EVER feel like the universe has a twisted sense of humor?
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcsyDL7Ny7
Yeah, that's pretty much my life.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0u5Yh9wF7
I'm Peter Parker. Six months ago, a radioactive spider decided to make me its personal science experiment. Overnight, I went from awkward teen to... well, awkward teen with superpowers.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DjJmuEbnn
At first, I thought that bite was the moment everything changed.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMgdbz3yVd
I was wrong.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawj5q5DLq3
See, that spider gave me strength, speed, and sixth sense that puts seeing dead people to shame—it's a movie reference—Anyways, I used them to make money, thought I was helping out at home.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecfEma5atE
Thought that was the reason I got these powers.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡab5WxIbfQN
Wrong again.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkAutklVBb
The real moment that changed my life was the day I lost Uncle Ben. That's when I realized something he used to always tell me, something I didn't quite get until it was too late...
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhjsNrzloG
With great power comes great responsibility.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdw1h41dwfN
So now, I'm the "Amazing Spider-Man." Okay, amazing might be pushing it. How about the "Spectacular Spider-Man"? ...No? Alright, we'll stick with Spider-Man for now.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5qYRQL3ip
And what does that job entail? Usually keeping the city safe from your everyday criminals like...
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhMfaDodBD
"The Easter Bunny?" I mutter, swinging onto the scene. A girl in a rabbit suit is sprinting out of a bank with a bag of cash.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtR7wfAyiHA
No way. The Easter Bunny robs banks?
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTtHuGPYkL
I fire a web at the money bag, stopping her in her tracks. "What's up, doc?"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GP2XzxgED
She turns to me, unimpressed. "Wrong rabbit, genius." Then she yanks me in by my own web and clocks me across the face.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwqyt22YTN
I just got punched by a rabbit.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOr7qJwJ8gW
Awesome.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3MMzVhFGM6
I flip backwards, dodging her next swing, and start webbing her up from all angles. She's fast, but I'm faster. Before she can finish her next insult, I have her cocooned in webbing. "Hey, what are you mmmrrfffff—"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8rWBaHTXc
"Silly rabbit," I grin, pulling out a scrap of paper from my backpack, "bank robberies are for felons." I say with a smile, scribbling "busted" on the scrap of paper, slapping it on her forehead, and taking out my phone for a quick selfie. "Look, I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm late for class. Say cheese!"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSmuiylzpJ
She glares through the webbing, muttering angrily.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcRB4nIogG
"Good enough," I say, snapping the picture just as the cops roll up. "Finally! This Spider's got a tight schedule, y'know?"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKn8KphV6I
Captain Stacy steps out of his squad car. He looks at me, hand hovering near his gun. Used to be friends with his daughter, Gwen, back when things were simpler. But these days, we're not exactly in the same social circles.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeheF5TJp8
"You know we're going to have to bring you in for—"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeC4rIxW4qr
"Yeah, yeah, paperwork's not really my thing," I say, firing a webline to the nearest rooftop. "You guys got this, right? Cool! See ya!"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTxKrA0IRN
I swing off, bouncing between rooftops.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37Ypje24NK
Losing Uncle Ben taught me something I'll never forget. I hung up the wrestling suit and built myself these web-shooters. I promised to never let these powers go to waste again.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0OEg4HzM0
Because now, I know better.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0Iy3EdFol
I've got a responsibility.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7K5bCIPp9
And right now, that's making it to school.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyj7Khpd1u
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QtArKg9JM
"Peter? Peter, you there?"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZMVf5Rd1j
I snap out of my daze and look up from my desk. "Yeah, sorry. You were saying something about... lizards?"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5sULzXLLO
"Lizards? What?" Harry raises an eyebrow. "No, dude. I was asking if I should ask out Felicia. Good idea or bad idea? And just so you know, even if you say no, I'm still doing it."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefJkfu4PgB
I shrug, trying to keep my face neutral. "I don't know, man. She's... strange."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iBGnf3gHk
"Strange? By strange do you mean hot? 'Cause in that case, she's super strange. Mega strange." Harry glances over to where Felicia's sitting at the back of the class, his eyes lighting up. "Yeah, definitely strange."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0PeMSmO2q
