Two days. That's all it took. Two days of nothing but uncertainty, trial, and a lot of questions. Saturday and Sunday were a blur of nerves and experimentation. I couldn't stop thinking about that moment at the cemetery, how my hand had bled and then… the thread. The string-like thing that followed me, danced around my thoughts, and seemed to bend to my will.
It didn't make any sense. And yet, every time I tried to ignore it, it came back.
I rolled out of bed, eyes still heavy with the lack of sleep. My clock blinked 7:00 AM in red digital numbers.
Shit.
I threw off the covers and scrambled out of bed. I was supposed to be at school by 8:30, but that wasn't gonna happen unless I moved fast.
I rushed to the bathroom, splashed some water on my face, then stared at myself in the mirror.
I am Leo Foster. Fifteen. A kid with too much on his plate.
The only thing I knew for sure was that I couldn't ignore this power anymore. The whole "Spider-Man" thing was no joke. I mean, seriously, I have webs from my wrists, and the thread — the one that followed my thoughts, moved when I moved — it was like… something out of a comic book.
And there was no turning back.
But today? Today I had to face the real world. And the real world wasn't kind to daydreamers like me. I still had school. And that meant pretending everything was normal when, clearly, everything was far from it.
I tugged on my hoodie, grabbed my backpack, and headed down the hall.
Let me slow down and introduce myself.
My name's Leo Foster. And no, I'm not one of those kids who daydreams about being a hero for no reason. I'm obsessed with superheroes because of my brother, Tyler.
Tyler was everything to me. He was my protector, my role model. He wasn't just my big brother — he was my hero. He was the guy who would step in when the bullies got too much, or when life threw us punches we couldn't handle. He made sure I knew everything would be okay.
But then, when I was eleven, everything shattered.
A hit-and-run. That's what the police said. No one was ever caught. No one cared.
I hated it. I hated them for taking Tyler away. And it made me so damn angry that I still don't know how to process it.
Now, I'm just left with my grandma, Helen.
I wish I could say she was all I had. I don't want to make her worry, though. She's the last person I have left, and I promised myself I'd protect her. No matter what.
But that's where things get tricky.
Because in the middle of all the chaos, I got these powers.
Weird, right? I wasn't bit by a radioactive spider or hit by lightning or anything cliché like that. But something happened.
It was like Spider-Man, but without the whole superhero universe. No capes. No villains in fancy costumes. Just me, trying to figure out what the hell this means.
And as much as I tried to pretend I didn't care about having this power, I couldn't help it. I wanted to be a hero. Maybe I could do what Tyler would've done.
With great power comes great responsibility, right?
The thought made my stomach churn. Was I ready for all of this? Was I even strong enough?
Before I could sink too deep into that, I glanced at the clock again.
7:10 AM.
Dammit. I really had to get moving.
I grabbed my shoes, stuffed my sketchbook into my backpack, and headed out the door, praying I wouldn't be late for class.
Middle school.
Yeah, that's me. Fifteen years old, stuck in a world that doesn't understand what's going on inside my head — or inside my hands.
But this power? It's not going away. And neither is the part of me that wants to be something more.
A hero.
Just like Tyler.
….
(After minutes)
As I slammed the door behind me and sprinted down the street, cursing under my breath as I tried to get to school on time. It wasn't the best morning, but honestly, I was kind of used to rushing.
Then, as I turned the corner to the school gates, I saw him.
Jeasus. Yes, Jeasus. And no, that's not a typo. His name is actually Jeasus, and yes, it's like Jesus, but he spells it with one "e" instead of two. He always says it's because he's "not the real deal," and I'm pretty sure he says it just to mess with people.
Jeasus is my best friend. He's a little nerdy, a little socially awkward, and totally obsessed with anything tech-related. If there's a new gadget, app, or software, Jeasus knows about it. He's the kind of guy who can recite entire programming languages like they're lyrics to his favorite songs.
Some people might think that's weird, but I get it. I'm a geek too, in my own way. My obsession with superheroes probably puts me in that category. But Jeasus? He's a different level of geek.
We waved at each other as I caught up to him, and he gave me a typical, goofy grin.
"Yo, Leo! You're running late again, huh?"
I laughed, running a hand through my messy hair. "What gave it away? The fact that I'm about to be late for class or that I look like I'm about to pass out from running?"
Jeasus chuckled and adjusted his glasses, which always seemed to slide down his nose. "You need to start waking up earlier, man. Anyway, what's up with the hoodie? You hiding your secret identity or something?"
I groaned. "I wish. No secret identity. Just trying to survive school today."
As we walked to the entrance, I tried to shake off the weirdness that still lingered from the past couple of days. It felt like something was just off, like the world was a little bit out of sync, and I had no idea how to fix it.
And then, of course, she walked past us.
Amy Croft.
Amy Croft is one of those girls everyone knows. She's smart, funny, ridiculously pretty, and, on top of all that, popular. It's like she was born to be the center of attention. And somehow, despite all of that, she always talks to me. Me, the weird superhero-obsessed geek. I have no idea why, but I'm not complaining.
She waved at us as she passed, giving me a quick smile. I froze for a second.
She noticed me. Again.
"Hey, Leo! Hey, Jeasus!" she called out with a friendly wave.
"Hey, Amy!" Jeasus said with a grin. I could tell he was trying not to make it too obvious that he had a massive crush on her, too.
"Sup, Amy?" I managed to stutter out, feeling my face heat up.
She flashed me a grin, then continued on her way.
I watched her go, trying not to look too obvious. I mean, who wouldn't? Amy was like the queen of the school, and I was just… me.
