Smallville: Annual

Chapter 32

4/17/05 - 1:15PM  - Smallville Medical Center  - Smallville, KS

        Clark was placed on a gurney flanked by Hal Jordan, several sheriff's deputies as well as Ensign Moulton's men as they all pushed the gurney down a corridor.  Doctors had been called in.  In this case it was doctor MacIntyre who had been called in as he summoned everyone outside as he was led into the emergency room.

        They then removed Clark's clothes revealing no injury except the tearing on his clothing were a bullet had ripped the back of shirt, followed by an exit in the front.  They then noticed a tear around the back of the pant leg where another bullet had entered.  And of course plenty of dried blood from the wounds.

"No signs of further hemorrhaging." said Dr MacIntyre.

        Standing around were several nurses attending to Clark as they attached an EKG.  A nurse checked the wave-form oscillating across the screen.  She recommended an injection of epinephrine.  She then tried to insert the needle into his arm.  It broke.  They where then approached by a Martha Kent pounding at the door.  As she was screaming that it wouldn't work.

        Dr. MacIntyre then ordered defibrillator paddles on his chest.  "Clear." The paddles crackled with electricity as the nurses saw the lights briefly flicker, then the defibrillator sparked and smoked.

It was no good.

        Clark was still unconscious in a small hospital bed, hooked up to a heart monitor.  Standing by his bedside was Martha and Jonathan as they sat there by themselves as Captain Hal Jordan stood by the door alongside several US Navy sailors and Smallville sheriff's deputies as they waited for any progress.

        The doctor made it clear that due to the trauma he suffered from having his heart perforated by a bullet and the acute radiation poisoning it was surmised that Clark's body had undergone trauma so deep that he slipped into a coma.  When he would awake from that coma? Even they didn't know.  They could not insert any drugs.  Exposing him to the radiation from the meteor rocks was too much of a risk.  They were advised to keep him by a window that allowed the sun to reach his body.

        As far as the doctor was concerned only Clark's family was allowed inside the room.  The rest of the deputies and sailors watched the hallway.  While Chloe, Lois, Lana waited not far in the lounge where they all stood in silence until one of them decided to break the uncomfortable silence.

"So.  How are you Chloe?"

"Really smooth Lois."

"Sorry, you know me and uncomfortable silences."

        Chloe then leaned on her cousin's shoulder as she silently began to cry, out of grief and exhaustion.  Having to endure what had happened to the Talon, being arrested by her own uncle and confined into a jail cell, escape and return to her old home.  Finally have her best friend tell her the truth about himself as well as being introduced by a friend of his from the future.  Then this morning where they saw those transmissions leading up to that fight out in the street.  She wanted to do more than cry, maybe even scream.  Instead she cried and cried feeling her cousin hold her gently in her arms.

"Shh, its okay cuz,. Its okay."

"Clark's in a coma right now because of me."

"Don't do that Chlo'."

"The Kents wanted to be there so badly for Clark that I suggested that we go out there.  If we hadn't he never would have taken those bullets for us."

"He's still alive, Chloe that's what matters."

        Lana sat there for a moment as she joined Chloe placing her hand on her shoulder as they all sat down together in silence.  No sooner did they come together did Carol Ferris join them.