October 1989
Out in space a shower of meteors and a spaceship of unknown origin head towards Earth.
Meanwhile, in Smallville, Kansas a road divides a cornfield a sign proclaims "Smallville Kansas Pop., 25,001 Creamed Corn Capital of the World!" Passing overhead is a blue and white helicopter with the name Luthorcorp stenciled on its side. Inside the helicopter aside from the pilot is a father and son, the father has long brown hair, a beard and blue eyes and is wearing a business suit, A red haired 9-year olf boy is similarly attired as his father, his eyes are closed and doesn't seem to be enjoying the helicopter ride his father is providing him. "Lex," Lionel Luthor exclaimed to his son, "Open your eyes Lex! Luthors are not afraid. We're leaders, Lex!" The helicopter continued on towards the creamed corn factory off in the distance. Lionel Luthor sighed with esasperation. Not for the first time in disappointment with his son.
A blonde-haired man with brown eyes in a checkered button down shirt, blue jeans and brown work boots opened the door for a red-haired woman with blue eyes wearing a blue pleated dress walked into Nell Potter's Floral shop, Nell Potter was a 30-something woman with dark hair and brown eyes, she put down the potted plant she was working on and smiled at the customers who walked though her door. Her niece, Lana Lang was dressed in her fairy queen costume complete with starred wand, she had dark hair and blue eyes. The blonde haired man said, "I'd like some tulips for my wife." The red-haired woman greeted the young child, saying, "Hello Lana." "Hello, Mr and Mrs Kent," replied Lana. "Good afternood Jonathan," said the florist, "Are you sure I can't interest you in some tiger lilies, we're having a special on them today." "No thanks Nell," said Jonathan, "Martha has her heart set on tulips." "Very well Jonathan, would you like a dozen?" Nell asked. "That will do fine," said Jonathan Kent. Martha addressed the little girl, "That's a beautiful dress Lana, are you a princess?" "A fairy princess, Lana amended. "Where are your parents?" Martha asked. "They are at the homecoming game," Nell explained, "I am being a good Aunt and babysitting for them while they are gone." "Do you want to make a wish?" Lana said. "I would love to make a wish," Martha said playing along as she closed her eyes pretending to make a wish. "Abracadabra!" Lana said as she waved her pretend fairy wand.
Nell wrapped up the dozen tulips and gave them to Jonathan, Jonathan paid her, and then took Martha by the hand and they both walked out the door of the shop. Jonathan and Martha walked to their red pickup truck, a parade was going by on the streets of downtown Smallville. Jonathan opened the door for his wife, who then got in, then he walked over to the other side of the truck where he got in himself, turning the ignition on, The Kents pulled out of their parking space at the side of the road and started heading toward their farm on the outskirts of town. After driving for a bit, Jonathan commented, "I know what you wished for." "Do you now?" Martha asked. "To see another face in that parade," Jonathan said indicating the parade they were leaving behind, "Hey look!" Jonathan continued, "Looks like Smallville won again!"
Deep in space the meteors approached the Earth along with that mysterious spaceship, they were beginning to enter the atmosphere.
Lex stood outside the creamed corn factory, his father was negotiating a deal to buy, he heard a voice coming from the corn fields saying "Help Me!" Lex wasn't sure he heard it, it was very faint, he wasn't sure he should go into the field, but his curiosity got the better of him and he entered the rows of corn. As he proceeded into the cornfield he heard someone say, "Help me," this time a little louder. Lex was somewhat fearful, he'd seen way too many horror movies about this sort of thing, he backed off away from the voice and bumped into a scare crow, Lex ran and bumped into a wooden post, there was a teenage boy striped down to his boxer shorts tied to the post, the boy said, "Hey kid, could you get me down from here?" Before Lex could do anything about it, a meteor stuck the cornfield not too far away with a big "Thoom!" Lex from the dust cloud it kicked up, but he couldn't run fast enough, first it engulfed the kid tied to the wooded post in the field, then it overtook Lex Luthor.
