Across The Universe
'Stay away from him Lana, stay away, you'll get hurt, you'll hurt everyone, stay away, stay away, you'll get hurt, you'll get hurt, stay away, stay away, stay away from him, the end is near, the end is near, the end is near, are you going to run, or are you going to stay? Stay away from him...," Lana awoke clutching her quilt and breathing deeply. It was the 5th night in a row that she had such a dream. She was beginning to wonder if it was more the coincidence. She tried to remember the dream as best as possible. It was her near Clark, then it said stay away from him, or you'll hurt everyone and then suddenly everyone in Smallville was gone, and then 'the end is near', she saw the world gone…, going out like a candle, because of Clark? She shook her head that was a ridiculous notion. She wasn't going to stay away from Clark because of some dream. Clark wouldn't hurt anyone, and nothing bad would happen just from being around him. It was just a dream.
--
"Hey Lana," Clark said as he approached her in the halls. "That's a nice sweater, is it new?" He asked.
Lana looked down at her sweater and smiled, "No, it's not, but thanks."
"I was wondering if maybe,"
-Lana saw the visions of her dream. "Listen, Clark, I'd love to talk but I have to go," she quickly picked up the books and left like Clark's contentment.
--
The dreams kept getting more severe and more vivid with each passing day. She started to wonder if maybe she did have to keep away from Clark, if not for just what the dream said but to save her own sanity. She didn't know how many more restless nights she could have. 'Stay away from him', 'The end is near!'
--
"Lana you don't look alright, you look tired," Clark commented the next day.
Lana just shook her head and quickly left. Clark sighed, "Nice to see you too…."
-end of part 1
Part 2
Clark meandered around the farm looking for things to do but he had finished his chores hours ago. He just didn't know what to do. It seemed that Lana didn't want any part of him. Pete was busy doing who knows what, and Chloe wasn't even in town.
Suddenly a figure dressed in black approached Clark. It was an elderly man, but he was tall and walked in a slow crept. He wore a black hood and cloak, he looked like something straight out of a sci-fi novel.
"Can I help you?" Clark asked as the figure came closer to him.
"Stay away from her," was all the creature said as he stopped several feet from Clark, his head down. His face kept hidden from his hood.
"Stay away from who?" Clark asked.
"Stay away from her!" The creature repeated with a much more serious voice.
"Lana?" Clark asked.
The creature simply nodded and started walking away. "Why!?" Clark yelled.
"Or else…," The creature turned, pointed at Clark as a warning and continued to leave, Clark watched as when the figure turned, he disappeared.
Clark blinked, "What the ….?"
Clark stood there in the cornfield, acting as though he was a scarecrow. He pondered on whether to take the creature seriously. He didn't want to avoid Lana, but she was avoiding him anyway…, did the creature get to her? The last thing Clark wanted to do was bring harm to Lana. He stood, and pondered….
-end of part 2
Part 3
Pete watched as Clark and Lana went passed each other in the hall, without saying a word, both avoiding eye contact. Pete stood there for a moment perplexed and then ran to Clark. "What was that?" He asked.
"What was what?" Clark asked as he stopped walking and looked at Pete.
"Well usually when you pass Lana there's a 'hi', 'how are you', 'nice shirt you have on', or at least a longing look. Today there was nothing!" Pete said astonished.
"Sometimes all we have are nothings," Clark said looking away.
"Clark what the hell is going on?" Pete said a bit annoyed.
Clark started walking again, "Nothing," he replied.
"Clark!" Pete said again.
"Sometimes I wonder if I'm just chasing a finish line that's not there."
"Is the finish line Lana Lang?" Pete asked.
"The dreams always end there," Clark replied.
"Clark, you're talking like someone who has given up all hope."
"How much hope did I have to begin with?" Clark asked.
"Well let's see, in the beginning she never even noticed you. I think there's a big contrast between then and now." Pete explained.
Clark shook his head, "No, the only thing that changed was time, we are still the same people…, still different, still apart." Clark listened as the bell rang.
"We're late," Pete looked around.
Clark nodded, "Depends on what you're trying to obtain."
"Clark are you on drugs or something! What is with you!" Pete shouted.
Clark placed his books on top of the lockers, "I don't feel like going to class," and before Pete could blink Clark was gone.
--
"Lana did you and Clark have a fight or something?" Pete asked Lana at lunch.
Lana shook her head, as she looked around for Clark, "No why?" She asked.
"He just was acting weird, he just," Pete shook his head.
