After having a good night's sleep, I followed my routine again: waking up, having breakfast, and going to school, and once again, I ended up in the library, as there wasn't much to do at the orphanage.
Days passed like this. I spent most of my time buried in the library, reading countless books from various genres. My favorite was fantasy, but after a while, even reading so many books became tedious. This lasted until Ms. Margaret started spending more time with me, which I didn't mind at all.
"Checkmate!" said Margaret, capturing my king, surrounded by a bishop and a queen.
"You'll see, one day I'll beat you..." I said, with my pride hurt from losing twice in chess.
"I'll be waiting for that day with joy, Sebas," she replied with a smile.
"So, are you excited for today's outing?"
"Ah, yes," I said as I arranged the white pieces on my side of the board once again.
The outing in question is something the orphanage does every two months. The last one was a trip to the famous Times Square, which was amazing for someone like me, who had never been there. Seeing hundreds of screens lit up at night was incredible, and we even had the chance to see a Lion King play.
It was something I really appreciated, since I've always liked music, and the play was practically all musical. In fact, I've always loved music—a lot. I'm not ashamed to admit that sometimes I'd sing in the bathroom when it was empty. But anyway, that's not really important right now.
"Where are we going this time?" I asked, starting another chess game against Margaret.
"You'll have to find out along with the others," she said, taking my pawn.
"Seriously?"
Margaret never tells us where we're going, as she loves watching us try to guess our destination. I thought that if she was focused on the chess game, she might let slip where we were going. Unfortunately, I was completely wrong.
"Yes," said Margaret, once again taking one of my pawns, and I quickly did the same with hers.
"Some things really don't change," I said, moving a pawn forward.
"If they didn't, where would the fun be?" she said, laughing, making a move that resulted in me losing yet another pawn.
"So, my dear, have you thought about your future?" she asked curiously, focusing more on me now.
"Honestly? I don't think I'll go to college. I'll just find a job that pays well," I replied truthfully.
Of course, there's the possibility of becoming a hero, but the chances of that happening are really slim. After all, as I've mentioned before, I'm not a super-genius, and I certainly don't have any powers or any stolen advantage like the systems characters from other fanfics I've read about in my old world receive upon reincarnation. In other words, it's just a stupid dream.
"That's a shame, really. I think you've got a lot of potential in music. You express that very well in the shower," said Margaret, with that same damn smile she always has when she exposes one of my secrets to someone.
"What?!" I exclaimed, louder than I intended.
My face turned red as I lowered my head, trying to hide it, while Margaret just chuckled, amused by the whole situation.
"You should've seen your face, Sebas, you looked like a tomato."
"No, I didn't!" I replied, like a child, joining her in the playful banter.
"But how did you find out?" I asked more calmly.
"Well, it wasn't hard, actually. My room is above the bathroom, and you don't exactly sing quietly."
"Ohhh." That was all I could say, realizing my stupidity. I need to control my excitement while singing.
"That's exactly the reaction I expected from you. You're really easy to read," she said, returning to the chess game.
Not wanting to continue the topic, I focused on the game, trying once again to beat her.
After another humiliating defeat, I went to the bathroom to take a shower, then headed to my room and approached the large brown wardrobe at the end of the room. I opened it, revealing various types of clothes: shirts, shorts, pants, and more, all donated by the public. I grabbed an orange shirt and dark blue pants. After getting dressed, I headed back to the bathroom to brush my teeth, which I had forgotten to do earlier, and then went towards the orphanage gate.
It was crowded, with all the children lined up in a single file, boarding a huge bus. I joined the line and noticed Margaret standing next to a middle-aged woman I recognized as one of the orphanage's helpers—Mrs. Abigail, with brown hair, wearing a plain gray shirt and blue jeans.
I boarded the bus, heading towards the second-to-last seat and sitting alone again. During the ride to our destination, I dozed off.
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"Sebas!"
I was woken up by a familiar voice. As I gently opened my eyes, I realized it was Ms. Margaret waking me up.
"Are we there?" I asked her.
