Chapter 4: Raging Waters Part 1: Bad News and Good News
A week after saving Dick and the others from Bane, Dick was performing his acrobatics in his old circus uniform, a red t-shirt with green sleeves and pants with an R on the chest.
"Awesome!" Garth called out. "What's the R stand for?"
"My mom says I reminded her of a little robin when she made this for me." Dick said.
"A robin?" Garth asked. "Like the bird?"
"Shut up." Dick said defensively.
"This is great, having you here, Dick." Imra said with a smile.
"It's like having another brother." Ayla said with a smile.
"I wonder what could be keeping Kell." Lois asked as she looked out the window.
"My brother's always running late." Clark reassured Lois.
Lois was still worried. Kell was like a little brother to her.
"I know, but with so many guards patrolling the streets these days-" Lois began before Clark stopped her.
"Lois, you worry too much." Clark said with a smile. "Kell's just fine. I'm sure of it."
()()()()()
Kell was in trouble.
He had been out when several guards from the raid last week recognized him, and he rushed off, knowing Clark wouldn't approve of him using his powers when there was some other way.
"Alright, you want me?!" Kell called out. "Come and get me!"
The soldiers continued after him.
"I knew that wouldn't work." Kell groaned as he rushed off. It wasn't long before he found a donkey and got on its back while he used his heat vision to sever the rope holding it to a ring on the wall, and it rushed off with Kell only barely able to hang on. The donkey eventually kicked Kell off into a horse troth.
"I needed a bath anyway." Kell said with a smile as he held his breath and sunk under the water as guards rushed passed. Once they were gone, Kell flew back to the farm as quickly as he could.
()()()()()
Kell arrived at the farm and quickly locked the door.
"Kal!" Kell called out. "Kal! The soldiers have captured the Story Teller for New Metropolis!"
"I know." Clark said calmly. "I know. Try this roll Lois made."
"A roll?!" Kell asked as Clark handed him a roll he was holding. "Kal, Christians from all over are coming to New Metropolis tonight, and there's no one to tell the story!" Then he looked at Lois' roll and handed it to Dick. "Here Dick, try one of Lois' rolls."
"No way." Dick said. "Garth, you try it."
"Are you nuts?" Garth asked. "I was puking my guts out for a week. Imra, you try the roll."
"No way." Imra said as Ayla took the roll and ate it.
"Ooh, it's yummy." Ayla said.
"Thank you, Ayla." Lois said with a smile.
"Okay, sorry about that, but Kal, you have to go to New Metropolis!" Kell called out.
"I wish I could, Kell-El, but there's a meeting here tonight." Clark explained.
"Clark's going to tell the story of John the Baptist." Lois said as the other kids tried rolls, and they were all good, prompting Kell to try one. It tasted pretty good, and Kell guessed Lois was getting the hang of cooking.
"John the who?" Dick asked.
"John the Baptist." Clark repeated. "He was the cousin of Jesus, and he lived in the dessert, near the Jordan River. He ate honey and locusts to stay alive."
"Honey flavored insects?" Imra asked as she put the roll down, losing her appetite.
"Yuck." Ayla said as she stuck her tongue out.
"Shh!" Garth said.
"How can Kal tell a story at a time like this?" Kell asked. The kids would hear the story later that night, right now they needed a story for New Metropolis.
"Be patient, Kell." Lois said calmly. "Clark knows what he's doing."
"You see, John was a great prophet," Clark continued. "And when he came out of the dessert, he did not like what he saw. He began to tell the people to change their ways. Not to steal and not to cheat.
"'If you have two coats, give one to someone who has none.' John would say, as well as, 'If you have food, share that too.'
"People everywhere were talking about this strange man. He would ask people to be baptized, shortly put their whole bodies under water and come back out, as a sign they wanted to change their ways, which was why he was called John the Baptist.
"'I baptize you with water.' John would say. 'But the man who follows me will be greater than I am. I am not worthy to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.'
"And sure enough, not long after John appeared near Jordan, Jesus left his home in Nazareth and went to join the crowds at the river bank. John was nervous. He knew he wasn't worthy to baptize Jesus, but Jesus smiled at him, and John knew it was alright. He baptized Jesus, and just then something wonderful happened.
"A light shone down on Jesus as the voice of God said, 'You are my beloved son. With you, I am pleased.'
"After that, Jesus went to the dessert for forty days and nights, but I'll tell you about that some other time."
"Look Clark," Kell said as he did enjoy the story, but they were running out of time. "But what about New Metropolis? They aren't going to have a story tonight unless we do something."
"Exactly." Clark said with a smile. "Garth?"
Garth took out a scroll and handed it to Clark.
"What's that?" Kell asked.
"It's a story for the Christians in New Metropolis." Garth said with a smile.
"And you're going to give it to them." Clark said with a kind smile.
"That's a great idea!" Kell called out. He knew Clark wouldn't let him down. "There's only one problem. Getting to New Metropolis. The roads are practically paved with guards."
"There must be some way to get through." Lois insisted as Clark took a long piece of bread and stuffed the scroll inside of it.
"We know a way." Imra said with a mischievous look on all of the kids' faces that Kell didn't like.
I'll give you five guesses what the kids' way is.