Martha were driving down the country road with their farm in site when the meteors hit, one was streaking down from the sky and impacted the Kent's field. "Jonathan!" Martha yelled, "What's going on?" I don't know said Jonathan, when suddenly another meteor streaked downward from the sky with a trail of smoke and impacted the road in front of the truck. Jonathan slammed on the brakes, but it was too late, the truck fell into the crater and flipped over.
When Jonathan and Martha came too, they were hanging upside down by their seatbelts, the windshield was cracked. Jonathan was about ready to release his seatbelt and catch him on the ceiling of the passenger compartment, when he noticed a blond haired girl with blue eyes, of about 3, she was naked. "Hello," said Jonathan, "where are your parents?" The blonde girl just smiled. Not understanding. Jonathan and Martha released their seatbelts and fell out of their seats crawling out of the driver side Jonathan got out followed by Martha. "What's your name?" Martha asked. The little blonde girl just stared blankly again not understanding. "Come on little dear, let's find your parents, they walked down the ditch carved by the meteor. "I don't get it," Jonathan said, not finding any other cars on the road, "where are her parents?" As if in answer to Jonathan's question, the ditch ended at a tiny spaceship. "I don't think her parents are from around here," Martha added.
Lionel Luthor was panicked, he was just negotiating a purchase with the owners of the factory when he heard a series of explosions outside, he ran outside only to find a crater in the cornfield surrounded by flattened cornstalks. "Lex! … Lex!" Lionel called suddenly panicked about his missing son, Lex was about to go for help when he saw something amid the flattened cornstalks, a piece of Lex's red hair, encouraged by this, Lionel started sifting through the cornstalks and uncovered his son, bald. Lionel backed away horror stricken. Lex was unconscious on the ground. Lionel bent down and picked up his son.
Smallville, October 2001
A lonely two-lane highway divides the cornfield, this time the sign says, "Smallville, Kansas pop. 45,001: Meteor Capital of the World!"
A tall blonde girl with cornflower blue eyes stood in front of her mirror applying makeup. "Claire, you better hurry up, you're going to miss the bus!" Martha said. "That's all right Mom, I've got a ride." said the tall blonde girl. Claire braided her shoulder length hair, put on blue jean shorts and a t-shirt that came up short of her waist belt exposing her mid-drift, packed her lunch, cheerleader uniform and her school books, she stepped outside just as the school bus pulled away, Claire shrugged her shoulders, she could run through the cornfields and beat the bus to school, but she wanted to try out her other attributes first. Claire walked to the end of the Kent farm driveway exposing her sheer legs and stuck out her thumb, after all, she reasoned, what did she have to worry about? A number of cars and trucks passed by, but it didn't take long.
A red pickup truck pulled over, a brown bearded man with blue eyes was driving his truck with his tow-haired brown eyed son. The son rolled down the window, "Are you crazy!" shouted the bearded man, "a girl like you shouldn't be hitchhiking!" "Aw come on Dad, let's give her a ride to school before some creep picks her up," said the son. The boy opened up the door and moved over. Claire got in. The boy seemed acutely aware of Claire's curves. "Hello," said the boy holding out his hand, "your Claire Kent aren't you." Claire nodded in the affirmative. "My name is Frank Carter," said the boy. "Pleased to meet you Frank," said Claire.
The bearded man said, "Hello, my name is William." Claire replied, "Pleased to meet you William." William Carter added, "But you can call me Will. I just moved in with my son, got a job with Luthorcorp, I'm a chemical engineer we're originally from New York. Now I have to ask, you're going to Smallville High School right? I don't have time to take detours, I have just enough time to drop off my son and be at work by nine." "Smallville High school will be fine," Claire said, "How do you know my name?" "Saw you in the hallways between classes, caught some snatches of conversation between you and your friends," said Frank. "Oh so you've been shadowing me," Claire said, "so why were you shadowing me?" "I was wondering if you're going to the homecoming dance," said Frank. "Maybe," replied Claire. "Are you going with somebody or by yourself?" "Maybe with somebody and maybe alone if I'm going at all, which I have not yet decided." Claire said, "it all depends on who asks, and what they say. Why do you ask?" "I was hoping to find someone to go to the dance with me." Frank said. "Well I hope you do," said Claire, "Good luck."
