Grey Matter: Book One

Grey Matter: Book one

                                                                                            Chapter One: Dazed and confused

      “The first thing I remember is a high pitched ringing in my ears, so intense that it makes me feel sick to my stomach. My blood pressure is so high that my head aches from the droning sound and pressure that keeps steadily building!” “I think I’m going to black out… but to my surprise I don’t. Instead I’m suddenly overwhelmed by a bright white light!” “What’s wrong with me?!” “Why is this happening to me?! Someone make it stop!”

      Arizona, 8:20 am Karen Slisinger pushes in the clutch and shifts into second gear. Her hair is pulled back and tied up in an old scrunchy left over from her 80’s high school days. She found it on the floor of her boyfriend’s truck when she climbed in to head for work, which she was twenty minutes late for, again. She couldn’t remember why she had left it there and figured she must have dropped it the previous night when she drove off, half drunk and blurry-eyed, leaving Chet standing in the parking lot of Uncle Bob’s Roadhouse waving his arms like a fool and cussing the day she was born. With the pick-ups windows down all the way and the wind whipping across her face, a single strand of long blonde curls came lose and flailed in her face. She tried to catch hold of it and tuck it out of the way behind her left ear, but it wouldn’t be tamed. She reached up with a free hand and pulled the visor down in front of her and glanced for just a second at herself in the tiny mirror, when… “Oh shh….!” Was all she was able to get out as she looked down and spotted a man in the middle of the dirt road! She slammed on the brakes as the old Chevy rolled to a stop, just inches from the vagrant’s mid-section! As the truck came to rest, dirt and stones shot forward and the man disappeared for a second. Then as the startled girl sat looking out through her filthy windshield, the breeze wiped the dust cloud away leaving just a sorry looking man, wearing what looked like, nothing but a torn-up old pair of Levis.

      Karen was used to running across wanderers and bums in town but she couldn’t remember ever seeing one this far out in the middle of the dessert before, especially as ill-equipped as this fella. She pulled on the rusty door handle and slipped out of the driver’s side with her favorite tire iron clutched in her right hand just for safety sake. The half-naked man stumbled a few feet and then collapsed to the ground unconscious! “Well girl, looks like you’ve gone and attracted another stray!” She said out loud to herself as she walked over and grabbed the man by the wrist and dragged him to the side of the road and out of her way. “Sorry fella, but I’ve got to get to work before I get myself fired, again.” She made sure he was out of harm’s way in the berm before jumping back into the cab and starting the old machine back up and pulling away in a hurry. She hadn’t gotten more than a hundred yards before curiosity got the best of her and she checked her rearview mirror and saw the weary man trying to stand and walk in the distance. Her conscience kept biting at her until she spun the truck around and headed back for the poor wretch. She pulled up next to him and finally caught sight of his dirt covered face. He didn’t look like the typical bums or hobos that came through these parts. His face had a soft and friendly countenance, like a young man lost. Her irritation turned to empathy and as always she couldn’t leave the poor creature out her all by himself to die. As was her way, she counted him among the usual strays that found their way into her heart and she helped him into the passenger’s side and buckled him in before jumping in and heading for Roxy’s Diner. He slipped in and out of consciousness as she hummed along with the radio full of static. She slammed the palm of her hand down on the dash board a few times to shake the radios wires but it was no use. For the first time in three years the radio was on the fritz. “Damned thing, figures it would have to act up now.” After a few minutes of bouncing along the rough drive, she pulled in behind a small cement block building surrounded by all manner of classic cars and trucks. To an outsider it would have appeared that they had stumbled upon an oasis trapped in a time warp with old Fords and Chevy’s and a few dodges scattered around the parking area. None of the vehicles seemed to be from this century. But to the locals it was just Roxy’s lunch crowd and the graveyard of 60’s & 70’s motorcars and pick-ups was standard issue for these parts.

      Karen tried to wake her new friend but he wasn’t ready to come too yet and so she figured she’d just leave him rest while she went in and begged Katey not to fire her. She came scampering in through the kitchen door around back of the small diner and found an irate Katey Anne waiting for her. “Girl, you gotta lotta nerve come bustin in here fourty-five minutes late!” Karen kept her head down while she tied on her apron and glided past Katey, who was still ballin her out and scooped up the dishes of food waiting to be served and backed her way through the double swinging doors and into the dining area. Without a word she plopped plate after plate down in front of her regular customers exactly where they belonged and the hungry people started eating. Luckily these same dozen or so people had been eating there every morning for as far back as she could remember and probably even further back, so she knew exactly which plate went with each customer since not one of the regulars ever deviated from their usual choice. It wasn’t until she reached the last customer that she stopped and looked up. “Well, hello there Karen!” “Chet?!” “You looked surprised to see me. Oh, I guess that’s cause you up and left me stranded on the side of the road last night!” A few of the customers looked over to see Karen’s boyfriend, Chet Hawkins lounging in the corner booth, flanked by his younger brothers Tim and Carl. But no one wanted any part of their kind of trouble and returned to their lunch specials in silence. “Listen Chet, you were drunk, you pushed me and I told you before, that’s it!” Chet grinned. “Listen K, you had a few yourself last night, don’t forget. And I only nudged you cause you were talkin to that other guy.” “That guy, was Charlie Hooks, we was in grade school together!” “Yeah, well I didn’t like it.” Karen set her tray down on the table next to her. “Well, like it or not, I’m not gonna let you treat me like that again, we’re through.” And with that, she spun on her heels and walked back into the kitchen.

      Chet didn’t need an invitation and he “wouldn’t take no for an answer from some dumb girl.” He thought to himself as he pulled on his jean jacket and went through the kitchen doors to confront Karen. The fry-cook Billy, stepped up and blocked Chet from reaching Karen. “Now listen Chet, you and that little girl wanna fight and holler, you do it outside and away from my customers.” Chet was tall and belligerent but he knew better than to mess with the middle-aged ex-marine and politely agreed to meet her outside. Katey took hold of the young girls arm. “You be careful girl, boys like that don’t like to be turned away unless it’s their idea. You call out for help if you need, I’ll be just inside the door in case you get into trouble.” Karen hugged her caring friend and mother figure and then turned and walked outside. She found not only Chet but both of his brothers as well waiting for her. She took a few steps from the door and stopped. “I don’t think we need ourselves an audience, do you?” She motioned in the two younger boys directon. “Now that aint very polite.” Tim told her while coming around to her right as Carl got closer to the girl to her left. “I’m willing to talk Chet, but only with you, tell them to get lost.” Chet laughed. “Girl, you do love to give orders don’t ya.” A second later a sound came from inside the pick-up parked not more than a few feet away from where Chet was standing. A confused look came across his face as he wandered over to the vehicle and looked inside. “Hey, who’s this?” Karen had forgotten all about the stranger she had left inside and she was suddenly worried. “Wait Chet, don’t bother that man, I found him lying on the side of the road, I almost ran him over. I think he’s hurt or something.” Chet pulled the door handle and the semi-conscious man fell out onto the ground. “Well if he aint hurt, he’s gonna be.”

      Karen tried to move in and stop Chet but his two brother’s grabbed hold of her and held her fast while she kicked and flailed. “Hold her boys. I got some ass to whoop.” Immediately Chet grabbed the dazed and confused man by the hair and lifted him over his shoulder in a fire-man’s carry and walked him over to the edge of the pond at the far end of the lot and winked at Karen as he tossed the poor man into the water! Karen yelled and struggled to get free but Carl and Tim held her tight as they laughed. Chet watched the delirious stranger kicking and choking as the dark muddy water pulled him down. He then turned back to his family and the girl who had scorned him with a dark intent on his mind. “Hold her boys, we’re gonna have to teach her not to be so unfriendly.” The boys laughed as they looked at the terror in the girls wide staring eyes. But they weren’t aware of the real reason for her ghastly look of fear. For in that very moment only she could see what had just emerged from the murky waters behind Chet! Time seemed to slow down to a crawl as Chet was seized from behind by what looked like an enormous hand! The greyish green skinned hand completely enveloped the man’s head and shoulders! Chet never had a chance to make a sound; he was ripped from his position facing the others and disappeared into the dark waters behind him! Carl turned to see only a shadow as something went under the water! He let out a gasp causing the other boy to look over at the empty spot where his brother had once stood. The two boys let go of Karen and moved in closer to have a look at the swirling water while the girl ran screaming for the diner! Katey hearing the commotion and screams opened the door just in time for Karen to come sprinting through the door! Billy went out to see what was going on but by the time he reached the parking lot it was totally empty. No one was anywhere to be seen. He didn’t notice the wet muddy ground at the end of the lot, or the man’s jacket floating on top of the pond that slowly sank down lower and lower until out of sight.

      Karen made it as far as the kitchen counter when she collapsed. Billy returned to find Katey Anne on the floor holding the comatose girl. “I’d better call the sheriff.” Billy exclaimed as he picked up the phone from its cradle and fingered the rotary dial. “Hello, Trudy? Yeah it’s Billy over at the diner, tell Ted to come over as soon as he can. Ok, thanks.” Katey sat on the floor wiping the young girl’s forehead with a cool damp cloth. “I hope he gets here soon, whatever happened out there nearly scared this poor thing to death.” Billy dried his hands on his soiled white apron. “Those boys better hope I don’t see them or…” Katey frowned. “Oh, let the law handle it, I hope I never see those three again.” A black Ford Crown Vic with white doors and a large sticker in the shape of a police shield pulled up in front of the diner and parked. Sheriff Ted Jenkins stepped out and slammed the heavy door shut. From his thick neck and broad shoulders one could imagine him in his younger days when he had been a promising young nose tackle for the local JF Kennedy High Cougars until an accident in the corn fields of his family farm had claimed his knee and like so many other boys had his career cut short and his dreams of stardom crushed. But his life had managed to work itself out for the best. In his rehabilitation he met and fell in love with the girl he would eventually marry, Ms. Trishia Darling. Together they built quite a happy little life complete with a ranch and four boys. The oldest, Teddy Jr had just graduated college at Iowa State, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in criminal science and taking a deputy position under his proud father. Sheriff Jenkins could cut an imposing figure at first sight, but as soon as he spoke to you, his soft manner and friendly voice immediately won you over. As he swung the diner’s glass front door open the string of bells hanging from the handle jingled, announcing his arrival. Billy came from the kitchen and walked around the end of the counter and offered his hand to his best friend. “Hello Bill, I got your message, what’s been goin on around here?” Billy nodded to indicate he wanted to talk out back so as not to alarm the customers and the two men went into the kitchen. Billy stopped and just pointed to Katey Ann still holding the young girl in her arms on the floor. Ted knelt down beside her and waved his hand in front of Karen’s face to illicit some kind of response but the traumatized girl just stared straight ahead as if she were in a trance. Ted looked up at Billy who had taken a seat on one of the crates of apples stacked against the wall. “She came runnin in here hollerin and mumbling something about a monster. She was outside talkin to the oldest Hawkins boy. Seems they been havin some lovers quarrel.” The Sheriff turned to Katey. “Did either of you see anything?” Katey just shook her head. “Well, I’ll look around a bit and see what I can find out. In the mean time you better take her over to the Medical Clinic and let Dr. Freemont check her over.” Ted stood up and headed for the back door. “Did you see where Hawkins went?” Billy shook his head. “Nah, no sign of him or his two brothers, just his truck parked over by the pond.” Ted walked out into the parking lot and looked around for a few minutes then returned to his car parked out front and picked up the radio mic. “Trudy, this is the Sheriff, get Jr on the horn and tell him to meet me out at Roxy’s as soon as he can.” He hung the mic up and pulled the shotgun from its holder between the front seats and made sure to load it before heading around back again. He inspected Chet’s truck and found nothing out of the ordinary. Just then his attention was roused by the sight of a man wearing nothing but torn up pants and he seemed to be soaking wet. The man looked up making eye contact for a second and then dropped his head again.

                                                                                     Chapter Two: Over the hills and far away

      Sheriff Jenkins wasn’t easily spooked and in the twenty some years he had been a local constable he had seen his share of bad. But for some reason he felt a cold shiver run down his back when his eyes met those of the stranger standing next to Karen’s truck. He carefully walked toward the man, who by now was busy putting on a plain button up shirt and sat on the vehicles bumper to pull on a pair of brown boots. “Hey there.” The disheveled man looked over and sat up. “Hello.” “I’m Sheriff Jenkins, you mind showin me some ID?” The other man’s shoulders slumped and he shook his head. “I’m sorry, I seem to have lost all of my belongings.” Ted could tell from the man’s tone that he was definitely down on his luck and had been through enough. “Got a place to stay?” Again the poor man shook his head no. The sound of a car pulling in caught both of the men’s attention as Teddy Jr hopped out of his police cruiser and joined his father. “Hey, got the call, said you needed back up.” “No just need an extra set of eyes and ears. I need you to talk to all of the people inside and find out if anyone saw anything strange today.” The Sheriff didn’t have to ask twice, his son was obedient and efficient and took his job seriously, sometimes a little too serious his dad thought, but he was a good kid and meant well.

      The sheriff escorted the man who by now was calling himself David Bennet to his police car and took him to his office. “Say, I know this sounds kinda strange but, where are we?” Sherriff Jenkins looked at the man next to him with a chuckle. “Sanders.” But the name caused a startled look on the man;s face and Jenkins noticed it. “Sanders just a few miles east of Houke on route 40.” David was quiet as they rode down the main street and pulled in front of the court house. “Home sweet home.” Sheriff Jenkins said while stepping out of the car and going around to the passenger side to let the other man out. “Well, it’s no four star hotel but it’s warm at night and cool during the day, and we have an A-1 class chef. Me!” David exited the patrol car and followed Ted into the large granite building and down a long hallway and into the law man’s office and sat down. “Relax and make yourself at home. Bert!” A tall slender man in a deputies uniform entered the small office. “Yeah Sheriff?” “Bert, I want you to take Mr Bennet to our guest room and make him comfortable, he needs a place to lay his head tonight. And get my wife to bring over my dinner and something for David as well. Tell her I’ll be workin late.” “You got it boss, come on buddy!” David followed the deputy but it turned out that the guest quarters was just a small one men cell without a door on it. David stepped in and lay down on the cot. “The restrooms down the hall on the left and there’s a vending machine out front. I’ll leave you here to rest up. Be back in an hour or so.” David didn’t say anything he just stretched out and fell quickly to sleep.

      Teddy Jr took statements and rooted around in the weeds out back looking for any clues to where the three young men had gone but nothing popped up and the young officer went to his patrol car and radioed in. “This is car four, Trudy have you seen my dad? Uh, I mean the Sheriff?” “Hi Teddy, yeah he’s here, I’ll put him through.” The deputy filled his father in the best he could. “No, nobody inside saw anything cept that Hawkins boy talkin to Karen. Said he left and went around back with his two brothers and that was the last anyone seen of em.” “Ok, that’ll do for now, head on home for dinner and tell your mom I’m sorry for missin it.” “Ten-four, out.”

      Sheriff Jenkins sat at his desk pecking on his computer keyboard when a familiar voice rang out from the waiting area. “Ted! Ted Jenkins, where are you?!” It was Ted’s beloved Trishia! “In here honey!” The middle aged woman entered her husband’s office with a basket under her arm and an accusatory look in her eye. “Well, what’s so important you can’t come home this evening?” He knew she wasn’t really mad; she was just giving him a hard time as usual. “Couple boys went missin and that little waitress over at Roxy’s is nearly comatose. Not sure what’s goin on yet but I know it’s gonna keep me up tonight.” The pretty girl he had fallen in love with smiled and placed her basket on his desk. “Well I figured as much so I brought you some dinner. What’s this about a stranger stayin here?” “He’s just some poor guy wanderin. Put him up for the night and promised him some of your famous apple crumb cake.” “I’m sorry but he’ll have to settle for some cold fried chicken and some biscuits tonight, I was busy at my mom’s all day.” “He doesn’t look like he’s gonna be too picky.” “Well, I want you to eat your supper before your blood sugar starts to drop, anyhow.” She left the food on his desk and exited the office and went home to feed her sons. Ted got up from his messy desk and carried a plate back to David and left it on the small wooden stand next to the sleeping man and retreated back to his computer.

     The sleeping man tossed a bit and wriggled about while on the inside, in his subconscious he dreamed. Flashes of light and a collage of images disturbed his rest as nightmares tormented the poor man’s mind. One minute he was flying high above the ground and the next he was splashing and fighting under water! He struggled to speak but the water filled his lungs until… “Nooooooo!” He sat up suddenly with his eyes wide and awake! He was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily trying to catch his breath. “Hey there, you alright?” David looked at the Sheriff who was now standing in the doorway to his suite. In a voice full of exhaustion. “Yeah, I’m fine, just a bad dream.”

      Katey Ann holds the frightened young girls head in her lap as Billy drives them to the medical clinic on Beacon’s road. “I can’t believe I had to close the diner in the middle of the day! You know how busy we get around five o’clock, that’s our dinner rush and the Perch is just sittin on ice waitin to be dipped and breaded.” Katey looks in stunned silence for a second. “Bill Allen Daultry! I can’t believe you! This girls in shock and all you can think about is your Perch!” Hey, I feel real bad about what happened to her but we don’t really know what happened back there. For all we know she could be fakin.” “Fakin, you must be insane! What kind of person would fake being like this? Just keep drivin and keep your opinions to yourself!” Within twenty minutes of locking up the diner, Bill’s Ford Tempest rolled up in front of the Houke Medical Building at the intersection of Howard street and 4th Ave. Bill went to the passenger side and took Karen into his arms and carried her in as Katey held the front door and then followed him to the front desk. “Oh my, what’s happened?” Asked the brown haired receptionist. “She’s been through something awful; she’s been in shock for over an hour!” Katey explained while bill followed the nurse into the exam room and left her in the staffs care. “I’m goin back and open the diner. You can stay here if you want but I’m not missin the dinner rush!” And with that Bill was gone leaving Katey to sit in the waiting room alone. Several minutes went by before the nurse returned and asked Katey to come into the Doctor’s office. “Hello, I’m doctor Heller, won’t you sit down? I’d like to ask you a few questions.” The waitress explained everything she knew of the events leading up to Karen running back to her screaming and then to that very moment. “That’s all I know doctor, I wish there was more I could have done but it just happened so fast.” “It’s alright she is starting to come around. I gave her a mild sedative to calm her nerves so she doesn’t get hysterical again.” “We’ll watch her for tonight, does she have family in the area?” “No, she lives alone in Sanders City.” The doctor scribbles something down on a small white pad on top of his desk and tears the top sheet and hands it to Katey Ann. “This is my pager number, get in touch with me tomorrow and we’ll see what kind of shape she’s in in the morning after a good night’s sleep.” Katey says goodbye and leaves the clinic in search of a ride back to Roxy’s.

