Hello! Just a short word before the start- promise it will be short. Pinky promise. This is my first attempt at writing a story in a long, Long time- my first one was written when i was twelve. (It's rubbish. Don't read it.) Therefore, my writing skills are rather rusty, and i'd really appreciate some help in trying to improve- on content, title and , if anyone has any suggestions for chapter titles, they'd be welcome too. If anyone wants to beta, please feel free. Secondly, all reviews are welcome- i can't improve if i don't know how to. This includes scathing comments about how truly awful this story is, and how blinding obvious the ways to improve it are (hint hint) although comments of any other kind are welcome too. Even completely random ones about the weather. I'm British, we discuss it a lot. Well, i do at least, not sure if anyone else does (cricket...cricket...). Thats basically it. So, I said this note would be short- i lied. Anyway, On with the story!
"It's definitely peaceful here" Bruce decided whilst lying on his back, gazing up at the brilliant new dawn. "Yep, definitely the best place to be- much better than New York. No stressful, dangerous situations, no insane generals sending a couple of idiots with guns after me, no maniacal Gods attempting to take over the world and plenty of free time. Time for just thinking, and ...and... well, thinking is important". He breathed in deeply, feeling his lungs gently expand as his diaphragm contracted. After five minutes of staring at the sky he dragged himself to his feet, feeling the air slowly begin to warm up and come alive with the sounds of nature, and then proceeded to walk past the tribal huts down to the rock pool. As usual, he was the only one moving around the village; half had left before dawn in order to gather food, and the rest had yet to awake. It had taken a while for them to trust him- they'd had no contact with the outside world for over fifty years and at first believed him to be a daemon. He finally convinced them otherwise after treating one of the children suffering from whooping cough-easily treated in the west, yet out here in the ruins of an Inca temple deep in the Peruvian jungle it claimed many lives. Although he was far from being a qualified doctor, he had limited medical knowledge and had brought a first aid kit with him when he'd run. The locals now called him the 'witch Doctor', believing he'd been sent by their Gods. Bruce smiled in amusement at the thought. They had been more right when they considered him a daemon. Still, he hadn't had a green 'incident' for over a year now, not since he'd arrived... he dared himself to hope that out here, away from the stress and worry and emotion of everyday life, he might finally be free from the other guy. The thought made him feel oddly elated. After eventually arriving at the pool, he dove in, the icy coolness shocking his body into full wakefulness. 'Just another day in the wilderness' he thought. He couldn't have been more wrong.
He'd just finished getting dressed when they came. A loud, chattering noise pierced the air. Bruce stiffened in terror as he recognised the sound- helicopter blades. He could think of only one reason why they were here; him. The thought filled him with dread. No! He thought, as he felt the Hulk stir menacingly. He frantically attempted to pacify him, refusing to allow him control. Unwillingly, the Hulk settled, though Bruce couldn't control the frenetic pounding of his heart which sunk as he realised he was definitely not free from his alter ego. He couldn't go back to society now, not after how it ended last time. His head snapped up as he heard frantic footsteps entering the clearing, but he relaxed when he saw it was one of the children from the tribe. She sprinted over to him, liquid brown eyes terrified. "There's a sky monster here! You have to come help!" she begged him desperately. Bruce knelt down in front of her. "It's not a monster- it carries people in it, people who are looking for me. They won't hurt you; go back and tell the others not to fear and please- don't tell them where I am" Nodding, the girl turned "hide in the temple; they won't find you if you go into the chambers. Good luck" Bruce murmured an acknowledgement and she ran back to the village, quickly swallowed by the dense shrubbery.
The path from the pool to the temple was disguised, and only those with knowledge of its existence would be able to find it. Bruce hurried along as quickly as he could, being careful to make as few signs as possible of his passage. The sound of the helicopter blades had stopped a while ago and the jungle had regained its usual choir of insects and animals. The soft, spongy earth gave way to stone under his feet, and Bruce flew up the steps of the ancient Inca temple. The ruins themselves were still almost pyramid shaped, and at the top a crumbled statue of Kinich Ahau, the sun god, faced east. He jumped off the steps half way up and hurried over to the secret door hidden on the left hand side. The door opened onto a small anti-chamber, filled with woven baskets that contained the tribes' food. It was dimly lit at regular intervals by torches hung on brackets in the wall. Reaching the far side of the room, he bent down and lifted up a trapdoor concealed by a rug. Shivering, he slipped into the dark corridors underneath. His heart froze as he heard the door opening and several booted feet marching in; they must have seen him climbing up-or one of the villagers had sold him out. It didn't matter either way now; they'd find him, it was only a matter of time. He stopped breathing entirely when he heard a female voice call out "Bruce, we know you're here. We know you know why we're here. Make it easier for everyone and come with us willingly- we don't want anything to get...messy" Natasha Romanov. Hearing her brought back an onslaught of memories of the disastrous events eighteen months ago. No, he couldn't go with them; the risk was too great. The only option left was to run- run and hide. Quietly, Bruce reached up and gently closed the door, the pitch darkness pressing in on him from all sides. Laying one hand on the wall, he jogged deeper into the catacombs. Five minutes later an echo of the trap door opening and the sound of people clambering down reached his ears. Bruce was still running blind. He turned, deciding to find somewhere to stay still and hide- movement was useless; he didn't know where he was going and any sound would alert the soldiers to his location. Tiptoeing back the way he'd came his fingers brushed against a narrow opening in the wall- an entrance into a small room where the sarcophagi of the Incan leaders were kept, one of many in the pyramid. He quickly squirmed inside, crouching in the shadows next to the entrance. He closed his eyes, desperately fighting for some control over his racing heart and ragged breathing- he could feel the Hulk trying to break free. Outside in the corridor the march of boots came steadily closer.
Back in the village, Natasha sighed as the reports came in stating Bruce had slipped into the network of chambers in the temple. "Find him soon, and use any means necessary to bring him in. Just make sure he's still alive. And avoid a Hulk out if you can- we don't want to lose him" Turning off her comm., Natasha turned and surveyed the shack that he'd been staying in for the past fifteen months. Snapping out orders for the men to collect whatever items where inside, she slowly walked back to the helicopter, praying they would bring Bruce soon; he was needed-desperately.
Onboard the helicarrier heads turned as Tony Stark entered the control room, speaking incessantly. "Ah Fury, how delightful to see you again! I've been longing for this moment since our last meeting- really, my heart ached. And Legolas- good to see you too! I see the Ice Queen is missing-care to share where she is?" His rambling tirade stopped abruptly as his eyes fell on Steve Rogers ,who was dressed in clothes so hideous they should've been left in the sixties "Capsicle! love that jacket. Really... really suits you" He eyed Steve a moment longer before wheeling around to face Fury "So, I have a party I urgently need to get back to- there's several tequilas and one hot chick with my name on them. Seeing as though we're all here, can you get to the point and tell us the problem?" With this he flung himself into a chair, his gaze expectant. Fury bristled "I'm sorry to interrupt you're partying Stark""-really? You sound anything but-" "but there is a serious crisis which the council's decided we need your help for- believe me, if it was my decision you wouldn't even know about this. As it is we're waiting for agent Romanov and Dr Banner- nothing can be discussed until they're here." The room stilled at the mention of Bruce's name. "I see" Tony replied after a pause, his eyes narrowing as he settled back into the chair.
So, first chapter done. What didya think? As said before, any reviews concerning any topic welcome! :)