She nodded and then headed to the front of the bus to guide the other children. I sat for a few seconds to get my bearings before getting up and walking towards the bus exit. Outside, I found myself facing a very familiar park.
"Welcome to Central Park!" said Margaret with a smile.
I joined the small crowd of children at the park's entrance, waiting for Abigail to count everyone, making sure we were all there. Just glancing around, I could see that everyone was excited to enter the park. I admit, I was a little excited too. Even though I have almost no memories of my past life, the feeling of being a child and how everything seems easier is still incredible. So, I have to enjoy this moment as much as I can in this chaotic world.
"Everyone, follow me, in a line!" Abigail called out next to Ms. Margaret.
We followed her perfectly, making our way deeper into Central Park toward what I thought was our first stop: the Central Park Zoo.
We passed through the famous zoo gate that has appeared in several famous movies. Our first stop was the tropical zone, home to birds, reptiles, and small mammals. We spent a good few minutes admiring different birds like the Blue-and-yellow Macaw and the famous Indian Peafowl, which was stunning, especially when it opened its feathers. I was even hypnotized by its beauty at times.
Then we stopped at the flamingo section, standing in three rows, one behind the other, listening to Abigail and Ms. Margaret talk about the characteristics and curiosities of these animals. Well, I was trying to listen, but to my annoyance, there was a lot of irritating noise coming from a tree nearby. It was crows.
"Caw!" "Caw!" "Caw!"
Hundreds of them, actually. Each with their black eyes staring straight at me. The strangest part was that everyone else seemed to be ignoring them completely, as if they didn't even exist.
"Sebas, are you okay?" Margaret asked, appearing at my side, snapping me out of what felt like a trance.
"Yes," I said, stepping away from the tree and moving closer to the front.
After that bizarre situation, I was relieved when we left a few minutes later to see animals from temperate regions, like the adorable red panda and the snow leopard.
We spent about half an hour at the zoo before heading to the second stop of the trip: Belvedere Castle. This made me wonder—where does Margaret get the money for these trips? Even with the orphanage receiving government funding and her pension, it couldn't be enough to cover the costs for over a hundred children.
A real mystery that won't be solved anytime soon.
Inside the massive castle, I started reading about it on an informational panel. Belvedere Castle is a fortress built in 1865. Nowadays, it serves as a weather observatory. Some time ago, the castle was the secret lair of the villain Jackal before it was discovered and destroyed by Spider-Man.
Apparently, the lair also became a tourist attraction, which drastically increased the castle's popularity. But in my opinion, when we visited the lair, it wasn't anything special since everything was destroyed. They didn't even bother to rebuild it a little. After passing through the lair, we spent a few minutes on top of the wall, enjoying the panoramic view, which covered a large portion of Central Park. From up here, we could see the Turtle Pond completely.
And so the day continued like that. We passed by the Ramble, an artificial forest designed to resemble the forests of upstate New York, with a winding stream, dramatic rocky outcrops, and extremely dense vegetation. The Ramble is also one of the best bird-watching spots in the park, and once again, to my dismay, the damn crows appeared.
Next, we visited Bethesda Terrace, a plaza made up of two levels. At the center of the terrace was the artwork "Angel of the Waters," an angel atop a round pedestal, with baby angels in various poses below it, standing in a fountain. But my favorite part of Bethesda Terrace was the arcade, which had several old arcade games, including ones featuring the Avengers and other superhero groups. I spent several minutes hooked on the Hulk arcade game. It was so fun to smash everything in sight and especially to beat up villains.
Anyway, I'm going off track here. After all that fun, it was time for something else—a picnic!
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The day was perfect for the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. As usual, he spent his morning with his beautiful girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson, before swinging off through the skyscrapers of New York.
Each web he slung gave him a rush, the wind pushing against his suit, the city beneath him in constant motion. This was what made Spider-Man feel alive. It was shaping up to be a typical day—stopping petty thieves from robbing old ladies, rescuing cats stuck in trees, and helping out with minor accidents. It was almost too quiet, especially after dealing with the Sinister Six just last week, when they tried to rob Oscorp, and not a single supervillain appeared to be causing trouble today.
