HIJACKING "ALIENS"
NABBED
Crow Star Eric Marsh Arrested

By Angie Perez

Three men believed to be responsible for hijacking a LuthorCorp truck have been arrested. The plain white panel truck was found flipped over and its driver unconscious when sheriff's deputies arrived on the scene late Sunday night. According to the still-hospitalized driver, Jim O'Connor, two men wearing "alien" masks hijacked his truck as he sped down the deserted roadway. O'Connor was unable to tell officials what was stolen from the vehicle. As is often the case with hijackings, deputies initially questioned if O'Connor, an employee of LuthorCorp, could have staged the robbery.

This idea was dispelled after Sheriff Adams received an anonymous tip and arrested Smallville High's star baseball player Eric Marsh. A mask found in his locker matched that worn by the hijackers. Marsh refused to make a statement to authorities about why he allegedly stole the unknown cargo. The other suspects are not students and have been identified as Chris Walston, 23, and Jack Graham, 21, both of Grandville. Lionel Luthor was equally evasive about the theft. "It was merely industrial materials Mr. O'Connor was transporting. These common criminals obviously thought something of great value was inside--either that or they could be on the payroll of one of my competitors. Corporate sabotage is always a possibility."

SOMEBODY SAVE ME!
Horror Film Fest at the Talon
By Gena McGuiness

Fright night returns to The Talon beginning Tuesday, May 6. House on Haunted Hill kicks off the month-long macabre fair that features the killing sprees of both Jason and Freddy along with enough thrills, chills, shrieks and shrills to satisfy even the most bloodthirsty horror fanatic.

The screamfest wraps with a screening of The Exorcist. I saw this now classic glimpse into hell when it premiered almost 30 years ago. It scared the *@#! out of me then, and I certainly won't be seeing it now. Instead, I'll be the one outside selling vials of holy water. For your share of terror, call The Talon at 555-0147 for more info and showtimes.

THE EZRA SMALL CONUNDRUM
Part Three of a Six-Part Series
By Christopher James Beppo

In Part I and Part II of this first-ever printing of Ezra Small's cryptic diary entries, we observed that the solitary trapper's mind wandered to reaches seldom surveyed by ordinary people. As the fragments are deciphered, more questions than answers are revealed, beginning with further strings of nonsensical letters:

zrbk,.d jz dkzsff. ujvbfajuv .ux c,.isyjdx zhisdj.uz z.a fdhfb msuusfb mukaz cds;hsurg ,s.cg ,jff,s b.i,sf i.,fszs y,kkx kd.uvsz .rrslf gkhd xszfjug cjux fbs l.lsdz

And the strange three-line poems continue to unfold, tantalizing modern readers with mysteries that may not have even been comprehensible to their author.

I never made a difference here
But maybe my children can
Good luck with your futures
Two brothers will wage war so fiercely
That both will occupy the strong places
Their great quarrel will fill realm and life
Heed the signposts
Be not afraid
Nothing can be changed
Make a wish
On a day of tragedy
A miracle arrives
On 122112
When Sol enters the dark rift
The sacred tree will consume all
Save them from fear and darkness
Your destiny beckons
Fear it or embrace it
He will live when he should have died
His blood presents baffling mysteries
Yet he is just a man
Pride, envy
Lust, anger
Greed, sloth
The ruby-eyed snake
Coils and stretches
Symbol of strength and courage
Where I see myself
In five years
I will be nothing like my father
Like Zeus' mighty son
He will be a titan among mortals
Never to escape, never to belong
We're all the same here
Don't resist, come and enjoy
The tea party from hell

SMALLVILLE HIGH
NEWSPAPER DESTROYED
By Frank Moore

The office of Smallville High School's controversial student newspaper, the Torch, was recently wrecked by a senseless act of extreme vandalism. No one was hurt during the incident, but the paper's computers, files and furniture were completely smashed by unknown assailants.

Under the editorship of sophomore Chloe Sullivan, the Torch had become known for its muckraking investigations of local figures as well as its almost single-minded focus on unexplained phenomena in the area. Thanks to her work at the paper, Sullivan had even landed a prestigious internship at the Daily Planet in Metropolis last summer.

The attack marks the second case of violence involving the high school this week. Earlier, star baseball player Eric Marsh had been arrested and charged with hijacking a truck and assaulting its driver.
"Rest assured that we are pursuing all possible leads," said Sheriff Nancy Adams.

"We take this sort of destruction of public property extremely seriously."
While no suspects have been named, Sullivan claimed she was not completely surprised by what happened: "When you make it your mission to expose the truth, powerful people get upset." She declined to elaborate on specific individuals who may have held a grudge against her or her newspaper.

In an unexpected act of charity, the LuthorCorp Foundation, run by business titan Lionel Luthor, announced that it was making a donation to Smallville High with funds earmarked specifically toward rebuilding its journalism department. "LuthorCorp is dedicated to helping our youth fulfill their potential," said the company's director of public relations, Mitchell Taylor.

According to Sullivan, a new issue of the Torch is already in the works, proving once again that stopping the presses is easier said than done