The following night, Clark and Chloe were relaxing in the Kent farm living room. They were watching a movie on TV, laughing at a funny scene while eating popcorn.
"This movie is actually better than I expected," Chloe said, grabbing another handful of popcorn and throwing herself onto the couch next to Clark.
Clark smiled, but suddenly stopped chewing, frowning as he focused on something.
"What is it, Clark?" Chloe asked, noticing his change in behavior.
"I heard a noise in the barn," Clark said, shifting his gaze from the TV and focusing on the wall as if he were trying to see through it.
"A noise?" Chloe asked, curious, sitting up straighter. "Are you sure? It could just be the wind or something."
Clark didn't answer immediately. He turned toward the wall, and his eyes glowed slightly as he activated his x-ray vision. Through the layers of wood and concrete, he saw the figure of a man moving stealthily in the barn.
"Someone's in the barn," Clark said, already getting up from the couch, his expression becoming more serious.
"What? Someone broke in?" Chloe also stood up, alarmed. "Let's go check it out!"
Clark was already heading for the door, moving with speed and determination. Chloe followed closely behind, clearly worried but curious about what was happening.
"Clark, wait for me!" Chloe said, hurrying to catch up with him.
Clark stepped out the door with Chloe right behind, their hurried steps crossing the path leading to the barn. The wind blew gently, but the tense atmosphere left no room for distractions.
"Do you think it's someone dangerous?" Chloe asked, trying to keep up as Clark quickened his pace.
"I'm not sure yet, but we need to check," Clark said, without taking his eyes off the barn ahead.
When they reached the entrance of the barn, Clark gestured for Chloe to stop. "Stay behind me. We don't know who's inside."
Chloe nodded, staying a bit further back as Clark slowly pushed open the door, the creaking of the wood echoing through the space. They stepped inside, and the sound of something moving stealthily reached them almost immediately.
"Did you hear that?" Chloe whispered, her eyes widening as the sound of footsteps echoed through the darkness.
Clark nodded, focused, moving carefully. He used his x-ray vision again and saw a figure trembling at the back, among the piles of hay.
"Stay here," Clark said, moving quickly toward the figure.
As Clark got closer, he saw a man crouched on the ground, shaking uncontrollably. When he took another step forward, he finally recognized the face.
"Earl Jenkins," Clark muttered, his eyes narrowing.
'Earl Jenkins… from what I remember, his body vibrates trying to expel the Kryptonite. If I use my powers, I might be able to help him.'
Clark knelt beside Earl, keeping a calm expression.
"Earl, it's me, Clark. What's going on? How did you get here?"
Earl trembled even more, his hands gripping the ground as he tried to speak.
"Clark… I… can't… control this. Everything's spiraling… what did I do… I… I hurt someone!"
Clark looked at Earl with concern, realizing how shaken he was.
"Calm down, Earl. We can fix this. You're safe here."
Chloe slowly approached, curious and worried. "Clark, what's happening to him?"
"I'm not sure yet, but he needs help. Can you go back to the house and get a glass of water for him, please?" Clark asked, trying to keep the situation under control.
Chloe nodded quickly, glancing at Earl with concern before rushing toward the house. As soon as she left, Clark focused back on Earl, who was still trembling on the ground.
Clark activated his x-ray vision, carefully examining Earl's body. He saw small fragments of Kryptonite embedded in Earl's skin, causing the tremors.
"You're a lucky man, Earl," Clark murmured as he knelt beside the man.
Gently, Clark placed his hand on a part of Earl's body that wasn't affected by the Kryptonite. He used his power to make Earl intangible, allowing the Kryptonite fragments to fall to the ground. As the pieces fell away, Earl's tremors began to subside.
"Healed," Clark said with a slight smile, satisfied with the result.
Clark then placed his hand gently on Earl's head, concentrating for a moment before erasing his recent memories.
"You'll forget everything I did to help you," Clark said, his voice low but firm. "You came here to ask my dad for money, and I convinced you to turn yourself in to the police."
Earl relaxed on the ground, his body finally free of the tremors, his mind cleared of the traumatic memories.