"Where is Clark?" Lana asked, she wanted to know, because she had to make sure he didn't come near her.
"He left," Pete commented.
"What do you mean he left?" Lana asked him.
"I mean he didn't feel like going to class and left, that's what I'm trying to tell you! He sounds like he's given up all hope on like everything, he's just pessimistic!" Pete said looking around to see if he was speaking a little loud, but nobody seemed to care.
"I wonder if he's having the nightmares," Lana said under her breath.
"You wonder what?" Pete asked not catching all of what Lana had to say.
"I have to go find Clark," Lana said getting up and leaving her lunch on the table.
"Now you have to see him?" Pete threw his arms in the air.
"I'll talk to you later," Lana said and hurriedly removed herself from the cafeteria to actually find Clark. Even though she was warned to stay away, she had to know if Clark was having the same nightmares, if he was then maybe they could handle the situation together, or maybe the pain to be apart was the nightmare, or something? She wasn't sure but she felt that she had to talk to Clark.
-end of part 3
Part 4
Beautiful flower
Growing through the winter season
Didn't anyone tell you?
You're not supposed to grow…
What…?
That's not enough of a reason….
You've grown so lovely flower
The light has grown you strong
The winter chill was too weak
You did know better all along….
Lovely flower
Golden leaves pour from your soul
Wrap around your lovely grace
A sight too strong to behold
And if only we knew better
Then to try to grasp for you
Why do we think we can get summer
From a flower who grew in winter blue?
Maybe you remind us flower
Of things we wish we had
Dreams of enchantment and hope
Dreams where things aren't as bad
Dreams of us being happy and held tight
Maybe you remind us flower
Remind us that it hurts…
To be alone at night
Part 5
"Go with the plan?"
"Plan is a go."
--
Lana found Clark sitting in front of the Smallville pond. He sat there staring out over the water. She watched from behind him. His body looking as though it was searching for something that wasn't there, the water seeming to go on forever as the purple sunset sky started to peer in. "Have you been having nightmares too?" Lana asked approaching him.
Clark just shook his head still facing the water. "I've had nightmares before but I think you're thinking of something different, are the nightmares a warning?" He asked.
She nodded, and turned towards him, "Have you been getting warnings too?"
Clark nodded as well, "Unfortunately."
"What do you think it means?" Lana asked.
Clark shrugged, "The Greeks used to believe that you cannot change your destiny, that you are set on a certain path, and everything in your life revolves around you going down that one road."
Lana sighed, "Robert Frost said there was more than one path, that you had a choice."
"So which one do you believe?" Clark asked her.
Lana laid her head upon Clark's shoulder, "The one that's here with me."
Suddenly Clark heard a pin fall and then there was a loud explosion…
-end of part 5
Part 6
Clark wrapped Lana like a shield and got overtop of her. He pinned her down to the ground, and spread himself out so that no part of her would be scathed. He saw the fire looming over them, he also saw the fear within Lana's eyes.
"Clark!" She screamed.
Clark just smiled and told her it would be alright.
--
"As expected."
"Leave now!"
--
Around a minute after the fire stopped looming around them, Clark turned over and Lana sat up and looked at him. "Clark!" She feared that he was hurt.
Clark sat up and placed his hands on her shoulder, "I'm fine," he kept repeating.
"But, but, but how?" Lana asked, it didn't make sense.
Clark looked around and scanned the area, he saw something through the brush with his x-ray vision and ran towards it, but when he got there, there was nothing. He looked down and picked up a business card, It said LexCorp on it.
Lana ran over to him and looked at the card, "What's that?" She asked.
"Looks like I'm not the only one who has some explaining to do," He took Lana's hand, "I guess it's about time you learn that secret of mine."
-end of part 6
Part 7
Clark and Lana kept walking, walking onward and neither said a word. Lana looked over at Clark, nervousness drawn all over his face. He was bothered, but by what? What was wrong with him? How serious could the secret be, she knew it meant a lot, but Clark looked as though he was being tried for murder… was it murder? No, Clark would never hurt anyone. Suddenly they stopped, they were in the middle of a corn field, and Clark kept walking till they stood in next to a hole, and then he sat down. Lana sat next to him, her own emotions boiling up upon sight of the meteor crater.
"Why did you bring me to a meteor crater?" She asked wiping her eyes.
Clark removed her hands away from her face and stared into her eyes, "Look at me Lana, look closely."
She looked into his eyes, "Are you alright Clark?" She asked worriedly.