The truck pulled up to the sidewalk in front of the high school. "Thanks for the ride, "Claire said as she got out and flung her book bag over her shoulder. Frank got out quickly and followed her. Will looked embarrassed as he pulled away from the scene. Whitney approached Claire in the hallway, "Hello Claire, "he said, "You going to the homecoming dance this weekend?" "Maybe, "said Claire batting her eye lashes. "Would you like to go out with me?" asked Whitney. "Aren't you going out with Lana?" "We broke up," Whitney said. "Too bad," Claire replied, "I thought you two were a cute couple. Either way, I'm not going out with one of Lana's ex –boyfriends. Besides I've already got a date," Claire said putting an arm around Frank. Whitney glared at Frank, and then said, "You've got to be crazy, he's obviously a freshman!" "So?" said Claire, "I am too, and you're a senior I believe, you'll be gone next year unless somehow you don't graduate." Whitney was furious, just before he stormed off, he turned around and said, "You better watch yourself kid!" Claire turned to Frank, who was looking a little pale at that moment, "Okay, you've got me for the homecoming dance, you sure you want me? Not going to let Whitney scare you off are you?" Frank reluctantly said "no." "I wouldn't worry about Whitney so much; he's just in a foul mood. I've told him a number of times; I'm not going out with any of Lana's current or former boyfriends so long as I'm friends with her!" Claire said as she tore out a piece of paper from her notebook, she jotted down a number with her ball point pen, you can call me after school if you like, or perhaps meet me during lunch if you got the first lunch period." Frank walked away hardly believing what happened, to Frank Claire looked a lot like a blonde supermodel from the cover of Vogue Magazine; he couldn't really believe she would go the dance with him.
Claire entered homeroom which was also her social studies class, The teacher stood in front of a map of the World, eyed her, and then looked at the clock, and said, "You late, Miss Kent!" "I'm sorry Mr. Peterson," Claire said, "I was fending off would be suitors for the Homecoming dance." Claire put on her most innocent and angelic smile as she batted her long dark eyelashes, the teacher got on with attendance. Claire was finding she could use all sorts of powers besides he special abilities.
Lex Luthor drove his sports car onto the specially marked parking space of the Luthorcorp Fertilizer factory #3. "Thanks Dad," Lex said sarcastically. William Carter walked past him carefully averting his gaze. Lex walked inside the building which was formerly the Smallville creamed corn canning facility.
Frank Carter entered the lunchroom from the cafeteria with a square of Lasagna, a bowl of fruit and a pint of milk on his tray, he scanned the tables ahead, he found Claire sitting down with a black guy, and another blonde woman with wavy blonde hair and brown eyes, and an exotic looking girl with straight black hair and blue eyes. Frank decided to walk over to that table. Claire was working on the meatloaf on her tray, without missing a beat she introduced Frank to her friends, "This is my hallway stalker Frank Carter, whom I'm going to the Homecoming Dance with. Frank these are my friends are my friends Chloe Sullivan, Lana Lang and Pete Ross, perhaps next time you'll try introducing yourself sooner in the school year instead of 'lurking in the shadows'." "Well I guess I was shy," Frank confessed. "What were you afraid of, that I might say no?" Claire asked. "Well I didn't expect you to say 'yes', I just don't like being rejected as I have so many times in the past, and you seem out of my league as one of the more popular girls in school I mean." Frank said. "I'm popular because of my looks," Claire said, "Whitney was annoying me with his asking me to the dance when he knew I would say no, I told him before, I don't go out with people Lana's been dating or has dated. I agreed to go to the homecoming dance to end this discussion with him." Frank sat down at the table with Claire's circle of friends. Chloe, extended her hand, Frank shook it. "I was discussing before you arrived," Chloe said, "That there have been strange things going on around Smallville since the meteor shower of 1989." "There was a meteor shower?" Frank asked, "I didn't know that." "So what brings you to our little town?" Lana asked as she extended her arm, "I haven't seen you before this school year, so you must be new in town." "Actually I arrived this September, I was brought here by the 9/11 attack, where my mother died, my parents were divorced, so naturally I moved in with my Dad here in Smallville." "Oh I so sorry to hear that,' Lana said with sympathy, "My parents died in the meteor shower Chloe spoke of." Pete Ross extended his hand, and Frank took it, "Pleased to meet you Frank, I'm a friend of Chloe's, we run a little school newspaper called 'the Torch'. You should ask Chloe about her 'Wall of Weird', she's been collecting newspaper articles and magazine clippings about all the weird stuff that has been occurring in Smallville ever since that meteor shower." Frank turned to Chloe, "What sort of weird stuff?" "If you finish your lunch soon enough, I just might have enough time to show you." Chloe said with a smile.
