10. Strange Angel
LANA
Half of Lowell County has been trashed.
I know where I am before I open my eyes. Smell of hospitals. I hate it.
I don't know how I got here. The last thing I remember is the truck lifting into the air. And Clark. I thought I saw Clark.
Not that I'm telling anyone that. They nearly sectioned me last time. And one patient has already been sedated - very badly hurt, and raving about spaceships.
I keep seeing unexpected people. Judge Ross, holding two small crying children. Two of the staff from the bank acting as temporary stretcher bearers. Our Chemistry teacher, talking earnestly to one of the doctors. Pete Ross, who comes over, smiles,
"Hey."
"Hey yourself." I don't get to talk to Pete much, but he was on the squad with Whitney.
"Your truck is probably in Oz by now. Pretty intense, huh?"
He's still in his tux.
"What are you doing here, anyhow?"
"My good deed." Rolls up his sleeve. "I'm a donor."
"Pete!" Chloe peers round the door. "Hey, Lana, you okay?"
"I've been better." I manage a smile for her. "Where's Clark?"
"Oh." Wide-eyed. "I'm just on my way to find him."
Liar. Pete raises an eyebrow at me as she whisks off.
"You'd make a lousy poker-player, Lang."
"Huh?"
"C'mon. They got their bizarre love triangle thang going on. No place for us there." He holds up his hands. "I stepped off that particular ride, girl. Got me something else. You need to do that too."
People forget about Pete. He's the quiet one, the third amigo. The guy that got left behind. He settles back into his chair, loosens his tie.
"You mind if I just sit for a while? It's pretty crazy out there."
"No, I don't mind." Uncomplicated company. No weight of the world on his shoulders, no crusading fervour after truth or justice or the next big deal. Just a guy. He chuckles suddenly, looks guilty.
"What?"
"No..."
"Yes. Spill."
"Oh, this is messed up. Couple months ago, Clark was following you like a puppy and Chloe was ranting. Now she gets a new guy and he's on her case. And you suddenly notice him."
"I always noticed Clark." Oops. "I was...have been...-whatever-, with Whitney for a long time. You can't just walk away from what you have for something you don't know."
"You knew, girl." But he has a tired grin on.
"If we're going daytime tv here, what about you and Chloe?"
He flaps a hand.
"She's dating that shithead, and however much I hate him, he makes her happy."
"Not now he's run the plant into the ground."
Pete twitches, looks like he's bitten on a tooth.
"That was his father - I don't see our boy screwing up his girl's future. She'd kill him."
The mental picture of Lex Luthor being pounded into the ground by a tiny blonde makes me laugh. Weak laughter, and I might just cry, but at the moment, it's what I need. And when I do start to cry, Pete puts his arms round me.
"You let it out, okay. Don't have to be Little Miss Sunshine for me. We both got left out of this, but we'll deal."
LANA
Half of Lowell County has been trashed.
I know where I am before I open my eyes. Smell of hospitals. I hate it.
I don't know how I got here. The last thing I remember is the truck lifting into the air. And Clark. I thought I saw Clark.
Not that I'm telling anyone that. They nearly sectioned me last time. And one patient has already been sedated - very badly hurt, and raving about spaceships.
I keep seeing unexpected people. Judge Ross, holding two small crying children. Two of the staff from the bank acting as temporary stretcher bearers. Our Chemistry teacher, talking earnestly to one of the doctors. Pete Ross, who comes over, smiles,
"Hey."
"Hey yourself." I don't get to talk to Pete much, but he was on the squad with Whitney.
"Your truck is probably in Oz by now. Pretty intense, huh?"
He's still in his tux.
"What are you doing here, anyhow?"
"My good deed." Rolls up his sleeve. "I'm a donor."
"Pete!" Chloe peers round the door. "Hey, Lana, you okay?"
"I've been better." I manage a smile for her. "Where's Clark?"
"Oh." Wide-eyed. "I'm just on my way to find him."
Liar. Pete raises an eyebrow at me as she whisks off.
"You'd make a lousy poker-player, Lang."
"Huh?"
"C'mon. They got their bizarre love triangle thang going on. No place for us there." He holds up his hands. "I stepped off that particular ride, girl. Got me something else. You need to do that too."
People forget about Pete. He's the quiet one, the third amigo. The guy that got left behind. He settles back into his chair, loosens his tie.
"You mind if I just sit for a while? It's pretty crazy out there."
"No, I don't mind." Uncomplicated company. No weight of the world on his shoulders, no crusading fervour after truth or justice or the next big deal. Just a guy. He chuckles suddenly, looks guilty.
"What?"
"No..."
"Yes. Spill."
"Oh, this is messed up. Couple months ago, Clark was following you like a puppy and Chloe was ranting. Now she gets a new guy and he's on her case. And you suddenly notice him."
"I always noticed Clark." Oops. "I was...have been...-whatever-, with Whitney for a long time. You can't just walk away from what you have for something you don't know."
"You knew, girl." But he has a tired grin on.
"If we're going daytime tv here, what about you and Chloe?"
He flaps a hand.
"She's dating that shithead, and however much I hate him, he makes her happy."
"Not now he's run the plant into the ground."
Pete twitches, looks like he's bitten on a tooth.
"That was his father - I don't see our boy screwing up his girl's future. She'd kill him."
The mental picture of Lex Luthor being pounded into the ground by a tiny blonde makes me laugh. Weak laughter, and I might just cry, but at the moment, it's what I need. And when I do start to cry, Pete puts his arms round me.
"You let it out, okay. Don't have to be Little Miss Sunshine for me. We both got left out of this, but we'll deal."