I glance over at her too. Felicia Hardy, all black leather and a permanent "don't talk to me" vibe. She's like the human version of a locked door—mysterious, with "stay out" written all over her. "No, I mean regular strange. Like, why does she always wear black? Why does she hide cats in her locker? And where did she even come from?"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzMgQvUbQp
Harry shrugs, already standing up. "Don't know. Don't care." He flashes me a grin. "Watch and learn, Parker."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkA2WZv0Tx2
I laugh under my breath. "Yeah, sure. Don't say I didn't warn you."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TEfjqxehV
"You didn't."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgVtSOKmGg
We stare at each other for a beat.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuxaveMWKc
"Okay, well... now I am. Don't do it, Harry."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAncsohfVwH
Harry rolls his eyes. "Whatever. Just sit back, Parker, I've got this."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFUzG2jxWh
I watch him swagger over to Felicia's desk, placing his hand on it like he's auditioning for a teen drama. Felicia's face morphs from bored indifference to... well, disgust. Classic.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LfN5e9mV9
I turn away before I have to witness the train wreck. Instead, I try to refocus on last night's run-in with the Lizard. Dr. Connors, again. He'd gotten away—again. Seriously, is there some kind of bad guy handbook on escaping? Because if there is, I'd like to borrow a copy. I've only been doing this Spider-Man thing for six months, but every time it feels like I'm on the edge of flunking my superhero midterms.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpErSrnOcMR
And my ribs? Don't get me started. I'm pretty sure they've all been individually introduced to every wall in the city.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsh6QRFSc9c
"Yo, Peter! Got someone I want you to meet," Harry calls out, snapping me back to reality.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYu2U1E1NI
I turn and freeze. There's Harry, grinning ear to ear with Felicia... hanging on his arm. Like, hanging. Her head's resting on his shoulder, and she's practically glued to his side.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07SerEcpSE
"I think we've met," I say, trying not to sound as awkward as I feel. I avoid looking directly at her, like she might turn me to stone or something.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnSjlqyet2
Harry's beaming. "Well, let me officially introduce you to my girlfriend." He looks so proud, I half-expect a choir to start singing in the background.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkCwBC1gxn
Felicia gives me a half-smile and extends a hand. "Nice to meet you. Hope we can get along."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO97SWy5J3H
I shake her hand, trying not to let it feel as weird as it does. "Uh, yeah. Same."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8UgHwjDZF
"You got any plans tonight, Pete?" Harry asks.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIkQX4iiNv
Plans? I mean, Peter Parker doesn't. But Spider-Man? Oh, he's got a full schedule, courtesy of one giant, rampaging reptile. Can't exactly let Dr. Connors keep running around the sewers turning people into Jurassic Park extras.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGG1YH2CoYO
"Actually, I—"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8VSv0GLMn
"Perfect!" Harry cuts me off. "You can come by my place at nine. I wanna show Felicia that project we've been working on." He squeezes her tighter, grinning.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqnDf1CfUv
I open my mouth to protest. "Well, I was actually—"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7z5bV4p52d
"I don't know, Harry," Felicia purrs, giving me a sly look. "Peter seems like a pretty busy guy. Probably doing someone's homework or something."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMRF9cCzAV
I grit my teeth, fighting the urge to say something snarky.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRI8dtIW4oy
Harry, oblivious as always, laughs. "Nah, Peter only does my homework."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2j4HoybN4
Felicia leans into him, her smile growing. "Come on, Harry. I thought tonight was supposed to be just us."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTnWWBJX8Y
Harry looks torn for half a second before grinning again. "Yeah... but Pete's my best friend. He's gotta come. Right, Pete?"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkiACAEu5xu
And now I'm stuck. He's giving me that look. The one that says, "You're my best friend. Don't leave me hanging." How am I supposed to say no to that?
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UuEv8DTUw
"And also," Harry adds, "he makes a mean lasagna. Figured he could whip up something for our first official couple meal."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpeBJnGYO4
I let out a long, defeated sigh. "Yeah... sure. Just for tonight."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7QEshPRFx
Harry beams, and Felicia throws me a look that's somewhere between amused and smug.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRUtLWKeLl
Spider-Man's getting the night off.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRagfSGTZn
But is this really the right thing to do? The city's got a Lizard problem, and here I am agreeing to play third wheel. Maybe I can sneak out later.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawIy08IgmV
Besides, how much trouble can a giant lizard get into in a few hours, right?