The five kids entered the School newspaper office. Chloe said dramatically, "I would like to introduce you to my 'Wall of Weird'! Frank looked at a particle board on the wall that was covered with newspaper clippings and magazine articles, one about a man with four fingers on one hand and six on the other, a cover of Time Magazine stood out with a small dark-haired girl on it, titled 'Heartbreak in the Heartland' it was dated September 1989, with a start Frank realized that the girl on the cover was Lana. Frank looked at Lana and then back at the magazine cover. "Yes, that's me," Lana admitted, "So it seems we have something in common in that we both lost parents."
Later on after school, there was football practice, Whitney Fordham caught the football and ran towards the end field as a bunch of linebackers closed in on him for the tackle. Frank wasn't paying much attention, he was watching the cheerleaders going through their routines in their blue shirts with a golden 'S' for Smallville, red miniskirts and red boots. "Your hopeless Frank," Claire said, "Can't you find something to do after school other than watch us practice? You know were just friends, don't you?" "I guess," Frank admitted. "But your hoping for more, aren't you?" Claire persisted. Frank shrugged. "Look I agreed to go out with you because you were slightly less annoying that Whitney. I know that you think if you go out with me, it might make you more popular to be seen with me. I know its hard starting off at a new school among strangers, but you should find some activity to fill your time besides watching a cheerleader squad during practice. Why don't you join Chloe's newspaper, it meets on Wednesday, I'll be there." "Alright," Frank agreed.
Jeremy Creek (looking exactly as he did twelve years ago) skulked around the school, of particular interest to him was a football trophy case, he then breaks it and steals a picture of three smiling football players.
Lex was driving his sports car from Luthorcorp fertilizer factory no. 3, he was heading towards a bridge when he received a phone call on his cell, a truck was approaching in the opposite lane. A blonde-haired girl was standing on the side of the bridge looking down at the river below. "Hello," Lex said as he answered the phone, he looked back up at the road ahead to find the truck had dropped a wire fence that was rolling into his lane. Lex slammed on the brakes, his car ran over the fence and experienced a blowout, swerving go avoid the oncoming car, to his horror he hit the girl and his car went over the side of the bridges with the girl tumbling ahead into the river below, the Lex hit his head on the windshield as lost consciousness as the water came pouring into his car.
Claire ripped the roof off the car, snapping of Lex's seatbelt she pulled him to the surface and dragged him onto the shore, compressing his belly; some water came out of Lex's mouth. "Come on, don't die on me now!" Claire said as she pumped the water out of Lex's lungs, then she placed her lips on Lex's lips and blew. Lex exhaled and coughed up some more water. As Lex heaved the remaining water from his lungs, he noticed the girl he'd hit on the bridge was standing over him, she wore tall red boots, a blue miniskirt, and a red shirt with a golden 'S' on it. "A cheerleader huh?" Lex asked. "Yes, I was practiced with my squad this afternoon and decided to walk home, when I saw your car go off the bridge, I jumped in after you." "That can't be I swear I hit you!" Lex said. "Well it looks like you hit your head, are you sure? I jumped out of the way just before you would have hit me and we both went tumbling over the side. Lex rubbed his bald forehead, it did hurt. "Maybe," he admitted.
