Issue #26
"SEAPORT OF DREAMS"
Part I: The Rising Tide
Spider-Man
Frogman
Peter Parker opened his eyes through
the hazy darkness, seeing wooden docks that lead out to a boating house
engulfed in fog. Inside his heart, he felt a yearning towards these boating
docks, though he didn't know why and couldn't help but wonder why they
felt so familiar to him.
Focusing his eyes calmly through the haze covered docks, he saw a woman
cloaked in green slowly form through the fog. Her face was mostly concealed
in darkness, though Peter could make out the pale and gentle mouth she
spoke from.
"Peter..." Her soft and sorrow filled voice called out to him as
she emerged out through the haze. It almost seemed like she was suspended
above the haze itself.
"Who...?" Peter dared to ask, taken by her presence. He slowly began to
walk across the docks towards her, feeling a bizarre sense of consciousness.
"Who are you?"
"Find me..." Was all she breathed out to him in response.
A cold breath of air left Peter's still beating chest as he continued
to stare into her now fading form. Straying away from her form, he saw
a small house boat being gently rocked by the soothing and mesmerizing
waters. There was print on the boat's haul.
As he awoke...
Peter let out a casual yawn as he left the bedroom of his and Randy's
apartment, stretching out as lean arms. One managed to find it's way to
the top of his head, where he wadded it through the mop of his messy brown
hair. That had been the sixth time he's had that dream in the last week.
But tonight was different.
As he made his way into the kitchen with caffeine and hot coffee on the
brain, his opaque hazel eyes drifted towards the stack of brochures and
photos containing many of the bay area's fishing and boat docks that were
stacked on the coffee table in the living area of the apartment.
Randy had just came back to staying at the apartment a week ago, the same
week Peter's dreams started. Luckily he was able to clean up the place
after it's brutal thrashing. Many things had to be thrown out, giving
the bachelor pad a more... empty look to it.
Pouring the cop of coffee in an old christmas mug, Spider-Man's alter
ego could already feel the warmth radiating into his skin. He took a gulp
into his dry throat before he attempted to test the coffee. It was good
enough to wake him, and get the genius' mind going. There was one thing
he knew that was different about this night's past dream. And that was
for sure that there wasn't a house boat or yacht in the previous dreams.
He just couldn't remember the boat's name.
Throughout his life as a detective and superhero, Peter Parker -- Spider-Man
-- learned that you don't have a certain deja vu kind of feeling for no
reason. And though you can be haunted by reminisces of the past, no dream
repeats itself with such eerie and begging tone. There's always a sixth
sense there to tell you when there's more to what it seems.
Or maybe I'm finally breaking down and becoming paranoid in my old
super-hero age, Peter thought to himself as he stepped out around
the kitchen area of the apartment and into the living area. He took another
sip of his coffee, before easing himself down into the couch and setting
the mug on the end-table.
Tactfully searching through the mess of brochures and photos, care of
many travel stores in the New York thanks to the Daily Bugle reporter
pass he stole not too long ago, Peter finally found his laptop and pulled
it. Clicking a switch on the side, the foldable computer let out a yawn
of it's own kind as it was turned on.
"What in Aunt May's meatloaf surprise was that boat's name..." He muttered
to himself as the laptop booted up, and finally came to the main screen.
With a few rolls of the mouse ball on the laptop's side, he opened up the
internet browser and typed in the address of a harbor and pier registry
site he had memorized one the past nights.
The Following Day
Exhausted, May slumped down on the couch. She had just completed
half of her daily routine, and for some reason, was tired. She had
never been tired before, but just recently, it seemed she couldn't complete
her job. With finality, she realized she was too old. May
could simply not live by herself.
Looking to her right, she noticed a picture on the table. She lifted
and looked at the picture which brought a momentary tear to her eye. Peter
had not wanted to go to the studio at all to take it, having to dress
up and what not. Typical teenager.
May remembered that day clearly. She looked at her husband, to the
right of her and Peter, who was in the middle.
Ben.
Silently thinking about that day, she put the picture down and looked
around. She couldn't live in a house on her own. It was time
to move on.
She picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Hello, Anna?
Oh I'm fine." She paused for a moment, "I was wondering if your
offer was still open."
