Critical Mass

Superman’s forehead glistened with a film of sweat as he strained with momentary effort.
Clink. House note.
Strain. Clink. Car note.
Strain. Clink. Electric bill.
Every month, the same routine. Scarf a few charcoal briquettes, crap out a few water-white diamonds. That was how the world’s most famous superhero kept the wolf from the door. Couldn’t very well knock over a bank, could he?
The system worked. Most of the time, anyway.
Of course, there was that grim Tax Day back in 2016 when Lex Luthor doped the charcoal supply with plutonium. Where Metropolis had stood was now radioactive glass.