Every Day ── PETER PARKER²

Epilogue

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Luna's hands shook as she awoke to the shining light of sunshine peeking through her curtains, eyes immediately squeezing shut not used to the sudden brightness. Slowly, she sat up, eyes surveying the room in confusion. Did she leave her room this clean? The last thing she remembered was being in tears as she tried her hardest to keep her mind off of Peter, who'd vanished after jumping off their bus. She hoped he was okay.

She then proceeded to pat beside her, brows pulling together when she didn't feel her phone beneath her hands. Did someone move everything in her room?

She didn't have much time left for questioning her state as her bedroom door was flung open. The teenage girl jumped in shock as her brother burst into the room, his eyes wide as he surveyed the surroundings, before ultimately settling on her. "Luna..."

Luna blinked rapidly, taking in her brother's appearance. He let his beard grow out, and the dark circles around his eyes had darkened significantly since the last time she saw him. His curly hair was messily tousled, looking like he'd either ran his hands through it a million times or just woke up from a deep sleep. Either way, he didn't look good. His eyes had begun to fill with tears, and before Luna could ask why, she was enveloped in his arms.

A huff of breath escaped her lips as she was thrown back on her bed, her older brother splayed across her. His body shook with sobs now, his grip tightening on her significantly with each passing second. Luna, unsure of what to do, hugged him back equally at tight, not daring to let go of her brother even as his beard scratched at her skin.

"Andrew? Did something happen?"

He pulled back at that, eyes already red from the tears shed. "You don't remember?" He asked quietly, his hands going to cup her cheeks, almost in disbelief that she was actually there. Luna blinked, unsure of what to say in response to the vague question. Did something happen and she magically forgot it during her nap? "Luna, it's been five years."   

She blinked rapidly. "Sorry, what?" She gently pushed Andrew's hands off her cheeks, but the boy only intertwined his hands with her own, desperate to maintain physical contact with his sister in fear that it was all an illusion. "What do you mean it's been five years?"   

Andrew's eyes had begun to collect with tears again, and he let out a shaky exhale as he squeezed Luna's hands. "Luna, five years ago, aliens came here. Do you remember that?"   

Luna pursed her lips. "You mean that donut looking thing that showed up downtown?"   

Andrew nodded rapidly. "Yeah, those were aliens. And their leader or whatever, he did this thing, I dunno how, but he made half of the population vanish." Andrew swallowed harshly, while Luna inhaled a sharp breath, already anticipating his next words. "You were part of that half."   

She already expected the words, and yet, it still managed to suck the breath out of her lungs. Five years. Half the population is gone. For five years. And she was part of it. It's been five years since she's been in her bedroom.