Into the Nest of the Beast
Winter sat crouched in the damp, dark tunnel, her senses heightened as she waited for the Lizard to appear. The sewers were eerily quiet, the only sounds the occasional drip of water echoing in the distance. She had been sitting in her makeshift web trap for what felt like hours now, her nerves on edge.
Her phone buzzed in her ear as Ningning's voice broke the silence.
"This is the stupidest plan you’ve ever come up with, you know that, right?" Ningning's sarcasm cut through the tension like a knife.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Winter muttered, rolling her eyes even though Ningning couldn’t see her. She absentmindedly flicked a web string from her wrist, testing the strength of her trap one more time.
"I’m just saying," Ningning continued, "you’ve got yourself stuck in the sewers, with no backup, waiting for a giant lizard to come and possibly eat you. There’s a reason I told you this plan was dumb."
Before Winter could respond, her spider-sense suddenly flared, a sharp jolt running down her spine. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she felt a surge of danger approaching.
"Ningning, something’s coming," Winter whispered, cutting off her friend’s rant. She rose to her feet, her eyes darting around the tunnel. Her heart pounded in her chest as she noticed something moving—hundreds of small, scaly creatures crawling toward her in the darkness.
"Lizards," she muttered, watching as the reptilian creatures scurried across the ground, their beady eyes glowing faintly in the low light.
"Uh, what do you mean 'lizards'?" Ningning asked, her voice now laced with concern. "Winter, you need to get out of there."
But before Winter could even think about escaping, a deafening roar echoed through the tunnel. The sound sent a shiver down her spine as the Lizard—massive and furious—leaped out of the shadows, crashing into her with the force of a freight train.
Winter was thrown back, slammed into her own web net as the Lizard pinned her down. His claws dug into her shoulders, sharp and unrelenting, while his yellow eyes glowed with rage.
"Spider..." the Lizard hissed, his voice low and menacing. "You dare come back here?"
Winter struggled beneath him, her muscles straining against the web that now bound her. Before she could move, the Lizard swiped at her with a vicious claw, leaving a deep scratch across her chest. She cried out in pain, feeling the warmth of her own blood trickle down.
Her camera, set up to catch the Lizard in action, suddenly flashed as it captured the scene. The bright burst of light startled the creature, momentarily disorienting him and giving Winter just enough time to fight back.
With a swift kick, Winter managed to free herself from the web and push the Lizard off her. She somersaulted to her feet, wincing from the pain in her chest but refusing to back down. They circled each other in the narrow tunnel, the tension mounting with every second.
"You're not getting away this time," Winter muttered, clenching her fists as she prepared for the next attack.
The Lizard roared and charged again, but this time Winter was ready. She dodged his claws, ducking under his arm and landing a powerful punch to his side. The impact made him stagger, but he quickly recovered, his tail whipping around to strike her.
Winter barely had time to react as the tail connected with her midsection, sending her flying into the murky water below. She gasped as she hit the surface, the cold liquid rushing over her head. Her airpods crackled in her ears, water rendering them useless as her connection to Ningning was cut off.
"Damn it!" Winter cursed as she surfaced, trying to swim away from the Lizard, but her web shooters had also malfunctioned—soaked and short-circuited by the water.
The Lizard, relentless in his pursuit, lunged at her again, but Winter was quick, using her agility to dodge him. The current of the water was strong, pulling her downstream, but Winter managed to spot a grate up ahead. It was just big enough for her to squeeze through—small enough to keep the Lizard out.
She darted toward it, slipping through the narrow opening just as the Lizard slammed into the bars, unable to follow. Winter breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the beast snarl and thrash in frustration.
But the current continued to pull her away, and soon, Winter found herself carried deeper into the sewer system, far from her trap and her gear. When she finally washed up on the edge of a small platform, she was soaked, bruised, and exhausted.
---
Meanwhile, In the Sewers
The Lizard growled in fury as he realized Winter had escaped. His eyes darted around the tunnel, searching for something—anything—that could lead him back to his enemy.
And then, he saw it—the camera.
Snarling, he grabbed the device in his claws, examining it closely. His anger only intensified when he recognized it.
”This belongs to Parker”, he hissed, his rage boiling over. In a fit of fury, he crushed the camera in his hand, sending shards of plastic and glass flying across the tunnel.
"Parker will pay for this," he growled, retreating into the shadows once more.
---
Karina’s Apartment
Winter, battered and dripping wet, managed to climb her way out of the sewers. She had one destination in mind—Karina’s apartment. She knew it was risky, but she needed help, and Karina was the only person she trusted.
With a shaky hand, she knocked on Karina’s window, her breath coming in shallow gasps.
Inside, Karina opened the window with an irritated expression, her hands on her hips. "Winter, what did I tell you about—"
She froze when she saw Winter’s condition. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight of her—bruised, bleeding, and looking like she had just crawled through a war zone.
"Oh my god, Winter!" Karina gasped, quickly pulling her inside. "What happened to you?"
Winter tried to laugh it off, but winced in pain instead. "Uh... long story."
Karina immediately went into caretaker mode, grabbing a first aid kit as she sat Winter down on the couch. "You’re insane, you know that? You could’ve died."
Winter shrugged sheepishly, not protesting as Karina began to treat the deep scratch on her chest. The touch of her fingers sent tingles up Winter's spine, and despite the pain, she couldn’t help but blush.
"I told you to be more careful," Karina scolded gently, dabbing at the wound. "But you just never listen."
Winter chuckled softly. "I do listen. Sometimes."
Karina rolled her eyes but smiled, her tone softening. "I don’t want to lose you, Winter. You have to promise me you’ll be more careful from now on."
Winter’s heart swelled at the concern in Karina’s voice. "I promise," she said sincerely.
And then, before she could think, Karina leaned in and pressed her lips to Winter’s.
The kiss was soft and slow, a mix of emotions pouring into that brief moment. Winter, malfunctioning as usual when it came to Karina, could hardly respond at first. But soon enough, her brain caught up with her body, and she kissed back.
When they finally pulled apart, Winter was breathless, her face flushed. "I... I should get hurt more often," she joked.
Karina laughed, playfully swatting her arm. "You’re impossible."
---
Later that night, Winter filled Ningning in on what had happened. Ningning, as expected, teased her relentlessly about the kiss, calling her the "luckiest loser in the city."
But despite the teasing, Winter couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that lingered. The Lizard was still out there, and now he knew who she was.