*DING DONG*
"Marla! Can you get that?!" Jonah's gruff voice called out. He was up
in his study, working on the computer on a new editorial. Of course he
was, because Jonah never knew when to quit. Even when he was nearly killed
by an attack of a Scrier. The fact it was Jonah's son still eluded him,
however.
"Sure honey." Marla called out from the kitchen. Jonah paused for a minute
as he heard Marla walk off. Her footsteps faded slightly as he heard the
door open. He heard a laugh, and Jonah instantly felt relieved. No attack.
"Jonah? It's Joe." Jonah didn't say anything for a moment. "Jonah?! It's
Joe Robertson."
"Okay Marla. Just send him in." Jonah turned from the screen, swiveling
on his chair. He looked up just as Joe stepped into the room. "Hi there."
The tough editor managed meekly.
"Hey Jonah. How are you?" Joe looked over Jonah, who was sitting on his
wheelchair. He looked in horrible pain, but the Jonah Joe knew would never
admit it. "You all right?"
"You come to baby me or you got something you needed to tell me?"
Joe grinned and laughed, which forced Jonah to laugh. They had been friends
for a long time, and knew each other all too well. "Yeah, always to the
point, eh Jonah?" Joe moved to pull up a seat and he sat down. Looking
around the room, he turned back to the publisher of the Daily Bugle. "Well,
I need to talk to you about the Bugle."
"Yeah, yeah. I know. It's in shambles. Doesn't mean it's gonna stop printing."
"Of course not. Just, we need a new office. The construction company came
up with a bill, and well... this is New York. The way superheroes and
villains keep wrecking the place, they get tired of fixing stuff. It's
going to cost a lot." He paused for a moment, to let this sink in. "And
it's hard to really work when they are flying all over the place, and
with that whole invasion of the Mig'N'Cha and those weird dino things.
It's gonna take a while for them to fix the bugle."
Jonah eyed his friend suspiciously. "What are you getting at here Joe?"
"We need an office, as I said. And we can't just build one, you know."
He sighed. "I've already talked to a corporation that will rent us space."
"We need quiet a bit of space for the number one paper in New York." He
said, not letting any emotion past. This was not the same stubborn jackass
of an editor of before. Jonah felt so old all of a sudden, so helpless.
"Yeah I know, they are willing to rent us six floors. I suppose we could
jam our way into the building. And trust me, it's not gonna be cheap.
Space is nearly impossible to find in Manhattan."
"I know, I know. Lousy ingrates forcing their source of news to pay them
to keep feeding them information."
"Yeah, we got lucky to find that much space. So, you up to it?"
"Yeah, yeah. We got no choice." He eyed Joe again, this time with humor.
"They haven't been slacking off have they?"
Joe knew he was talking about the employees. "Nope, reporters still getting
the top newswires. Just because the Bugle hasn't published a paper for
a week don't mean we are out of the game."
"Got that right!" Joe Robertson pointed out with a high spirited laugh.
"It's been a great evening, Eugene."
Eugene looked up at Jill as he walked, and smiled. He couldn't believe
his luck. After a month of drama, he had finally got the nerve to
ask Jill to a movie, and here they were.
Turning back to look down the walk, filled with people, and keeping his
smile, he replied, "No problem. Thanks for coming."
"That movie was so creepy. Though it came out kinda late."
"I know what you mean. With all the aliens running around, the possibilities
for extraterrestrial life are confirmed." Oh man Eugene!
You sound like a total cornball! Eugene shook his head in a subtle
manner, hoping Jill didn't think less of him.
"Oh well, I did like his other two movies, especially Sixth Sense."
"Scared the crap outta me." Eugene nodded his head slowly, still thinking
to himself. Good, she didn't seem to notice the nerdiness.
He shook his head again...QUIT TALKING TO YOURSELF!
"Yeah, well, it's been a wonderful evening." Jill looked at Eugene,
still walking down the street, near Times Square. She had finally
met someone who had a personality. "It is getting kind of late."
"Yeah, let me call a cab for you." Eugene stopped walking just as she
did, and whistled. Nothing happened. "Agh, it always works
in the movies." He smirked, looking at Jill.
