Take My Hand | Peter Parker

Chapter 5

Everything was fine up until I was around halfway to the cafe.

Let me explain.

I grabbed my keys and purse, which into my jacket nicely. The fall weather was cold in Queens, so I knew I'd have to bundle up. After doing so, I locked the door and went on my way. I already had the directions preset, because I'd gone with Peter or Nora a few times.

Here we are now, the present. I realised something was seriously wrong with what I was doing. There were still people out, but not as many. All of the people walking outside were in groups, or some had a person with them. However, no one was alone, or by themselves. That was the moment I remembered Peter telling me about having someone to go with at night, especially when walking around the city. 

With my paranoia of something bad happening eating me up, I turned right around and started home. That was the best thing I could do at the moment.

Until I heard footsteps behind me. I thought it might be someone else that was walking in my same direction. That relief lasted until I remembered that no one was walking in front of me earlier.

With this new information I discovered, I sped up my pace. I was more scared than before, which was not a good thing. My adrenaline was racing. The footsteps sped up to my pace, but then became faster than mine- I didn't have time to look, until a hand grabbed my shoulder and yanked me into an alley.

I was shoved against the wall. I tried to scream, but it was no use. His hand was covering my mouth. My fear grew when he pulled out a gun and held it right in front of me. 

"Scream, and I'll put a bullet in your head. Purse, now," he demanded.

I emptied out my pocket, searching for my purse, which I found quickly. With my hand shaking, I handed it to him, and he was fast to search. He found my wallet and opened it up.

That's when I heard footsteps from deeper inside the alley.

"Don't you know it's not proper etiquette to be going through a lady's purse?"

Spider-Man asked, with hands on his hips. The mugger attempted to use his gun, but Spider-Man managed to web it and throw it away from him, into the dark.

I watched as the mugger swung at him, and the second time he did it he succeed in punching him square in the stomach. Spider-Man was taken aback by that, and he curled up on the ground, coughing profusely. Before the mugger could do anything else, I kicked him in the back as a pure reaction.

He fell, too, and I didn't realize how much force I had used. Spider-Man was back up and knocked out the mugger, while handing my purse back to me. My breathing was rapid and uncontrolled at this point, so I tried my hardest not to break down in front of him.

"Thank you," I say with a smile, extending my hand out and taking my purse.

He stood still. "That was a pretty good kick, but why were you out walking alone?"

I didn't know what to say. "I have no clue. Just wanted to walk around and grab some coffee, but..." My eyes teared up.

He noticed. "Hey, it's okay. Didn't someone tell you it's not safe to walk around my yourself?"

"Yeah, my friend Peter. I got so caught up in the moment, that I didn't even realize what I was doing until I heard the footsteps behind me."

He tensed when I said Peter's name. "Just don't do it again, okay? Something worse could happen next time."

"You're right," I blinked away the tears. "I should've listened to my friend."

Spider-Man wrapped an arm around me. "Everything's fine now. I can walk you back to your house, only if you'd like."

"Yes. That would make me feel better. Thank you," I reply, with my tears subsiding.

The walk home is silent for a little while, until he starts up a conversation. Something I never knew about him- one of the most friendliest and reassuring people you'll ever meet.

"Something seems to be bothering you,"

I scoffed. "Yeah, like what?"

"For starters, you don't want to talk to me. I feel offended, after saving your life."

He sarcastically waves his hands around, his mask shifting when he smiles.

"Sorry, Spider-Man, didn't know you liked to be praised," I poke him, avoiding his glare.

My house came into view, and I realized that this walk that was five minutes felt like one. He was already becoming my friend almost, from the way we were talking. I never liked to be sarcastic or friendly to strangers.

"Hey," I stop him before he takes off. "If you ever... need anything, just come by, okay?"

"Anything?" He grins, the whites on his eyes squinting.

"Not like that!" I can feel my cheeks becoming red.

He laughs and waves off in the distance, shooting a web at a tall building and disappearing. Did I really just meet Spider-Man? It was hard to wrap my head around.

I talked to him like he was one of my friends. I opened up to him. I didn't like doing, I realized. What was happening to me? Maybe after all this time, I needed to open up to someone, who was a stranger, but I felt as if I completely knew. Spider-Man just felt different. 

As soon as I opened the door, the lights flickered on, scaring me. Then I remembered Nora telling me that they had these lights that would turn on if someone entered the door and all the lights had been off for an extended period of time. I grabbed my backpack and dropped it beside my desk, pulling out the science and math homework I had been assigned in class today. Those were the hardest subjects. Everyone came back ten minutes later.

Was I going to tell my friends about the Spider-Man encounter?