Chapter 4: Bad Dreams

The blood pumped through his body with each beat of his heart. With every beat it corrupted him more and more. It was changing him. It should have healed him. It should have made him better. But like everything else it touched, the blood had been corrupted by the kryptonite. Even tainted though it was still powerful. It had been pushed into him in the hopes that it would give him life. In the hopes that it would give the young man back his future, and it did. But it was a twisted life and a dark future. He was dead when they gave him the blood and instead of returning his life it would make his death that much worse.

Chris jerked awake, the nightmare fading into the ether. He couldn't remember what is was about. All he could remember was darkness and the beating of a heart. He awoke with a headache. Laying there he tried to make the pain go away, eventually it subsided into a dull throb behind his eyes. He got up and started getting ready for school. He moved around the room in a daze, his movements almost machine like. Moments later his conscious thought returned and he tried to understand what it was he was doing.

Looking around it came to him..."Oh right socks." He said spying a pair under the dresser.

He finished getting dressed and went to the kitchen. Opening the fridge he grabbed the first thing that smelled edible. He couldn't clear his head. Every thought seemed to just float through his mind and he would find himself staring at the counter top minutes later. He finished his breakfast and grabbed his bag, passing his mom on the way out.

"How you feeling today honey?" She asked patting him on the cheek. "You sure you don't want to stay home another day?"

"No thanks Ma. I just want to get back to normal."

"Ok honey well you have a good day then." She said moving to start making some coffee.

"I will. See you later."

Opening the front door he was almost blinded by the morning sunlight. Jerking his head to the side and looking back into the house he covered his eyes from the glare. Gripping the door handle again he stepped onto the front porch and closed the door behind him on his way to school. Had he been a second later he would have heard his mom ask:

"Honey do you know what happened to those raw steaks I defrosted for dinner?"

That Afternoon

"Psst, hey Pete?"

"What?" Pete muttered under his breath trying not to attract the attention of Mr. Conrad their biology teacher. He tried to be as inconspicuous as possible because he knew Clark was about as subtle as a brick through a plate glass window, so if the heat was going to come down he was going to let it fall on Clark. Clark was his best friend but there was no way he was going down in flames with him.

"Has Chloe talked to you at all today?" He whispered, trying his best to not be obvious.

Mr. Conrad was attempting to educate the class in the biology of the fetal pig. They were going to dissect one next week and he was trying to give them enough knowledge so they didn't hurt themselves in the process. He had his back to the class though, writing out notes on the board, so the coast was clear. For the moment.

"Not really, just this morning in the Torch. Why what did you do?" He said finally looking at Clark.

"Nothing. I just thought she might have mentioned something to you thats all. I kind of got the impression that something was wrong." A sheepish look on his face.

"What could be wrong. Its not like you left her at the dance on your first date to go rescue the other woman. Oh wait..." He said with a knowing smile.

"Hey thats not fair. What was I supposed to do. Let her die?" Clark replied trying to sound indignant, and failing miserably.

"Did you make it up to her yet?" Pete asked, already knowing the answer.

"Not yet. But I do having something in mind. I want to make sure that everything is together though before I start the groveling process."

"Uh huh" Pete said.

"No really I have something really kewl in mind. I think she will really like it and it will totally get me out of the dog house." Clark tried to sound confident.

"You better hope so. You know how Chloe can be when she gets something under her skin."

Clark really had no reply to that. He wanted to make this work and he was still afraid that he may have ruined it before it had even really started. But he was determined to do what ever he could to keep it together. He turned back around in his seat and stared at the chalkboard.

Twenty mintues later the bell rang pulling Clark from his thoughts. He and Pete collected their things and headed towards the door.

As they walked Clark noticed Chris Voss standing in front of one of the class rabbit cages. He noticed Chris was just staring at the rabbit, the one affectionately named Mr. Bunny.

"Hey Chris hows the arm?" Clark said walking up to him. He just kept on staring into the cage.

"Chris you alright?" He said this time putting his hand on his shoulder. As his hand came in contact with Chris's jacket it started to tingle. Like his hand had just fallen asleep.

As soon as he touched him Chris came back to life. He quickly finished dropping in the food pellets he was attempting to put in Mr. Bunny's cage and closed and locked the door.

"Oh...hey Clark" He said looking a little bit startled. His eyes blinking quickly.

"You alright?" He said again while making a fist and shaking his hand out trying to wake it up. 'That was weird' he thought.

"Oh yeah I'm fine.. just...uh thinking about stuff thats all. Really focused."

"Hows it goin Voss Man?" Pete said walking up. "Your looking a little pale there bro." He said looking at Chris's face and arms.

"Uh yeah just a little side effect from the accident. Nothing to worry about. The doctors said my color should should return in a few days." His eyes blinked again in rapid succession and then he said "Sorry guys I have to get to Algebra. I'll see ya later." He grabbed his things and quickly left the room.

"Well that was weird." Clark said

"Yeah I know. He was white as a ghost and did you see his eyes?"

"Not really no. Why?"

"I don't know just something about them gave me the creeps thats all and he kept blinking. Just a little weird I guess."

"Well he was in the hospital for a few days. I hear that cut on his arm was pretty bad."

"Yeah right." He said staring after Chris. "Anyway come on were gonna be late."

Clark nodded at Pete as he followed him out the door. Still shaking his hand his eyes turned to follow Chris's back down the hallway.