Orphan Spider

Chapter 11

"I love you May! And I'm sorry...!" I say, feeling horrible for leaving her. I look back at her one last time and I see her dying smile on her lips. It's that smile she always gives me when I'm upset, telling me 'Everything's alright. Everything's going to be okay.'

I inhale even more smoke and it feels like I'm about to pass out, but I continue my way out, out of the building.

I see people. Some are coming up to me. They grab me. Shake me.

Trying to wake me up.

"..."

"P...et...er...!"

"...Peter! Wake up! It's just a dream!"

I open my eyes, fall to the floor and start to gasp for air. But I can't. It's like I can't remember how. I can't see anything from the tears covering my vision and sounds around me are more like annoying *buzz* sounds. Someone is holding my shoulders, probably trying to talk to me, but I can't hear a thing. It's just annoying sounds flying around the room... until it becomes quiet and I only hear the brumming of one voice.

"...n... ou... in... and out... just like that Pete. Breathe, in and out..." A familiar voice is telling me. Fewer tears fall and my vision is starting to return. The familiar voice continues to calm me down and I look to my right at the person that has been trying to calm me down for, god knows how long. And of course, it's Mr. Stark.

Before I can say anything, he pulls me into a hug. I feel more people around us, joining the hug, and... I don't understand why. This... why are they being so kind to me? All I've done is cause trouble. Heck, they even had to calm me down from my nightmare, but they haven't done anything to hurt me... and... I...

"..."

...I... I don't... understand. I've... I've never... No one... has ever done... this... since I got to the orphanage...

I... I can't remember...

...Is this what a family felt like...? Is this how my life used to be...? Just being able to get a... hug... when you weren't feeling good...?

...I don't understand...

.

.

.

I start to silently cry again, but this time, it's just small tears rolling down my cheeks. I start mumbling apologies, hoping they won't fire me.

"Pete... It's okay. Don't worry, we're here." Mr. Stark says rubbing circles on my back. I look around me and see Mr. Stark, Dr. Strange, Ms. Romanoff and Mr. Barton all sit around me on the floor.

"You alright kid?" Mr. Barton asks worried. I nod and look down at my hands, fidgeting with my sleeves. I then realize that I feel asleep, AT MY INTERNSHIP.

"Oh! I am...I'm so sorry for falling asleep Mr. Stark! It won't... I promise it won't happen again sir!" I say looking up at him, fearing more tears will spill. I am expecting him to be furious. But... he isn't.

"Kid, it's okay, don't worry about it." He says, giving me a soft smile. "But I'm going to guess you had a nightmare, correct?" I look back down at my hands and nod. "You wanna tells about it? But you don't have to, of course!"

I stay quiet, contemplating if I should tell them.

"...It was about..." I start, but I feel tears rolling down my cheeks, just thinking about my dream.

"It's okay Peter, you don't have to tell us." Dr. Strange says with a soft voice. I take a deep breath. Then start talking.

"It was about... umm... when my aunt... died..." I start, taking another deep breath. "It was my birthday... 11th birthday and... I was... I was walking home from school. But when I got to the apartment... it was... the apartment was on... fire. There was a lot of fire... and a lot of people were outside, but I... I couldn't see my... my aunt, so I ran into the burning building, like an idiot, and to our floor. I found her in... she was in her bedroom... and she was being... crushed by some rubble from the falling roof. I... I tried to help her but... but the rubble was... it was too heavy and it... burned my hands." I say, showing them my hands, which had old burn marks on them. "She told me to get out of there and... and how much she loved me... and then..."