Spider-Man : The Story of a Hero

Once they had finished getting ready, Peter, Gwen, and May finally left the house, each carrying their belongings. May, however, had planned to bring much more than just a simple bag for this outing.She was carrying an enormous tote bag whose contents she carefully kept hidden, clearly refusing to reveal what she had in store for them too soon. After placing it in the trunk of her car, she invited the two teenagers to get in, then took the wheel and headed toward the center of New York.

After driving for a while, they found a place to park and continued their journey on foot toward Central Park. The streets were bustling with activity, and as they walked leisurely among the passersby, Peter couldn’t help feeling a rather strange sensation.

Ever since becoming Spider-Man, he had grown so accustomed to traveling across the city by swinging between buildings that walking such a long distance now felt almost unusual.

Where a few swings on his webs would have been enough to reach his destination, he now had to follow the ordinary pace of pedestrians, wait at crosswalks, and travel down every street on foot.

There was something unsettling about the difference, but it eventually brought a smile to his face as well. After all, before being Spider-Man, he was still Peter Parker, an ordinary young boy capable of enjoying a simple walk with the people he loved.

And despite his extraordinary abilities, he was still subject to certain very human limitations. Fatigue, in particular, was beginning to seriously catch up with him. Even though he had managed to sleep for a few hours, Peter was still struggling to stay fully awake.

The previous night had been particularly exhausting, between Gwen’s endless research and all the explanations he had been forced to give her since finding himself in this new role as her teacher.

As for Gwen, her condition was hardly any better. Unlike Peter, she hadn’t slept a wink, and her morning enthusiasm was finally beginning to give way to the consequences of her sleepless night.

Several times, she felt her eyelids grow so heavy that she nearly fell asleep while walking, only to pull herself together and continue following Peter and May.

After a long walk, they finally reached Central Park. They continued strolling for about twenty minutes, chatting peacefully while enjoying the scenery, before stopping near a grassy area beside a river whose waters flowed gently past.

They set down their belongings, and May immediately began revealing the surprise she had prepared for them. With her usual gentleness, she opened her enormous bag and pulled out a large red picnic blanket decorated with white stripes, which she carefully spread across the grass. She then placed her bag on top of it and began taking out its contents, under the increasingly astonished gazes of the two teenagers.

Peter and Gwen sat down beside her, but they quickly found themselves speechless at the amount of food gradually appearing before them. May had clearly prepared everything in advance and divided her dishes among about ten airtight containers.

Fruits, vegetables, dishes that could be enjoyed hot or cold, candies, and all kinds of sweets accumulated on the blanket, gradually transforming their simple picnic into a genuine feast.

And since neither teenager had had time to eat breakfast or even swallow a single bite since morning, the surprise was all the more welcome. Peter stared at the abundance of food with wide eyes, while Gwen, whose stomach was desperately begging for something to eat, almost seemed to be drooling like a starving animal faced with a particularly appetizing prey.

— ”What are you waiting for? Eat!”

They needed no further encouragement. The two teenagers immediately helped themselves, each choosing whatever appealed to them most among the many dishes May had prepared.

Pasta, chicken, rice, potatoes, bananas, pears, grapes, cookies, and muffins: there was something for everyone, not to mention the bottles of water, fruit juices, and sodas accompanying the meal.

For Peter and Gwen, who were absolutely starving after their morning, it was a genuine paradise. They began eating with enthusiasm they could hardly conceal, thoroughly enjoying every bite and the food they had been craving since waking up.

May, however, seemed to enjoy watching them eat almost more than the meal itself. Sitting beside them, she observed them with a gentle smile on her lips, her eyes gradually filling with an emotion she was struggling to contain.

Her eyes began to glisten, and as she watched the two teenagers, she seemed on the verge of shedding a few tears.

Peter and Gwen eventually noticed her expression. They stopped almost simultaneously, struggling to swallow whatever food was still in their mouths before exchanging puzzled glances. Then, intrigued by this change in her behavior, they turned toward her.

— ”Are you okay, Aunt May?” Gwen asked.

— ”Yeah, why are you making that face?” Peter added.

— ”S-Sorry, kids. It’s… it’s just that I’m really happy to be here with you. It really does me good, and… it reminds me of our outings with your uncle…”

A small laugh escaped her, filled with genuine, quiet happiness, but also with an emotion she could no longer entirely conceal. Memories of their old family outings seemed to have resurfaced, and despite her smile, a few tears now threatened to roll down her cheeks.

May turned her face slightly away, trying to regain her composure before the two teenagers noticed how emotional she had become.

