The Final Nightmare
The Membrane house hold was slowly becoming silent as night fell upon the home of the great scientist.
Harley Membrane's night gown swished around as she finished putting away the dishes from tonight's dinner. She peered out the small window behind the sink to gaze at the stars, as she so often did.
She thought it perplexing that tonight there seemed to be one star brighter than the rest. Maybe it was her paranoia of extraterrestrial life, or her knack for being keenly observant, but the star definitely looked brighter than the rest. She sighed.
It had been a long day at the lab, she was probably seeing things. Or perhaps it was a planet. She was too tired to ponder on it too long, her mind was exhausted.
Working at a lab and taking care of a family wasn't an easy job. Sliding the last dish into its slot, Harley closed the dish washer.
She knew the routine from this point on. First she would check on Dib, who would never go to sleep when she told him to. Then she would check on Gaz, who has already been put to bed. She would do this every night, go to bed, and then be woken up momentarily by her husband coming home late from the lab, both of them being extremely successful scientists.
She dried her hands and began to climb the stairs. The stairs creaked under her slippers and she winced, hoping she hadn't woken up Gaz, who would wale for hours if awoken.
She sometimes thought about Gaz and Dib who were very smart for their ages. Gaz being one year old, and Dib being three years old. She loved her children with all her heart, and she wished she could have more. If only her job didn't occupy so much of her time. She already didn't get to see them as much as she liked. Science though, she valued almost as high as her family, and felt she couldn't live without.
As she reached the last step at the top of the stairs, a shiver ran down her spine. Her eyes immediately flickered to Gaz's bedroom door, which was the first one on the left, facing the backyard. Harley tiptoed towards her daughter's door, careful not to make a sound, slowly opening it to peer inside.
She saw Gaz sleeping peacefully in her crib, the light from the moon bathing her in a pale glow. Harley looked out the window. There was that star, standing bright among its brethren. It seemed close, floating there but actually light years away. Harley smiled, her nervous feeling gone.
She slowly tiptoed to the crib. Gaz's silky locks of striking purple hair were gently lying in her face. Harley carefully moved the hair out of her child's face. The light from the moon made Gaz's pale skin seem luminous. "I love you Gaz." She whispered as she gently kissed her forehead. Harley turned around and slowly shut the door. Her last glimpse of Gaz was her peacefully resting in her crib.
Harley walked over to Dib's room quietly. She pressed her ear against the door. She heard the hushed flipping of pages.
"Not again..." She moaned.
She opened the door to find Dib with the covers over his head, his reading light showing through the baby blue sheets decorated with UFOs. She slowly pulled the sheet off of Dib's abnormally big head. No one knew why it was so big. Harley had to have a sea section when Dib was born because his head wouldn't come out. Dib looked up at her sheepishly, snapping his book shut.
"I wasn't doing anything mommy." He said.
Harley laughed. You think he'd be able to come up with a better excuse considering he was smart enough to read magazines at age 3. Harley sighed and plopped down next to Dib on the bed.
"Watcha reading then?" She asked, examining the discarded book.
It was one of her magazines about space exploration, particularly, extraterrestrial life forms.
"Following in your mom's footsteps huh?" She asked with a weary smile.
Dib could only nod; still convinced he was in trouble. He should be, considering he'd been told countless times to go to bed when asked to. Harley was tired though, too tired for punishing. She smiled as an idea popped into her mind.
"Oooh you better be careful, you don't want the aliens to know you're learning too much about them.
"Why not mommy?!" Dib asked sounding alarmed.
Harley paused for a moment, looking both ways as if to make sure no one was listening. She beckoned for Dib to come closer.
"Because…They'll…GET YA!" She whispered tickling Dib.
Dib let out a laugh and his mother frantically shushed him. She looked in his eyes and there was a mutual understanding. Wake Gaz up and they went down together. Dib knew the next part. He sadly hopped onto the bed and let his mother tuck him in.
"Go to sleep Dib, for mommy." She whispered and she kissed his forehead.
Harley picked up the magazine and quietly walked out of Dib's room, slowly shutting his door which was especially creaky.
Finally all was right and she could go to sleep. She walked longingly down the hall, her eyes fixated on her bedroom door. She was tired; she craved sleep like the starving craves food.
Maybe if she hadn't been so infatuated with rest, she would've heard the whispers. She might've heard the quiet footsteps. She might've heard the sliding sound of the window opening. She was in a daze, and the bed was close. She collapsed into the inviting comfort waiting in the mess of sheets. Her last thoughts lingered on the star, the very bright star, then, crying erupted from down the hall.
She hurled herself out of bed, the sound of her child crying shooting adrenaline through her veins. Harley ran down the hall to her darling child's bedroom. She threw open the bedroom door and was blinded by the gleaming light.
Two silhouettes stood in the window. Their bodies were unnatural, their backs long and hunched, something sticking out from the back that she might have identified as a spine. Their arms were long with talon like hands that could pierce steel with one swipe.
Her eyes darted towards Gaz, and all at once a story from her childhood came back to her. She dashed for her, sweeping her out of the crib. The figures started towards her, their talons outstretched.
"Stay in your room Dib!" Harley cried as she ran down the stairs. She ran past the front door, then the kitchen, then the living room. She stopped by the basement door.
The basement was where they kept their at home lab. She typed in the code urgently and she heard the figures slowly walking down the stairs. They knew she had no chance to survive, no way of escaping their clutches. Harley stumbled down the stairs. Gaz had stopped wailing, as if she knew she must remain silent.
"The door will keep them out for a while, but not long enough." Harley said as she quickly scanned the tables. There was a smoke bomb lying on the table. She slid it under the door, but didn't stay to hear the outraged cries come from the creatures. Harley took Gaz further into the lab.
"Oh my little Gazlene what evil have I brought upon you? I should've known they'd come back, they want revenge for what my mother did."
Harley reached around her neck and took off her most precious belonging. A necklace with a skull pendant attached.
"Gaz, listen carefully, you are a smart child and mommy loves you very much." Her mother chided in a rushed but soft tone.
A tear or two slipped from her eye. Pull it together Harley. She thought.
"You've been chosen. If you're chosen, they'll track you. If they track you, they'll find you when you're of age. When they find you, they'll take you."
Harley put the necklace around Gaz, who smiled as if nothing was wrong.
"This will make it hard for them to sniff you out. It will block their tracking signals, but you're still in danger. The mark on your arm, never show it to anyone, never show it."
The sound of a door being knocked down echoed through the lab. Smoke rolled in as the two figures stepped in, now illuminated by the light. They were hideous, beady eyes, scrawny bodies, yet Harley knew what they were capable of. She hugged Gaz tight.
"I love you Gaz." She whispered, tears streaming down her face. One figure approached, holding up a gun. All the garbled noises the monsters had made up to this point were unrecognizable, but these words Harley could understand.
"Only One" The creature hissed, as it decorated the floor with the blood of a mother.
XxxxX
I jolted upright, my body shaking from the terror I had just experienced. I hugged myself, rocking back and forth on my bed, trying to collect my thoughts.
It was that dream again, the one of my mother speaking to me, warning me. I'd been having it since I was 5. This time, though, there was more. My dreams had always consisted of one part, my mother's warning.
Now I had seen the entire night, the creatures, my brother, everything. It was enough to make me shudder. After having these dreams for so long, I never thought they'd change. Now, it was ten times worse than before.
I could still remember her face, her eyes filled with love, and then their emptiness as she fell to the ground, never to whisper "I love you Gaz" Ever again.
It was only a dream though. I had asked my dad countless times what had happened to my mom, and I got the same answer every time. He said that they found mom in the lab, her lying on the floor with a gun in her hand.
I suppose the dream was just a way for me to cope with the truth. My mother committed suicide, for an unknown reason. She left behind her family she loved and cared for. One thing about the dream was true though, I did have my mother's skull necklace.
I clutched the pendant and stroked it with my thumb. Before my mother's end, she gave me the necklace. I've had it since I was born, and I feel like it's my only connection with my mom.
I've had it checked out of course, and it's just a regular necklace, no device inside, just a hollow wooden pendant.
"Gaz! C'mon we're gonna be late!" Dib yelled in his annoying voice.
