THE SUPERWOMAN FROM KRYPTON

THE ETERNAL COURSE. PART VIII

Smallville, Kansas, Autumn 1935

With her super-hearing, Clara heard her father getting out of bed and going downstairs. She turned down the radio and returned to her books. Her father came into the kitchen with a tired face.

"Can't you sleep, Bunny?"

"No, Pa."

Joe Kent sat down heavily across from her.

"Well, that makes two of us. Do you mind if I join you?"

"No, not at all, Pa."

Joe turned up the radio again.

"I thought you were bothered by the sound of the radio, Pa..."

"No, don't worry Bunny, I just can't sleep."

"Why, Dad? Are you all right?"

"Yes, don't worry."

Clara used her x-ray vision, which she barely knew how to use, and which confused her so much. Her father's heart was weak and labored, worse than most hearts she knew. A pang of pain squeezed her heart and tears flooded her eyes.

"What is it, Bunny?"

"Why don't you go see a doctor?"

"I already did. It's fine, don't worry."

"No, it's not fine, I know it's not."

"I must be more careful, that's it."

"Why don't you... go to a sanatorium? Fred Danvers' father spent two months there and recovered... I can take care of everything... and Mother. You know, I can take care of what's left of the crop and the housework, really quick, and Mom can take care of the sales."

Joe smiled.

"I don't think so, I'd rather not leave you two alone. What you need to do is study and finish high school. As far as I know you still want to be a teacher."

"But it's not hard for me, I can do both, you should rest."

"Clara, we don't have money for a sanatorium, and it wouldn't change a thing. It's not about rest, it's about taking care of myself. Doing nothing in a sanatorium would make me nervous, and it would be worse."

"We have the money from my college plan."

"No way. Your college money is your college money and nothing else."

Noticing his daughter's tears falling from under her glasses, Joe reached over and kissed her on the cheek as he hugged her from behind.

"What are you drawing?"

"A map of Ethiopia"

"This war is a bad business; we'll see horrible things closer soon."

"I want to go there and help when the war is over."

"You don't have to go that far to help others, Bunny."

27 May 1949, Metropolis Bay, 17.30

With a precise punch into the monster's skull, Superwoman threw the creature several thousand feet through the air. At super speed she reached it again and hit it a second time. The blow hurt her, and she felt her shoulder go numb, but the creature flew another three hundred feet and fell into the sea. With her x-ray vision, she could see it sinking like a stone deep underwater. The creature could not swim, but it seemed to jump under the sea approaching the city. Her heart was pounding, she felt intense pain in her chest and stomach...what the hell was that creature? Where was that damned Luthor? She felt fear and apprehension...Louis, oh Louis!