"Green Golum" 
Written by: sshilling72@yahoo.com

The bus pulled into the Sunnydale terminal.  Night had fallen, and there was one 
passenger left, sleeping in his seat.  The bus driver had picked up the traveler 
earlier in the day, and now he was sleeping, curled up in the window seat.  His 
leather pack serving as an impromptu pillow.
"HEY!"  The driver rudely slapped David Banner's feet, knocking them from the 
seat.  Momentarily startled, the vagabond sat up.  "Huh?  What happened?"
"End of the line, buddy, and I can't let you sleep in here.  Go find a motel."
Slowly, wearily, David rose, and shouldered his worn pack.  "Do you know any 
place around here where I can stay?"
"No," was the curt response.
David exited the bus, and, looked both ways, began to walk out of the glow of 
the bus stations lights.  As he drew further away from the lights, David became 
aware of someone following him.  He looked up, and was startled to see a young 
man walking beside him.
Banner's walking partner was dressed all in black, his short dark hair stood in 
spikes.  He had approached with unnatural quiet.  For a while, neither 
spoke.  Then, the newcomer spoke.
"You new in town?"
"Yeah, I just got in," David affirmed.  "And, I need a place to stay."
"Good idea.  You shouldn't be on the streets of this town after sundown."
"Do you know a place?"
"Yeah, it's this way."  The stranger pointed Banner in the direction.  "I'll 
walk with you, make sure you get there safe."
"Thanks, I appreciate it.  Do you live around here?"
"Yeah, name's Angel."
"David," the new guy didn't give a last name, so Banner didn't feel compelled to 
invent a new one.
The shelter to which Angel led David was an old motel that had been turned into 
low-rent apartments.
"This is it," Angel announced.  "Just tell them you know me."
"Thanks, Angel."
"Now, don't stay out too long," Angel cautioned.  "It's not safe here."
"Yes, mother," David teased, turning away from the door to find that Angel had 
vanished as silently as he had come.  
David complied with his guide's command.  He entered the apartment building, and 
spoke to the manager.
Little did Banner know, his guide, Angel, was a vampire.  A reformed one, Angel 
no longer sought out people for their blood.  If a vampire were to bite Banner, 
they would likely absorb some of the former scientist's powers.  Deep within 
Banner lived a giant, green skinned mutant called the Incredible Hulk.
Hulk had been created by accident when Banner was trapped an experiment on gamma 
radiation.  It was a widely  held belief that Hulk had killed Banner that 
night.  Banner felt it necessary to maintain that belief.  When he became 
angered, Hulk appeared.  
Not wanting to bring harm to those around him, Banner kept traveling from town 
to town, trying to find a cure for himself, and working odd jobs to pay his way 
in the interim.  So, that was how he had ended up in Sunnydale.
The next morning, the students of Sunnydale High arrived for class.  Among them 
was Buffy Summers, the vampire-slayer.  She and her best friend, Willow 
Rosenberg, shared a science class.
The door opened shortly after the late bell rang.  David Banner entered, and 
flipped his backpack onto the desk.
"Hey, who's the new guy?"  The students didn't bother to keep their voices 
down.  Banner took up a pieced of chalk, and began to write on the board.
"My name's David Barlow, and I'll be substituting for a while."
Banner's day proved to be uneventful, but the night would be more than that for 
which he had bargained.
After arriving home, and beginning to check homework papers, Banner decided he 
would like some coffee.  Collecting his money, he ventured down to the corner 
store and purchased his favorite brand.  
As he was returning home, the sound of fighting reached his ears.  Upon rounding 
the corner, Banner discovered a mob scene.  At the midst were Angel, and a 
young, blond girl Banner recognized from school.  Dropping his package, the 
former scientist ran forward.
"Hey!  How about picking on someone your own size!"  He called, thinking he 
could be of help.
"David!  Get out of here!"  Angel shouted back.
Banner was surprised by the command, then saw the face on the rivals Angel and 
Buffy were fighting.  It was the face of a vampire!  Its brow beset with a 
permanent furrow, and its mouth with sharp fangs.  Horrified, Banner drew back.
"Well, what have we here?"  Quipped the creature.  "A snack for when we finish 
off the Slayer and her friend."
Several more vampires appeared, and seized Banner in an iron grip.  He tried to 
struggle free of them.  Buffy rammed a wooden stake into the chest of a vampire, 
it crumbled into dust.
Banner's holders quickly let go when they saw his eyes blanch white, and his 
muscles began to bulge.  Buffy and Angel were busily staking vampires, and 
didn't notice the change in their helper, until a loud roar startles them, and 
the vampires as well.
During the melee, Banner had morphed into Hulk.  The lead vampire pounced, 
trying to seize the thick, green neck in its fangs, but couldn't quite get a 
grip.  Hulk seized the creature by the neck, and threw it.  Buffy readied the 
stake, and the vampire slammed into it, turning into dust.  Hulk roared, 
startled.  The surprise gave way quickly, and he began helping Buffy and Angel 
decimate the vampire horde.  A few stragglers, who managed to flee from Buffy 
and Angel faced Hulk's powerful fists.
Buffy turned to the green golum.  "I don't know what kind of demon you are, but 
you came at the right time."
TO BE CONTINUED