"Are you sure?" Peter asked, skeptical about Reed's claims.
Even Tony Stark's time machine from Endgame hadn't reached the level Reed was suggesting.
"There shouldn't be any major issues. Of course, some unexpected problems might arise during the development process," Reed replied confidently, though acknowledging the potential for complications.
Peter nodded, still unsure, but letting Reed's words sink in. After a few moments of contemplation, he turned the conversation in a different direction.
"What do you think about ghosts?" Peter asked, looking at Reed curiously.
"Are you talking about the ghosts from Goosebumps?" Reed asked, tilting his head and thinking for a moment. "While it's an interesting concept, I really don't want to run into anything like that. Is one of your friends possessed? Like something out of an exorcist movie?"
Despite Reed's usual scientific demeanor, he was also fascinated by creepy topics like ghosts.
"Well, actually, I had a friend who got possessed once. His family invited some nuns from the church. Eventually, they brought in a guy named Damon," Reed continued enthusiastically, almost as if he were telling a tall tale.
Peter looked at Reed with mild confusion.
"Wait, this sounds like a ghost story," Peter said, raising an eyebrow.
"No, no, I'm serious," Reed responded, brushing off Peter's disbelief. "Damon wasn't your typical exorcist; he didn't even bring a cross with him when he arrived. Instead, he went straight to the bathroom. When he finally reached the top floor, he found my friend surrounded by strange phenomena. Apparently, my friend was supposedly possessed by the devil, which made Damon spring into action."
Peter listened intently but still wasn't sure where Reed was going with the story.
"What happened next?" Peter asked, playing along.
"Well, Damon, thinking on his feet, threw some 'holy water' at my friend to perform the exorcism. Turns out, it was just tap water from the bathroom. But that's not the craziest part. Damon called out my friend for pretending to be possessed, and in an instant, they were both surrounded by a ring of fire!" Reed said, his eyes wide as he animated the story.
Peter blinked, trying to process Reed's tale. "Are you sure you weren't tricked by your friend?"
Reed, clearly getting more excited, continued: "I looked into Damon, and guess what? He's a university professor! Oh, and his sister runs an auction house."
Peter pinched Reed's cheek, trying to get some sense of reality back into the conversation. "Reed, are you sure this wasn't just some elaborate prank?"
"Nope, I swear," Reed said, swatting Peter's hand away. "Damon may not have used real holy water, but something definitely happened. And it made me think—maybe ghosts are real, too."
Peter paused. "But science doesn't deal in things like ghosts. Science needs evidence to prove something exists."
Reed scratched his head. "I know, I know. Science is all about observation and data. If ghosts exist, we should be able to prove them scientifically. But I can't find any evidence."
"Then maybe ghosts are part of the human spiritual world, or something we can't measure," Peter suggested. "Our brains process everything we experience. If ghosts do exist, maybe they interact with our world in ways we can't perceive."
Reed blinked, clearly interested. "So you think magic might be involved? I guess I'll need to learn more about that."
Peter shook his head. "No, I'm not suggesting anything like that. But what if it's beyond what science can measure?"
The conversation shifted as Reed got back to his science zone, asking, "So, why are we talking about this? Do you want to watch a horror movie or something?"
Peter shook his head. "No. Actually, my friend claims to have seen a Wendigo recently."
Reed's eyes widened. "A Wendigo? Like the legendary cannibal monster? I've read about it in Goosebumps. The miners who got trapped underground and turned into cannibalistic creatures."
Reed's excitement grew as he rummaged through his lab. "Hey, I made something that might be useful." He pulled out a device resembling a wristwatch and slapped it on.
"With this, I can project what's in my mind onto a screen. Watch this," Reed said, closing his eyes. Immediately, a virtual image of a Wendigo appeared before Peter.
"Is this what you're talking about?" Reed asked as the monstrous figure of the Wendigo appeared in the air.
Peter was taken aback, eyes wide. "That's... amazing," he said, thoroughly impressed.
Reed beamed proudly. "I used this to scare my classmates. Benjamin, you know, the stone guy? He nearly fainted when he saw the monster I projected. Maybe your friend saw something similar—a projection of a ghost or monster."
Peter considered Reed's explanation but found it lacking. The creature he had seen in the swamp felt too real to be a mere projection.
"Thanks for the explanation, Reed. I'll let my friend know," Peter said, though his thoughts were elsewhere.
As he looked at the wristwatch, Peter grew intrigued by the device. If Reed could create a machine that projects thoughts so vividly, could he also be capable of building the time travel bracelet Reed had mentioned?
Before Reed could say anything else, Peter took the watch off Reed's wrist and slipped it onto his own.
"Thanks for letting me borrow this," Peter said casually. He was now more certain than ever that Reed could indeed help him with his alien problem.
The alien parasite nested within Peter's chest still caused him worry. As the alien's image flashed into his mind, Peter unintentionally projected it through the device.
The black exoskeleton surrounded the alien, and its saliva dripped menacingly as Peter imagined its terrifying features. The projection appeared vividly in the room, and Reed, startled, fell backward in shock.
Peter, snapping out of his own projection, saw Reed faint on the floor, his eyes wide in terror.
"Whoa, did I overdo it?" Peter muttered to himself, his heart racing. "I didn't mean to scare him that badly."
Peter stood frozen, unsure of how to handle the situation. "Maybe I need to be more careful with this power," he thought.
The next day, Gwen was up early, brewing coffee downstairs. Despite her morning routine, her mind kept returning to the strange ghost problem she had discussed with Peter. She couldn't shake the unease it gave her.
Last night, before falling asleep, she had a dream. But it wasn't just any dream—it was more like a vision.
She had dreamt of a Disneyland-like place, though there was something terribly off about it. The dream had mixed with a strange presence, an entity she couldn't fully comprehend. It haunted her mind, twisting her sense of reality.
In the dream, she was surrounded by Spider-Men—figures that looked like Peter but were different. A ghostly figure, lifeless and in a black-and-white suit, lurked near her, holding a strange bundle in his hand.
The dream turned darker. She saw her own image—covered in blood. The blood was unmistakably red, and she couldn't deny it. The horror was real.
Beyond the scene stood a massive creature—grayish yellow skin, oversized yellow-green eyes, and reptilian features. The creature pointed at her, its fingers long and clawed. In its hand, it held the decapitated head of a Spider-Man.
Was it Peter? Or was it something worse? The creature's grotesque form seemed to embody a nightmare.
Gwen stood frozen, unsure of what to make of the vision. She stirred her coffee, reflecting on the strange dream. Something was coming, something that had the power to shake her world.
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