The Spider

Chapter 38: Strange's School of Sorcery & Spidery

I ran. I just bolted out the moment he let me out of that kaleidoscopic hell hole. I ran out the front door and I jumped out to the city swinging away like a bat out of hell.

Oddly enough, he didn't stop me.

I swung into the city, desperate for space, though no matter how much I tried I couldn't. I needed a place to think, to let myself relax. Queens was too far away, but the Baxter Building was just two blocks away.

I swung over and landed on the room, sighing in relief as I sat down on the edge of the building and took off my helmet, painting as I tried to calm myself.

I was still processing what he told me. Why he was training me in the first place.

It just didn't seem to stick in my head.

Magic so powerful it bound the multiverse together, and I was the only one who could access it.

And worst of all, he knew who I was. Who I really was. Not Peter Parker, someone else. That thought alone kept me up, I sat on top of the building I was familiar with and tried to think, but I found myself unable to make a single coherent thought.

"Spider-man?" I looked up and was surprised to see Franklin flying before me.

I blinked, "Franki? What are you doing up so late?"

"It's six in the morning," he said with a raised eyebrow, I was shocked, I looked over his shoulder and sure enough, the sun was coming over the horizon. I have been here all night.

I sighed, rubbing my eyes, "sorry, it's just I...I didn't know what else to do. I'm dealing with a lot right now and I needed somewhere familiar to think."

"I understand," the boy smiled as he dropped down, sitting next to me, "want to talk about it?"

"No I-" I stopped, looking at the boy I was reminded of his mother, the hair and the eyes, so much like Sue's. I sighed, "yeah...maybe. I...I just found out I have a destiny or something and now I'm panicking. I have no idea what to do and I'm super fucking lost."

Franklin chuckled, "so you're having an identity crisis?"

I snorted, "yeah, kind off."

"Well...what are you afraid of?" Franky asked.

"I'm...I'm afraid that...of failing," I remembered the words, if I died in Thanos' hands, so did the rest of the world, "and I'm afraid I wont' be strong enough for when the time comes."

Franklin nodded, "I see...but...why not?"

I looked at him, "huh?"

"I mean, your blood has the ability to give you the powers of others right?" he motioned to me, "just take the powers of people who know would say yes and get stronger."

"Franklin, it's not that simple. I know what happens to people obsessed with power, you've seen what happened….what happened to me when I got that Cosmic Rod."

Franklin sighed, "yeah...I do."

I closed my eyes, "I don't want to even think of becoming that kind of monster again Franky...someone who cares more for power than the people who love him. Someone who...a monster..."