"Please turn in your homework assignments," Ms. Desmond said.
All the students looked at each other.
"Uh, ma'am?" one boy said. "You didn't give us any homework."
Ms. Desmond's eyes narrowed fiercely. "Oh I didn't, did I?"
Several other students cautiously shook their heads.
"You think this is funny?" she asked the class.
Clark and Diana glanced at each other with mutual confusion.
"I assigned you a three-page paper on William Wordsworth, due today!"
"Um, ma'am, no; no you didn't," said the same boy from before.
Ms. Desmond rose from her seat and slowly began making her way towards the boy's desk. Clark noticed her hands clenched tight and trembling. "Jake, let me be very clear. I will not tolerate any of my students playing games with me, or encouraging fellow students to do so either."
"No, Miss Desmond! I swear! I—"
Desmond slapped him hard across the face.
"LIAR!"
The rest of the class jumped with surprise. Ms. Desmond's face was livid.
"YOU... YOU J- YOU...."
Desmond clamped her hands around Jake's neck and began choking him. All the students jumped up from their seats. Clark quickly moved over and gently-but-firmly pushed Desmond away. Jake coughed as he regained the ability to breathe. Desmond screamed and lunged at Clark; he spun her around and held her arms behind her back. Desmond was practically a rabid dog. She snarled, struggled, and yelled obscenities at everyone in the room. Clark awkwardly held her back but had no idea what to do with her; the school didn't really keep security around during the day. Diana backhanded Desmond in the forehead, knocking her out.
Clark looked at Diana as if to say, "was that really necessary?"
Diana shrugged.
During lunchbreak, Clark, Diana, and Chloe watched the police carry an unconscious Ms. Desmond away on a stretcher.
"I can't believe she'd actually do something like that," said Chloe, snapping photos of the police as she talked.
"I wouldn't have either if I hadn't seen it," said Clark.
Chloe sighed and frowned. Clark recognized it as Chloe's "something's not right here" look.
"What is it?" Clark asked.
"People don't just start strangling kids at the drop of a hat. Whatever's wrong with her must have been going on for a while."
"I guess so. I wish we'd known before. Someone should have noticed something."
"She did give a 4.0 student a C," Diana added.
"Yeah," said Clark. "Maybe Gina didn't actually deserve that grade."
"Wait," Chloe said. "Gina. That's it."
"You think Gina's somehow behind this?" Clark said incredulously.
"Maybe!" Chloe said. "Think about it. A 4.0 student and a strict English teacher should be best friends, not mortal enemies. There's gotta be more to this."
"Chloe, that doesn't even make sense."
"Not yet," Chloe said, pulling out her phone. "But it will eventually. Hang on, I gotta make a call."
Clark and Diana walked into the Torch office after class on Thursday, greeted by a caffeine-fueled hyperactive Chloe.
"Clark! Look at what I found!"
Diana noted that Chloe didn't acknowledge her and rolled her eyes.
"Look here," said Chloe, handing Clark a printout.
"Chloe, this is... a toxicology report from Smallville General. How did you get this?"
Chloe beamed. "I know a guy there. You'd be surprised what a smile can getcha."
Clark gave her an "oh really" look.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "I told him if he gave me a copy of the report, I wouldn't tell his girlfriend that he's been hitting on Alicia Baker. Anyway, look at the results."
Clark scanned them. "She had hallucinogenic drugs in her system."
"Yes, in the exact combination that comes from a specific plant: Datura stramonium, commonly known as Jimson weed or Devil's weed."
"So she's been doing drugs?" Diana asked.
"Not likely," Chloe said, "this isn't something that people use for that sort of thing; Jimson weed is fatally poisonous; it only gives you the psychological effects without the death if you cut it and prepare it just right. And besides, Miss Desmond's not the druggie type."
"So you think she was poisoned," said Clark.
"Yeah. And fortunately for us, Jimson weed isn't at all common to Kansas; whoever poisoned Miss Desmond almost definitely grew it themselves. And guess whose family owns a plant shop with a giant private greenhouse?"
"Gina Halley," Clark said with realization.
"All we need to do," said Chloe, "is get into that greenhouse and see if Gina's growing any Jimson weed in there."
"Hold on," said Clark, "we should take this to the Police."
"And say what? That I got illegally-obtained information and have ideas about it? I'm going to the Halleys' greenhouse, Clark. You can come with me or not."
