Chapter 10
(Lana walks from her closet over to her bed. She throws herself on the bed, tired and dismayed. After lying still for several seconds, she sits back up brushing her hair out of her face. A small picture of Clark sits on her bedside table. Smiling, she picks it up. Brushing her fingers over it gently, an odd look comes into her eyes; they go suddenly and starkly wide. Her iris and retina disappear, leaving only two milky white eyes staring at the camera. She gasps for air and suddenly falls to the floor, the picture of Clark clutched in her hand. Chloe enters the room.)
Chloe: "Hey, Lana?"
(Lana screams and Chloe rushes to her.)
Chloe: "Lana!"
(A bright white light flashes; an endless expanse of white snow stretches as far as the eye can see. Lana stands slowly, looking around. A cold wind swirls snow around her, causing her to shiver. High above her, Lana can hear the faint drone of what sounds like an airplane. Several moments later, a hovercraft of sorts lowers itself out of the sky, proving to be the source of the sound. A man stands atop it.)
Lana (Whispering, squinting her eyes against the driving snow): "Clark?"
(The man looks extremely similar to Clark. Lana follows, intrigued. He doesn't see her. Several moments later, the man finds what he was searching for, a large hole in the ground. The hovercraft lowers into it. Lana follows to the edge of the hole and looks down.)
Man (Speaking into a recording device): "Northern region, sector 17 alpha. Logged date 83:13 omega three. Jor-El speaking. Gathering readings for final subterranean probe."
Lana: "Jor-El?"
(Without warning, the ground begins to shake, forcing Lana to step back as portions of the hole collapse. They subside, and Jor-El and the hovercraft slowly rise out of the hole. Jor-El's head is hung low. Lana watches it lift into the sky. Slowly, everything turns black. Her eyes readjust to her room. Chloe is bent over her, looking frantic.)
Chloe: "Lana! You're awake!"
(Lana's eyes return to normal. She blinks several times.)
Lana: "Chloe? What happened?"
Chloe (Concerned): "I don't know! You just kind of, blanked out."
(Lana sits up slowly, rubbing her head. Chloe helps her up onto her bed.)
Chloe: "You okay?"
Lana: "Yeah, yeah. I'll be fine."
Chloe: "Okay. I'll let you get to bed, then..."
(Chloe stands and makes her way to the door.)
Lana: "Chloe?"
(Chloe turns around.)
Lana: "Can I ask you something?"
Chloe (Smiling): "Of course!"
Lana (Hesitantly): "What's happened over the past few days?"
(Chloe looks at her for several seconds. Eventually, she returns to the bed and sits down.)
Chloe: "I don't really know. So much has happened, I'm just... I..."
Lana: "What is it?"
Chloe: "Lana, I don't want anything to happen to you."
(A tear rolls down Chloe's cheek.)
Chloe: "I'm going to hang around Clark for awhile. I feel... safe around him..."
(Lana looks down at the picture clutched in her hand. She nods.)
Lana: "Chloe, can... can I come, too?"
(Chloe sighs silently then nods.)
Chloe (Smiling big): "Come on, let's go."
(Chloe begins to stand, but Lana stops her.)
Lana: "I don't know what's going on with Clark right now, but something tells me we don't have much longer with him."
Chloe (Extremely confused): "Lana, what are you talking about?"
Lana (Shaking her head): "I don't know."
(After a few moments of silence, Chloe puts her hand on Lana's.)
Chloe: "Maybe Clark can help you remember?"
Lana: "Maybe..."
(Chloe stands.)
Chloe: "Here, get some clothes and we'll go. Mind if we take your car?"
(She walks to the door.)
Lana (Standing): "Yeah, sure. What happened to your car?"
Chloe (Hesitating at the door): "I won't be driving it for awhile."
(Lana scrunches her eyes slightly, confused. She slings her backpack over her shoulder and follows Chloe out the door to her car. As she sits down in the driver's seat, she looks down at her hand. The picture of Clark is still gripped tightly in it. After looking at it for several moments, she quickly puts it in her pocket. They pull out of Chloe's house and drive off. There is not even a hint of Chloe's car in the driveway, nor of the explosion that ripped it apart...)