But it was already too late. Gwen, caught off guard by this sudden confession, remained silent for a few moments, not really knowing how to react.

Peter, meanwhile, was touched far more deeply than he would have imagined. Before he could even find the words to respond to his aunt, a few small tears escaped his eyes and slid down his cheeks, almost without him realizing it.

Seeing his reaction, Gwen felt her heart tighten. Watching Peter and May like this, brought together by memories as precious as they were painful, touched her deeply.

A tender smile appeared on her face and, without waiting any longer, she moved closer to them before wrapping her arms around their shoulders and suddenly pulling them against her.

— ”Hey. I’m sure Uncle Ben wouldn’t want to see you cry. He’d want to see you smile and enjoy yourself while keeping him in your thoughts. So stop crying, okay?”

Peter, not wanting May to notice the tears that had escaped his eyes, hurried to regain his composure. He discreetly wiped his cheeks and tried to put on a calmer expression, while his aunt took a deep breath to soothe the emotions that had overwhelmed her.

— ”That’s true, you’re right. We came here to have fun and enjoy a wonderful day! Not to cry!”

They eventually loosened their embrace, gradually finding their smiles again. And as though to chase away the melancholy that had unexpectedly joined their picnic, May stood up with renewed enthusiasm before exclaiming:

— ”Eat up, kids! After that, we’re going cycling!”

This announcement was enough to revive the little group’s energy. Peter and Gwen immediately resumed their meal with an appetite just as impressive as before, determined to enjoy everything May had prepared. She sat back down beside them and joined in, savoring this moment of peace and shared happiness.

Nearly an hour later, once their picnic was over, they gathered their belongings and headed toward one of the park’s entrances, where they rented three bicycles for several hours.

They then set off on a long ride through Central Park, exploring a huge portion of its paths and trails. Throughout the journey, conversations flowed naturally, filled with jokes, bursts of laughter, and more relaxed discussions. They also took the time to stop several times, particularly to buy hot dogs from a stand along their route.

Peter had, of course, brought his camera, just as May had asked, and they made sure to use it throughout their outing.

They took countless pictures to capture the memories of that day: photos of all three of them together, others taken individually, as well as several pictures of May with Gwen, Peter with his girlfriend, and Peter alongside his aunt.

The sun shone brightly above New York, illuminating the park’s pathways and vast stretches of greenery. Fortunately, the breeze that regularly swept through the area helped cool everyone down, making their bicycle ride particularly pleasant despite the heat.

However, no matter how motivated they were, they never managed to explore the entire park. The distances were far greater than they had imagined, and after several hours of exertion, exhaustion eventually caught up with them.

May, in particular, was beginning to seriously feel the effects of their long ride. Despite her enthusiasm that morning, she had gradually exhausted her strength and no longer felt capable of continuing. Gwen wasn’t in any better condition. Her determination might have been impressive, but it was no longer enough to compensate for an entire night without sleep. Completely drained, she now looked almost ready to faint.

Peter was the only one who still had enough energy to continue. However, seeing the condition his aunt and girlfriend were in, he naturally preferred to stop with them rather than extend their ride.

But their day was still far from over.

After returning the bicycles, they went back to the car and continued their outing by visiting one of the city’s museums. They then headed toward the Brooklyn Bridge, where they enjoyed another walk, before finishing their plans with some shopping in the many stores of Times Square.

Upon arriving in this particularly lively neighborhood, Peter couldn’t help noticing a rather surprising detail. Despite the accident that had recently occurred there because of the Beetle, the residents now seemed to have returned to their usual routines as though nothing had happened.

The bustling streets, conversations, and everyday activities continued as normal, almost giving the impression that the previous events were already fading from people’s minds.

Pedestrians came and went, stores welcomed their customers, and amid all this activity, several people in costumes wandered through the streets.

Some costumes represented easily recognizable fictional characters, while others were particularly strange, sometimes leading to encounters that were as unexpected as they were amusing.

Among them, Peter, Gwen, and May even spotted an elderly, obese man wearing a Spider-Man costume.

The sight was enough to make them burst into laughter once again. The jokes immediately resumed, and their smiles never faded, as the atmosphere felt so lighthearted and pleasant.

Despite the exhaustion they had accumulated throughout the day, each of them continued to fully enjoy these final moments together.

And amid all the laughter, the walks, and those little moments that might have seemed ordinary, the same thought silently crossed their minds.

None of them needed to say it out loud to understand its importance: they were incredibly fortunate to be part of this family and to have such precious people by their side whom they could always count on.

TO BE CONTINUED.