The tension really took off in this chapter!

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Perry grunted. “Good. Last thing I need is one of you bench-pressing the copy machine.”
The irony!

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He tapped the folder. “Connect the dots. Find this kid. And figure out what’s in that damn drink before someone ends up in a hospital—or worse.”
Your Perry really sounds like him!

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Lois held his gaze for a beat longer, then turned back to the folder. “Then figure it out before I decide I’ve had enough disappearing acts.”
Oh, no. Yikes, I guess he's pushing her patience as far as it can go.

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It was the space she retreated to when something mattered too much to say out loud.
Literally a perfect description.

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Like something that shouldn’t be in your body.
Creepy and ominous!

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“The doctor’s obsessive about it. Keeps it in a locked cabinet. Watches every dose like it’s classified.”
That's a huge red flag - great work planting this story piece so clearly here for us! I also love that he left school for a totally unrelated reason - it's a great little red herring.

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Clark unscrewed the lid of the thermos, careful not to spill a drop. The scent hit him instantly—sharp, metallic, wrong.
His breath caught.
Pain lanced through his chest, low and familiar. Kryptonite.
jawdrop Like, I knew this was coming, but ahhh! Great reveal.

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Even sealed, he could feel it—like a weight pressing against his chest.
Great line!


Looking forward to this summer's Location Challenge! Looks like stories are due around August 1st, and then polls open for voting!

And don't forget about the 2026 fundraiser! Head over to the Fundraising page to donate or consider adding a story to the Keepsake Collection fundraising drive!