Aaron saw the truck first. Red. Old. Dust-covered. Then the man stepped out. Tall. Broad shoulders. Gray hair. Strong hands that had worked soil for decades.
Jonathan Kent.
Behind him came a woman with kind eyes. Martha Kent. She carried a basket covered with a checkered cloth.
And behind her, a boy.
Clark Kent was tall for his age. Dark hair. Glasses. His shoulders were already broad from farm work. His eyes were blue and clear. But there was something else. Something behind the eyes. A weight. A secret.
"Welcome to Smallville," Jonathan said. His handshake was firm. "We are your neighbors. Three miles east."
Martha stepped forward. Held out the basket. "Blueberry muffins. Fresh this morning. It is not much but we wanted to say hello."
Ashley took the basket. Smiled. "Thank you. This is very kind."
Aryan nodded toward the land stretching behind their new house. "We just bought the south fields. A few hundred acres. We wanted space."
"For what, if you don't mind me asking?" Jonathan said.
"Research. My wife studies botany."
Jonathan laughed. The sound was genuine. "Well. Smallville can always use more odd neighbors. We have plenty already."
Clark stepped forward. His eyes found Aaron.
"This is our son, Clark," Martha said.
Clark extended his hand. "Hello."
Aaron took it. The grip was gentle. Too gentle. Clark was holding back. Even his handshake was careful.
"Hello. I am Aaron."
Their hands clasped. Clark's pupils widened slightly. Aaron felt it too. Something off. Something other. The air between them hummed like a tuning fork.
Clark pulled his hand back. Said nothing. But his eyes stayed on Aaron.
"Your son will be studying in Smallville?" Martha asked.
"Yes," Ashley said. "He will be at the high school."
Clark's face brightened. "Me too. I can show you around."
Aaron nodded. "Good."
---
CLARK'S POV
Something was wrong with Aaron Gill.
Clark could not explain it. His senses had been getting stronger for months. He could hear conversations from miles away. He could see through walls if he focused. He could move faster than anyone noticed. But these powers scared him. His pa said to hide them. To wait.
But standing next to Aaron, his hearing sharpened on its own. He heard Aaron's heartbeat. Slow. Too slow. Half the rate of a normal person. And the rhythm was strange. Cold. Like something alive but not warm.
He looked at Aaron's father. Aryan Gill. The man smelled like fish. No. Like the ocean. Deep water. Salt. Clark's nose caught it immediately. No one else noticed. They were all smiling and talking. But Clark smelled it. Strong. Like standing at the edge of the sea.
He could not stop himself. His vision flickered. The world turned transparent for a second. X-ray. He saw Aaron's skeleton. Normal. But his heart. The chambers moved strangely. And behind it, something coiled. A shape. A serpent. Faint. Sleeping.
He blinked. The vision vanished.
Martha touched his shoulder. "Clark? Are you alright?"
"Fine, Ma. Just fine."
Aaron was looking at him. Dark eyes. Calm. Knowing.
"Something wrong?" Aaron asked.
"No," Clark said. "Nothing."
But everything was.