Just outside of Metropolis, Tommy returned hom to the small shack that he called home. He was scared to go inside where the man who had taken him in was waiting for him to return, soon to be disappointed with the news he brought. His brothers weren't around, meaning they were either in the process of doing their chores, or had already completed them and were off having their free time. Either way, Tommy was glad they weren't there now. Being the runt of the family, Tommy knew that a beating was awaiting him for failing in his chore.
Tommy walked around to the back of the shack, where a shadowy man was preparing dinner over a fire. Tommy could taste the chicken as he watched it rotating on the spit. The man watching over the fire didn't even turn to face the boy.
"Did you bring him?"
"N-- no, sir," Tommy said as he cautiously came closer. "His brother showed up, so I had to disappear before he could--"
A white-gloved hand smacked Tommy hard across the face. It stung hard, but Tommy remained standing, now with a red mark across his cheek.
"I asked you to bring me the Kent boy, not excuses," the man said in a Southern drawl. "You begged me to let you do this when I could have had your brother go. I can still let him when he returns."
"NO!" Tommy said, his voice shaking. "I can do this. Please, let me try again."
"No one fails me twice, boy," the man said as he saw Tommy eyeing the chicken. "Only boys who do their chores get to eat. You'll spend the night in the punishment box for your failure. In two days, you'll get one final chance. After that... I'd hate to lose you, Tommy."
"I won't fail again, sir," Tommy whispered. "I swear, I'll bring Jon to you." Tommy said as he saw the small metal box he was going to spend the next two days in. There was a small slit in the door that would let him watch him brothers eat the delicious chicken in full view of him.
Tommy walked around to the back of the shack, where a shadowy man was preparing dinner over a fire. Tommy could taste the chicken as he watched it rotating on the spit. The man watching over the fire didn't even turn to face the boy.
"Did you bring him?"
"N-- no, sir," Tommy said as he cautiously came closer. "His brother showed up, so I had to disappear before he could--"
A white-gloved hand smacked Tommy hard across the face. It stung hard, but Tommy remained standing, now with a red mark across his cheek.
"I asked you to bring me the Kent boy, not excuses," the man said in a Southern drawl. "You begged me to let you do this when I could have had your brother go. I can still let him when he returns."
"NO!" Tommy said, his voice shaking. "I can do this. Please, let me try again."
"No one fails me twice, boy," the man said as he saw Tommy eyeing the chicken. "Only boys who do their chores get to eat. You'll spend the night in the punishment box for your failure. In two days, you'll get one final chance. After that... I'd hate to lose you, Tommy."
"I won't fail again, sir," Tommy whispered. "I swear, I'll bring Jon to you." Tommy said as he saw the small metal box he was going to spend the next two days in. There was a small slit in the door that would let him watch him brothers eat the delicious chicken in full view of him.
ISSUE #13 (April 2018)
Written by Tobias Christopher Featuring: Superman
Superboy
Bizarro
Conner Kent
Lois Lane
Chris Kent
|
"Bizzaro Knows Best""Put me down!" Superboy shouted as he struggled against Bizarro #1's super tight grip while they flew over the Metropolis sky. "Who are you?"
