The Other Spider

Prologue

Betty Brant was just seven-years-old when her worst fear became a reality, her father had died. He was in the military it was what was supposed his last deployment. Then he would be home for good. One week before he would be home there was a knock on the front door of their house and Betty's mother answered it. Two military officers were standing there they said: "Hello, is Mrs. Brant home?" she nodded "Yes, I'm Mrs. Brant" in her heart she already knew why they were there but didn't want to believe it. The officer on her right handed her a letter, she thanked them and they walked away. She took a step backward and shut the door. With a deep breath, she opened the letter telling her that her husbands base was hit by a bomb and that he was in critical condition and they were placing him in the Philadelphia hospital so that he could be close to his family. He would arrive tomorrow. Betty was playing with her toys in her room, and her brother Bennett was in the backyard playing basketball while this was happening. Their mom called for them and they came unto the living room, her eyes were red and filled with tears as she told them what had happened, Betty started crying and Bennett didn't want to believe her. He ran up to his room with a bang, shut and locked his door. Tears filled his eyes he was only 11 years old and the fact that his father may never step foot in this house ever again was unbearable for him.

The following day Betty's mother took them to the Philadelphia hospital for military where they would get to see him, but only through a glass window. He had severe damage to his lungs, some brain damage and only his right leg because they had to amputate his left one.Betty watch through the window while her father slept. As a tear was falling down her face her brother saw it and wiped it right away. He said everything is going to be okay there's no reason to cry. She could see him holding back the tears in his eyes but didn't say anything she knew her brother might be right, but what if he was wrong what if he dies what happens then. Her mother told them to wait in the chairs by their father's room while she talked to the doctor down the hallway. Betty understood more then her mother knew, she was very smart for her age. She understood what her father did for a living, and why he was severely injured. But she kept it all together because she was strong. As her mother walked back towards them in the hallway Betty could tell there was something wrong. As she came back she picked Betty up from her seat and sat down then put her on her lap. She said that the doctor told her that they will be able to see him very soon he just needed to rest a little while longer. So they decided to go to the hospital cafeteria to get some food before they can go in and see him. As they walked Betty could tell in her mother's face the there was something she wasn't telling them, she could tell Bennett knew too. After they ate they walked back to his room and they had to wait a little longer outside the room before seeing him. 5 minutes had passed then 10 than 20 which felt like an eternity. But finally a half hour later a short thin fair skinned female nurse with dark ginger hair came to tell them that they could finally see him. As they walked in the room he was covered with tubes to keep him alive. Betty's mother went and sat right next to his bedside and held his hand. He was awake but for only a little while because of his brain damage, he had sleeping spells. Bennett and Betty hesitated and then slowly walked towards his bed Betty walked to the opposite side of the bed that her mother wasn't at. She stood on the chair because she was so short she kissed her father on the head and then sat in the chair holding his other hand. She was so scared to lose him. But his smile helped a little bit. Bennett was at the end of the bed looking at his father terrified of what might happen but happy to be with him again. There was a shoebox on the side table next to the bed and Betty asked her father what it was and he told her to hand it to him. He opened it and showed it to them then looked and Betty and Bennett and said I have something for you two. They always loved it when their father brought back things from the places he's been but this time felt different. He looked at Betty and said, honey, I love you and I want you to have this pocket watch then he looked at Bennett and said I love so much to my son, so I want to to have my dog tags. He told them that these were his most valued possessions. And that they should always keep them close to their hearts with tears in his eyes he looked at there mother and kissed and then fell asleep again. They were sitting in the room for only 15 minutes since he fell asleep and they started to hear a beep her mother called for a nurse a doctor anybody who could help she took the kids out of the room and the doctor and nurse showed up at the looked through the window she knew that it was the last time she would ever talk to her father again. She saw he mom crying as the nurse came out to tell her that he died none of them wanted to believe it but it was the truth. On the drive home later that day Betty looked at the pocket watch she knew from that moment on she would never lose it or never break it as long as it ticked he always be in her heart just like he said.
Next month Bettys mom moved them from Philadelphia to Queens to start a new life a new adventure her mom said.  The truth of the matter is that her mother couldn't bear staying in the house that reminded her of her father so they left and never looked back. In 7 years something will happen though but will it be a good thing or a bad thing???