Spider-Man: Tainted Blood

[Otis McNutt 395]

While visiting Oscorp, sixteen year old Peter Parker was bitten by a spider that had been treaded with a superdrug called OZ. The spiders venom mixed with the OZ transformed him into The Spectacular Spider-Man. At first young Parker tried to use his newfound abilities to make money, but after a mugger killed his beloved uncle Ben, Peter learned that with "Great power their must also come great responsibility.

Chapter One: Swing Shift

Spider-Man made arching shadows as he swang through the cavernous skyscrapers of the city the crisp fall air filled his lungs as he clutched the webline taught in his hands.

"And what do we have tonight for the fledgling young Spider-Man who has taken to talking to himself"

Peter thought as he let go the line and did a tumbling backflip. As he launched another webline a steady thumping hit his ears. Turning a nearby corner he caught a glimpse of a guy running rimshot down a cluttered alley.

"Nothing out of the ordinary, just a guy running like a maniac through the sidestreets of Manhattan."

Letting go of his web Peter tumbled down to a nearby roof, and took a perch as the guy ran by far underneath.

"Either running from something or to something. But still, middle of the night running's not good."

As he sat there watching the guy sprint like Usain Bolt aloud crack echoed through the narrow cavern followed by a streaking bullet that pinged off a nearby gutter.

"Great he's being chased by a guy with guns, always with the running and the shooting this town is so predictable!"

Peter jumped off the roof and dove straight down as the assailiant popped off a few more rounds, Peter met his face with a well placed kick, sending his crashing into some nearby trash cans.

"Whoops sorry about that chief!" Peter said landing softly on the ground.

"I didn't realise it was people hunting season." He joked as the guy stood up.

Reaching for his gun the assailiant found his hand covered with sticky webs.

"Oh how stupid of me, I done gone a gooed em all up!"

The cloaked figure moved his face illuminated by a nearby streetlight. His face was covered with long healed scars, his eyes were covered with dark sunglasses and his lips curled as he spoke.

"You idiot!" he said scowling.

"Hey you okay?" Peter asked the victim who had collapsed a few feet away.

As he turned around the assailiant moved to attack, sencing the pounce Peter quickly webbed up the crazy man. "Whow settle there, that ringing bell means it's crazy, shooty guy naptime."

Peter turned back to the civilian and saw that he was staggering away.

"Hey wait, what was all that about?" Peter asked.

He watched as the persuiant was staggering away, muttering under his breath.

"You okay you need to go to the hospital?" Peter asked reaching out.

As his hand drifted closer the guy turned and Peter saw his face, his blood red eyes and siliva dripping fangs bursting from his jaw.

Peter backed away as the crazy guy lunged at him.

"Oh my god!" he shouted as the guy reached for his throat.

Peter watched in horror as this man...this monster overpowered him and brought him to the ground as his fangs inched closer and closer Peter could feel his hot breath on his neck.

"Aaaieee!!!" the beast cried as his entire body shot back, a gleaming blade sticking out of his chest.

The blade cut upwards severing the creatures head, Peter moved as the body burst into whitehot flames.

Peter watched as the sword guy lunged at him faster than any normal human could and grabbed him by the neck.

"Kid my name is Blade. You ever touch me again, you ever look at me again and I will eat your heart for breakfast!"

As Blade screamed his own fangs protruded from his gums.

He brought his sword so close to Peter's face he could actually smell the sulfer stench on it.

"You hear me?" Blade asked.

Peter watched as the light danced off of Blade's fangs, he tried to speak but the words were lost to him. So he nodded.

"Good." Blade said dashing away.

Peter staggered to his feet struggling for breath.

Geez!" was all he could muster.

[Otis McNutt 395]

Chapter Two: Six Months Later

Peter sat at his desk in the bullpen of the Daily Bugle the phone glued to his ear. On his monitor screen an image of his alter-ego hugging a stunning redhead flickered with the words "Newest Celebrity Couple!" superimposed over it.

"TMZ is calling us a hot item!" the voice on the other line said. This was Kitty Pryde, member of the superhero team The Uncanny X-Men.

"Three million people have downloaded the Krakoa Island footage!" Peter said reading the article. "And Entertainment Weekly is calling us Pryder!" he added.

"What, what doed that even mean?" Kitty asked.

"I think it's one of those celebrity combo names like Brangelina!" he said rubbing his eyes in frustration.

