Happy New Year, everyone
New Year’s Resolution
“Good evening, Herb.” Tempus stepped out of the time portal and closed it behind him.
From the corner of his eye, H.G. Wells saw that someone was with Tempus. For a short moment, he believed he knew the person. But that couldn’t be. After everything Tempus had done to him, this Clark would never…Wells had a more thorough look at their guest. He almost tumbled from his chair.
“Clark!” he gasped. “What are you doing here?”
The younger man adjusted his round glasses nervously. “Tempus… he said he could help me find my Lois. I had to take that chance since we failed to locate her after all this time.”
Wells crossed his arms in front of his chest. “And pray tell me, my dear Tempus, can you actually do that?”
Tempus blushed slightly. “Well, yes, actually. Since I was the one who caused her to vanish in the first place.”
Wells let out a slow breath, his hands trembling with barely restrained rage. “Oh, what a fool I am. I should have known this was your doing.”
Tempus pressed a button on his time controller and another time portal appeared in Wells’ living room. Wells couldn’t believe his eyes, as he saw a man in a flashy blue and red suit step out of the portal shortly before it disappeared again.
“Superman!” he gasped, looking from one superhero to the other. The newcomer was a bit taller than the Clark from the alternate universe Tempus had found so many years ago. He looked older, too.
“Tempus? What’s going on here?” Wells asked.
But before he replied, Tempus used his time controller a second time. As a third Superman stepped out, Wells took off his glasses and started to clean them with a handkerchief. The newest Superman’s outfit looked modern, almost technical compared to the spandex costume the other two used. The three versions of Superman stared at each other in shock.
Wells completely forgot about his usual British calm. “Tempus!” he shouted. “Care to explain why there are three bloody superheroes in my living room? I won’t take part in any further tampering with history to destroy Utopia! I was hoping for a quiet New Year’s Eve for a change.”
Tempus looked at the little, elderly man, slightly taken aback. “Herb, watch your language,” he admonished with a slight grin. “I guess I’m having a bad influence on him,” he addressed the three Supermen with an apologetic shrug.
The three men looked at him, their jaws set in an equal manner, although each of the three men looked slightly different.
“What’s with my Lois?” they said, almost in unison. “You said I would get her back!”
Tempus waived his hands in a calming gesture. “We’re getting to that. Herb, I need your help.”
Wells put his glasses back on his nose. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
Tempus heaved a sigh. “This Superman…” He pointed at the man in the modern suit. “…has left Earth for five years. When he came back, his Lois had moved on. “Tempus turned to the man who had arrived second. “This Superman wiped his Lois’ memory with a kiss after he had revealed his secret identity to her. And somehow their relationship was never the same after that incident.”
“I can’t imagine, why,” the only superhero, who was dressed as Clark, muttered under his breath.
Tempus and he shared a glance and curiously, both rolled their eyes.
Then Tempus addressed Wells again. “I need your help fixing that.”
Wells stared at him in shock. “Why? I’ve spent the better part of what should have been my retirement to prevent you from destroying Utopia! Why the sudden change of heart?”
Tempus threw his arms up in exasperation. “Where have you been these past two years? We’ve gone from one Lockdown to another, everyone is wearing masks and I’m so tired of being alone all the time. I need some Happy Ends.”
Wells shook his head. “And as soon we’ve fixed it, you’ll be bored out of your mind and then you’ll want to change everything again.”
“Not this time, Herb,” Tempus vowed. “This is my New Year’s resolution. I’m going to be a better person from now on.”
Well’s let out a groan. “Then I seriously hope, you’ll be one of the few people who will actually stick to their resolution.”
The End
Last edited by bakasi; 01/02/22 12:21 PM.
