Feeling quite hungry one day, he went through the entrance teleporter to the carrot machine. He re-materialized feeling quite normal, not knowing that the teleporter had malfunctioned that particular time, exposing him to a large quantity of gamma radiation.

Bill used the carrot dispenser until he was full, and settled down for a quick nap. He then went back through the teleporter (which functioned normally this time) and ventured over to the music room, another one of his favorite places. The trumpet was nowhere to be found, so he contented himself to playing the drums.

Then Bruce came down the elevator to join him. Now Bruce was known to have quite a nasty disposition, often hitting other norns for no apparent reason. This was exactly the mood he was in then, so he went right up to Bill and started slapping him repeatedly. "Stop norn," Bruce said, in the norns' simplified language.

Bill had always been a gentle sort, always preferring to run from aggressors rather than fight. But this time, only a wall was behind him. Bruce hit him again. "Stop" said Bill. Bruce hit again. "Stop!" Bill repeated.

Bruce continued hitting, laughing and genuinely enjoying it all the while. Bill didn't like it. "Bill angry!" he said. Bruce ignored it, and slapped him again. "Bill angry!"

Bill's eyes started to change from blue to a deep red. Bruce hit him once more. Bill's suddenly hit the ground and started having convulsions. His skin turned green, his arms and legs grew claws, and a ferocious set of fangs formed from his teeth. He was no longer a norn, but had become the evolutionary throwback known as a grendel.

Bruce stared at him. "Grah!" said Bill, all his peacefulness gone. He went towards Bruce and hit him, again and again. Bruce dared not to hit back, and tried to get back to the elevator.

"Narg!" Bill hit Bruce repeatedly, until he stopped moving. Bill then went up the elevator and wandered off.

Bruce got up after a time, badly, though not irreversably, injured. He found a piece of cheese, ate it, and went to sleep.

Bill had apparently fallen asleep as well. He woke up, his body back to normal, not remembering what had happened. After wandering aimlessly for awhile, he found Bruce, who immediately said "Run!" and scurried away.

In his own simplified way, Bill realized that he had done something to Bruce, something to make him afraid. It must have been in response to Bruce's aggresiveness; he must have made Bill very angry, or scared. Bill was always so peaceful, so gentle. He knew that normally he would have just let someone pummel him to death, rather than fight back. This is what his genetics dictated. But somehow, the beast within had been revealed.

Bill knew that he must try not to ever again become angry, or frightened, for this was when his horrible transformation took place. Somewhere in Albia, the had to be an answer, a reason, a solution to his problem. And he knew he must spend every waking moment trying to find it.