him. If you learned about the truth before you would have never allowed us to do what we have done together. I didn't tell you because I wanted to protect you. The same thing goes for Richard. I just couldn't put you two in harms way. I love you may. Now onto Richard. Look son. I don't know how old you're going to be when and if you read this. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you as you grew up. You might want to blame peter for me going away. I mean he's a superhero but I don't think he's gonna be able to save even me. Don't blame peter, Richard.  He has good intentions and he will never mean you any harm. So if your reading this and your angry at him. Don't be. Forgive him and move on. Being angry about him not saving me won't bring me back it'll only bring you pain. I love you son. Finally onto peter.... knowing you peter there are many things I have to say to you. First of all stop blaming yourself for my death. It's not your fault no matter what you say or think. So please peter stop, just stop blaming it on you and you alone. Next you need to learn to stop carrying the burden of the world on your shoulder. You always do this. You take the burden alone and push others away so that they won't have to carry it with you. You should let others help you. That's all I think I have time to address. You have always been like a son to me peter. I love you. Well. Thats everyone.... goodbye." By the end of the entry Richard was crying. His dad knew he was going to die. But why? Why did he just let it happen? Why didn't he try to fight back? Richard wipes away the tears and flipped to the next page. Empty. That had been his dads last entry. Closing the book he set it aside. Then Richard went to his bed and sat down.

"Bye dad." Richard said.