Fic: When The Sun's Rays Glint (4/8)
Title: When The Sun’s Rays Glint (4/8)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter):
Fandom: Smallville
Genres: Drama, Holiday, Horror, Mystery, Suspense
Rating (this chapter): G
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
General Summary: Is Castle Luthor haunted?
Chapter Summary: Clark does a neighborly good deed for Lex.
Date Of Completion: October 13, 2020
Date Of Posting: October 30, 2021
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC and Warner Brothers do, more’s the pity.
Word Count (this chapter): 1509
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
All chapters can be found here.
KANSAS CHAINSAW ?
“Fences don’t make good neighbors, good neighbors do.”
Mark Clemens
American Humorist
1921 C.E.
Lex woke up the next morning with a yawn. He went through his morning routine, which included a hot shower, realizing that the electricity was back on. Pleased, he dressed in a pale blue shirt and dark-blue pants and went downstairs.
He noticed a mace lying on the floor. He picked it up and pushed up the knight’s arm, placing the mace back in its gloved hand.
He heard activity in the kitchen and headed that way. “Good morning, Mrs. Hollander.”
“Good morning, Mr. Luthor. Goodness, I see that the wind caused some damage.”
“Yes, I’ll have to call an arborist.” The front door knocker sounded sharply. “I’ll get it.” Lex went to the front door and looked out the narrow side window next to the door. He smiled and opened the door. “Clark!”
“Hi, Lex.” Clark smiled brightly. “I just stopped by on my way to school to see how your trees survived the high winds. Guess you got hit.”
“Yeah, I’m going to get a tree guy to haul it out.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can bring Dad’s chainsaw after school and can get it done.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Why not? It’s good exercise.”
And a great excuse to spend time with you.
“Okay.”
Clark smiled again. “See you later.” He hurried away with a wave.
Lex shut the door. This day was looking up!
He went to the library and started his work day as sunshine spilled into the room through the stained-glass windows. The day after extreme weather was always extra bright.
Lex made steady progress with his work. He was scheduled to make a visit to the plant tomorrow and he wanted to go over some figures before meeting with the plant manager.
Around mid-morning Mrs. Hollander came into the library. “Mr. Luthor?”
“Yes?”
“I’d like to make an apple pie and apple bread this morning. May I trouble you to bring up some apples for me?”
“Certainly.” He took the bowl she handed him and went to the cellar. He knew the steep stairs were tricky for her. His father would never have done this for a servant, but happily Lex was not his father.
He reached the bottom of the stairs and crossed over to the root cellar. He picked out several apples and placed them in the bowl. Something brushed against his ear. He thought it was a cobweb and absently brushed his hand against it.
Lex piled more apples into the bowl. He began to shiver as the root cellar suddenly became very cold. His eyes widened as his breath puffed out like he was on the top of Mount Everest.
Drafty old castle.
He picked one last apple with icy fingers. This was getting ridiculous.
Suddenly he was hit with a blast of cold. Shivering, Lex staggered out of the root cellar and up the stairs.
“Are you all right, Mr. Luthor? You look pale,” said Anna Hollander.
“I’m fine. Just a bit chilly down in the cellar.”
“I’m not surprised. Drafty old castle.”
“Yes.” Lex set the bowl of apples on the counter. “Bake away, Mrs. Hollander. I look forward to your results.”
The housekeeper smiled.
& & & & & &
The mouthwatering smells coming from the kitchen promised very good things. It was fifteen minutes later when Mrs. Hollander came into the library with a warm piece of apple pie fresh from the oven. She also had a glass of sparkling cranberry juice.
“Oh, Mrs. Hollander. Thank you.”
“Enjoy, Mr. Luthor.”
“Believe me, I will.”
Lex took a bite of pie. It was delicious apple dusted with cinnamon.
Mrs. Hollander is a gem. My palate appreciates her.
He washed down the pie with the ice-cold cranberry juice. Facts and figures were difficult to focus on with this culinary bounty. He took another bite of pie.
Bang!
Startled, Lex’s heart began to pound. He stood up and left the library.
