𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟎𝟎: 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐎𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭
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It was stunning—driving through New York City in the winter season. It was December 24th, 2006—Christmas Eve. She sat in the back seat of the car, watching the snowfall. It no longer looked like it was making any difference seeing as the snow already went halfway to her knees. Thankfully, the snow plow had done its wonder and cleared the way, so no snow encoded accidents occurred. Now she could watch all the blanketed houses without care. She and her parents had been watching a rendition of The Nutcracker ballet at the theater. Now, after what felt like an eternity, she was going home.
She wanted to call her best friend to come over. It was already relatively late at night, but most times, almost always, they would sneak in and out of their houses and through each other's windows. It was easier that way—no questions from the parental figures. But, of course, they were only eleven years old, so the thought of getting caught frightened them. But, on the other hand, roaming around Queens at eleven when it was almost midnight was less frightening than the concern and scolding the adults would give them if they ever saw their eleven-year-olds climbing up trees to reach each other's windows.
"Davina," she snapped back into reality, hearing her name called. Davina turned away from the window and looked at her mother. Natalie Danvers, Davina's mother, had her neck craned around the passenger seat to face her daughter. "Hmm?" Davina hummed, her gaze slowly shifting back to the window. The snow was sticking to the class and frosting it, so Davina's gaze on the outside world was slowly fading away. "I spoke to May earlier," Natalie's sigh brought Davina instant disappointment. "The Parkers' are not going to join us tomorrow for Christmas." Davina's father, Harrison, stated.
"Oh." was the only word that escaped Davina's lips. She slumped back in the backseat. Her arms crossed as she glanced back out the window. The snow slowly stopped trickling down from the sky like a flip switched up in the sky, and there was no longer a need for it. Suddenly, Davina felt the blissful atmosphere of winter, and Christmas was gone. A tad bit dramatic, yes, but she was eleven and hopeful. Davina was never really fondest of change. She didn't like things too far out of her control, even if it was inevitable.
The Danvers and the Parkers had celebrated the winter holidays together for what felt like forever. Even before Davina and her best friend, Peter Parker, were born. Natalie had befriended Mary, Peter's mother, years ago—when they were seventeen. And since then, they have done everything together. Once Natalie married Harrison and Mary married Richard, it was that foursome. Unfortunately, Mary and Richard died back in 1999, when their son, Peter, was four. Natalie was just as devastated as May and Ben Parker, Peter's aunt and uncle. That did not stop any traditions, though. Natalie still hosted any event, and May and Ben, although older than Natalie, Harrison, Mary, and Richard, still joined for Peter's sake.
They pulled into the driveway. Davina's eyes slowly opened once the harsh December breeze met her face. Natalie held the door open for her daughter while Harrison walked towards the house. Davina stood up rather groggily; she hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep. It couldn't have been for too long. But that thought faded when she saw her mother crumbling up the brown paper bag from a fast food restaurant. Her parents had gone by a drive-through while she was asleep. Davina didn't mind, though.
"Can I go over tomorrow before dinner? I still want to give Peter, May, and Ben their gifts." Davina asked, continuing the brief conversation that ended a while ago. Natalie shut the car door. The mother-daughter pair walked towards the porch. Harrison had already been in his study, to neither his daughter's nor wife's surprise. He often said that working was his gateway to a whole world of opportunity. Family always appeared to come second to him, but that didn't mean he loved them any less; he just wanted to make sure he could provide for them, ergo throwing himself at work.
"Yes, of course," Natalie nodded. Davina stepped inside the house. She turned to face her mother to thank her but didn't get the chance to speak first. "Don't forget to give them the gift from me and your father," Natalie added shortly after, her tone regulating to her duller, tired-like one. Davina half smiled and nodded knowingly. There was nothing more to say. Their interaction ended the second Natalie kicked off her heels. She placed her hand on the banister and opened her mouth to add one more remark, but her train of thought was cut off by the sound of glass shattering from upstairs.
Much to her mother's dismay, Davina ran up the staircase immediately. Curiosity and fright flooded the eleven-year-old's body. "Davina!" Natalie shouted as she chased after her daughter, her tone flooded with more worry for Davina than what could have caused the glass to shatter. Davina ran through the hallway—she felt as if it was elongating as she ran, but that may have been the tiredness merged with panic. Finally, Davina made it to her father's study, but upon touching the doorknob, it glowed a faint red hue and burned her hand. Davina winced and drew her hand back.
"What the-" Davina's sentence cut short when she felt a hand wrap around her wrist. Davina looked up, over her shoulder, and saw her mother. Natalie sighed, relieved to have her daughter beside her. It was then that they both heard the sound of crashing, although it was louder than before, and not just because they stood by the door. Natalie's relief vanished as quickly as it arrived. Davina placed her hand on the doorknob. The door practically flew in on its own and slammed against the wall. Davina felt herself get sucked into the room without a choice. Once she was inside, the door slammed shut.
"Davina!" Natalie shouted as she tried opening the door, but the doorknob wouldn't turn left or right. Davina heard her mother's shouting from the other side of the door, but the hearing wasn't the sense Davina primarily focused on. Instead, she focused on the sight that lay before her. There was a shadowy figure that stood by the broken window. Whatever it was, it was barely seen, as if it was some illusion. Davina squinted; only then did she notice her father sitting at his desk. But it wasn't like the hundreds of other times she'd seen him. No, he had a thick gash across his neck. The shadowed figure had slit her father's throat.
Davina did not scream; she couldn't find her voice. She was in a state of shock. Brisk winds came through the windows. The shadowed figure was a woman. That was all Davina could make out—a woman in the shadows. That woman tilted her head to the side. Picture frames fell off the walls as the horrific winds increased. Natalie slammed her fists on the door and repeatedly shouted Davina and Harrison's names. Davina's hands rested flat on the wall behind her. The woman in the shadow took two steps toward Davina. There was nowhere for Davina to run.