"Me am not old father," Bizarro #1 told him as he held Superboy tightly against his chest. "Me not taking you back to Bizarro World to meet old horrible family. Bizarro Lois going to absolutely hate you." "I said put me down!" Superboy shouted again. "I don't want to go anywhere with you!" "Son must have clean diaper," Bizarro #1 said. "Me get you old dirty diaper before we not go home." "What?" Superboy asked flatly. "DAD!" "Me am not right here," Bizarro #1 said. "You not take nap, it make you cranky for short trip home." "Put the boy down, Bizarro #1!" Superman shouted as he flew behind. "I don't want to hurt you!" "Superman not want to hurt Bizarro? Why you not want to hurt worst enemy?" Bizarro #1 asked. "Me am so happy you not betray me." Bizarro #1 stopped and rammed into Superman, sending him crashing onto the street below where the hero skidded to a stop, tearing up the asphalt on the street in the process. "Dad!" Superboy shouted as Superman stood up. "I can't directly attack or he might hurt Jon," Superman told him. "And green kryptonite won't harm him, only blue kryptonite will. But there's no telling how it could effect's Jon's unique DNA. No matter how I go about this, Bizarro #1 could end up hurting him somehow." "You're going to England now?" Connor asked as he saw Lois packing her bags. "Now right now, but soon," Lois explained. "Jon's recovering and this story needs to be covered. I trust you boys can take care of Jon for three days?" "Of course we can," Connor said. "The kid's in safe hands. It's just... without my powers, I don't know what to do if Clark and Chris are called away and something happens." "Connor, I've seen how far you're willing to go to protect Jon. I know that you'll do whatever it takes to keep him safe if something happens. Even without your powers, you're stronger than you realize," Lois told him. "But there's a list of emergency numbers by the phone, just in case." "What's 9-1-1 going to do against someone like Zod?" "I meant emergency as in the Justice League," Lois said. Chris was taking a shower, having just rinsed his hair when a loud buzzing was heard in his ears. He covered them, trying not to scream. Lor-Zod, this is your father. No one but you can hear this message, so pay attention. I have decided that you are now and forever banished from the House of Zod. You have made your alliance with the enemy, and so you shall die along with them. When next we meet, you will die by my hand without hesitation. You are dead to this family, Lor-Zod. The noise stopped as Chris stood there, not sure how to react to his biological father's statement. "Can we talk about this?" Superboy asked as he struggled in Bizarro #1's grip. "I don't even know if I can breathe in space! I have a curfew! I just started watching this show on Netflix about that blind superhero! My grandmother's name is Martha?" "Alright, Bizarro #1," Superman said as he landed. "Let the boy go." "Me not take him home for new horrible life!" Bizarro shouted. "How dare you not betray me! This not hurt Bizarro's feelings!" "Okay, you leave me no choice," Superman said as he pulled a laser out of his cape. "I'm sorry... Jon." "Wait, what?" Jon asked as Superman fired at the laser, hitting Superboy. He only felt a mild sting as he fell to the ground. He opened his eyes seconds later to see a Bizarro version of himself staring back at him. "What the fu--" Jon's clone wore a paler version of Superboy's costume and had an emo haircut. Bizarro Boy stood up and sighed. "Me am so happy to be here. Life am full of joy and happiness." "Am him not for me?" Bizarro #1 asked as Superman nodded. He grabbed Bizarro Boy and squeezed him tightly. "Me am so miserable! Me am thinking Superman is best friend when him am worst enemy! Me hate him so much!" "Dad, what's going on?" Superboy asked. "Me can wait to not take horrible son home!" Bizarro shouted. "Me am so full of joy for new life," Bizarro Boy said in a flat tone. "Him am worst son ever!" Bizarro #1 said as he slung his son over his shoulder. "Hello, Superman! Me am hating you forever!" Superman waved goodbye as Bizarro #1 flew his emotionless son off into the sky. Superboy just blinked a few times, not knowing what to say. "What was that?" Superboy asked. "I used a duplicator ray to clone you," Superman said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I have to do that every few years to keep him happy. That's how most of the Bizarro World clones came into being. It's a better solution than having an angry superpowered clone tearing up the city. Are you going to be okay?" "My backwards emo clone is going to live on an alien world with a weird messed up version of you and mom," Superboy told him. "Somehow... my life doesn't seem so bad in comparison." "So does that mean that you don't want to go for ice cream?" "Let's not get carried away." |
"You don't have to do this, Jonathon," Martha said as she brought her husband some pain medication for his back. "Clark is more then capable of picking up the slack while you recover from your back injury."
"I know, but Clark also has a social life on top of school," Jonathon told her. "I don't want to put extra work on the boy. He already does his fair share, and I don't want to exploit his powers just to keep the farm running. We can afford an extra hand until I'm back on my feet."
