Chapter 14: Essence of Time Part 2
Kal and Chloe reappear in Metropolis. This time the city is bustling with people. Kal and Chloe start to walk out from the alley that they reappeared in and walk down the busy streets. Chloe takes off her gas mask, and gives it back to Kal, who stuffs it in his belt. People watch Kal, who still has his hood up. Kal avoids the stares, and looks ahead at the Luthor-Corp building. He stops Chloe, and watch as Clark and Alicia exit the front doors. Kal watches as they walk towards them. Quickly, Kal grabs Chloe's hand, and they crouch behind a parked yellow taxi. Clark and Alicia walk past, and for a split second, Kal can smell Alicia's perfume. He breathes it in deeply, and exhales. Alicia's blonde hair waves in the midday sun, and Kal watches as they cross the busy intersection. He also notices his past self, who is trying to fight himself from kissing Alicia. Kal smiles, and they walk down the same street, careful to not give themselves up to Clark.
"What are we doing, Kal?"
"Following them. If I'm right, they are heading to Alicia's cousin's restaurant."
"How do you know that, Kal?"
"Chloe, this is me your talking about. That's where Alicia and I went on our first date."
"Oh, okay."
Kal and Chloe continue to walk down the street, and Kal crosses the intersection without stopping. Several cars honk, but Clark and Alicia are already gone. Chloe runs up to Kal, and he picks her up easily, super speeding towards the restaurant. They arrive ½ a block away, and Kal peers over from the corner of a building, and watch as Alicia and Clark walk inside the restaurant. Kal and Chloe walk down the street, and Kal peers in through the window. He watches as Clark and Alicia talk amongst themselves, and Alicia's cousin walks over. Kal didn't notice before, but Ashley was checking Clark out. He noticed as Ashley smiled a bit, and then Ashley looks toward the window. She raises an eyebrow, and Kal ducks. Unfortunately, she saw him. The front door opens, and she walks out, and sees Kal. His hood covers his face, and she watches him weirdly.
"Would you like to come in? It's much cooler in there, and all that black doesn't seem to be helping you."
Kal looks slightly towards Ashley, and nods, motioning for Chloe to stay where she is. She nods, and Kal walks up the stairs behind her. Kal enters the cool restaurant. Clark and Alicia watch Kal walk in, and are surprised at what he's wearing. The hood hides his face, and Clark doesn't recognize the man that walks past him.
Alicia notices Kal's green scarf hanging off of Kal's belt and grabs his arm.
"Where did you get that green scarf?" She asks, frustrated.
"It was my fiancee's. She was murdered."
Alicia looks hurt at Kal. She hasn't seen Kal's face yet, and she releases her grip from him.
"I'm so sorry... It's just that scarf looks a lot like mine..."
"It's okay... easy mistake." Kal states, his voice quivering. He walks over to the front of the restaurant, and sits on a stool, allowing his cape and robes to fold over.
"What can I get you?"
"Anything with alcohol please. I've had a rough day."
Ashley looks weirdly at Kal, but nods, and walks into the back kitchen. Kal picks up packet of matches, and looks at them. He can feel the presence of Alicia, his only love, as she watches him intently. He sighs, and Ashley walks back in, a tall glass of beer in her hands. She sets it in front of Kal, and he reaches inside his robe, and pulls out two dollars. He gives the money to her, and Ashley smiles.
"Keep the change." Kal says, as his voice starts to shake. He holds back his tears, he is so close to Alicia, yet he can't touch her hands, or hold her close to him, or kiss her. Not without being a freak, and Kal had enough of being a freak. He had to shred his old name, Clark Kent, and be named Kal, a protector of people who can't protect themselves. Because he couldn't protect Alicia, he might as well save and help people so that they don't lose anyone they love, so they don't go nuts like he did.
He takes a long swig of the alcoholic drink, but unfortunately he feels no buzz. He swallows the beer, and sighs heavily.
Alicia looks over from the stranger wearing the black cloak, and then back at Clark.
"Clark, did you see that guy? He sounds a lot like you. Do you know him?" She asks, completely unaware that Kal can hear her whispers.
Clark shakes his head slightly, and moves his head in close to Alicia's.
"He sure looks weird though, doesn't he? I wouldn't be caught dead in that costume." Clark says with a slight laugh.
Kal glares at Clark, but his face is still hidden underneath his hood. As he exhales again, anger starts to torrent through his lungs.
IIf only you knew what I had to go through, Clark, you wouldn't be laughing. No, not laughing at all./I
Kal stands up, his utility belt shining in the light, and walks past Alicia and Clark, and for a split second, Alicia spots a photograph, a picture of... her and Clark?
Kal gets to the door when Alicia grabs the photo.
"Hey, that's mine-" Kal starts, but stops as she looks furious at him.
Alicia looks at the picture, and is shocked beyond belief.
"This isn't yours! WHO ARE YOU!" She screams, and pulls back Kal's hood. She stares in horror at the man standing in front of her. Someone who looks almost exactly like Clark, but is a few years older than the Clark she knows. His eyes show signs of weariness, and are blood shot from weeks of insomnia. His hair is a mess, a curled mass of black hair, and his heart fills with fear. His face is has spots of dirt, futuristic dirt, from the apocalyptic future Kal and Chloe weathered through. Clark stands up in shock, and looks into the dreary eyes of the back robed stranger. Kal tries to leave, but Clark speeds in front of the door.
"Who are you? Why do you look like me?" Clark asks, furious.
Kal remains silent, and looks back over to Alicia. She stares, also furious at Kal, but for reasons she does not know.
IThis man, a freak wearing a black robe, looks almost like Clark, but that's impossible./I She thinks.
"Answer him!" Alicia screams, making Kal back away. His Alicia... she would never act like this... but then again, he wouldn't really know. Something like this never happened before. Every step that he backs off, his heart fills with sadness, and that feeling he felt when he held HIS Alicia in his arms begins to overtake his system. He continues to back off, and tears leak from his eyes. He sees the vivid images of Alicia's death. He begins to breathe heavily from his mouth, his nose stuffed up with mucus, and Clark takes notice. Kal's heartbeat starts to race, the pounding of the blood in his veins is excruciating.
"My name... is not important..." Kal struggles to say.
"Tell us who you are! Why do you look like me!" Clark screams, anger seething through his eyes.
"What will you do, Clark? I've seen things so bad; it would rip your heart in pieces. There's nothing you can do to me that could even match that."
Kal clenches his fists, and watches Clark with intriguing interest. Alicia looks on in horror as both Clark and Kal watch each other. Clark moves over, out of the way of Kal. Kal walks out the front door, putting his hood back on. Chloe runs out from behind the bush, and watches him.
"What happened, Kal? Did they see you?"
Before Kal can answer, a familiar feeling fills his body. The strange rippling effect from the destroyed time machine covers Kal. Chloe grabs his arm, and they both disappear once again.