Chloe grabbed her coat and walked out the door.
"Chloe!" Clark said with a sigh.
"Is she seriously gonna break into their greenhouse?" Diana asked.
"Yeah. I think so. I'd better go with her; she might get in trouble. You coming?"
Diana awkwardly shifted on her feet. "Um... actually, I have cheerleading tryouts."
Clark was surprised. "Really? Cheerleading?"
"Well... I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't really have anything to do around here, and... no one really thinks much of me."
"Diana..." Clark really needed to catch up with Chloe. "Hold that thought. We'll talk tonight, okay?"
Clark ran out the doorway.
"Help me open this lock," Chloe whispered to Clark.
"What do you want me to do, break it?" Clark whispered back.
"Well..." Chloe half-shrugged.
Clark rolled his eyes. "You'd better be right about this." He held the padlock in his fingers and pinched. It crumbled in his hand.
The Halleys' plant shop closed at three on weekdays; both it and its attached greenhouse were deserted.
Clark and Chloe walked quietly through the rows of plants. "What does it look like?" Clark asked.
"So she's been doing drugs?" Diana asked.
"Not likely," Chloe said, "this isn't something that people use for that sort of thing; Jimson weed is fatally poisonous; it only gives you the psychological effects without the death if you cut it and prepare it just right. And besides, Miss Desmond's not the druggie type."
"So you think she was poisoned," said Clark.
"Yeah. And fortunately for us, Jimson weed isn't at all common to Kansas; whoever poisoned Miss Desmond almost definitely grew it themselves. And guess whose family owns a plant shop with a giant private greenhouse?"
"Gina Halley," Clark said with realization.
"All we need to do," said Chloe, "is get into that greenhouse and see if Gina's growing any Jimson weed in there."
"Hold on," said Clark, "we should take this to the Police."
"And say what? That I got illegally-obtained information and have ideas about it? I'm going to the Halleys' greenhouse, Clark. You can come with me or not."
Chloe grabbed her coat and walked out the door.
"Chloe!" Clark said with a sigh.
"Is she seriously gonna break into their greenhouse?" Diana asked.
"Yeah. I think so. I'd better go with her; she might get in trouble. You coming?"
Diana awkwardly shifted on her feet. "Um... actually, I have cheerleading tryouts."
Clark was surprised. "Really? Cheerleading?"
"Well... I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't really have anything to do around here, and... no one really thinks much of me."
"Diana..." Clark really needed to catch up with Chloe. "Hold that thought. We'll talk tonight, okay?"
Clark ran out the doorway.
"Help me open this lock," Chloe whispered to Clark.
"What do you want me to do, break it?" Clark whispered back.
"Well..." Chloe half-shrugged.
Clark rolled his eyes. "You'd better be right about this." He held the padlock in his fingers and pinched. It crumbled in his hand.
The Halleys' plant shop closed at three on weekdays; both it and its attached greenhouse were deserted.
Clark and Chloe walked quietly through the rows of plants. "What does it look like?" Clark asked.
"Purplish-green stem, big leaves, little white flower in the middle."
Chloe and Clark looked around for a few minutes, but didn't see it. Eventually, Clark noticed a door in the shadows towards the back of the room. "Hey, Chloe," he called. "There's another part of the greenhouse."
Chloe softly ran over. "That must be the private section they don't let customers in."
They walked to the door. Clark reached for the knob, but paused before touching it.
"What is it?" Chloe asked.
"Nothing, just... something feels off."
Clark grabbed the knob and twisted it hard, breaking through the handle-lock. He gently pushed the door open and they both walked inside.
It was dimly lit, mostly by red and green lights dispersed around the room. Chloe instantly spotted a Jimson weed plant on her right. She grinned. "Gotcha."
As she moved closer to examine the plant, she noticed green light glowing from underneath the plant's soil. Curious, she reached into the soil and pulled out a small rock with glowing green bits running through it. Chloe's eyes widened as she realized what it was: a meteor rock.
She spun around. "Clark! This is a meteor—"
Clark was on his knees, breathing heavily. His skin was losing color, and some of his veins were turning green and bulging.
Chloe felt a tingle of panic run up her spine. She'd never seen Clark hurt before. At all. She glanced around the room. Every single square foot of soil in the room was filled with meteor rocks. The green glowing in the room wasn't because of any lights; it was because of the meteor rocks.
