The Astonishing Spider-Man - Growing Pains

5 | Spot

I wake up at 6:30 am, feeling groggy and tired. I rub my eyes and stretch my arms to shake off the sleepiness. I must prepare for school, so I force myself to get out of bed and start my morning routine.

I take a quick shower, brush my teeth, and get dressed. I pick out my favorite jeans and a green T-shirt and then grab my bag. I check that I have all my books and notebooks and then head out the door.

As I approached the entrance to the school, I saw Gwen waiting for me.

"Where were you?" she asks me as soon as she sees me.

"I wasn't feeling good yesterday," I reply, trying to sound casual.

"What happened? Did you eat something bad?"

"No, I just had a headache and felt dizzy. I didn't want to go to school and make it worse."

"Ah, I see. Well, I'm glad you're feeling better now. Did you finish the math homework?"

I shake my head. "No, I didn't get a chance to do it. I was sleeping most of the day." I lied.

"Okay, let's go to the library during lunch break. I'll help you with the problems."

"Thanks, Gwen. You're the best."

As we walked to our first class, which was history, I couldn't shake off this feeling that something was wrong. The hallways were quiet, and there was an eerie atmosphere. I whispered to Gwen, "Hey, do you feel that? Something doesn't feel right."

Gwen looked at me with concern and asked, "What do you mean? Did something happen?"

I shook my head, "No, but I just feel like something's wrong. I can't explain it."

We entered the classroom and took our seats, but I couldn't shake off the feeling. I noticed that other students were looking around the room nervously, and there was an unusual tension in the air.

I leaned over to Gwen and whispered, "Something is off. Can you feel it, too?"

Gwen looked around the room, then back at me, "Yeah, I can feel it. But we don't know what it is, so let's focus on the class now."

I nodded, but I still couldn't shake off the feeling. As the teacher began the lesson, I found myself struggling to concentrate. I noticed the teacher's tone was bleak, and he seemed distracted.

The classroom was buzzing with activity as the teacher continued his lecture, but suddenly, he stopped mid-sentence and looked around the room. "Excuse me, everyone," he said. "I just received some news. I'm afraid there has been an incident in a lab near our high school, and we must evacuate the building. Please gather your things and follow me."

The class immediately sprang into action, grabbing their belongings and forming a line to exit the building quickly. I looked over at Gwen and could see the panic in her eyes. "Isn't that the lab that you're interning at?" I asked as we ran towards the door.

She nodded her head, her voice trembling. "Yes, it is. I'm glad I wasn't at work today!"

As we ran down the hallway with the other students, the situation's urgency seemed to grow. I grabbed Gwen's hand and pulled her along, trying to stay calm and focused amidst the chaos.

Finally, we burst into the central courtyard, where our teachers and principal awaited us. "Everyone, please stay calm," our principal said, projecting across the courtyard. "We're going to ensure everyone is safe and accounted for."

As we waited for more information, the reality of the situation began to sink in. What had happened in the lab? Was anyone hurt? How long would we be out of school? The questions swirled around in my head, and Gwen was just as worried.