06 – Hourglass
"How'd you manage to talk me into this?" I asked Lana as I walked along side her, she was pushing a cart full of books around to give to the residents of the care home.
"You need 30 hours of community service," she told me.
"I could have gotten lifeguard at the pool," I told her, "The guys swim team are there this afternoon." She rolled her eyes at me for that as we exited another room.
"Hi Clark, Pete," she greeted making me look up before nodding.
"Lana!" Clark greeted in fake surprise, "I didn't know you were volunteering here."
"Yeah right," I smirked, noticing Pete mutter it too.
"For a couple of weeks now," she replied, "Are you part of the companion program?"
"Yeah, I'm reading with Cassandra," Clark replied.
"She's an interesting woman," I smirked slightly, "Some of the nurses say she can see the future."
"C'mon Izzy," Lana nodded for me to follow, "You can go hang with Mr Bollston." I rolled my eyes before sighing and following her out.
I walked into one of the rooms, knocking on the door as I entered, "Mr Bollston?" I asked curiously, "I'm Isabelle Kent." The old, heavyset man, around 70-ish raised a hand to shush me as he enjoyed the music making me arch an amused eyebrow. After the music met its peak, he reached over and switched it off before turning his wheelchair around to face me.
"Kent," he greeted, "The Kents moved to Smallville in 1932. Took over a couple of dust bowl farms... knew a bargain when they saw it."
"You're a local history buff, huh?" I asked him as I leant on the door frame.
"It's kind of my obsession," he replied, "So... are you my next victim?"
"You don't look that scary to me," I told him simply.
"You should have seen me in my younger days," he replied making me smile.
"I'm sure you were quite the heartbreaker," I told him smoothly.
"How about a spin around the grounds?" he asked me, "And you can tell me what the Kents have been doing since 1932?"
"Sounds good to me," I told him as I moved to the back of his chair, pushing him out of his room. I took him to the bridge over the koi pong where we stopped. "It's beautiful. I don't know why people don't come out here." I flicked the breaks on.
"They're too busy watching television," he replied as he pulled his robe tighter around him neck. "Say, would you mind running back to my room and getting me a scarf? Don't want to catch a chill."
"Sure," I nodded.
"Thanks honey... you're a doll," he told me. I smiled at him before heading back inside at a jog.
Heading back out my gaze found an empty bridge, "What the hell?" I muttered as I walked over to it, looking every way, all I saw was a youngish blond guy but nothing else. "How the hell did I lose a whole old person and a wheelchair?"
I bit at my lip as I wracked my mind about the old man as we walked into the Beanery, "It's not your fault, Izzy," Lana told me making me glance at her.
"Do you know anyone else who's lost an entire old person in a wheelchair?" I asked her simply.
"No," Chloe replied, "That's pretty impressive, even by Smallville standards." I sighed and slipped into a seat at one of the tables, Chloe and Clark opposite Lana and me.
"Maybe he was kidnapped," Clark suggested.
"Who'd want to kidnap Mr Bollston?" I asked him, "He's just a harmless old man."
"Maybe the koi turned into a piranha and ate him," Chloe smirked making me frown at her before sighing, "You asked for my help. I'm just thinking out of the box."
"I like your theory," the blond guy sat behind her commented as he turned around, my gaze shot to him and I frowned slightly.
"You know, you might want to work on your eavesdropping techniques," Chloe commented.
"Sorry," he offered a smile, "I'm – uh – I'm new in town. I just heard this is where young people congregate." I arched an amused eyebrow at the choice of words as Lana sent me a look.
"Yeah, we congregate here often," Chloe commented sarcastically.
"Hi," Clark greeted as damage control, "I'm Clark. The rude one's Chloe, this is Lana Lang and my sister..."
"Isabelle Kent," the guy said before him, I gave him a surprised look. "The name tag was a big clue." I glanced at my shirt, I was still wearing my stick on name tag from the centre. "So uh... good luck finding your missing old person." He turned back at that and I frowned at the back of his head as the others swapped looks.
"Enjoy your coffee," a waitress told him as she handed him his drink, "They brought it in by burro this morning."