      Trudy Barnetti sat filing her nails at her desk while listening to the radio in the background when an unfamiliar face comes through the door and approaches her. “Excuse me maam, I’m Colonel Dekker out of Fort Wayne, is the Sheriff available? I’d like to speak with him.” Trudy was single and lonely in this small town of married people and kids, so when she looked up and saw the stunning good looks of the Colonel she nearly fainted! “Uh.. uh yesss. I uh mean, yes sir, he’s in.” She stares up at the Colonel, gazing at him like a school-girl when he eventually smiles and asks “May I speak with him?” The embarrassed secretary flits about in her chair trying to think of what to do next when she saved by her superior. “It’s alright Trudy, I’ve got this.” “Hello Colonel, I’m Sheriff Jenkins, what can I do for you?” “Good evening Sheriff, is there somewhere we can speak in private?” The Sheriff leads his guest into his office and offers him a chair in front of his overcrowded and messy desk while he closes the door for privacy. “I’ll get right to the point. My superiors have asked that I coordinate with all law enforcement agencies in your state concerning some military exercises being slated for the next couple of days... The Sheriff abruptly cut him off. “Military exercises? That’s a bit strange isn’t it Colonel?” Dekker cocked his head as his eyes squinted slightly. “Strange Sheriff? What’s so strange about maneuvers? As a former Marine, you of all people should understand the importance of training and preparedness drilling.” Now the local lawman was even more suspicious. “How did you know I was in the Marines Colonel?” The military man shifted nervously in his chair. “Well, I, looked over our files in order to familiarize myself with all of the local authorities before traveling out this way, I like to know who I’m speaking to.” Ted sr. wasn’t just another backwater bumpkin, he knew when he was being lied to and he didn’t like it. “You can count on my teams support while you’re in my jurisdiction Colonel.” A smile came across the man’s face and his posture took on a more relaxed form. “I appreciate your cooperation Sheriff, we’ll be out of your hair just as soon as we’re finished, should only take a couple of days and your assistance won’t be necessary, we’ll oversee everything ourselves.” That statement confirmed the Sheriff’s suspicions. Ted Sr smiled politely and shook the military officer’s hand and watched him exit his office with a cocky swagger believing that he had won this first round before taking a seat next to Trudy and whispered in an undertone. “Listen, I need you to get ahold of Teddy and tell him to head out to Pradder’s old place. Tell him to take his surveillance equipment to Sully’s ridge and keep an eye out for anything unusual until I get there. Oh, and keep this between us, If anyone asks where we are, you just tell em Charley Platt’s cows broke loose again and we’re roundin em up for him.” Then the tall man gathered his jacket and mag-lite and a few boxes of shotgun shells and left.

      Karen came to and tried to sit up when she looked around and found herself all alone in an unfamiliar small room, sitting on top of what seemed to be an exam table. The door next to her opened suddenly and a young girl dressed in scrubs entered with a tray. “Well hello, good to see you up. I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake.” The nurse turned and left the woman alone again with a plate of eggs and hot cereal beside her on a rolling table. A few minutes later an older man with short wavy hair and glasses came in with a folder in his hand. “Hello, miss. I’m Dr Chandeler. Can you tell me your name?” “I’m Karen.” “Excellent, now can you tell me where you are?” She looked puzzled at the man writing on his pad, not looking up. “I was just about to ask you.” With that the older man put his pad and pen down a moment to address her directly. “You’re in Houke at the medical center, you apparently had some sort of an altercation with a young man and man and woman brought you to us.” “Can you remember anything from yesterday?” As he looked into her big blue eyes they began to tear up and her chin tremble! “Noooooo!” She screamed! Causing the doctor to twitch in his seat and two nurses came rushing into the room trying to calm the woman, until at last she regained consciousness and realized she was safe. “They’re dead! All three of them! Dead!” She began sobbing uncontrollably while the one nurse handed the doctor a small needle which he used to administer another dose of Ativan, allowing the young woman to relax and collapsed into the arms of the other nurse standing behind her. “What do you think she saw doctor?” Asked the slender middle aged woman. “I don’t know, but whatever it was it shook this poor creature up pretty bad.”

                                                                                              Chapter Three: Pictures of home

      David sat alone finishing his last bite of a homemade biscuit when he started to feel hot all over. His head began thumping so badly that he thought he might be having a stroke. But that thought was quickly replaced with the realization that it was happening again..! He fought to hold on, trying not to let him out! After several attempts to contain the beast within, until, at last he finally blacked out! Like the muffled sounds of being underwater, muted tones mixed with piercing bursts of shrill screams slowly began to give way to sharp pain and then… He opened his eyes! Confused by the thick blackness all around him until a bright light shown in his face causing his eyelids to squint almost closed and then… Something big and heavy rammed into the lumbering giant from behind! A sudden crashing and crunching sound of twisting metal and shattering glass and then flames! A passing car of teens skidded to a halt a mere twenty feet away from the monster! The driver, a tall skinny kid with nothing more than his learners permit desperately tried to shift into reverse when he came face to face with the terrible beast! Screams and fists pounding on the dashboard next to him and to the back of his headrest were no match for the terrifying sight caught in the flash of the trans-am headlights! Then without warning the confused look changed to furry and the monster gave voice to his anger!

     “GGGGRRRRAAAAWWWWLLLLLLLL!!!!!!” Tommy Shure pissed his blue jeans and froze at the sight of an awful large mouth full of huge teeth and a growl that sounded like a lion or a freight train bearing down! The windshield exploded into a million tiny sharp pieces, cutting his skin and that of his three passengers. But no one was really hurt, just stunned in disbelief.

      Then as quickly and unannounced as it had all started, it was over! It was night and the only light shown was from that of the young man’s left headlight and a few odd stars and one fantastic round moon overhead. Nearly a hundred feet up ahead lay the smoldering husk of a burned out fuel tanker and the charred remains of the Volvo White tractor that had been pulling it before it struck the grey monster and exploded into flames. The highly flammable jet fuel it had been hauling burned up on impact and the fire was gone in seconds. Four shaky teens inspected the empty cab and then saw the body of the semi’s driver off in a ditch on the side of the road and ran to see if he was still alive. Fortunately he was alive, jumping from his truck just a split second before impact and thrown free of the wreck by the concussive blast. He was unconscious but still breathing and had a pulse. While Janet and Lorri covered the man with one of their jackets while the other served as a pillow for his bleeding head, Chuck and Tommy looked around for any sign of the creature. Nothing but darkness and a warm easterly breeze could be found until lights appeared in the distance and a couple of locals arrived on the scene to find the survivors and hear their unbelievable rendition of what had happened.

     Of course due to the nature of the fantastically wild ramblings of the kids in question, nobody took much of what they said seriously. “Sounds like a bunch of kids drinkin and partyin and then coming across a bad pileup if you ask me.” Said Larry Gaines to his neighbor Clint Walsh. “Shoot, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were joyridin and caused the whole thing.” Both men agreed and phoned the Sherriff’s office for help. “Better send a semi-wrecker and an ambulance Trudy!” Trudy took the call and relayed the message to the Sheriff and Teddy who were sitting on the hood of Teddy’s car watching the light show going on in the distance. “Yeah, I’ll look into it Trudy, you go on home. Over.” “Yes sir, over and out.” “Oh, and let my wife know I’ll be late.” Trudy made the call. Out on route eighty-four the scene was a spread out circus of trucks and ambulances and half asleep faces, hovering over Styrofoam cups of coffee, while big search lights focused on the damaged truck, gave proof that something big had happened. The only problem was that no one knew exactly what had happened and until the driver was able to speak, Ted Sr figured it would stay that way.

     Ted Sr showed up to what looked like a bad crash-up derby and Jr wasn’t far behind. Both men asked the Wrecer’s driver Pete Tillis, what had happened and got as much of the story as he could piece together.“Well dad, looks like troubles come to town.” Ted Sr. lit up a cigar and gave a few calming puffs. “Yeah, been an awful lot goin on around here lately. Hope it stops soon or your mom’s gonna have my hide for coming home so late.” Both men enjoyed a soft chuckle while watching the wrecker and its crew, pull the burned out mess apart and load it up onto two flatbeads bound for Cray’s scrap yard. “Did you get a statement from each of those kids?” Asked the Sheriff. “Yep, wrote down every word. Cept, none of it made any sense of course.” “Nope, never does, that’s why we write it down and sift through it later. After the kids have been drug tested I want them and their legal guardians in my office tomorrow afternoon.” He walked to his car and got behind the wheel. “Oh, and don’t tell your mom about the cigar… or I’ll dock your pay.” With that the man road off as the sun slowly rose on the horizon. In an hour or so all signs of what had happened would disappear and life in this quiet county would go back to normal. Teddy Jr. finished speaking with the parents of the shaken up teens and then went back home for two more hours of sleep before it was time to go to work. No one noticed how when the wind picked up and blew the sand and dry dirt from the road, a massive crater was left in the pavement… the shape of an enormous footprint.

      David awoke to something wet against his face. He opened his blurry eyes and found a spotted white beagle licking his cheek. “Hey there buddy, thanks for the bath.” He looked around for some indication of where he might be and quickly discovered that he was lying in a field of redish brown dirt and sunscorched dry grass. Across the field sat a small farm house next to a modest looking weather worn barn and a few cows milling around nearby. He rose up and dusted off his shredded pants and walked barefoot to the barn. Out back he found an old cast iron bath tub that had been relegated to a watering trough and dunked his head into the cool water to wash away the sweat and clear his head. When he stood up and swung his head back, he wiped the water from his eyes and realized that he wasn’t alone. “Hi, what’s your name?” came a soft little voice. “I’m Danielle, but my pap calls me Dany. But I’m a girl.” David smiled at the friendly attention and outspoken nature of the girl. “My names David, It’s nice to meet you.” The young girl reached out her little hand and offered something to the stranger. “Here, want half of my sandwich? It’s ok I’m full.” He eyed the PB&J but chose to hold off accepting anything in case someone might be watching and get the wrong impression. “Thank you dear, I’m not hungry but it was nice of you to offer.” Then a sound caught both of them off guard. “Da-nny!” The little girl turned to look and then looked up at David again. “That’s my gramma, I have to go. Will you be here later, after supper?” “No I need to get back, but it was very nice to have met you.” And without another word between them she ran off in the direction of the little house. David wiped his stinging eyes and started walking in the direction of an old dirt road at the end of the field. In a matter of minutes he had jumped the drainage ditch and walked the berm for a couple of miles until a passing truck stopped and offered him a ride back to town. He sat in the cab with the vehicles driver and owner, bumping along while the radio played some tune David kind of recognized but couldn’t remember. “You just passin thru these parts?” Asked the weathered old man. “Yeah, I’m stayin with friends for a few days.” “Well, you might wanna try wearin a shirt and some shoes out here, sun’ll burn the hide right off ya if you aint careful.” David just watched the road up ahead wind around and finally straighten out and run parallel with a long chainlink fence that seemed to run on for nearly a mile and then just stopped and turned and ran out of sight to the left. “Most fences around these parts consist of a single electrified wire running between posts, how come that one back there was different?” The leathery skinned man just shrugged. “Aint farmland, that there was government land.” David sat up trying to hide his alarm. “Government? You mean military?” “I don’t know for sure, nobody does, showed up a couple days ago and put up that fence. Closed off coupla roads too.” David’s face took a serious guise, military showing up and erecting a huge fence just a day or two after he arrived in the area, smelled fishy. Soon the two men had arrived at the edge of town and the hitchhiker hopped out and yelled a “thanks!” before the man pulled away and David strolled down a side street, trying to avoid attention.

      “Hey!” Came from somewhere behind him and he turned to find himself being followed by a police cruiser once again. “What is with these local boys?” He asked himself under his breath while smiling and waving. “Hi!” The cruiser pulled up and stopped as David bent at the waist and rested his hands on the cars roof while sticking his face in the open window. “How’s it goin? You out for a walk dressed like that and I’ll be getting calls all evening. Hop in.” David obliged and pretended to appreciate the advice and the ride back to his waiting cell. Sure the Sherrif and his son were friendly and he wasn’t technically under arrest but lying in the guest room of the local jail weirded him out just the same. The two men made small talk most of the way as David carefully avoided anything that might bring the conversation back to where he had been or why he was dressed so inappropriately for this small Christian community. “You go on ahead inside, I gotta run a couple more errands for the Sheriff, then I’ll be back with lunch.” David thanked the deputy and went back to his tiny apartment in the back and changed his clothes. He didn’t have much money and the way he went through boots and shirts, he had learned to take advantage of the local Goodwill’s in each town he came to for cheap replacements. He got dressed and realized he had run out of back-ups. He went out into the front office looking for Trudy. “Uh, excuse me, miss? Is there a Goodwill or something close by where I could get some fresh clothes?” The secretary swung her chair around and faced him with a friendly smile. “Honey, closest thing to a Goodwill in this town is the Church basement. You go on over there and they’ll fix you right up. Matter of fact I’m takin my lunch break, I’ll walk you over.” David smiled back and tried to beg off subtly so as not to offend her generosity. “No, that’s ok, Im sure I can find it.” But the woman was one of only four single women in the whole town over 21 and she wasn’t taking no for an answer. “Heck, it’s no trouble at all, it’ll give us a chance to talk.” David’s stomach began to sink as his face lost all expression and his eyes glazed over as he thought to himself “Great, man-hungry spinster, lucky me.”

     Side by side the man and woman walked across the street and two blocks west to the First Ecumenical Presbyterian Church of Sanders Arizona. All the while the young woman chattered on and on barely stopping long enough to take a breath while David just listened, or pretended to listen. They walked around back to a small basement door which was hanging wide open and entered to find several town folk milling around seven folding tables covered with old clothes from the recent charity drive. “Hello Milt, this is David, he’s new to town and in need.” Trudy said to the middle aged bald man sitting next to a desk with an open cash-box sitting next to his elbow. “Ms Trudy, it’s always a pleasure. Hello there fella, David is it? Go ahead and look around, try stuff on if ya like, there’s a little room with a locking door if you’d like to try something on.” David smiled politely and went through the shabby clothes lying on the tables while Milt and Trudy gabbed and made small talk. Milt tried desperately to get the young woman to give up the strangers story but she chose discretion just in case he showed interest in her later. David managed to find a couple of shirts and a pair of worn work-boots that looked to be about his size and returned to the little man at the desk. “What’cha got there? Ok, that’ll be seventy-five cents for the shirts and an even dollar for the boots.” David stuck his left hand into his pants pocket and pulled out a crumpled dollar bill and some change. “That’ll do. Doesn’t need to be exact, everything left over after tonight will just go to the Indian Reservation anyways.” “Well I, thank you just the same.” Said David and with that he and Trudy left in search of lunch. “I’m glad to see you found some things you liked, Milt is a sweet man and he helps a lot of the local families.” “Thank you for showing me around and helping me out today, Trudy.” That sent a spark through the young woman and she showed even more interest in the eligible young man. “So what would you like to eat? The coffee shop has great pie but you’re probably hungry for something substantial. Dolly’s cafe’ is just around the corner here.” “Really, you’ve already done more than enough; I don’t want to intrude…” She cut him off abruptly. “Now stop, I haven’t done any more than a good Christian should!” She assured him and took him by the arm too quickly for him to protest any further. A few seconds later and he was sitting across from the woman, while she perused the days special. “So, Trudy, have you lived here all your life?” Her green eyes looked up at him just over the top of her menu. “I was born in Los Angeles. About twelve years ago we moved here, me, my mom and dad.” Then she lowered her eyes again and went back to deciding what to order. “That’s odd.” David thought to himself. “That’s the first time she’s given a simple answer to anything without going on for three to four minutes. Must be a sore subject, I’ll leave it alone.” “Hi ya Trudy girl! What’ll it be today?” David turned to his left and looked up at the tall thin man carrying a pad and pencil. “Hello Harry! I want you to meet my friend David.” The man looked at the ladies escort with surprised consternation but offered his hand as politeness dictated, in spite of the jealousy rising in the waiter’s blood. “Davey.” He said matter of fact with no emotion involved. His passive aggressive nature wouldn’t permit him to say what he was really thinking, so he simply addressed Trudy again. “So, out’n about with your friend.” Trudy smiled and began ordering. “I’d like the ham salad sandwich with pickles on the side and…” But Harry wasn’t interested in her lunch order, he interrupted and asked if he could speak to her alone for a second. “Why sure, David, you don’t mind do you? I’ll be right back.” David remained silent and leaned back with a mannerly nod of his head. The young woman walked to the front door and stepped outside onto the sidewalk and was joined by a very determined looking Harry Potts. He couldn’t hear their conversation but from the flailing of hands and wild gestures being exchanged he could tell the man was excited. After a few short exchanges more, Trudy stomped back into the dinner and plopped herself down in the booth but this time she wasn’t across from him, she was next to him in the booth practically in his lap! “That crazy ol’ Harry is off his rocker! He’s all convinced that I brought you here just to antagonize him! The nerve!” David was more uncomfortable than before and anxious to avoid any more drama and asked if she’d “like to leave.” Although speaking to David with a sticky sweet smile and voice she never took her eyes off the tall man behind the counter who was violently spreading her ham salad across a slice of bread. “Never mind him, we’ll just sit right here and enjoy each other’s company.” About thirty minutes later and several refills of coffee, Trudy was ready to go.

