Black Webs

I See Fire

I'm going to get married today,
the chapel is full of crosses and bouquets,
we pray to the wax bride and her violet varicose veins,
kiss me with forever where only death remains.

I can be good, I can be true.
You know I don't love anyone, but I love you.

t h i r t y - t h r e e

S t i l e s

"Do you hear that?" Allison's voice sounded strained.

Scott nodded. "Lydia's in trouble,"

"No," Spiderman bit his bottom lip.

It was stupid, but he was beginning to familiarize with Lydia's screams, this didn't sound like a scream of agony or pain... It sounded like it was...

It was to alert them, like a warning signal.

"We're in trouble," he corrected.

Suddenly, the scream just stopped, as if someone had kicked her right in the windpipe or wrapped their hands around her neck. Spiderman felt his heart burst into flame.

"Now she's in trouble," Scott said.

The elevator doors rolled open. They ran.

Spiderman didn't look around, admire the office's furnishings, he didn't even really look at Peter.

All he saw was Lydia - Lydia in danger, just like he'd been so afraid would happen.

The nightmare came back to him in vivid color and surround sound, the blood staining her dress, her limp, frosted white arms under his own, the way her hair stuck to her face in wet clumps, her facial features all relaxing, her very last shuddering breath...

Spiderman actually felt pangs inside his chest, but he bit down the pain, the anxiety, the paranoia.

Peter Hale was sat with his Italian leather shoes propped up on his desk, he was sipping on some fancy drink and reading a newspaper while Derek lay unconscious against the wall on one side, and a big, bald guy with snake green eyes held Lydia; his fist was fastened around her neck, her eyes were wide open in terror.

"LET HER GO!" Spiderman yelled, voice high and commanding.

"Uh, uh, uh," Peter Hale said. "Weapons down. Every single one. Or this pretty little girl surrounded by death is going to go for a swim in it."

Allison tensed next to him, she had an arrow pointed right at Peter's head, Scott was wolfed out, set for an attack. "Do... Do as he says," Spiderman said, stammering. "But -" Allison started.

"Now!"

Allison lowered her arrow.

"Weapons down," he repeated. "On the ground. Nice and easy."

"Do it," Spiderman muttered. "Just do it."

Allison left her weapons on the floor. "The knives too, honey." Peter said, smirking.

Allison looked astounded that he'd sussed it out, but she yanked three knives off of her, two from her boots and one from her pocket.

"There we go. That wasn't so hard, was it? I love it when we all cooperate."

Spiderman put both his hands up in surrender. Lydia twisted and turned against her assailant.

"We won't touch our weapons, now let her go." Scott said, between gritted teeth.

"Sure, of course, yeah. Or maybe not. Riddle me this, spiderman. How did you manage to get to my evil lair so easily? I mean, there's not a scratch on you."