Chapter 27:
Silence filled the kitchen like a thick fog everyone chose to ignore. Chloe glanced around the table, watching each person as they continued to eat soundlessly. She paused for a moment when she saw Clark. The girl had never seen him eat so cautiously in her life. It was as if the boy thought at any moment the chicken would revolt and attack. Biting her lip, she turned her attention back toward her own plate, starting to realize the destruction her friend had endured.
As the minutes passed, Chloe's urge for conversation grew into an uncontrollable need. "So, Clark..." she started, subtly placing her knife next to her plate. She paused, waiting for some type of acknowledgement, but it never came. She glanced at the two parents who were giving her a sympathetic look before turning her attention back towards her friend. Deciding to try again, she opened her mouth, but suddenly something caught her eye. Clark's knife lied next to his plate, untouched. Looking at the chicken, she realized Clark had been using his fork to cut through the meat. Tightly pressing her lips together, she idly wondered whether it was a trait he possessed all along that she had earlier missed or if it was another sign of his turmoil at God-knows-where.
Noticing the girl's unease, Martha turned towards Clark. "Clark, Chloe's talking to you," she stated, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.
Clark instantly jumped in his seat at the feel of someone grabbing him. Looking wildly around the room, he quickly realized where he was...and where he wasn't. "I'm sorry. What?" he softly asked as he glanced around the table.
"Chloe said something to you," the mother explained, her hand falling limply on the table. Clark looked at Chloe with no vindication or even fear, just humiliation.
Startled by the reaction but choosing not to acknowledge it, Chloe plainly said, "Oh nothing. I was just wondering if you wanted to go see a movie or something this weekend."
The mere thought of leaving the farm and the security brought with it terrified the young man. He glanced towards his parents, who were caught up in their own silent conversation between each other. Still unsure of what was right, what was expected, he looked back at the girl, her small smile strengthening him, even if just a bit. "I...Maybe..." he started, at a pure loss of words. He didn't want to disappoint his friend, but, at the same time, the thought of being taken away shook him too the core so much he didn't want to do anything to tempt his fate. "What if we..." he started, praying someone would finish his sentence.
Martha could see the struggle her son was going through. He felt like he needed to please everyone. To be honest, she didn't like the thought of him leaving quite yet, not without them knowing the whereabouts or specifics of the lab that held him for so long. "What if you guys rented a movie or two and watched it here?" she offered. "Pete can come too."
"Of course!" Chloe exclaimed a bit too dramatically. Too be honest, she felt wholly ashamed that amidst the excitement of Clark's return she had forgotten about her other friend, who was much more in need of seeing Clark than she could ever comprehend. "Yeah, we could get some popcorn and blankets and move the furniture out of the living room."
Clark slightly smiled at the thought of it. It seemed so...normal. He glanced up at the girl, enticed by her bright green eyes that sparkled with acceptance. Not sympathy or even compassion. Just acceptance. The one thing he spent his whole time looking for and it was right in front of him. She may not know what had happened to him, and hopefully she never would, but she accepted him all the same. Took him for what he was. Nothing more. Nothing less. Looking back at his hands, his smile subtly grew. "That would be nice."
oOo
The dusk sky highlighting the flourishing landscape, Martha watched as Chloe slowly approached her car. She softly sighed, her mind torn with anxiety and doubt. From the moment Chloe arrived, she felt an unease settle over the house, unsure of what to expect. Chloe had no idea how distraught her son was when he first returned. Therefore, the girl hadn't the slightest idea what may disturb or frighten her son. Too be honest, she, herself, barely had an understanding of what was fearsome in Clark's eyes.
She glanced back at Clark and her husband, who were clearing the table and washing the dishes, so she wouldn't have to. Smiling in silent gratitude, she turned her attention back towards the girl. At the sound of the engine, Martha quickly sprinted outside and stopped Chloe just in time.
She knew what she was about to tell the girl may be disturbing and hard for the both of them, but the mother felt like they had been walking on egg shells all afternoon waiting for the girl to naively slip up. Of course, Martha would have no one to blame but herself if such an event did take place, since she had not warned Chloe ahead of time. Yet Martha would like to avoid the situation all together, instead of tempting fate even more. Chloe had the right to know what the rest of them did, for their sake and Clark's.
Chloe saw Martha dart towards her car and instantly turned off the engine, wondering if something was wrong. Opening up the door, she met the mother half way, her eyebrows raised in question.
"Chloe, we should talk..."
oOo
Clark silently washed a plate and placed them on the counter for his father to dry. Noticing his father was quickly falling behind in the drying, he curiously glanced towards the man wondering what was wrong. Clark slightly smiled at the sight of his father, who was watching the same plate for the past three minutes, intently watching the baseball game from his spot in the kitchen. "I think it's dry," Clark stated, his voice barely above a whisper.