"I'll be ready in a few, you go without me."
I was tired and shaken up. The last thing I needed was to be forced to listen to Dib's rambling.
"Are you sure Gaz?!"
"YES, I'm fine, now leave stupid!"
I heard shuffling and then the door closing. I slowly moved my feet onto the floor and stood up. I felt like I had taken a punch to the gut.
I growled "Get it together, it's just a stupid dream, besides, you don't have a mark on you, there's nothing to it. It was just a pointless dream."
I'm pretty good at shutting things out that scare me. I've been doing it since I was little. Just turn your sadness into anger then nothing can hurt you.
I pushed the dream out of my mind, settling back into my usual routine. I opened my closet, the dark shades of purple pleasing to my eyes. I searched through my closet for something matching my mood, pissed off.
I saw a long sleeved black shirt with a skull printed on it. I slipped it over my undershirt. It was a little snug, but I hardly cared. It was a longer shirt, coming down a little past my hips.
Then I put on purple leggings about the shade of my hair and strapped on my black combat boots.
I looked in the mirror studying myself. It made me embarrassed. I was supposed to be mean, to not care what I looked like, but I occasionally caught myself gazing into my mirror.
When I was younger my body was flat like a newspaper. Now I look in the mirror and see that not much has changed. I can see the curves a little now, little hints that I'm growing.
I run a brush through my violet hair which used to be short and tame. Now it seems long and wild, which I hate.
I look at my arms, which are the best things about me. Because of my bodies petite build, they look skinny, but I'm the only girl at school who can do more than 10 pull-ups, though I'm never motivated enough to try.
I shook my head, ashamed at myself. If anyone saw this side of me they'd laugh. Gaz the irritable girl with a bad temper staring at herself. I'd laugh too if I weren't her.
I abruptly turned away from the mirror and picked up my GS3. The only thing in this world that allowed me to tune out whatever problem I confronted. In a way it was my only friend. I threw my backpack over my shoulder and walked down the stairs. One of them creaked, and it reminded me of Dib's door in our old house, the one that was especially creaky.
I opened the door and began to walk to school. I buried myself in my gameslave, my legs going on autopilot. After walking to high school in this fashion for a year I had memorized every crack and bump. I focused on slaughtering my enemies, no vampire piggy was safe.
Everything was as it should be until I bumped into him.
I fell to the ground and held my head in my hands.
"Watch where you're going, idiot" I said.
Anyone who wasn't an idiot would've run from me, knowing the consequences would be dire. He, however, wasn't exactly smart.
"No you watch where YOU'RE going STINK BEAST!" Zim yelled in his unnaturally annoying voice.
I growled but decided to let it go. I needed to get to school. I got up and pushed past Zim, muttering some words I believe he was very astonished to hear directed at him.
I put my gameslave away, not bothering with it. I was already out of the "Zone". I couldn't help but let my thoughts wonder to that sorry excuse of an invader. He had been here five years and still hadn't managed to conquer Earth.
He had been getting better though, as time went on. Once or twice he actually almost did it, but was stopped by Dib, who had also become more diligent.
I also was perplexed by how Zim was growing. Apparently, Earth's gravity was changing him, making him taller. He was taller than me, but I'm fairly short for my age. His ego hadn't changed though. Still a few brain cells short of a potato's intelligence.
I remembered 7th grade when he came to me, and he asked me to a dance because he thought it would enrage Dib. I said yes, only because I thought it would be funny to see them fight.
Zim and I might've been on different sides when it came to enemies, but we had some things in common. I began to remember what happened in eighth grade….
"No Gaz! You promised you'd never think about that again." I said, mentally slapping myself.
I walked through the school doors, the halls halfway cleared out as the minutes to tardiness ticked. I casually strolled to my locker, kids automatically moving out of my way.
When I got to my locker I saw the person I least wanted to see, Molly Hoover. She stood there with her group of girls, snickering and pointing at me.
"Oh look, its Goth girl, we were just talking about you." Molly said a smirk across her face.
"Huh that's funny; I thought I smelled a rat." I said, glaring at her.
Molly seemed to ignore my comment. "We wanted to know, since your dad is a scientist and all, can he come up with a serum to make you less revolting?"
