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Joined: Jun 2006
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Pulitzer
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OP
Pulitzer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,690 Likes: 59 |
Good Night, Lois – Straight on ‘Till Morning
I hover in front of her window, hesitating to knock as I watch Lois sitting on her bed, her shoulders slumped. She should be out celebrating instead of spending her sixteenth birthday at home with her sister.
It's past ten p.m. and Lucy has already gone to bed. I look at the pitiful package in my hand, suitable perhaps as a birthday present. As a farewell gift - not so much.
Should I tell her that I’ve decided to go back to drifting after I broke up with Lana? That I believe it's easier to upend my roots altogether than continuing to live in the same city as Lana or move to Metropolis where Lois is so tantalizingly close?
At least as a drifter, I'm not going to put any of the people I'm close to in danger.
Lois rolls over onto the bed and stares ahead at the ceiling. She looks way too unhappy for someone who just turned sixteen. I just can't deliver another blow.
With a heavy sigh, I tap on her window. Her head whips around and a smile spreads across her lips. She jumps up from her bed and rushes over to the window to let me in.
As soon as I’ve made it past the window sill, she wraps her arms around my shoulders and buries her face in the crook of my neck.
“Happy Birthday.” I mumble into her hair.
“I'm so glad you came,” she whispers, her voice cracking with tears that she's managed to keep in until now.
I'm fooling myself when I think she doesn't need me anymore, that my leaving is just speeding along the inevitable. And as I breathe in her soft scent, feel the comfort of her presence wash over me, chasing away the troubling thoughts, I know that I need her too.
For a while we just stand there, leaning onto each other for support. There's no room here for someone like Trask who's desperate for a way to get rid of Superman. No place for parents that leave their daughter alone on her sixteenth birthday.
“I'm so sorry I couldn't come earlier,” I rasp.
She shakes her head. “No need to apologize. You rescued people from that avalanche.”
“Still, you shouldn't have been alone on such a day.”
“Yeah, it figures that Daddy had to work.” She snorts. “At least Mom is in rehab trying to get her life back on track. If she manages to go through with it this time, maybe Lucy will have a sixteenth birthday worth remembering.”
Her gaze drops to the package in my hand and the bitter lines around her mouth soften.
“What’s this?”
My cheeks grow hot. “Nothing much.”
Suddenly I'm embarrassed about the pen and notebook I got her to write down the notes for her next big story. I put the present on her desk and reach for her hands.
“You can open your present later. First, let's see if we can make your birthday memorable after all.” With a sudden rush of excitement, I pull her towards the window. I’ve never taken anyone flying before. Not as Clark.
“Where are you taking me?” Her eyes sparkle like they did the very first night I met her.
And suddenly I remember what I learned from her and why I have to make this work, regardless of where I am. No matter how dire life is, it needs a little fantasy.
I wink at her. “Past the second star on the right and straight on ‘till morning.”
Last edited by Darth Michael; 01/15/25 03:06 PM. Reason: added blue arrow icon
It's never too dark to be cool. 
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,690 Likes: 59
Pulitzer
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OP
Pulitzer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,690 Likes: 59 |
Happy Ficlet Friday! Comments can go down here. TOC
It's never too dark to be cool.
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Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 298 Likes: 45
Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 298 Likes: 45 |
What a wonderful ficlet Friday treat this is! She should be out celebrating instead of spending her sixteenth birthday at home with her sister. Her parents are just the absolute worst. Should I tell her that I’ve decided to go back to drifting after I broke up with Lana? That I believe it's easier to upend my roots altogether than continuing to live in the same city as Lana or move to Metropolis where Lois is so tantalizingly close? Nooooo.... I just can't deliver another blow. YES! Good! I love that you had him come around on this much more quickly than in the series when he tried to break up with her for her own good. “I'm so glad you came,” she whispers, her voice cracking with tears that she's managed to keep in until now. OMG, you really get points for writing the loneliest kid on the planet.  For a while we just stand there, leaning onto each other for support. Ok, the two loneliest people on the planet. “At least Mom is in rehab trying to get her life back on track. If she manages to go through with it this time, maybe Lucy will have a sixteenth birthday worth remembering.” This is such a balanced combination of bitter and hopeful. Suddenly I'm embarrassed about the pen and notebook I got her to write down the notes for her next big story. Awwww! But that's such a good gift! At least someone takes her seriously. With a sudden rush of excitement, I pull her towards the window. I’ve never taken anyone flying before. Not as Clark. Shut the front door - this is SUCH a good gift!! And suddenly I remember what I learned from her and why I have to make this work, regardless of where I am. No matter how dire life is, it needs a little fantasy. As much as I still have trouble with the age difference (just a personal thing), in spite of Clark's clear above-board behavior, it's little moments like this that really make this series incredibly touching. I wink at her. “Past the second star on the right and straight on ‘till morning.” Annnnnnnd I'm dead. OK, that's a PERFECT, magical tie-in. This whole series has been so intimately melancholy - can't wait to see where they go next!
