Bab 18: Creeping Hunger
Peter sat on a worn-out bench inside the hospital, the metal creaking slightly. His left hand clutched a half-empty bottle of water, which he absentmindedly brought to his lips, taking small sips to quench his parched throat.
The hospital surroundings buzzed with a blend of sterile white and soothing blue, the colors of cleanliness and calmness. Nurses in crisp uniforms hurried past, their footsteps echoing in the corridor, while doctors in white coats moved with purpose and determination.
As Peter observed the bustling scene around him, his mind wandered back to the reason he found himself in this somber setting.
'Gwen...'
That morning, the two officers came to his house to inform when that they could not get a response from the neighboring door.
In a display of selflessness, Gwen's father managed to rescue a child from the perilous waters underneath the Williamsburg Bridge.
However, his act of heroism did not go unnoticed. The commotion and his courageous actions caught the attention of a monstrous creature, a rampaging Lizard monster, which unleashed its fury upon him.
The encounter left Gwen's father with severe second and third-degree burns, internal damage to organs and cracks in his spine, and a half-broken skull.
It was a miracle that he was still alive, in pain, and currently in a coma.
Peter understood the harsh truth that even if George Stacy eventually woke up from the coma, there was a significant possibility that he would never be the same person again.
The physical and emotional toll of the incident had the potential to alter his life forever, leaving behind a lasting impact on his physical abilities, cognitive functions, and overall well-being.
Death was a mercy.
Releasing a deep sigh, Peter scrolled through his phone, his fingers tapping on the screen. There it was, a video capturing the entire encounter. With a mix of curiosity and apprehension, he took a deep breath and pressed play, watching the footage unfold before his eyes.
The video showed a green, hulking monster with lizard-like features wreaking havoc on a bridge. It effortlessly tossed police cars aside, crushing civilian vehicles in its path. The terrified screams of civilians filled the air as they tried to flee from the rampage.
The police desperately fired their guns, but their bullets seemed to have little effect as the Lizard creature swiftly regenerated any injuries it sustained. The chaotic scene unfolded on the screen, leaving Peter in a mix of shock and disbelief.
This was still the first time he had seen something like this other than in the movie which was still CGI.
'Dr. Connors... that asshole lied to me!' Peter chuckled self-depreciatingly.
He knew that Dr Connors would fuck things up and was fibbing but it felt good to pretend that he did not... it was a fleeting moment of denial amidst the harsh reality unfolding before him.
Peter's gaze shifted towards the room where Gwen sat in front of her father's bed. Her head was bowed, her face partially hidden by her cascading hair, leaving her expression a mystery.
The weight of her despair and worry was palpable in the air, and Peter couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness for her.
Another sigh escaped his mouth.
'It's partially my fault. It's actually all my fault.'
He believed that he should have tried convincing Connors further, maybe even prove evidence to him that Peter could truly heal his arm.
However, deep inside, he knew the truth that Connors could probably never be convinced. Deep inside, he always wanted to burn the world. One bad day, and he became the same.
'If I had not asked Gwen to come over, maybe she could have saved her father from this terrible fate.'
For a moment, it felt as if the young Peter had aged into an old man, his expression was somber and pale. Despite being a transmigrator, a daring one at that... he was not immune to emotions but at the same time he knew... he was aware that, emotions are a waste when you gotta do something you know you gotta do.
After all, he was a law and psychology student. With a resolute expression, he took a deep breath and steeled himself for the challenges ahead.
This was a Marvel world, tragedy was part of its genre. Maybe MCU was the only comedy world but the main genre could never be forgotten, especially Spider-Man's main genre.
Peter knew that the main lesson from Spider-Man was to portray that true heroes, sacrifice to do the good and their life is always imperfect... if not absolute shit.
No matter what happened Spider-Man would always get up. Never giving up... no matter how bad the circumstance was.
While it was true that George Stacy had survived the accident and was still clinging to life, Peter wondered if this turn of events would follow the traditional Marvel canon or if fate had something else in store.
He did not believe that the accident with George was a canon event. After all, he was not dead plus Marvel was not a world that would rewrite fate to prevent falling apart.
A Marvel world would straight up destroy everything, causing incursions to take place or the fucking apocalypse itself and ultimately collapse on itself.
What is the main reason Canon Events exist for? Character development. With Gwen's father on the hospital bed... he believed Gwen could still gain character development. Although probably in a negative manner.
She would likely fall into utter darkness unlike in the original setting where she was in partial depth until she found Miles. Why complete darkness? The absence of a father... the only remaining family member hits more than a mere best friend.
However this time, Peter was there... alive to help her escape it and move in the correct direction to prevent the world from falling apart. Maybe... he could even save her father... or at least try.
He mused silently, gulping the last bouts of water in a single sip.
'This is the least I could do for her.'
While Marvel didn't shy away from tragedy, it also had a knack for surprising its readers and characters alike. This was something Peter was aware of.
Crossing his legs, Peter supported his cheeks with his palms.
'Only time will reveal the true nature of George Stacy's fate...'
Raising his head, Peter looked over at the room where Gwen had been sitting in silent misery, wallowing in her pain but to nobody's surprise, she had vanished from the room as if she had never been there at all.
With a slight smirk, Peter rose from the worn-out bench and made his way back inside the hospital room. As he entered, he noticed an unusual absence of nurses and doctors, creating an eerie stillness in the air.
The room felt strangely empty, save for the half-open window through which a chilly breeze wafted in.
He gazed out of it, his eyes tracing the remnants of a web fluttering in the wind. In the darkness, a shadowy figure swung rashly across the streets, traversing the city with unmatched agility.
As he watched the figure disappear into the distance, he lampooned with a chuckle.
'So it has begun...'
Peter glanced down at George Stacy, whose life was sustained by a mere ventilator keeping him alive. His skin was mostly covered in bandages, but parts of his face remained visible, revealing scars from the burns he had endured.
It was a horrible sight. Peter had never witnessed such a scene before.
He gazed at him for a few more moments as memories flooded his mind, reminding him that George, despite his age, was a remarkably handsome man. He had treated Peter as if he were his own son.
Peter peeked at his left palm and noticed the glove that seemed to materialize out of thin air. The sleek black material was adorned with two piercing red eyes and a fierce-looking mouth.
A familiar sense of having an additional set of eyes, a voracious mouth, and an insatiable stomach washed over him. Hunger slowly crept up until it became overwhelming, nearly causing him to lose his balance.
Peter tapped his glabella, triggering his Lizard Vision and causing his eyes to glow a blood red.
He walked over to the window, where he cast his gaze upon the bustling cars below. Then, his attention shifted to the mesmerizing sight of the dusk skyline, where the sun gracefully merged with the billowing dark and stormy clouds.
A bloodthirsty smile crept onto his visage causing his lips to curl inwardly.
"It's time to hunt."
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone