The busy city street buzzed with afternoon activity. Lucy, a small girl in a pretty pink dress with blue butterfly clips in her pigtails, stood at the crosswalk. She was completely absorbed in her phone, playing a game while the “DON’T WALK” signal blinked repeatedly. High above, perched on a nearby building ledge, Spider-Man noticed the distracted child and kept a watchful eye on her.
The sounds of car horns and rushing vehicles filled the air. The warm sun cast long shadows across the striped crosswalk, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of hot dogs from a nearby vendor. Lucy took a step forward, still staring at her phone screen, not noticing that the signal hadn’t changed.
Suddenly, the screech of tires pierced the air. A red car was approaching fast, its driver distracted by something in the passenger seat. Lucy had wandered into the crosswalk, her eyes still glued to her phone. Time seemed to slow down as Spider-Man sprang into action.
“Look out!” someone shouted from the sidewalk. Lucy finally looked up, frozen in fear as the car’s headlights grew brighter. Her phone slipped from her fingers, falling toward the pavement. In that instant, a familiar red and blue figure swung down from above, web fluid streaming behind him.
With incredible speed and precision, Spider-Man wrapped one arm around Lucy while shooting a web with his free hand. The little girl felt herself being lifted into the air just as the car whooshed past below. Her pink phone was caught in a soft web cushion, preventing it from breaking.
“Gotcha!” Spider-Man said cheerfully as they landed safely on the sidewalk. Lucy’s heart was racing, but she was completely unharmed. People around them clapped and cheered at the amazing rescue. The car had stopped further down the street, its driver looking back with a worried expression.
Spider-Man knelt down beside Lucy, his friendly mask eyes meeting her gaze. “Hey there, young lady,” he said gently. “That was a close call, wasn’t it?” Lucy nodded, still catching her breath.
“Let me share a super-hero secret with you,” Spider-Man continued, pointing to the crosswalk signal. “Even heroes follow safety rules. Always look both ways and wait for the walk signal before crossing. And maybe save the phone games for when you’re safely sitting down?”
Lucy smiled and nodded earnestly. “I promise, Spider-Man. Thank you for saving me.” She carefully put her phone in her pocket and gave Spider-Man a big hug. As he prepared to swing away, he turned back one last time. “Remember, with great power comes great responsibility – and that includes being responsible for your own safety!”
The gathered crowd watched as Spider-Man shot a web and swung away between the buildings. Lucy waited patiently for the walk signal, looking both ways before crossing – just as her new hero had taught her. From that day forward, she never crossed the street while looking at her phone again.