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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,181 Likes: 29 |
It had been a good day.
Clark stirred through the chunks of steak as they sizzled in the pan.
A good day - a day of constant activity - both physical and mental.
For so long, there had been no outlet for the tumult of thoughts that plagued him. In the prison, he could do nothing - so they had piled up, twisting and churning to create a fragmented mass of confusion.
Even in the car as he'd travelled with Lois, there had been no way to take positive action to deal with his fears and uncertainties.
But today ...
When he'd seen something needing attention, he'd located the necessary tools and done the job - quickly, efficiently, satisfyingly.
And being active with his hands had unshackled his mind. Thanks! Corrina.
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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Dec 2005
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Delightful part. I loved the encounter with Rachel.
Enjoyed the small town love and concern, expressed in very practical ways, it was quite touching.
Framework4
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Loved this whole part. It was very uplifting! It was nice for a change to have the whole thing go well. I suppose the bad farm hand was a warning to Clark but other then that everything was rosie. Thanks for that! Laura
Clark: “If we can be born in an instant, and die in an instant, why can’t we fall in love in an instant?”
Caroline's "Stardust"
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
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"The Kent family was taken by representatives of a foreign agency whose information was hopelessly compromised," Lois said.
"But surely ... as soon as the mistake was realised ..."
"By then, the Kents had been removed from the United States." Lois pushed her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "My agency has been working to locate them and negotiate their return."
"It took *seven* years?"
"Very few rogue agencies are willing to admit to mistakes," Lois said grimly. "Even fewer are willing to make restitution."
"So you kidnapped him back?" the male cop asked incredulously. I said in my previous feedback that I'd have to wait and see the details to know how I felt about Lois's cover story. Now, having seen them, I have to say ... OK, I'm sold.  Given what Clark has gone through, this is probably the most logical solution you/Lois could come up with. You can't just have Clark and his mother off on a 7 year vacation or leading any type of a normal life elsewhere because there is no way to hide the trauma that Clark (and likely Martha) have gone through. And this is a pretty clever way to work around that. The old adage about "the best lie is one close to the truth" certainly applies here -- Clark was kidnapped, he was held prisoner, he got separated from his parents, it took seven years to free him, and now he's back but with a lot of baggage. All true. The only thing that is made up is who kidnapped him and why. And who is going to push if Clark looks distressed and says, "I don't want to talk about those years," in response to any questions? Speculation might run rampant for awhile, but everyone will assume that it was pretty bad and give him the time and space he needs. Like with a soldier coming back from war after being captured, it would be the ultimate social faux pas to push for details. So congrats to you for, as expected, once again impressing me with your plotting prowess.  Kathy
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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what Kathy said---great move with that believable cover story.
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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love the cover story!!!
Fantastic chapter, as always. I enjoyed seeing Clark interact with Rachel and Wayne - and what a great guy Wayne is!!!
LOIS:I don't like you.
MAYSON: Really? Oh god, that is such a relief - I don't like you either.
LOIS: That makes me feel so much better
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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Thank goodness it was only Rachel! And as others have said, delightful encounter. You've captured the small town charm rather well -- people would be helpful and react in much the same way, I think. Being an ex-pat American, your small town touches make me just a bit homesick, which says a lot about your writing ability. Great chapter -- glad no immediate danger was in the forefront, but we all know some shadows may rear their ugly heads in the near future... Looking forward to where you take us next! 
Reach for the moon, for even if you fail, you'll still land among the stars... and who knows? Maybe you'll meet Superman along the way. 
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Still loving and enjoying reading this story. GREAT GREAT GREAT job!!!!!!!!
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Columnist
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Columnist
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Great part again! I am glad that Rachel accompanied the other officer to the farmhouse and you described the small town hospitality really well. I liked your cover story, and as Kathy noted, sticking closer to the truth in this case might be best. And I think it was great for Clark do something - like what you refer to in the preview - especially after 7 years of only your thoughts to keep you busy. Looking forward to more! 
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Blogger
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Blogger
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To mirror words you have said in the past. "I may not know much about secret agencies..." You are doing a very impressive job! As others have said, the cover story is very believable and you've played it off well. We as the reader buy into it.
My only critique is with the officers when they are banging on the door. When approaching any unknown situation, their stance is to have the gun holster unbuttoned, and their hand near the weapon when a door opens. A friend of mine used to be a police officer from a while ago, so it's pretty safe to say that technique has been around for many years.
This is a wonderfully believable story that keeps us all intrigued, word by word! You really are a fantastic writer!
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. -- Albert Einstein
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Features Writer
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Features Writer
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Oh, I absolutely loved the paragraph where Lois thinks on how different Clark now seems from the prisoner she first saw, and yet she realizes that he is the same, always Clark. It was beautiful...and so true in any L&C story!
You did a fabulous job on portraying Clark's trouble with conversation, interaction, and physical touch. I would imagine after Trask, Moyne, and all the Kryptonite torture, any gesture, move, or touch could be construed as an attack almost by habit, and I loved how you brought that out. It also, by contrast, shows how much he trusts Lois in that he allows her to touch him much more freely.