Frank Salvatore finished working on the engine of the car in his garage, when he closed the hood, he wasn't alone a 14-year old kid stood in the darkness of the dimly lit garage. "Geez kid, you nearly scared the crap out of me, don't I know you," said the mechanic. There did indeed seem to be something familiar about him, the mechanic thought, the kid reminded him of someone he knew from his days at Smallville High School. The kid seemed to be waiting for something, then the mechanic remembered the day of the football championship, which was also the day those meteors hit, the kid looked like Jeremy Creek that he and his friends tied up to a scarecrow post that day, he was never seen again. "You look like that scarecrow kid," said the mechanic. That was what the kid seemed to be waiting for, as he held out his hands and started moving forward. "Hey freakazoid, I'm talking to you!" With that electricity began to arc from the boys finger tips striking a pan of grease nearby catching it on fire. The mechanic suddenly figured out what the boy wanted, payback, "Hey wait a minute, that was 12 years ago, it was just fun and games," he said, "do you want?!" Waiting for his moment, Jeremy Creek finally answered, "To play!" with that lighting arched from his fingertips spreading out in a fan like pattern setting fire to whatever would burn.
Claire, Chloe, Pete, and Frank were at the scene of the mechanics garage after school that day snapping pictures a man was out on a stretcher being loaded onto an ambulance, a kid is standing near the scene, he doesn't look familiar so on a hunch Chloe snaps his picture too. Back at the Torch Office, Chloe finds another picture of him in a 12-year old Smallville High yearbook. "That's impossible," Claire said, "that can't be him, he would have to be 26 by now! Frank was looking through the Smallville Tribune archives in the office, "Hey, looks like I found something," announced Frank, "there's an article about the Meteor shower of 1989, it mentions a meteor strike near the cream corn plant. In a corn field, two kids were apparently found in it, the child of Luthorcorp CEO Lionel Luthor who was found bald, and a 14 year old Jeremy Creek who was found in a coma. There is a further article, it mentioned because of an electrolyte imbalance he stayed in a coma, and woke up during a lightning storm and escaped about a week ago." Pete said, " I remember the paramedics saying that some of the burns the mechanic suffered were electrical."
Claire got home later that day; she noticed a bright red truck with a bow on it in the driveway. Martha Kent was standing outside, "whose car is that?" Claire asked. "It's yours," her mom replied holding out a card with two golden L's on its front cover. Claire took the card and read it, "Dear Claire, she read, Drive safely, always in your debt. Lex Luthor!" "Where are the keys?" Claire asked. "Your father has them," Martha said, he's out in back," Martha said.
Jonathan was in the bard dropping bales of hay into a threshing machine to feed the cows in their troughs. Claire walked carefully in trying to avoid stepping in any manure. "Dad," Claire said, "Mom told me you had the keys to the car Lex left for me." Jonathan held out the car keys and said, "I know how much you want it Claire, but you can't keep it." "Why not?" Claire asked. "Do you remember Mr Bell?" her Dad asked, "you used to play in his apple orchard, or how about Mr Guy? Lionel Luthor gave them both extravagant gifts and said to them that if they sold him their farms cheap, he would let them in on a deal that would make them very rich. We'll they sold him their farms, and he reneged on the deal and evicted them!" "But Lex Luthor had nothing to do with that!" Claire protested. "I just thought you'd like to know where the money that bought that car came from honey," Jonathan said, "I'm sorry but you're going to have to return that gift, aside from the fact that you're not old enough to drive in the first place." "But you can use that truck and I can drive the old one when I'm old enough!" Claire added hopefully. "I'm sorry honey," Jonathan said, "it's not about what we need, it's the principle, I've seen too many things the Luthors have done, and when they give away gifts, they usually come at a high price. I'm sorry Claire, I know that you really want it, but you've got to return it." "You know what Dad," Claire said as she walked toward the threshing machine, "For once; I would just like to be just like everyone else!" Claire stuck her left hand in the threshing machine, the blades ground against her arm as Jonathan ran toward her in horror the threshing machine stalled when it could make no progress. Claire pulled her arm out without a scratch "Do you call this normal?" she added, "And I was hit by a car at 60 miles per hour, I didn't jump in after him, I was knocked off the bridge with his car when he hit me and broke through the guard rail. I just want to be just like anyone else. I'd give anything to be normal!"