In Westchester, The Xavier School for Gifted Students Kitty sat on her bed, Ororo Monrow (Storm) sat beside her.

"And yet I'm grounded!" Kitty said

"How can you be grounded?" Peter asked over the phone.

"GROUNDED!" Kitty shouted.

"Why are you yelling at him?" Storm asked.

"The Professor wants me...all of us to to lay low at the Academy till this stuff blows over!"

"It'll all blow over tomorrow Kitty." Peter said. "And what's worse is that we can't go out as a couple anymore now that they know Spider-Man and Kitty Pryde are an item how long will it take for someone to put two and two together and figure out that I'm Spider-Man!"

"Will you just tell the world your secret so you can take me to a movie!" Kitty said.

"Sure let me write that down, I'll get to it right after lunch." Peter said wiggling his finger in the air.

"I hate this Peter. it sucks!" Kitty shouted.

"Are we Okay?" Peter asked her.

"Why you don't want to break up, do you?" Kitty asked.

"No...why do you?" Peter asked.

"You came to my rescue at that Hellhole Hrakoa Island, you're stuck with me Tiger!" She said.

"Were a hot item we have to stay together or EW will stop selling magazines!" Peter chuckled.

"Hot item and I can't even see you." Kitty said frowning.

"VAMPIRES!" a voice shouted behind Peter's back.

"Did you say Vampires?" Kitty asked.

"No that was my boss, I'll talk to you later Kitty." Peter said hanging up the phone.

Peter turned his chair and saw J. Jonah Jameson, Editor of the paper arguing with field reported Ben Urich.

"What make an almost award wimnning journalist think he can hand in a story about Vampires!" Jonah said

"Jonah I'm reporting the facts as they were..."

"VAMPIRES, I've never heard of such a thing this is the Daily Bugle Urich not the Inquisitor!" Jonah said handing him his draft.

"We have Mutant kids, Spider-Men, Captain America frozen in a block of ice and Tony Stark is a walking tank but Vampires is to much for you?" Ben said.

"Those I can see Ben, I'm not printing this!" Jonah said walking away.

As Jameson walked off his editor in chief Joe Robbie Robertson approached the wounded reporter and young photographer.

"You really saw a Vampire Mr. Urich?" Peter asked.

"If I saw it myself, it would be a headline." Ben said.

"Exactly, it's flimsy." Robbie said sipping his coffee.

"Robbie the girl said she was bitten by a vampire!"

"It's still flimsy." Robbie repeated.

"Oh whatever print is dead anyhow." Urich muttered.

"Just find more Ben, until then it's only half the story!" Robbie said patting him on the back.

"Can I read it?' Peter asked.

"Sure kid, he's right it crap." Ben said tossing Peter the story.

Peter held the typed manuscript in his hands. "Investigative Reporter Ben Urich, Interview of Grunwald."

"Everyday it seems modern society reveals myth to be fact and what was thought fact to be myth.

That is what 21-year-old Jennifer Grunwald discovered three days ago, that myth may very well be fact.

Jennifer works at the New York Public Library, in the Foreign Literature Department.

Being fluent in French and Spanish she is used to conversing with people from all over the world. The man she met that particular morning was at first nothing special, just another immigrant who may be hitting on her in a language she didn't understand. The feeling Jennifer recalls that followed was a different story.

She recalls a hazy "drug-like" feeling washing over her. The stranger's voice, now in english speaking to her in her head."

"I can't remember exactly what he said." Jennifer recalled for me later.

"Other than that I was overwhelmed with a feeling to follow him outside...and I did."

I could see that Ms. Grunwald was clearly upset recounting her story, I asked her if she wanted to stop but she shook her head. She told me that to not continue would do more harm then talking aloud about it.

"I thought maybe I was drugged or something, but I wasn't. I hadn't had a drink or even lunch yet. vaguely remember being in the back alley across the street from the library. I remember his whispering in my ear but I don't remember what he said and I don't remember much after that."

Jennifer woke up that night in her own home confused and disoriented.

She had not been violated in any way except for the two small marks on her neck. Two small circular marks on the left side of her neck and even though they were a day old, they were already heald as if they had happened weeks ago. Scared to return to work, scared to report it to the police, Jennifer realised that what she thinks happened to her will make her a target of ridicule. Even though there is physical evidence to support her claims she is scared.

I just want to understand it.