Spider-Man's Arc

Chapter 2 of 10

Spider-Man crouched in the wand-light with his one spider on his knuckle. The dogs sat behind him, panting. Every time he crept toward the deep tunnels, one of the wizard-hatted dogs barked, and the spiders on the far walls scattered like spilled water. He could not bond with a single one. The noise ruined everything. "The problem is the barking," a voice said. Miles Morales dropped from the ceiling on a web line. He wore the black-and-red suit, and he landed without a sound. Spider-Man knew him well. Miles was the second one to carry the name, sharp and quick, always three steps ahead. "You need quiet. You'll never get it from those dogs." "Then help me shut them up," Spider-Man whispered. Miles studied the two dogs. He crouched and let them sniff his glove. They calmed a little. "They bark because they're scared and alone in the dark," he said. "Give them a leader. A boss dog they trust." A red-and-black shape trotted from the shadows. A masked dog, bold and alert, nose lifted. Miles snapped his fingers, and it came to heel at once. "Found this one outside," Miles said. "Trained. It listens." Spider-Man watched the masked dog step between the two wizard dogs. It sat. It stared them down. The two dogs stopped fidgeting and settled beside it, ears flat, quiet. The barking stopped. "Now," Miles said. "Try again. Fast." Spider-Man turned to the wall. Silence held. The wand still glowed, so he could see. He reached with his mind toward a cluster of spiders near a crack. Come to me. One crawled onto his wrist. Then a second dropped onto his shoulder. A third. Warmth spread through him, thread after thread of connection. Five spiders now. Ten. His hands trembled. He had never held more than one. The masked dog kept the wizard dogs frozen. No sound broke the bond. Spider-Man pulled harder, and a ribbon of spiders streamed down the wall toward him, obedient, dozens strong. His heart hammered. It was working. He had solved the noise. Then the masked dog's ears snapped up. It smelled the crawling swarm. Its mouth opened, and it lunged, snapping at the spiders on Spider-Man's arm. It barked, loud and sharp, hunting them. The swarm burst apart. Spiders poured back into the cracks. But this time only a few fled. Most of the newly bonded ones clung to Spider-Man, tight to his suit, loyal now. He counted them fast. Nine held. Nine spiders stayed with him. "Get it off!" Spider-Man said. Miles grabbed the masked dog and hauled it back. Spider-Man stood, chest heaving, nine spiders gripping his arms and shoulders. He had grown his swarm at last. But the fix had made a new enemy. The masked dog wanted to eat the very spiders he was gathering. To go deeper, he would have to keep his growing swarm safe from the hungry dog that guarded them.