"It's time Daughter," Jonathan announced. "Time for what?" Claire asked. "Time you learned the truth about where you came from, we told you you've been adopted, just not from who. Jonathan held out a metal plate with alien writing on it. "What does it say?" Claire asked. "We don't know," Jonathan said, "We had it checked out and it's written in no language known to man." "Where are they from?" Claire asked. Jonathan just looked up. "You're kidding, really?" Claire asked, "The next thing you're going to tell me is you have the spaceship hidden in the attic." "Actually it's in the storm cellar," Jonathan replied.
Jonathan led Claire to the storm cellar out in back of the house, he opened the door and led her down the stairs, and he pulled the dust covered sheet off a black spaceship. "This is how you came into our world Claire," Jonathan said. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?" Claire demanded angrily. "To protect you!" Jonathan explained, "We were afraid the government was going to show up at our door to take you away, when they didn't we wanted everything to appear as normal so as not to attract attention. You were a godsend, especially since your mother and I were unable to have children of our own, you just fell out of the sky, and it was like a miracle." "You should have told me sooner," Claire pouted, "You had no right to keep this from me!" Before Jonathan could say anymore, there was a sudden snap in the wind as Claire ran away at super speed.
Frank Carter stood in front of the freshly dug grave marker of his mother, it said "Mary Smith Carter, Beloved mother of Frank and wife of William April 7, 1947 – September 11, 2001" Franks eyes were full of tears as he held onto a dozen roses he brought for his Mom. Claire stepped out into the Moonlight from the shade of a tree. Claire walked up next to Frank and put her arms around him and gave him a hug, "It's alright Frank," she said. "Her funeral was last week you know; she worked for the New York City Fire Department and was killed when World Trade Center One came down on top of her." The feelings were still kind of raw. Claire comforted him as best she could. Claire walked with Frank to his home arm in arm. Claire gave Frank a final embrace before departing his home. Unbeknownst to the both of them Whitney saw the two of them embrace in the street light. Whitney started making plans to get Frank out of the picture.
The next day Claire was at the Luthor Mansion. "Hello! Is anyone home?" She called out. Claire heard some sword fighting down the hall, she walked down the hall to where the sound was coming from/ Claire found a man and a woman in fencing gear and fencing masks in a practice sword fight, after a while of back and forth, the woman got the better of the man, and in frustration, the man threw his foil at the wall right next to Claire. Claire was a bit startled at this. The man took off his mask revealing himself as Lex Luthor and ran up to Claire and said, "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize you were in the mansion. How did you get in?" Claire replied, "I slipped in between a couple of bars in the gate that were bent. I came to return the truck you gave me, may parents won't let me keep it." She handed over the keys. "Well you did save my life, I owe you something. Well I see, you parents don't trust me because of who my father is. Well I don't want anything to stand in the way of our friendship."