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ePOcIwVd6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllaYUakaw1
"Peter, good to see you. How's your aunt?"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpiWduzOtb
Mr. Osborn greets us at the door, flashing that easy, practiced smile. There's something about him—he's always so nice to me. If I had a dad like him, life would be... different. The warmth, the money. Yeah, I wouldn't complain.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8h5QTbgOf
I grin back. "I'm good, Sir. And Aunt May's as vibrant as ever. She's still just keeping herself busy at the restaurant."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScLxQX0dEx
"That's great to hear." His smile widens, genuine. Then his eyes shift to Felicia, that Osborn charm working overtime. "And who is this?"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzVYzS5RLP
Harry nudges her forward with a proud grin. "Dad, this is my new girlfriend."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrJGfxOD8b
Felicia, cool as ever, gives a small smirk. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Osborn."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06xSVMIU9I
"The pleasure's all mine," he says, nodding. "Please, come in. I was just about to start dinner. Harry, any requests?"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Fwnx0mbl7
Harry doesn't skip a beat. "Actually, Peter's cooking tonight! He's making that famous lasagna of his."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgoIPNYRyo
I sheepishly rub the back of my neck. "Yeah, Sir. Harry wanted me to make my aunt's recipe. It's kind of a hit in our neighborhood."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQDLkoiFeI
Mr. Osborn gives me an approving nod, but before he can respond, his phone buzzes.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwnv3KBHbU
"Excuse me for a moment," he says, stepping past us. As he walks away, Harry watches him with that same look—half hope, half disappointment. The kind of look you only have when you want your dad to just be there. And with Norman? That's not exactly a given.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cTB76LN7v
"L-Let's get inside," Harry says, trying to shake off the mood. As we step into the mansion, I'm expecting Felicia to be wowed by the place. It's not every day you walk into a house the size of a museum, but she barely reacts, just that same smirk on her lips.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeG6HhLYnv2
"This is it," Harry says, gesturing around. "Looks smaller on the inside, right?"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzh9UvgDKA
Felicia glances around, unimpressed. "Plenty big enough."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGReMTiMTT
The door behind us clicks open, and Mr. Osborn walks back in, still on his phone. "Son, something's come up. I can't stay for dinner after all." He looks at Harry, then at me and Felicia. "Enjoy yourselves. Anything you need, Harry will take care of it. That goes for both of you."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZGXramfYw
"Thank you, Sir," I say.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpb3gX3dN4J
"Have a good night," Felicia adds, ever polite.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQypsGWEA1j
"Y-Yeah. See you later, Dad," Harry mutters, his voice tight.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYQQ08wW5p
With a nod, Norman's out the door just as fast as he came in. Harry watches him go, his face falling for just a second before he turns back to us, forcing a smile. "Okay! We've got the house to ourselves. Isn't that great?"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuf4t4NTZz6
I know that look. He's trying to sell it, trying to convince himself more than us. I've known Harry since we were five—I can always tell when something's eating at him.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdP7VrSCCvg
"Pete, why don't we get started on dinner?" Harry asks, turning to me with that hopeful smile.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlaeqlZ82L
"Sure—" My phone buzzes in my pocket. I glance at the screen—a police report. The Lizard. He's been spotted. Apparently, they've cornered him at an abandoned zoo.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gXar874yd
No. No, this doesn't feel right. Connors isn't the mindless monster they think he is. If they've found him, it's because he wanted them to.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHChLacOPZN
"Harry, something's come up. I've gotta—"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncbr38pW5h
Harry cuts me off, frustration flashing in his eyes. "No way, man! You're always leaving last minute. Can't you just stick around this one time? My dad's already gone. You can't leave too."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHR0awmhCmy
The guilt hits me hard. This is the part of the job no one warns you about—choosing between your life and the life. The one with masks, bad guys and broken ribs. I hate this.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtR9gIAQbP3
I look at him, at Felicia, and sigh. "I'm... sorry. I'll make it up to you."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BQE6GKbdk
"Pete!" Harry's voice cracks with disappointment as I bolt out the door, but I'm already gone.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡco81L4cPYm
Sometimes, you can't win them all.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSqGDNmYLy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQa5nGp7NFg
There's something about swinging two hundred feet above New York that clears your head. Maybe it's the streets below, the rush of air, or the distant roar of planes overhead. It's a strange kind of calm, like this is where I'm supposed to be. Destiny, or something. Though, really—who believes in destiny anymore?