Davina stood flat against the wall. The woman stood about a foot or so away from Davina. Her face was still unrecognizable. She wore no mask, but whatever she was, that shadow-like effect blurred her face. Davina felt the woman's pointer and middle finger under her chin, causing her to look up and make eye contact with foggy white eyes that were enough to send chills down Davina's spine. "Ego feci tibi gratiam." said the woman. Davina did not understand what was said. All she knew was it was Latin—she'd been learning the language per her father's request.
Red and blue police car lights drove closer and closer, reflecting the shades on the study's walls. The sirens blared louder with each passing second. Finally, the shadowed woman turned around and walked towards the window. The door practically flew off its hinges seeing as Natalie had resorted to kicking it open. Davina was startled by the door almost hitting her but had no reaction. Natalie pulled Davina behind her. Natalie looked around the room but saw nothing. Her husband was dead. That was all she laid her eyes upon. That woman in the shadows was gone like she hadn't even been there.
What happened next felt like it was all happening in slow motion. Davina turned around to face her mother, tears wanting to stream down her face, but they had not yet fallen until she watched a police officer grab her mother's forearms and pull her back. Natalie was being dragged out of the room in a hurry. Natalie's persistent shouting for Davina did not stop. Not even while they took her down the stairs and out of the house to discuss what had occurred. Davina turned back to face her father, but three more policemen had flooded the study. A detective was looking over the shattered window.
Davina's eyes darted toward her father's dead body. A scarlet substance spilled over the edge of the desk. It was not blood. It was thinner; Davina could tell by how much faster it dripped to the ground. A glass vial rolled off the desk. Once it made contact with the ground, it shattered too. Davina furrowed her eyebrows. It looked the same color as the doorknob when she'd touched it. Her thoughts were cut off once a female detective walked Davina out of the room, trying to keep the eleven-year-old girl from panicking externally the same way she was panicking internally.
Davina was nearly pushed out the doors of the townhouse. Natalie had been conversing with two police officers. Davina knew her mother; she could tell Natalie was panicked beyond belief. "Mom," Davina called out, her voice barely audible. The flashing lights were making Davina dizzy. Natalie hadn't batted an eyelash toward Davina. She could not hear her daughter with the detectives going in depth over the following procedure. The neighborhood had been abruptly woken by the events of the night. Many of them stood on their porches, watching and whispering amongst themselves.
Davina felt her breathing hitch. She was on the verge of a breakdown. Whatever had just happened inside the house, she had witnessed it entirely. It was impossible. Right? It had to be. Davina felt overwhelming claustrophobia once the detectives crowded around her to ask her questions. Davina's responses were not what they'd hoped, though. She sounded crazy like she was covering up what legitimately happened. But how would an eleven-year-old girl convince police officers that a woman in impossible shadows killed her father? She couldn't. Davina knew she sounded crazy, but she indeed wasn't.
May and Ben Parker stood on the porch of their household. The Parker residence was across the street from the Danvers'. May looked appalled and worried about what had happened inside the house to have several police cars parked outside. Ben noticed Natalie talking to the police; it looked like she was trying to persuade them against being arrested. Natalie's anger and panic merged into one, and it was plastered over her facial expression. They murmured something or other about it. Peter was the last one to walk down the stairs, confused about what the commotion was.
May let out a faint gasp seeing her eleven-year-old nephew stepping onto the porch. "Hey, buddy, why don't you head back up to bed?" Ben said, trying to keep his tone far from the genuine worry he was feeling. May and Ben kneeled before Peter, so they were at eye level. Peter furrowed his eyebrows, confused as to why his aunt and uncle were trying to sidetrack him. Peter peered his head over May's shoulder. He could see the faintest red and blue light, but now that he had a clear view, Peter saw the commotion from the police coming from his best friend's house.
Peter tried to get past his aunt and uncle, but Ben didn't let him. "You cannot go over there right now, Peter," May told him. It was for his good, yes, but Peter did not care. "She's my friend." Peter reminded them, his tone laced with the faintest worry. "She is okay," May reassured him. It was what she hoped was true. "You don't know that," Peter responded. Ben and May exchanged glances, knowing he was right. In the two-second time span that they were preoccupied, Peter freed himself from his uncle's grip, jumped off the porch stairs, and ran across the street.
Davina was finally free to breathe without police officers crowding around her. She turned away from the house. Then, she saw Peter running across the street and almost getting hit by a passing car. The driver turned his head to see the commotion at Davina's house, so he hadn't seen the eleven-year-old boy running. This in no way phased Peter. He made it to the sidewalk, pausing to catch his breath. Davina walked over to where Peter was standing. As he'd spoken first, she hadn't even gotten a chance to say anything. "Are you okay?" Peter asked immediately.
Davina did not respond verbally. She couldn't find the words, the proper answer—she honestly had no idea. Her mind was spinning, a whirlwind of emotion coursing through her. Peter could see Davina wanted to respond but couldn't. He knew that meant it wasn't even close to okay. Peter pulled Davina into a hug, which she needed after the events so quickly unraveled. It was officially the 25th, Christmas Day, as it was past midnight. Davina most certainly could not see the holiday the same way. Peter didn't say anything, and neither did Davina. He just hugged his best friend until she no longer deemed it necessary.
***
author's note: shut up. if you are a fan of the cw's The Flash in the slightest then you know. you know how severely inspired this was by the pilot, or at least part of it. this story is for the Amazing Spiderman, but I see so many similarities between Peter and season one Barry that I decided I could do a few merging. I hope you guys liked this flashback and new revision of Dreamer. this gif is of Mackenzie Foy who is young Davina Danvers for flashback scenes <3