      David escorted her to the cash register at the counter and slid his hand into his pants pocket but was stopped immediately. “Take that hand outta your pocket mister. This is my treat and I meant it.” She paid her tall adversary whose face was a bright shade of red and walked out with David following. Harry slammed the register door closed and pouted with his arms crossed while watching them walk down the street and out of sight. “I hope my being there won’t cause you any trouble.” Trudy laughed out loud like a teenage school girl. “That was nothing, Harry and I have gone on a few dates over the past year is all, jealous boy. He’s not like you. A… grown man.” Alarms went off in David’s head when she said that, noticing the tone in her voice. He suddenly felt something in his gut telling him that he was a mouse and that she was a hungry feline. “Trudy, I want to thank you for all you’ve done for me but I’m suddenly feeling a bit under the weather, I think I’ll go lie down for a little while, but thanks again for lunch.” He said while slowly slipping further away and out of the woman’s reach until he was back in his cell, stretched out on the cot given to him. The young lady walked back to the Sheriff’s office and quietly went back to work, not making eye contact with the nosey passers bye. All the while scolding herself for being so obvious and desperate and scaring off the poor fellow. It was close to two o’clock in the afternoon and while trying to picture his long since gone childhood home, David couldn’t keep his eyes open and succumbed to a deep slumber.

                                                                                  Chapter Four: Behind blue eyes

         “Hurry up Davey, pick up your toys! You know your father’ll be home any minute now and if he sees this mess he’s gonna be mad at both of us.” The hands, gentle and slender with long nails polished and perfect reach and take hold of the various toy trucks and cars scattered on the floor. He grabs up his favorite stuffed tiger and the red plastic toy knife on the floor and races down the hallway to the safety of his room. His mother drops his Matchbox cars onto his bead and backs out of the door, shutting it behind her. The anxious little boy sits still, not making a sound as he hears his father’s voice in the next room. He can’t understand what’s being said but he’s nervous just the same. He hopes he didn’t forget any of his toys in the living room. If he did, daddy will be mad and he’ll probably break them and throw them in the garbage. Little as he is, he is much more aware than most boys his age. He no longer lives in his own little world full of dreams and magic. At just four years old his mind races, like that of an adult, with worry and fear. He knows the seriousness of his actions and the consequences if he makes a mistake. There is no room for foolishness now, its five o’clock and playtime has ended. The monster has come home. After a few minutes the sound of heavy footsteps coming down the hallway and then the doorknob begins to turn. The boys heart beats faster and faster and threatens to explode as his eyes go wide and begin to tear up! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

      Karen sits up in a panic! She was resting peacefully for close to an hour after the doctor had visited and given her some medication to help with her nerves. But something scared her awake! “That sound, I’ve heard it before! It’s him!” She shouts out loud from her hospital bed! She’s terrified and trembling as the nurse comes running into the small room after being startled at the screaming coming from inside. “Karen, its ok, its ok, you’re safe, nobody’s going to hurt you, it’s ok!” But the young girl shakes like she has just seen a monster. But she hasn’t ..seen a monster, she heard it!

      “Hi Trudy, hey, what’s wrong? You look awful mad!” Expressed the Jr Jenkins. “No, no, I’m not mad… why I’m just positively perfect!” She said through gritted teeth. Teddy knew better than to question a woman who obviously needed to be left alone and backed away just before hearing a crashing sound in the back. What happened next is also a point of debate among those who were present that late afternoon. Though no two stories matched, one thing they all had in common was that “all Hell broke loose!” In a split second everything that had once been solid turned to splinters and dust! As if an incendiary device had been set off in the back room of the Sheriff’s station, nothing was left after the initial concussive blast! Of considerable interest to the Sr Jenkins as well as the local VFW Chief Rob Nesbit, was the lack of smoke or fire damage. Not a single piece of debris could be found with so much as a scorch mark afterward. And no one caught in the rain of building materials and food stuffs destroyed in the blast remembered seeing any flames or even a quick flash when everything went down. The Fire Chief signed it off as “Cause Unknown.” But it wouldn’t sit well with a man as diligent as the Sheriff. He liked answers to questions and couldn’t just “let go” as people often suggested. What irritated him the most was the way the military presence had arrived just outside of his town at around the same time as all of these unexplained phenomenon began occurring. With the destruction of half the Sheriff’s office and the recent outbreak of careless kids crashing in the past few days, he had almost forgot about Karen and disappearing Hawkins boys from earlier in the week. He pulled up out front of the fire station and went in to see the Chief. “Hi Rob, any new news for me?” “Nope, not a clue Ted. I’ve pored over every bit of the wreckage and inspected your building six times and I can’t find any sign of fire or even a point of ignition. If I hadn’t seen the place myself I’d say it’s a hoax of some kind, a prank.” “What kind of prank ends with the destruction of half a building? And you did see it and it aint goin away.” “Now I understand that you’re in a bit of a spot. You need answers but honestly, I haven’t got any, I’m sorry.” The Sheriff sat down on the edge of the man’s desk and took his hat off to wipe his brow with his shirt sleeve. “I know you’re doin the best you can, it’s just… So much has been goin on lately.” Expecting his long time friend’s voice, he was caught off guard when an unfamiliar voice came from behind him instead. “You don’t say Sheriff?” Ted Jenkins turned around and confirmed his worst thoughts. “Colonel Dekker, what a surprise. What brings you into town?” The military man took a position by the window and leaned back against the window sill. “Well, I hear you’ve been having some bad luck recently, namely your office building blowing up.” The Colonel looked at the Fire Chief and asked for clarification. “So what’s your opinion Chief, any idea who would want to take a shot at the Sheriff?” Ted jumped up from his seat! “Hold on there, Colonel! Nobody said anything about taking a shot at me! This is some kind of accident or at least vandalism but there’s no reason to start spreadin rumors about a vendetta.” “Oh I’m not suggesting anything Sheriff, it just seems like somebody has it out for you, and with the local election for Sheriff coming up in a couple of months, it stands to reason that a person interested in your job might take advantage of this string of mishaps as an opportunity to bump you out.” And with those words still ringing in both Rob’s and Ted’s ears the man got up and walked out.

      Karen trembled in fear even though she was safe and in the company of the Dr and three of his nurses. Then she felt a tiny ‘pinch’ and her mind fogged over as her eyelids slowly flickered and then shut. “Jill, take vitals on her every hour and let me know if there’s any problem. The Ativan should put her out for a while and then maybe she’ll calm down enough and be reasonable.” “Till then I’m going home to catch some sleep, I’m exhausted from being up all night with that truck driver and the goofy kids.” The oldest woman suggests they draw straws to see who gets stuck sitting up all night with the catatonic girl. After picking their straws however, the older woman looks at her considerably small straw and states “Sorry girls but by seniority I’m outta here.” And leaves the other two stunned and pissed off. “Ok, its you and me Tam.” The short dark haired nurse says. “Nope it’s just you; I’m scheduled off on vaca, starting now! See ya!” Barbara‘s face drops as she stands all alone holding a long straw. “Screw you guys!” Then she plunks down in a chair next to the door and peruses an old magazine from the breakroom. In no time her thickly mascaraed eyes flicker as she gets drowsy and slips off to sleep, dropping her badly worn magazine. Thwack! The sound of the People magazine hitting the tiled floor of Karen’s room startles her awake, she can barely see anything and her body weighs a ton. She tries to sit up but collapses back down onto her hospital bed and drifts back into unconsciousness.

      Darryl Wheems had lived through two tours in Vietman and a lifetime of disappointment but he never lost his sense of humor. To call him unlucky would be kind, but the truth was that he just couldn’t catch a break. That was until he stumbled in his driveway having returned from a night of heavy drinking and landed on the pea gravel, face down. In his inebriated state he was still able to see somewhat clearly, at least enough to recognize a “twenty dollar bill, legal tender of these United States!” He hollered to no one but a passing stray cat who showed no interest in his proclamation. He didn’t even bother to try to get up, instead he reached his left hand out and took the newly acquired fortune and brought it up to his face for closer inspection. “Yep, twenty dollars.” A wide but clumsy grin replaced the usual look of confusion that he sported and he rolled over onto his back laughing for no reason in particular. Darryl’s poor wife Claudia, was a good wife and companion but under the circumstances had locked the front door before going to bed and he was definitely not keen on waking her. So with the last of his cognition about spent, he got to his feet and wobbled around the modest ranch style home and up to the sliding glass doors in back by the dining room. Craaasshhh! “Well, so much for breakin even tonight!” the drunk man said as he attempted to stand up on the fresh bed of shattered tempered glass. Drunk or sober, he knew there would be severe consequences if his wife were to wake and discover her beautiful sliding door smashed and lying on her newly laid carpet. Fortunately for Darryl, she was a heavy sleeper and didn’t wake up. So Darryl decided he wasn’t going to push his luck and chose instead to wander back outside and sleep his haze off in his garage. Due to similar circumstances in the past, he kept a blanket and pillow in his tool cabinet as backup. What the man didn’t expect was unlocking the side door and walking into his two car garage to look up and see the sky! “What in fanny hill?” He was standing in the empty building which appeared to have no roof! But it did have a roof when he had left earlier. “I’m drunk… but I aint stupid. Somebody’s stole my roof!” Then looking around in the moonlight, all around him and under him was scraps of broken up wood and shingles. The roof wasn’t gone, just moved. It was now covering the floor beneath him. Something extremely heavy must have landed on top of the roof and caved it in, leaving just a mess of shredded wood. But for all his attention to the dimly lit space, there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary in there. It was almost as if the heavy thing had vanished as quickly as it had come. “Oh well, might as well go to sleep, take care of this mess after I finish cleanin up my other mess.”

       The moon is known for casting long shadows over the plains and Arizona as well as it contemporary States like New Mexico and Nevada had nothing but mile after arid mile of flat dusty land with little to no outcroppings or hills to speak of. Tonight the moon hung in its full phase unencumbered by clouds or inclement weather patterns. The mesa’s stood tall in the light of the nocturnal orb while giving off mile long shadows until something disturbed the quiet open sky. As if one of the millennium-old rock formations had been hoisted into the air and thrown across the sky, a massive shadow fell over the land until finally meeting the earth’s surface with a tremendous concussive collision of such magnitude that a crater equal to the size of a small meteor crash site took shape when the dust and sand had finally settled! Not an animal stirred or left its burrow as a lone figure took shape at the explosions epicenter. A form like that of a man kneeling in quiet solitude rose up and stood tall, but like no man on earth this man-like creature stood nearly twelve and a half feet tall and covered the ground with a circumference of nearly one hundred fifty square feet of space. The moon’s glow enveloped the huge frame from behind sending a dark doppelganger in front of it. Slowly the sounds of the plains began to return and break up the dull and unnatural silence following his arrival. A lone hungry coyote wandering off from its pack to investigate sniffed his way between the dry scrub bushes and weeds to within just a few feet of the newcomer. But it quickly retreated to join its peers at the sound of a low, deep growling sound that rumbled and shook the sand beneath its nimble paws. With no natural or unnatural predator to challenge the beast it took a seat on the ground just beneath it with a thunderous smashing sound as sandstone and shale crumble under its weight. Hours pass and the dark horizon is replaced by a soft yellow glow and a new day begins.

      Police sirens whine in the cool early morning air as the Sheriff’s car rolls down a dirt road in answer to the frantic ramblings of a distraught Claudia Wheems! Trudy hadn’t been able to make much sense of the woman’s hysterical rantings but the few words that were discernable were “husband! and Help!” So Teddy jr and his father jumped into the old cruiser and head off in the direction of Cryder’s hollow to find out what had happened. When they finally pulled in at the beginning of the driveway they spotted Mrs Wheems chasing Mr Wheems around the front yard swinging what looked like a wooden two by four and she was getting closer and closer to her mark! She’d eventually catch up to Darryl and then assault charges would need filing and then it’d be too late! The Sheriff approached carefully as Teddy circled around from the back and caught the lovebirds just before Mrs Wheems could deliver the first and final blow! Ted ushered Darryl off to safety as Teddy struggled with the man’s better half. Unfortunately Mrs Wheems was so worked up that she flailed and fought her right hand free long enough to bring her weapon down on the back of Teddy’s head, just behind his left ear. Both Claudia and the stunned deputy hit the ground at the same time but this time Ted Sr was present and stepped on the two by four to prevent the woman from doing any more damage. “Teddy, are you alright!” “Yeah, I think so..” “Claudia, are you able to comport yourself enough to explain why Darryl’s black and blue and my deputy is seeing stars?” The angry woman took a deep breath before filling the Sheriff in on the details of this morning’s brouhaha. “Now you know Darryl drinks and gets himself all stupefied every now and then, and I’m a patient woman.” Those words didn’t sound quite right together, “her and patient” thought the older man. But he continued to listen while she prattled on about her glass, sliding doors and something about the garage roof until his ears got tired and he just wanted to get the whole thing over with so he could go home and take a shower. “Ok, ok, now it’s obvious that you two need some time to cool down and talk things out.” The Sheriff continued talking to the disheveled couple as Teddy started coming around to his senses again and walked slowly around to the right of the house. He stopped dead in his tracks! “Sheriff!?” was all the boy could think of as he waved for his father. Just as an alarmed Ted Sr joined his son around to the side of the house, he too stopped dead in his tracks! “What in blue blazes?!” “DARRRRYYYYLLLL!”

      The sand and red dirt swirled and mixed with each other as a warm gentle breeze passed over the empty Arizona desert. If someone had chosen to place a thermometer sticking up out of the sand it would read 125 degrees, above ground it was closer to 135 but no one ever stayed out here long enough to care. Desolate, dry, blistering heat that was the unlovable part of these hills and flat land stretching out for miles in every direction. Few creatures ventured out of the shade, not hiding but being prudent and vigilant. To the nocturnal inhabitants, sunlight meant a painfully slow death. But when the sun fell giving way to the moonlight, all manner of life commenced to stir about, a carefully choreographed dance between predator and prey. But that dance would have to wait, for now it was getting close to noon and the hottest part of the day and the lonely man lying face down it was becoming a death sentence! Weak and thirsty David came to, a little groggy at first but becoming more aware by the second. He tried to get up but his arms and legs felt too heavy to move so he just turned over in a rolling motion and faced his executioner. The bright illumination blinding him, he hears a man’s voice, a familiar voice but… “Your honor, I give you exhibit A. This wretch before you has committed a most heinous crime. The sentence for this crime most assuredly requires nothing less than death! Unfortunately his execution has been stayed. Instead this cur will here and forever wander… alone and despised, in sufferance like the Biblical Cain. And like Cain he will bear the mark, so that he never forgets what he has done.” David tries to speak in own defense but he has no mouth, no matter how much he shouts out in his head, not a single sound escapes! As if suffocating he stirs and fights but he can’t scream! Then the courtroom is gone, now he sees himself standing in a forest, or a park. Then his eyes gaze downward and he understands… it’s a graveyard. The grass, lush and green and freshly manicured, the smell of flowers, and a single granite tombstone resting in front of freshly dug earth. He begins to read the letters on the polished stone… B… then a E, followed by yet another T and then it hits him… It’s Betty! In an instant his mind snaps back to reality and all at once the man bursts into tears.

     Outside of town: Sheriff Jenkins isn’t known for being easily startled, but at this minute, standing next to his son and the man who owns the land they’re standing on, he lets out a gasp! “What in the…?” Looming, directly in front of the men standing in Darryl’s back yard, is an entire electrical high tension tower nearly one hundred feet tall! Only it’s not so much standing as it is… “Is it just me or is has that utility tower twisted in a knot?” asked Darryl. Ted Sr just stares up at the twisted steel with wide eyes… “Yeah, it’s in a knot alright.” Teddy Jr turns his head in Darryl’s direction, “How long you had that tower Darryl?” Darryl doesn’t turn to face him back, still looking up at the immense pile of metal. “That’s just it, I don’t have one. I’ve never had one, not on this land. Closest one to me is the one over on Burtner hill.” The Sheriff and his deputy now both turn to look at the man. “That’s over twenty miles from here.” States the Sr Jenkins. “Twenty two, to be exact.” “Dad? I mean Sheriff, howd it end up clear over here? Far as I remember, there aint been a tornado in these parts in over a decade.” “You’re right, and last night’s sky was clear and calm.” “Sure was Sheriff, I had my head hangin out the window of my truck the whole way home, puked a lot, but never seen anything but clear skies and stars.” Ted Sr’s face turned into a smirk. “You mean you was drinkin and drivin again Darryl?” Darryl’s face went blank as he said matter of fact: ‘Nope, too busy throwin up to drink.” Teddy tried desperately to control himself but couldn’t keep it inside and burst out laughin! The laughter was infectious and Ted Sr couldn’t control himself either, soon all three men were laughing at the absurdity of Darryl’s statement until they were giggled out and then the Sheriff just shook his head. “Oh, Darryl.” Teddy went to the squad car and radioed into town for Trudy to notify the power company while his father poked around for something to explain how thirteen tons of steel could miraculously move over twenty miles and end up tied in what could only be described as “a knot.” But before long Darryl shouted from the house, “Choppers Sheriff!” The lawman looked up and saw them moving in, six military helicopters circled the sky above the wreckage as a half dozen mobile armored units approached from the West led by a dark green Humvee. It came as no surprise to Sheriff Jenkins at all when he saw Colonel Dekker. “Good morning Sheriff, see anything out of the ordinary lately?” “No sir, nothing at all.” The Colonel stepped up beside Ted Sr and looked up at the steel ribbon crossing the sky above them. “You get a lot of these, do you?” “Yep, all the time. Last month we had one, looked like a balloon animal, a doggy I think.” Colonel squared off and faced the man next to him. “Sheriff, I think now it’s time for you and I to lay our cards on the table.” “You mean you’re not gonna try to convince me that this has nothing to do with you and your party showin up here in my town?” “No Sheriff, it’s too late for that now, no, I think now is the right time to show you why we’re here. Come on, we haven’t got much time left.” The military man and the lawman walked to a waiting chopper in the next field after setting down, with blades still turning. “Fortunately I don’t always wear a hat.” Sheriff Jenkins thought to himself as he boarded the chopper and slid his hand across his head to get control of his hair. Shouting above the noise of the rotors, “So where are we going Colonel?” Shouting back in order to be heard as well. “You know where.” And at that the chopper lifted off and screeched away toward the Colonels temporary base of operations.

