Spider-Man and the Red Dahlia

Chapter 1

What would it be like if everything was normal? If my life was normal? I can't imagine it. Not anymore. I certainly wouldn't have been where I am now, but I want to be here. I want to show people that everything will be okay in the end, no matter what the world looks like.
For the first time, I agreed to do an interview and talk about what happened to me. It's not for me. If I didn't believe this could help people realize something, I would've never done this.
'Mal, this is Hanna Davis. She's going to be interviewing you today.' Her hair has a beautiful red color and her green shirt perfectly compliments her eyes. That's the kind of thing I notice these days. The good things, the pretty things. I've learned myself to do that. It makes me see people in a better way.
I shake Ms. Davis' hand and she motions me to sit down on a chair. I obey and glance at the camera for a second. Bright lights shine on my face, but it's not so bad that I have to squint my eyes.
'Are you ready to start?' I'm asked and I nod. I don't speak, because I'm not sure I'm actually ready. I'll never be ready to actually talk about this, but I want to.
'Mal, how are you?' Is the first thing Ms. Davis asks as the camera has started rolling.
I give her a genuine smile. I almost want to look at the camera, but I was told not to. "Just look at the interviewer", they said. 'I'm good.'
'Now, you have never before talked about your experience in Russia, have you?'
I shake my head. 'No, I haven't.'
'Why is that?'
I think for a second. 'Well, I was twelve when I came back and not ready to talk about it yet. My parents made me see a therapist, but I didn't want to talk to her either.'
'Why do you want to talk now?'
'I want to show people that, even in a world like this, everything will be okay in the end. I can't erase what happened to me and I can't erase those memories, but I dealt with it and I have put it behind me.' I answer. It's the truth. Sometimes I still have nightmares. I see myself lying in that chair with the doctor standing over me. I can see my heartbeat on the screen next to me. The doctor gets a large needle and-
But it doesn't actively affect me anymore. It's in the past.
'Can you tell us what happened in Russia?'
I take a deep breath and nod. 'They were trying to make some sort of superhuman. Someone with special abilities. Every now and then I'd be taken into this room, they'd strap me down and start putting all this stuff in my body. They mostly spoke Russian, so I had no idea what they were talking about at first.'
'At first?'
'There was this guard, Max, in my room who'd keep an eye on me. I guess he grew a liking to me and he learned me some Russian.'
'Can you demonstrate?'
'Kaznit' yeye.' She motions for me to continue on and tell her what it means and I nod quickly. 'That's the sentence I heard the most.'
'What does it mean?'
'Execute her.'
She's silent for a second. She probably thought I'd go with something lighter, but this is the sentence I hear every night before I go to sleep and every morning when I wake up. It was the first thing that came into my mind just now.
'Oh, wow. Uhm, How long were you there?'
'Four years.' I answer.
'And the experiments never worked?'
'No.' I shake my head. 'Normally, they would execute people after about a year of experimenting and I don't know why they didn't do the same to me.' I do know. Because of Max, my bodyguard. He convinced them for three whole years that I was still useful. He told them I was brought in at only eight years old. They could make me forget everything about my previous life and I could work with them. I could even be a spy, with my American appearance.
'I can tell you still talk in a bit of a Russian accent.'
I can't help but laugh. 'All I heard was Russian for four years. I picked up on it and with the Russian lessons I picked up on the accent. Sometimes my Russian accent slips through.' My family hates it when it happens, but it's a part of me now. Learning the language, having something other to do than read books and watch tv all the time, kept me sane. Human contact kept me sane.
'When the Avengers came to save you, what went through you? How did you feel?'
People keep asking "how did it feel to finally be free?". I never truly know what to say. What is the answer they are expecting? But I prepared for this question. I knew they were going to ask. 'I was in my room with Max and we heard yelling out in the hallway. A few minutes later the door opened and there was Captain America.' I was scared and blasts of ice and fire came from my hands. Ice from the left, fire from the right. 'Max gave me up to him and he brought me outside.' I begged him not tell anyone and he promised me it would be our secret. No one would know the experiments actually worked. I didn't find it awesome at all, like any twelve-year old kid would. I'd seen what happened to the guy who couldn't control his powers and I really didn't want that to happen to me. "Varit' yego"; boil him. 'The sunlight blinded my eyes and I was put in a car. I begged Cap not to leave me, but a red-haired woman, whom I later learned was Black Widow, sat with me and held me as I cried. I...  I don't know exactly what I felt. I think I was happy, happy that all the experiments were over.' And I was so scared that anyone would find out the experiments worked.
'You've been back home for four years. Do people treat you differently because of what you've been through?'
'Some do, yes, but I don't pay attention to that. I've moved on.'