"Thanks honey, you're a doll," the guy replied making me freeze.
"You okay Izzy?" Lana asked curiously, I nodded as I took my gaze from the back of the guys head.
"Seriously though," I sighed as I sat on the top of the truck's cabin, "A whole person!"
"They'll find him," Clark sighed making me frown before I watched him unload another crate only to turn my head as a black Ferrari skidded and zoomed down the driveway at a high speed. He skid to a stop right in front of us.
"You might want to consider rounding those curves at a speed that won't actually break the sound barrier," Clark commented as he got out.
"Where's the fun in that?" Lex asked with a grin as I hopped off the truck to give him a greeting hug.
"Seriously," Clark told him, "You could get hurt."
"Why the sudden interest in my health?" Lex asked with a laugh.
"I met this woman at the retirement centre," Clark replied embarrassedly, "and she can kind of see the future."
"Yeah?" Lex asked him, "Did she tell you your future?"
"Not exactly," Clark replied, "She said someone very close to me would..."
"Die?" Lex asked.
"I know it sounds nuts, but when you talk to her, it's like she really knows," Clark sighed as he put the crates by the entrance for the kitchen staff to pick up.
"Come on, Clark," Lex smirked, "She knows when she has a good audience."
"You sound like Izzy," he sighed making me smirk up at him as we all started into the mansion.
"That's gotta be a first," Lex laughed, I shoved his shoulder. "I heard you lost an old man." I frowned at that.
"How'd you find out?" I asked him, practically whining as I did.
"Word gets around fast here, didn't you know that?" he grinned at me making me roll my eyes and sigh.
"Guys, I think this woman is the real deal," Clark told us as we walked into Lex's study.
"Then the question you've gotta ask yourself is... do you really wanna know the future?" Lex told him making me glance up at him in thought. That was a really good point... I don't think I'd want to know about my future.
"Don't you wish you knew how it was all gonna turn out?" Clark asked as Lex took three bottles of water from an ice bucket, tossing one to each of us.
"Life's a journey, Clark," Lex told him as I dropped into a seat by his desk, "I don't wanna go through it following a road map."
"It still wouldn't kill you to drive more slowly," Clark sighed at him as I shook my head.
"Why?" Lex asked him, "I have you as a friend. You changed my future once, right?" I smirked at that but Clark seemed uncomfortable at the subject making me get up.
"Clark I need a lift," I told him, as I got to my feet.
"Why?" he asked curiously.
"I need to go see the administrator of the retirement centre, tell him what I know about Harry," I replied, he nodded and we started to walk out. "See ya later, Lex!"
"You never told me this woman's name," Lex commented making us turn around.
"I thought you weren't interested?" I asked him with a smirk.
"Maybe I'll ask her for some stock tips," he told us sarcastically.
"Cassandra Carver," Clark told him before we turned to leave again.
"I don't think that's gonna help bring Harry back," Clark commented to Lana as I walked down the hallway of the retirement centre about an hour later.
"Clark, what are you doing here so late?" Lana asked him.
"I came to drop Izzy off, thought I'd see Cassandra if she's still up," Clark replied as I joined them, they were looking at a bulletin board with the retirement residents photo's on, along with younger photo's too.
"What happened to Harry's younger picture?" I asked curiously as I joined their sides. There was a blank space next to his older photo.
"I don't know," Lana replied as she glanced at me, "What's wrong?"
"I went to meet the administrator," I replied, "Tell him what I know about Harry. But the police were there."
"It's a missing person's case," Clark told me, "It's not unusual."
"Yeah except that's not why they're here," I told him, "Harry Bollston's real name is Harry Volk. He was a murderer."
"A murderer?" Lana asked in shock, "Why would they let someone like that stay here?"
"It happened 60 years ago, when he was 17," I replied, "They must have figured he was just a harmless old man who moved back to his hometown to die." I shrugged. "Back in the 40's he was studying to be a concert pianist. He was up for a full scholarship to the Metropolis Conservatory. But his teacher recommended somebody else."
"So he killed his teacher?" Clark asked curiously, I frowned and shook my head, my gaze firmly on Harry's photo.