"Lana please, don't forget what you see here. Everything I've ever offered, please don't forget it. Don't forget who I am." Lana began to move away from Clark scared but Clark grabbed her arm faster than her eyes could follow.
"Clark!"
"Don't leave me now!" Clark said. She stopped and looked at him. She grabbed his hand with her other hands so both hands enwrapped it, "I won't." she said sternly.
Clark took a deep breath. "This isn't a meteor crater," he said.
Lana looked at it again, "What?"
"It's where I landed…."
"What are you getting at Clark," she let go of his hands, Clark felt lost…. It was his nightmare.
"Meteors weren't the only thing that came crashing that horrible day, no, I came down with it. I was in a space ship and I landed here in the field where Jonathan and Martha found me."
"I don't believe it," Lana started to laugh it off to herself; "You're kidding right. I mean come on."
Clark looked around on the ground and saw a dented, dirty, damaged knife on the ground. He picked it up and stabbed it deep within his arm, "Clark!" Lana screamed.
The knife broke off and landed in the dirt next to them, Clark just stared at her like a lost child, "I'm sorry Lana."
Lana again began to move away, "How could… how could…"
Clark reached out for her, "You said you wouldn't leave, please…"
She made a fist knowing she said she wouldn't, but this was the most upsetting thing she's ever heart. She lunged at Clark and start wailing her fist into his chest, "YOU NO GOOD SON OF A, WHILE YOU DIRTY NO GOOD," the fist became smacks and the smacks became lamented hands and then all there was, was a sobbing little girl wrapped up in a figure she couldn't scathe.
"It's going to be okay," Clark kept repeating as he held her.
Lana listened to Clark's heart beat. She felt his warmth around her, she felt his tender hands hold her. She looked up into his eyes and face, how could he not be human?
"I have to go to LexCorp," Clark said bringing back out the business card.
Lana took a look at it as she backed away from him, she just nodded her head. "Be careful," she replied lamely.
"Are you going to be okay?" Clark asked.
Lana just shook her head, "I don't know, but I needed to know."
Clark leaned his head down to look into her eyes, since she was looking down, "You can't tell anyone okay?"
Lana nodded, "I have to remind myself first….."
Clark got up, "I'll be back later hopefully, will you be waiting for me?"
Lana looked up at him, "I do not know."
Clark just nodded, "Goodbye Lana."
"Goodbye Clark,"
Clark turned and paused. He couldn't let it go like this, if he left now she'd leave. He'd never see her again, he turned around to face her again. "I love you Lana Lang," and with that he sped off.
-end of part 7
Part 8
Lana looked around for half a second and then stood up. She sighed and got her feet moving, and she left….
--
"Did Lex give you the money?" A man's voice asked.
The other figure nodded, his cloak moving along with it, "It's good doing business with your son," The figure said.
"Good," Lionel laughed. "Now, you're going to have Lex tell me what you told him when I go in there this afternoon, alright?" Lionel asked.
The figure nodded, "I will leave after I do so."
Lex grinned, "Good," and he watched the figure leave. Not a trace to him, and not a penny out of his account, it was great to hire hypnotist, well have your son hire them, he laughed.
--
The figure stared at Lex for half a second and Lex started writing out a check, "You will tell me everything?" Lex asked.
"My payment first," the figure said.
"So the grenade hit right?" Lex asked.
"My payment first," Lex finished writing the check and handed it to the figure.
"Across the universe," The figure began to speak, "I have never seen…," suddenly the doors to the room were blown open as Clark pushed through them, one of the doors struck Lex and knocked him unconscious to the ground.
Clark stared at the figure, the cloak, the ominous stare, it was the same person that had warned him early. "Why did you try to kill Lana and I!?" Clark yelled.
The creature stared at him and started waiving his hands, "Nothing is as it seems."
Clark stared at the being and started moving onward closer to the figure, not afraid. His waiving doing nothing to stop Clark's onslaught, "Well why!?"
The creature's hand's slid into his cloak and pulled out a green prism, "I was paid," Was all the figure said as he moved closer to Clark, and pulled the prism up to Clark's skin. Clark's skin immediately became pale and weak, he screamed in agony, never had the meteor rock's power been so concentrated before.
Images of broken light which
dance before me like a million eyes
That call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a
restless wind inside a letter box
they tumble blindly as
they make their way across the universe
Clark tried to fight back but he couldn't. His eyes began to close, it was all too much, all too overpowering. "Lana….," he whispered right before his body hit the ground and his body gave way.
