Dec 28, 2021
Cory is out of town so is my impulse control
I’m gonna see if I can find the wizard
seen from Japan
seen from United States
seen from Japan
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from Russia
seen from Russia
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Sweden
seen from United States
Cory is out of town so is my impulse control
I’m gonna see if I can find the wizard
Moving in with my bestie
Leaving my child hood home
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve
It doesn’t feel like it
“It’s just for two days Finley,” my dad says releasing me from his hug. He and Cory were going on a college trip, her dad had a big deadline coming up.
“You two have fun,” he says from the kitchen. “What do you want for supper Finley?”
“Don’t care,” I mumble.
“Mac and cheese,” Cory says as she rounds the corner. She punches my shoulder. “Behave yourself now.” She winks and heads out the door.
“So ready to fly the nest,” Mr. Toller shakes his head. My dad gives him a kiss and follows Cory out the door.
Me and Mr. Toller always got along, but after he and my dad got engaged it got kinda hard. I don’t know why, but it did. Maybe cause he’s the only one in the house that doesn’t know. Who knows, not me.
I use homework as my excuse and Mr. Toller uses his project deadline as his.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••dream scape
So much blood. The long knife drips the dark red goo.
“Again!” Isa Riggs bark from somewhere I can’t see. The person in front of me flops over dead. I move to the next chair and pull off the mask.
“Please don’t hurt me flipper,” my dad pleads. Without hesitation I slice through his neck.
“Again!”
Mr. Barnes stares at me with vacant eyes, “I’m sorry I couldn’t save—” He hits the floor before he can finish.
“Again!”
“Please Fin, you don’t—”
My hand shakes a bit as I swallow down the bile.
“Do it Spider!” Isa barks.
“Finley. Please.” I stare at the knife. I stare at Cory.
“I’m sorry Cory I… I have too, they’ll—” armed men bust into the room. I try to hit them with my knife but there blows are too fast.
“Always to weak little spider,” Isa spits. I see my chance and block her hands and go for her throat.
“Finley!!!” She screams.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
“Finley.” What? I blink again and Isa transform into Mr. Toller. I quickly pull my hands off his neck and scoot to the back of my bed.
“Are…” he waves me off and sits on my bed grabbing his throat.
“Are you okay,” he gasps.
“Are you okay?” I stutter. He nods and takes a few deep breaths. I see my hand marks already causing swelling on his neck. “Do we need to go to the hospital?”
“No,” he insists. “I’m fine really, just a little scared. What happened? Bad dream?”
“Something like that,” I murmur.
“Do you need-”
“I’m good,” I snap. He nods sullenly. He’s the one that should be yelling at me. “It was kinda a dream, kinda a memory.” I offer up.
“Is it from when…” Mr. Toller thinks about his words.
“Kidnapped?” I offer. It’s the closest and most realistic excuse any of us could think of.
“I don’t know what happened to you, when you weren’t here, and you never have to tell me. Just know I’m here to listen. I just wanna be a good, parent? No adult? I don’t know, in your life. Everyone needs more of those.”
“Yea,” I let out a sigh. “You’re a great dad. I don’t know if I’d call you mine, respectfully, but you are in away.”
“I get it.” We sit in silence for a while, Mr. Tollers heartbeat evens out, so maybe we don’t need to go to the hospital.
I could’ve killed you.
The tears well up a bit before Me. Toller notices.
“Finley, hey, it’s okay.”
“It’s not,” a sob hitches in the back of my throat. “You deserve to know, I…”
“No I don’t!” He snaps. “You don’t owe me anything Finley. I know messed up shit has happened to you. I know though that my daughter loves you. So much. Your dad loves you so much, he’s so proud of you. I love you Finley, not in the same way, at least not yet. But you will never owe me, or anyone ever, an explanation. It’s okay.”
“I…” I break into tears as he rubs my back. I tense slightly. Your safe. I’m safe.
“What are you doing kid?” Shit, the last person I wanna deal with.
“Not a kid Daredevil,” I say as I spin around.
“Woah, no Mr anymore?” He asks.
“Only if you drop the Kid.” I pull myself up and readjust my hood.
“Fair enough web, what are you doing?” Mr. Daredevil asks, inching closer to me.
“I don’t know, contemplating…” The sunset is so pretty tonight.
“Contemplating what?”
“I really don’t know.” I really need to reach out to the web, but I… I don’t know.
“You want a churro? I know a place?” He sounds worried, so does his heart beats, I should probably go with him.
A few rooftops later we reach a small cart maned by an old lady.
“Two churros please,” Mr. Daredevil hands the lady a crumpled five from a mystery pocket.
The churro is coated in cinnamon and sugar and crunch’s to the soft center. I don’t know the last time I had one.
“You’ve been busy,” after a while he breaks the silence. “I worry about you sometimes.”
“And we worry about you,” the sun just touches below the buildings, throwing long shadows across the city.
“Fair enough,” he chuckles softly. “How many people have you picked up since Christmas?” I shrug.
“No one notable, just a lot of people.” I don’t keep track anymore, not worth my energy.
Mr. Daredevil grunts as he finishes his churro.
“Go home Web, get some rest. I don’t have an endless churro budget.” He nudges my shoulder his hand as he stands. I nod and watch him slowly slink of the roof.
I pull my mask back down. Come on Finley.
“I’m so tired,” I whisper. Dr. Sims nods through the laptop. “I… I don’t wanna be here anymore.” Tears well in my eyes.
“I hear your Finley, do you-“
“I won’t kill my self, I don’t have planes. I just wanna new start. Like when you’re dealt a bad hand in UNO and it would just be easier to start over.” My whole body twitches with nervous energy.
What if I said the wrong thing? What if he comes here and tells me dad? What if Cory finds out? What if
“Finley?” Dr. Sims asks gently. “You still with me?” I nod and try to swallow. “What are you thinking about? I see your eyes darting around.” I can’t tell him, he’ll think I’m crazy.
“I had a dream last night.” Distract him. “I was back in hydra. I… I still gets these dreams from time to time, I guess they’ve been more frequent lately.”
“What’s happening in them?” He asks. The details spring to my mind.
“Uhm…” the words get lodged in my throat. “Have a good night.” I shut the laptop before Dr. Sims can protest.
Breath Finley. I gotta get out. Next thing I know I’m swinging down town to nowhere particular.
It’s gonna be okay.
I got my new suit up and running, it’s not great but the machine me and Cory use is getting old, and it’s not like we can just ask her dad for a new one, what do y’all think?
“This is bad,” Cory says shaking the news paper as she paces back and forth in the hotel. “Do you remember what happened,” she moves off the bed towards me. “What were you thinking, did you shower yet?” I stare back at her. My body is covered and sweat. I shake my head.
“I don’t remember anything. And I’m fine. Urban legend see?” I point to the news paper. “They barely accept the actual venom they’ll forget about me in a day. And it’s not like they know who I was.” Cory nods and paces back and forth.
“You sure you feel fine? Did you get it all off?” I nod again. “You should still shower.”
“Okay,” I slowly walk up to her and take her hands. “I’m okay, I promise. When we get back home all ask for a check up okay? I’m okay, those people are okay. And we have a lot of fun ahead of us. Beach tomorrow.” She nods and looks at me.
“You smell terrible go shower.” We both laugh a bit and I head towards the shower. I really don’t remember anything.