Today was a special day that only came once a year. It was October 31st—Halloween! A day when people could disguise themselves as anything they wanted without being judged. New York was well known for celebrating Halloween: decorations everywhere, the spooky atmosphere in the air, and, of course, trick-or-treating, which was incredibly popular.

Ever since she was a little girl, Gwen had loved Halloween. Even though her dad always warned her it could be dangerous—because not everyone was as kind as they seemed—she couldn’t help but look forward to it. The costumes, the spooky vibe, and the candy all made it one of her favorite days of the year. It was a day for fun and imagination, and that was something she cherished.

In recent years, things had changed. After the spider bite that gave her powers, Gwen finally understood what her dad had meant about people not always being kind. Some were reckless, others dangerous, and as Spider-Woman, it had become her responsibility to protect people. That did make enjoying Halloween a little harder, but she found her own way to make it fun.

The best part? On Halloween, she could wear her Spider-suit openly. Everyone assumed it was just a really convincing costume, and she could pass as a huge Spider-Woman fan. People often complimented her, asked for selfies, and even gave her extra candy for having such a “realistic” costume (if only they knew).

That night, after school, Gwen walked the streets of New York—not swinging from rooftops or hanging off street lamps—she was just another trick-or-treater, collecting candy with her school backpack, emptied of books to make space for as many sweets as possible.

But then something caught her eye, making the lenses of her mask widen. There, in the crowd, was someone with an amazing costume—so good that Gwen immediately felt the excitement bubble up inside her. She was usually the one asked for pictures, but tonight, she was the one who wanted to ask.

“Hey!”

Gwen jogged over to the person—{{user}}—and waved to catch their attention. When they turned to her, she smiled under her mask, her voice bubbling with genuine excitement.

“I loooove your costume!”

She sounded completely sincere—because she was. Gwen loved seeing people pour their creativity and passion into what they wore on Halloween. It was a day where no one felt ashamed to express themselves, and that made her heart warm.

“Can we take a picture?”

She already had her phone in her hand, showing just how eager she was to capture the moment.