"He said his teacher killed his dream, so he killed the teacher's dream," I replied, "He killed the man's son." I turned my head to Lana and Clark, both were giving me shocked looks as they thought it over.
Turning my head I glanced at Clark, "Didn't you want to go see Cassandra?" I asked him, he nodded and headed off, leaving me with Lana.
"So, how've you really been?" she asked me curiously as I moved to lean against a wall, "I mean, you haven't real been yourself since you broke up with Pete and you're not talking to me about it."
"I'm fine, Lana," I told her with a sigh, but I looked anywhere but at her.
"People don't just go back to being friends with their ex," Lana told me making me sigh and look up at her. "You're hurt Izzy, I know you are. So talk to me."
"What do you want me to say Lana?" I asked her simply, "You want me to tell you that my heart shatters every time he even looks at me? You want me to say that whenever I see him with that girl I feel like ripping her head off of her shoulder?" she gave me a sad but surprised look, "Because to be honest with you, that may be the truth, but I pride myself on being in control of my emotions and if I let go, I'm gonna end up hurting someone and I don't want that." Lana sighed as I looked down the hallway, "I'm gonna go home, just tell Clark I walked okay?" She nodded as I walked away from her, my jaw clenched as I fought off any thoughts of how I really felt.
"Are you coming to the Torch?" Clark asked me as we left our last class the next day, I turned my head and frowned slightly. "Chloe wants to see us."
"Just fill me in after," I told him, "I'm not feeling too great, I'm just gonna go home." He frowned and nodded making me offer a smile before I turned and walked away.
People seemed to leave me alone and to my thoughts as I walked through town, it wasn't unusual to see me frowning in thought lately anyway. I was passing the beanery when the strange blond guy from a few days ago stepped out, my gaze turning towards him lazily before I carried on walking. "Hey, wait, Isabelle, right?" he asked as he jogged over to me.
"People call me Izzy," I replied with a shrug, "I didn't catch your name last time."
"Harry," he grinned offering me his hand, I shrugged off the name and shook his hand. "You find that missing old man yet?"
"No, not yet," I replied with a shrug as I carried on walking again.
"Well he couldn't have gotten far right?" he smirked slightly, I turned my head frowning at the fact he was still walking along side me. "So what are you up to, right this second?"
"Going home," I replied simply.
"I couldn't interest you with a coffee?" he asked me with a smug smirk.
"No thanks," I told him as I stopped walking, "I don't do coffee with strange men." With that I walked away from him not even bothering a backwards glance towards him as I left him stood there.
"Izzy honey!" mom shouted as I walked into the house, dropping my backpack on the kitchen table as I went.
"Yeah?" I called back to her as I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.
"Lana called, said she wanted to talk to you later," she replied as she walked into the kitchen, she gave me the same look her and Lana had been giving me since the break up. "I think she's worried about you hun, we both are."
"There's nothing to be worried about," I shrugged it off, "I'm fine... I heal fast, remember?" With that I walked past her, pressing a kiss to her cheek before I headed up to my room to get changed into a pair of sweats and a fitted tank top before I headed out to the loft to throw some punches at the punch bag dad had put up there for me when he first made it for the two of us.
I was still throwing punches when Clark turned up, making me glance sideways to him before looking outside, it had gotten dark. "Hey," Clark greeted as I sat down and unwrapped my fists, "You okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked him simply.
"You only beat the crap out of that thing when you're upset," he replied making me frown and look at the floor. "Chloe and Pete are coming over to tell us whatever they found out."
"I thought you were meeting at the Torch?" I asked him curiously.
"Lana was there, she found the 'Wall of Weird' and ran off when she found her photo," he replied making me sigh and nod slightly. "Izzy, you told me that it wouldn't be awkward if you and Pete broke up, that's not the feeling I'm getting lately."
"I'm fine," I told him snappily, "My only problem is people acting like I'm not." Clark sighed and nodded and I stood up and tossed the wrappings on the desk before turning at the sound of footsteps.
"Clark, we got your message," Chloe told him as she arrived, Pete right behind her.
