LYING AT THE BOTTOM OF ONE OF THE GIANT, WATER FILLED TESTING TANKS IS LOIS LANE. Her HANDS BOUND behind her back -- her FEET BOUND together -- she's been in the water for close to a minute now -- her life slipping away --

AND SITTING IN THE TANK IN FRONT OF HER IS KRYPTONITE.

CONTINUED:

-- overcome with deep pain from the Kryptonite, Superman CRASHES to his knees, sinking into the concrete floor like it was made of soft sand. An agonizing, confusing moment: WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING TO ME?! His head hung low, he tries to crawl forward but its so painful --

TY-ZOR (O.S.)
I want to hear you cry Kal-El. Like
your mother cried...
(almost amused)
...cry for me... "Superman."

-- and Superman finally looks up: his face covered in a repulsive BLISTER RASH, his eyes ROLLED BACK AND BLOODSHOT -- and SUPERMAN SCREAMS --

-- and Lois sees Superman -- bubbles escaping her mouth -- she shakes her head at him, her YELLS MUFFLED UNDERWATER:

LOIS
NO!!! GET AWAY--!!!

-- but Superman struggles to crawl toward her -- the devastating effects of the Kryptonite killing him. Lois struggles, desperate to turn Superman away -- she's crying underwater now, knowing that he's coming to save her, knowing what exposure to Kryptonite will mean --

-- we DOLLY WITH SUPERMAN as he strains to the wall of the glass -- the DEADLY GREEN ROCK and the WOMAN HE LOVES submerged in water behind it -- and as their lives slip away, Superman PULLS HIS ARM BACK and POUNDS the glass -- but his powers are gone now -- in fact, he's so weak now that any of us could have hit the glass harder --

-- Lois furiously shakes her head, the last oxygen bubbling from her mouth -- Superman pulls his arm back and STRIKES THE GLASS AGAIN -- then AGAIN -- but the blows are pointless: he leans against the glass, crying himself, his life force depleted -- and their eyes meet -- two souls on the verge of death -- we're TIGHT ON THEIR EYES as Superman gathers every ounce of strength he's got left and in SLOW MOTION PULLS HIS ARM BACK AND WITH IMMENSE POWER SLAMS IT INTO THE GLASS -- WHICH SHATTERS -- THE WATER, THE ROCK, AND LOIS RUSH OUT OF THE TANK, INTO THE ROOM -- THRUSTING SUPERMAN BACK --

CONTINUED: (2)

-- Lois lies on the ground, in shock, INHALING DESPERATELY and COUGHING water from her lungs -- she looks up: Superman lies blistered, battered, and motionless -- the Kryptonite rock on the ground near him -- crying and out of breath, Lois grabs a SHARD OF GLASS and using it on her back she CUTS THE ROPE THAT BINDS HER -- she scrambles for the Kryptonite, grabs it, and THROWS THE ROCK -- it lands far from them, in the doorway.

Lois takes Superman's heavy, lifeless body in her arms -- tries to awaken him as she cries--