redesigned | pre-intro for spider feelings.

[Am I dreaming? Is this a dream? What does it say about me that I would dream this? Trapped in a giant unpoppable bubble in the middle of a swamp full of zombies and freakishly friendly fauna, I--I do not want to know what that could say about me. The next time mom warns me not to snack late at night I'll listen, I swear.

Oh, man, I hope this is a dream because I really doubt any teacher is going to accept 'a zombie ate my homework'. Though considering the subject on today's menu maybe I'll get lucky and they'll have a sense of humor about the whole thing. I mean--brains! At least that's worth a chance for extra credit, right? I'd think it was funny. Uh, if it wasn't happening to me.]

--frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal!

[that sure was a kid in spider-spandex backflipping over a zombie and tapping it on the head. . . and after a beat there's AN ELECTRIC SHOCK. the zombie groooaaaans, spits out a few scraps of paper, and twitches off. Miles picks up his backpack and stuffs the scraps inside, sighs]

I would really like to wake up now.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Okay, now I'm gonna be looking at random people trying to figure out if they're secretly a Jedi.

And I--I don't remember any failing. Please, you're a hero. There are a lot of heroes here. We'll stop it.

Just be really careful. Jedi pick up on that thing.

[Hero worship is really—I mean, not that I'm assuming that's what it is, but it's a little ... odd. I should ... I should set him straight.

As tempting as it is to bask in it.]

Look, I did mess up. My school got blown up. And uh—I wasn't much good in a lot of things. The flood. The giant monster going through the city. And more. You can't go thinking I managed everything if you—uh, if you wanna do this yourself.

I don't. . . uh, that's not what I meant, like you ain't ever messed up. Everyone messes up. I just--

["You died and I feel real sick about it so I don't want you to think bad about yourself ever"? How does that work? What am I doing? Way to go making him think you're just some stupid kid.]

[slight shrug] Okay, sure. Whatever.

... Okay. Sure.

I don't think you're perfect if--uh, if you're worried about me not being realistic or something. You're great but I just meant like, from what you've said you have a ton of backup here so, you know. It's cool.

If things get rough, I'll ask for help. Though I admit I'm not too good at doing that.

Well, I. . . I got your back now, too. Don't need to ask.

Well, I need to make sure you get out of camp alive.

That makes is sound like you're my babysitter. I do okay, you know.

I still need you to make it back home. That's not a babysitting job. That's our responsibility.

Uh, yeah. I fully support the plan of me getting back in one piece, alright, believe me.

My limit is when you start following me around warning for rocks in case I might stub my toe. Just saying.

[it's said lightly but he is kind of like :|]

If you can't handle rocks, then Nick Fury wouldn't have given you a costume.

But he's not here and you are, so--yeah there are things I'm still figuring out but I want you to know I can handle myself okay, that's all.

Yeah—right, you're right. I just—yeah. Sorry if I treat you like a guy who's much younger than I am. The whole thing is a little strange.

A little strange, yeah.

Uh, you were--I mean, you--high school, right? The papers said high school. You're not that older than me.

Recently turned sixteen.

... Like really recently.

Oh, man.

That's life, I guess.

Please tell me it wasn't--it wasn't actually on your birthday? It wasn't, was it?

N-no, nevermind, don't answer that. Close is bad enough. Sorry.

No, it's—it's okay. It's not like I didn't jump into that fight, right? And I'm here and even if I'm only here ... for a while, I guess I can do some living. But no, it wasn't that day. Thankfully.