Chapter Fifty-One: Funeral for a Friend

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Superman's body lay destroyed inside the crater, right in the middle of the city he had died trying to protect

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Superman's body lay destroyed inside the crater, right in the middle of the city he had died trying to protect. His eyes were still as blue as the sky in summer but there was no light in them. The sun had faded out of existence.

Batman had arrived soon after the fight ended, but he was far too late... not that he would have been much help anyway. When he caught sight of his friend's body every muscle unhinged. They tightened, contracted, loosened, then finally lost all strength. Somehow he managed to remain standing but for every second his legs were forced to keep him upright it felt like they were being crushed.

Martian Manhunter and Ice were next to arrive having just recovered from their fight with Doomsday. They had heard that Superman fell during the battle but they didn't truly believe it until they witnessed the sight with their own eyes. I've had started crying almost instantly and J'onn had to lead her away from the scene.

They were all stuck staring at the motionless hero, and at the woman sobbing next to him. Silvia had screamed until her throat was dry and nothing could be produced but loud, choked coughs. She cried until there was nothing left but a raw emptiness that nibbled at her insides like a hungry rat. Her irises were threaded scarlet and her eyes hung heavy in their sockets. Her whole body was limp like each limb weighed twice as much as it had before and just moving it about was a slow, painful effort.

Still, despite how weak her body felt, she pressed her hands against Clark's chest and applied pressure in frantic intervals. She didn't have nearly enough strength to give him CPR, his chest was as solid as steel beneath her fingers, but such logical thoughts were lost to her. She tried to resuscitate him for twenty minutes straight but his body grew colder with every moment that passed.

A few medics from S.T.A.R labs finally arrived as the rescue teams did. They were scavenging the rubble for survivors and the doctors took Silvia's place trying to restart Superman's heart. Dr. Hamilton had rushed over with his own altered version of the defibrillator, one based on the little knowledge he had about Kryptonian physiology.

The Doctor rubbed the machines paddles together, preparing the electrical current before yelling 'clear!'. All the medical staff around him immediately halted any contact with Superman before he brought the paddles down onto his chest. The body barely moved an inch... maybe it didn't move at all.

"Turn it higher." Dr Hamilton yelled and one of the nurses did so. He repeated his actions but still nothing. It was doubtful that the electrical current was even reaching Superman's heart through the thick skin. "Higher!"

"But doctor..." one of the medics started but quickly shut her mouth when Hamilton gave her a serious glare. She turned it all the way up until the machine started making a buzzing sound, like the electricity was starting to leak out.

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