Wayne is certainly a very good neighbor, and it was nice to see him come through for Clark. He needs some good turns after all the bad that has been happening to him for the last seven years.
I think Lois bringing him here was a great idea. He's been brainwashed into believing Trask's viewpoint of him--he needs to be reminded that he did live for twenty-one years as a Human and did well. Already I've seen progress, and it'll be nice to see him start remembering everything that came before the prison and the Kryptonite.
Can't wait for more. Thanks!
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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Well, if you have to leave us waiting for a bit, this was certainly a satisfying chapter to give us first. Great stuff! Now here's hoping the best for your ficathon story getting out! We'll be waiting patiently, well sort of... 
EvelynC
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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Wayne wins the neighbor of the year award...for the last seven years. When Lois said he'd been keeping up the farm, I imagined basic maintenance, not actually raising crops and livestock. That's a *lot* of work. What a blessing for Clark and Martha. I'm still dubious about the wisdom of Clark resuming his real identity. If Menzies cares enough to check, he'll quickly realize that Scardino lied to him. OTOH, we can hope that all the bad guys will figure that allowing Lois's cover story to stand is the easiest way to deal with the whole fiasco. Still, Lois is taking a big risk. But, then, what's a story without potential conflict?
This *is* my happily ever after.
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Really enjoyed this update. "By your agency?" Clark couldn't see Lois's silent response to the question, but he saw Rachel's slight grimace before trying to regain ground by answering her own question, "No. No, of course not. That's ridiculous." Haha, I bet I can picture the kind of look Rachel received. Like Kathy said, I think the cover story worked really well. Rachel smiled as if at a memory. "Well, he *was* my date to the senior prom."
Lois straightened her shoulders a little, and the two women stared at each other. Hee. "They're your friends, Clark," Lois reminded him gently as she unpacked the bagels and coffee he had bought in North Carolina. <waves to Clark as he passes through>  I haven't a clue as to how they're going to begin to look for Martha, but I can't wait to see it unfold. Maybe Scardino has some info? On that note I wonder if Menzies has thought at all about Clark's parents being loose ends as well and will take action or just leave it at 'alien and compound were destroyed'. Wayne definitely wins 'best neighbor award'. I wonder when/if Clark will process the comment about the stranger at the Irig farm. Anxiously awaiting the next part!
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,070 Likes: 31 |
A large male police officer had lifted his hand to thump on the door again. Fear constricted Clark's chest. Then, as Lois opened the door, he noticed the second person - it was Rachel Harris, wearing the Sheriff's badge. Aha!!! And you're mean, you know? Clark hoped it meant that they had accepted whatever ID Lois had given them. Yeah, flashing federal ID can work wonders on small town sheriffs. Or get them really really ticked off. "By your agency?" Clark couldn't see Lois's silent response to the question, but he saw Rachel's slight grimace before trying to regain ground by answering her own question, "No. No, of course not. That's ridiculous." Uhm... yeah. Oops? "But surely ... as soon as the mistake was realised ..." We did our best to cover things up. Unfortunately, the agent in charge wouldn't shoot to kill, so... "Would you call Clark, please?" Rachel asked. "He won't know my colleague, but he shouldn't find me too daunting."
"Why you in particular?" Lois asked coolly.
Rachel smiled as if at a memory. "Well, he *was* my date to the senior prom."
Lois straightened her shoulders a little, and the two women stared at each other. Oh boy... Catfight? And what happens when Lana gets there, too? I had an assignment once where my cover was as an exchange horticultural student.
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Just bumping this to the top since it's been a while that we've seen a new installment!! That's not a nag or anything.....ok it is.
"We're both barefoot, both flushed, and we both look guilty as hell. Clark has finger-combed his hair but I'm positive mine looks like I was just f… fished out of the river."
<3 this fic!
'The Next Step' By Sue S.
Avatar by Shred
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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Posts: 483 Likes: 6 |
Don't worry, Female Hawk will post the next part soon I think. She only put this on hold because of her Ficaton-Story. I'm sure she said so somewhere but I can't find it. Kathryn
Kathryn
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Peeking in... 
Clark: “If we can be born in an instant, and die in an instant, why can’t we fall in love in an instant?”
Caroline's "Stardust"
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,181 Likes: 29
Kerth
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OP
Kerth
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,181 Likes: 29 |
A very quick update.
I hadn't intended to write my ficathon fic just yet, but my muse got excited and dumped TMTY.
When I got back to TMTY, I realised why he had dropped it so easily - it had gone horribly astray and needed a rewrite.
Anyway, I've fixed 17 and have 18 and half of 19 written.
Thanks so much for all the FDK - I'll try to keep the wait as short as possible, (1-2 days) but I'd prefer not to continue posting until I'm back on track again.
Corrina.
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,070 Likes: 31 |
Rewrite? Oh boy. Don't tell me. Moyne got to kill Clark, make it look like Clark went all alien on Lois before the angry Smallville mob cut Moyne to pieces? And meanwhile, Scardino was out, chasing the Russian mob and getting himself killed.
Michael, sitting back and waiting sort of patiently for 2-3 additional days.
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