The Running Clock

Peter opens his eyes, to find a soft yellow light shine down on him. He is floating in yellow, everywhere it is yellow, and it's peaceful.

Peter chuckles to himself: this isn't so bad, he likes it! 

'Peter!' someone calls happily. It's a woman running up to him, through the watery yellow.

'Mum?' Peter gasps, his eyes happy as he swims towards her, 'Mum, is it really you?'

'Yes Petey, it's me.' she affirms, taking his face softly in her hands.

'But how? You're dead?!'

His mum just chuckles, 'But Petey, so are you!'

Peter looks at her confused: 'I am?'

'Honey, your friends tried to save you. They killed the nanobots, but in doing so, they gave you a heart attack.'

'Oh.' Peter answers. He should be sad right now, right? But he isn't. He's oddly peaceful. He likes it here, his mum is here. And the light is so soft. It doesn't burn his eyes at all!

'Hey Petey.' another voice says softly from the side. Peter turns, his eyes growing as big as saucers.

'Dad?' he sniffles, 'Is it really you?'

'Yeah, kiddo, I'm here.'

'Hey! Don't forget us!' Ben cries from the side, hand in hand with aunt May. 'That's considered rude manners, kid.' he says with a chuckle.

Peter laughs back, wiping away his tears, and smiles: 'This is nice. Can I stay?'

'Of course you can honey, you can stay with us forever.' Aunt May says with a smile.

Peter smiles back. Faintly he hears someone call his name. He swivels around: 'Did you guys hear that?'

'Hear what, Petey, there was nothing there.' His dad says softly, grabbing his arm.

Peter! Peter turns around again: 'I really heard something this time.'

Ben sighs: 'It's your friends Petey, they're calling for you, they're trying to get you back.'

'Oh.'

Peter! Wake up! Come back! he hears Wanda shout. 

'Peter, do you want to go back?' his mum asks him, putting her hand on his shoulder.

'Can I?'

'It's your choice honey.' his dad responds, looking at his son proudly.

'What do I choose?' Peter asks, his voice trembeling.

'Peter, don't let us answer that for you. You need to decide this on your own. Know that whatever you choose, we love you and they love you. That will never ever change.' Ben says softly.

Peter scrunches up his eyes. Peter! wake up! Wanda calls again. Peter opens his eyes, resolve obvious in them: 'I want to go back.'

Aunt May smiles up at him: 'Okay kiddo, we'll see you around. We love you.' She plants a kiss on his forehead. Uncle Ben hugs him. His mum pinches his cheek and his dad claps him on the back one last time.

'We love you kiddo.' his mum says, then, she slowly fades away, together with dad, uncle and aunt. Leaving him all alone in the wide expanse of yellow.

Peter! Wanda cries, Wake up Peter!

'Wanda?'

Yes,Peter, I'm here, we're all here, you have to wake up!

'How?'

Go up Peter, Swim up, keep swimming.

Peter starts to swim, up, up, up. His hands struggle and his feet kick: 'It's too hard Wanda!' he cries, slowly sinking down again.

No Peter, don't give up, grab my hand! Wanda cries, and suddenly, she is there, red mist swirling around her as she floats in the yellow, offering her his hand. Just grab my hand Peter, and I'll help you up.

He grabs her hand and she squeezes it tightly. Together they swim up, up and up. Every time he feels like quitting, she's there to pull him further. Up, up, up.

Light, blinding white light. Slowly, Peter opens his eyes.