Ms. Davis smiles and turns to someone behind the camera. She's given the signal to wrap up the interview and she does so. We shake hands again and get up from our chairs. My mom comes over to me and gives me a hug. Just like everyone else, she didn't know what happened in Russia either. No one knew. Only me.
But that's not the only secret I kept.
The makeup artists who'd originally done my makeup now wipes it all off for me. Mom and I go straight downstairs to the car and drive back home. I don't want to talk to anyone. I gathered all my strength to give this interview as calm and confident as possible. It's been enough for today.
I get out of the car and wait for my mom to open the front door, since I left my keys inside. My dad's sitting on the couch and turns his head as we step inside. I throw off my shoes and go up to my room. I don't want to talk about how it went. All I want now is to get some fresh air.
I grab my backpack, sitting comfortably on my desk chair. I always have it with me, because my suit and wig are in it. I keep my books at school so that I always have room for it. I don't wear a mask. People are so stupid, they don't recognize me with just the wig. It's black and has bangs that almost cover my eyes. I sometimes don't even recognize myself when I look in the mirror.
I bought the suit and wig only a few months ago. I never wanted to go out and show my powers, but when bad things happen and you have the power to stop them, that's on you, and I can't live with that.
I throw the bag around my shoulder and go back downstairs. I poke my head into the living room and inform my parents of me going to take a walk. I get the usual "be careful" and "don't stay out too late" and head out the door. I turn into the first alley and put on my suit and wig. Tying up your hair and putting on a wig is a lot more easier when you don't have to use your hands.
I step back out into the light and put my backpack back in my room and lock the window behind me. I fly up into the air and watch over Queens. The sun has almost gone down and many people have already turned their lights on. I love sitting on a high rise building and just looking down at the city. I've always wanted to sit on the Avengers building, but I was always too scared to do so. Maybe now that they've moved facilities I can try? I was pretty sure I was gonna get a missile coming for me if I even came close.
I decide to try and slowly make my way up to the top. I've always found it a beautiful tower. It's not just a square, like all the other buildings.
Nothing seems to be happening and I carefully sit down on the edge. I look around. Still nothing. There's just the sound of the wind and my breath.
'How nice to finally meet you.'
I jump up and turn around. In front of me stands a guy in a red, spandex suit, famously known as Spider-Man.
'Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.' He says, sitting down next to the spot I was just sitting. I frown and sit down next to him. 'I'm Spider-Man.'
'I know.' I comment ironically. 'Who doesn't?'
'People who don't watch the news?'
There's something familiar about his voice. As if I've heard it before. Maybe on the news, like he literally just said?
I laugh. 'Would've been nice to meet you if you hadn't scared the crap out of me.'
'Again, sorry about that.'
A silence falls between us. What do I say? My mind is pretty wrapped up, but I'm glad I did the interview. Maybe it'll help some people. Even if it's just the one person, it was still worth it.
It's weird to look at someone who's wearing a mask. You can't see how they feel or what they're thinking. I can't see his eyes or what his hair looks like. But I can tell he's a good guy. I can tell I can trust him. He has a positive energy around him and I like that.
'I'm sorry, I'm not good at this whole new friends thing.' He says.
'Who told you we're friends?' I'd expect a hurtful or surprised look, but I can't see his face. 'I'm kidding.'
I hear a slight chuckle. He's humorous. Good. Humor is one of the things that keep me sane in this world. Together with music, my friends and helping people. I've been feeling better ever since I became The Red Dahlia. Keeping another secret was hard, but at least I don't have to feel bad about myself anymore.
'What's it like to fly?'
It feels amazing. Soaring through the wind, going through clouds. When I fly, all thoughts leave my mind and it's just me in the wind. I do have to watch out for planes, though. That almost went wrong once. 'It's like dreaming.'
'Swinging is more... really hoping I don't crash into a wall.'
I laugh. 'Flying is a little more relaxed. If I stay just above the One World Trade Center, I can relax. If I go higher, I have to watch for planes.'
'What's that?' He points at something down at the street. A small, green-ish light shines brightly and it's covered up quickly.
'Should we check it out?' I ask.
He stares down. 'Yeah, why not.'
I jump off the building and Spider-Man yells out for me, but I stay floating in the air and turn to him. 'You scared the shit outta me!'
I smirk. 'Unintended payback.'
He swings down and I follow after him. He stops on the roof by the spot where we just saw the light and I land next to him. We look down, but there's nothing to see. The light is gone.
'Where did it go?' He asks confused.
'It was probably nothing.' I say. 'Maybe just some lamp in someone's house.'
He focuses his attention on me and nods slightly. 'Yeah, probably. Uhm, I'd love to talk some more, but it's quite late and I have to get up early in the morning.'
'I'll see you some other time then.'
'It was nice to meet you!' He waves at me and then swings away. I watch him swing away until he's too far away and then turn the other way. I don't really feel like going home just yet.