-end of part 8
Part 9
Lana entered the room seeing Clark unconscious on the ground, the green prism being stuck closer and closer to his face. Lana looked around and grabbed a bottle of wine and threw it at the cloaked man holding the prism. The bottle found its target and smashed under the man's cloak and bashed him in the face. The figure staggered back and the prism was thrown to the other side of the room. Clark quickly got up and ran over to the figure and grabbed him.
Lex got up holding his head, "What the….,"
--
"Lex I want you to meet a hypnotist," Lionel told him as the man entered.
Lex raised his brow, "I didn't think you thought me as so weak minded," Lex replied.
Lionel smiled, "I should've added that I want you to meet him as a friend of mine…"
--
Lex shook his head remembering, "Clark watch out he's a hypnotist!" But by that time it was too late, as Clark uncharacteristic of himself forgot about how strong he was and hit the figure a little too hard. Clark backed away as the man laid there, his cloaked hood removed revealing a bald, pale, aged figure. The veins of evil running through his scalp, Clark turned to Lex, "Why did you hire this man!?" Clark yelled at him.
Lex took a second and picked up the phone, "Because I got tricked by him and hypnotized myself. Now do you want me to have the police charge you with murder or have this whole mess dealt with?" Lex asked.
Clark nodded, and looked over at Lana, he quickly turned his head, as though he felt ashamed and turned quickly out.
Lex looked over at Lana as he waited for someone to pick up on the other line, "What's wrong with you two?" He asked.
Lana turned to Lex, "Sometimes secrets are meant to be mute, or else…," She shook her head and left sadly looking down.
-end of part 9
Part 10
Sounds of laughter shades of life
are ringing through my open ears
inciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love which
shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe
"I need you to explain," Lana said approaching Clark as she watched him look over the field, his heavy soul weighted on top of a fence.
Clark looked over at her, "Are you sure?"
Lana nodded, "I think so."
Clark sighed and jumped off the fence. He walked past to her, his head down, "Follow me."
Lana followed Clark around to the farm's cellar and timidly walked down the steps. She looked around not seeing anything, but after she moved her head slightly the sun's light came through and hit a large ominous object in the center of the room. She stepped forward and slowly put her hand on the spaceship's surface. "How," She mouthed.
Clark sat down against the cold cemented walls. "I can do almost anything," he said.
She turned to him, "What do you mean?" she asked.
"Well I can lift about anything, I can see through most objects, I can light things on fire with my eyes, and I can move faster than any man," He said looking down.
"If that's so true, then how come you're always late," she asked.
He looked up to her, "Do you know how many lives need saving?" He asked.
She sat down next to him, "We all need to be saved in some way. Is there anything else?" she asked.
"Well, I can't really get hurt," he continued.
"That's not true you were passed out when I entered Lex's mansion." Lana interjected.
Clark nodded, "The meteor rocks can hurt me, and severly…," he trailed off.
Lana paused for a second and remembered her necklace. She placed her hands around her next, "Clark, I'm so sorry…."
The necklace reminded Clark of something, and he obtained a black box and hid it in his hand, and then he sat down again. "Lana, I'm sorry I've never been able to tell you, but you can only imagine,"
"Shh, Clark I understand," she said. "I just wish this wasn't real."
"Sometimes," Clark looked up to try and find the words he was searching for, "Sometimes what is real is not always what we dreamed, but they can still work out."
Lana shook her head, "Sometimes they can't."
"We all need to be saved Lana," Clark repeated what she had said earlier.
She looked into her eyes, being able to the reflection of herself in them, "But how can I know that you won't lie to me again?" She asked.
Clark handed her the box and watched as she opened it. She immediately recognized it was her necklace, but it was white, "What happened?" she asked.
"The spaceship did something to it, whatever it did…," he stopped not knowing what the spaceship did to it and not knowing how to finish the sentence. He took the necklace and placed it around her neck, "I will never mislead you again Lana, I will always be truthful."
"But…," she felt his hands wrap the necklace around her neck.
"I traveled across the universe to fall in love with you," Clark smiled and leaned in close to her.
She saw her reflection in his eyes, and saw her face. She could see the feelings she held for him. Suddenly the spaceship in the middle of the room didn't seem to be important. All that seemed to be important was the figure in front of her. Offering all he had give to her. A characteristic that was more human than anything else in the world. She leaned in closer to him; "all the way across the universe?" she asked feeling the air escape his lips as she moved in closer.
Clark nodded, "Just to fall in love with you…," and with that they sealed their love with a kiss.
- The End.