The Storm Herald Series {#Wattys2018}

2.0

"Ok, thank you very much," I say, then hang up the call. I go back into the diner, and sit back at the booth with Clark. I notice our food has come in the time I was gone.

"What was that about?" he asks.

"They found him," I explain. "They found him." Clark looks confused,"found who?"

"Her killer!"

By now I am laughing and crying at the same time. Everything that was stressful or sad or just painful pours out of me in the form of tears. Clark comes and sits on my side of the booth, and wraps his arms around me. I bury my face into his chest, probably soaking his shirt in the process. He rubs my back, murmuring soothing words in my ear.

"Hey, at least he's behind bars, where he can't hurt people anymore," he tells me. He pulls away from the hug, and looks at me,"so why are you crying?"

"I-I don't know," I bawl. Clark sighs, then hugs me again.

***

The next day, I have to leave Smallville, and go back to Metropolis. After packing, I go downstairs, where Martha is making breakfast.

"You hungry?" she asks me. I shake my head,"no, but thank you." I set my bags down by the door, then sit at the kitchen table, tapping my fingers. Through the kitchen window, I can see Clark and Johnathan chopping wood, so I decide to go out and talk to them.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," Clark greets, making me blush. He sets down the axe, and comes over.

"How did you sleep?" he promptly asks. I shrug,"fine. How about you?" I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans, hoping Clark won't see.

"I slept fine, as well," he tells me, and glances back at Johnathan. He nods, then Clark looks back at me, a nervous smile on his face.

"You wanna go for a walk?" comes his sudden question. I shove my hands in my jeans' pockets,"sure." Clark takes off his work gloves, then set them down on the banister of the back porch,"let's go, then."

We start walking, with Clark leading the way. Eventually, we fall into step with each other, and the silence that lands in between us is suffocating.

Please, say something to me, I beg in my mind. Anything, just so I can tell what I've needed to get off my chest.

We look at each other, then look away. The ground we're walking on starts to slope upwards, so I know where we are going. It brings a smile to my face, to see the place again. The tree, the hill, everything.

And then almost instantly, my smile disappears. Why would Clark bring me here? Doesn't he remember what happened here the last time we were here?

"C-Clark?" I ask, my voice shaky. He looks at me,"what is it?"

"Don't you remember what happened here?" I ask. He nods,"I do. But, that's in the past." I gulp, only now realizing how fully nervous I am. I don't want to be here, I want to leave, and go back to Metropolis. This place, I never wanted to come back. It was why I left Smallville, he was why I left Smallville.

"Clark, I wanna turn around," I tell him in a raspy voice. I try to turn around, but I feel Clark grab my hand,"please, don't go. I don't want to be alone. . ." His blue eyes are pleading.

"I'm sorry, but I can't stay," I whisper, then kiss his cheek. I quickly turn, to go back to the house, when the click of a gun pauses me. I turn around, to see my father with a gun against the back of Clark's head.

"Move, and I blow his brains out," he hisses. "I told you to stay out of this, and you didn't listen." I blink at him, once, then twice.

"Wait, you were the one sending me those threatening messages!?" I ask, surprised. My father laughs,"of course! Who else did you think was sending you them!?" My blood is now boiling in rage. My father, I've always hated him, but now my rage is at full capacity.

"If you kill him, then I will have to kill you," I growl.

"And where will that land us? In jail," my father replies, cooly. "So back off, before we end up like Killian."

"Mackenzie, he's just saying that to make you angry," Clark tells me, his voice strangely calm.

"No, his friend killed Queenie, and he helped," I snap at Clark.

"I'll do it Mackenzie, I'll do it," my father snarls. "I'll kill him. I swear."