Chapter 18

(Clark yawns broadly as he walks up the wide, beaten dirt path.  Roby walks just as easily beside him, a large backpack slung over his shoulder.  He glances behind them.)

Roby: "Let's hold up for a minute.  Let them catch up."

(Around the bend in the trail they just rounded several minutes ago, Pete approaches.  He stops when he reaches them, his breathing growing heavy but calming down as he rests.)

Pete: "They're just a little back.  They'll catch up soon."

Roby: "Good."

(Roby glances down at his watch.)

Roby: "6:30.  We've got to hurry up.  At this rate, we won't summit before the thunder storms."

(Chloe and Lana come around the corner, stopping when they reach the others.  Stacey follows closely behind them.  It is several minutes before Garret and Robin catch up, trailed by Dan and Amandil.)

Dan: "Everyone doin' okay?"

Stacey: "Yeah!"

Dan (Messing up her hair): "Alright, kiddo."

(They continue upward.  Three hours later, they arrive at Barr Camp, but only stop briefly.  Within sight are several tents, and people are milling about.  They rest as Dan and Roby enter a log cabin style lodge.  Inside, a burly looking man sits behind a counter, his eyes half closed and his head resting against the wall behind him.)

Dan: "Royce, how ya doin'?"

Royce (Sitting up): "Pretty good, how're you Dan?"

Dan: "Half-way decent.  Hey, do you know the forecast?"

Royce (Leaning back against the wall, speaking in a bored voice): "Same as every day – seventy percent change of thunderstorms..."

Dan: "That good, eh?"

Royce: "You know how it is.  It looks pretty clear, though."

Dan: "Think we're good for a summit?"

Royce: "I think so, but don't shoot me if I'm wrong."

Dan: "Thanks, Royce."

Royce: "No problem.  Have fun."

(They exit the lodge, rejoining the group.)

Roby: "Alright.  Rest ten, then we set out again.  We'll go at a relatively slow pace from here on out, but we've still got to hurry.  Summit or bust."

(He rubs his hands together.  As they move up the trail, the camera splits off and moves into the trees.  Picking up speed, they become faint blurs passing by it at a rapid rate.  As the trees thin, the camera slows.  Nearly half of the trees are dead, struck by lightning.  They decrease in number until there are no more.  The camera turns back around.  Emerging from the woods is the small party from Smallville.)

Roby: "Alright.  Only three more miles to go."

(He takes a step forward, but is stopped by his uncle.)

Dan: "Uh-uh."

(He points to several fast approaching, dark-gray clouds.)

Dan: "We're not going above tree line with those over us."

Roby (Sighing heavily): "Ahh...  Okay, everyone, get out your rain gear."

(They silently put on the extra layers.)

Dan (Looking past the immediate clouds to those past them): "We can't summit."

Roby: "Sure we can't wait it out?"

Dan: "Positive.  We don't want to be up here when that storm comes in.  We've got to head down – now."

(Casting regretful stares up the mountain, they turn and begin to retrace their steps.  Starting as a soft drizzle through the trees high above them, but then growing fiercer, the storm begins.  Pulling their hoods up and shielding their faces, they quicken their pace.  The rain quickly turns to hard pellets of hail, trouncing down upon them.  A brilliant flash illuminates the area for a split second, quickly followed by a thunderous boom.  As they get further back down the mountain, the tree's canopy gets thicker, and the hail decreases in amount.  They stop to catch their breath.)

Dan: "That came in unusually fast, even for up here."

Roby (Glancing around to make sure everyone's there): "Yeah."

Clark (Counting heads as well): "We've got everyone."

Dan: "Then get movin'."

(Once again in the front beside Roby, Clark follows the path downward.)

(Far off in the distance, in the Garden of the Gods, a faint rumbling is felt.  It quickly progresses to a full scale earth shaking rumble as rocks are shaken loose and the road leading through it folds like cardboard.  Seemingly at once, the rumblings cease.  A huge, dark figure rises out of the rubble produced.  It raises its head skyward, squinting with its black eyes to look into the distance at the dark storm clouds.  It growls slightly, and then disappears in a fast moving blur.  From around it, three more dark shapes emerge, and quickly follow it.)

(Resting his hands on his knees to feign weariness, Clark breathes heavily.  He looks back at Lana rounding a bend, her hood pulled tight over her head.  Time slows down as he looks away to the Northwest.  His eyes go wide and his breathing and heart rate truly increase.  Time returns to normal.  Lana stands behind Clark, following his frightening gaze out through a patch in the trees.)

Lana (Sounding alarmed): "Clark?  What's wrong?"

Clark (His voice containing undiluted fear): "Something's coming."