She laughed, "yeah, too bad this is real life." She walked to the
edge of the street and waved a cab over. "Again, its been a wonderful
evening. We should do this again sometime."
"Yeah we should." Oh my God! Do I ask to call her? MY LIFE
IS RUINED!
"Call me sometime."
SWEET!
Jill pecked him on the cheek and got in the car. She waved from within
and the driver drove off.
Eugene stood there for a moment, rubbing his cheek were she had kissed
him. Then, despite himself, he let out a loud whoop.
That's it... Peter thought as he stared at the image on the flat
screen laptop monitor. He couldn't help but to slowly begin smirking as
he leaned back into the cushy couch. It was exactly like in his dream.
I found it. Sunset Marina...
As the young freelance photographer indulged himself in his findings that
evening, there was a gentle knocking at his apartment door. Due to recent
events in his life, Peter Parker couldn't help but feel a little unsure
towards who would be rapping his chamber door. But if there was any danger
his spider-sense would let him know.
Even as he stood to greet the potential visitor, he felt a sense of pride
in himself... No, further examination revealed that it was more of a sense
of relief that he wasn't going insane. But Peter had never remembered
visiting or hearing of Sunset Marina.
Unlocking the door, he nonchalantly swung it open to find a young woman
of his age standing before him with long, platinum blonde hair and lit
up ocean blue colored eyes. She was wearing a thin black jacket over a
white blouse, and loose black dress slacks.
"Felicia..." Peter was almost surprised to see her at his doorstep in
her civilian clothes, though he shouldn't of been after so long. "Hey."
"Hi Peter," Sometimes he couldn't help but hear Felicia's younger and
more innocent self in her voice, even though she had definately matured
over the years he's known her. "I just thought I would come by and...
see how you were doing."
"Heh, I appreciate it," The smile she wore sometimes seemed to contradict
everything he had seen in her before in the past, but it wasn't something
Peter could or would hold against her. "Come on in."
"Sorry we haven't talked since..." Felicia began easily enough, but soon
trailed off as she walked through the doorway and took a look around the
apartment. Peter shut the door behind her and turned to her with a folded
brow that told her he understood what she was getting at.
"Yeah, I understand," For a moment Peter wondered how she had gotten his
new address, but hey. She was a private investigator, so the thought quickly
escaped him. "Would the lady like some coffee?"
"Sure," Felicia smiled. Peter was already in the kitchen, his movements
seeming light and the smirk that had developed before he even opened the
door sticking. Taking off her jacket and tossing it on a nearby table,
she slowly scanned the apartment again and noted the mess of brochures
and photos on the coffee table in the living area.
"Here ya go," She turned back to the kitchen area to see Peter reaching
over the bar with a brown stone colored coffee mug. Felicia reached for
it, careful not to be burned. "One private eye special for the lady. On
the house."
Breathing out a quiet hmph of amusement at his comment, Felicia inhaled
the warmth of the coffee before she took a solid drink. Though she was
always quite feminine, Felicia never did take the time to be girly enough
to sip and hold her coffee carefully.
"So what's with the mess in the living room?" She asked as she set the
mug on the kitchen bar and leaned inward, though keeping a grip on the
handle of the mug. "Planning a trip out of town?"
"Actually, I just might be," Peter shrugged his shoulders with an uncertain
smile, standing behind the kitchen bar. "You probably wouldn't believe
the story behind it all if I told you. Wait... actually..."
Felicia laughed dryly, biting down on her bottom lip as she looked from
his warm yet fragile facial features, and then back down to her coffee.
Peter found her laughter to be comforting, especially in the recent trying
times. Finally, she looked back up to him with her ocean blues staring
into his chestnut browns.
"Try me, Spider."
"Okay, but once you get into the disturbed mind of Peter Parker, there's
no going back." Felicia gave her full attention to Peter without a word,
her hand stroking the smooth and warm texture of the mug. Glancing downward
to her hand, Peter took a moment to think of the right way to phrase what
had been happening lately.
"Every night for the past week now, I've been having these dreams. They
feel so... vivid, and real. It's been the same dream every night," In
his mind, Peter ran through the dream over and over again. Remember every
detail so easily. "I'm always at this port, and there's always this woman.
