Stupid green rocks
Smallville, Kansas 1995
Clark sighed as his father ordered him, "Off the phone, snows coming and we got chores to do."
"Sorry Lisa gotta go."
Jonathan looked Clark over, "Gonna be cold, shouldn't you have a coat?"
Clark shook his head, "Cold hasn't been bothering me much lately."
***
Jonathan and Clark had gotten most of the animals corralled into their pins but Clark spotted a calf across the field stuck under some of the new fence Jonathan had put up to expand the grazing field a bit. Clark ran over and went to pull it out when the calf's hoof dug up some dirt uncovering a glowing green rock. As Clark stepped over it he suddenly felt sick.
He wobbled a bit then fell over. Krypto ran up but stopped a few yards from Clark and started to whimper. He inched as close as he could before the rock began to affect him. He backed up and started barking frantically as Clark writhed on the ground. Jonathan ran over and saw Clark. He bent down to help Clark to his feet when he noticed the rock and how Krypto was reacting to it so he picked it up and tossed it away and then Clark gasped and pulled himself off the ground.
***
Clark stood a safe distance from Jonathan and the rock as he explained to him how to activate Jor-El's data base to see if he knew what the rock was, "Scans indicate it's of Kryptonian origin, the data suggests that it seems to have absorbed some form of radiation from the destruction of the planet that affects your DNA, It shouldn't be immediately harmful to humans but I would not suggest prolonged exposure."
Clark asked," Can this kill me?"
Jor-El replied, "Data indicates that exposure to it can be fatal given that it instantly stripped all of your power and made you ill. Lead should work to shield you from the radiation though."
Jonathan went to the corner of the room and pulled out a very old can of lead based paint and dropped the rock in. Clark eased up, "Okay just say no to kryptonite."
Jonathan gave him a strange look," Kryptonite?"
Clark shrugged, "Its a rock from Krypton, the name seemed appropriate."
***
The next day at school was long without much to do being the last day before Christmas break. Clark sat at the lunch table with Pete and Lisa Davis as Lana came up. Lana gave Lisa a bit of a glare but it went unnoticed. Clark was oblivious and continued discussing plans for the break.
***
Clark sat down with a soda as Jonathan watched the news waiting for the weather report and sports. "In business news, the start up Lexcorp while a new company has managed to beat out both Queen and Wayne Industries out on some very lucrative government contracts and seems to be on the fast track to success. Investors had been reluctant at first due to the age of C.E.O. Lex Luthor but in the last few months he's proven himself to be quite the shrewd executive."
Jonathan huffed, "I'd bet the house that kid's been dirty dealing, went from flat broke to millionaire in What? 4 months."
Clark shrugged, "I heard he was supposed to be some kind of super genius, maybe he invented something cool."
Jonathan gave him a mildly amused look, "You think so?"
Clark grinned, "The guy who came up with the pet rock got rich selling people something they can find in their yard, I'm sure one of the smartest people alive could come up with something."
Clark then nudged his father, "So what are the chances I have a Playstation under that tree?"
(To be continued)
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