The doorbell rang as Martha answered, seeing a young college student on the other side. He had sandy blonde hair and was really well built.
"Hi, I'm Jason Teague. I'm here about the part-time job."
Clark made it to the top of the cliff without having used his powers. It was a pretty high climb, even with superstrength. He stood up and saw Carson's Cave not too far away, carefully walking toward it. He stood at the entrance and stared into the darkness before reaching into the backpack Whitney had handed him to find a flashlight.
"Okay, this should be easy enough," Clark said as he walked inside, shining the light as he went. "Just have to find the three markers. I just hope they're actually in here."
As he made his way in, he thought he felt someone watching him as he walked. After getting a good way into the cave, Clark accidentally tripped a wire, causing a cave-in at the entrance, completely trapping him within the cave.
"Great, now there's really no going back," Clark said as he heard a noise in the dark. He turned his flashlight toward the noise and saw a rat with a red marker taped to its back scurrying around. "Finally, some luck. Come here, little guy. Let me help you get that thing off of your back."
Clark went to grab the rat, but it raced off before he could pick it up. Clark went to follow, using his speed to grab it, but just as Clark got the rat in his hands, he felt the ground under him give way.
"Think Clark is okay?" Lana asked as she stood outside of the cave exit.
"It's Clark, he's going to be fine," Pete promised her as Whitney walked up to them. "You okay?"
"Pete, I need to talk to you," Whitney told him as he looked at Lana. The look they gave each other said what the conversation was going to be about.
"Maybe I should leave you two alone," Lana said as she went to keep watch on the cave for any sign of Clark.
"What's wrong, buddy?" Pete asked.
"Pete, there's something you need to know, I just don't know how to say it," Whitney told him. "But I promised Clark that I'd do this."
Clark landed face first, still holding the rat in his hand. He got the marker off in time to let the rat run free before standing up. He'd lost his flashlight, but the cave had a blue illumination to it, coming from a small pool.
"Cool," Clark said as he kneeled down to look at the water. "This place is beautiful. It almost feels like a fortress with a lot of solitude. I'll bet I'm the first person to see this place in a very long time. But how do I get out and find those other two markers?"
"... Wow," Pete said, rubbing the back of his head. "That's... I mean, how did--? When did--?"
"I guess it just happened over time," Whitney told him. "I always thought I just liked girls, but... I don't know what to think. I don't know if I'm straight or gay or... maybe I'm just a freak. And I probably just lost my best friend."
"We're still friends," Pete smiled as he put an arm around Whitney's shoulder. "I don't have... those kinds of feelings for you, Whitney. I wish I did, but--"
"I get it," Whitney said as he looked down.
"You're still my pal, and I promise that you're not alone," Pete told him. "You're just confused right now, and even if you are gay, we're still best friends. Hell, I'll even help find you a date for Homecoming if you want. So Clark knew about this?"
"And Lana," Whitney said. "I'm sorry, Pete. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid of how you'd react."
"And now you wish you would have said something sooner?"
"Sorry for all the times I called you a nerd," Whitney said. "And a loser. And a wimp."
"You should have heard some of the names I called you," Pete smiled as he looked around. "Wait, where are Lana's brothers?"
"What if they went into the cave to make sure Clark doesn't come out?" Whitney asked.
"We've got to go in to help him," Pete told him as he stood up, even though he was scared out of his mind of what was in the cave.
"You sure this is going to work?" Alvin asked.
"Trust me," Larry said as he pulled out some TNT. "It'll look like a cave in. I already set off the charges to the entrance when we saw him go in through the video camera we set up. We set up enough charges to destroy the exit and he'll be trapped with no way out. We just have to make sure he's trapped further in first. There's no way Clark Kent if leaving Carson's Cave Alive."
TO BE CONTINUED...
