William was paranoid. He didn’t trust anybody. He thought that “homework” was an elaborate prank Ms. Linda played on him each day. While he was home doing math and spelling, he believed everyone else was having a pizza party.

So when the purple lightning hit the classroom, William thought it was another fake-out. William certainly couldn’t remember having any amazing abilities…

…though there was something strange going on.

Every day—just before lunchtime—William would start to get a headache. Then he’d black out. When he’d wake up, he’d be in some strange new place surrounded by fish and destruction. His clothes would be torn, and he’d have no memory of what had happened. He was certain his class was playing a cruel joke on him.

“Not cool, you guys!” he said to them.

“William, it’s not a joke,” Jay-Fu Triple J said. William didn’t believe him.

“You really do have superpowers,” Ms. Linda insisted. William didn’t believe her.

“It’s true,” his grandparents explained. “We made a video of it.” William refused to watch the video. He didn’t even believe his grandparents.

But it was completely true.

As you know, every day—just before lunchtime—William would start to get a headache. But what really happened when he blacked out was this: His body grew huge and turned bright green. He’d beat his chest in a rage and shout, “I am Bulk! Bulk is hungry! Bulk want fish sticks!”

Then he would blaze a path of destruction in his search for fish sticks. The first time it happened, he destroyed the school’s cafeteria. The second time, he used a school bus as a baseball bat and attacked the local pier. And the third time, he wrecked the downtown district of the nearest city.

But when he finally ate fish sticks, he’d fall asleep, shrink, and turn back to normal. When William would wake, he’d have no memory of being the Incredible Bulk (which is what the news called the hungry monster).

William didn’t believe it, but it was true. It was all true.

“Yeah, right,” William said. “Honestly, Honest Lee, I thought you’d be honest with me.”

“What? You can hear me?” I (your author) said to William.

“Of course I can hear you,” William said, “and I know you’re talking behind my back.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m talking behind your back. I’m just telling a story about you.”

“Well, I don’t appreciate you spreading rumors about me. I do not have superpowers. And I’m not paranoid!” William screamed.

“I did not scream!”

“Yes, you did.”

William said, “If you don’t stop talking about me, I’m going to sue you for slander!”

(Oh boy, that’s my cue to skip to the next chapter.)