When the Sky Fell
There was a meteor shower coming. It was about to turn this town into splinters and rubble, and rake black, burning gashes across the countryside. He knew that. How could he forget it? It was mentioned in every sentence everyone uttered. But it was odd--its threat seemed distant, at least to himself.
He was too worried about her.
"Now, Lana, for your own safety, I need that stone," he spoke calmly, even though the helicopter's blades thumped almost deafeningly just above their heads. Lana, half a step into the helicopter, turned to him, her black hair whipping around her worried face.
"Look, we all have a need to cling on to things," he kept on, feeling his brow crease in urgency, his suit coat flapping against him. "But eventually you have to loosen your grip. It's too dangerous for you."
"I don't have it!" she answered. He glanced away for a moment, absorbing that wound.
"Lies don't become you." He still sounded stung, even to his own ears.
"It's the truth, Lex. I don't have it," she insisted, her eyes flashing. "Trust me, it's safe, I promise!"
Trust me... Isn't that what he had asked her to do? But she had no idea of the kinds of threats that had been made against her--no idea what destruction this stone could cause. Blind terror suddenly seized him, and before he knew what he was doing he had yanked her purse from her hands.
"Where is it?!" he roared, rifling through its contents. He found nothing.
"This was never about my safety, was it?" Lana accused sharply. "This is about you getting your hands on that stone!
A sudden knife of pain darted down through his chest. He swallowed, turning to stare at her, unable to hide how she had staggered him.
He dropped her purse, stepped toward and took her face in his hands, his eyes racing over her features, his heart pounding.
"Lana," He tried to form words, to explain himself in such a way as to keep from revealing himself. But that was impossible. He was incapable of lying to her. He had no idea why. But when he met her dark, shining eyes, all guile was stripped from him.
"Your safety is more important than any of this," he said earnestly, leaning in closer. She gazed unfailingly back at him, listening, as if they were all alone in a quiet room instead of beneath a roaring chopper--and he became suddenly aware that she could see straight into his heart. But in that moment, he didn't even try to fight it. He couldn't.
He let her in.
Taking a deep breath, he spoke.
"You mean a lot more to me than you know."
Her eyes flickered, but she did not reply. The pilot was becoming impatient, panicked. Lex watched Lana as she climbed into the helicopter. He backed away, holding her gaze. She never looked away from him. He headed back toward the mansion as the blast of wind from the helicopter's ascension hit him. He glanced back over his shoulder to watch the chopper lift off, feeling his eyes sting.
The gallant hero swooping down to save the beautiful damsel in distress--it was good that Lionel had no idea how desperately Lex wished for that--wanted that--was trying to make that happen. But right now he felt almost helpless.
Dear God--Please keep her safe. Lex prayed, speaking to a Person he had not addressed for years. He could do nothing else. Because even as the sky began to fall all around him, the person Lex loved more than anything was rising up into it.