Friday May 26, 2006

Days Without Incident: 105

Doctor Bruce Banner was a lonely man walking. For over four months, he had been on the run from the United States military, which only perceived him as the monster that they made him. They were led by the father of the woman he loved, Betty Ross. Over three months had passed since he attempted to contact her. The interception of his message was followed by a fight against State Troopers.

He had traveled through the Dakotas and was now in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. A cold afternoon wind was blowing through the woods of the wilderness. At length, he spotted a cabin. He needed a place to stay. He walked up to the cabin door and knocked. A man answered.

"Can I help you, sir?"

"I'm looking for a place to stay for the night," Bruce answered.

"I don't know if I can trust a stranger."

"I can pay you for the night. Just one night and I'll be gone. I have my own food with me."

"Is there anyone else with you?"

Bruce sighed.

"No."

"You seem like such a sad, lonely man. I'll accept your offer. Come on in."

"Thank you."

"What might your name be?"

"Bob Danner," Bruce lied. "Yours?"

"Paul."

"Nice to meet you, Paul. Once again, I cannot thank you enough."

"Maybe you can share a bit of that food you brought as another form of payment. We'll see."

Bruce had an enjoyable dinner with Paul that evening. They ate a couple of sandwiches and fruit which Bruce had. He was wondering what the man's background was, but he feared that asking would give Paul the right to ask about him. He did not wish to reveal any personal details. As it turned out, however, Paul began to speak.

"Have you ever been hunting?" Paul asked.

"No," Bruce said, believing that this was an odd question. "You?"

"Yes. I enjoy hunting in the woods. It's a great place to get all sorts of meat to eat."

Bruce heard Paul's stomach growl.

"You still hungry?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah," Paul answered. "You must be some sort of mind-reader."

"No. I'm not psychic."

"Of course not. It was just an expression. You'd have to be a mutant to be able to read minds. And you're not one of them."

Bruce assumed that Paul was against mutants. He sacrificed his beliefs by trying to appeal to Paul.

"Of course not. Mutants are freaks."

"Some people would go as far to say that they are monsters. But those people don't know what real monsters are. With mutants, it's a genetic thing. But real monsters are cursed. They have no control over their actions once they make their transformations."

Bruce started to feel uncomfortable. He began to form suspicions that Paul was perhaps a mutant who could read minds.

Does he know that I'm the Hulk? he wondered. I am innocent.

Bruce filled his mind with thoughts of who he was before he became the Hulk and the problems which he endured afterward. He did this so that Paul would know for sure that he was a good man. That is, if Paul was indeed a mind-reader.

"You look like you're thinking too much," Paul said. "It's getting dark outside. I think it's time for you to get some sleep."

"Okay," Bruce agreed, pulling a bedroll out of his bag.