Whumptober 2020: Irondad and spiderson

Day 5

Prompt: a failed escape
Possible trigger warning: it's not exactly suicide, but a character accidentally falls off a bridge. Please be careful.

He didn't know when it started, or where it came from, but Peter started to notice a little voice in the back of his mind. It began as little things, saying stuff like 'you're not good enough. Nobody likes you. They only hang out with you because they feel bad for you,' and Peter was able to ignore it. He had these thoughts often, but pushed them to the side.

He never told anyone about it. So he was a little insecure. What's the big deal?

He acted normal, never letting his mask slip. His friends would later say that they had no idea anything was wrong with him.

It wasn't until the thoughts escalated that he considered talking to someone. It didn't seem like normal thoughts. They didn't feel like his thoughts.

'You're a bother to everyone around you. They'd all be happier if you were gone.'

It was like someone else was doing the thinking for him, but he was still in control.
'Maybe I should tell Mr. Stark,' he thought one day, after relentlessly being harassed by the voice.

'But you don't want to be any more of a bother than you already are. Aunt May must already feel put out by having you dropped on her doorstep. Mr. Stark is busy. You wouldn't be doing any good by dumping all your problems on them.'

It was only after he failed to save a child as Spider-Man that he couldn't ignore the voice anymore.
'That was pathetic. What kind of hero are you? You weren't helpful, you just got in the way of the firefighters. The world would be better off without Spider-Man.'

Peter decided he couldn't take it anymore. He had to get away. He would leave, go somewhere he wouldn't be bothering anyone. He packed a bag, leaving behind his phone, watch, suit, and anything else that could be used to track him. As soon as he was sure May was asleep, he left.

He wandered the streets, staring at his feet, not really paying attention to where he was going, not really having a destination. When he looked up, he was surprised to find himself near a bridge. He looked at the moon reflecting off the water below, and wondered how he never noticed the beauty of it before.

It was as if a switch flicked off in his head. He realized what he was doing, but didn't know why. He couldn't leave everyone behind. They cared about him. He cared about them. He turned to go back home, but a misty figure stopped him.

It looked like it was made out of black fog, wispy and undefined.
"Hey Peter," It hissed. "Where do you think you're going?"

It flew at him, and Peter felt the misty fog flood his senses. It was inside him.

'You're such a coward, Peter. Running away from your problems? Such a childish thing to do.'

His mind was filled with images. They flashed quickly through his brain, one after the other, never ceasing.

Uncle Ben dying. His friends dying. Aunt May dying. Everyone dying. He was helpless, unable to save them. Every person he loved died in countless ways in front of him, and he just watched.

Peter turned and ran, trying desperately to escape the visions. He hit the railing of the bridge and fell headfirst over it, hurtling towards the water. The mist figure left him just before he hit the river.

Peter didn't resurface.

I hope this one was better than the last one. I wanted to do something different, and I like how it turned out.
581 words.