Chapter 19

Lana (Holding Clark's arm tightly): "Clark, what is it? You're scaring me."

(He does not respond. His eyes continue to scan the trees, searching for the source of his fear.)

Roby (Turning to him): "Is everything alright, Clark?"

Stacey (Covering her head with her hands): "I'm getting all wet!"

(Still looking at Clark, Roby removes his hat and puts it on Stacey's head. She cheers up slightly.)

Dan: "We need to keep moving."

Garret: "What's wrong, Kent?"

Clark (Attempting to shake it off): "Nothing – it was nothing. It's just… my ankle. I'll catch up in a second."

(The others continue on, leaving him behind. Roby casts one last look back at Clark before turning and jogging to catch up with his uncle. Lana stays with him, her eyes mirroring his own.)

Lana: "Clark, what is it?"

Clark (His eyes averting back to the trees): "I don't know, Lana. There's this instinct inside of me I just can't explain – something I've never felt before. I can't shake off the feeling that we're in danger."

Lana: "From what?"

(Clark shrugs, unable to answer. Silently, they take each other's hands and move down the path in pursuit of the others.)

(It is not until later, when they have rejoined with the others and have passed Barr camp that Clark begins to feel sick with fear again. He freezes, once again casting furtive glances to the trees. This time, the others feel it too. Something wrong in the Earth, something not meant to be. Instinctively, Clark takes Lana and puts her behind him in an attempt to protect her.)

Roby (His breath catching in his throat): "What is this? It's like… the air's grown cold… dark…"

Stacey: "Rob-!"

Roby (Putting his arm around her and placing her behind himself as well): "Shh."

Stacey (Clutching the back of his coat): "I'm scared!"

Roby: "It's okay, Stace. I'm not gonna let anyth–"

(His promise is cut short as out of nowhere a dark shape hurtles at Clark. Time slows down, and Clark pushes Lana out of the way. As the dark mass comes on, it changes shape. To his horror, Clark watches as a long, blood stained scythe appears in its hands. A long, dark robe billows out from it. Two black pinpricks of light burn from under the cowl covering its face.)

(It brings the scythe up in a huge, cutting motion. Clark brings his hands up to guard himself. His hand catches the shaft of the weapon, stopping the cruel metal short of severing his head from his body. But a cold unlike any he has ever felt spreads through his arms and into his chest. He throws the figure off himself, sending it hurtling into a tree. Clark looks at his hands – they are shaking and numb. To his horror, the figure stands again.)

(Clark can feel the others staring at them, feel the questions forming in their minds.)

Clark (Shouting): "GO! RUN BACK UP!"

(The others hesitate. The dark being reacts, once again surging at Clark)

Clark (Frantic): "RUN – NOW!"

(Clark picks up a nearby log and swings it knocking the hooded apparition to the ground. Something catches his eye, and Clark instinctively swings behind him. Two more of the things lunge at him. As they do, they turn into apparitions of their own. One, a tall armor clad monstrosity wielding a sickly mace. The other turns into a man with a gaunt, hollow face – his eyes missing and his skin sunk to his bones.)

(Clark smashes the log on the armor clad one, but it shrugs it off as if it were nothing and charges onward. Panicking, Clark turns to run. Yet another form stands in his way. It has already taken the form of a swirling black cloud of insects; it gives off a slight buzzing. Surrounded and with nowhere else to go, Clark desperately swings the remnants of the tree about him in a complete circle, but to no avail. The apparitions simply wait for their chance to strike. Throwing the tree at the closest one, Clark speeds himself up and looks around. The creatures match his pace, circling him.)

Clark (Desperate): "You're just toying with me!"

(They move in closer, not responding, their eyes burning with hatred. Clark looks skyward, realizing his only chance. He quickly punches the ground with all of his remaining strength. A cloud of dust erupts from the point of impact, enveloping him and temporarily startling the creatures. Throwing himself upward, Clark shoots out of the top of it. He flies into the sky and away from the mountain. He stops in midair, turning back. Realizing that he can't escape this, he soars back, searching the trees. The dark beings are nowhere to be seen.)

(Far up the trail, back at Barr Camp, Clark finds the rest of his party. He sets down several hundred feet from them, out of their sight, and runs to them. Lana jumps to her feet when she sees him and envelopes him in a hug. She cannot even speak.)

Roby (Finally breaking the silence): "Clark, what was that thing?"

Clark: "I don't know – but there's more than one."

Amandil: "How'd you get away from them?"

Clark: "I don't know. Once you all got away, I just ran as fast as I could. They just kind of disappeared."

Pete (Raising an eyebrow): "Disappeared?"

Clark (Looking directly into his eyes): "Yes, disappeared."

(Pete is silent, knowing that his friend is telling the truth.)

Garret: "What if they come back?"

(No one speaks. Another group passing through Barr camp interrupts their silence.)

Male (Speaking with a thick Texan accent): "Howdy."

(Clark turns to him, still too shocked to speak much.)

Male: "Ya'll summit?"

Dan: "No."

Male (Gesturing to the women and man he is with): "Neither did we. Shame, really. Well, we're gonna continue on."

Clark: "I wouldn't, if I were you."

Male (Stopping mid-step and turning back): "Why not?"

(Clark opens his mouth to speak, but realizes he'd never be believed.)

Male (Looking slightly confused): "Alright. We'll see ya'll later."

Male (Whispering to the woman as they walk off down the trail): "Are all Coloradoans that crazy? Shesh!"

(The group from Smallville simply watches them disappear around a bend, helpless.)

Clark: "For their sake, I sure hope those things only want me."

(Lana holds his hand in her own, trembling slightly.)

Lana: "Me too."