At that moment, Chloe returned with a glass of water in hand. She looked at Clark and then at Earl, relieved to see he seemed better.
"Is he okay?" Chloe asked, handing the glass to Clark.
"Yes, he's better now," Clark said, taking the glass and offering it to Earl. "He just needed some rest."
Earl drank the water slowly, still visibly shaken but calmer. Chloe, still worried, watched the scene in silence, unaware of the details of what had really happened.
"Earl, stay in the barn tonight. Tomorrow, my dad will return from Metropolis, and he'll go with you to the police," Clark said.
Earl, still breathless, slowly nodded.
"Thank you, Clark… I don't know what I would have done without you."
Clark stood up, offering a brief nod. "Everything will be fine."
He turned to Chloe. "Let's grab some things so he can rest comfortably here."
Chloe followed Clark as the two left the barn, unease written on her face. Once they were far enough away, she looked at him, her voice hesitant.
"Why does Earl need to turn himself in to the police, Clark? What really happened to him?"
Clark paused for a moment, meeting Chloe's eyes before answering. "He… took someone's life, Chloe. It was an accident, but that doesn't change what happened."
Clark's words echoed in Chloe's mind as she squeezed his hand in a silent gesture of support. "My God… what a terrible situation."
Clark sighed, trying to calm her. "He's going to do the right thing. He'll turn himself in, and justice will decide his fate."
Chloe held Clark's hand firmly as they walked back to the house. A palpable tension hung in the air as both tried to process the recent events.
"I hope he can overcome this," Chloe murmured, her voice low, filled with concern.
"He will," Clark affirmed, opening the house door. "Let's get some blankets and something for him to eat."
...…
Clark returned to the barn with his arms full of blankets and a small bag of food.
"Earl, I brought some things to make you more comfortable tonight," Clark said, entering the barn slowly.
Earl, still sitting on the ground, looked exhausted but calmer. His tremors had completely stopped, and he looked at Clark with gratitude in his eyes.
"Thank you, Clark. I… I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't been here," Earl said, his voice still weak.
Clark placed the blankets and the bag of food next to Earl. "Everything's going to be fine. You can rest now. Tomorrow, my dad will be back, and he'll help you with the police."
Earl nodded, visibly more at ease. He began to arrange the blankets around him, trying to get more comfortable.
"I… I just want this to end," Earl murmured as he lay on the ground, his eyes tired.
"It will end," Clark said firmly, watching the man settle down. "Rest. I'll be around."
Clark gave the barn one last look, making sure everything was in order. As he left, he turned off the light softly, leaving only the moonlight to illuminate the inside.
He closed the barn door behind him, leaving Earl to a deserved and solitary rest, while the Kent farm remained quiet under the night sky.
...…
Clark woke up early that morning, the sun not yet breaking the horizon when he got up.
In the kitchen, he started preparing breakfast.
The smell of fresh food began to spread throughout the house when, suddenly, Clark heard the unmistakable sound of a truck approaching along the dirt road leading to the farm.
"They got here early."
Clark quickly turned off the stove and headed for the door, walking with firm steps toward the entrance of the house. As he stepped outside, he saw his father and mother's truck approaching, raising a small cloud of dust along the way.
Clark walked quickly toward the truck, watching Jonathan step out of the vehicle with a curious look.
"Dad, I need to talk to you."
Jonathan frowned, sensing the urgency in his son's voice. "Of course, son. What happened?"
While Martha headed toward the house, Clark accompanied Jonathan to the barn, beginning to explain everything that had happened with Earl Jenkins the night before. They walked side by side down the dirt path, as Clark explained the situation in detail.
Jonathan sighed, placing a hand on Clark's shoulder.
"Thanks for telling me, son. I'll take care of this now. Go tell your mother I'm handling the situation."
Clark nodded, veering toward the house while Jonathan headed for the barn.
As soon as Clark entered the house, he was met with a curious look from Martha, who was in the kitchen.
"Clark Kent, why did Chloe sleep here last night?" Martha asked, raising an eyebrow.
Clark stopped in the middle of the kitchen, trying to contain a smile. "Would you believe me if I said I was scared to sleep alone?"
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