-Chapter Two-

Freedom

The sun hung in the balance of a clear blue sky that could suggest that all was well in the world. The sun shone down on a sea of pale green fields of corn a lane splitting each one. A small farm sat alone in the vast stretch of fields the only neighbour it had was five miles away.

Its colours were warm and welcoming, which reflected off of the red barn that sat across from the yellow farmhouse which sat warmly against a forest of trees just a few miles away. It was safe to say that this was a family home even with the large crater in the middle of the field you still got a sense of safety and security from the house and farm. But, not for Clark Kent however.

Clark stood in his own self-sorrow and guilt watching the crater from his loft. It felt empty just being there, he had been reckless. He hadn't thought. He spun around punching the beam stood next to him. Splinters scattered as he let out a loud anguished scream of pain. The beam stood in half from the impact of his punch. He breathed heavily like a winded wildebeest, his anger burning in his eyes as small droplets of tears seeped through the chink of his armour.

He turned to see his guilty face looking back at him from the picture frame sat on his desk. His mother and father's faces burnt deep within him. After everything they'd done for him, they raised him and stood by him and he lost them their one chance of a life of their own. Why did he have to be so selfish? Why didn't he listen to his father?

He picked the picture up and gazed at himself looking back at him. He didn't even know the person looking at him. Everything felt simpler back then, but, now it was difficult, he didn't know where to go from here. He looked at his father smiling back at him and every time he saw that proud smile it reminded him even more of the look on his father's face when he told him what he had done.

"You didn't think this threw! An now your mother is in a hospital bed!" he said angrily at Clark in the hallway of the hospital as his mother sat in the bed in her room. His father looked at him so angrily it was as if he wasn't even looking at him as if he was a thing. That was all he was a thing they found in a cornfield. He didn't belong here. He didn't belong anywhere.

He dug into his pocket to find a small black box. He knew what was in there. His escape. The only way to escape his guilt and anger. Red Kryptonite. Last time, he was shocked at what he did at what he said and promised himself it would never happen again now he didn't care what happened all he knew was that he had to leave. He didn't belong anymore.

He got to his feet throwing the frame down on the floor. He stomped down the stairs of the loft and down towards the shiny restored motorbike parked under the loft stairway. He felt the leather jacket in his hand squelch as he gripped to stop himself from screaming in pain. He did as always did bottle it up. He took the stand off of the bike and rolled in slowly out of the barn leaving his worries behind. The hard wheels rolled over stony dirt floor as Clark pulled it out of the barn. He threw the jacket over a bail of hay. Taking out the red ring from the black box. He threw the box away sticking the ring back in his pocket.

"Clark, where are you going?" asked Lana as he rolled the bike over to the dirt road leading out of the farm. She walked over to him as he put the stand down so that the bike stood up.

"Away from here," he replied turning away from her and walking over to the bail of hay.

"The Clark Kent I know wouldn't run away from his problems," Lana replied angrily.

"The Clark Kent you know is a lie," Clark replied stubbornly.

"Why won't you let me in?" Lana asked exasperated as he walked away from her putting his jacket on.

"Because Lana, you won't like what you see," Clark called back from the bike stubbornly fixing his jacket.

Lana stomped over to him equally stubborn. "I am not giving up on you," she growled with conviction as she turned him to face her.

"No one can save me," he replied helplessly. "Not even you."

"Your parents need you. I need you," she replied tearfully her eyes twinkled as she looked at him as a teardrop rolled down her cheek. He looked away a knife twisting in his heart not wanting to leave, but knowing he had to, so that she didn't get hurt. So that he didn't hurt anyone again. "I love you, Clark."

"I love you too," Clark replied his voice cracking a bit, "more than you'll ever know. That's why I have to leave."

He turned to the bike taking the ring out of his pocket. He fingered for a moment before swinging his leg over the bike. He slipped the ring through his finger. A red vein rippled across his arm and a soothing sensation filled his body. He breathed in, in enjoyment as he felt a sensation in his eyes. He smiled in enjoyment as relieving sensation swam through his body.

"Come with me," he said turning to Lana.

"Smallville's my home," Lana croaked tearfully. Clark turned away from her not wanting to listen. "It's your home too."

"Not anymore," he replied sticking a pair of dark glasses on and riding away on the motorbike. The dirt spat up as the bike rode away down the dirt road

Clark looked on at horizon as he turned down the country lane, the engine roaring in his ear almost dampening the guilt with every roar. Was it the red kryptonite working or just the roar of the engine deafening each guilty thought? He was going to miss Lana, even his parents the red K couldn't lie about that but there was a relief to it. He didn't care what the thought anymore or if they missed him all he knew was that he was leaving and hopefully never coming back.

He didn't care anymore. He didn't care about his parents who always tried to tie him down or Lana, who stayed with a guy she didn't love because his father was ill or Chloe who always followed him around like a lost puppy. He didn't even care about Lex and his internal struggle anymore. He had always been like his father he just hadn't excepted it yet.

A smile crept across his face as the wind billowed in his hair and a loud booming voice echoed through his head as he looked on at the horizon to see a small dot that could only be Metropolis. That was where he was heading.

"You will obey me, Kal-El," came the voice of his father Jor-El. It had been his fault that everything had happened. He had forced him to do this. He had told him to leave Smallville; well he got his wish. He was never going back and he was never going to listen to his parents or biological parents again whether they wanted him to conquer the world or not.

He looked forward as the dot grew bigger showing Metropolis just a few miles away. At last he was free, free to do what he wanted to do and he wanted money, money he was free to take because who could stop him.

BANG!! Glass smashed and scattered down on the shop floor as the wheel of bike crashed threw it. Clark rode on the bike across the isles of a small shop his face hidden by a mask. A greedy grin stretched across the mouth hole of the mask. The crowded shop stood in a stand still as Clark swung his leg off of the bike.

"Put the money in the bag," said Clark cockily. He swaggered over to the counter with an air of arrogance emulating off of him.

The shopkeeper pulled out a gun. "Get out of my shop buddy!" he yelled threateningly although the way he held the gun and the way he was shaking suggested he wasn't going to use it.

Clark laughed unafraid by the man. He flicked his arm up knocking the gun out of his hand. The gun landed in his hand. He surveyed it for a moment. He placed the barrel against his chest and fired. A loud bang echoed as the gun fired and he stood unfazed and unharmed by the bullet. He looked at the horrified shopkeeper. "Now that could have hurt me," he scoffed arrogantly. He flung the gun away. "Now put the money in the bag!"

He threw a small bag on the counter and within a minute it was filled with money. Not a lot. But, enough to get him into a club or two. "Thanks," Clark chimed, "have a nice day."

He threw the bag over his shoulder and swung his leg over the bike. He rode out of the shop door skidding into the Metropolis road in which there was a bustle of cars all stuck in a traffic jam. But, that wasn't going to stop him. He was free, finally he was free.