"I know, but Clark also has a social life on top of school," Jonathon told her. "I don't want to put extra work on the boy. He already does his fair share, and I don't want to exploit his powers just to keep the farm running. We can afford an extra hand until I'm back on my feet."
The doorbell rang as Martha answered, seeing a young college student on the other side. He had sandy blonde hair and was really well built.
"Hi, I'm Jason Teague. I'm here about the part-time job."
Clark made it to the top of the cliff without having used his powers. It was a pretty high climb, even with superstrength. He stood up and saw Carson's Cave not too far away, carefully walking toward it. He stood at the entrance and stared into the darkness before reaching into the backpack Whitney had handed him to find a flashlight.
"Okay, this should be easy enough," Clark said as he walked inside, shining the light as he went. "Just have to find the three markers. I just hope they're actually in here."
As he made his way in, he thought he felt someone watching him as he walked. After getting a good way into the cave, Clark accidentally tripped a wire, causing a cave-in at the entrance, completely trapping him within the cave.
"Great, now there's really no going back," Clark said as he heard a noise in the dark. He turned his flashlight toward the noise and saw a rat with a red marker taped to its back scurrying around. "Finally, some luck. Come here, little guy. Let me help you get that thing off of your back."
Clark went to grab the rat, but it raced off before he could pick it up. Clark went to follow, using his speed to grab it, but just as Clark got the rat in his hands, he felt the ground under him give way.
"Think Clark is okay?" Lana asked as she stood outside of the cave exit.
"It's Clark, he's going to be fine," Pete promised her as Whitney walked up to them. "You okay?"
"Pete, I need to talk to you," Whitney told him as he looked at Lana. The look they gave each other said what the conversation was going to be about.
"Maybe I should leave you two alone," Lana said as she went to keep watch on the cave for any sign of Clark.
"What's wrong, buddy?" Pete asked.
"Pete, there's something you need to know, I just don't know how to say it," Whitney told him. "But I promised Clark that I'd do this."
Clark landed face first, still holding the rat in his hand. He got the marker off in time to let the rat run free before standing up. He'd lost his flashlight, but the cave had a blue illumination to it, coming from a small pool.
"Cool," Clark said as he kneeled down to look at the water. "This place is beautiful. It almost feels like a fortress with a lot of solitude. I'll bet I'm the first person to see this place in a very long time. But how do I get out and find those other two markers?"
"... Wow," Pete said, rubbing the back of his head. "That's... I mean, how did--? When did--?"
"I guess it just happened over time," Whitney told him. "I always thought I just liked girls, but... I don't know what to think. I don't know if I'm straight or gay or... maybe I'm just a freak. And I probably just lost my best friend."
"We're still friends," Pete smiled as he put an arm around Whitney's shoulder. "I don't have... those kinds of feelings for you, Whitney. I wish I did, but--"
"I get it," Whitney said as he looked down.
"You're still my pal, and I promise that you're not alone," Pete told him. "You're just confused right now, and even if you are gay, we're still best friends. Hell, I'll even help find you a date for Homecoming if you want. So Clark knew about this?"
"And Lana," Whitney said. "I'm sorry, Pete. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid of how you'd react."
"And now you wish you would have said something sooner?"
"Sorry for all the times I called you a nerd," Whitney said. "And a loser. And a wimp."
"You should have heard some of the names I called you," Pete smiled as he looked around. "Wait, where are Lana's brothers?"
"What if they went into the cave to make sure Clark doesn't come out?" Whitney asked.
"We've got to go in to help him," Pete told him as he stood up, even though he was scared out of his mind of what was in the cave.
"You sure this is going to work?" Alvin asked.
"Trust me," Larry said as he pulled out some TNT. "It'll look like a cave in. I already set off the charges to the entrance when we saw him go in through the video camera we set up. We set up enough charges to destroy the exit and he'll be trapped with no way out. We just have to make sure he's trapped further in first. There's no way Clark Kent if leaving Carson's Cave Alive."
TO BE CONTINUED...