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Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 413 Likes: 42
Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 413 Likes: 42 |
Thank you for making Ficlet Friday so special! I love this series and this chapter was touching. I’m so glad Clark changed his mind about going back to drifting. They need each other. Down the line their age difference won’t matter as much.
My favorite line is below. It’s perfect!
I wink at her. “Past the second star on the right and straight on ‘till morning.”
I can’t wait for next Friday! Thank you!
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Posts: 89 Likes: 10
Freelance Reporter
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Freelance Reporter
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 89 Likes: 10 |
This one was so sweet.
Flying with Clark! Best gift EVER!
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,848 Likes: 45
Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,848 Likes: 45 |
He has such a generous heart for Lois. Even when he is sad he thinks about her.
What a great closing line...straight on till morning indeed. Flying!
Morgana
A writer's job is to think of new plots and create characters who stay with you long after the final page has been read. If that mission is accomplished than we have done what we set out to do, which is to entertain and hopefully educate.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,690 Likes: 59
Pulitzer
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OP
Pulitzer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,690 Likes: 59 |
Thank you all so much for your feedback. I'm feeling a bit down with a cold, so I might need to take a break from writing this week.
It's never too dark to be cool.
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,848 Likes: 45
Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,848 Likes: 45 |
Bakasi: Hot tea, lemon and ginger always helps me! 
Last edited by Morgana; 01/13/25 02:58 PM.
Morgana
A writer's job is to think of new plots and create characters who stay with you long after the final page has been read. If that mission is accomplished than we have done what we set out to do, which is to entertain and hopefully educate.
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Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 413 Likes: 42
Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 413 Likes: 42 |
Bakasi, I hope you feel better soon!
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,120 Likes: 41
Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,120 Likes: 41 |
Hi Barbara! Hope you’re feeling better soon! She should be out celebrating instead of spending her sixteenth birthday at home with her sister. Yeah, well… I look at the pitiful package in my hand, suitable perhaps as a birthday present. As a farewell gift – not so much.  Should I tell her that I’ve decided to go back to drifting after I broke up with Lana? /Psst/ it’s called ‘floating’, not ‘drifting’ what he does in his sleep  That I believe it’s easier to upend my roots altogether than continuing to live in the same city as Lana or move to Metropolis where Lois is so tantalizingly close? If he says it like that, he might give the wrong Impression. Lois rolls over onto the bed and stares ahead at the ceiling. She looks way too unhappy for someone who just turned sixteen. I just can’t deliver another blow. Loophole! “Happy Birthday.” I mumble into her hair.
“I’m so glad you came,” she whispers, her voice cracking with tears that she’s managed to keep in until now. At least one person remembered? Also, saying farewell on her birthday, that would not have gone over well. There’s no room here for someone like Trask who’s desperate for a way to get rid of Superman. Her gaze drops to the package in my hand and the bitter lines around her mouth soften. Poor sixteen year-old dear! “Where are you taking me?” Her eyes sparkle like they did the very first night I met her. Danger! Danger! Danger! No matter how dire life is, it needs a little fantasy. /Points at fanfic/ wink at her. “Past the second star on the right and straight on ‘till morning.” Awwwww Looing forward to the next one, obviously!   Michael Edit: reading Evie's the FDK, I guess I must have been more tired than I thought because, pen! notepad! flying! 
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,690 Likes: 59
Pulitzer
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OP
Pulitzer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,690 Likes: 59 |
Hope you’re feeling better soon! I do feel better. Thank you all for your good wishes and your feedback. Now the kids are down sick. The muse will rest in suspended animation until they are better, too. Lack of sleep and worrying too much isn't good for inspiration. 
It's never too dark to be cool.
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,120 Likes: 41
Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,120 Likes: 41 |
Thanks for the update, Barbara!  Did Clark ever get to take care of a sick Lois? Hope your kids get better, soon, too! Rabid readers will be here when you get back to it! Michael
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,690 Likes: 59
Pulitzer
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OP
Pulitzer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,690 Likes: 59 |
Mmhh, for some reason I never feel like torturing Lois that way. I'd thought about letting him help Lois take care of a sick Lucy. But the kids have grown too old already.
It's never too dark to be cool.
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