Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

Chapter 54: Between Two Worlds

The glow of the orb illuminated Peter's face as he sat cross-legged on the floor of his bedroom, its rhythmic pulsing strangely hypnotic. He'd tried running scans on it using the tools in his makeshift lab, but the data made no sense. Every reading screamed impossible.

"It's like this thing doesn't follow the laws of physics," Peter muttered, leaning back against his desk.

He thought about calling someone—maybe Dr. Strange, if he wasn't too busy saving the universe again. Or even Reed Richards. But something held him back. If Oscorp had created or discovered this orb, it meant they'd hidden it for a reason. Revealing it to the wrong people could make things worse.

A knock at the door broke his concentration. Aunt May's voice followed, light but tinged with concern.

"Peter? You okay in there?"

Peter scrambled to throw a blanket over the orb. "Uh, yeah, May! Just studying."

The door opened a crack, and May poked her head in. "Studying? You're never this quiet when you're hitting the books." She stepped inside, her eyes narrowing as she looked at him. "You've been off lately. Is everything okay?"

Peter forced a smile. "I'm fine. Just… school stress."

May didn't look convinced. She sat down on the bed, crossing her arms. "You know you don't have to do everything by yourself, right? Whatever it is, you can talk to me."

Peter hesitated, the weight of his secret life pressing down on him. He wanted to tell her, to unburden himself, but how could he explain something like this? Instead, he gave her a half-truth.

"Thanks, May. I'll be fine, really. Just… a lot on my plate right now."

She studied him for a moment, then sighed. "Alright, but don't forget you're not alone. And maybe take a break now and then. Go out, see your friends. You're allowed to be a teenager, you know."

Peter nodded, his smile more genuine this time. "I'll try."

As May left, Peter turned back to the orb, its glow now dimmer, almost as if it were waiting.

The next morning, Peter decided to take May's advice. He left his Spider-Man suit hidden in his closet and headed to school, determined to spend the day as just Peter Parker.

At Midtown High, the halls buzzed with the usual chaos of teenagers. Peter found MJ and Ned at their lockers, deep in conversation.

"Look who decided to show up," MJ said with a smirk.

"Yeah, thought you were going full recluse mode," Ned added.

Peter rolled his eyes. "I'm here, aren't I?"

The trio walked to class together, falling into their usual banter. For a while, Peter felt like himself again—no rifts, no shadow creatures, just a regular kid juggling school and friendships.

During lunch, they found a spot under a tree in the courtyard. MJ pulled out her script for the upcoming school play, while Ned launched into a detailed explanation of his latest video game conquest. Peter listened, laughing at their antics, the weight of his double life temporarily forgotten.

But even in moments of peace, his mind wandered. He couldn't stop thinking about the orb, the rift, and the ominous warning: They are coming.

The tranquility of the afternoon shattered when Peter returned home. He opened the front door to find the living room in disarray—drawers pulled open, papers scattered, and the faint smell of ozone lingering in the air.

"May?!" Peter called, panic rising in his chest.

"In here!" May's voice came from the kitchen.

Peter rushed in to find her unharmed but shaken. She stood next to the overturned kitchen table, clutching a phone.

"What happened?" he asked, his eyes darting around for signs of danger.

"I don't know," May said, her voice trembling. "I came home and found the place like this. I was just about to call the police."

Peter's spider-sense tingled faintly, not a full-blown alarm but enough to make him wary. He walked through the house, scanning for clues. The mess didn't seem random—it was too deliberate. Someone had been looking for something.

His stomach sank. The orb.

He bolted upstairs to his room, closing the door behind him. The blanket covering the orb had been disturbed, but the orb itself was still there, its glow faint but steady.

"Whoever it was didn't find you," Peter murmured, relief washing over him.

But the question remained: Who were they, and how did they know about the orb?

That night, Peter sat on the roof of his apartment building, the orb tucked safely in a backpack by his side. He needed answers, and the city seemed to hum with the promise of danger.

He didn't have to wait long. A shadow moved across the rooftop, and Peter's spider-sense flared. He turned, his fists ready, as a figure emerged from the darkness.

It was Wraith.

"Nice to see you again, Spider-Man," Wraith said, their voice low and distorted.

Peter tensed. "If you're here to fight, let's get it over with. I've had a long day."

Wraith shook their head. "Not tonight. I'm here to deliver a message."

Peter's eyes narrowed. "From who?"

"The ones you've angered by taking what doesn't belong to you," Wraith replied, gesturing toward the backpack. "That orb isn't yours, Spider-Man. It's part of something much bigger than you. Return it, and maybe you'll survive what's coming."

"Yeah, well, threats aren't really my thing," Peter shot back. "So how about you tell me what this 'something bigger' is, and we'll go from there?"

Wraith stepped closer, their shadowy form towering over Peter. "You think you're the hero in this story, but you're just a pawn. The rift wasn't meant for you—it was meant for them. And now, you've made yourself their target."

Before Peter could respond, Wraith melted into the shadows, their voice lingering like an echo.

"Tick-tock, Spider-Man. Time's running out."

Alone on the rooftop, Peter stared out at the city, the weight of Wraith's words pressing down on him. He didn't know who "they" were, but he knew one thing: the orb wasn't just a piece of alien tech or Oscorp's experiment. It was a beacon, and something was answering its call.

Peter tightened the straps of his backpack, his resolve hardening. Whatever was coming, he wasn't going to back down.

"I'll be ready," he whispered, his voice lost in the wind.

End of Chapter 54