"Hey, where were you guys?" Pete asked us, "What happened? I thought we were all supposed to meet at the Torch?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to blow you guys off," Clark sighed as I leant against the desk.
"Will the lovely Miss Lang be joining us?" Chloe asked us.
"I think she had enough weirdness for one day," Clark replied as Pete glanced at me.
"Have you been punching the bag again?" he asked me curiously, I frowned at him slightly and shrugged non-committed as my gaze caught sight of the papers under his arm.
"What've you got?" I asked him.
A guy was found dead in his house," he replied as he handed the newspaper over, "He was blindfolded and strangles with a piano wire."
"The same signature as Harry Volk in '45," I commented as I read the article.
"Sounds like a copy-cat," Clark suggested.
"A copy-cat of a murder that happened 60 years ago, two days after the original killer happened to disappear?" Chloe asked him, "I don't think so."
"Harry's in a wheel chair," I commented, "Not exactly primed to go on a crime spree."
"Well I found this picture of Harry from the 40s," she told us, handing it over, I spun it around and frowned instantly at the image I found. It was Harry, the guy from the Beanery.
"This is the kid from The Beanery," I pointed out as I grabbed a hoody and started down the stairs, pulling it on as I went.
"Maybe he's his grandson or something," Pete suggested.
"Or maybe it's Harry," I shot over my shoulder.
"I don't think we should start looking for time machines just yet," Clark sighed at me.
"Clark the old man just disappeared, and when I went back I saw this blond guy at the pond," I pointed out, "He eavesdropped on our conversation about Harry in The Beanery... and when I was walking home today I bumped into him, he said his name was Harry."
"Still," Clark told me as I turned to face them
"Fine," Chloe jumped in, "Where do you think we should start?"
"If someone is following in Harry's footsteps, maybe they send him fan mail," Clark suggested making me frown but nod in agreement.
"What happens if someone sees us searching Harry's room?" Chloe asked worriedly as we walked down the hall of the retirement centre.
"How about we don't get seen?" I suggested smoothly as I looked around.
"Clark, is that you?" I heard a voice ask making all four of us turn, it was Cassandra, she waved her hand indicating Clark to go to her.
"Look, Harry's room is down the hall," I told Clark, "We'll meet you there." He nodded and walked over as I turned and headed down the hall, Pete and Chloe following.
"When you said the blond guy introduced himself to you..." Pete questioned quietly as we entered Harry's room to search his things, "What happened?"
"What do you mean?" I asked him distractedly as I pulled an old box from under the bed.
"What did he say?" he asked me curiously, I glanced up at him before sighing.
"Nothing much," I replied. "He introduced himself and asked me to go get coffee with him. I said no and walked away."
"You said no?" Pete asked curiously.
"Why wouldn't I?" I asked him as I flipped the lid of the box and pulled out newspaper clippings, rifling through them before I handed them to Chloe who seemed to be purposely ignoring the conversation. Turning fully to Pete, I have him a pointed look.
"I just thought, you know..." he started nervously but the door opened and Clark walked in.
"You guys have any luck?" he asked us.
"No fan mail," Chloe shook her head, "Izzy found a bunch of old newspaper clippings from The Smallville Ledger... obituaries, articles." She handed them over to Clark for him to look at.
"The guy's been obsessed with Smallville for 50 years," I pointed out as I turned away from Pete who frowned at me. Clark wasn't listening, instead he was looking intently at an article Chloe had handed him. "What's wrong?"
"It's her," he commented.
"Who?" Chloe asked as she tried to look at the article.
"I gotta go," he told us before dropping the article on the bed and running out (at human speed). I frowned slightly at that, Clark usually let me in on these things.
"Why's he worried about the waitress from the Beanery?" Pete asked curiously making me turn my head towards him.
"I don't know," I replied, "But I'm gonna go find out." I turned to walk out, leaving the two of them watching me curiously as I headed to the front of the building where Cassandra was still sat.
"I was wondering when you'd come to see me, dear," she greeted as I walked towards her. "Isabelle, right?"
"Izzy," I corrected as I took a seat in front of her, "What did you say to Clark?"