       As they circle over the fenced off land cordoned off by miles of chain link fence, the Sheriff sees what looks like an army of tanks, personnel carriers, tents and various other vehicles, about fifty in all, in some kind of U formation. At the opening to the giant U shape sits a massive tent stretching out over nearly two acres. “What ya got under that thing Colonel, a 747?” The military man doesn’t reply. The chopper finally sets down a few Kilometers away from the canvas giant and the two men depart along with an escort of six heavily armed soldiers. Ted feels a chill and makes note of the eerie feeling as the hair stands up on the back of his neck. The group of men advances to a large double sliding door, big enough to drive a battleship through, and enters the structure. Not more than a few feet into the large dome, the Sheriff stops dead in his tracks! The Colonel walks just ahead of him. “Don’t worry Sheriff, it’s not for you. Ha ha ha ha.” 

     The Desert: It’s close to two o’clock in the afternoon and the sun has burnt its way across the clear blue sky, leaving the ground parched and baking. The man wipes his eyes with the back of his hand but his tears have already evaporated. As he inhales the stale air around him, he can’t help thinking to himself, “It was, all my fault.” A wellspring of regret and self-pity consumes the poor man and emotion, held back by a dam of denial finally breaks and his mind becomes flooded with anguish. But he has no tears left to shed. The reality of what happened close to three years ago in Denver Colorado seems like a lifetime ago. It was a lifetime of simple happiness and belonging. But the faded memories turn dark again, dark and final. His happy life and that of the woman he loved most in the world is ripped away leaving destruction and misery in its wake. David has been down this road before and he knows what comes next is akin to mental torture. So he stops himself and focuses on the shadow in the dirt, the shadow of a woman. He looks up and finds himself back on the quad at Colorado State University, where they first met. She was a second year grad student and he had just completed his third Doctorate and was anxious to start a six year fellowship with a hefty government grant in hand. He was in such a hurry to set up his lab and begin his research that he hadn’t had time to interview lab assistants. Taking the Dean’s advice, he placed an ad in the local college paper looking for two energetic and enthusiastic lab go-ffers. He couldn’t pay them but that was the beauty of using university students, they were free as long as you promised them a good recommendation letter and college credits for their time. David was a fresh transplant out of Berkley with a stint at Cal-Tech and two years abroad at Cambridge. He was a true academic in every sense of the word, choosing to study and read rather than party with his fellow classmates. He had spent his free-time in the company of his professors and any accomplished scientist, engineer, physicist or biologist who would tolerate his incessant badgering and questions. He didn’t intend to be a nuisance; he just couldn’t take in enough information to quench his thirst for understanding. His mind was expanding faster and faster until even his teachers couldn’t satisfy his intensity. They all agreed, one after another, that what he needed was time to digest all that he had learned and time alone to figure out his destiny. Even though he wouldn’t allow himself to admit it, it was the flash-backs in his mind that threatened his sanity at night, when everything was quiet and still. He fought the images and sounds while awake, but he couldn’t control his thoughts while he slept and his mind was free to wander. It was then that he found himself right back at the beginning, just a small boy and his toys. It was the pain that drove him! It drove him like a phantom coachman pushing an insane team of wild horses to their limit, faster and harder into a feverish furry until he could endure no more! “I have to find it!” “The answer’s there, I know it, it’s got to be there!” “Why did I let it happen? Why couldn’t I stop it?!”

                                                                                                Chapter Five: Four Sticks

            Military Base 0: Sheriff Jenkins didn’t find any humor in the military man’s joke. He felt sick in his gut for some reason he couldn’t explain. Dekker motioned. “C’mon, I want to show you what our geek squad has cooked up.” And with that, the Colonel led Jenkins away and out of sight. “What was that thing?” “Oh, that’s just something the engineering egg-heads whipped up back at Fort Bragg. The sheriff looked confused. “It’s a giant cage!” Dekker walked on and continued. “This… is what I’m really after!” The sheriff steps into a smaller tent full of surveillance equipment, infra-red optics, heat sensitive camera monitors and gadgets much too secret to have names yet. As the man looks at the main display overhead, he sees something, something big, moving across the screen. Then he suddenly recognizes the familiar backdrop. “That’s Darryl’s place. What is that?” Ted Sr. stopped to face Dekker. “Is that one of your monsters Colonel?” Dekker stairs at the screen intently. “No sir, that’s not mine, ..that’s yours.” Ted Sr. looks back at the screen and sees the red and yellow and orange blob in the shape of a large man. “Mine?!” Dekker makes keen eye contact with the lawman. “Yes, yours.” “Ya see sheriff, I’m on a hunting expedition and my blood-hound sniffed out that animal in your backyard and I aim to capture it, or… kill it.” “Where did it come from?” Sheriff Jenkins asked. “That’s classified, but it’s safe to say it’s responsible for the deaths of your townsfolk as well as the destruction of property that’s been rampant in your county. You should be thanking me for finding it.” Dekker sneered. “Oh, I’ll thank you all right. I’ll thank you to get the hell outta my territory!” “As you’re already aware, I was in the military, and like you I followed orders, but what you’ve got here is just insane!” Dekker’s face went blank. “Immoral, heh, war has no morality, no more than the legal system you’re a part of.” Ted’s face went red and his blood began to boil. “Listen, the law aint perfect by a long shot, but it’s the only thing protecting this world of ours from dictators and war-mongers like you!” “I may be a small town sheriff in a back-water part of the country, but even I can see how dangerous that thing is and what it can do. Your superiors think they can toy with nature and lock it up all tidy, but it doesn’t take a genius to know that sooner or later, it’s goin to come back to bite ya in the ass!” The Colonel chuckled with contempt. “You have only one choice as I see it sheriff, stay outta my way or get run over.” In a voice of authority, “Sargeant! Escort the sheriff here back to the chopper and deliver him approximately seven miles from town.” The sheriff looked confused. “I’m guessing it’ll take you about two hours to walk back to your office. By then, I’ll already have what I came for.”

      Jenkins hated the pompous ass but he also feared what he might do. Dekker was quick to blame the monster running across the computer monitor for all of the bad things that have been going on but that alone didn’t satisfy him. “Why would he be so forthcoming now all of a sudden? Ever since the first time he walked into my office he’s been lying through his teeth. Why now? Why tell me what’s going on? It doesn’t add up. He’s hiding something.”

      Karen’s eyes open and focus. She’s still in the medical clinic and she has no idea what day it is or how much time she’s been out. “Good evening.” The young woman looks across the small room and sees the nurse seated by the door. “The doctor will be by shortly to check in on you. How are you feeling?” “I’m… uh, ok. I guess.” “We were worried that you might never come around after collapsing like you did. You hungry?” “No, I don’t think so. What day is it?” The nurse checks her cell phone. “It’s ten o’clock in the evening of Wednesday the twenty first.” Karen thought back to the last thing she could recall. “I’ve been here for almost five days?” “Yep, brought you in all comatose and wide eyed. They said you were attacked or something.” Karen tried to remember back but was only able to recall flashes of memory, pictures in her mind. “No, I wasn’t attacked, it attacked them.” Nurse Flemming looked curious. “What attacked them, and who is them?” Never one to pass up on the juiciest new gossip, Tania wasn’t about to let someone else get the scoop first. “C’mon, tell me what happened.” But Karren could tell that it would be better for her to keep what had happened, to herself. At least what little she could remember anyways. “I’d like to have my clothes please; I need to get back to the diner before Billy gives my job to one of his snotty little nieces.” The nurse stepped in front of the girl and put her hand up. “Hold on, you can’t just leave. The Doctor needs to see you first and then there’s a ton of paperwork to fill out.” But the girl was used to being told what to do but she wasn’t in the habit of complying. “Sorry, I gotta go, you can bill me or whatever.” as she pushed passed Tania and shot through the lobby and out of the automatic doors.

      Once outside she got her bearings and flagged down a bread delivery truck passing by. “Hey, Karren, what are you doin out here so late?” “Hi Charlie, boy am I lucky you were in town. It’s a long story and I’m not in the mood to tell it. I’d be much obliged if you’d take me passed Billy’s place.” The young man was a good guy and had graduated high school with Karren a few years back and had no objection to giving her a lift. Karren was all too pleased to get out of the medical facility and away from all their questions. She wasn’t exactly sure what had happened and she needed time to sort things out. She was deep in thought as Charlie sang along with the radio and they turned a corner and headed out of town and back in the direction of home. It was dark now and the headlights scanned the road out in front of the truck allowing for good visibility for almost fifty yards. The highway was deserted except for the two of them and Karren rested her head back against the headrest allowing her mind to drift. After a few minutes she sat up in her seat as her mind snapped back to reality and she asked.. “Charlie, have you heard anything about Chet or his two brothers lately?” Anxiously she waited for his answer. “Nope, heard they skipped town or something, those boys always were trouble. You’re lucky you got away from them when you did.” “What? What do you mean, got away?” “Oh, Im sorry I know it aint any of my business.” She asked again.. “What have you heard Charlie, tell me, please?” The young man began telling her the story being passed around about how Chet and his brothers had assaulted some woman and then took off before the law could catch up with them. The young woman was confused but chose to keep it to herself. “Did they say who the woman was?” “Nah, whole things kinda hush-hush on account of the police investigation and stuff.” She was glad to know that her name had been kept out of it so far. She thought about what her next move should be as the truck pulled off the road and into the parking lot in front of Roxy’s. “Thanks Charlie, you’re the best!” She hollered as she slipped out of the cab and closed the door behind her. Charlie tooted his horn and pulled away. She walked up the stairs and through the front door of the old diner and as she stepped inside all of the chatter and noise stopped dead. You could hear a pin drop as she looked around at all of the familiar faces looking at her in the doorway. “Hey guys, hows it goin?” She asked in her usual manner as if nothing had happened and she was just late for work as usual. “Karren?” The girl looked at the woman behind the counter pouring coffee. “Katie, am I glad to see you…” but the older of the two women jumped in and cut her off. “What are you doin here girl, you should be in a hospital or something, you shouldn’t be here!” Karren smiled as though everything was fine. “Oh, c’mon Katie it aint no big thing, besides I’m sure you need the help.” But before Katie could answer the girl she suddenly turned her attention elsewhere. “Sheriff Jenkins, I didn’t see you pull up?” Karren spun around at the sound of his name and found herself face to face with him. “Miss Slisinger? I thought you were still in Houke.” She just looked at him with a blank expression. Then he looked at Katie. “I didn’t, somebody dropped me off. Can I use your phone?” He walked around the counter and through the door into the kitchen followed by both women. “Katie was confused.. “What’s goin on Ted?” But the sheriff had too much on his mind to stop and fill her in. He picked up the receiver and tapped the zero button. “Hello, operator, this is the sheriff, put me through to my office.” In the few years since cell phone technology had progressed, nearly everyone around had joined the tech revolution except for Ted. He refused to carry a phone around in his pocket so that everyone could get ahold of him all hours of the day and night. He chose instead to rely on the old land line. “Hello, Clarence? Yeah, Its Ted, call my son and have him drive out to the diner, I’ll explain later, ok, bye.”

      Teddy Jr showed up to the diner about twenty minutes later, half awake and totally disheveled. “Hey Sheriff, I got your message. When you disappeared in that helicopter I went home. I had just fallen asleep in front of the TV when my phone went off.” “For once I’m glad you’ve got that thing with you. Call Rick and tell him to meet us out here as soon as he can with his flatbed.” The junior Jenkins wandered outside for better reception while his father sat down in the corner booth followed by the two women and Billy, who had come out of the storage room to see what all the fuss was about. The four of them talked while Teddy called in a favor. “So what’s goin on Ted? It aint like you to be traipsing around at night like this, and whats this about a helicopter?” “I probably shouldn’t tell any of you where I’ve been this evening but I don’t see how I have any other choice at this point.” “It all started a few days ago with you and those Hawkins boys.” He said looking at Karen. “And ever since that day weird things have been goin on all over the county.” Karen stammered at first and then jumped into the conversation. “Look sheriff, I don’t have a clue about any weird stuff, all I know is, Chet and his brothers tried to scare me is all. They’re like that but I’m used to them.” Ted Sr thought for a second and then looked back at Karen. “What exactly happened that day? When I got here you weren’t in any shape to tell me and no one else was around to see anything, except.” Then he stopped to think for a moment before starting again. “Except for that fella, David Bennet or Benton or something like that. He was out there in the parkin-lot when I was lookin around.” Karen looked puzzled. “David? You mean that unconscious man sleeping in my truck?” Now everyone looked at Karen. “What man?” asked Katie. “Oh I was runnin late the other day and I kinda ran into some guy.” Now the sheriff put his hand out to get the girls attention. “Wait, you hit him? But there was no damage to your truck, I checked all the vehicles in the back lot and yours was perfectly fine except for the missing tailgate.” Karen blushed with embarrassment. “I meant, I almost hit him. I slammed on the brakes and then he fell in the middle of the road.” Billy took a turn asking this time. “You mean he wasn’t driving another vehicle?” “No, he was just standin in the middle of the road!” “I don’t exactly know how he’s mixed up with all this, but I think I need to have another talk with our wandering friend.” Karen perked up. “You know where he is?” “Of course, I left him in my guestroom over at the office.” Ted Sr got up from the table and checked his pocket, then stuck his hand out in his son’s direction. Jr tossed his dad the keys to his cruiser. “You want me to come along?” Asked the deputy. “Nah, I want you to stay here and wait for my call. Little lady, you and I are gonna go see this drifter.” He and the girl left the others sitting in the booth and jumped into the police car and took off in the direction of town.

       It was close to ten thirty in the evening and the moon had replaced the hot sun but even so, the temperature was still in the upper eighties. Fortunately for Karen and the Sheriff, the desert heat was dry unlike the sticky humidity of the south east. With the front windows down and the warm breeze flowing through the young girl’s hair, she started to feel sleepy. She rested her head against the door panel and watched as bugs smashed against the windshield. The sheriff didn’t seem to notice that she had drifted off as his eyelids began to get heavy and sting from too many hours passing without any rest or sleep. He was having difficulty fighting back the urge to close them when he reached over and turned the radio on. Ted wasn’t one for listening to the radio much, he loved music but the stuff being played over the airways these days was far from what he considered music. “and soon they’ll carry him away..” then static! It took the man a few seconds to notice that the music was gone and the speakers had begun crackling and popping, when all of a sudden the whole sky lit up like the fourth of July! Bright light coming from up ahead blinded Ted and he had no choice but to slam on the brakes and skid to a halt!

       Dust filled the air all around the car while a loud fluttering sound pelted the ground. Karen was startled awake instantly and both occupants shook in their seats. “Attention civilian vehicle! Turn around and leave the area immediately! This is a Federally Restricted Zone…” “I repeat! Turn your vehicle around and leave…” BOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!! In a blinding flash and a sound that rivaled thunder! The Cherokee helicopter exploded in front of them as quickly as it had appeared! Ted grabbed the girl and shouted.. “down!” A wave of intense heat blew across the car filling the air with a terrible chemical smell. When the heat had subsided and the flash of light had died down, the man and young woman climbed up off of the floor of the old cruiser only to look through the filthy windshield to see devastation! The night had swallowed up the light and the darkness reigned over the desert once again in spite of the flames scattered all over the ground in front of them as far as their eyes could see. Tiny piles of burning wreckage from what must have been a lot of military hardware as far as Ted could figure. Like a page out of Dante’s Inferno, the landscape took on a hellish form, minus old scratch himself. In place of an infernal tormentor, came a large, inhuman silhouette heading right for them. The lawman nervously fumbled with the gear shift on the column trying to find reverse while the young woman screamed in terror.. “Go! Go! Go! Unexpectedly the car shot backwards, throwing gravel and dirt flying forward, obscuring their view! Karen was pounding her fists on the dashboard as Ted tried desperately to stay on the road! The cars old tail lights made it difficult to see where he was going and abruptly the old Ford skidded off into a ditch and slammed to a complete stop! The bodies of both people riding in the police car where immediately thrown back causing their heads to jerk violently and out of consciousness! The girls eyes flickered open a moment, no sound but the deafening ringing in her ears from the concussion. Then she sees him, not a big scary monster but a man, the pale, thin man from that one day before, pulling her from the wreck. Strong hands, lifting her to safety, and then nothing!

      Morning, 7am, Rt 401 Arizona, USA. As Ted Jenkins slowly came too, he found himself looking down at several faces. But as his senses came back he realized he was lying on his back, looking up into a bunch of familiar and unfamiliar faces looking down at him. “That’s Sheriff Jenkins.” He heard one voice say and then a bunch of questions. “Would someone please give me a hand and help me up off the ground? For goodness sake!” Tom Weaver, owner of the grainary on Rt 22 offered the man a hand up and asked if he was alright? “Yeah, cept for a few bruises and a splitting headache!” Then his mind came back into focus and he remembered the girl. His head spun like a top, this way and then that, and then finally asked the small crowd of gawkers.. “Did anyone see a young woman? She was in the car with me just before I blacked out!” No one seemed to have a clue or could offer any answers, they just stared at the man in the tattered uniform like he was off his rocker. “Well!? Nobody knows anything!?” Then a small boy of about seven or eight years old cocked his head and looked up, way up above where the man was standing.

       Ted was getting used to seeing strange, unexplained things in the last few days but nothing he had seen up until this particular point could prepare him for what hung overhead as he slowly lifted his eyes skyward. Close to what seemed like one thousand feet in the air above them all hovered the largest machine anyone present had ever laid eyes on! It was like an aircraft carrier, but with gigantic propellers coming down out of the cloudless sky and stopping only about three hundred feet above the desert floor, causing gusts of wind that caught the loose dirt and sand and created a near tornado all around!

                                                                                       Chapter Six: Right Place, Wrong Time

       David woke from what seemed like another one of his bi-polar episodic dreams until he looked around him and recognized his surroundings. He found himself wandering in a field of withered crab grass and red soil, walking, stumbling along like a lost puppy in the wild. His skin felt the heat of day beating down on his fragile form and the sting of his sweat dripping down his forehead, passed the crest of his eyebrows and into his blood shot eyes. He kept a steady pace for such an unsteady gait. He didn’t stop to question his actions, he just kept walking slowly but deliberately forward as if his body somehow knew exactly where it was going, like a robot, programmed in advance. His left foot, bare and bleeding stepped on something sharp. He gazed down and found an old rusty piece of barbed wire coiled around his ankle. He had unwittingly walked into a deserted junk yard full of rusted out shells of old cars and trucks. Reaching down to untangle himself he heard something move close by. He froze for a second while straining his ears, hoping to hear nothing at all and calm his jittery nerves. BLAAAAMMMMMM!!!!!!!! David never saw it coming! Instantly his body was air born, flung several hundred feet in the air before crashing to the ground face first into the dirt! The impact with the soil knocked the wind out of the poor man’s chest, leaving him gasping for air and coughing at the same time. His lungs were on fire and he struggled to catch his breath until…

       Something powerful gripped David’s waist and lifted him straight up into the air above the spot where he had just landed. Like a steel vice it held him fast while crushing at his rib cage, causing him excruciating pain. He turned his head slightly to the left and through the thick tuft of hair that hung in his face, saw death. Like a vision from Dante’s account while suffering the depths of despair, a face looked back at him. A huge, ugly face leered at David. The monsters eyes were yellow with deep red irises. Its face, broad and flat with two small slits where a nose should have been. And just below it the opening, full of sharp, pointed teeth that offered no comfort. Then with a voice that sounded like a rock crusher pulverizing stone. “It’s been a long time little man.” With pain and fear welling up in him by the second he managed to gasp in response.. “Who?” before experiencing a twinge of pain unlike anything he had ever experienced before! “Ughhh!!!” spilled from the wretched little man’s lips. “What’s the matter boss? Cat got your tongue?” It wasn’t just the awful sound of the creature’s voice that disturbed David so much as it was the discernable note of familiarity mixed with contempt that caught his attention. But before he was able to form the words to ask who or what this thing wanted, he was flung face first into the packed red dirt below. Again his lungs gave way and he gasped to regain his wind but this time the panic mixed with intense pain tripped something deep inside of the man. In an instant, hormones and adrenaline swirled through his circulatory system nearly at the speed of light and with no time to reason or try to stop it, the transformation raged through him and erupted! With a furry unmatched by any other, the grey giant emerged from the swirling dust storm created by the sudden change. David was no more… now the monster stood in his place. The green tinted scaly creature that had just accosted David stood toe to toe with the behemoth before him. “Been a long time coming, now we see who is stronger!” However, the words just brushed passed the grey skinned brute, who showed no recollection of his opponent or understanding of the words spoken to him.

       It was like an animal purely motivated by base instinct and not by rational thought. The green skinned creature that appeared almost prehistoric took a step toward the grey colossus. But before either of them had time to react, a concussive blast from out of nowhere burst between them sending each flying through the air in opposite directions! A huge cloud of dust and red earth exploded into the sky blocking the colonel’s view from high overhead. The colonel sat waiting for a clear shot from inside the massive hovering battleship in the sky just above ground zero. But when the dust settled and the cloud dispersed, only the green skinned monster was to be found. It lay on the loose soil in a prone position, not moving. “Get us back to base! And tell major Talbet to collect his property!” Then the colonel turned to the man on his left. “Well sheriff, what do you have to say now?” Sheriff Jenkins didn’t offer an opinion and just lowered his head. And just as quickly as it arrived, the large aircraft was gone again. No one was around moments later when a massive armored transport vehicle pulled up next to the downed warrior and the soldiers, using a crane pulled his body into the holding bay in back which caused the machines struts to moan in grief at the monsters weight. Once secure and all persons accounted for, the heavy, track driven transport started up and left the scene headed for home.

       The excaliber-xj1 was the most heavily guarded secret helicopter ever designed by Stark Industries for the military and cost nearly sixty million dollars to build. But as armored and heavy as the ship was, it glided into base and sat down like an angel. “Whats the matter Sheriff? You look surprised.” Colonel Dekker says with a smartass smirk on his face. “I knew you were hiding something Colonel, but I never would have guessed it was something like this.” The sheriff told his host, with disdain in his voice. Dekker moves in behind the lawman and peers over the older man’s shoulder. “Impressive, isn’t it?” “Impressive? No, I wouldn’t say impressive. I’d use different words to describe this, this… Abomination.” Dekker laughs out loud.. “ha ha ha, that’s perfect!” The Colonel leans back on his heels and spreads his arms out, hands out wide and slightly above his head like a carnival barker. “Ladies and gentlemen… I give you…The Abomination!” At the sound of Dekker’s voice, the massive green tinted beast within the heavily secured cage growls. Not quite human, not quite animal, the monstrosity paces like a wild animal. Over nine feet tall from the bottom of its oversized clawed feet to the tip of its pointy head, every inch of its body covered in large boney scales. He doesn’t speak or attempt to communicate; he speaks only with his eyes. Like two floating orbs of yellow, crisscrossed with dark blood vessels resembling jagged bolts of red lightning peeking out from under a thick and protruding brow, he studies his capture and waits. He occasionally punches the walls of his jail cell with one of his enormous fists to test its ability to hold him. With intense spot-lights pointed at the huge cage in the center of the tent, clown-like soldiers circling the room and the Colonel playing ring-master, this compound was without a doubt, one big circus. “Colonel Dekker I’d like to go now if it’s alright with you. I’ve got a town full of people wondering what’s been goin on and they’re gonna want answers.” The lawman said in a beaten down tone. “Sargeant Travers, please escort the good sheriff back to town.” The colonel ordered. “Goodbye sheriff, you’ll have to forgive me but I have pressing matters to attend to.” The sergeant showed the sheriff outside and hopped inside a tomahawk helicopter waiting to take off. Ted could only wonder what was to come next for his little community as the chopper pulled away from the ground and lifted off.

       Karen came to like a drunken sailor waking from an all-nighter ashore. Her head was throbbing and her body ached all over as she sat up and looked around her. She wasn’t sure but she got the impression that she was in a large cave underground. It was dim and difficult to see but from a streak of sunlight coming from overhead she could make out the stone wall nearby and could hear the trickle of water somewhere close by. The air was cool and damp, unusual for the typical Arizona climate she was used to but she couldn’t really be sure she was still in Arizona from where she sat. She got to her feet and felt around, looking for some way out of this strange place and hopefully some answers as to where she was. She felt around until she touched something smooth and warm and then slowly pulled her hand away and tried to back up. “Uuggghhhh.” The sound startled the young woman so badly that without thinking, she instinctively turned and ran in the opposite direction until something stopped her dead in her tracks! Her hands stretched out ahead of her and using her left foot to feel her way along the ground, she felt nothing in front of her. She hesitated to move and trembled in fear of what was to come next. Without warning the air around her lit up as bright as day which only served to blind the poor girl for a few moments until her eyes adjusted and she realized that she was standing on the edge of a cliff! She jumped back away from the deadly precipice and slammed into something very hard and unyielding behind her. She didn’t turn around at first, she just froze, partially from seeing the edge of a cliff up close but partially due to the uncertainty of what lay just behind her. “This is insane” she thought to herself. “Refusing to turn around won’t make the reality of what’s behind me any different. Even if I never turn around… it’s still there isn’t it?” the thought raced through her mind. And yet, as she stood motionless, nothing happened for what seemed like an eternity. As the moments passed her disposition began to changes from terror, to simple fear, and then to curiosity. She slowly leaned slightly forward and then began to turn around to her left without making a sound until her head was turned enough to see behind her for a split… second before running and screaming like a lunatic! She ran and ran in one direction and then turned and ran in another until she had exhausted her voice and body and finally slumped down onto the ground and knelt with her head hanging down and her shoulders heaving trying to breathe. It was after she caught her breath and opened her eyes that she found herself at the mercy of whatever it was that frightened her in the first place. With eyes still averted to the ground just in front of her, she saw an enormous grey foot, like that of a man but almost ten times the size of even the tallest NBA star. This was no size 13 or even 20 this was immeasurable! She was scared but a little puzzled as well at how nothing was happening. At no time did the monstrosity in front of her approach her or make a sound. “I must be dreaming or at least hallucinating.” She said in a soft voice.

      Then out of the eerie silence came the sound of a voice so deep it could only come from something otherworldly… “No dream!!!” Karens blood ran cold and a shiver made its way up through her spine making her feel like her arms and legs had frozen solid! She took no comfort from the voice of someone or something standing over her like a giant wave about to crash down on her! She closed her eyes tight and accepted her fate. “Ok, just do it…” A few seconds passed and again she said with clenched teeth and desperation… “Ok, do it!” But again there was no answer, no action taken against her, no pain or devastation, no end to it all. She opened her eyes and fear mixed with curiosity forced her to push her luck by slowly looking up. At first glance she was stilled by her fear but after a few moments she began looking a bit closer to the huge hulking mass in front of her and she began to marvel at the powerful frame holding the foreground, then she dared look even higher and into the face of the great beast. But instead of piercing devilish eyes she was astonished to find eyes, soft and calm almost child-like and disarming. These weren’t the eyes of a monster from her nightmares. The eyes looking back at her were soulful and almost sad in appearance. Within an instant her fear had disappeared and now she found herself drawn to the pitiful being. Her instincts switched to that of a caring mother feeling empathy for a lost puppy. Without thinking she stood up and approached the behemoth. This startled the creature and he backed away as if he were leery of her intentions. A smile came to her lips as she realized, he was afraid of her! “That’s a switch, somebody afraid of me.” She stopped and raised both hands in a gesture to signify she meant no harm, but the meaning was lost on him and she decided to try something else. She offered her right hand, palm up and open, to show no aggressive intent and surprisingly it worked. The creature reached out with his right hand within just a few inches of hers and stopped. “Well, it looks like you understand after all. So, what’s your name?” His head tilted slightly one way and then the other like he was trying to understand but was confused. “Name, my name is Karen… and you?” She pointed first to herself and now at his massive chest. He looked down at his chest a second and then back at her. Then, suddenly he turned his attention elsewhere and took a defensive posture, both gigantic hands clenched in huge fists! “What is it? You hear something don’t you?”

       Golden rays of sunshine broke through the clouds overhead creating a warm yellow glow in the skies. No sound, only images, images of people and places of long ago. A beautiful, willowy young girl smiles down at him, closes her eyes and leans in for a gentle kiss. Warm, happy, strange feelings from somewhere deep inside bubble up and consume his mind. Is this is it, is this what people mean when they describe as being in love? If it is, it’s everything they say it is and more. This is all new to him; he’s never been in love before. He’s loved things, sure, but not like this, this is different. Writing papers and discovering new innovations and secrets of science has always thrilled him and made him want to learn more, as much as he could but this was far more satisfying than all of his achievements and discoveries combined! For the first time he felt what it’s like to be like everyone else and he liked it immensely. Not one to smile or laugh in the company of others, he found himself smiling for no reason at all, save for the joy springing from within. His whole life he had practiced withholding his inner feelings and suppressing his emotions. For some reason that didn’t feel right now, for some reason it felt only natural to let go and feel out loud for once! A few seconds went by and then he found himself in the company of family. At first he was confused, he didn’t remember having family, not a traditional family of loving characters like you see in the movies or Tv commercials, smiling and hugging. His family had been cold and distant, reserved and obtuse. This family was close and he was filled with affection towards them, he felt close to them. It was the young woman again and this time she was joined by a young man. A name started to come to him. T-t- tomm, Tommy!… that is his name, Tommy Danvers! It was tommy and Betty and Sam, it was not family but the closest thing he had ever had to a family. They were his closest friends, his only friends. In all of the years he spent growing up, he had never really had a friend before. He was much too introverted to connect with other children his age and adults seemed to find him repellent as well. But these people loved him and even though he had never said so out loud, he loved them as well.

       Sam Miller owned the pizza shop on Jefferson Street a couple of blocks off of main and his place became a hangout for all sorts of late night stragglers and insomniacs, both of which, described David in his younger days. Since that time he hadn’t had any trouble falling asleep, it was staying asleep he had a problem with now. He wished he could go back and relive those early days. Like Sam, Tommy was a good friend, sort of like the little brother he had never had. Tommy came from a large wealthy family and being the youngest of six, he enjoyed the freedom that came with it. His parents were too busy to pay much attention to the boy and he had grown up pretty much on his own since he was six or seven years old. As a teenager he had gotten into all sorts of trouble but his family name and reputation always left him a way out. Finally away from home and on his own, he was discovering himself and turning into a fine young man under David’s tutelage. The party boy gave way to a keen and analytical mind, adept at unscrambling even the most difficult of mathematical equations. Once he had learned to focus, his gifted mind had added a lot to the group as a whole. Then there was Betty. Betty became the one true love of his life and one of the best assistants he had ever had. Her intuition and intellect had saved him more than once in the lab and on a few occasions outside of the lab as well. Funny how, at first he had been so blinded by ambition that he hadn’t even noticed how beautiful she was. It took the girl several days and several outfits to finally crack his shell and steal his eyes away from his computer screen long enough to catch his attention. But once he looked at her, really looked at her, he was hooked. He knew right then and there that day, that he would never be the same again.

       A six month internship turned into a three year romance and the best time of his life. It wasn’t until the spring of the fourth year together that everything came crashing down and his life descended into madness. Like Dante’ he fell farther and farther, deeper and deeper into the abyss and out of her life for good. He would have given anything to stay and work things out. But it didn’t take long to discover that some things just can’t be fixed. He had lost everything that had ever mattered to him in a matter of milli-seconds and there would be no do-over. It was spring and he and his crew had been running through diagnostics on his newest creation. Then, without warning, a power surge causes the light to flicker off and then on again and the machine comes on-line! “David! David, come quick, hurry!” Betty’s voice, more shrill and desperate than usual, came rushing out of the containment chamber! Like a cell within a cell, the containment chamber sat positioned in the center of the main laboratory. Miles of conduction cables and hardwire passed in and out of the large workshop room and into the tinier room within. Only one window, on the side, allowed visual access to the chamber from the control panel and computer monitors. A small piece of plexi-glass nearly eight inches thick gave the scientist a glimpse at the awesome power he had been trying to harness. Much like a hadron-collider, the interior was comprised of thousands of layers of electron magnets focused in a precise pattern to hurl two Gamma-particles at one another at nearly the speed of light. Then those same magnets would reverse polarity and absorb the energy given off by the quantum -conduction singularity, providing a nearly limitless flow of concentrated electrons into a plasma burst. In the end David had been the first person to not only prove sub-atomic fission but collect the residual energy that resulted. In layman’s terms, he was literally light years ahead of his time and nominated for a Nobel Prize before the age of forty. His work with polymorphic Gamma rays was revolutionary and his funding was increasing daily from sources all over the world. Unfortunately, what he hadn’t anticipated was just who these financiers were or worse yet, who they represented. It was the men behind the money that had deceived him into working for them. Eventually he had to be honest with himself and admit that he had been partially to blame in deceiving himself. He never questioned where the cash flow was coming from. He was content living and working in ignorant bliss, unaware or at least blind to the ramifications of his experiments applications. He was purely interested in the science and ‘whether he could do it’ and never ‘should he do it’…

       “David, help me!” The voice urged him again! His mind races back to the lab and that one day. “Betty?!” He could hear himself say. Like a dream where the dreamer is both ‘in’ the dream and yet ‘watching’ the dream all at the same time. “David!? David help me!” Again came the voice in desperation! His dream state avatar searched everywhere but couldn’t locate her! He found himself getting more and more frustrated by the second! “Betty! Where are you?!” He turns and sees her finally. She’s pulling frantically on the small chamber door but it’s slowly closing. The door is operated mechanically and won’t stay open long enough. Long enough for… and then it hits him! “Tommy!?” He tries to run to Betty’s aid but his feet feel as though they’re submerged in molasses, he can’t move! He can see Tommy, his friend, trapped inside the tiny room! Then as he struggles to get loose, he finally starts to move, slowly at first and then finds himself at the door! He knows the door won’t stop by human hands so he wedges his arm and shoulder between the door and the jam. “Hurry Tommy!” Tommy slides through the opening and into Betty’s arms as she drags him away to safety! He feels relieved that she and his friend are safe. Then, he realizes that the machine is locked on and the countdown has begun! He pulls and fights to get free from the automated door but he’s stuck, like a bird in a cage, he’s caught and there’s no getting free. His eyes meet Betty’s! And for a split second, time freezes… then, a bright flash of intense green light! Betty and everything he had, everything he was, is instantly… gone.

      David’s eyes opened slowly and fluttered. He was now awake and back in reality. He was covered in sweat and he felt the tears running from his eyes. Then realized it wasn’t tears running down his face but water streaming down his face, his hair was drenched and he felt cold. It was dark, but in the light of the full moon he could tell he was outside in a field and he was soaking wet and shivering. “Hello?” He jumps, startled and flinching! Standing beside him in is a little girl holding a small electric lantern. In the lanterns glow he recognizes her. “You’re Danyell?” She smiles at him and offers him a bottle of water, minus the cap. He reached for the plastic bottle with his right hand and took a long drink. “Uhh… thank you I really needed that.” Then he hands it back to the girl, who takes it and puts the lid back on and places the half empty container into a bag hanging from her shoulder. With the innocent tone of a simple child she says: “I saw the big man fall from the sky. He splashed into the pond but he didn’t come out, you did. Do you know where the big man went?” David sat just looking into the girls eyes and wondering what it must have looked like to the child. “Where were you when you saw the big man fall?” Without speaking she turned and raised her left arm and pointed to the small, dimly lit tent in the back yard of the old farm house. “Gramma lets me camp out some times.” David shakes off the haze in his head and gets to his feet. “Well, that’s the second time you’ve come to my rescue little miss, I thank you.” Without a word she turns and runs away in the direction of her tiny sanctuary. His brow wrinkles in confusion as he wonders why she cut and run away so suddenly. “Hey! Been lookin for you!” David knows that voice! That low growl like that of a predatory animal. Spinning around he faces the man known the world over by his alias… Wolverine!

