Brought Together By Tragedy (Parley)

Chapter 2

   I have been back at school for a few weeks now. Everything was the same, but it felt so different all at once.

   Ned was trying to support me the best he could, but it was difficult. It felt like I would never recover from this.

   The people around me have moved on, they had all moved past all of the chaos from a few weeks ago. How oculd I?

   Everyone in my life was leaving me, either they die or I fuck up and they move on. I can't help but wonder, who's next?

   The school day goes like any other; dull classes, dumb kids, annoying teachers, homework, and the punctual taunts from Flash. Just a tedious day as per usual.

  I couldn't wait to go home and get away from it all. When I was home I could just slip away from the rest of the world unseen. I would watch everyone else pass by and think about what it's like to be them. It's effective for getting my mind off of something. I do this more frequently now.

   I wish everything could just go back to the way they were supposed to be.

   Lunch was the same as it is every day. Ever since everything has happened, I have just been quiet. I keep to myself. Ned tried to cheer me up in the beginning, but after a while he stopped trying. I feel bad for being such a burden.

   Some days are good, but that doesn't erease what heppened, the thoughts always come creeping back in.

   The rest of the day was the same, I did most of my homework in school because I knew Iwouldn't complete it at home. The end of the day finally came and I walked home.

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   I sat down on the edge of the roof, looking out at the world below me. I tried to ignore the various pictures of him, the graffiti on walls, the posters, the billboards. I didn't want to be reminded of what I lost.

   What if I just fell?

   Everything would be over.

   Things would be easier.

   What was I thinking? I couldn't leave Ned or MJ... or May. I couldn't do that to them. That's too selfish.

   The sun was beginning to set now and it was getting chilly. I shivered and pulled my hood over my head and yanked on the strings to tighten it.
   Through the darkness I could see my warm breath in the crisp night air. It was about time for me to go back inside.
  

   I sat in my bed and stared up at the ceiling. How could have any of this happened? Why did any of this happen. The world didn't deserve this. 

   There was a knock at my door. I didn't answer. Aunt May entered my bedroom and walked up to my desk and set something down.

   "I brought you dinner," she spoke. I looked over at her and she smiled weakly. I  got up and made my way over to her, not wanting to make her feel bad.

   "Thank you," I mumbled. Aunt May pulled me into a hug. We stood there for a minute, hugging, until she finally spoke.

   "I know you're going through a lot, Peter. I want you to know that you can talk to me. I know you aren't okay."

   I hugged her tighter, I was trying to hold back tears as I tried to respond.

   "I know," I managed to force out "thank you."

   She left my room after she kissed me on the forehead. I closed the door behind her, and then I proceeded to sit down at my desk and eat the sandwhich she brought me.

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   It was around 22:00, it was about time to sneak out and do the usual night patrol. I slid open my window after I suited up and carefully climbed out, trying not to make any noise. I made my way towards busier part of Queens.

   I sat on the edge of an apartment complex for a minute to catch my breath. I pulled off my mask and set it down and looked out into the darkness. The light breeze was soothing. I could hear the distant sounds of cars passing by. I there for a while until something else was brought to my attention.

   Amongst the wind and other noises, I could hear voices and some sort of clattering. I looked around for the source of the noise.

   Eventually I saw them in an alley next to the apartment, four people, three of them looked older, possibly seniors or maybe even older than that. These three guys were facing the other kid, he was definetly younger, but maybe only by a year. They seemed to be in an argument, the younger guy was yelling at the other three. I was cautious, arguments usually turn into fights.

   I watched them for a bit, ready to act if something happened. The younger kid seemed a bit fimilar. I didn't want to focus my attention on him though because I needed to watch the others just in case something happened.

   Just as I had suspected, a fight broke out, only the younger kid threw the first punch. The older three tackled him, pinning him to the ground and punching him.

   I quickly got up and stumbled to my feet. As I tried to put on my mask, I tripped over a bottle someone had thrown on the roof and I managed to fall off the roof, still without my mask. I hit the cold cement and just layed there. Everything hurt. I tried to get up, but I just crumbled back down to the ground in pain.

   I was on my knees, leaning over with my hands on the ground. I looked to my left to see that all four guys had turned their attention to me. They were only about a few meters away. One of the older three got up and walked over to me.

   I tried to get up, but before I could do anything he slammed his fist into my stomach. I gasped for air and managed to stand up when I was hit with another blow, this time to face. I tried to use my web-shooters but my hands were too shaky. I was punched repeatedly until I finally fell to the ground.

  The younger kid was still lying there, unesponsive. I was more concerned about him than myself. I tried to see if he was okay, but my vision was going blurry. I tried, one last time, to stand. Instead, my vision went black and I fell. I didn't even remember hitting the ground.