Several weeks past and I find myself a little happier. Like a fog lifted and all of the sudden I see a future for myself. I work the farm. Hang out with my parents. Write with Chloe for our final year at The Torch.
It's all coming to an end in bittersweet fashion, leaving me with no regrets but one.
"Hey Chloe, do you have a minute?" There's some nervousness in my voice but I manage to stay calm.
Chloe looks up from her computer as she worked the finishing touches for the morning print.
"Just a sec!" she raised a forefinger at me.
Some moments and a few key strokes later, she finishes.
"What's up?" she asks enthusiastically, proving to me once more that not only is this the right thing to do, but the best.
I get up to lock and close the door. I didn't want any interruptions, but I think Chloe saw it differently.
"Clark, are you okay?" she asks in concern.
I breathe in deeply.
"Everything is fine, Chloe." I throw her a smile and she returns it, albeit a bit cautiously. "Relax, I'm not possessed or being controlled or anything," I assure her.
With a single nod of the head, Chloe finally relaxed.
"What do you need?"
"Chloe," I started, my stomach refusing to cease the nervousness that I was sure passing right along to my best friend. I look over at the Wall of Weird. "Do you remember the first time I saw this wall?" I ask in a hopeful attempt to ease into what I'm going to reveal to her.
She smiled brightly and I'm reminded of how innocent she is.
"Of course I do, you completely freaked"
I laugh and so did she.
"I remember being angry at you when I found it," I look back solemnly at all the articles and events that passed through our lives one way or another.
"What is this all about Clark?"
I throw her another smile, a genuine one. "I've been keeping a part of myself a secret from you," I revealed, garnering a look of confusion, surprise and sympathy off my best friends face. I continue. "Actually, I've been keeping it a secret from everybody – except from my parents"
Chloe remained quiet, and I understood why. She didn't want to speak in case she'd ask the wrong question or say the wrong thing, making me change my mind. I'm grateful for that.
I look at the wall again. "These people – I'm not like them." Briefly, I could see her confusion. "I wasn't infected by any meteor rocks. I – I fell down with them"
She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came. Shock. Surprise. Shock.
"What do you mean 'fell down with them'?" she managed to say.
It was understandable that she didn't completely comprehend my words. I mean, four years ago, my dad told me I was an alien from another planet, and you know how that went. Anger and denial. I hope this confession will lead to a different outcome.
"I'm invulnerable. I can run as fast as you can blink. I can lift a tractor with my bare hands. I can even shoot fire out of my eyes"
Chloe laughed disbelievingly. "Come on, Clark, stop joking around"
"Hold up a pencil for me," I requested.
And I got her stumped on that one when she gave me a weird look.
"You're really serious."
I nod. Of course I am.
With a trembling hand, Chloe picked up a pencil and held it in front of her and with a single focus from me, I light it on fire. Chloe stands there with her mouth agape, not even putting the fire out.
Before I can commit unintended arson, I walked towards her and flattened my two hands together, the flaming pencil extinguished in between.
"You – you." She was at a lost for words. That was a lot better than her running out of here screaming.
She covered her mouth. "Oh my God"
I try to play it indifferently. "There's more."
Chloe eyes go really wide, it looked kind of funny.
"More," she repeated.
To be continued…