Chapter 14: Even On Red
"What are you going to do?" Chloe asked as she followed Martha throughout the house like a lost puppy. "The way I see it," Martha jerked open the closet door, "if the green rocks kill him, when he's like this, the red rocks must make him better." Chloe suddenly became nervous as she saw Martha open up a box full of meteor rocks, red, green and black. "Mrs. Kent, you can't be serious! You know what they do to him," Chloe was beginning to panic. "I'd rather him be like that, than be dead," Martha said, proving her point completely. "Whatever you say," Chloe replied simply. Clark's eyes became dull as he fell into unconsciousness, on the soft couch resting in the living room. Martha felt anxious as she fondles the rock she held in her hands, here we go. Chloe closed her eyes tightly in suspense as Martha pressed the rock against Clark's chest tightly. His eyes immediately shot open and energy ran through his veins, pure power asserting itself to him. "Oh, no," Chloe noted what was occurring. "Thanks," Clark smiled, as he took the rock from his mother's hands, "I'll be visiting Lex now."
..."So, are you going to tell me where Lana is?" Clark entered the room at the mansion, "you know you can't hide her forever." "I already told you, she's in Metropolis. How are you-?" Confusion filled Lex's voice. "Oh, did I mention your little attempt to get rid of me failed...miserably," Clark interrupted. "Look, Clark, I'm not trying to stop you from seeing Lana, I just want her to be happy," Lex lied, crossing his arms over his chest. "Liar!" Clark's voice was booming, "come on, Lex. Just admit it. You think that if you pull me out of her life, you'll have her all to yourself. Well...newsflash: I'm like a cockroach," Clark placed his finger under Lex's chin, "I never die!" Clark slapped him gently, then left.
Lana groaned as she pulled her eyes open. My head, she thought, attempting to place her hand on her forehead, but it wouldn't budge. "What the heck?" She focused her attention toward her wrists--she was strapped down. "What on-? Help! Somebody...anybody! Help! Please." Laylah watched and listened painfully from the glass window at Belle Reeve Institution, "the strapping down isn't necessary, is it?" Laylah was question the tall female doctor next to her, "we'll see how she does for the rest of the day. If she does okay, we'll take her out of the shackles, but I think she's going to be here for a while." "I'm not crazy, I'm not," Lana's voice was cracking and her mouth was dry. She could taste blood on her tongue from her cracked lips, "I know you can hear me! If he dies, I swear, you guys will wish you'd never been born. I'm not crazy, you'll see, I'm not crazy."
...Time passed and nine rolled around on the clock, "so?" Laylah was anxious to see how the doctors would treat Lana. "--Unstrap her, but keep her in solitary confinement. She's not ready to be released yet," the doctor commanded. Laylah smiled as she pressed a key into the lock, letting herself into the room, only to see Lana lying with her head down, face on its side, "Lana?" "I saw you guys watching me, like I'm some kind of lab rat," Lana chuckled gently at her own words, "one of your experiments." "I'm sorry," Laylah apologized, sympathy for Lana becoming obvious, though she couldn't see Lana's tear-stricken face, "Dr. Karnes said I could let you out of the shackles, but she thinks you're going to be here for a while." "I hope he's still alive. I can't live without him, I'll go crazy, I love him," another tear fell down her cheek, "you know, even when you lose your memory, you can't forget when you love someone." Laylah took tow steps backward, almost like the words were literally moving her. "I feel closer to him than I do anyone else. I feel safer, warmer...better," Lana closed her eyes, remembering Clark's smell, Clark's voice, "but what really burns me," her eyes fluttered open, "is that people you Dr. Karnes and you, can sit there and listen to a person scream...plead, and do nothing about it, feel nothing. It's almost like you, you enjoy it." "Do you want the shackles off?" Laylah stammered. "Yeah," Lana whispered.
...The spot that was red on Lana's wrists burned from the tightness of her restraints, and her eyes were swollen from useless crying. Her nose was red and it felt like it was on fire. She slowly rubbed her lover arm. "Are you okay?" Laylah was overpowered by what she had just heard and seen from Lana. Lana couldn't be crazy, at the way she spoke, how she felt, the depth, she just...couldn't be, "I'll help you Lana, I just can't get you out." Smack! Laylah's thoughts were immediately altered as Lana threw her fist against the wall, "I hate you! I'm not crazy," she was still crying profusely.
"Can I help you?" The blonde woman at the front desk greeted Clark. "Only if you can tell me where a Ms. Lana Lang is," Clark replied, the power from the red rock pulsing with his heart. "I'm sorry, we don't have anyone under that name," the woman replied. "Okay, that's a lie," Clark's reply was immediate, "I called the hospital she was just at and they said she was here, so I know she is. You obviously didn't do an amazing job relaying your crappy lies. So just, let me see her, and save us both a world of hurt that could be easily avoided," Clark was face-to-face with the nurse. "Alright, but you can't go in."
...Clark hurt fiercely as he laid eyes on Lana. She was sweating and was mouthing 'I'm not crazy' to herself repeatedly, when it was obvious she was on the verge of such. Then she saw him. Clark noted how hard she shook as she rose to her feet. Why did he care about her at all? He had never had real feelings for anyone when he was on red. Why her? His heart ached with every step she took toward him. A cold tear fell down her cheek as she placed her hand against the cold glass. He sighed as he laid his hand on the other side of hers, causing her to smile for the first time in at least a week, as long as he had been gone. I love you: Clark mouthed. I love you, too: she mouthed in reply. The secret was out, and Clark's feelings were real, even on Red.