DC: Re-Created: Superman #0.2
Small Beginnings Part II
Smallville, Kansas
Those b*****ds beside us, Goodling Wholesale or whatever they’re called, they’re behind this!” Clark cried angrily to Pa, as he marched with his fist clenched forcefully.
“They don’t care about us. We’re only a liability, a minor nuisance! A figure on a spreadsheet, a mention at a board meeting but definitely not considered a fellow member of society. Society and people are just workforce and consumers to these people!” Clark ranted as he paced around the field, his hands flailing relentlessly. His agitated state ceased when he noticed Pa reaching for his chest, a look of shock upon his face.
“Pa?” Clark asked worriedly as he began to run towards him.
Pa looked down at his chest, his eyes widening. He reached carefully into his shirt pocket and pulled out a mobile phone, its vibrations were now clearly being heard by Clark.
“Stupid thing startled me. I may turn it off silent, I didn’t know what was happening.” Pa declared as he peered at the screen before quickly jabbing the hang up button. He inserted the phone back into his shirt pocket and patted it to be secure. He looked up and noticed Clark’s gaze towards him, his eyes still lit with shock.
“I thought that you were…” Clark muttered before being cut off.
“Well, if you weren’t having a rant about Capitalist greed and evil corporations, you might have heard the vibrations.” Pa grinned, though his eyes showed only sadness. Clark could tell when Pa was trying to be optimistic about a situation, eager to stem the flow of any negativity before it spreads.
“I’m sorry for the outburst, I just can’t comprehend the greed of people sometimes…” Clark admitted uncomfortably as he gently rubbed the back of his neck.
“Relax, letting your anger show now and then is human. Controlling it is the problem.” Pa explained as he folded his arms and relaxed his position.
“Sometimes I don’t feel human.” Clark confessed solemnly, as he looked aimlessly into the distance, his thoughts beginning to run astray.
“To me, being human isn’t being a member of a certain species, it’s being a member of a society. Being human isn’t having a certain type of DNA, it’s having moral fibre and a sense of righteousness.” Pa declared confidently, as he clasped his hand onto Clark’s shoulder.
“What about the immoral? The greedy and cruel of the world? Are they not human?” Clark asked curiously, as he turned towards Pa.
“No, just lost. They’re lost in the darkness with no light to guide them. The world today is full of shadows, Clark. When your eyes are used to darkness, they strain to adapt to light.” Pa lectured, his eyes seemingly distracted as if those words uncovered forgotten memories in his mind.
“Is there nothing anyone can do? How can you try to do good, when evil just blankets it?” Clark debated, his gaze now solely fixed on Pa.
“Clark, there is one thing I want you to remember and this is important. Darkness does not dim a beacon, it only allows it to shine brighter.” Pa’s words were clear and crisp, making sure each syllable was understood.
Clark was silent, taking in all the advice from his father, his mind determining how it affected his perception of the world.
Pa’s words broke his thoughts.
“That’s enough philosophy and deep thinking for now. We’ve got to come up with some solutions for our current predicament. Theory can only go so far without practical.” Pa exclaimed, grinning as he rubbed his hands in anticipation.
“Who was the phone call from?” Clark casually inquired, his stance now relaxing.
“Jim Hawker. Probably about the offer for the cattle. Almost had the deal closed too. Didn’t have anything to tell him yet, don’t know what I could tell him, to be honest. Probably that there’s no way I’ll be able to sell what remaining cattle I’ve left. Either way, I’ll deal with it later, I’ll just tell him I was in the church and I couldn’t answer or something.” Pa thought out loud, as he gently rubbed his chin, eyes pointed towards the ground.
Pa suddenly jumped back into reality and declared,
“Right, anyway, better get back home! Nothing helps thinking like a strong cup of coffee and Ma‘s homemade apple pie!”, he clapped his hands in glee as he began to walk to the tractor.
Clark separated into a different direction as he called Butch to heel. He began to prepare to take off into super-speed when a name broke the quiet Kansas air. “Clark?” the shout declared towards the walking figure, who quickly turned in response. “Remember, brute force doesn’t solve everything.”.
**
“You tried legal action? Like suing their asses?” Pete Ross curiously asked as he surveyed Clark’s photos of the incident.
“A small farmer versus a huge corporation? When has that ever worked out well?” Clark joked as he peered out the window, towards the setting Kansas sun. His brow randomly furrowed as he thought of various solutions, settling on none in particular so far.
The light in the bedroom was slowly dimming as the dusk began to arrive. Pete and Lana Lang were lounging comfortably on Clark’s sturdy bed, surrounded by a sea of photographs. The room was full of memories; photos and scribblings covered the walls, each personal reminders of happy events.
“I’ve heard some have got lucky.” Pete remarked as he searched the pile for any previously unseen photos.
“With the slowly decreasing bundle of cash we’ve left, we’ll need more than luck, Pete” Clark explained, as he sighed sadly before leaving his window-side position.
“I wouldn’t worry about it, Clark. You’ll think of something. You always appear to be one step ahead of everyone else, anyway.” Lana Lang encouraged as she peered cheerfully at Clark, as he passed by towards the door.
“Where are you going?” Pete asked as he removed his gaze from the photos.
“To the toilet.” Clark scoffed as he calmly opened the door and his footsteps began to thump into the distance.
Lana began to glance at the framed pictures and smiled as she remembered the moments of their capture. “Tsk, tsk, a fine bull. Would have sired some lovely calves, had he the chance.” Pete commented, as he examined the photo of a bull carcass.
“Clark is some guy isn’t he?” Lana interrupted, oblivious to Pete’s comment. “He’s so mysterious. He seems to have inner strength, but yet tries to hide it. You see glimpses when he sees others in trouble. He’s unlike any other guy I’ve ever known” Lana muttered poetically.
Pete gritted his teeth as he sarcastically said, “Oh yes, tell us more about Clark, that’s all I wanted to hear”.
“Hmm, oh I’m sorry Pete, forgot you’re a guy. I might hurt your big male ego, you know?” Lana playfully remarked as she gave Pete a friendly hug. “Yeah, it’s my ego you’re hurting…” Pete quietly muttered as he softly hugged back.
Clark gazed out a window as he passed. He stopped and began to stare outside, though his super-vision couldn’t see the destination, he knew what was there. He smirked. He had a plan.
**
The silence in the offices was almost deafening, save for the slow breeze creeping through the ventilation shafts. However in the unnerving darkness, one room dared to be bright. Its flickering colours spreading to nearby walls, its sole occupant laughed gleefully as he peered at a small screen.
Unfortunately it was the wrong screen to be watching on that night as the laugh track of the sitcom echoed throughout the empty hall. His laptop was a rainbow of colours amongst the dim monotone of the camera feeds covering the remainder of the room.
Outside, a hooded figure made landfall on a lengthy tunnel in the field, near the door to the offices. The intruder had eyed the camera positions carefully from a distance and decided to act on its blind spot. He had scaled the fence in a single leap, though that was only the first barrier. But Clark had accounted for them and proceeded with the plan.
(If you've enjoyed this, please check out the other stories at the DC: Re-Created Library)
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