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.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I must say the food was wonderful!
Especially the carrot cake. Anyway, after we finished eating, we stayed there on the Great Lawn, since there wasn't much else to do in Central Park at that moment. Some started playing tag, while the rest just sat down enjoying the weather—I was part of the second group.
During that time, I talked with Mrs. Margaret about ordinary, everyday things. Then, out of nowhere, people started running, fleeing from a certain direction.
"What's going on?" Margaret asked.
"CRASH!"
Before anyone could answer, a tree—maybe around five meters tall—suddenly fell right beside us.
"Everyone to the bus! Now!" Margaret shouted desperately.
All the children, myself included, obeyed her order, with Mrs. Abigail guiding us, while Margaret stayed behind to help other people.
I ran like never before, and even in that situation, my mind was racing. For something like this to happen, it had to be a villain attack. But did it really have to be today?
I noticed a shadow coming toward me, and I abruptly stopped, saving myself from being crushed. The downside was that I fell behind. Mrs. Abigail kept running with the other children, and I don't blame her—it was better to save all of them than risk everything for just one.
Still lost in my thoughts, I heard something land behind me, snapping me back to reality. When I turned around, I saw a huge, dark humanoid figure with a spider symbol on its chest.
I didn't know whether to feel happy or terrified to meet Venom like this.
I remembered that in some comic lines he was an anti-hero, but looking at this Venom, I was one hundred percent sure—this one was a villain. And also, I was completely screwed.
The symbiote looked at me with a strange gaze, as if I were some kind of prize. With frightening speed, he grabbed me effortlessly, lifting me high above his head.
"Eddie, no!"
Appearing in a leap was someone very familiar to someone like me, wearing a red and blue suit with a black web pattern covering his body, and of course, the famous large black spider symbol on his chest.
Great. I met 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 the punishment for getting in my way, Spider-Man!"
Then Venom began to squeeze my fragile body with his unnatural strength, and I screamed in pain. I could feel my bones and organs being crushed with each passing second. I was dying—I knew it.
And then I felt anger. Anger at dying to a creature that existed only to bring darkness into the world.
I felt a fire ignite in my heart—not of hatred, but of survival. I refused to die to a being like him.
The fire began to grow, turning into a small sun.
And then I released it.
An explosion of fire and light burst from my body, burning Venom's entire torso. He started screaming—something I quite appreciated. Too bad I couldn't watch it for long.
I felt my body grow weak, and then I fell once more into the world of dreams… perhaps never to return.