"I didn't say anything," she replied, "I showed him all the people that needed his help." I frowned slightly before thinking about the article.
"Was one of them wearing a silver unicorn pendant?" I asked her curiously.
"Well... yes, I think there was..." she started making me get up to leave, "Izzy dear." I stopped and turned towards her, "Aren't you curious?"
Was I curious? I frowned and contemplated what I could possibly see. After a moment or two of hesitation, I moved to sit back down in front of her. She smiled at me and offered me her hand, which, once again after hesitating, I accepted in my own. I watched as she closed her eyes 'seeing' my future as if it was actually happening making me frown slightly. After a moment she let go of my hand.
"What did you see?" I asked her curiously.
"It'll be hard," she told me, making me frown, "But everything will be worth it when you finally meet him."
"Finally meet who?" I asked her curiously.
"Your future," she replied, I frowned slightly, "There are so many paths that I saw for you to take... but whichever one you choose, it always leads right to him. The blond man with the warm brown eyes, all dressed in green."
"Izzy?" I turned at the sound of Chloe's voice, her and Pete were giving me a curious look making me offer a weak smile before I turned back to Cassandra.
"All this pain," she told me gently, "One day, it'll be worth it... and when you come out of it, you'll be so strong." I bit my lip and smile slightly at the thought.
"Thank you Mrs Carver," I told her as I stood up, I placed a gentle hand on her shoulder before I walked away from her joining Chloe and Pete.
"What was that about?" Pete asked curiously.
"Nothing," I smiled slightly.
"Are you okay?" Chloe asked curiously.
"You know what," I turned to her, "I'm not." The two of them frowned, "But I'm okay with that... because apparently it'll be worth it." Pete frowned slightly as Chloe gave me a reading look before she smiled as if in understanding as we linked arms and headed out.
Chloe and Pete dropped me back at the farm, where Clark was already there and when I got in they explained to me what had happened with Harry and the waitress from The Beanery. I sat at the table with dad and Clark as mom talked on the phone. "Zoey's gonna be okay," she told us, "But that truck driver could have sworn he hit you." I frowned at that, turning to Clark who gave me a sheepish smile. "Don't worry... he's not asking any questions."
"Is that kid in jail?" dad asked curiously.
"No, he's in the hospital overnight for observation," mom replied.
"Does Zoey know why he was trying to kill her?" I asked her.
"She's just grateful you happened to come along," Mom replied making me glance at Clark.
"Is that what you told the police?" I smirked slightly.
"I figured they wouldn't want to hear I got a vision from an old blind lady," Clark replied dryly, I smiled at the thought of Cassandra, remembering what she'd told me.
"I'm not sure how I feel about Cassandra," mom commented, making me look up at her.
"Mom, she's my friend," Clark told her, "She told me my destiny was to help people."
"You don't think she knows you secret?" Dad asked him, Clark's expression was sheepish again making me frown. That was an obvious yes and mom and dad seemed to understand that too.
"I don't think you should see her anymore," dad told him.
"If I hadn't gone to see her, Zoey would be dead," Clark pointed out.
"Your destiny may be to protect people but ours is to protect the two of you," Dad told us, "And that's gotta come first, okay?" I bit my lip as Clark sighed before nodding.
The next morning I woke up to mom handing me the phone, on the other end was Lana telling me that Harry had been found handcuffed to the hospital bed that the young blond guy had been in the night before. With a sigh, I got out of bed and woke Clark up before we headed to the retirement centre.
"The police questioned Harry all morning," Lana told us as we walked alongside the koi pond. "He said he was kidnapped by this kid who was obsessed with his old case."
"So somehow in broad daylight, this kid got out of handcuffs, smuggled Harry into the hospital and cuffed him to a bed?" I asked sarcastically.
"That's the official story," Lana replied making me smirk slightly and shake my head.
"It may be the official story, but it's a load of bull," I commented.
"You could always add it to the Wall of Weird," Lana suggested as Clark stopped walking, looking pale. "You okay?" Lana asked him curiously.
"Not really," he replied making me turn to the water, the green glint at the bottom told me there were meteor rocks down there. "I think I'll go inside... talk to Harry."
