SPIDER-MAN

Two knocks sounded on the metal door, followed by a beep. The door swung open, and Dr. Franklin entered with a large smile on his face, carrying a box of paper with pencils and crayons.

The room was small and closely resembled a cell in a prison with a dingy bed and small desk, with drawings plastered over the walls.

"Franklin!" gleamed the child, looking away from his drawings and running up to the doctor.

"Hello there, how are you feeling today?" replied Franklin in a goofy voice.

"Can we draw!" begged the child.

"Wow, you're eager!" giggled Franklin, placing the box on the floor.

For the next hour, the child drew many pictures, creating his own little world and people. One that caught Franklin's attention was one of what appeared to be a superhero, dressed in his costume, striking a valiant pose.

"Who's this?" asked Franklin, tapping on the drawing.

"A superhero. He's got superhuman strength and can even fly and stop evil villains with a smile on his face," replied the child.

"He's very cool! Does he have a name?" asked Franklin.

"Vulcan!" smiled the child. "Franklin?" added the child.

"What is it?" questioned Franklin.

"Why don't I have a name?" wondered the child.

"You do! It's 81," replied Franklin, taken aback and guiltfully.

"I want a proper name!" demanded the child.

"Well, alright," replied Franklin, looking around the room, thinking up a name. "How about Vulcan? because one day you'll be just like him, saving people from evil. A hero," said Franklin.

"I like it!" replied Vulcan with a smile.

"Can 81 please get ready for testing!" ordered the intercom.

"Well, it seems our time is up!" said Franklin, getting up from sitting on the bed.

As Franklin started to leave, Vulcan grabbed hold of his leg, in tears. "I don't want to! It hurts," he whimpered.

Franklin kneeled down and embraced Vulcan. "It's alright. I know it hurts, but soon it'll all be over, and you'll get to be the superhero you always wanted to be. I know it's tough, but this universe is balanced. Throughout all the bad, you'll receive equal good! It's just most of the bad is clumped together, and soon you'll have just good left in your future. I promise!" comforted Franklin.

Soon a guard came and collected Vulcan, leading him to the lab.

A FEW DAYS LATER

Franklin was walking through the facilities corridor and overheard his bosses talking about Vulcan, so he listened in.

"I'm afraid he's not showing any more signs of improvement. I think this is his peak."

"It's not good enough! This won't be enough to overpower Russia and North Korea! Give him two more weeks; if nothing changes, put it down and study the remains!" replied a voice

Franklin slowly carried on with his day, processing what he heard. He made his way home dazed and unsure of what to think, let alone do. He opened the door, leaving his coat on the hanger, taking off his shoes, placing his briefcase on the table, and sitting on the couch.

"You ok, honey? You seem upset," asked his wife.

"Yeah, I'm fine," mumbled Franklin, still dazed.

"If you say so," she replied.

Franklin turned on the TV to the news.

"BOM (Brotherhood of Mutants) recently went on to do yet another protest today, which quickly turned into a violent riot where many civilians were injured, but thankfully no one died. We have a recording of Magneto's speech, the leader of the organisation; here, take a look," commented the news anchor before showing the video.

"My entire life I've been oppressed! My skin still bears the mark of those concentration camps, those same camps you ridicule today! I went through torment just because I was a Jew, and after surviving and overcoming that ordeal, I thought I would finally be free! I came here, believing this place to be the land of the free! But imagine my surprise when I found out I never left those camps; I simply moved to a different one! Martin Luther King dreamed of a world where everyone was equal no matter the colour of their skin! I dream of a world where mutants can co-exist with everyone! We aren't monsters! We aren't weapons! We are people! Just like all of you!" Magneto yelled proudly before being interrupted by a rock hitting him and a riot erupting.

Franklin put his coat back on and grabbed his keys, leaving the house. After an hour of walking, the house came into view, with paparazzi swarming it and a few police officers holding them back.

Franklin squeezed through all the reporters and came face to face with an officer. "I'm afraid none of you are allowed any further!" Yelled the officer.

"I'm a government official! I need to speak with Magneto urgently; I'm on official business." said Franklin, showing his keycard.

"We weren't made aware of this!" replied the officer sceptically.

"Is that my fault? I don't have all day, and I need to speak with you quickly about confidential matters!" replied Franklin.

The officer paused for a while before letting him through, much to the reporter's anger.

Franklin knocked on Magneto's office door.

"Come in," he said.

"Hello, Mr. Magneto, I have something we should discuss," asked Franklin, placing his badge on the desk for Magneto to see.

"What is it?" asked Magneto, running out of patience.

"I work in a facility where its main purpose is the creation of artificial mutants for military purposes by experimenting and torturing children," exclaimed Franklin.

"What are you talking about?" replied Magneto, confused and overwhelmed.

"Please help them, Magneto! If you don't, more children will die and even more will be tortured and moulded into soldiers, and I can't take it anymore. I can't!" Franklin broke down, crying.

"I'm afraid there's nothing I can do; why don't you ask the Avengers or something? replied Magneto.

"They belong to the government; they won't be able to do anything, and all those kids will die to eradicate all the evidence, then me and my family will die next! You're the only one!" pleaded Franklin.

"This is very hard to believe. I need some sort of proof!" replied Magneto, still sceptical.

Franklin placed a hard drive on Magneto's desk. "That's all the proof you need," he replied.

Magneto slowly and hesitantly inserted the hard drive, and his face went into shock when he saw and read the horrors, a tear falling from his eye. "To save them, you realise they'll label us terrorists, right?" asked Magneto.

"So be it! As long as we save them, I don't care! I just want them to live a normal life," replied Franklin.

"And they will! I won't let them get away with these atrocities like they did many decades ago. If they won't listen, we'll fight! I will no longer wait as they torture my mutant siblings and children. It's time to start a new era!" said Magneto, raising his hand.

Franklin shook his hand, smiling in relief.