They both seem more familiar then they should be.
And well... in my career as a vigilante crime fighter," Peter smirked,
keeping his eyes locked onto Felicia's welcoming eyes. "I've learned that
nothing that happens to me, especially in my dreams, is without reason
or explanation."
"Sooo..." Cocking his eyes a bit funny towards Peter, Felicia glanced
over her shoulder to the mess of photos and brochures on the coffee table
in the living area, and then back to Peter. "I'm guessing you're trying
to find this port in your dream?"
"No, not trying," Peter shook his head nonchalantly, as he started to
move around the bar area of the kitchen. "Because I've already found it."
Felicia's eyes grew mischievous at Peter's words, leading her to stand
up straight and follow him into the living area.
"Check it out," Peter plopped down onto the couch, where Felicia simply
moved behind the couch and leaned over to look at the image and port information.
"Sunset Marina in South Portland, Maine."
"Looks like a beautiful place."
"You're telling me," Peter looked over his shoulder and cocked his head
head up to her. Felicia looked down to him in return as he continued.
"I really didn't think I just dreamed up a place like this."
"Are you going to see this port for yourself?"
"Well I do have some free time on my hands with the Bugle on hiatus..."
A moment of calm fell on the two as Peter's gaze returned to the image
on the laptop's screen. It felt so eerie and entrancing... just the familiarity
and longing he felt towards just the visual, because Peter just couldn't
remember a time he ever had been to that part of Maine.
Suddenly he pulled himself up out of the plump couch and darted steadily
around Felicia towards the hallway leading to the back rooms of the apartment,
where he disappeared.
"Peter...?" Turning around just in time to see Peter disappear in the
hallway, Felicia could only wait as a dumbfounded feeling came over her.
After a moment, she decided that she could only pursue him into the back
room.
When she moved to the doorway, she saw that Peter had already been latching
on his metalic webshooters and was in the lower half and upper torso sections
of his red and blue webbed costumed. His mask and forearm length gloves
were lying on the nightstand of his bed.
Before him on the tossed bed covers was a tired and beat up brown dufflebag,
already being stuffed with the clothes he had been wearing, as well as
some he had pulled from the dresser not too far from the bed.
"You're leaving for Maine?" Felicia was almost shocked to find.
"I have to know what's behind these dreams, Cat," Peter said as he reached
for the rest of his crime fighting attire, immediately strapping the red
gloves over his forearms. "And this is the easiest way I know how."
Finally he pulled the mask over his head, completing his transformation
into Spider-Man. Reaching down to the brown bag, Peter zipped it shut
and pulled it over his shoulder like a backpack before bounding off towards
the balcony.
Easily he pulled himself up to the balcony's protective rail and twisted
around to look back to Felicia as he moved into a squating position..
"And maybe I'm just feeling a little crazy enough to go through with this."
"What about the name of the boat you said you saw in your dream?"
"I'm thinking it should come to me," Peter shrugged from the railing.
"And well hey, if not I'm sure I'll just find a better look one. It is
a port, right?"
Felicia shook her head with a bit of a laugh breathed through her nose.
"You do what you have to do, Spider," Felicia looked back up to him, her
facial expression painting that of a mischievous grin with her next words.
"Good luck."
"Y'know, I think I'm actually beginning to feel a string of that coming
along right now," Peter smiled underneath his masked, falling backwards
off the balcony.
Felicia winced as she watched him fall, but continued to smile nonetheless.
As she approached the edge of the balcony, she saw him twist through the
air and fire a webline towards a building just as high as the apartments
they were in.
"Ta-ta for now, Cat!" She could hear him shout before he was out of ear
shot.
Spider-Man's webline carried him gracefully between the buildings over
traffic, and Felicia could already make out the big rig he was tracking.
Taking in a breath of the night's cool and fresh air, Felicia Hardy looked
away from the web-slinging hero and to the night's moon. Whenever the
Cat and Spider crossed paths, life always got the more interesting.
NEXT ISSUE: Peter Parker has set
out to find the secret behind his unsettling dreams! Find out what it is
that awaits Spidey as "Seaport of Dreams" continues! Oh, and where's Baby
May been this issue?