Part 9 - Freeze
Clark got back to Metropolis around midnight. The talk with his parents had been good for him, and now he was sure what he was going to do; the only problem was when.
Flying over the city, which he was pleased to see was rather calm, he heard something that immediately caught his attention.
"Honey, please. Stop blaming yourself, there was nothing more you could have done."
"There's always something more I could have done. I should have insisted on an inspection…that thing wasn't putting off as much heat as it used to."
"Megan, stop," the voice stated firmly.
Flying to the voices, he found himself over the recovery section of Saint Andrew's Hospital. Coming to a stop above it, he quickly realized that the other voice belonged to Nurse Schmitt.
Superman quickly found the room. Looking through the wall and part of the ceiling, he found Nurse Schmitt sitting in a chair beside a bed. Megan was sitting up, her hands and forearms bandaged, oxygen being supplied to her via cannula.
"Listen to me. There was no way you could have known -" Schmitt began, only to be interrupted.
"I know, but I should have gone in after him, gotten him out -"
"Megan, you tried. Need I remind you that the reason why you are in the hospital still is because you tried to do just that?"
"I should have tried harder. What are a few burns when compared to a child's life? May's child…" she whispered, her words shrinking further into sorrow.
"Megan, sometimes things happen, things we don't and can't understand. Yes, we wish we could go back and change them, but we can't. Not even Superman can."
Megan stilled at that, really thinking.
"Is it true that he was there?"
"Yes."
"Is it true what they're saying?"
"Who?"
"Just people. I heard some of the other nurses talking and stuff."
"What did you hear?"
"That he seemed to have taken it pretty hard."
Schmitt leaned back in her chair, looking up for a moment, and if Clark hadn't known better, he would have believed that she could see him; but then her eyes moved back to Megan, her words quiet but powerful.
"Think about this…
"How much harder it must be to have all that power and still have certain things you cannot change. To have abilities that are beyond imagining and yet to be unable to save all who you are so desperately trying to protect. To be so powerful that people can mistake you as being divine, but to know you have no power over death, and that in a way you are also at the mercy of it. That is a true burden."
Megan was silent for a time, unable to imagine the frustration and sadness Superman must have to endure each time he was unable to stop and take back that which can no longer be changed.
"How can he deal with that?"
"I don't think anyone can just deal with it, only accept that he too can only do so much."
O o O
Schmitt's words echoed within Clark's heart as he stepped in for work the following morning, it now being Friday.
"You look happy, Kent, something you know I don't? Did they get an extra box of donuts today?" Lois asked as he passed her desk, part of her hoping that the donut bit was true.
"Do you want some donuts?" he asked, seeing her face. "I'll get some if you want."
"Oh, you'd do that?" she asked, as if that was an amazing suggestion.
Nodding, he replied, "I think I want one as well. I didn't get one when I came in, and I'm sure they're gone now."
He paused as a distant sound of sirens and radio chatter made it to his ears.
Please advise: an overturned tanker is involved in the pile up. Requesting immediate assistance.
"Oh, and I also need to run a few errands now that I think about it," he added suddenly, already turning to go.
"Alright, since you're going to be out anyways, make it chocolate filled, colored sprinkles."
"Okay, I'll get 'em after my errands, so it might be a little while, Lois," he told her over his shoulder, going to the stairs.
"That's fine."
And with that, he was gone.
O o O
Landing near the pile up, he immediately surveyed the scene.
The accident had been easy to find, partly due to hearing the location several times over emergency frequencies, but also because of the smoke that was coming from several of the damaged cars. Luckily the tanker had not ignited, but he could see that the firefighters were still really concerned about it and were pulling the water hoses out, preparing to douse it just in case.
It was on its side, spilling very flammable fluid all over the road. The tank was partly on the pavement, its tires up against the guardrail which ran along the highway. Dozens of cars were damaged, some worse than others. Police cars and ambulances were arriving, joining the parked ones on the other side of the road which had a large grassy median. Fire trucks were there also, blocking traffic in both directions due to the concern of an explosion.
Several helicopters, at least three, were hovering overhead, just now reporting to the public, capturing the unbelievable scene.
Quickly taking all this in, Superman went to the fire chief who was directing not only the firemen, but also the paramedics and police. He was a large man, easily 6'8", his hands big enough to grip a basketball one handed. Coming before him, the Chief didn't waste any time.
"Superman, thank heavens. The tanker is losing fuel, and it is all over the road. We need to get all the people trapped in the cars back and away. That tanker could go up at any time, even with the water," he said.
"Alright."
Superman didn't need further instructions as his eyes fell upon the closest car that had occupants trapped inside, two officers trying to keep them calm. The jaws of life were currently being used on the car tangled in front of them to get a more seriously injured victim out.
The windows were broken, whether from the accident or by the officers, he didn't know. One officer was leaning in and holding the hand of a young teenager on the passenger side of the yellow car, the airbag having been deployed. She was in a neck brace as a precaution and she had a few cuts on her face because of the glass. The driver was pinned on the other side which had crunched in, trapping his legs.
"Just relax, we are going to get you out, okay? Now, can you tell me if you are in pain anywhere?" the officer asked.
"N-no, I don't think so…" came the shaky reply from within the mangled mess.
Superman stepped up, placing a hand on the officer's shoulder, the man's partner having already stepped aside.
The policeman looked to who was touching him and did a double take before his face shifted from complete and utter awe to immense relief. He turned back to the girl who now had her eyes closed and gave her hand an encouraging squeeze.