       “Take it easy Doc, no need to freak out and go all green on me. Or is it grey? I can’t keep track anymore.” Banner squares off while looking out of the corners of his eyes for any other visitors looking to join the party. Banner huffs.. “Yeah, well that’s a long story, suffice to say, green or grey its all the same… bad.” Logan lights the stub of an old stogie and puffs a few times, then looks at Banner with a serious expression. “I’m alone, just came to talk.” Banner remains on the defensive and keeps his distance. “So talk. How’d you know where to find me and what do you want?” Logan reaches into the pocket of his leather jacket and pulls out a small piece of paper and tosses the folded note to the cautious scientist. Banner catches it and unfolds it, holds it in his hands and reads it. Then his eyes rise to meet Logan’s. “This is real?” Wolverine nods and points in the direction of town. David folds the small note and shoves it into the front pocket of his tattered Levi’s and starts walking with Wolverine following at what he considers a relatively safe distance behind, although he is more than aware of the danger, should Banner become angry. But for now the two men just walk in silence as Banner contemplates what he’s going to do once he reaches his destination.

                                                                                                 Chapter 7: Behind blue eyes

        Day had broken through the deep black shroud of night and once again shown devastation and mayhem across a landscape that had lay untouched and undisturbed for centuries. A swath of destruction cut a winding path through the center of at least two counties just missing the small town Sheriff Jenkins swore to protect. He stood just inside the doorway to the office he occupied, leaning against the doorpost, sipping a fresh cup of coffee and imagining endless scenarios involving him beating the snot out of that arrogant son of a… “Sheriff?” His attention switched to Trudy who was coming in to work. “Mornin Trudy.” “Sheriff, are you alright? I saw lights flashing and heard all manner of commotion last night! Sounded like one of those old war movies, you know those old black and white ones that used to play all night.” “Yes I do, used to watch those with Teddy after his mom went to bed. He would come walking down the stairs in his PJs and climb up in my lap. We’d fall asleep sittin there all night. His ma used to give me hell the next morning but a week later he’d come down again and I couldn’t tell the little guy no.” Trudy smiled. “You sure are a good daddy and husband, I wish you had been my dad, instead a the nasty bastard that raised me.” Ted placed his right hand on her left shoulder and smiled back. “I wish I had been too.” The warm sentimental moment is interrupted by sirens blasting from down main-street, getting closer and closer. Teddy pulled up and didn’t even take time to turn the motor off before jumping out and running up to his father! “Dad, come quick, they found a girl out on route 90, old lady Johns granddaughter. Truck driver says she was walking along the road when he found her. She won’t say a word to anybody, just keeps mumbling something about a monster. I swung by the farm, the farmhouse was crushed flat above the foundation and there was hundreds of burnt timber all along the tree line out across the pasture. No sign of Tilly or George anywhere! Looked like a war zone!” Ted had heard enough. “That’s it! Time to put a stop to whatever’s destroying my county and friends.” “Teddy, go on back to the jail for weapons and round up your brothers, tell em they all been deputized and to grab their guns and meet me out at the Johns farm in half an hour!”

        In a field about two miles from town, the two men continue walking. Neither speaks or looks at the other until finally, Banner stops dead in his tracks and turns to the man behind him. “You never answered my question, how’d you find me?” Logan stops a few steps from banner, still holding back. “Aint hard to find a man, just gotta have keen senses and the ability to track like an animal, that’s why they call me Wolverine, an animal. Besides, you make alotta racquet and leave quite a noticeable trail.” Banner considers what his friend has said for a second. “Who else knows where we are?” Logan takes the hat from atop his brow and wipes the sweat from his forehead with his leather sleeve. “Just me, Charles, and a few mutual compadres.” “Charles is convinced that you may be the key.” Banner frowns. “The key?” “Key to what?” “Don’t know Doc, Im just a tracker not a science geek, that’s between you and the professor.” “I was sent to pick you up and deliver you back to the compound.” “Charles didn’t tell you why?” Banner considers his options for a few moments, then. “Well tell Charles that I’m sorry but I couldn’t make it. I’ve got some things to take care of.” Logan grins. “Yeah, he said you might be hesitant, that’s why I’m gonna give you a hand.” David turns and starts walking again. “You don’t even know what I’m doing here, how can you help me?” Logan speeds up his short strides to match Banner’s long steps. “It don’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who else is here, I smelled him a mile away. He’s close.” Banner smirks as he continues forward in the direction of town. “I can take care of the hound on my tail all by myself.” Logan keeps up alongside David. “It ain’t the hound I’m talkin about… It’s you father!” David experiences a cold shiver running through him at the sound of the word, father. Banner stops and faces his companion. “What are you talking about?” Logan lights up what’s left of his cigar and takes a long drag then expels the thick acrid smoke. “Didn’t you think it’s a little strange that your alter ego led you here of all places?” David didn’t have an answer. “C’mon Doc, outa all the places in the world, the Hulk chose Arizona.” “Charles showed me the images in your head from the last time we tangled in New York. Charles scanned your brain and pulled out a few lost memories, he shared em with me just before he sent me lookin for ya.” David flashed with dull anger. “He had no right to go messing around in my head!” Logan put both hands up in a gesture of peace. “Woe Doc, easy, don’t go gettin all excited. The professor doesn’t take walks through people’s minds without a good reason, I know.” “He split my noggin a while back, but he was only tryin to help me. Sure I was pissed at first but then I realized how much of my pain he absorbed from me, allowed me feel at peace for the first time in my life. It wasn’t a cure, but it did let me see what could be and it gave me hope.” David’s irritation subsided and turned to helplessness. “Hope. I lost every shred of that, years ago.” “For months I locked myself away in my lab trying to find a cure but with every step forward I soon realized I had been pushed back two. I fought and pushed but in the end I…” David’s head hung low and his body suddenly looked more frail than usual. Logan noticed his scent had changed as well. His skin began to look a little more pale and the lines in his face turned to deep grooves. Banner had changed, aged in a matter of seconds. Years of pain and disappointment together with regret and a lifetime of self- loathing was taking its toll on the poor man. “Charles was right.” offered Logan. “What do ya mean, right about what?” Logan stepped closer to Banner and put his hand on David’s shoulder, the weight of which almost buckled Banner’s knees. “Charles sent me because he said you were sick.” Banner chuckled. “Sick? That’s what he calls my changing into that… thing? Sick?” Logan continued. “No it’s not that. Charles believes that your transformation isn’t just physical, he thinks its tied to your mind too. When you get angry, your rage grows and so does the Hulk. But when you’re sad or feeling beaten down, you begin to age, get weaker and… he thinks you’re… dyin.” It took a few minutes for the words to sink in. “Dying?” David pondered the thought for the first time since the accident.

       Karen sat, perched on one of the stools next to the diner’s long narrow counter like a common customer sipping hot chocolate and watching the horizon through one of the restaurant’s many plate glass windows. Lost in thought, she didn’t notice Katey standing beside her. “It’ll be light soon, I hope the Sheriff figured out what to do.” “Yeah, me too.” The older woman tapped Karen on the arm with the back of her hand. “I got something for ya.” Karen turned her head and found her friend holding a red jacket. It looked vaguely familiar at first then it clicked. “The stranger..” Without any explanation, Karen jumped down from the old chrome stool and took off out the door and hopped behind the wheel of her pick-up. Katey called after her to wait but her words fell on deaf ears as the young woman kicked the old truck into gear and peeled out of the parking lot and headed towards town. The sun slowly rose in the distance and it had become almost light enough to turn her headlights off when she finally made it to the outskirts of town. She turned and drove parallel to Main Street before jumping the curb and pulling up in front of the court house. Faster than she could get out of the cab, she saw them, two men walking up the street. She slammed the door closed behind her as she ran to meet them. “Hey, David, hey!” David saw her approaching and stopped. “What’s the matter Doc, you know her?” But before the man could answer, Karen stomped up to them. Almost out of breath, she barked. “Hey… listen… I know… you were there in back of the diner… when those boys tried to jump me.” Logan was confused. “Boys, what boys?” David turned to his friend. “Some guys tried to rough her up.” Karen jumped in. “Yeah, but then there was this thing that grabbed the boys and…” Logan gave a knowing glance. “And it saved you.” Said Logan. “It sure did, but I was so scared that I froze and blacked out.” “Then yesterday when the sheriff and I crashed. I woke up safe in a cave outside of town, and then the thing was there again… it showed up and saved me for the second time.” David cut her off. “Listen I’m sorry you’ve obviously been through some horrible stuff but what does that have to do with me?” The girl speaks quietly enough so that no one but the three of them can hear. “It showed up about the time you popped up.” “I might not have been the class valedictorian, but I’m not stupid, that …creature… is you.” David feigns disinterest at what the girl just exclaimed. “Wow, ok, well, I’m really sorry to disappoint you… but I’m no mutating monster. I’m just a simple guy passing through…” David’s gives a shrug of his shoulders and a patronizing smile. Logan’s face shrivels into a harsh frown. “Watch it pal, some of my best friends are mutating monsters!” Karen ignores the words of both men and continues looking into Banner’s eyes. “You may change and grow but the one thing that doesn’t change… is the look in your eyes. Sure they turn a darker shade of green, but they are still your eyes. That first day in the parking lot, then after the explosion at night and then again the following morning in the cave, they totally give you away.” Logan chuckles. “Speakin as one of those unfortunate enough to go toe to toe with the unjolly green giant myself, I don’t think too many people have had the chance to look into his peepers long enough to notice the resemblance.”

       The car radio clock registered ten minutes passed 2pm and the whine of the air conditioners compressor drowned out the song coming from the old Dodges rear speakers. Ted sat shotgun as Teddy drove and three of his brothers piled uncomfortably into the back seat. The cars A/C and inoperable dash board vents weren’t keeping up with the stifling Arizona heat and Ted was getting impatient. The law man and deputies finally made their way up the farms long gravel lane and came to a halt. “Ain’t much left.” Said Teddy as he rolled down his driver side window and watched thick black smoke rising from the smoldering old farm house. Before any of the men could utter another word, the back end of the car unexpectedly flung upward! All three men in the back seat flew forward and nearly poured over the back of Ted and Teddys seats before the car suddenly dropped and hit the ground with a loud crash! Ted Sr pulled the door handle just in time to fall out onto the ground as the shocks and springs gave out. He rolled away from the heap and raised the end of his shot gun at the cause of their predicament. BLAMMMM! The gun went off but the large greenish monster took the blast full force in the chest with not so much as a wince. The Abomination stood deathly still looking down at the small man. The sheriff started to weigh his options as the behemoth started toward him. “Stop!” Ted heard a voice command, causing the monster to stop and turn in anger! Half a dozen soldiers and two troop carriers took the high ground to the south of the men and the creature. Guns raised and Dekker once again calling the shots. “That’s enough, back to base camp!” He hurled an order at the crouching mutation. The creature obeyed and disappeared from sight. “Looks like I saved your ass again, aye sheriff?” Then as discreetly as they had arrived on the scene, they retreated as well, leaving the Jenkins men alone and stranded.

      Several miles away, David tried to side step the woman but she whirled around and caught his sleeve. “Oh no, you’re not runnin off this time I’m taggin along!” David’s mouth tried to object but Logan cut him off. “No use fightin with her, she’ll just end up followin us either way.” David acknowledged his friend’s advice and motioned them to follow him into the court house and up the stairs. No one seemed interested in the two men or the woman entering the building since people came and went freely all day concerning all sorts of legal matters and zoning permits. Everything was business as usual until they reached the top of the marble staircase. “Well, look what the cat dragged in.” Said Trudy in truly surly manner as she glanced passed David and Logan and took special interest in Karen. She circled the girl once, looking her up and down as if to imply an obvious jealousy. “Karen, how are you, is the Sheriff in?” Davids words gave away his uncomfortableness. Trudy answered the man but never took her eyes off of the younger lady. “No, he’s off with his deputies on some business at the farm.” Then finally turning to face David with an accusatory look. “I was beginning to think you split town or something, since you haven’t come around for a few days. Seems you found someone else to occupy your time with.” Logan couldn’t help but let a devilish smirk come across his lips but he remained silent. He was enjoying this, watching the man who couldn’t be tamed or stopped by an army of mutants or heroes alike, being interrogated and shaken by a skinny little 110 lb woman!

       It was evident to both Logan and the younger girl that David had had some sort of history with this particularly annoyed, well-dressed woman. “Well… you see Trudy… I meant to stop…” But the woman cut him off and stepped closer, within just a few inches away from the shaking man’s face. “I liked you, I liked you a lot, I helped you and took you to lunch and to get clothes.” David no longer felt nervous but bad for having led her on. “I’m really sorry Trudy, I am. I should have told you from the beginning, it’s just that…” Now he searches his thoughts and chooses to let her down gently.” “It’s just that, you were so kind and I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.” Trudy’s body language changes slightly and her face softens a bit. “Well, you did!” As David and Trudy come to an understanding with hurt feelings mended, David glances over the woman’s shoulder and sees a Jeep and several troop carriers coming to a stop in the middle of the street outside. He turns to Logan, who was aware of their presence long before David. “C’mon Doc, we gotta put some distance between us and those clowns, fast!” Trudy’s face expresses confusion just the same as Karen’s, who are still unaware of the danger. David steps past the woman and pushes through a door leading to the stairs as Logan and the young girl follow. Trudy has been brushed off for the last time! She goes to her office and sits down behind her desk, resting her elbows on top and holding her head when Colonel Dekker and his entourage bust in and fan out. “Where’s the Sheriff?” The woman sits ignoring the man and his cohorts. “Didn’t you hear me woman? Where’s the Sheriff?!” As if purposely stalling to allow the three refuges time to escape, she refuses to acknowledge the man’s insistence. It’s not until his temper gets the best of him and he reaches for the woman’s arm that she suddenly comes to life! “Don’t touch me!” Her eyes leer at the man like fiery red balls of anger! Caught off guard he intuitively pulls his hand back and takes one step back away from her desk.

       Taking the stairway to the ground floor of the courthouse, the small band of cohorts, slip away from the community building and stroll down an empty alley way behind the State store and walk several blocks before stopping to get their bearings and plan their next move. Wolverine chomps down on his short stogie. “Well doc, looks like our best bet is getting as far outta this town as we can and fast.” Karen jumps in next. “I know where we can get a car. We just need to lay low for about an hour, then the school lets out and the parents will come rollin in to pick em up.” David hates waiting but it’s obvious that they’re running out of options. “Ok, we wait for now, then file out with the traffic. But where do we go from there?” He looks at his short stalky friend. “Oh, I know exactly where we’re headed.”

       Amongst the biviwacks and tents set along the interior of the camp, soldiers stirred to the sound of emergency sirens. Colonel Dekker hops into a waiting chopper and orders his men to an area within the county limits, coordinates 107 N by 84 W. Every single man here knows what comes next and anticipation turns to exhilaration as they file out and board transports in pursuit of the Colonel. One of the first transports to pull out is the large specialized, heavy-duty vehicle containing among other things, the mutation, who has been assigned the code name: Abomination. Nearly fifty vehicles in all funnel onto the dusty road, ready for battle but unsure of how that fight will ultimately end. At about that same time, Sherriff Jenkins and his posse flag down a diesel headed for the state line and convince the driver to reroute his trip by way of the oil field. Once there, he orders his sons and fellow volunteers, who have gathered at the law man’s request over the radio and all meet up, armed. “Men, we have a growing situation and the military is only instigating the problem rather than solve it. I know you all are family men. We can’t let our town be destroyed while a bunch of Washington bureaucrats ignore our pleas for help. We’re on our own! We defend the streets leading into the town and cut off all access to our homes.” As he finishes his speech the men in his charge assemble into groups and leave in search of their perspective posts.

       In a parking lot next to the J.F.K. Elementary School on Third St. Logan rests against an oak tree while his two friends sit in the grass facing him. David frowns. “I hate sitting around, waiting.” Karen puts her arm around his shoulders and tries to reassure him. “It’s three O’clock, the kids will be piling out through those double doors, there, and we’ll be gone, soon enough, darlin.” Logan laughs quietly to himself. He finds Banner’s frustration amusing. For the first time since meeting the doc & his alter ego, Wolverine recognizes the irony. “You of all people, Doc, should be used to being on the run. I’ve never known you to be in one place for more than a day, as long as I’ve known you.” He barely finishes his sentence when he stops and takes notice of something in the air. ‘Sniff, sniff’ “Someone familiar.” David looks up at him. “Someone friendly? I hope.” Wolverine looks around, slowly scanning the crowd. “Don’t know, never met her before.” David’s confused. “If you never met a person before, then how do you find their scent familiar?” But Logan doesn’t take time to explain and walks in the direction of the school. Karen whispers in earnest. “Where’s he goin? Now the coast is clear and we can finally split?” David is at a loss. He knows Wolverine to be impulsive and unpredictable but rarely wrong. “C’mon.” He says to Karen as he takes her wrist and pulls her along in pursuit of Logan.

      The man and woman reach their friend in time to watch him walk up to an attractive woman in the mob of parents and students. He says something to her just out of David’s earshot. Logan and the woman turn to face the approaching doctor and his young acquaintance. “Bruce, this is Tommy’s teacher, she’s offered to talk with you concerning his grades.” David is caught totally off guard and stumbles to come up with an appropriate response. “Oh, great! Well when is a good time for you?” The woman extends her hand and introduces herself. “Hi, I’m Ms Banner, you can call me Jennifer.” “I have time right now if you’d like?” David’s mind is still reeling when Logan interrupts. “That would be perfect, Bruce and Karen can have a chat with Ms Banner while I go and warm up the car.” The teacher turns and coaxes David and Karen to follow her inside. David stops to talk to Logan a second. “What are you doing!? Her names Banner? And Tommy? What the hell is that about?” Wolverine smiles. “I noticed her from her scent; it’s almost identical to yours doc. She’s your sister.” “Sister!?” “I’m an only child! I don’t have a sister.” Logan can tell David’s completely in the dark. “I told you before, the Hulk brought you here for a reason, to find your dad… your real dad.” The words slap the man across the face. “My real dad? Sister? Are you insane?” Wolverine walks away and David joins his wife and son’s teacher for a teacher’s conference. After about fifteen minutes of small talk and a few suggestions from the boy’s instructor, concerning his lack of attention to detail in class, the adults say their good-byes and David takes Karen by the hand and exits the school, in search of Logan.