Her clique laughed as if it were the funniest thing they had ever heard.
I growled. "Get out of here before I make your ugly face even uglier with my fist."
Molly scoffed "C'mon girls lets go, wouldn't want to be tardy."
She sashayed off, her girls following her like a group of lost puppies.
I growled and opened my locker. Molly made me sick, and I wouldn't mind telling her right to her disgusting face.
Just as I was closing my locker the tardy bell rang. Groups of shady looking kids made their way to the bathroom so they could skip class.
I made my way to first period, which was math. It was boring, as always. I thought about playing my gameslave, but that, combined with my tardy, might get me detention, which I hoped to avoid.
So I was confined to the entertainment of my mind. I thought briefly about my dream, but more about what I was going to do to Molly.
Math passed, after math I had reading. Everything was boring as usual. I wondered about the dream. I had never met my grandma, so I had no idea what she could've done to evoke the wrath of aliens.
I was lost in thought, when suddenly, a searing pain sprung up in my left arm. I stifled a cry of pain as I raised my hand. I asked to go to the bathroom where I knew I could deal with this in private. When the teacher said yes I jumped out of my seat and ran towards the door. I urgently ran, clasping my arm, as if that would stop the pain.
When I got to the bathroom I pulled my sleeve up. There was a symbol stretched out across my left forearm. It reminded me of a bar code, a rectangle with three black symbols I didn't recognize. I decided to touch it. A sharp pain shot up my arm and I winced.
The symbols swirled, making what looked a little like letters. The deep black ink almost looked like blood in the dim light. I winced, getting an image of my mother lying on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding her head.
I placed my hands on the sink, clutching the edges as if I might fall. My body trembled as I looked at my reflection. I almost didn't recognize the quivering little girl, staring back at me. I stared into my amber eyes. It was beginning.
I stayed in the bathroom until lunch, trying to figure out what to do next. When the bell rang I slowly walked into the cafeteria, trying to hide so Dib wouldn't find me like he usually does. No such luck.
"Gaz!" Dib said, smiling at me.
He walked towards our table, expecting me to follow him. When he turned around I was already running in the other direction. I had to escape, I couldn't talk right now.
"Gaz, wait!" Dib said, chasing after me.
I ran outside into the courtyard and hid behind a bush, trying not to cry. The dream was real, it was entirely real.
Despite my wishes Dib found me. I pulled my legs to my chest and buried my face in my knees.
Dib sat next to me, for once in his life quiet.
"Gaz, please tell me what's wrong."
I shook my head. I wasn't opening up to Dib of all people; I should be beating him up.
"Go away Dib." I said, giving him my death glare.
He gave me a sad expression that might have been pity, which enraged me further.
"LEAVE ME ALONE DIB!" I shouted.
Everyone turned to look at us. I glared at them and they all turned away pretending they hadn't heard. I buried my head back into my knees. I heard Dib get up and walk away.
I was alone for a while, until I heard footsteps nearing me.
"Go away Dib." I mumbled.
Then I heard a girl's annoying laughter, followed by her clique's laughter.
"What do you want Molly?" I growled.
"Oh, just wanted to tell you how pretty you look." Molly said, as the girls behind her snickered.
"Really" I said in a sarcastic voice as I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, in fact, I think your necklace is awesome." Molly said.
Before I knew what was happening she had ripped off my necklace and handed it to her friend.
"No! Give it back!" I yelled.
"If you want it so bad, make me." Molly sneered as her friend threw it to the ground and stomped on it. I heard a crack and shuttered. They laughed and walked away, leaving me to my sorrow. My pendant lay broken on the ground, the white wood split into pieces.
I didn't cry. I sat there in disbelief. My only connection to my mother, gone.
My only protection, gone.
XxxxX
Author's note:
Well, that was chapter one…. Possibly the most boring chapter in the entire story. I swear it gets better. So if you didn't get it in the description I, Invaderness, and Then Darkness Fell are writing this story together. We have a LOT of ideas and the story will get better. The ZaGr doesn't come in until later so if you're waiting for that, you have a while. Please R&R and there will be more chapters on the way.