"Okay, we are going to get you out now, I am going to have to let go of your hand now, okay? Trust me, it's going to be okay now."
He stepped out of the way as the occupants in the car looked over the best they could, instantly going wide-eyed at their new rescuer.
He scanned them, easily finding that the driver's left leg was broken. Scanning over the car quickly to find the best way to help, he placed his hands on the rim of the door and a support beam. With a firm squeeze, the metal gave under his hands and snapped under their pressure, and then with a firm and swift pull, he ripped off the door, as well as part of the bent frame.
A stretcher was quickly taken over as Superman gently lifted the young lady from the steel mess and onto the gurney.
"Thanks, Superman, we can take this one from here," the officer said.
"The driver's left leg is broken, and I believe he has a moderate concussion," he told them before going onto the next car.
O o O
Daily Planet
Jimmy looked up at the screen, hearing the anchor say something about Superman.
Within moments every eye was on the screen.
O o O
Superman was about to start helping a sixth vehicle, its back end being under a large truck, when a cry behind him made him stop.
"FIRE!" the shout came as a sickening feeling of déjà vu washed over him.
Superman, everything around him now essentially going frame by frame, turned to face the tanker, flames just now erupting, beginning to ripple out onto the street. Firemen were still aiming their hoses at the tank, but unable to stop what was about to fully awaken.
And then before he could fully face the monsterous fire, a roar like no other ripped across them all.
KHHOOAAAWWHHHOO!
It was as if Hades itself had just been opened, the call of flames dispersing through the air as if in warning of what was to come.
He didn't think, he didn't even really react, he just acted.
Shooting forward, landing in the middle of the road in front of the firemen, facing the massive mass that was about to gain the title of Fireball…
he
breathed
DEEP…
O o O
Charlie Daniels arrived at the scene a short time after Superman had. He went straight to work where he was needed, working alongside Jim O'Neal. He put on a few splints, butterfly bandaged some cuts, gave oxygen, placed some patients into awaiting ambulances, and put neck braces on many others.
He didn't pay much mind to where they currently worked, a location near the middle of the street just a few dozen feet from the tanker, as they came to a car which had recently been 'remodeled' by Superman's own two hands. He couldn't help but take a fraction of a second and marvel at the hand imprints that now were embedded in the aluminum and steel frame. Superman had bent the roof up and back to allow the 'trained' rescuers to get the trapped people safely out as he went onto the next car.
Charlie lifted a young child out who had remarkably sustained only minor injuries. Turning to hand the boy to the extended arms of Jim, something from the corner of his eye caught his attention.
He saw the flames flow across the road, the greasy evidence of oil now shining everywhere, even under his feet.
It was coming, and there was nothing he could do.
.
.
They were bombarded from two sides. From the front was the angry beast of fire, but before they had put their full attention onto that, they felt a breeze and something more throttle past them as a vague tremor rippled along the ground.
O o O
The news anchor felt the pulse shift the helicopter he was in, just having seen the fire ignite and go up.
The roar of it was deafening, and he believed they were all doomed as he barely registered seeing a red and blue streak stop on the gasoline soaked road.
And then it happened on national television.
O o O
Superman filled his lungs up with as much air as he could, not knowing if this would be enough or if it would even work, just praying that it would, praying with every cell of his being that it would be enough…
And so…he blew…
.
.
The air that came forth rivaled the power of the flames.
The people on the street watched as Superman blew, creating an invisible shield holding the flames at bay…but only for a moment.
The fire suddenly reared up like a vengeful demon before him, the heat from the flames expanding as if angered by this attempt to put them out. The flames seemed to quickly regroup before making their counter-attack as Superman forced the air out from within him, finding air that he didn't even know he had within.
The once invisible air now took on visible mass, as if it was ice and snow. A kind of war ensued, red and black against white and blue...
People watching were at a loss of what they were seeing, but there was one who was even more surprised than anyone else.
As he continued to blow, Clark was startled to find that his breath had not only become visible, but cold. He continued, knowing he couldn't stop now. Whatever was happening, it was working.
With one final heave of air, a rushing sound booming forth, the cold from his breath quickly covered the tank, frost and ice amazingly forming on the just recently red hot tank.
The demon called fire had been vanquished…
.
.
He turned, dizzy for a few seconds before recovering, his chest ordering him to breathe. With a few slow calming breaths, he cast his eyes about him, finding Jim and Charlie closer than he had realized, gaping at him.
He looked up to find the people watching from the helicopters amazed as well, tongue tied at first, but that quickly ended.
He felt a large gloved hand land on his shoulder as he turned to face a man he physically had to look up to: the Fire Chief.
"Are you alright, son?"
He didn't ask this because he thought or knew Superman was currently out of breath, he asked it because he could read the expression on his face.
It wasn't exactly shock, but it definitely involved surprise.
"Yeah, I just need a moment," he replied, taking another calming breath that was just being done to do just that: calm him.
"That's understandable, you did just beat down a rather large explosion with… what was that exactly anyway?" he suddenly asked.
"I haven't thought of a name for it yet," he replied honestly.
The chief chuckled, giving Superman's back a pat as his attention returned to the scene for a moment.
"I think we can take care of the rest Superman, go and take a break," the Fire Chief ordered while smiling, now shaking his hand.
"Yes, sir," Superman answered, returning the smile, before releasing his hand and disappearing into the sky.
I am now definitely going to talk to Dr. Price, Clark told himself as the thought of donuts came to mind.
O o O