Frank was about to leave school Whitney and a couple of his friends approached. "Where do you think you're going Frank? I told you you'd better watch your back, and now you're going to pay!" said Whitney. "What are you talking about?" Frank asked. Indicating to his friends, "I think we just found this years' Scarecrow!" With that he punched Frank in the stomach. Frank doubled over wheezing and coughing. Whitney's two friends then grabbed Frank's arms. Frank then kicked Whitney in the shin. "Ouch!" Whitney yelled, furious Whitney threw a punch that connected to the side of the head. Frank slumped down unconscious. The three kids dragged Frank to Whitney's pickup truck, they tied him up with some rope that was on the flatbed and gagged his mouth. Frank's cell phone rang; Whitney pulled it out of Frank's pocket and tossed it on the sidewalk. Whitney hissed as he put some weight on his bruised leg, he limped over to the driver side of his truck, his friends put a blanked on top of the unconscious Frank.
Claire was on the phone next to Chloe, "that's funny, usually he answers his phone." Claire folded her phone then flipped it open again and dialed. "I hear his phone ringing, it's over there!", she pointed to the distant parking lot over 300 yards away. Chloe said, "What ringing, I don't hear anything. As they closed the distance, and after repeated dialing, the ringtone became audible to Chloe. Chloe picked up the phone, "looks like he dropped his phone." Chloe said. "That's not like him, he's been hanging out with the cheerleaders, I saw him today during practice," said Claire. "Maybe his father picked him up," Chloe suggested. Claire shrugged, "we'd better drop this phone off at his house then."
Frank awoke tied to a post with a red 'S' painted on his chest in a corn field, it was dark out. Jeremy Creek was standing front of him. "They do it every time! I thought if I'd punish them, they'd stop, but it looks like I'll have to finish it," Jeremy said. "Wait!" Frank yelled, "Aren't you going to let me down?" Jeremy shook his head, "Afraid not, your much safer tied up here. I've got a homecoming dance to go to, as I missed mine." Jeremy walked away as Frank struggled with the ropes.
Lex was driving past Luthorcorp Fertilizer Factory No 3, and the adjacent cornfield, when he noticed a familiar figure climbing over the fence. Lex remembered the boy stripped down to his underwear with an S on his chest strung up as a scarecrow. Lex blinked, the kid was gone, and he heard someone yelling "Help!" from in the corn field. Lex ran into the cornfield and saw the boy tied to the scarecrow post. "Who are you?" Lex asked. "My name's Frank Carter", said the boy, "could you get me down, there's a wacko who's going to attack the Smallville High School Homecoming Dance." "Of course, "Lex said, he started working on the ropes. "Wait a moment; do you have a cell phone?"
Claire was at the Dance in a ballroom dress, when her phone rang, Claire answered it, "Hello," "Hello Claire?" said Frank's voice, "I'm all tied up right now, in a corn field, Jeremy Creek is coming to the Dance and I'm afraid he's going to fry somebody, get out of there! I'm going to call the police."
Jeremy was about to set off the sprinkler system, when Claire said, "Stop!" "Who are you?" Jeremy asked. "My names Claire," Claire said, "I can't allow you to attack my friends!" "What do I care Miss Popular? Your kind has been treating my kind like dirt, and I'm going to put an end to it! Claire moved with a snap of the wind, placing herself between Jeremy and the Sprinkler valve. Jeremy backed up towards a utility truck. "These people have never harmed you, this isn't the answer!" Claire said. Jeremy put his hand on the truck, the engine started. "It doesn't matter," Jeremy said as he got into the truck, "your all the same and your all going to die!" Electricity arched from Jeremy's hand and struck Claire who fell backwards with the blast. Claire got up. Jeremy put the car in drive and accelerated down the alley towards Claire and the sprinkler system valve. Claire put her hands forward to stop the truck that was barreling towards her. The truck hit her, smashed the water main and pushed both through the brick wall. The truck was wedged through the hole in the wall it created water was gushing up through the broken water main. Jeremy was trying to escape from the truck, but the walls pinned the doors closed. Electricity arched from Jeremy as the water grounded him. Claire pulled the truck out of the hole in the wall and opened the door. Water spilled out, the air smelled of ozone.
