The Web Slingers (TASM FanFic) *ON HOLD*

Prologue

(Prologue)

I could hear the rain pouring down on the trees and the thunder roaring outside.

Already on my pajamas, I sat on Mommy's lap as we watch TV together. It was late at night and I was sleepy. Still, we had to wait for Daddy.

"Mommy, is Daddy gonna be here soon?" I asked, yawning.

She caressed my head and kissed it. "Don't worry. He's almost here."

"I'm sleepy."

"Well, we just—"

Mommy got interrupted when the front door opened and it revealed Daddy. I jumped down from Mommy's lap and ran to him, giving him a big hug, even though I was little. He lifted me up and turned to Mommy.

"Nora, pack her stuff," Daddy said to Mommy, and he sounded alerted.

Mommy headed upstairs and Daddy walked to his office, setting me down by the door. I watched him press his hand on the wall and it lifted a bit, making Daddy reach inside it to take out a folder. He, then, checked the files inside it and placed it inside his bag.

Mommy appeared by the doorway and carried me as we watched Daddy erased the writing on his chalkboard. Daddy carried his bag and the suitcase filled with my stuff then we headed outside.

Mommy placed me in the backseat of our car and they both seat in the front.

"Wear your seatbelt, honey," Mommy told me and I obeyed her.

"Daddy, where are we going?" I asked.

"To your Uncle George's," he replied.

After a few hours, we stopped by an apartment building. Mommy and Daddy stepped out of the car and Mommy carried me out. I buried my face on her neck and held onto her tightly.

We entered an elevator and it stopped at the twentieth floor. We stepped out and Daddy knocked on a door marked with the numbers '2016'.

The door opened and a dark-blonde woman greeted us with a puzzled look on her face.

"Good evening, Helen," said Daddy.

I guessed that was Aunt Helen, Uncle George's wife.

She looked behind her and yelled, "Honey!"

A man in a police uniform walked behind her and said, "What is it, dear?"

She glanced at us and Uncle George followed.

"So, Aurelius, haven't seen you in ages," Uncle George remarked. "What brings you here?" Then, he looked at the bag Daddy's carrying.

"Please, George," Daddy muttered. "We don't have enough time."

*.*.*

I watched them have a conversation on the table and they were talking very softly I couldn't hear a word they're saying.

Were they talking about me? If so, why me then?

A few minutes later, my parents walked up to me and I stood up, feeling very nervous and scared. Daddy got on his left knee and hugged me tightly, burying his face on my neck. I wrapped my arms around him.

He released and cupped my cheek. He stared at my eyes and said, "Mommy and Daddy are gonna be gone for a while."

"Where are you going, Daddy?" I asked, my voice slightly strained.

He caressed my hair. "We just need to take care of something."

"Daddy, I wanna go with you."

He shook his head. "I need you to stay here with Uncle George for a while and be a good girl, okay?" He caressed my hair and kissed my forehead.

It was Mommy's turn to say her goodbyes. She wrapped her arms around me and I could hear her cry. She pulled away a little and kissed my forehead for a long time. As she released, she said, "Roe, be a good girl to Uncle George and Aunt Helen, okay?" Her eyes were red and sore and her cheeks were wet with tears. She caressed my hair and Daddy pulled her away gently.

I watched as they walked out the door. Daddy took one last look at me and finally left, closing the door behind him.

I felt someone touch my shoulder and I looked up, finding Aunt Helen. She held my hand and lead me to the hallway with my bag on her other hand. We stopped by a door and she knocked on it. As it opened, it revealed a little girl with light blonde hair tied into braided pigtails. She also had bangs. She was wearing a light pink silk nightdress and white fluffy slippers. She looked pretty.

"Yes, mommy?" she greeted with a huge smile on her face. Then, she looked at me and back at Aunt Helen. "Who's her?" She smiled at me.

"Well, honey, this is Roe Lorenzo, your cousin," Aunt Helen replied. "She's gonna be here with us for a while and I thought it'd be nice for you to be roommates."

A surprised and excited expression appeared on the girl's face. "Really, mommy?" Aunt Helen nodded "Yay!" Then, she opened the door a lot wider and gestured her hand. "Please, enter." I shyly walked inside the princess-themed bedroom. "By the way," she held out her hand, "my name's Gwendolyn Maxine Stacy. But you can call me 'Gwen'."

We shook hands and that was the first time I smiled at that house. Gwen led me to the bed and told me to sit down. I did and I saw Aunt Helen placed my bag on the floor by the bed.

"So, Gwen," said Aunt Helen, "be nice to Roe, okay?"

"Of course, mommy." Gwen nodded as she sat beside me.

Aunt Helen walked to us and kissed Gwen on her cheek. To my surprise, she kissed me on the cheek too. "Lights out in fifteen minutes." She walked to the door and closed the door after saying, "Good night, girls."

"Good night, mommy." Gwen turned to me. "So, Roe, how old are you? I’m eight.”

“I’m six,” I muttered.

“Why are you here? Not that I don't want you here. I'm just wondering."

I shrugged. "I don't really know. Mommy and Daddy left me here a while ago and they told me it'll only be just for a while."