As he sat on the edge of a building, enjoying a slice of pepperoni pizza, Spider-Man's sense of contentment was interrupted by the sound of police sirens below. He could easily finish his pizza and head back to Mary Jane, having already done so much for the city. But, as always, he set aside his own needs, leaving the pizza box on a nearby balcony as he leaped off the building, diving into the city.
Halfway down, he shot a web onto a nearby building, propelling himself after the police cars racing through the streets.
Ten minutes of swinging later, he arrived at the chaotic scene in Times Square. Cars were overturned, storefronts smashed, and terrified pedestrians ran in every direction, many tripping and falling in the panic. It didn't take long for him to spot the source of the destruction—a monstrous figure that towered over everything else.
It was Venom.
The dark, hulking creature with his oily, black skin, massive muscles, and menacing, fanged mouth was wreaking havoc. His white, elongated eyes stared out from a twisted face, and a large white spider emblem spread across his chest. Spider-Man dropped down, landing right in front of his old nemesis.
"Really, Eddie?" Spider-Man quipped, his tone light but focused. "So, are we doing this the usual way? Fight, chase, destroy half the city, and put everyone in danger?"
"Back off, Spider," Venom growled, his voice dripping with malice.
"Sorry, pal. Can't let you go without knowing why you're trashing the city."
"Why won't you just die like the bug you are?" Venom roared, slamming his fists down at Spider-Man.
Thanks to his Spider-Sense, Peter dodged at the last moment, flipping backward onto a nearby streetlight.
"Eddie, what happened to warnings before attacks? And, for the record, persistence is one of my best qualities."
"Shut up!" Venom snarled, extending his arm towards Spider-Man, who easily dodged again. But it was a setup. Venom ripped the streetlight out of the ground and swung it like a baseball bat, smashing Spider-Man through the air and into the side of a toy store.
"CRASH!"
Peter lay in the debris, momentarily stunned, but quickly shook it off. Dusting off his suit, he fired webs at the damaged walls to create a slingshot, launching himself back toward Venom. Flying through the air, he extended his arms, ramming Venom with full force and driving him into the ground, creating a trench.
Venom quickly retaliated, punching Spider-Man and sending him flying into a nearby car. Venom leaped into the air, aiming to crush him, but Peter dodged once more, using his web to pull Venom's back down onto the pavement.
"I was about to make a joke, but—"
Venom caught him off guard, grabbing him in a bear hug. With his monstrous strength, Venom charged through cars, light posts, and walls, using Spider-Man as a human shield. Peter struggled, pain shooting through his body as Venom smashed through everything in his path.
Then, they collided with a fire hydrant.
"SNAP!" "GUSH!"
The force of the water pressure separated the two, and Peter stood up, checking the damage to his suit—rips and dust-covered patches everywhere.
"It's over, Parker!" Venom snarled, his arms morphing into massive black scythes.
"Oh, so we're in the second phase now?" Peter quipped, barely dodging a deadly swing.
"Ever heard of waiting your turn?" Spider-Man asked, landing an uppercut that stretched Venom's neck. He followed it with a punch to the ribs, and then, with all his strength, delivered a blow to Venom's chest, sending him flying backward.
Peter knew he needed a plan. Venom's weakness was sound. If only he could find something loud enough...
"Of course!" Spider-Man exclaimed.
Just then, five black SWAT vans pulled up, officers in tactical gear spilling out, guns drawn.
"Stay back, Spider-Man! We've got this under control!" the SWAT leader shouted arrogantly, megaphone in hand.
Peter groaned. "I'm going to have to disagree with you there, officer." He shot a web onto the megaphone, yanking it from the officer's grip.
"What do you think you're doing?!" the officer barked.
"Borrowing this!" Spider-Man replied, pulling the megaphone into his hand as he leaped into the air, swinging after Venom.
