Band of Blue TOCChapter 3 Clark made it home in minutes. That should have been impossible but Clark was beginning to wonder if that word applied to him anymore.
“Mom, Dad?” he called as he opened the kitchen door.
“Clark, oh Clark!” came his mother’s breathy voice. She put down the tea towel in her hand and rushed over to him. “Clark, I’m so glad you’ve come home.” She had her arms round his neck and was holding him close, like she used to when he was young and scraped his knee.
“Mom, I’m sorry,” Clark said, hugging her back, just as tight. “I’m still angry, but not in quite the same way as before.” He pulled away. “Is Dad around?”
She indicated with a nod of her head. “He’s in the barn fixing the tractor.”
Clark groaned. “The tractor, I forgot. Did he manage to get the part then?”
“Yes, sweetheart.” She smiled at him and reached out a hand to smooth back his hair then frowned. “What happened to your hair, Clark?”
He glanced upwards, as if he could see his own hair. “Oh, it gets all messy when I run at super-speed. I can’t keep it slicked back and smart.”
Martha moved away from Clark and turned to pick up the towel again. “So,” she said tentatively and quietly, “are you here to talk about it?”
“I think we need to, Mom,” Clark acknowledged. “I’ll go and get Dad.”
Clark walked out to the barn slowly, wondering what his first words would be but he never figured out what to say. He made it to the barn door and looked in. His father was under the tractor. It was held up by a jack and Clark could hear the sound of metal on metal along with his Dad’s murmurs and protests as the work didn’t go well.
Clark stared at the legs showing from under the tractor and wondered if things would have been different had they told him earlier. Would he have even believed them without the strange occurrences and emergence of his abilities? He sighed and called out to his father. “Dad?”
“Clark?” came the stunned reply. Jonathan Kent must have jerked under the tractor and hit the jack as it collapsed at that point. Clark saw it happen in slow motion; the lever releasing, the vehicle lowering. He kicked into high speed and was at the tractor in less than a second. Grabbing hold of the tractor he held it up and lifted. It felt lighter than a bag of sugar. He stood there holding it aloft, stunned.
“Clark, what ...” Jonathan rolled himself forwards and stood up. “Son, you are holding up the tractor!” he stated matter-of-factly.
“I know, Dad,” replied Clark, a tone of wonder in his voice.
“You can put it down now, son,” said his father and reached out a hand to Clark’s arm. Clark finally turned to look at his father and then lowered the tractor, slowly to the ground.
“I think we need to talk about all this, Dad.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Back in the kitchen Clark described all the abilities he had come across. He left the flames till last.
“What were you doing at the time?” asked Jonathan, ever looking for a practical solution.
“Er,” Clark paused, “I was looking at Lois’ legs.” He smiled, embarrassed.
“Lois?” asked his mother.
“Legs!” stated his father, in shock.
“Yes,” Clark couldn’t keep the smile from growing wider. “She’s Chloe’s cousin and she works at the Daily Planet. I have the desk opposite her. She was bending over the copier. Her skirt ...” he paused. “Her skirt ...” Again he paused. “I ... Mom ... it’s happening again. My eyes are prickling ... on fire.” He glanced across the room and the kitchen curtains leapt into flames.
“My goodness,” screamed Martha and she stumbled back off her stool. Clark stared at the flames in shock while Jonathan immediately sprang into action.
“Mom, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to do.” He apologised once the fire was out.
“Well, stop thinking about Lois’ legs for one thing,” came his Dad’s sarcastic reply.
“Dad, you really think that is what set it off?” he asked, disbelieving.
“Who knows, son, but you need to learn to control it.”
“Yes, but I’ve tried already with the hearing and the x-ray vision and it just comes and goes randomly.”
“Well, think of it this way, Clark.” Jonathan walked over and placed a hand on Clark’s shoulder. “It’s like a muscle. The more you practice with it, the more it responds to your brain’s commands. If you don’t use the muscle much then it’s not going to be very good at its job.”
