Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Rescue people from the fire
[In the latest newspaper, the headline reads: Crime rate increased by 75%! Where is Spider-Man?]
[Peter stood in front of a store, his eyes scanning the bold headlines of a newspaper. A somber expression crossed his face as his thoughts swirled. Suddenly, a woman's voice broke through the air, sharp and frantic, shouting, "Help! Help!"]
[His head snapped up, and he instinctively moved toward the sound. Turning a corner, he saw a house engulfed in flames. For a brief moment, his body moved on autopilot, his hands reaching for his tshirt as if to remove it. But then he froze. Reality hit him like a brick wall—he was no longer Spider-Man.]
[Peter's hands dropped to his sides, and he took a step back, hesitation and despair etched on his face. The weight of his decision to abandon the mask bore down on him once again.]
"Oh no, he's no longer Spider-Man. He can't save people from the fire," an elderly white woman murmured, her worried gaze fixed on Peter.
"Alas, Peter Parker is no longer Spider-Man," a firefighter nearby added grimly. "There's no need for him to risk his life to save others." The fire blazed on, roaring louder with each passing second. The firefighter's expression turned solemn as he muttered, "An ordinary person wouldn't survive if they went in there."
"Peter Parker...what would you do?" A very beautiful girl with blonde hair looked at Peter who was slowly retreating, looking at him with some expectation.
[At that moment, the awning of the building's upper floor collapsed, sending sparks flying and eliciting gasps from the onlookers.]
[A man of African descend hurriedly approached a group of people and shouted, "Alyssa! The daughter of the Chen family is missing. Have you seen her?" Panic spread through the crowd as another voice cried out, "Call the police! Somebody, help!"]
[Peter's heart raced. The familiar sense of responsibility stirred within him, stronger than the doubts holding him back. Despite no longer being Spider-Man, Peter rushed toward the commotion. He stopped beside the black man and urgently asked, "Is there anyone else in the building?"]
[The man pointed toward the flames licking the second floor. Without turning his head, he shouted, "There's a child trapped upstairs!" That was all Peter needed to hear. Without hesitation, he sprinted into the burning building, pushing past the crowd of fleeing bystanders.]
["Hey! Where are you going?" the man yelled after him, his voice filled with both confusion and concern]
[Peter dashed into the inferno, heading straight for the second floor. The heat was suffocating, and the smoke burned his lungs, but he pressed on. He could hear the faint sound of a child crying. Following the sound, he reached a locked door. "I'm here to help!" he shouted, hoping the child would hear him.]
[He tried ramming the door with his shoulder, but it wouldn't budge. Pain shot through him, reminding him that he was just an ordinary person now. Gritting his teeth, Peter stepped back, gathered his strength, and kicked the door with all his might. It gave way, the splintering wood flying inward.]
[As Peter crouched low to enter, a section of the ceiling gave way behind him, collapsing with a deafening crash. He rolled instinctively, avoiding the falling debris by inches. Rubble now covered the spot where he had stood moments before.]
[Inside the room, Peter found a small girl hiding in a closet. She was trembling, her tear-streaked face peeking out hesitantly. "It's okay," Peter said, his voice firm but gentle. "I'm here to get you out. Come on, let's go."]
[He took the girl in his arms and began navigating their way back through the burning wreckage. Just as they stepped into the hallway, the doorframe behind them collapsed with a loud crash, the flames surging forward.]
[Their path ahead wasn't any easier—the floor in front of them had completely collapsed, leaving a gaping hole that stretched too far to cross with ease. Sparks flew as electrical wires snapped and burst behind them, the fire greedily consuming everything in sight.]
[Peter's mind raced. He looked down at the girl in his arms, then at the gap ahead. Taking a deep breath, he tightened his grip on the child and sprinted forward. With a desperate leap, he jumped across the gap, landing hard on the other side. But the floor beneath them groaned ominously and began to give way until finally it broke]
[The sudden drop sent Peter and the girl plunging downward. He reacted quickly, grabbing onto the edge of the crumbling floor with one hand while clutching the girl tightly with the other. The child screamed in terror, her small hands gripping Peter's shirt.]
This thrilling scene made Aunt May scream out in shock. She couldn't believe that Peter would encounter such a dangerous thing. She almost cried again. Uncle Ben had to comfort her.
The unidentified people watching the screen were also shocked and began to cheer for Peter.
"Come on, Peter! You can do it!" someone shouted.
"He's not Spider-Man anymore, but he's still a hero!" another added.
[Peter gritted his teeth, his arms trembling as he fought to pull them both up. With one last effort, he managed to hoist the child onto the stable floor above. The girl crawled toward him and grabbed his arm, helping to give him the leverage he needed to climb up.]
[The moment he was back on solid ground, Peter scooped up the girl and rushed toward the exit. Just as they reached the stairs, another section of the building collapsed behind them, engulfing the area in smoke and flames.]
[Outside, the Chinese couple watched with bated breath, their faces pale with fear. Then, through the thick smoke, Peter emerged, coughing violently but holding their daughter tightly in his arms. He handed the girl over to them, their tearful cries of relief filling the air.]
[The girl scream "MOM!" as she run after her mom, now safe in her mother's arms, looked back at Peter and said with a smile, "Thank you."]
"Yes! Peter Parker! You are the best! Yahoo!!"
"Peter Parker is so brave! He obviously has no super powers anymore, but he still rushed into the fire to save the little girl without hesitation."
"He is a true hero! Even without his super powers, his courage and kindness are still admirable."
"Peter Parker's actions demonstrate the nobility of his character. He risked his own life in order to save the life of another."
"He is our role model! Whether he has super powers or not, he has demonstrated through his actions what true bravery and selflessness are."
"Peter Parker's brave act is touching. He proves that a superhero doesn't necessarily need superpowers, all he needs is a brave heart."
"His actions remind us that everyone can be a hero, no matter how big or small."
For a time, Peter Parker's act of heroism became a global sensation. Social media buzzed with admiration, news outlets rushed to report the story, and people everywhere praised his courage. However, the fire and police departments issued warnings, reminding citizens not to imitate Peter's actions. Though his bravery was commendable, such acts were dangerous and should be left to professionals.
[Back at the scene, firefighters worked tirelessly to extinguish the blaze and check for hotspots. Peter sat on the curb, an oxygen mask over his face as he tried to steady his breathing. Despite his exhaustion, a faint smile played on his lips as he listened to the crowd's cheers.]
[A firefighter approached him, patting him on the back. "You've got guts, kid," he said with a grin. Another firefighter added, "We found more people on the fourth floor. They didn't make it."]
[Peter's heart sank at the news. He turned away, staring into the distance as guilt gnawed at him. If only he still had his powers, maybe he could have saved them too.]
[Leaning against the side of a fire truck, Peter whispered to himself, "Shouldn't I have what I want? What I need? What should I do?"]
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