Snapping out of his trance, Jonathan turned towards Clark. "What?" he asked, not hearing his soft-spoken son over the roar of the crowd.
"I said I..." Clark swallowed hard. Fear brewed inside of him as he sought the courage to answer the question. He just had to constantly remind himself he was home with his father, not trapped in some confided cell with some unknown scientist. "I...think it's dry," he finished, heavily exhaling afterwards.
Jonathan looked at his son a moment, confused by his words, before glancing back down at the bone dry plate in his hand. Softly chuckling, he shook his head and softly squeezed his son's shoulder before placing the dish in the cupboard. Even if they were still far away from a full recovery, Clark had been making a definite progress with each passing day. Smiling, he turned back towards his son and picked up another wet plate.
Clark smiled in return as he placed the last dish on the counter and grabbed another towel to help his father dry. Noticing there was one person missing from the group, he glanced around the room for his mother, only to find she was nowhere to be seen. Frowning, he focused his hearing, wondering where she could have gone. 'Chloe, we should talk...' his mother's voice drifted into his ear. His heart caught in his throat, Clark placed the still damp dish on the counter and whispered, "I'll be right back," before darting towards the door.
His feet could not get to his mother fast enough. He knew she would tell her, he could tell how nervous his mother was with Chloe around with nothing to stop his friend from saying the wrong thing. But that was what he liked about Chloe...what he took comfort in. Her innocence...her naivety. She was his chance to go back to living his life as if the last year had never happened.
He did not want her to become like his parents or even like Cassie, who tried their hardest but still looked at him with pity in their eyes. He didn't need their pity, didn't want their pity. He just wanted to feel like he belonged there. Feel like he was a part of their world, no matter what his background or heritage may be. Deep down, he knew he would get acceptance from them no matter who or what he was, after all his parents did raise him and Cassie rescued him. But, with Chloe, he felt like he had earned it. He couldn't explain it, but he had an overwhelming feeling of self-worth when he looked at her, and he didn't want to lose it.
"Mom, can you come please come inside?" Clark called as he rushed onto the porch.
Startled, Martha turned around towards Clark, hearing the urgency in his voice. "Of course, be right there," she answered. Glancing back at Chloe, Martha whispered, "Never mind, I'll tell you another time." Chloe could wait. Her son needed her now.
With help of his advanced hearing, Clark heard the hushed words and sighed with relief. He knew it was wrong to use it, especially when his parents didn't know about it. He couldn't quite remember when he had even developed the new super power. All he knew is how often it came in handy while he was trapped within the silent confines of his cell. He didn't know why, but he wasn't ready to expose it quite yet. Maybe a part of him thought it would be the straw that broke the camel's back, and he would be labeled 'different' for the rest of his life.
But not of it mattered right now. Right now his mother was heading back inside and Chloe was safe. Safe from knowing the truth. Maybe one day there would be nothing to hide and he could finally expose himself to the world. Yet, deep down, he knew that such a day was only alive in his dreams.
To Be Continued...
oOo
Chapter 28:
'You'll never escape.'
The statement hissed through Clark's mind, wrapping itself around each of his thoughts.
'There is nothing beyond here.'
The voice found its prey. Its teeth bared, it prepared to strike.
'You have no home.'
In an instant it struck. Sharp pain filled Clark's mind, making him weak in the knees. Its venom seeped through his thoughts, leaving nothing but disdain and emptiness. Reaching out for support, he only grasped air before collapsing to the ground. Struggling for breath, he blinked against the darkness that surrounded him. Out of the shadows a silhouette slowly approached him. At the sight of the large knife the man was wielding, Clark frantically tried to move away, his sluggish limbs not cooperating. "Please..." he whispered, his eyes rolling in the back of his head.
Clark awoke with a gasp. Placing a shaky hand over his heart, he tried to blink the haze out of his eyes. " Clark..." a concerned voice echoed in his ears. Shocked and confused, he glanced towards the source of the voice, relieved to find it was only his mother.
Frowning with sympathy, Martha ran her hand through his hair, like she used to when he was a child. Just a minute earlier she had been walking up the stairs with a basket full of clean laundry. Pushing against the door, she opened her eyes to the pure, hidden trauma her son was faced in his subconscious. "Please..." the heart-wrenching whisper echoed throughout the room. Dropping the basket, she ran to the shaken boy's bedside and placed a hand on his shoulder, hoping to wake him up. As if triggering an alarm within him, Clark instantly gasped at the touch and opened his eyes.
