Eddie Brock is not dead after all. But he is not much alive; cancer gnawing away at him. He is a walking corpse to say the least. As he walks the hall of the hospital, an intravenous bag in tow, he recalls the first time he heard famous Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson give a lecture in journalism school. It was not too long after that lecture that Eddie came to work at the Daily Bugle as an intern. Eddie was happy then. But his happiness was short-lived. When Eddie was exposed as a liar during the whole Sin-Eater fiasco, not only did he lose his job, but his father disowned him and his wife left him. But that fateful night, when he went to church to pray and commit suicide, he was interrupted by an alien symbiote looking for a host (Spider-Man had just ridden himself of the symbiote after finding out that it was trying to take over his body). The bond was surreal between the two, almost magical. Through the years that followed, Eddie suffered countless humiliations as Venom, most of them at the hands of Peter Parker. Then, one day, he was told that he had cancer and that he was pretty much at death’s door. The only thing that was keeping him alive was the symbiote. Seeing no escape from this death sentence, Eddie decided to auction off his powers to the highest bidder. He hoped to take the money and donate it to charity before the cancer finished him off. However, things did not go according to plan and he learned that his good intentions were all for naught since the "new" Venom was killing innocents indiscriminately. So came a second (more successful) suicide attempt. But for a second time, he once again failed to take his own life.
So, Eddie now spends his days walking the halls of the hospital, like a member of the living dead. One would think that his nights were spent sleeping but that is not the case. He spends them wide-awake, haunted by nightmarish memories of the Venom symbiote. The nightmares are sometimes so real that he borders on having hallucinations of his once co-dependent. In these "hallucinations", Venom is constantly looking over his shoulder, taunting him and telling him that he is anxious for him to die so he can finally be released from their symbiotic bond. Eddie tells Venom that he will die soon enough but oddly enough, he keeps holding on. This has prompted Eddie to start wondering why he is not dying. Is he part of something larger? A greater design?
This one day, Eddie lies in bed, his eyes riveted on the television hanging from the ceiling. He, like millions of other people around the world, is watching Spider-Man unmask. Then, days later, he is reading the newspaper, which has a story about Spider-man reverting back to wearing his black and white costume. Could it be a sign of things to come? As he ponders that question, he makes a discovery of staggering proportions when out on one of his daily strolls. Peter Parker's Aunt May (and Mary Jane) is coincidently hospitalized in the same hospital where he has been spending the last few months. As he races back toward his room – followed by another Venom hallucination – he wonders how that can be possible. Venom responds that it is what they have been waiting for.
Inside Aunt May's hospital room, Mary Jane paces around. She is a nervous wreck. She knows that the bullet that struck Aunt May was meant for her and that, had she been hit, her chances of survival would be greater than May's. She knows Peter is aware of it too, though he hasn't said anything about it. MJ doesn't think they would survive with that knowledge between them. Personally, MJ doesn't think she would survive, knowing that she is somewhat responsible for what has happened to May and what worse can now happen. She implores Aunt May to come back to them, not only for her sake and Peter’s but also for the world’s sake.
Elsewhere, clad in his black costume, Spider-Man patrols the city and comes about a mugging taking place. Fuelled with rage, he disposes of the muggers in brutal fashion, in less than a minute. Turning to the woman that was under attacked, he tells her to call the police and prepares to leave. The woman is taken aback that Spidey wants to leave so quickly, prompting him to ask her what she wants him to say. The woman replies that she is just surprised that he is not asking her if she is all right and offering her comfort. Spidey is speechless at first and then proceeds to ask if she is all right. The woman gives him a dirty look but replies that she is fine and thanks him. Spidey explains to her to go into the 24-hour diner around the corner where she will find a phone to call the cops. She will be safe there. The woman prepares to go but before she does, she asks Spidey if everything is fine with him; she can somehow feel that something is bothering him. Spidey does not reply and swings off into the night.
A short time later, he arrives at the sanctuary of Madame Web's, psychic extraordinaire. Madame Web had foreseen his visit so, after exchanging quick pleasantries, they get down to business. Spidey explains everything that has happened to him since unveiling his secret identity to the world and, once done with his explanations, he asks if she could perform a séance to somehow "reach" Aunt May to let her know that he (and MJ) are there, waiting for her to wake up. He is hoping that Madame Web can help him establish contact and throw her a lifeline, so to speak. Madame Web admits that it is possible to do what he asks of her; however, it all depends where Aunt May is and whether or not she wants to be reached. Spidey asks if she will at least try and she reveals that she had already decided to help him before he even crawled through the window in the first place. Her suitcases are packed and she’s ready to go.
Back at the hospital, Eddie Brock, tormented by his Venom hallucinations, is on his knees, praying God for guidance, understanding and meaning. He has, despite having killed many people in the past, vowed to preserve the lives of innocent. He just cannot make sense of the fact that the family of his greatest enemy are in the same hospital, helpless and unprotected. Fed up with Eddie's lack of guts, "Venom" seems to grow in size and tells Eddie that he has been given the opportunity of a lifetime to make something big out of his pathetic life. He – Venom – will not let Eddie waste that opportunity because he doesn't have the necessary guts. He points to a package sitting atop Eddie's bed and tells Eddie to stop pretending not knowing what he is talking about and to open the package. Eddie struggles to make sense of all this but soon comes to the realization that his "other half" is right. He now realizes why he ordered what's inside the package. Fingers trembling, he opens the package and slips a black Spider-Man costume on – hanging loosely on his wrecked body. It is nothing like the symbiote, but it is the only thing he now needs. Sitting in a nearby chair, "Venom" is pleased that Eddie has embraced his dark side once again.
To be continued.
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