Jeremy woke up as Claire pulled him out of the seat. "Who are you?" Jeremy said, "Where am I?" "You're in Smallville," Claire said. "I want to go home!" said Jeremy plaintively. Lex's car pulled into the parking lot, Lex and Frank got out Water continued to gush from the water main. Students were gathering outside. Frank walked up to Claire, "so much for the homecoming dance." Frank stated, "Looks like some repairs are going to have to be made. What happened?" "Jeremy crashed this utility truck into this wall and ruptured the water main," Claire said. "What a nut!" Frank said, "What I don't get is how he didn't age during the past twelve years." "What are you talking about?" Jeremy said, I don't recognize any of you guys. All I know is I was tied to a post this red-haired kid showed up and then the meteor struck and I found myself in this utility truck getting wet. What year is it?" "Its Two-thousand and one." said Claire, "you were in a coma for the past 12 years!" A cop car and a fire truck pulled up. "Well it looks like you'll have some explaining to do to the authorities," Frank said. "I don't remember anything!" Jeremy protested. "Then tell them that, maybe it will do you some good." said Claire.
Later on the Homecoming Dance continued. Frank was dancing arm in arm with Claire. Frank was in his tux, Claire was in a blue ballroom dress, her hair was loose on this occasion, and she stood a couple inches taller than Frank in her high heels. Frank couldn't believe he was dancing with this girl. Frank held her close for the slow dance. Claire smiled back at him. Frank looked at her, she still reminded him of someone he might see on the cover of Cosmopolitan. Frank looked down at himself, just an ordinary teenager with freckles and acne, a little on the skinny side as well, and he was dancing on the ballroom floor with what looked like a goddess, a classic beauty. It wasn't easy in the old middle school Frank thought, he'd been picked on and bullied, and the hit he received on the head from Whitney still smarted. Maybe things were looking up now.
Frank looked at Claire, perfect smile, straight blond hair, blue eyes, red lips, she smelled of roses, part of it was make up, but he seen her without make up, and to be honest she didn't need make up to look pretty. Frank wasn't experienced with girls, the last date he'd been out on was at a movie, and it was with a childhood friend. Frank felt something different about this girl, yes she was beautiful an all, but there was something inside of her that he liked as well, maybe she was popular in school because she was a nice person, and not just because everybody wanted to date her. Maybe she was just keeping her word fulfilling her promise to go out with him at this dance, maybe she felt sorry for him because of what happened to his mother. Frank thought that this is like dancing with a celebrity at a charity event. Frank shrugged inwardly, he figured that is this is the only chance he gets to date this girl, he might as well make the most of it. "Claire," he said. "Yes Frank," Claire replied. "Is it okay if I kiss you?" Frank asked. "Sure," Claire said looking slightly amused. Frank kissed her on the mouth, and she kissed him back, it was a surprisingly warm kiss, it lasted a good long moment. Frank explained, "I know were just friends and all, I just wanted to kiss you, I wondered what that would be like." "Well now you know," Claire said. Claire and Frank danced a few more songs. Frank noticed that she never seemed to get tired, even during the fast songs when he broke a sweat, Claire's skin always seemed dry. Frank's feet hurt and his legs were tired. "You want to take a break? Frank asked. "Okay," Claire agreed.
Frank and Claire sat down at their table, there was some cake and a pitcher of cola, Frank poured Claire a glass and he pour himself one. "How am I doing?" Frank asked. "You are a most unusual date," Claire admitted, "You seem unusually self-conscious, otherwise you seem okay to me." "Okay for another date perhaps?" Frank asked. "Maybe," Claire said. "Maybe someone hurt you not too long ago," Claire added. Frank rubbed the bruise on his temple, he said, "You can say that again." "I meant emotionally, you fear rejection," Claire clarified. "Yes that too," Frank added, "I'm just not good at asking a girl out, maybe too forceful." "Yes, there is that," Claire admitted, "Far be it for me to give tips on your approach to women, as I myself am not typical, and I think you're rather nice. I think I will go out with you again." Frank held her hand, noticed the brightly red polished nails and wished this moment could last forever. Frank was happy.