Despite the sunniness of the day, the hall was dark. At first glance, Lex saw nothing out of the ordinary, but then noticed the mace on the floor. Sighing, he picked it up and replaced it in the grasp of the suit of armor he had fixed this morning. He crooked the arm and hoped it would stay upright this time. He returned to the library.
& & & & & &
Clark arrived in the truck after school. He greeted Lex cheerfully and hopped down from the cab. “I’ve got the chainsaw and an ax.”
“An ax?”
“Sure. You can chop the smaller branches while I hit the trunk with the chainsaw.”
“Okay.”
Lex and Clark worked well together as they took care of the downed tree limb. Clark had brought protection for their ears and the chainsaw roared as Clark wielded it expertly. Lex knew that Clark could have chopped off the smaller branches with a flick of the chainsaw, but he obviously wanted to do this together. Smiling, Lex renewed his vigor.
When they were finished chopping and sawing, they piled the logs in the woodbox located behind the kitchen.
“Well, that was a good job done,” Lex said, pulling off his work gloves.
“Sure was.” Clark loaded the last log into the woodbox.
“How did your place do?”
“Pretty well. Luck was with us.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Clark took off his gloves. “How was it here in the castle with the wind rattling the windowpanes?”
“Spooky.”
Clark laughed. “I can imagine. Scottish castles are very Macbeth-ish.”
“Shakespeare, huh?”
“Advanced English.”
“Nice.”
Clark grinned. “Hey, don’t knock public school education.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it. Want some pie?” Clark’s eyes lit up and Lex laughed. “Come on in.”
They trooped into the kitchen and Mrs. Hollander set out pie and juice.
“What a grand job you did with that tree limb,” she said.
“It’s just a little exercise, Mrs. Hollander.”
“Such modesty,” Lex teased.
The housekeeper smiled. “It’s good to have such fine neighbors, Mr. Luthor.”
Lex looked at Clark as he picked up his glass. “It certainly is.”
They took their time with their snack, and Clark reluctantly declared that he had to go home. Lex walked him to his truck.
“Thanks for the help, Clark.”
“As Mrs. Hollander said, it’s the neighborly thing to do.” He smiled affectionately. “Friends do for friends.” His eyes promised friendship...and more.
Lex felt very fortunate. Clark was well worth waiting for, no doubt about it. “Friends,” he said, and brushed his hand against Clark’s.
Clark’s smile grew brighter. Lex felt like the elf in Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer who needed sunglasses when harnessing Rudolph for Santa’s sleigh.
Too bright for ordinary humans...or elves!
Lex chuckled as he returned to the castle.
“Your pie was a big hit, Mrs. Hollander. Clark’s an expert.”
“Thank you, Mr. Luthor. Now, what would you like for dinner?”
“Oh, just prepare something I can heat up later. Right now I have a conference call with Oahu.”
“Very good, sir.”
While Lex was on the conference call, the housekeeper let him know she was leaving for the night. He silently acknowledged her and and kept listening to the businessman on the other end of the line.
When the call finished, he had a done deal and heated up a grilled chicken breast with cubed potatoes and green beans. All were leftovers from a few nights ago, and Lex ate in front of his big-screen TV in the entertainment room. He watched the news and then an installment of American Experience. When the program ended, he went to bed.
I used to stay out ‘til the sun came up in Metropolis. Now I’m turning in by ten o’clock. I’m really becoming a Smallvillian.
Well, what did he care? He worked hard all day and if he wanted to go to bed early, who was to stop him? No one, that was who!
After his interrupted sleep last night, he was looking forward to a good night’s sleep this evening.
& & & & & &
Lex had slept for several hours when he was roused by a loud noise. Blinking sleepily, he frowned as he heard a whirring sound.
“What the…?” he mumbled. He listened, then realized what it was. “What!” He leaped out of bed and ran to the window. He could hear the painful noise but saw nothing. He threw on his robe and slippers as he ran downstairs and outside.
“Who is running a chainsaw at this hour?” Lex grumbled.
He searched for the offender, the noise reverberating through the night air. No one was around. The chainsaw roar was too loud to be from a distance. Where on earth was this nut?
The noise stopped. Relieved, Lex decided to go back to bed. Country people could be so eccentric!
A low chainsaw growl echoed in the clear night air.
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