The Amazing Spider-Man
Threads of Fate 1/6
Chapter One: The Bite That Changed Everything
The low hum of voices filled the sleek, sterile halls of Oscorp Industries, one of the biggest corporations in New York. Students from Midtown High filtered through in waves, chattering and jostling under the watchful eyes of their chaperones. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a sharp glow across glass displays and towering lab equipment that looked far too expensive for a bunch of teenagers to be anywhere near.
Peter Parker, a scrawny fifteen-year-old, trailed near the back of his group. His disheveled hair almost covered his eyes, but his large glasses kept it at bay. He was skinny—incredibly so. A light push could send him tumbling to the ground. Sometimes, that worried Peter: being seen as someone so weak he could be thrown around like a rag doll. But right now, the only thing occupying his mind was scribbling diagrams and notes in his notebook. The tour had been even better than Peter expected—tons of new Oscorp technologies that the public had never seen.
When Peter wasn't writing, he took time to snap pictures using the old camera his Uncle Ben had given him for his birthday. The tour guide droned on about cutting-edge genetic research. As Peter finished taking a photo of a model glider, a voice called out to him.
"You're such a nerd, Parker," Flash Thompson sneered from a few steps ahead. Although they were the same age, he towered over Peter like a Goliath. He tossed a smirk over his shoulder. His varsity jacket, blonde hair, and blue eyes practically screamed "high school royalty," but Peter had learned to tune him out over the years.
Though Flash wasn't wrong—Peter had a deep love for science. More than anything in the world, he sometimes daydreamed about becoming a great scientist like Reed Richards, Albert Einstein, or even Bruce Banner—although he was a fugitive.
His thoughts were interrupted by a soft voice.
"Ignore him," said the brunette, Liz Allan, as she sidled up beside Peter, giving him a sympathetic smile. "At least one of us is actually paying attention."
Peter flushed slightly, shoving his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
"Yeah, well… some of this stuff's actually really interesting. Oscorp's been working on gene-editing tech that's way beyond the stuff we hear about in class."
Ahead of them, Harry Osborn—his red hair blazing like fire—walked beside his father, Norman Osborn. He looked like an older version of Harry, though he carried an air of mystery and a perpetually stern expression. As the tour continued, he exchanged hushed words with the tour guide. Harry shot Peter a brief nod of recognition—more reserved than friendly, but not hostile like Flash. That was… progress, maybe.
Harry and Peter had once been best friends, but the death of Norman's wife took a toll on Harry. He was left with a hole no one knew how to fill, and he cut out almost everyone in his life. If it hadn't been for Norman, he would have been completely lost. They were trying to fix things, little by little—and progress of any kind was welcome.
The tour guide led them into a spacious lab filled with containment units and observation tanks. The group pressed closer to a glass enclosure where dozens of spiders scurried across a complex web structure, their bodies glinting in shades of iridescent blue and deep crimson. Peter took the opportunity to snap some pictures. The advantage of using that old camera was that, since it had film, no one could hack it—so the Oscorp employees hadn't confiscated it when the tour began.
"This," the guide announced, gesturing dramatically, "is Oscorp's latest venture into bioengineering: genetically enhanced arachnids. Engineered for increased strength, agility, and—"
The guide's eyes widened. One of the enclosures was open. And worst of all, it was empty.
A subtle gasp rippled through the students as the guide froze, realizing with mild horror that one of the spiders was missing. Norman quickly pulled out his phone and made a call.
Peter's eyes flicked toward the enclosure, curiosity rising. But before he could dwell on it, a sudden, sharp sting flared across the back of his hand. He winced and let out a cry, drawing the attention of his classmates, Oscorp employees, and even Norman. He pulled his hand back to find a spider—sleek and metallic red with deep blue markings—scuttling across the floor. Within seconds, it vanished into the shadows of the lab.
Panic erupted among the Midtown High students as the Oscorp staff scrambled to catch the spider before it could bite anyone else—but it was no use. The spider was gone.
Peter's pulse quickened. His skin prickled with heat, and a faint dizziness crept in.
"Whoa… you okay, Parker?" Flash's voice cut in—more mocking than concerned.
"I'm fine," Peter muttered, hastily covering the small puncture on his hand.
It was probably nothing… right?
Norman ended his call and rushed over to where Peter was standing. But before he could say anything, Peter collapsed. Norman grabbed his phone again and called for an ambulance. When it arrived, Norman himself accompanied the paramedics.
Harry stood frozen, not knowing what to do. His father was gone, and the only thing he could do was keep going with the tour. Most of the students had already calmed down after the incident but they were still wary of the missing spider.
But as the tour moved on without Peter, there was something no one—not even Peter—noticed.
The rogue spider hadn't stopped with him. It had made its way somewhere else, amid the crowd of teenagers and Oscorp employees, it found a second host—someone wearing a crescent moon anklet.
And with that second bite... a new thread in the web of fate was spun.
To Be Continued…