Maddeningly Sweet

When I got home I didn't go right in, instead, I headed out back into our shed. Ben mostly kept old tools, storage, and lawn equipment out here, but Peter mostly used it when he either needed a escape or when he was conducting an experiment he wanted to keep away from Ben and May.

I let Ben know where I was before I started. Heading back to the shed I walked over to some of Ben's old stuff and searched around for a moment before finding what I was looking for, a box that had some old watches. Ben was a particular and sentimental man, and he had only ever gotten one type of watch from one specific company. This meant that all of them were the same and I wouldn't need to make big adjustment to the design so long as I used these as a base. 

The design I mentioned being the web shooters. I pulled out my notebook and got to work. I hollowed the watches and measured everything from the length of it to the diameter of the hole of the time adjustment nob. With a clear understanding of what I was working with I made a blueprint containing everything I'd need to put into the slinger. 

I then got to work on the blueprint of the web cartridges and cartridge filler. Ben had a old air compressor that I could hook up to a modified hydraulic cylinder to compress the web fluid into the cartridges, but first I would need to soup up the air compressor so that it could dish out a much higher psi.

Much of everything I needed was actually already here save a few specialty parts I'd need to spend my allowance on. I made a list of everything I would need to buy after finding anything and everything I could salvage. 

A few hours passed while I did all this but I wanted to head out to get everything I needed from the specialty equipment store in town. I poked my head inside, "I'm going into the city for a bit! I'll be back before dark!"

"Hold up! I'll give you a ride." Ben got up from the chair he was sitting in and walked to the garage. "That way May doesn't have to worry about you."

"You sure? I can take the train. It's no problem." I followed him in anyways, I know he's stubborn.

"Not a chance. Train will take off by the time you get there, you'll have to wait. Just hop in so you don't have to." He was already opening the garage bay door.

~~~

"How long will you be?" Ben pulled into a parking spot by the store and parked.

"Not long. I've got a list. Won't be longer than five." I hopped out, rounded the corner, and headed inside. Peter often came here for it's cheep prices and wide variety. The place was a organized mess. Parts in boxes everywhere, in no readily available order. It was dead too, no one besides me, the guy at checkout, and someone checking out pry bars.

I made to search for the stuff I needed, going down each isle. I got through half my list when I heard something from up front, "Hey man, you mind checking this out?"

"Yeah. what you go- Listen, take whatever you want." This caught my attention. I looked through the gap in the isle. 

"Hows about what's in the register, and don't tell me there's nothing in there cause next I'll tell you to open the safe that I know you have the code to." A man with a gun stood in front of the checkout counter. He had it pointed to the man crouching down in front of the safe.

I stopped, I didn't move, or more like I couldn't move. My legs were stiff as boards but still felt like jello.

"Fill it." The man with a gun tossed a bag down to the clerk, who started stuffing the bag full. 

When he was done, he handed the bag to the man. "Thanks, now I'm gonna leave." 

BAM! BAM!

I jumped back. My ears started ringing. When I look back there was blood on the wall . . . a lot of it. 'He's dead.'

 That amount of blood, and the angle of the splatter. I didn't need to see the body to know where he hit him.Speaking of the gunman, the door just closed behind him. "Ben!" 

I dropped everything and ran outside and around the corner. Ben had gotten out of the car, he had most likely heard the gun shot and came to check on me. The gunman was heading his way.

For the first time I put every single ounce of strength I had in this new body into my legs. I crouched down and shot forward, running at full speed. the gunman was pointing his gun at Ben, he had his hands up and was turning away.

I ran up behind him and reached out for the gun. I grabbed the top of it, and shoved down.

'BAM!' 'click.'

I stared at the gun, then looked at the man. He stared back. 

. . .

I ripped the gun out of his hand, I heard a crack as I did, I definitely broke his finger. Throwing it away I through a swift and unruly punch at him hitting his chest.

He dropped his bag has every bit of air left the mans lungs. He was lifted and tossed back into the wall, sliding down then falling limp. He was out.

"Ben!" He turned back to look, seeing me and the consequence man.

"P-Peter! Wh- What just happened. I heard the gunshot. I thought you were . . . Oh god Peter." He grabbed me and pull me into a hug, I instinctively hugged back.

"B-Ben, the man inside he's . . . he's . . ." I couldn't finish it. I felt Ben hold me tighter.

"It's alright. It's alright." The second he heard my voice break he switch up and took on a more stable and reliable tone.

"I thought about you, and I ran as fast as I could. If I hadn't . . . if I was any slower you'd!" He pulled me away and looked at me.

"Don't worry. I'm alright and more importantly you are too. - Good thing too, heh. May would kill us if something happened." He chuckled, encouraging me to do the same.

He stopped and looked passed me. "Peter. I'm going to call the police I want you to wait in the car."

"No, I'm staying with yo-" I tryed but he stopped me

"Peter. That wasn't a request. Now go to the car, alright? I'll take care of this." He pointed me to the car and gave me a light push. I stumbled forward and did as I was told and waited in the car.

I could see Ben pull out his phone and make a call. Soon the police where here and the man was arrested. 

The rest was a blur.