"What the HELL are you two doing here?" a voice said from the open door. It was Gina Halley.
Chloe nearly jumped. "Gina!"
"That's my name," Gina said. "Now what. Are. You. Doing. Here."
Chloe stared Gina down across the room. "You poisoned Miss Desmond, didn't you?"
Gina smirked. "What if I did?"
Chloe raised her eyebrows. "Wow. Okay. Just coming right out with it, then. Okay, well, we'll just leave."
Chloe's feet were stuck to the floor. She looked down and saw thick, green vines clamping her feet to the ground.
"What the..."
She looked back up at Gina. Gina smirked again.
A vine reached around Chloe's neck like a human arm and pulled back hard. Chloe choked as more vines flew from behind her, wrapping around her limbs. She felt herself lifted and pulled backwards. Over her shoulder she glimpsed a gigantic plant, its vines undulating like octopus arms as it drew her closer.
Gina resisted the urge to giggle slightly under her breath. She turned back towards Clark, and ended up with Clark's fist slamming into her face.
Gina staggered backwards. Her face had brown cracks across it, like broken tree bark. A line of blood dripped from her nose; it glittered with tiny green specks.
Clark could barely stand on his feet; he was sweating and his knuckles bled slightly from that punch.
The skin on Gina's face crackled and fell off; a brand-new layer of skin underneath looked perfectly healthy.
"These meteor rocks really do wonders for helping plants grow. And apparently, months of eating those plants gives you certain... gifts."
"Let her go," Clark said weakly.
Gina raised her arm towards Clark, and a swarm of vines reached toward him, slamming him against the opposite wall. "You should really be more concerned about yourself right now."
The glass wall separating the two sections of the greenhouse shattered. Gina felt herself suddenly lifted off her feet by her neck. She looked down into the eyes of her attacker. Diana glared back with an untempered fire.
"Let. Them. Go."
Gina coughed. "Go to hell, princess."
Diana threw Gina against a wall and ran towards Chloe, ripping off the vine clamped across her neck. Chloe gasped for air.
Diana suddenly felt herself pulled back by a dozen arms and slammed into the wall next to Clark. Gina stood up. "Okay, that's it. The hell with all of you. You're dead now."
"You can't!" said Chloe. "People will find out what happened!"
"They'll find out what?" Gina said sarcastically. "That a bunch of plants came and killed everyone? Yeah, that's totally my fault. Whatever. Die."
Gina ripped one of the Jimson weed plants and shoved it in Chloe's face. "Here; eat. It's pure; it'll kill you quick."
Chloe kept her mouth shut. From across the room, Clark could see tears running down Chloe's face.
"Fine," Gina said, "I'll just squeeze you to death."
The vines around Chloe began contracting. Her already-small frame seemed like it would snap at any moment; her face went red from all the blood rushing to her head.
Chloe and Clark looked around for a few minutes, but didn't see it. Eventually, Clark noticed a door in the shadows towards the back of the room. "Hey, Chloe," he called. "There's another part of the greenhouse."
Chloe softly ran over. "That must be the private section they don't let customers in."
They walked to the door. Clark reached for the knob, but paused before touching it.
"What is it?" Chloe asked.
"Nothing, just... something feels off."
Clark grabbed the knob and twisted it hard, breaking through the handle-lock. He gently pushed the door open and they both walked inside.
It was dimly lit, mostly by red and green lights dispersed around the room. Chloe instantly spotted a Jimson weed plant on her right. She grinned. "Gotcha."
As she moved closer to examine the plant, she noticed green light glowing from underneath the plant's soil. Curious, she reached into the soil and pulled out a small rock with glowing green bits running through it. Chloe's eyes widened as she realized what it was: a meteor rock.
She spun around. "Clark! This is a meteor—"
Clark was on his knees, breathing heavily. His skin was losing color, and some of his veins were turning green and bulging.
Chloe felt a tingle of panic run up her spine. She'd never seen Clark hurt before. At all. She glanced around the room. Every single square foot of soil in the room was filled with meteor rocks. The green glowing in the room wasn't because of any lights; it was because of the meteor rocks.
"What the HELL are you two doing here?" a voice said from the open door. It was Gina Halley.
Chloe nearly jumped. "Gina!"
"That's my name," Gina said. "Now what. Are. You. Doing. Here."
