Ultimate Spider-Woman: Change With the Light

Chapter 43: Puppet Dance, Part One: Marionettes

"Oh banish me my lord, but kill me not!" Gwen Stacy pleaded to the livid Randy Robertson.

"Down, strumpet!" Randy Robertson scowled angrily.

"Kill me tomorrow, let me live tonight!" Gwen begged.

"Nay, if you strive-" Randy answered, his fury rising.

"But half an hour!" Gwen interrupted, still hoping for mercy.

"Being done, there is no pause," Randy shook his head.

"But while I say one prayer!" Gwen made one final effort.

"It is too late," Randy said with a tone of grim finality, as he picked up the pillow case and moved to smother Gwen.

Their Drama class burst out in applause as Randy backed off and helped Gwen to her feet. Randy nodded in appreciation, as Gwen offered an elegant curtsy. They'd chosen to do a scene from Othello as part of an assignment to do a Shakespeare reenactment in the Drama class they were taking, and had nailed the roles perfectly.

Choosing a scene from Othello was an added bonus, as Gwen and Randy had auditioned for a classical performance of the classic play that would be taking place at the start of February. They planned to do the scene, one of the most emotionally charged of the entire play, if they were called back for the second round of auditions.

On the surface, everything seemed to be going well for Gwen. She was caught up on her schoolwork, her mother Helen Stacy was doing well and she had a boyfriend who treated her like a queen.

Unfortunately, as the spectacular Spider-Woman Gwen now had an Internet hate campaign organized against her organized by people who blamed her for the damage and death caused by the murderous Supercharger. She was also plagued with guilt from Supercharger's murders themselves, since the electrically-charged maniac had committed them to force Spider-Woman to fight him. Finally, there was the tension with her boyfriend Randy. Ever since New Year's Eve, when she'd been forced to run out on him to become Spider-Woman and confront her old enemy the Brothers Grimm, Gwen could feel a certain tension in the air between her and Randy.

Randy knew that she'd lied to him about why she needed to leave the party, although Gwen couldn't tell if he suspected why. Gwen would have told him about her dual identity as Spider-Woman, but Randy had made it clear just how much he disliked superheroes. Gwen wasn't sure what to do-she knew Randy was upset with her for lying to him, but she was concerned with how he'd react if he found out she was a costumed heroine.

Hence the tension between Gwen and Randy.

Everything about Gwen's life looked good on the surface, but most people didn't see the hidden tensions and problems underneath it all.

SPIDER-WOMAN #43

PUPPET DANCE, PART ONE

"MARIONETTES"

Returning home later that evening to do his homework, Randy tried to figure out what was up with Gwen. Ever since that New Year's Eve party at the Fandango Club, there'd been a distinct stiffness between them, with Gwen having trouble looking Randy in the eye. He still wasn't sure why Gwen had run out on him when the Brothers Grimm first attacked, or why she'd come up with the absurdly flimsy lies that she had when Randy had asked her why she'd left.

It's funny, Randy mused as he typed away at his computer. Gwen runs away, she comes back all battered and bruised, and then she tries to dodge the question when I ask her where she went.

And it wasn't even the first time we found her so injured, Randy realized. Especially that one time, when Kitty had me pick her up from their old apartment. She was lucky to be alive, he recalled with a shudder.