"I'll bring it back, I promise!" he called, vanishing from sight.
Up ahead, Venom hurled a car at him. Peter dodged effortlessly, webbing the car mid-air and flinging it back at Venom. Venom sliced it in half with a sword-like arm.
"Care to tell me why you're wrecking the city yet?" Peter asked, landing in front of the Symbiote.
"This isn't about you," Venom growled, rushing at Spider-Man.
Peter flipped backward, landing a kick to Venom's jaw. But when he went for a sweep kick, Venom blocked it with ease, slamming Spider-Man to the ground.
"THUMP!"
Venom opened his enormous maw, ready to devour Peter's head. Spider-Man acted fast, webbing Venom's face, blinding him. Venom, enraged, tried to stomp on Peter, but the web-slinger rolled away and finally saw his chance.
He cranked the volume on the megaphone to max, held it up, and yelled into it.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
The sound pierced the air, and Venom howled in agony. His body began to writhe and melt, the black ooze sizzling and sloughing off like ice exposed to a fire. Venom became a twisted, shrieking mass of pain, desperately trying to pull himself together.
Before Spider-Man could press his advantage, Venom lashed out with a tendril, smacking him away and buying himself time to retreat.
Venom fled towards Central Park, and Peter, recovering from the hit, shot after him, determined to end this once and for all.
As he swung away, Spider-Man made a mental note: he owed the SWAT guy a new megaphone.
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I must say, the food was wonderful!
Especially the carrot cake. Anyway, after we finished eating, we stayed here at the Great Lawn. After all, there wasn't much to do now in Central Park. Some of us started playing tag, while the rest just sat around enjoying the weather—I was part of the latter.
During this time, I chatted with Mrs. Margaret about everyday things, nothing too important. That was until, out of nowhere, people started running away from a certain direction.
"What's happening?" Margaret asked.
CRASH!
Before anyone could answer, a tree—probably about five meters tall—suddenly fell right next to us.
"Everyone to the bus! Now!" Margaret shouted desperately.
All the kids, including me, obeyed her order, with Mrs. Abigail guiding us. Meanwhile, Margaret stayed behind to help others.
I ran like never before, and even in this situation, my mind was racing. For something like this to happen, it had to be a villain attack.
Did it really have to be today?
I noticed a shadow moving toward me, and I stopped abruptly—just in time to avoid being crushed. The downside? I was left behind. Mrs. Abigail was still running with the other kids, and I didn't blame her. It was better to save all those children than risk everything for just one.
Still lost in thought, something crashed behind me, snapping me back to reality. Looking back, I saw a massive humanoid figure, dark and menacing, with a spider emblem on its chest.
Should I be happy or terrified to be meeting Venom like this?
I remember reading in some comics that he was an anti-hero, but seeing this Venom now, I was 100% sure he was a villain. And I was completely screwed.
The symbiote looked at me strangely, as if I were some sort of prize. With terrifying speed, it grabbed me effortlessly, lifting me high above its head.
"Eddie, no!"
Appearing in a leap was someone very familiar to a guy like me—wearing a torn red and blue suit, covered in dust and with a black web pattern stretched across his body. And, of course, the iconic black spider emblem on his chest.
Great. I got to meet both Spider-Man and Venom on the same day. What are the odds? Anyway, I just hoped Venom wouldn't do what I was thinking.
"This is your punishment for getting in my way, Spider-Man!"
Venom began to squeeze my fragile body with his abnormal strength, and I screamed in pain. I could feel my bones and organs being crushed with every passing second. I was dying. I knew it. But then I felt something—anger. Not anger from hatred, but from the will to survive.
I refused to die at the hands of a creature born only to bring darkness into the world.
A fire ignited in my heart—not a fire of rage, but of survival. It grew, becoming a small sun within me, and I unleashed it.
A burst of fire and light exploded from my body, burning through Venom's torso. He screamed—a sound I quite enjoyed.
Unfortunately, I couldn't keep watching. My body grew weak, and once again, I fell into the world of dreams... perhaps never to return.