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzv0JVP5RS
Not that it matters. Right now, I'm heading for the Seneca Park Zoo. Or, more specifically, where the Lizard—Dr. Curt Connors—is currently hiding.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPjS9I71rO
Dr. Connors was a professor at the university I interned at, and honestly, he was one of the nicest people I'd ever met. He and his wife were great. They even had a daughter around my age. She wasn't too interested in their work, though.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4ABLCCU5B
I remember him showing me all sorts of experiments. It always seemed so controlled, like they knew exactly what they were doing. The big project was how to use animal DNA to improve human life—genetic enhancement, limb regeneration. Stuff that, at the time, I found pretty fascinating.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYh9HealKhL
Then...one day, he'd lost his arm in an accident, which cost him not only his job at Oscorp but his family. His daughter died in that explosion, and his wife couldn't forgive him. I'm not sure he ever forgave himself.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdnaWOgutX
Then Connors took it a step further. He showed me the serum laced with lizard DNA that he believed could regrow lost limbs.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEI7NY9GQaU
He kept pushing forward, kept experimenting, until... well, you know how this ends.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5BtLYNdGf
I reach the abandoned zoo, the whole place empty and silent. Good—at least there won't be any civilians caught in the crossfire.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsYfFoJrvN
Except for me.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQSOuChbf1
I swing through the grounds, searching for any sign of Connors or the cops. The place is eerie, deserted, until I spot something—an old lion's den, with its metal bars ripped wide open like something huge tore its way out. Or in.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfyNcxK2Zm
I land on top of the den and spot a tunnel inside. "Well, that doesn't look menacing at all," I mutter to myself, peering into the darkness. But this has to be where Connors went. And, hopefully, where the cops are.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDA1jjmbvGs
I drop into the tunnel, making my way down its twisting path. The air reeks of damp and decay, and soon enough, I see a faint light ahead. As I step into the dim glow, my stomach turns.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4UaJr6S0n
Four police officers—what's left of them—are on the ground. Their bodies are being picked apart by a swarm of small lizards, gnawing and crawling over the corpses.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0oLK1QHIt
"B-Back off!" I shout, stomping around in the muck, scattering the lizards. "Get away from them!"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgS3y971VoF
The lizards slither off, leaving the bodies behind. My stomach flips as I kneel beside them, their faces barely recognizable. I lift my mask and vomit, the sight too much to bear. It's moments like this that make being Spider-Man hard to swallow. No matter how hard I try, I can't save everyone.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8X3UUgaN3
"I should've been here sooner," I whisper, closing the eyes of one of the officers—the ones who still have eyes, anyway.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnm4dwQFPwp
I grab one of the flashlights still flickering and push forward, deeper into the tunnel. Every scratch on the walls, every chunk of meat and bone scattered along the floor makes my pulse quicken. I want to turn back, to run to Harry's place and pretend this never happened.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTksDE8O0t
But if I do that, more people are going to die. Maybe even worse than that.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNNZT4c6jK
Finally, I reach an old, makeshift lab, buried in the depths of the zoo. There's a desk, covered in papers, vials, and random, scattered equipment. The air is thick with the smell of rot. I pick up one of the papers—it's a formula, probably Connors' attempt to perfect his transformation. But mixed in with the notes are photos. Graphic photos—internal organs, dissected bodies.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBeIFxN2pU
My stomach lurches again. This is a menu, not a science experiment.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7tOybefyJ
Before I can react, something slimy and cold wraps around my neck. I instinctively reach up, grabbing it, but the thing tightens, choking me. I yank hard, using all my strength to slam it into the ground. The grip loosens, and as the rest of the creature crashes down, I see him.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0C7waf0Ax
The Lizard.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk69vghFL3p
He towers above me, blood dripping from his sharp teeth, eyes glowing yellow in the darkness. His lab coat is torn, his body monstrous and deformed.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjpUBkIJCV
"Not... yet," he growls. "Not... done yet."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRZZ1xRl5u
"Dr. Connors?" I gasp, still catching my breath. "Do you realize how many people you've killed? You have to stop! Think about Vanessa—what would she—"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOjlmj115Q
He roars and charges, slamming me into the wall. His claws rake across my chest, slicing through my suit, and I feel the hot sting of blood seeping from the wound. "Why'd you have...to go and do that?" I mutter through gritted teeth.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUh1GSpe8x
He swings again, but I manage to shoot a web into his eyes, blinding him. I slide between his legs, webbing his back and yanking him hard to the ground. But he's back on his feet in a flash, hissing and charging again.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02TdgGOiZC
I leap up, kicking him in the face, using the momentum to launch myself off. Before he can recover, I slam into his chest with a double kick. An uppercut follows, knocking out a few of his fangs. "I'm not letting you hurt anyone else!" I shout, panting.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDdk2HFQRu
He stumbles back, leaning against the wall. "How... about... you?" he growls.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2BXiQ93aO
"Uh...?"
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXhOMT8EuE
Before I can dodge, he grabs my leg and sinks his teeth in. I scream, the pain blinding, but I kick him in the jaw with my other foot, breaking his grip. He tackles me, smashing me through a concrete wall into another section of the tunnel. His tail wraps around my neck, choking me again as he pummels my chest, each punch drawing more blood.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKy4VhE7EPX
"Dr... Connors..." I wheeze, trying to pry his tail off. "You... have to stop..."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBTKkrT7TH
Suddenly, he hesitates. His grip loosens, and his yellow eyes focus on me—really focus on me.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKsRNfmyqF
Then he peels my mask back, revealing my face.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkIdvceoGa
"Pe...ter?" His voice shakes. "Pet...er..."
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76Don4LkxH
He drops me, backing away, clutching his head in confusion. "Can't... kill... should... kill..." He looks at me, then lets out a guttural roar and bolts, crashing through the tunnel wall and disappearing into the darkness.
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Emg1ZD4vJ
I slump to the ground, coughing, bleeding, barely hanging on. "Yeah..." I croak. "You better run..."
ns160.79.111.152da2
