This setup, with altClark coming to Lois2's (not a typo, just an identification) universe to replace the Superman who died on Krypton defending people who needed him. I'm also impressed with the first-person present-tense narrative. This kind of thing is very difficult to pull off, which is why I rarely tried it except for a couple of short pieces. You're doing it very well.

Superman2 was a southpaw? Had trouble remembering dates and passwords? Interesting. I wonder what other little differences will pop up. Maybe he wasn't as in love with Lois as she was with him. Maybe altClark will get to know Lois2 better and love her more than Clark2 could have. That would be a very interesting development indeed.

Lois2 is a hero. She's giving altClark all the information she can to help him succeed and she isn't projecting her anger and grief and loss onto him - at least, not yet. This new relationship won't be the same - cannot be the same - as the one she had before. She can't be all lovey-dovey with altClark right away because he's not her Clark and never will be. If they have a relationship, it will have to grow naturally.

The experiences altClark is sharing with Clark2 are intriguing. How deep does it go? Can altClark learn to control them and use them when he needs insight on how Clark2 would handle a certain situation? Or will they break into his mind at inconvenient times and distract him? Will experiencing the other Clark's combat affect him psychologically? In fact, that could be part of the explanation for the difference behaviors and attitudes, a case of PTSD. That would go along way in justifying Lois2's different treatment of him, along with a natural and understandable latent anger at his leaving him.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this. We'll see. And, like Blueowl, I'm ready to find out how Martha2 and Jonathan2 treat him. These two aren't like our Clark's parents in every way. Maybe they'll resent his presence, at least at first. Maybe they'll be angry about the switch and blow up at him - they don't even know yet that their son is dead. And there's no gentle way to say that.

I'm looking for the next set of chapters. I like this one.



Life isn't a support system for writing. It's the other way around.

- Stephen King, from On Writing