“As if we didn’t know; right, Endora?” Endora fussed and tried to grab at the door. “Hang on, my darling; I have to make sure that the coast is clear before we go see your daddy.”

Tabitha backed away from the door and ambled over to the deserted nurses’ station. “It’s a good thing the people here in Harmony make it so easy for us to create mischief.” She reached for the telephone. “Though we really don’t need to help cause misery in this town - they are doing a dandy job all on their own.” Endora chewed on her toy bear.

Exhaustion was starting to set in. Eve didn’t remember how long she has been sitting beside Julian’s bed or what time it was exactly. Dr. Ryan had told her she couldn’t be involved in the surgery because of her emotional state. She had tried to argue that she would be completely professional; she was, after all, one of the doctors on call. But seeing Julian on the operating table proved to be more than she could handle, and she broke down in Dr. Ryan’s arms.

When Julian had finally come out of surgery, she had been informed that he was stable, but not completely out of the woods. His lung had collapsed and he had several broken ribs. The gash on his head was deep and would probably leave a permanent scar. Dr. Ryan also had expressed concern with the effect the severe concussion Julian had suffered would have on his mental state. Only time would tell. The longer you remain in a coma, the worse it could be.

Eve pressed his palm to her cheek. “Julian, please wake up. Wake up…for me.” Tears warmed a trail down her cheeks. “You know, I couldn’t go on living if anything happened to you. I need you in my life, Julian. You have been everything to me…”

“Dr. Russell, to the ER, stat!”

Eve sat upright and wiped her face. Not now! She sighed and stroked Julian’s cheek. “I’ll be back soon.” Leaning down, she placed her lips against his. She hesitated, and then whispered, “I love you.” After placing his hand back on the bed, she left the room.

Julian’s heart monitor began to race.

Tabitha entered and closed the door. She raised an eyebrow at the racing heart machine. “Wonder what that’s all about? Could it be he is having lustful dreams of Eve?” she cackled, popping Endora up to see Julian better.

Endora shook her toy at him. A spark of lightning shot from her toy and hit Julian in the chest. “Endora, behave. We don’t want to give your daddy a heart attack.” Tabitha patted the girl’s behind. “I think he has had enough excitement for one evening. Don’t you think?” Endora giggled.

Julian’s lips moved.

“Seems like he’s waking up, Endora,” Tabitha mused. “How special for him - he gets to see us first.”

Julian moaned. He sat straight up in bed. Tabitha jumped back in fright. “What is going on? What kind of mischief have you created here, Endora?” She hurried to the door as the machines hooked up to Julian started going haywire.

Tabitha managed to escape from the room before the nurse came running. “Knowing you, my darling, we are in for a dandy show.” She grinned wickedly.

In Julian’s room, the nurse gaped, irresolute. Julian’s eyes were piercing and wild, his mouth wide and frothing. His teeth began to grow large and deadly looking. He was thrashing about violently. She gasped in horror as his arms suddenly tripled in size. No sooner were his arms the size of tree trunks, when his legs expanded into massive pillars of pure muscle. His gown ripped in two and slipped from his shoulders. The IV’s attached to him ripped from Julian’s veins and he stood before her, ten feet tall. Naked! Her eyes rolled back, and she dropped to the floor.

“I need popcorn.” Tabitha shielded Endora’s eyes. “This is like being in a movie theatre, watching the X-rated Hollywood version of your father. You have created the Incredible Julian, my talented little witchling.” She hugged Endora close as Eve and several other nurses came running down the hall.

“It’s Julian’s room!” Eve cried. When she entered his room, she stopped short. The nurses bumped into her. “My God, what has happened?”

Eve backed up against the wall. A nurse lay on the floor next to the bed. The massive form of what used to be Julian turned and faced her.

Eve felt her hair crawl and stand on end. The nurses with her fled to bring Sam; he had just arrived with more accident victims from the storm.

Eve couldn’t help but stare. This mountain of muscle still looked like Julian, just ten times bigger. Oh my! Her cheeks grew hot as her eyes traveled back up to his face. What has happened? A drug complication? Surgery gone bad? Dr.Ryan left surgical tools inside Julian?

Julian stood and stared at her. The hospital staff was panicking outside the room. The noise seemed to irritate him. He glanced around nervously, pacing, thumping against the walls like a trapped animal trying to escape. “It’s all right,” Eve squeaked.

Julian’s attention settled on her again. A nurse was crying for Sam to bring his gun. Ignoring her fear, Eve approached him. “You have to get out of here, Julian. I don’t know what has happened to you, but I can’t let anyone harm you till I figure out how to get you back to normal.”

He didn’t seem to understand what she was saying. He cocked his head and looked at her. Did he remember her? Was this Julian? Or was it someone who possessed his body?

“Where is he?” Footsteps hurried down the hall toward Julian’s room.

Sam!

“You have to go now; the police are coming!” Eve cried, reaching out to touch Julian’s enormous arm.

He seemed to understand the urgency in her voice and glanced toward the door. Eve screamed in surprise when he reached down and picked her up, circling her entire waist with his hand. A low growl rumbled from his throat. She clamped her mouth shut.

With strength beyond Eve’s comprehension, Julian grabbed the bed and hurled it up through the roof. The crash was deafening. Nurses and patients screamed in terror. Just as Sam entered the room, Julian, with Eve firmly tucked near his chest, leaped through the hole in the roof.

Sam stood, stunned. He had expected an unruly patient. Not the Hulk.

Tabitha hugged Endora close to her side. “Life is never boring with you, my darling.”