Part Nineteen

Amongst the darkness of Space,

 

In the blackness of the universe, a half marble shaped ball glimmered turquoise blue. The moon was vast desert of craters, a rock destined for man. It was a dream to walk among the gods. It was to be an intergalactic walk hand in hand with the visitors of the heavens. And here on this very moon, lies a commemorative inscription and flag, Neil Armstrong had set up, the first man to walk on the moon.

Superman stood over that very spot, gazing, lost within his thoughts. The voices, the cries, he had blocked them all out. Only the void of space filled his ears. But here he stood, thinking of the feat the people of earth had done. Setting foot on the moon, and the catch phrase he heard as a boy filled his memory. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” and reading what was inscribed, at the end, the words, ‘We come in peace for all mankind.’ joggled him.

 

And then he looked up into the darkness of space, his eyes slowly descended on earth. His heart pounded and he looked at his hands that were now shaking with fear. He closed his hands into balls of fists, closing his eyes, fighting the will to retain his inner strength and then a voice came to him,

“Kal El, you have been sent to earth so you may survive the destruction of our planet, Krypton. You have been sent here as the flag bearer of peace of our race.  Our people were great people, peaceful people. Once rich and powerful of the entire universe, but our time has come to an end. And upon learning of a species that may danger the planet earth, I have taken the steps forward in trying to save them. The people of earth are good people, for I have studied them for some time, and they are an impenitent society, but they can be great people; for they lack only the light of guidance to become great leaders. For this, I give them you… the last descendant of Krypton, my son. It is you that holds this race together; you are their strength, their armor, their protector. Already, you may have found what powers you hold, what strength you have. Your powers Kal El, are only for good as you represent our people, our culture. You may stand out from the rest but here… you will be loved, you will be adorned by many. And you will also be hated by others. And being amongst them, you will have human traits such as, love, pain and fear. These traits are also what we felt when your mother and I said our goodbyes. I have sent you here so you can be a guide to these people; show them what is right from wrong. I have sent you here so you can be of great importance, so you may help these people when the time had come. Kal El, my son. You are a symbol of hope.”

 

He had forgotten who he was, he forgotten what he was capable of doing. And he had forgotten his duty, and he had forgotten his reason why he was here. For the time has come for him to help the people of earth, to save them from the destruction of this rampant beast. A creature cast out from the cosmos, where it spent the last millennia deep within the earth’s crust. Now the sleeping giant has ascended, risen to do what it was bred to do… eradicate earth.

 

The void he controlled no longer held and the cries from earth, from Metropolis filled his cranium again.

Superman… Superman we need you. Superman, help us… You’re nothing but a coward! I hate you, I trusted you… please help us, dear god help us! Superman… Superman!

And then he heard the beasts roar followed by a women’s scream.  His heart slammed against his chest, as the painful cry broke him free from all his misled thoughts.

 

“Diana…” he murmured and in a flash he was gone from the moon.