Peter's Journal

Why Should I?

**Oh boy.

The Goblin and I take to the sky in the middle of our battle. His grip is that of a boulder crushing my neck. I can't breathe. Everything begins to seem so small below me.

He cackles, "What are you going to do Spider-Man? Will you continue saving the people of New York so they can continue wanting to see you fall? Or will you finally make the choice get your revenge?"

"I'm...not...like... You," I exhaled.

"Then so be it, Wall Crawler!" He sends me plunging to my death. My throat burns. My lungs long for air. My body is screaming in pain.

My mind... It repeats the same thing over and over again.

With great power, there must also come great responsibility.

My Spider-Sense hijacks my response system and my body autonomously reacts before I splat on the ground.

THWIP!

As the web line tenses up, my upper body aches so badly I can't complete the swing. I let go and roll on to the ground, giving myself scratches and friction burns.

The crowd in front of me screams in terror as the Goblin swoops in with two objects in his hands cackling. He flings one into the Daily Bugle building causing an explosion. Debris fly everywhere. My Spider-Sense takes over again and makes me catch the shards of stone and glass in a web net.

Thinking about the horrid pain, I think to myself, Why am I doing this? Why do I risk everything including my life to do this? To save people who don't appreciate me?

Jameson yells out from the crowd, "I KNEW YOU AND THE GOBLIN WERE WORKING TOGETHER! I WAS RIGHT! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A MENACE TO THIS CITY!"

Another pumpkin bomb combusts upon the building's base making it unstable.

It's going to collapse-

The very moment my 6th sense begins to warn me, I jump into the toppling building.

Grabbing a sturdy iron beam, I sustain the structure upright.

My muscles feel like they're going to pop. Quads are slowly giving way... Reason to continue diminishing...

I'm sorry, Uncle Ben. I understand that I'm supposed to do what's right no matter what, but why should I anymore? I do these deeds... Save people... Stand up for what's right and just... But no matter how many times I do it, all I get in return is dirt. Lies. Hate. Pain. It's not fair.

Jameson's voice echoes outside, "IF YOU LIVE THROUGH THIS, I'LL FIND ABWAY TO DESTROY YOU! YOU HEAR ME?!?"

Others join in. "None of this would have happened if you didn't get involved!" "You're not a hero!"

Everyone hates you.

And look at my adoring fans... Another reason for my argument...

By now, everyone has already evacuated the building. Everyone in the area is out of harms way.

As I hold the collapsing structure, I contemplate my next action... Whether there should be another action.

I've done what I've needed. I've done enough. There's nothing more I should do.

Bricks and planks fall behind me.

This building's... Getting heavy...

With all the agony and shouting going on, the only thing I can think of is:

Why am I still holding this building up...? Why haven't I let it crush me yet?