A/N: Right, some of this was lifted from Bruce Springsteen's Jungleland. The point I am trying to get across is that, at the moment, Metropolis is a corrupt, melancholic city, but it will eventually be saved. I will say no more.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. But I do have a red cape. I went to a Halloween party as a sluty-supergirl. You didn't need to know that, but so what, I got mine.
The cold winter moonlight shone down on the rooftops of Metropolis. The midnight gangs assembled and picked their rendezvous for the night. An opera was being carried out on a turnpike, a bullet being fought out in an alley. The streets are alive as secret debts are paid. The contacts made, they vanished unseen into the night. Kids flashed switch-blades like guitars. The hungry and the hunted exploded into mobs that faced off against each other out in the streets, down in jungle land.
Lana stared out of her bedroom window; no stars glistened in the dreary murk of the harsh city lights. In the parking lot, the visionaries dressed in the latest rage. Inside the back streets, girls were dancing to the records that the DJ's played. Lonely-hearted lovers struggles in dark corners, desperate as the night moves on. Just one look, a whisper and they're gone.
She sighed and closed the curtains. There was nothing for her here. Nothing except solitude. I suppose that's what I want. She thought silently to herself.
"Lana," She heard Nell call. "Lana, me and Dean are heading' out. Sure you don't wanna come sweetie?"
"No, I'm fine thanks." Lana called back, wiping away the stray tears that were running down her face. She heard the front door being opened, and then closed. She was alone.
She turned back to the window and looked down at the streets and people below. How very unlike Smallville. She sighed. How could anyone want to live in a big city? Especially Metropolis. It would take a miracle to turn this place around. Fawcett's not much better, and Gotham's slowly going to the dogs. I guess Lois is right; maybe I am just a country mouse.
Below she heard a shot sound out above the crowds, and the sirens that swiftly met it. Here the cops can't protect and would only reluctantly serve.
Lana swallowed another sob and booted up her computer. She'd spilt her emotions for all to see, but now she needed something more. She needed a friend. But who? Her friends were the very people she was trying to get away from. Then, suddenly, a familiar name on her contacts list caught her eye. She clicked to open a new conversation window, and slowly typed her message.
"Hey Pete."
"Hi Lana. I didn't think anyone'd be on this late. Isn't it like 3 in the morning in SV?"
"I can't really say, due to the fact that I'm not actually in SV. I kinda had a fight with Clark so I'm staying with Nell in Metropolis."
"Yeah, Chlo said. I was just tryin' to pretend like I didn't know. Must have been a big one, East coast's a long way to drive from SV."
"Lol, yeah. I had a good sob though, helped the time pass."
"Lol, yeah I guess it would."
Lana sat back in silence. She had a nagging question in the back of her mind, one that she knew she'd have to get out in the open at some stage. Slowly her fingers began to put her thoughts into words.
"Pete, what did Chloe say our fight was about?"
"Well, I think her exact words were, 'Lana found out the truth really is out there.' So yeah, I'm guessin' you're a bit freaked."
"Yeah, a bit. That make me a terrible person?"
"Nah. To be honest I wasn't exactly overcome with empathy when I first found out. I gave our not-so-little-green-man a hard time about it. But it's hard to hold a grudge when a guy saves you life, a lot. But that's our Clark, always doing the right thing, just because he's Clark."
"You know you're not makin me feel any better."
"Sorry. Tell you what, my mom's got a trail in Met next week. If you're still there wanna meet up and we can talk face to face."
Lana smiled, for the first time in a long time.
"That sounds great. Where and when?"
"Monday, about one, outside the DP?"
"Right. We'll Talk then, then."
Over in Wichita Pete was also smiling.
"Right then. It's a date."
Lana typed her goodbyes and closed the computer down. Maybe there was life outside of Smallville after all. Things were about to get better, she could feel it. Somehow talking with Pete would make everything clear again. Yes, everything was about to get much better, for everyone.
Lana swung herself over to the windowsill again and gazed down on the forlorn city spread out in front of her. Who knows, perhaps if she could be saved there was hope for Metropolis as well. One day she might even like the idea of coming back here, at a happier time.
Her eyes grew tried, her mind already dreaming. Beneath her, in the city, two hearts were beating, so tender in a bedroom locked. Uptown a Rat's own dream gunned him down as the shots echoed down the hallways. No one watched as the ambulance pulled away or as the girl shut out the bedroom light.
Outside the streets were on fire; a death waltz, between what flesh and what's fantasy. And the poets down there didn't write anything at all; they just stood back and let it all be. And in the quick of the night, they reached for their moment and tried to make an honest stand. But they wounded up wounded, not even dead; down in jungle land.