Braids
Chapter 1
Lonely Birthday
"Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to Dib. Happy birthday to me," Dib sang to himself. He blew out the number candles which read 20. He sighed and looked around his empty apartment; he wished he had someone to share his birthday with. His father, he hadn't seen since he moved out. And Gaz... she disappeared with Zim, five years ago.
Dib looked at the phone, "Dad could at least call... It's my 20th birthday for crying out loud." He stood, "Well, I better get to work," he said retrieving his car keys. He walked out the apartment door, and locked it behind him. Dib climbed down the stairs, out the door, and into his car. He drove around the streets for about two minutes before reaching his destination.
He walked into a small building, where he worked seven hours a day, six days a week. He was his own boss, and made up his own hours. And being the only employee, received all the money. But the money wasn't much, he'd get one customer a week, if he was lucky. It was boring at times, and he remembered as a kid he always dreamed of opening his own paranormal investigation service, but now he saw it wasn't exciting as it seemed.
He had been working at "Dib's Paranormal Investigation Center" for two years, and solo. All alone, even though he had a HELP WANTED sign up ever since he opened. He sighed and sat down at the front desk, patiently awaiting, like always. But he didn't have to wait long, for a young woman walked in. Dib gazed at her; she looked about his age, beautifully tanned skin, dark brown hair tied into five braids. Dib shook his head as if coming out of a trance, "Anything I can do for you?"
"Yeah," she walked over to the counter, "Are you hiring?"
"Yeah! Yeah, we are."
"We?" she looked about the place, "And who is we?"
"Uh... me. Just me."
She grinned, "Well, do I get the job?"
"Well... do you have experience in the paranormal? Have you ever encountered anything?"
"Yes... Saw a UFO when I was seven, I was labeled "Crazy" from that point on. I demanded to know more of these beings from distant galaxies, and did research every chance I got. I became amazed of all the mysteries human kind has yet to solve. And whenever something odd happened, I was there, ready to solve the mystery, ready to catch a flying saucer on tape, ready for the unexplained." She smiled, "Well, do I get the job?"
Dib nodded, "You seem great! I mean, you've researched and studied the paranormal since a seven?! That's great, you must know a lot about the paranormal!"
She laughed, "Yeah... pretty crazy, huh?"
"Not really. It's not at all farfetched! I was the same way growing up."
"Cool. So when do I start?"
"I dunno... How about you stick around today, and I'll show you how things work... Then tomorrow, you officially start."
"Sounds good to me. How much will I be paid?"
"40 bucks a case."
"Not bad..." she walked around the counter, and stood beside Dib, "So do we have any cases to solve, right now?"
"Well... one... kinda."
"What do you mean, kinda?"
" This old lady claims that her house is being haunted, but all I have is her word. I've searched her house many times, and not one shred of evidence to back her up was found."
"Did you use a heat detector?"
"Yes."
"Aw, but everywhere?"
"Yes."
"EVERYWHERE?"
"... not everywhere. Mrs. Johnson, the old lady, doesn't allow me to investigate her room."
"That's probably where the ghost hides, if there is one."
"But she doesn't let me in there."
"That's probably because you're a guy. The next time you go, take me."
"OK, uh... uh--" Dib smacked his forehead, "What's your name?"
She laughed, "Oh, right. My name's Esther."
"I'm Dib," he said shaking Esther's hand.
"Nice hair," Esther laughed.
"Ha ha, very funny. Have you looked in a mirror yourself?"
"What?"
He pulled on one of her braids, "Another mystery to solve: What's up with Esther's hair."
She blushed, "They're just braids."
"No one has wore braids since... like the year 2300!"
"I like them, they're neat-o."
Dib smiled, "Braids."
Chapter 1
Lonely Birthday
"Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to Dib. Happy birthday to me," Dib sang to himself. He blew out the number candles which read 20. He sighed and looked around his empty apartment; he wished he had someone to share his birthday with. His father, he hadn't seen since he moved out. And Gaz... she disappeared with Zim, five years ago.
Dib looked at the phone, "Dad could at least call... It's my 20th birthday for crying out loud." He stood, "Well, I better get to work," he said retrieving his car keys. He walked out the apartment door, and locked it behind him. Dib climbed down the stairs, out the door, and into his car. He drove around the streets for about two minutes before reaching his destination.
He walked into a small building, where he worked seven hours a day, six days a week. He was his own boss, and made up his own hours. And being the only employee, received all the money. But the money wasn't much, he'd get one customer a week, if he was lucky. It was boring at times, and he remembered as a kid he always dreamed of opening his own paranormal investigation service, but now he saw it wasn't exciting as it seemed.
He had been working at "Dib's Paranormal Investigation Center" for two years, and solo. All alone, even though he had a HELP WANTED sign up ever since he opened. He sighed and sat down at the front desk, patiently awaiting, like always. But he didn't have to wait long, for a young woman walked in. Dib gazed at her; she looked about his age, beautifully tanned skin, dark brown hair tied into five braids. Dib shook his head as if coming out of a trance, "Anything I can do for you?"
"Yeah," she walked over to the counter, "Are you hiring?"
"Yeah! Yeah, we are."
"We?" she looked about the place, "And who is we?"
"Uh... me. Just me."
She grinned, "Well, do I get the job?"
"Well... do you have experience in the paranormal? Have you ever encountered anything?"
"Yes... Saw a UFO when I was seven, I was labeled "Crazy" from that point on. I demanded to know more of these beings from distant galaxies, and did research every chance I got. I became amazed of all the mysteries human kind has yet to solve. And whenever something odd happened, I was there, ready to solve the mystery, ready to catch a flying saucer on tape, ready for the unexplained." She smiled, "Well, do I get the job?"
Dib nodded, "You seem great! I mean, you've researched and studied the paranormal since a seven?! That's great, you must know a lot about the paranormal!"
She laughed, "Yeah... pretty crazy, huh?"
"Not really. It's not at all farfetched! I was the same way growing up."
"Cool. So when do I start?"
"I dunno... How about you stick around today, and I'll show you how things work... Then tomorrow, you officially start."
"Sounds good to me. How much will I be paid?"
"40 bucks a case."
"Not bad..." she walked around the counter, and stood beside Dib, "So do we have any cases to solve, right now?"
"Well... one... kinda."
"What do you mean, kinda?"
" This old lady claims that her house is being haunted, but all I have is her word. I've searched her house many times, and not one shred of evidence to back her up was found."
"Did you use a heat detector?"
"Yes."
"Aw, but everywhere?"
"Yes."
"EVERYWHERE?"
"... not everywhere. Mrs. Johnson, the old lady, doesn't allow me to investigate her room."
"That's probably where the ghost hides, if there is one."
"But she doesn't let me in there."
"That's probably because you're a guy. The next time you go, take me."
"OK, uh... uh--" Dib smacked his forehead, "What's your name?"
She laughed, "Oh, right. My name's Esther."
"I'm Dib," he said shaking Esther's hand.
"Nice hair," Esther laughed.
"Ha ha, very funny. Have you looked in a mirror yourself?"
"What?"
He pulled on one of her braids, "Another mystery to solve: What's up with Esther's hair."
She blushed, "They're just braids."
"No one has wore braids since... like the year 2300!"
"I like them, they're neat-o."
Dib smiled, "Braids."