Light in the Dark | PETER PARKER

twenty-nine

CHANGE IS inevitable. Everything and everyone goes through some sort of change, whether it is physical, mental, or both. Likewise, change can be bad, or good, or even a little bit of both, depending on your perspective.

Take the changing of trees transitioning between seasons for example. A tree has luscious, green leaves in the summer. It provides shade from the hot sun, a trunk to lean against while you do some summer reading (or perhaps while you sketch, whatever your hobby is), a large canopy for wildlife to live. The leaves feed nutrition to growing caterpillars munching. The branches provide support for chirping birds that gather and sing together like they are apart of a choir. Then, when autumn comes around, the leaves start to die and shrivel up, but there is still beauty in this change. The leaves turn a variety of vibrant colors that paint an entirely new scene. The once green leaves are now covering the trees in splashes of red, yellow, and orange until they fall to the ground where children gather them up into piles and leap into them. Then, when winter blows in, the trees are left bare, but they are still beautiful. The temperature drops below the freezing point and water dripping from the branches solidify into crystals. The icicles are natural ornaments on the trees. The cycle of change begins again as warmer weather springs in to melt the ice and sprout new green leaves.

Not everything changes in predictable cycles, though, and it can make change seem daunting. Alani had been living with her powers and an indescribable darkness swirling in her mind for seven years. Although she wanted to be free of the chains her powers gave her, when she was suddenly let loose, she didn't know what was to come. She didn't know what to expect. She always dreamed of being normal again, but when it finally came true, she found herself in a place of uncertainty. She had to figure out how to live without powers and without a cynical inner voice doubting her every move. It was freeing, yes, but also unfamiliar territory.

Within the two and a half months since the day Scandoval extracted her powers, Alani has been adapting to her new life. Blackout was no longer making any appearances, and since Alani didn't have anything to do after school, she decided that it was time to stop lying to her grandmother and actually get a job. It was Peter's idea for Alani to apply to work at Delmar's Deli-Grocery, their favorite sandwich shop in Queens. Since getting the job, Alani has been working nearly every day after school and has been trying to get Delmar's cat, Murph, to like her. For some reason the big, fluffy feline just doesn't like her, no matter how many treats she gives him or how many times she tries to pet him. Peter shoves it in her face how much Murph likes him whenever he comes in for a sandwich before heading out to do his usual Spider-Manning. Alani honestly doesn't get what Murph sees in Peter—he doesn't bring in little treats for him, all he does is give him a little scratch that has Murph instantly purring.

Today, when Alani clocks in after school, she tries to win Murph over with a little mouse toy. She slides the little toy across the counter. Murph's pupils dilate as he locks onto the fake mouse.