FIREWEAVER | A Spiderverse Fanfic

Chapter Four

When Esmerelda Costello had turned just seven years old, she had her first ever recital. Well, if you count dancing on concrete in front of your parents' garage with old blankets as the curtain, and your audience the whole family reunion, then yes. That was her first ever recital.

When she had turned ten, she had already mastered hand stands, cart wheels, the splits, and folding herself in half- much to her father's despair whenever she had gotten herself stuck with her legs over her shoulders, having to coordinate the tiny human limbs like untying a  pretzel.

When she was eleven, she had her first exposure to violence. Gone was the sweet innocent days of dancing for friends and family, or the laughter that filled her home with her silly antics. The sweet memories came crumbling down just like the buildings around her.

She could never unsee the fire that blazed in the streets, the yelling and ear piercing screams of women and children as they fled from the masked men, their guns raised.

And for that reason, Esmerelda froze when she saw the flames morph that old village street into the tall buildings that surrounded her. Her green eyes turned orange from the violent glow, shadows of blades angled towards her, turning as if in slow motion. She could hear it slice through the air,  knowing soon it would be slicing through her limbs if she didn't move.

But she felt something new running in her veins. A new feeling. It was different than the adrenaline she felt when she was scared. Different than the kind she got on stage. It burned. It felt like she would be engulfed in flames, every cell in her body electrified.

Webs. She felt her wrists move up as she thought of it. If she could shoot enough, maybe she could catch the helicopter like a fly in a spiders web. Would it be strong enough to do that though?

She didn't understand how her powers worked yet- but she had to try.

The world sped up as she dashed forward, jumping onto a car's hood before leaping into the air, her hands angled as she shot webs to an opposite building.

Her eyes zoomed in as if she could see the webbing beneath a magnifying glass. It spiraled forward, woven together by numerous strands like cables, attaching to the helicopter's cabin. She pulled and instead was thrusted up, screaming as she realized she had made a much terrible mistake.

The copter spun faster, trying to gain altitude and not crash into any of the buildings. It dragged Esme through the air, her arms screaming at her as she held onto the silk for dear life.

She must have looked ridiculous to the world below- and this was how she'd die. In a stinking leotard and five dollar mask, swinging like an idiot who thought she could stop a freaking helicopter.

Esme clenched her eyes closed. No. She could do this. She had to try.

She opened her eyes and held onto the rope with one hand while she flexed her wrist, feeling the web release and soar across. It connected with a building's beam, anchoring her and the helicopter as she held onto it.

She grit her teeth, her whole body feeling like it was being stretched like a rubber band. She pulled her arm towards herself, connecting the two silk webs and tying them off. She let go and flexed both wrists, shooting two strands that connected with the door of the helicopter. She swung up, reaching to grab anything- the landing gear, the door- and felt her hands connect with the cabin wall, sticking to it.

Her eyes widened. Don't fall, don't fall- Por favor!

She let out a sigh of relief before climbing up, shooting more webs at the surrounding buildings and making a net beneath the helicopter.