Chloe stared Gina down across the room. "You poisoned Miss Desmond, didn't you?"
Gina smirked. "What if I did?"
Chloe raised her eyebrows. "Wow. Okay. Just coming right out with it, then. Okay, well, we'll just leave."
Chloe's feet were stuck to the floor. She looked down and saw thick, green vines clamping her feet to the ground.
"What the..."
She looked back up at Gina. Gina smirked again.
A vine reached around Chloe's neck like a human arm and pulled back hard. Chloe choked as more vines flew from behind her, wrapping around her limbs. She felt herself lifted and pulled backwards. Over her shoulder she glimpsed a gigantic plant, its vines undulating like octopus arms as it drew her closer.
Gina resisted the urge to giggle slightly under her breath. She turned back towards Clark, and ended up with Clark's fist slamming into her face.
Gina staggered backwards. Her face had brown cracks across it, like broken tree bark. A line of blood dripped from her nose; it glittered with tiny green specks.
Clark could barely stand on his feet; he was sweating and his knuckles bled slightly from that punch.
The skin on Gina's face crackled and fell off; a brand-new layer of skin underneath looked perfectly healthy.
"These meteor rocks really do wonders for helping plants grow. And apparently, months of eating those plants gives you certain... gifts."
"Let her go," Clark said weakly.
Gina raised her arm towards Clark, and a swarm of vines reached toward him, slamming him against the opposite wall. "You should really be more concerned about yourself right now."
The glass wall separating the two sections of the greenhouse shattered. Gina felt herself suddenly lifted off her feet by her neck. She looked down into the eyes of her attacker. Diana glared back with an untempered fire.
"Let. Them. Go."
Gina coughed. "Go to hell, princess."
Diana threw Gina against a wall and ran towards Chloe, ripping off the vine clamped across her neck. Chloe gasped for air.
Diana suddenly felt herself pulled back by a dozen arms and slammed into the wall next to Clark. Gina stood up. "Okay, that's it. The hell with all of you. You're dead now."
"You can't!" said Chloe. "People will find out what happened!"
"They'll find out what?" Gina said sarcastically. "That a bunch of plants came and killed everyone? Yeah, that's totally my fault. Whatever. Die."
Gina ripped one of the Jimson weed plants and shoved it in Chloe's face. "Here; eat. It's pure; it'll kill you quick."
Chloe kept her mouth shut. From across the room, Clark could see tears running down Chloe's face.
"Fine," Gina said, "I'll just squeeze you to death."
The vines around Chloe began contracting. Her already-small frame seemed like it would snap at any moment; her face went red from all the blood rushing to her head.
Clark felt desperate. The more he saw her face in agony, the more he felt himself fill with anger.
"HEEARGGGH!!"
He roared and tore through the vines. Gina turned around and fell backwards with fear. Clark's eyes were glowing red-hot. He stared hard at the vines holding Chloe; lines of heat fired from his eyes and hit the plant, setting parts of it on fire and searing off some of the vines. Gina screamed at Clark; every plant in the room seemed to explode at him, sending a shower of dirt and meteor rocks in his direction. He fell unconscious instantly.
Gina stood up and breathed heavily, still wide-eyed and bewildered by what she'd just seen. She glanced at Diana; saw that she was still completely pinned. She turned back to Chloe... and Chloe was gone, only burnt vines left in her place. Chloe's voice sounded off to the right.
"Lights out, bitch."
The last thing Gina saw was the end of a fire extinguisher ramming into her forehead.
"HEEARGGGH!!"
He roared and tore through the vines. Gina turned around and fell backwards with fear. Clark's eyes were glowing red-hot. He stared hard at the vines holding Chloe; lines of heat fired from his eyes and hit the plant, setting parts of it on fire and searing off some of the vines. Gina screamed at Clark; every plant in the room seemed to explode at him, sending a shower of dirt and meteor rocks in his direction. He fell unconscious instantly.
Gina stood up and breathed heavily, still wide-eyed and bewildered by what she'd just seen. She glanced at Diana; saw that she was still completely pinned. She turned back to Chloe... and Chloe was gone, only burnt vines left in her place. Chloe's voice sounded off to the right.
"Lights out, bitch."
The last thing Gina saw was the end of a fire extinguisher ramming into her forehead.
That was so intense.
ReplyDelete:O
~Kendra