Spider-Man: Finding a New Home [Andrew Garfield]

6

6.

The Spell

Adalia

          Doctor Stephen Strange stands across from Peter and I, preparing himself to cast a spell. Standing in the center of Strange's dark basement—the Undercroft—Peter and I fall silent, and take in our eerie surroundings. My eyes find Strange's floating, spell table the most interesting, and I'm amazed by its ability to stay afloat.

While Strange and Peter converse about the Sanctum's interesting basement, my focus pulls toward the future. Peter and I, including our friends and family, will be free from scrutiny. Beck, although dead, has ruined our lives with his lies, and ignorantly, the world took to his side. Mysterio's work to frame Peter and I will cease to exist, and he'll be blamed for his own death—rightfully so. Quentin Beck has been given praise for exposing Spider-Man and La Sombra as villains, but soon, that'll all change.

"Let's begin, shall we?" announces Strange. He has a determined look in his eye, mixed with the slightest amount of arrogance. Although many find Strange's arrogance annoying, I, however, embrace it. Stephen Strange is the only man who can be arrogant, and have the right to be; I wouldn't want an unsure, insecure Strange to cast the spell for Peter and I. In a way, Doctor Stephen Strange reminds me of Tony Stark, but I'd never tell him that.

"Yeah," says a breathless Peter. He rubs his hands together, eager for Strange to begin. "Let's do it."

"Adalia?" calls Strange, waiting for my approval. I meet his comforting brown eyes, and a sense of security washes over me. I refuse to acknowledge my doubts, and they're replaced by my surge of optimism. My mouth goes cotton dry, and my heart rate accelerates; I feel nervous, yet I have faith in Strange to do the spell.

Soon, Peter and I will walk out of the Sanctum Sanctorum with our heads held high. And, finally, the burdens of failure will lift off my shoulders.

"Ready," I say, determined. I give Strange a firm nod, and upon my approval, I notice he squares his shoulders, and takes a deep breath. In awe, I watch as Strange presses his palms together. He nears the floating spell table, and gestures a series of hand movements. Then, a golden glow appears on top of the table, circling the edges of the table. His crystals reflect the bright glow, taking my breath away. Strange, out of thin air, procures a small, iron vial, and he proceeds to pour the golden-colored substance into the center of the spell table.

With the vial, Strange lifts his left hand higher while he pours the rest of the gold. In a straightforward tone, Strange says, "The entire world is about to forget that Peter Parker and Adalia Ramirez are Spider-Man and La Sombra."

My heart hammers against my ribcage, making my entire body pulse with each beat. I can hear my pulse racing in my ears, similar to a train thundering atop tracks. Stephen Strange conjures yet another reddish-golden hue, which I can only describe as a geometric shape in his right hand. His left, however, rises in front of his face, and he makes a golden horizontal line. He makes the gold disappear in the blink of an eye, and moves his arms and hands in a stiff, sharp manner. Strange creates circles of the gold around him, and I take a step back at the daunting sight.

"Wait, everyone?" ask Peter, interrupting the silence. I flinch at the noise, and twist my neck to the left to see Peter. He's worried, and deep in thought about something that I know not of. He enters the golden circle Strange surrounds himself with, and my eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets. What is he doing? Strange creates a second horizontal line of gold, while Peter asks another question. Peter asks, "Can't some people still know who we are?"