“I suppose you are right Dad,” Clark acknowledged. He paused then looked up at his parents. “Can I see the ship again?”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Out in the storm cellar they all stood together. Jonathan stepped forward and pulled the sheet off revealing the hidden spaceship.
Clark slowly stepped forwards and reached out his hand. Touching it he began to feel a connection, an acceptance of his obscure origin. He trailed his hand along the side until he felt a ridge. Looking down he noticed a gap. “What’s this?” he asked.
Martha stepped forward. “I think this goes in that slot,” she said and held out an octagonal metal disk.
“Where ... where did that come from?” Clark asked.
“I’ve kept it hidden since that first day.” She looked scared.
Clark reached out his hand and took the disk from her. He took a deep breath then turned back to the ship. Bending down a little he lined up the shapes and then placed the metal disk in the slot.
The ship gently rose into the air and the domed top began to shimmer. Slots moved backwards and forwards and openings began to appear. After a short time the whole top slid away to reveal the inside. It was a small chamber, only big enough for a toddler.
I fit in there, though Clark.
I fell to earth in there. Suddenly a painful noise radiated around him. It pierced through his brain and caused such pain in his ears that he dropped to his knees. Trying to cover up his ears with his hands he screamed out in pain.
Jonathan acted swiftly and reached for the octagonal disk. The moment it was removed the sound disappeared and the spaceship returned to its previous state. Jonathan slipped the disk into his pocket. “Well, I guess we’re not opening that again in a hurry,” he stated.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois rang her cousin the moment she got home from work.
“So, Chlo. Tell me all about Clark Kent,” she immediately asked.
“And how are you Chloe!” Chloe replied. “Very well, thank you Lois, Nice to hear from you Lois, So glad you are thinking of me Lois!”
“Sorry cuz.” Lois took a breath and started the conversation again. “How are you? I haven’t seen you since the family do last year. I know we talk and text a lot but maybe we should meet up.” Lois genuinely missed her cousin.
“Hey Lois. I’m fine. I’m working on some plot lines for novels at the moment. I think they are going well.”
“Good, good!” Lois fidgeted. “So, spill all about Clark.” She couldn’t wait any longer.
“Lo, what is this? You refused to be involved yesterday.”
“Turns out he has ...” she paused ever so briefly, “the desk opposite mine.”
Keep your mind straight Lois. “I can’t figure him out. He’s not what I thought when you told me he was a farm boy. I expected Plaid and ... actually I didn’t get much chance to figure him out. He was only around for five minutes then he ran off. Is he always like that?”
“Clark ran off?” Chloe sounded surprised. “Why did he leave after only five minutes?”
“Said he had an appointment, but why would you book an appointment the morning you start a new job? Chlo, you said he was a reliable friend. That doesn’t scream reliable to me. I’m not having my desk mate disappear at the drop of a hat, unable to be relied upon.”
“Lo, Clark is the most trustworthy, reliable, dependable guy I know. He has a serious Truth and Justice complex. You should read his work as editor of The Torch. Always out to find the Truth and always after Justice and fairness for everyone. It’s what broke off his friendship with Lex. He found out that Lex was experimenting on Meteor infected kids. Yes they were bad, yes they committed crimes, yes they were even mentally disturbed but Clark was appalled at the treatment that Lex put them through.”
Lois was quiet on her end of the phone for a few moments. “Sounds boring.”
“Boy, Lois. Make up your mind.”
“Huh!”
“Do you want Clark to be mysterious and exciting – e.g. leaving for strange appointments at the drop of a hat, or do you want him reliable?” Chloe asked.
Do I want Clark Kent to be mysterious or reliable, she pondered.
Why am I even considering this? I don’t know the guy, he just happens to sit opposite me, he just happens to be my cousin’s best friend and he just happens to have ... stop it. Lois mentally slapped herself.
“I don’t want Clark Kent,” she emphatically replied to Chloe not realising she hadn’t quite answered the question as asked.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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