Part 3
"You're gonna help me then?"
"Of course, wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Thanks Pete." Clark gave his most dazzling Kent smile, "So, ummm, where do we start?"
"You said you managed to get back down when you were awake? So it stands to reason that you can get up when you're awake."
"Suppose so." Clark sounded nervous.
"So all you gotta do is think floaty thoughts. Think up."
"Pete I'm not sure this is a good idea. I don't wanna go back up. I might get stuck again."
"Clark you've gotta learn how to control this. Anyway what goes up must come down . . . eventually," Pete was grinning, "Go on man, give it a go."
"Okay, fine, I can do this, I can do this."
Clark closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. He opened one eye grinned at Pete and said,
"I feel like I ought to stretch out or something."
"Quit time wasting and get on with it."
Clark closed his eyes again and started to focus. Suddenly Clark shot up to the ceiling as if a giant magnet had sucked him there. He was pinned like a fly in a spider's web.
"Pete, help me."
But Pete was doubled over laughing.
"It's not funny."
"Yes it is, you look … you look like … oh god I don't know what you look like, but it's funny."
"Pete." Clark sounded annoyed now.
"Sorry man, I think you're nervous, so just relax and think about coming down."
Clark closed his eyes and immediately crashed down to earth, almost at superspeed. He got up leaving a very large, Clark shaped dent in the dirt floor of the barn. Slowly Clark dusted himself down, then looked Pete in the eye and said,
"I hate heights."
"I guess you'll have to get used to them. Anyway you've sort of mastered the up and down bit, you just need to learn control."
"That would be good."
"You've hovered before in your sleep."
"Yeah, so?"
"So hover now."
"What! I can't."
"Why not?"
"I dunno how."
"I'm no Chloe, but the way I see it is, it's all about what you're thinking about. Last time you just thought up, so up you went. This time think about hovering a couple of feet above the ground."
"If this is gonna be like the last time, I'm not gonna do it."
"Clark don't make me get the green rocks out."
Clark looked horrified."
"I'm joking." Pete added hastily.
Sighing, as if he'd been asked to clean out the entire barn without superspeed, Clark reluctantly closed his eyes yet again. Wobbling he slowly rose a few feet of the ground.
"Okay just try to stay there." Pete whispered.
"I'm trying." Clark mumbled, wavering in his precarious position.
He managed to hold it for a couple of seconds before slowly dropping to the ground.
"You did it man!" Pete laughed, clapping his hands together.