Martha had known her son had been getting a definite lack of sleep over the past several days. Yet, whenever she brought up the subject, Clark instantly closed up and busied himself with something else. That did not stop the mother from trying. Martha opened her mouth to say something but was cut short when Clark awkwardly stood up and walked towards his dresser, as if sensing her desire to help. " Clark...do you want to talk about it?" Martha asked, leaning to the side to see around his broad shoulders.
Without hesitation, Clark drearily shook his head. He heard the frustrated sigh that escaped his mother's lips, even though it was softer than a whisper. But refused to comment on it, knowing it would only lead to further questions. More questions he was not ready to answer.
oOo
The loud bring of the timer echoing through out the empty house, Martha rushed down the steps and turned the egg timer to a halt. She gently pulled open the oven door and checked on the delectable oatmeal cookies. She debated for a moment whether or not to pull them out, but figuring Clark's current session with Dr. Harris would soon be over, she decided now would be the perfect time for the cookies to cool off.
The moment she sat down on her wary feet the porch door swung open revealing the young Dr. Harris. All thoughts of cookies and sore muscles forgotten, Martha quickly stood up to greet the psychologist.
"No need to stand up," Dr. Harris said as she entered the kitchen. She softly smiled afterwards, her admiration towards the mother only growing. Even though she had only met the parents a couple of times, she already understood their personalities and motives. It was one of the definite advantages of going into the field of psychology. Martha Kent fit the role of what Cassie liked to call 'mother hen', almost perfectly. Even though people usually use the term as an insult, Cassie always found the type to be the most loving and accepting of people.
Martha smiled in return and pulled out a chair. "Please take a seat."
As Dr. Harris moved towards the chair, she noticed the woman glancing beyond her, obviously expecting to see Clark enter any minute. " Clark went to the barn to help his father," she stated, wanting to quell any worries the mother may have. Nodding in response, Martha sat down and placed her hands clasped in front of her, obviously nervous about the doctor's report. Cassie slightly leaned forward in her chair. "May I just say Clark is recovering remarkably well. It still astounds me how much his memory has seemingly improved overnight."
Smiling, Martha commented, "To be honest, it slightly shocked us too."
Leaning in a bit farther, Cassie continued in a soft tone, "Something troubles me though. He seemed very distant today. Emotionally detached almost." Cassie licked her lips before continuing, "The last time I saw him he would have episodes where he would withdrawal from reality, but this was much different. Today, he just seemed uninterested. Has he been like this a lot lately?"
Knowing immediately what Dr. Harris was talking about, Martha answered, "It just started a couple days ago. Around the same time as the nightmares. I just assumed it was because he wasn't getting much sleep."
Cassie instantly furrowed her brow. "'Nightmares?' He didn't mention them during our session. How bad are they?"
Martha sighed at the question. She wasn't sure if she was being the overprotective mother again, but to be honest the past nights have shook her to the core. "Horrible. I can hear him screaming from our room," she stated, looking down at her hands. "We always manage to wake him up, but whenever I ask about them he just shrugs it off."
Seeing her inner-anxiety wash over Martha's face, Cassie reached her hand across the table and placed it over the mother's. "You're doing the right thing," she reassured. " Clark will open up when he is ready. We don't want to push him."
Leaning back in her chair, Cassie lightly rubbed her forehead as the newfound information mulled over in her mind. Clark's 'advanced' physiology may quickly become more of a curse than a blessing. The cause of Clark's current withdrawal had occurred to her during their session, yet she didn't want to admit it. She would hate to put more unneeded fear into the family's hearts if she could avoid it. Yet, all the signs were pointing to the same diagnosis, no matter how bleak it may be. "You should keep an eye on Clark over the next couple days. He may be clinically depressed."
Martha instantly looked up the doctor, fear in her eyes. "What?"
Trying to detach herself from her emotional ties to the family and Clark, Dr. Harris continued, "It is not uncommon for people to become depressed after being-" she briefly closed her eyes, "tortured. But usually the depression comes gradually and a bit after the patient's recovery. I'm afraid with Clark's superior mental state he is now finding himself on a roller coaster of emotions. He's been recovering so quickly his mind cannot keep up, and it will be hard to tell when he will reach his breaking point." She paused for a moment to look Mrs. Kent in the eye, knowing the next sentence was critical for the woman to understand. "The next couple weeks will be very hard for you and Mr. Kent, but it will be infinitely harder for Clark."
To Be Continued...
AN: I'm very sorry that it has taken me so long to update. Hopefully you haven't forgotten about this story. Two months ago we discovered my mother has breast cancer, so it's been a very trying time. But they've removed all of it and now she just has to go into radiation, so it should be less hectic around here.
Please review to let me know you're still reading. Even if it just says 'I read', I'll greatly appriciate it.