"So, uh… you're still crushing on Amy, huh?" Jeasus teased, nudging me with his elbow.
I shot him a glare, trying to play it cool. "Shut up, man."
Jeasus laughed. "Sure, Leo. Nice to you. But we both know you're a little more than 'just nice.'"
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at the corner of my lips. Yeah, I had a massive crush on Amy Croft. Who wouldn't? But I wasn't about to tell Jeasus that.
"Come on, let's get to class before the bell rings." I said, trying to steer the conversation away from Amy.
We walked through the school gates, chatting about random stuff, but my mind kept drifting back to the powers. The thread. Amy. And how, no matter what, something felt like it was about to change.
…..
As Jeasus and I walked through the hallway toward our lockers, the usual buzz of early morning chatter filled the air. Lockers clanged, sneakers squeaked on tile, and someone down the hall was beatboxing for no good reason. Typical middle school chaos.
We turned the corner, and that's when I saw it. Again.
Cameron. The poor guy. He's in our grade—chubby, shy, always carrying too many books, and unfortunately, a prime target for jerks.
And there they were. The Three Morons.
Jamir West—the biggest guy in our school. He's taller than some teachers, built like a truck, and he walks around like he owns the hallway. On either side of him were his loyal minions: Clee (the wiry one with the attitude) and Lowe (the silent but dangerous one). All three were crowding Cameron's locker, shoving his books on the floor, laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world.
"Oops," Clee snorted. "Looks like gravity hates fat people."
"Pick 'em up, Tubby." Jamir grinned, kicking one of Cameron's notebooks down the hallway.
Jeasus tensed beside me. "Not again," he muttered. "Why doesn't anyone stop them?"
I didn't answer.
Because I already was walking.
Without thinking, I stepped between Jamir and Cameron, standing straight even though I had to tilt my head up to meet Jamir's eyes. His grin faltered the moment he saw me.
"Well, well… if it isn't Hero boy himself," Jamir sneered. "Come to swing in and save the day?"
Clee snorted. "Or maybe he just wants a punch to the face."
"Yeah," Lowe muttered. "Wanna try your luck, Leo?"
I didn't flinch. Not this time.
"Pick the books up," I said calmly, looking straight at Jamir.
Jamir stepped in closer. I could feel the heat of his breath. "Or what?"
(Come on… you have powers now. You're stronger than this guy. You can take him. Can't you?)
But I didn't move.
Not yet.
"Just pick them up," I repeated. "You've had your laugh. Don't make me make you."
Jamir looked at me for a long second. Maybe it was the look in my eyes. Maybe it was because he wasn't used to me standing tall. Or maybe he knew something was different. But instead of pushing me, he scoffed and waved it off.
"Let's go," he said to the others. "This nerd ain't worth detention again."
The three of them walked off, shoving kids aside as they went. The hallway slowly returned to normal. Whispered voices, sneaky glances. Some people had seen it—me stepping in. And for once, I didn't care.
Cameron looked up at me, wide-eyed. "T-thanks, Leo."
I gave him a quick nod. "No problem, man."
Jeasus clapped me on the back. "Dude. That was kind of badass."
I smiled a little. Just a little. (Maybe I really can do this hero thing.)
The bell rang.
"Come on," I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "Mrs. Burner's class. She's gonna roast us if we're late again."
Jeasus groaned dramatically. "She's probably already aiming her verbal flamethrower."
We rushed down the hallway, dodging a group of freshmen, narrowly avoiding slipping on a janitor's "Wet Floor" sign. We turned the corner and skidded into Room 203, the door creaking as we opened it.
And there she was.
Mrs. Burner.
Back straight. Arms crossed. Glasses perched on her nose like she measured your worth based on how you held your pencil. She had that "disappointed but not surprised" face locked and loaded. Her scowl could have burned through concrete.
"Nice of you boys to join us," she said, her voice sharper than chalk on a board. Her eyes narrowed like lasers as Jeasus and I slid into our seats, trying to look as invisible as possible.
Another day. Same school. Same people. But something inside me had shifted.
(I wasn't the same Leo anymore.)
As Mrs. Burner droned on about chemical reactions and ionic bonds, my attention drifted. I tapped my pencil against my notebook, staring out the window, the sunlight warm against my skin.
Then—
BOOOOM!!!
A thunderous explosion rocked the room.
The ceiling cracked. Screams erupted.
Chunks of plaster fell like hailstones. The lights flickered violently before bursting into sparks. The whiteboard cracked. Dust choked the air.
Chaos.
Students ducked. Desks toppled. I threw myself over Jeasus as debris rained down.
And then—
He appeared.
A shadow. Floating down through the destroyed ceiling, slow and deliberate like some dark angel descending from the heavens.
Then his boots hit the ground with a thud.
The dust began to settle… and we saw him.
Tall. Slim. His entire body cloaked in black—too black, like shadows clung to him unnaturally. His coat fluttered like feathers. A long, curved beak-like mask covered his face, the eyes glowing dim red behind the glass.
A crow mask.
Silence fell like a hammer.
Even Mrs. Burner—the woman who once yelled at a kid for sneezing too loud—took a trembling step back.
"Wh-who a-are you…?" she whispered, her voice barely more than breath.
The man didn't answer right away.
He turned his head slowly toward us, like a predator surveying prey. The temperature felt like it dropped ten degrees.
Then… he spoke.
His voice was calm, but it echoed unnaturally, like a whisper layered over thunder.
"Me?"
"I am Crow."
"A man… filled with vengeance."
To be continue