       A blue 2010 Dodge Charger pulls up to the sidewalk and stops. “Hey, it’s about time, hop in.” Karen climbed into the back seat and David took shotgun. “Where did you go? You left us in there to drown, all alone.” Logan puffed away on a fresh cigar, smoke rolling into the back of the vehicle. “Why did you stick us with that woman? And while we’re at it, how did you convince that woman that we had a son?” Logan kept his right hand on the wheel and his left teetering out the door. “I took a wild guess, figured there otta be at least one kid named Tommy in every class out here in the sticks.” “Besides, you needed to meet your sis.” David spun in his seat. “For the last time, I don’t have a sister!” Wolverine downshifted and pulled the car over onto the side of the road and put it in park. “Listen doc, it’s like I told you before, I’m a born tracker and I picked up her scent as soon as she came out of the building. I don’t know how but the two of you are family. David sat pensive. “I always felt like there was something missing in my life.” Somewhere in the back of his mind, David had always felt a loss. Ever since childhood a little girl would appear from time to time in his dreams but he never suspected that her image might be more than a figment of his subconscious imagination. The more he dwelt on the notion it seemed almost curious, had he been remembering a little sister, torn away when he was very young? His mother, heartbroken over being forced to leave her abusive husband and little girl who refused to leave her daddy, never spoke of either of them again. Had she died, never telling her son the truth?

      Logan shifted the car into drive again and got back onto the road heading north. “As I see it doc, the Hulk brought you here for a reason, family reunion or who knows what. Only thing to do is play the cards we’re dealt and see where it takes us.” Karen leaned forward in her seat and placed a soft hand tenderly on David’s shoulder. “That’s a lot to take in all at once but you’ll be ok. My mom and dad split when I was younger, best thing my mom ever did.” He showed no emotion and gave no sign of understanding but continued to feel a heavy burden pulling him down. After a few odd minutes he snapped out of his trance. “So where to now?” he asked the driver. “Just a few more miles out this way. You know what you’re gonna say when you see him? Been a long time.” David looked blankly out the window as they drove on. “Long time, and no, I have no idea.” Logan puffed away on his stogie. “Just say the first thing that pops into your head! That’s what I do.” Karen looks at Logan’s reflection in the rearview mirror. “Not that I’m tryin to pry or anything but where are we goin?” David is the first to respond to her question. “To see my father… who I havn’t seen since I was ten years old. He was….” Karen nods knowingly. “Yeah, been there, done that. My old man was great. But my mom… she was mean.” Logan chimes in. “Well, don’t we make a wonderful bunch!”

       While David tries to think of ways to get out of speaking with his tormentor, General ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross’ chopper sets down in the middle of Interstate 41 nearly a quarter mile ahead of Dekker and Talbot’s caravan. Yelling into his headset mic… “Keep the motor running and radio to Colonel Dekker. Tell him I’m waiting to talk to him!” His radio-man and pilot salute to the affirmative. Within seconds the dust cloud headed straight for the General’s chopper appears on the horizon and approaches quickly before the soldier in-charge of comm’s motions to the General. “I’ve made contact and he’s on his way, General.” Before the Humvee carrying the command team can even stop, Colonel Dekker flings his door open and jumps out of the vehicle. He runs, bent at the waist, and enters the T-1115 Sky-Hawk to a waiting General. “Welcome to Arizona, General!” “Can it Dekker!” “I didn’t fly all the way out here for a social call! You’ve been here over a week and my sources tell me you’re not even close to completing your mission!” Dekker tries to speak but is unable to match the General’s thunder. “So, I have decided to take command of this operation personally! You’re officially relieved of duty; report back to Washington, immediately.” Dekker is speechless and sits with his mouth hanging open. The words take time to completely sink in.

                                                                                                         Chapter 8: Revelation

         Karen rests her head back against the head rest and hums a familiar tune while Logan controls the car. David looks out the window at the fence posts passing by, one after another in an endless stream. After what felt like an eternity, the car began to slow and came to rest next to a rusty mailbox that sat alongside the beginning of a long dirt lane that stretched beyond the tree line off in the distance. The name on the box, in small letters of white paint was simple… Banner. Logan turned in and took the driveway all the way through the field and trees until a small house became visible to the left in between a shed and two old cars covered in years of dirt and up on blocks. David sat up and straightened his shirt as Karen noticed the house and ran her fingers through her hair. Logan stopped the vehicle and shifted the transmission into park. He looked at David and David turned to look at him. “Well, might as well get this over with.” The man pulled the door handle and unlatched the door and swung it wide. He stepped out and stretched his arms and legs for a second before taking a few steps toward the run down shack. Logan put the car in reverse and yelled to Banner. “I’ll be back in a little while to pick you up!” David waves to his friend and walks a few yards before turning to find Karen right behind him. “I’m coming along for support.” She smiled at him and pushed him on. Logan drives away leaving the two young people to the business at hand. The front door looked like it hadn’t been in use for some time. The scrubby bushes next to the walkway hadn’t been trimmed back and had completely taken over the front. So David and Karen switched to the side door which was open, with a shabby screen door blocking their path. Before David or his friend could reach the screen door the sound of a riffle cocking caught their attention and they both froze! “Don’t come any closer. Who are ya and what’s your business?” David didn’t know how to begin. Before he could figure out what to say first, Karen spoke up for him. “We’re looking for a man that used to live here… his name was Banner same as his.” The words stung David’s ears. There was silence for a second and then the sound of something setting on the floor next to the door. “Well come on in and shut the door.” the voice said in a lifeless tone. Karen pulled the screen door handle and held the door for David to go in first and then she followed.

       As David and Karen entered the dilapidated place they noticed all manner of skeletons and hides from small animals as well as larger ones covering every nook and cranny of the room. It wasn’t discernable as to whether this was the living room or dining room since no furniture or décor could be seen. Instead the room was full of cages and fish tanks with small rodents and insects in each. It was a virtual zoo for exotic animals. “C’mon!” said the surly voice again and the two of them passed through the cluttered room and made their way to the next. Inside the second room David now saw his host. This was definitely the living room, sofas and chairs and a television was positioned to entertain but it was apparent that the man sitting in the recliner hadn’t entertained in quite a while. Karen sat down on a large orange and brown couch, David sat next to her. “So, you’re looking for your father are ya?” David looked sheepishly at the old man. His face and body were slender and his eyes sunken. His skin and hair were shades of brown and he looked very old. I’m… my names…” The old man interrupted… “David.” The younger man was taken back when the older man said his name. “Yeah, that’s right, I know who you are, I can see your mother in you.” He said with tone as dry as the skin on his arms. “You can call me Mr. Banner. Doesn’t seem fittin to call me dad since we don’t even know each other.” David was so confused but needed to understand. Did his mother keep in touch with him, was the woman from the school really his sister? He wondered. “When my mother left, she took me with her, did she ever communicate with you after that?” The man took a handkerchief from his pocket and rubbed his neck. “She did.” was all he said. “And did I also have a sister?” Again the man gave the briefest of answers. “Yep, you do.” David’s mind was swirling with questions and he wanted to know more but he wasn’t sure he would get anything out of the sour old man in front of him. Then he noticed something shiny on his lap. It didn’t look like a pistol but it was definitely metallic and didn’t look as old as everything else in the place. It had a small blinking red light. Then from outside came a booming sound! “Inside the house! We have you surrounded! Come out with your hands above your head, now!” David instantly recognized the voice of General Thunderbolt Ross. Looking directly at the old man across the room he saw a grin on his worn face. “You signaled them, you set us up!” The old man held up the transponder in his left hand. “I was wasting time, stalling until they could get here.” Karen was terrified by the whole thing. “But why?” David wanted to know. “Are you even really my father or just one of Ross’s lackeys?” The old man’s face was stoic and cold. “Like I said, our names might be Banner but that don’t matter. I don’t owe you or your mother a thing!” “My parents didn’t give a damn about me either, so we’re even.” David’s rage instantly flared as Karen ran to the screen door she also yelled for David who had risen from his seat and started across the room! But unknown to her, David was unconsciously throwing a right fist at the old belligerent man in front of him! Time froze as twenty five years of pent up anger and pain suddenly culminated in an unbridled explosion of raw emotion! David’s eyes transfixed on the man’s face and the look of arrogant dismissal of all his feelings. The lack of any remorse in the man’s eyes infuriated David beyond any means of control! The bullhorn was booming again! “Come out with your hands above your head, you have ten seconds to comply before we level the building!” But at that very moment as David’s fist rushed through the air at the man responsible for all his years of torment, Gamma radiation fueled every cell of his irradiated body causing his form to change, mutate at lightning speed! Where David Banner had once stood, now stood this other self, the hulk! With the physical transformation came a change of heart. The Hulk stopped. He pulled his huge fist back and lowered it to his side. “Go on, hit me!” “You know you want to!” “Whats the matter? Do it!” The giant looked down at the little man. What sounded more like a rough gravely growl, was actually two words of contempt and dismissal… “Puny human.”

       Ross being a man of his word it wasn’t out of character for him when he gave the order to destroy anything that moved, military or civilian! The behemoth inside the house heard the sound of Ross’s voice. He had just dealt with one of his lifelong demons and now it was time to deal with the other! Instinctively the huge grey goliath hunkered down into position and gently took hold of Karen, tucking her safely against his impenetrable hide behind his shielding arms. Then as the two A-1TK battle tanks swung their massive turrets to face the tiny house, Ross yelled! “Fire!” and the tanks obeyed! In the infinitesimally small fraction of a second between the time when the gunners pulled their triggers and the large caliber shells exploded from the canons chamber, the Hulk’s massive legs tensed and pushed off! Both the giant man and his small and fragile passenger where propelled straight up into the sky and out of sight in the blink of an eye. No one on the ground suspected that anyone or anything had escaped the devastation when the house and its surroundings were laid waste… at least no human eye! The monster-man now known to his handlers as ‘the Abomination’ was no more human than his foe. The soldiers tasked with escorting the hover truck ran for cover when the rear hold of the vehicle began to rumble and twist just before the Abomination burst from inside its steely hold! Ross howled for the men under his command to take evasive action! The grotesque figure ripping his way free of the titanium chains that held him, screamed in anger until the stress of his muscles were too much for the straining links and they snapped, freeing the mutation. The Abomination took position and flung himself up into the strata to meet his enemy. The chaos left behind on the ground spun further out of control as men and vehicles bucked and swung in different directions! Ross on the other hand was a battle tested officer and kept his head. He made it to his chopper and ordered the pilot to “take off immediately”! Once in the air he gave the navigation officer coordinates and the airship shot out of sight as well.

       High above the mess on the ground, the Hulk and his charge began to slowly stop climbing and came to a stop in the air. Hanging in mid-air for what seemed like minutes to Karen but was in reality less than two seconds, something formidable slammed into her protector with the force of a speeding locomotive! Hulk clung to his friend tightly and absorbed the impact. He had been sent careening back and down toward the Earth, picking up speed and hurtling on a collision course that was approaching fast! Any other being on the planet would have been gripped with paralyzing fear but the Hulk was used to rising and falling from unimaginable heights and distances for years. He braced himself as he struck the desert at nearly one hundred and thirty miles an hour! His arrival sent tons of dirt and dust high into the air all around in the circumference of over a mile. Farmers and truck drivers from five counties reported seeing what they thought was a tornado on the horizon. When the dirt had settled and the wind had dissipated the thick red cloud, the Hulk stood motionless and immovable! He lowered his mighty arm and Karen slid down and stood next to him. “Visibly shaken and a bit overwhelmed she wiped the hair from her eyes. “Oh my goodness!” Her heart was still pounding in her chest. She tried to collect herself and then turned and looked up at her protector. Hulk stood like a lumbering mountain, silent and lifeless. Her mind was blown! Seeing the U.S. army positioned outside her door then finding David’s long lost father. But nothing even came close to seeing David morph into the Hulk! Now she knew what had really happened to Chet Hawkins and his two brothers that day behind the diner! She thought about the fact that she should be scared to death but for some reason she didn’t, she felt safe, maybe for the first time in her life. She looked up at his large grey face and tried to reach him but it was no use, he remained unresponsive. His body was frozen while his mind wandered inward. Visions of the past, Banner’s past and the Hulk’s. Seeing and confronting the man who gave him life had shaken something inside his mind and he struggled to make sense of it. Both the Hulk and David fought for control, clarity. On a surreal plain somewhere in the landscape between their subconscious and conscious thoughts stood the likeness of both men. They stand facing one another. In the few minutes that pass while Karen tries desperately to revive her friend, a shadow begins to grow behind her. It was getting closer and closer when she noticed it out of her peripheral vision and turned to meet it. “Nice to see you again girly.” Karen’s legs tremble as her gaze reaches the Abominations leering stare. She doesn’t know what to say. Her left hand touches the Hulks broad chest and she attempts to shake him but he doesn’t budge. She looks at the monster but speaks to Hulk. “C’mon big fella, David, if you’re in there somewhere, now would be a great time to come out.” But the lifeless Hulk shows no signs of life, makes no sound, no movement. The mutation comes closer and cautiously watches for any indication of danger. He angles himself just beyond what her thinks is a reasonably safe distance from the grey gargantuans reach.

       On a purely psychological ethereal plain David Bruce Banner remains standing, looking directly across from him at his other self. The Hulk’s eyes stare blankly back at Banner. David is caught in a dreamlike state, aware but unaware. Then Banner is shaken to his psychic core as his nemesis, the dumb brute before him speaks for the very first time! Only one singular word comes from his lips…“David.” The monsters voice registers in David’s brain and he returns the gesture… “Hulk.” Neither man makes a move. Then the Hulk speaks again… “Banner hates Hulk.” David recognizes the irony and speaks back. “Banner…” but he stumbles. In all that David has been through over the last six years since the accident, he has felt anger and disgust and remorse as well as fear and loathing but until this moment he has never admitted to himself, the truth. “Banner… Hates Hulk!” As the words erupt from his lips and the sound of his damning statement echoes in his own ears for the first time, David feels free! It takes a moment for everything to finally digest in his mind. Then he becomes aggravated and angry! He sees what looks like a smile appear on the Hulks face. “What are you smiling about, you bastard?!” Not expecting an answer, he charges the monster! Without a single thought to what he was doing or that his actions might trigger a response, drives his fists into his alter-ego! To his surprise, nothing happens! David’s ethereal form passes right through that of the Hulk. He stops himself and turns around with a look of shock on his face. But as he turns he is flabbergasted by what happens immediately after! The massive right hand of the Hulk grabs him around the throat and lifts the man off the ground! Banner’s eyes go wide with fear and he is instantly at a loss. He thinks to himself “What’s happening?! Why did I go through him… but he is able to hurt me?!” As if telepathically conveyed to his enemy the Hulk answers his question. “Banner thinks that because he is smart that he is in control here.” David stops struggling. “Why are you in control?” For the second time the Hulk smiles. “Banner is smart but smart doesn’t matter here. Here emotion rules supreme… Hulk is strongest there is!”

       David’s mind reels as he tries to comprehend his situation. “A place somewhere inside my mind where the Hulk is in control?” he thinks to himself, wishing that his brain could answer. Instead it is his alter-ego that once again offers him insight. “Smart is conscious thought, emotion is subconscious… here it is raw emotion that has most influence.” He lowers David’s avatar to the ground and releases him. “You cannot hurt Hulk here. Hulk is anger, rage, emotion.” Banner begins to understand. “The primal emotion of a man’s mind is the root of his being. At the core of our minds is raw emotion and not intellect.” David whispers… “So what are you going to do to me?” The grey behemoth shakes his head. “Hulk is not here to hurt you; you have already done more to Banner than Hulk could ever do.” David’s brow furrowed as he contemplated those words. Hulk gently placed a heavy hand on David’s shoulder. As he did, the sky around them turned from light blue to dark and then to images of past and present. “Hulk is not your enemy, never has been; Banner is his own worst enemy.” “Hulk and Banner are two halves of the same coin. We are a part of one another.” As Banner listened he noticed images of his mother above him. “She was your safety, your whole world; she comforted you and encouraged you. She gave you everything she had, she was unaware, it wasn’t her fault.” The images of his mother then changed and twisted into images of the man who fathered him. “He on the other hand crushed your spirit and took away your self-esteem, told you that he wished you’d never been born, told you that you were the cause of his pain, made you believe that it was all your fault, that you deserved your abuse and in the end, set you up to fail.” An image of his father’s rage filled face appeared. “It was his eyes… when he had me by myself where no one else could see or hear. He got so angry, his eyes looked almost possessed. I’ve seen those eyes in my nightmares!” “Those eyes terrified me, haunted me.” “I would draw as a kid and somehow those eyes ended up in almost every drawing, I never realized what they really represented.” David’s face turned to sadness. “I hated him for that, for what he said. That man was right. He was not a dad, just a father, a man who gave me life and then regretted it every day after.” “I didn’t know that other children loved their dads, enjoyed their attention.” “I did everything I could to avoid his notice, avoid him out of fear.” “In front of others, his words said I love my son but in private his actions told the truth.” Hulk put his arm around the sulking little man. “He hated us! Deep inside, he blamed us for everything! He wouldn’t blame himself.” The hulk felt pity for the little man. “But you can walk away.” Banner looked up into the Hulks face. “What do you mean?” Hulk spoke softly and comforting. “You can forgive him and move on. He can’t hurt you anymore. You are a man now; you don’t need his approval anymore.” “Most important, you can forgive yourself for believing his lies and manipulation and finally become the man that you want to be.”

