" Everyone keeps telling me how my story is supposed to go..Nah... "

" I'm-a do my own thing. "

Pain coursed through me as I felt the impact of cement, wires, and who knows what else tearing through my suit, particularly targeting my shoulders and thighs, down to my legs. Some stitching would definitely help—well, at least until I could scavenge supplies to patch myself up. But as I finally 'landed,' my back crashing against an old couch, fear gripped me. A myriad of thoughts raced through my mind—what they would do to me if they ever caught up, or more importantly, the safety of my family. Having already lost my uncle, I refused to lose anyone else to the kingpin or the spot.

Yet, remnants of fear lingered from before my arrival in this place. I witnessed Miguel tampering with the equipment, a faint glitching voice hinting at the universe I had entered, though I couldn't discern its message. All I could pray for was that they hadn't noticed.

I desperately needed a respite and a safe haven to recuperate for a while. I'm hardly fit for combat, not even against a minor 'villain of the week.' Miguel's attacks on me were unusually severe, and I couldn't comprehend why he would hurl such harsh words at me, considering I'm just a kid. I longed for an explanation, but he seemed unwilling to provide one, focusing solely on 'disrupting' the canon. It felt like that was his sole concern, neglecting the well-being of those inhabiting those dimensions.

As I opened my eyes, a ringing echoed in my ears, and my vision blurred. I grumbled, clutching my lower waist in pain, feeling the wound throbbing. With effort, I managed to rise, gasping intermittently as I staggered towards the couch, collapsing onto it. As I curled up, I instinctively shot a web onto the wound. Aunt May had installed a new feature before departing, a playful parting gift for assisting her in packing up before her move to Florida.

As my muscles eased and my breathing gradually slowed, I felt my eyelids drooping, inadvertently forgetting to remove my mask. I drifted into sleep within the confines of a dilapidated building, nestled in an obscure dimension, unknown even to the members of the Spider-Verse, or so I hoped.

Another element stirred fear within me that night—I believe it was the darkness. Back in my real home, I thrived in the dark, but here, it was different. I couldn't discern what lurked within it or what might emerge from its depths.

Truly here I was scared of the dark.