"Well I'm gonna go home, I have chores and a paper to finish," I sighed before I tossed Lana a smile and headed off.
Later that afternoon I was still writing my paper sat in the kitchen as mom kept my cup filled with coffee as well as giving me snacks every now and again. "Honey, I'm gonna go to town for some groceries," she told me as she handed me another coffee. "You gonna be okay on your own for a little while?"
"Yeah," I nodded, "Go ahead I'll be okay." She smiled and dropped a kiss to the top of my head before grabbing her keys and going.
It was around half an hour, maybe an hour later that there was a knock on the door making me frown before I dropped my things and headed to the front. "Can I help you?" I asked as I answered it, not paying attention to whoever it was.
"Yeah I got a report about a gas leak," came the reply making me tense, "You, uh, mind if I come in?"
"Gas leak?" I asked as I looked up, it was young blond Harry, "I don't smell gas."
"Your father called about it earlier," he told me, "Is... is he around?"
"He's out in town," I replied, "He'll be back soon." The guy nodded, "Where's our usual gas man, Derek?"
"He's on holiday," he told me, "I'm filling in for him."
"Right," I nodded, "Yeah, I remember he mentioned it. Can you excuse me for a sec, I'll call dad, see when he'll be back." Harry nodded and I strained a smile before snapping the door shut, heading inside to grab the phone.
There was no dialling tone when I checked it making me bite at my tongue, before I decided that I should probably make a run for it instead of fighting. "Your gas man's name isn't Derek, is it?" a voice asked behind me making me turn, Harry was stood there glaring at me making me chew on my tongue slightly and back off.
"What do you want?" I asked him as I put the table between us.
"Your grandfather ruined my dream," he told me, "I came here ruin his by killing your dad... but I think you'll do nicely." He lunged at me making me dodge around him, grabbing the coffee cup from the table before smashing it over his head and running out of the back door.
"Shit, shit, shit," I muttered as I ran to the barn, it was like my brain had gone blank and I forgot all about my powers.
"You can't hide from me forever!" Harry bellowed as I slinked through the barn, exiting on the other side as he came in the way I had. Biting my lip, I turned towards the grain silo, he couldn't see me if I went there. So dashing over, I slunk into the silo through the door, trying to calm my breath down as I did.
Putting my back to the side, I took a breath and bit at my lip to keep myself quiet, I could hear his footsteps outside, "Marco..." he called making me tense and close my eyes before I forced myself to open them again. He dove through the door making me yelp and back off as he came towards me. "Tut, tut, tut..." he smirked at me before lunging again, he'd grabbed a knife from the kitchen and it sliced through my arm as I dodged around him, running for the door.
"Ah, ah, ah," he told me, lunging and getting there first, pulling it shut.
"You don't have to do this," I told him as I backed away, my gaze catching sight of the chain that released the grain. "You're young again, you can have a second chance."
"Maybe I can, but your grandfather is not living through you," he told me simply, he lunged again grabbing a hold of me before I could dodge this time. He knocked me backwards, but I just had time to grab the chain, starting the grain as we both fell to the floor.
The pressure of the grain on us grew slowly as we grabbled and wrestled on the floor, me doing everything to keep the knife in his hand away from me. I failed at that a few times, hissing as the knife dug into my arm and stomach a few times... I managed to scramble away from him when the grain reached my neck but the pressure on my chest from it was too much and I could feel myself slipping away...
"Izzy! Izzy!"
I could feel myself slipping back into consciousness as someone pressed on my chest for CPR. With a small groan I let my eyes flicker open before I rolled over and coughed because of lack of air. "Izzy," three voices gasped in relief making me turn my head to see mom, dad and Clark crying as mom pulled me into her arms.
"You're okay, oh my god, you're okay," she muttered into my hair as I looked around, I was still in the grain silo, but they'd dug me out. My gaze landed on an arm protruding from the grain a little way away, it was old... and it was still.
"Cassandra was wrong, Clark," Dad told him as I climbed out of the silo, stumbling on my feet slightly. "No one's gonna die."
AN: I really struggled with this one, let me know what you think?