       David’s mind begins to clear and the image of his other-self starts to fade away. “Wait, don’t go, I need to know more!” But his alter-ego just smiled for the last time and dissipated into nothing and David was alone again. Then the sky above began to change again, this time turning bright white and growing brighter and brighter until…!

       Out in the real world beyond Banner’s dreamscape, drama continues to unfold… While watching his adversary closely, the Abomination realizes that his foe is completely incapacitated and of no threat. Confident in his assessment his steely eyes find Karen. His lips part slowly exposing large, sharp, yellow teeth. It is the closest thing to a smile that the mutation is able to make. “Well girly, looks like your dance partners out to lunch. I guess it’s time for you and I to dance now.” The monstrosity reaches out a long muscular arm to seize the frightened girl. But just as Karen closes her eyes and concedes her demise… suddenly, a giant grey hand clamps down on the Abominations wrist! Startled, the mutation tries to pull his arm back but is unable to move even a millimeter and then he hears an awful sound and his stomach turns sick! The Abominations wrist bones snap! Searing pain engulfs the mutations body and he lets loose a horrific howl! Again, there is a sound of snapping followed by a grinding sound as the Hulk’s grip pulverizes the bones in his enemies arm! Then there is silence. Karen opens her eyes and sees the Abomination dismembered by her grey savior. The mutation known as Abomination is no more! Karen looks at her protector and hears him speak for the first time since meeting him. “Hulk is strongest there is.”

                                                                                           Chapter 9: Tying up loose ends

       Logan hummed along with the radio as he rumbled down the road in search of the woman who had peaked his curiosity earlier. As he drove down Washington Street he could see the grade school ahead. He parallel parks his car and switches it off. He checks his watch and notices that its going on five thirty in the afternoon. The school building is dark and everyone has left for the day minus the janitors but his senses tell him that she is still inside. He opens his door and steps out, checking for any others that he might encounter on his way in. He’s not aware of another soul in the immediate area so he walks around to the side of the red brick building and leaps upward to about the second floor and slams his claws into the brick. The adamantium claws extending from his fists dig in and allow him to scale the wall and slip over the top to the roof. Agile as a cat, he darts across the flat roof and finds an access door. Again he relies on his razor sharp claws to slice through the steel hinges and removes the door quietly. He is no stranger to stealthily entering compounds undetected, allowing the years of special training to guide him to his destination. Carefully, Wolverine searches the hallways, stalking his objective.

       Jennifer Banner sits alone inside her empty classroom on the second floor grading her students history tests from earlier that day while the sound of a janitors vacuum hums in the distance. The young woman is in her third year of teaching the fifth grade and enjoying her place among the faculty. After growing up in a small house a few miles out of town from here, her grade point average and a little help from her literature teacher Mr. Paul, she was accepted to UCLA’s academic program for teaching. She had always wanted to be a teacher and help children. As an only child of a widowed father, she knew what it felt like to need help. Her father did his best to provide for the two of them but there was little money left over for luxury of any kind once the bills were paid and her dad had drank the rest away. In her heart she loved the old man but his drinking and violent outbursts caused her to pull away and distance herself years ago. She still checked in on him from time to time or would call to see if he was getting along ok but she didn’t like to spend much time in his company. Talking led to arguing and agreeing led to fighting and she had had enough of his temper and excuses to last her a lifetime. After graduating with her teaching degree from California, she surprised even herself when she accepted a position here in her own home town. The locals spoke of her lovingly as the little girl who came home to give back to her community but the truth was that she had felt guilty in leaving in the first place and was compelled to return out some unrealized, misguided notion of shame. Now she had no hope of making her way back out into the world. A good job and newly acquired mortgage ensured her allegiance to the school and the town for the rest of her career. She knew she would never leave again, at least not as long as her father was still alive.

       Logan passed by the man in overalls who was vacuuming the hallway and slipped unnoticed into room #201 and stood behind the young woman hard at work. He didn’t engage her or make his presence known at first and chose instead to duck back into the hall and knock. When he did, Jennifer stopped grading and went to the door to answer it. “Hello? Oh, Mr. Logan, what a surprise. What brings you by here at this hour? The school is closed for the day.” Wolverine had retracted his claws back into his knuckles and the skin on his hands had already healed closed again due to the healing factor in his mutant body. He looked like just about any other man except for his lean, strong build and unusually handsome face. Ms Banner had known attractive men and was no prude but she had chosen the life of a single career woman as opposed to dating or settling down. Growing up with a father like Donald Banner, she was not eager to be in a relationship with anyone yet. Though she wasn’t quite able to put her finger on it, she found Logan appealing for some reason. With his plaid shirt and blue jeans as well as his cowboy boots and hat, he fit in nicely in these parts yet she could tell from his sophisticated Canadian accent that he was well traveled and had seen a lot. She had no way of knowing just how right she actually was of course. If she only knew how much history he had seen.

       Logan, also known to some as Wolverine, was an enigma. Born a mutant, his blood carried the x-factor that set him apart from most people. His body healed almost immediately and his senses were as keen as a blood hound. The addition of adamantium to his skeleton made his bones unbreakable, not to mention the claws that shot out of his fists when called upon. He was indeed unique and been around for a very long time. His mutant ability to heal quickly also slowed the aging process. To the unknowing he looked to be in his early thirties but he had in fact been born in the late 1800’s. He had been born to an aristocratic family in the hills of Laughlogin Scottland in eighteen forty one. After his peculiarities came to light at age thirteen, his parents disowned him and drove him from their lives. He wandered Europe doing odd jobs to sustain himself until meeting a man in Kent who told him tales of the Americas. It was in 1864 that he took a job aboard a cargo ship bound for the new world and set sea for the adventure of a lifetime. Mistakenly, he had taken a galley-man’s job and was prevented from emerging above deck and had been trapped deep in the bowels of the vessel when it docked in New York harbor. For five days he suffered and toiled in the boiler room while his shipmates went ashore. On the sixth day the ship set sail again and he watched in pain as his chance for freedom drifted away. Fortunately the ship was bound for a stop in Ontario Canada before heading out to sea bound for Europe again. Once the harbor on the Canadian coast came into sight he plotted his escape. He had saved his food rations for two days and bribed a night watchman to leave the galley door unlocked while everyone aboard slept that night. Once he cleared the deck, he dove into the icy clod sea and swam for shore. He faded into the countryside and made his way to the American boarder and hitched a ride all the way back to New York where he was promised citizenship by a man in uniform in exchange for his signature on a piece of paper. Unfortunately what the man didn’t inform him of was that he had just joined the U.S. Army for the next four years. He was escorted by a platoon of soldiers along with a dozen other immigrants to the rail yard and piled into box cars bound for Vicksburg, Mississippi. Logan fought in the bloodiest battles ever fought on American soil, only to return to Canada with nightmares and a need for solitude. He later fought in two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm. His life was a succession of battles won and lost. Now he fought for his mutant brothers who had no voice of their own. But today he was on a different kind of mission; he was looking out for a friend.

       “Hi Ms Banner, I’m sorry to bother you but I was just wondering… if you have any plans for dinner?” He lowers his eyes in mock humility and tries to appear nervous. “I don’t know many people around here and I was hoping…” She smiled and spoke up to save him further embarrassment. “I would love to… dinner. I’m almost done here and I am hungry.”

       Logan shifts his weight from one leg to the other in order to come across uncomfortable. “My car is just out front, I’ll wait down stairs for you to finish up.” Her smile got even brighter and she seemed to almost float when she gracefully spun and went back inside. Logan knew how to talk to women, years of trial and error had sharpened his skills of conversation and he was aware how disarming it was to seem nervous when dealing with a nervous person. His ability to mirror others behavior was also due to the training he had endured in the Royal Canadian Secret Service R.C.S.C. in the nineteen fifties. His career in espionage and the Special Forces awarded him many talents. He waited by his car, leaning against the passenger door but stepped aside when his date showed up and opened her door like a gentleman. That little maneuver would pay off big with a girl like this. Manners were becoming less and less common in the world and though the women’s movement fought old social morays, an old fashion girl like Jennifer missed the social graces. Her date was slowly winning her over and though she was no push over, she was enjoying the attention. “Well thank you my good sir.” She said playfully as Logan held her door and then closed it after her. He walked around to the driver side and joined her. In minutes they were reroute to the only restaurant in town that didn’t have a drive-thru or gas pumps out front. “It’s really nice of you to invite me to dinner, I don’t eat out much.” Logan continued pouring on the charm, although the line between acting and actually feeling the part began to blur. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed the company of a woman and it felt good. “So what do you like to eat, anything special on the menu here?” he asked her. “The chicken marsala is the best in the state but the shrimp is just amazing!” Logan pulled into the parking lot and found an empty spot. He again opened her door and escorted her inside. He slipped the hostess a ten and requested a nice quiet table.

       The hostess gave them a cozy table for two near the front window where very few customers were seated. The privacy was perfect for Logan. “This is a nice little place.” Jennifer opened her menu and agreed. “Yeah, I only come here once in a great while. Last time I ate here was with my father after graduation from high school.” The waitress took their orders and left again giving Logan the perfect opportunity to ask some questions. “Just you and your dad? No other family?” She wasn’t accustomed to opening up but about her family but saw no harm in talking to her date. “Yeah, just the two of us, my mom passed away when I was little.” Logan listened to the rhythm of her heartbeat as she spoke and detected no deception in her. Either she was a well-trained liar or she didn’t know the truth about her mother leaving them. Either way he had to tread lightly. “I’m sorry, that must have been tough growing up without a mom.” It wasn’t that bad but it would have been nice to have her there for the important stuff like birthdays, holidays, you know.” It was her turn now. “So what about you? Obviously I’m from here, where are you from?” He weighed his options a second. “I’m from New York, the state not the city.” And what of your parents?” Images crossed his mind and memories stabbed at him for a moment. “They passed away a long time ago, I’ve been on my own, for most of my life.” The girl looked at him with caring eyes. “Being on your own teaches us to be self-sufficient and strong but it can suck sometimes.” Logan could hear the pain, repressed and hidden in her voice.” “We make quite a pair don’t we?” The food arrived and they both wasted no time devouring the entre and ordered desert. “I don’t know too many girls that can match me bite for bite and still want desert.” Logan said charmingly. “Well I guess you haven’t met the right girls yet.” Logan was slowly becoming enchanted by the no-nonsense and genuineness of his dinner date. “So you usually date skinny self-absorbed women, I take it?” He recognized her meaning and stayed on track. “Actually I don’t date much; I’m a busy person and travel a lot, so.” His answer was just the one she was hoping for. “Do you intend to stay a bachelor or is there someone in your future, do you think?” Logan was careful. “Anything’s possible. The couple talked and laughed all the way through desert and then some. She found his knowledge of history intriguing. For Logan it was simply a chance to reminisce.

       After finishing their meals and coffee they left the same way they had come. On the way back to her car Logan dug a little deeper. “So, no brothers or sisters?” “No, well I did have an older brother but dad told me he passed during child-birth. I was his only child.” “Is your dad still alive?” “Jennifer smirked. “Oh yeah, he’s still around, I just don’t see him very often, with school and everything.” Logan nodded knowingly. He pulled into the staff parking lot and found a lone car under a lamp post. “That’s me!” She turned to him and gave a smile that he could tell wasn’t a put on. “I had a very nice time, thank you.” Then without warning she opened her door and stepped out. “Good night.” Logan sat confused for a minute then rolled the passenger window down. “Wait, good night? That it?” She searched her purse for her keys. “Listen logan, you’re a really nice guy and I had a great time but we both know you’re not planning to stick around long and I’m not looking for a one-night stand, so let’s just keep it friendly, ok?” Logan was taken back. “I didn’t mean to give you the impression that you were a one-night stand.” “But if you’re not interested in seeing me again, then I understand.” Jennifer found herself in a spot she hadn’t expected before. “Ok, call me tomorrow. I left my number on a piece of paper in your glovebox.” She smiled one last time and giggled as she got into her car and left him sitting in the lot.

       Several miles from town, Karen stood looking at the biological mess on the ground at her feet. “What did you do?” Hulk didn’t say anything and chose to walk away instead. She caught up to him eventually, which wasn’t too easy considering he was almost twelve feet tall and wider than a double-wide trailer. His stride was impossible for her to match so she had to jog next to him to keep pace. “Hey, where ya goin?” Still he said nothing and just continued on. “Aw c’mon. you can’t just walk away without tellin me what’s goin on!” “Who was that ugly thing?” Several minutes passed by without a word or even a glance from the Hulk. He was determined to go somewhere and nothing could stop him. Karen, exhausted from jogging finally stopped and watched as the monster-man continued on his quest. “Ok, fine! Go ahead, I’m too tired to follow and too irritated to give a damn!” Tears welled up in her eyes and began streaming down her cheeks. Suddenly the Hulk stopped. He turned and looked over his shoulder at the little woman who had stood by Banner when he was afraid and alone. He went to her and extended his huge hand. She was crying. No one had ever come back for her before. Everyone in her short life had walked away at one time or another but no one had ever come back for her. For the first time in her life she felt what it was like to matter to someone. She was worth staying for.

        Karen wiped her eyes as Hulk picked the startled girl up and sat her on his shoulder while he pressed onward. “So who was that gross guy that tried to kill us anyway?” Amazingly her new friend was feeling charitable and spoke to her as he walked. “Tommy.” Was all he said at first. “His name was Tommy?” she asked. “Yes… Tommy, friend of Banner, long time ago.” Karen remained silent and waited a few minutes, then hulk spoke again. “Not friend anymore.” And that was the end of the conversation. As he travelled on he was quiet and reflective. He pictured the young grad student who had been his assistant and Betty. Together they were like a small family, working together, eating and laughing together, closer than siblings. Then the accident, then the change to David and eventually, in time jealousy began to creep in. Betty tried to be there for David and refused to give up on him but Tommy felt left out and resented that Banner had been gifted with something that he thought of as a curse. Tommy would have given anything to feel that power! Or so her thought. After Betty had betrayed Hulk and Tommy was left alone to figure out what to do with his career in tatters, he accepted an invitation from the military and became a human Ginny pig for their nuclear research division. Ross wanted his own monster and figured his scientists could whip one up that he could control. After two years of failure Ross decided to take matters into his own hands and pushed the scientists under his command to advance their experiments further than his superiors had authorized and the result was, the Abomination. Fueled by jealousy and hatred of Banner and his alter-ego as well as a slight schizophrenia, Tommy had been looking for a chance to best his foe and became a mutated mess. Unfortunately his selfish anger was no match for the unfathomable rage inside Banner and in the end he found out the hard way just how extremely powerful Hulk really could be.

       Karen sat comfortably on the Hulks massive left shoulder and her right rested around his thick neck, permitting her to relax and enjoy the ride. She talked to her transport from time to time but he wasn’t much for conversation and walked in silence for miles. “So ya know, Hulk.” “Can I call you Hulk or is that like politically incorrect or something? What would you like me to call you?” A few seconds passed while Karen wondered if she’d ever get an answer, then. “HULK.” The grey brute said with very little emotion other than maybe some annoyance. “Ok, Hulk. So where are we headed anyway? I mean, I don’t really have any plans to speak of. Ever since the craziness at the diner I don’t have a job anymore so…” “Hulk looks for Logan.”

       Left sitting in the school parking lot, Logan fired the cars motor up and headed back toward the highway in order to hook up with David and Karen again. He had no way of knowing that the house where he had left them no longer existed and that soldiers had camped around it and were gone as well. As for the owner of the property, he had been lost with the house and his two friends had long since fled. Wolverine didn’t have to drive long before he became aware that something big had taken place in his absence. In less than a mile down the road he saw his friends in the headlights, coming toward him. Puzzling as it was, Logan didn’t bother to ask where they had been, what they were doing or why David was gone and his big grey buddy was here. The one thing that did register on his mind was the question of where exactly the big guy was gonna sit? “You do know this car can’t hold his weight, right?” The Hulk’s lower lip turned up and he smirked at Logan. “Funny little man.” Said the giant. Wolverine’s eyes nearly popped out of his head as he sat up and stared dumbfounded at the monster. He then turned his attention to Karen, who had climbed into the passenger side front seat. “Since when does he talk?” Karen chuckled and made herself comfortable for the long ride ahead of them. “C’mon, let’s get back on the road before those GI Joe decides to come back and pick through the rubble back there.” “Somethin tells me that if they don’t find any remains, they might come looking for us.” Logan slipped in behind the wheel and asked again. “Where’s he gonna sit?” Just then the passenger side door opened and Banner slid into the back seat behind Karen. “I’m fine back here.” Now Logans eyes where bugged out for the second time in five minutes. “Would someone please tell me what’s goin on here? When did you start changing back and forth like that and whats up with the jolly grey giant flappin his gums all of a sudden?” David closed his eyes and laid his head back against the seat. “It’s a long story… not sure I understand it either.” Wolverine shook his head and started the car. In minutes they were flying down the roadway in the dark, cool night air of the desert.

       Karen looked at Logan and asked where he had been all evening? Logan was mysteriously quiet then told her… “Needed to tie up some loose ends.” As time passed and the sun began to rise to start a new day, the temperature also began to rise. Logan couldn’t help but keep checking his rear-view mirror to look at David in the back seat. Something was different about him but he couldn’t quite figure out what it was. After about half an hour it hit him. “Hey doc, you feelin alright?” David turned his head to look in the mirror. “I feel fine, why?” “I don’t know exactly but you look different, kinda rested even healthy.” Banner thought about it a second. “I do feel better… really good in fact.” Logan ventured a guess. “You kinda look younger.” David looked at his hands. “I feel strong, not tired and weak.” “Something’s different.” Karen had been listening and rolled over in her seat to look back at David. “Could be that the same stuff in your head that was making you sick got fixed when you settled down and made peace with yourself.” Both Wolverine and David looked in amazement at the young girl for her astonishingly perceptive insight. “Wow, you sure got smart all of a sudden.” Logan offered. “I been watchin a lot a Dr Phil.” Karen stated in all seriousness as Logan and David broke into uncontrollable laughter!

                                                                                                    END OF BOOK ONE…