It's been a while, no? Well, I suppose I should get on with the story…
Disclaimer: I do not own Invader Zim. Jhonen Vasquez does. I do not own the song Invasion either. The band Eisley does. I recommend them to the readers. C:
--
The memory of his back as he turned away is forever burned into my vision. I sometimes think I see him on the streets. He feels so close during those times…, so within reach.
The colorless words are burning our heels
as the bright lights of the city fade
Zim turned away and rushed out. I let him go…, so far away. I felt my hand go up. I felt it reach for him…, so far away now. My fingers gripped the air. I let out a slow breath and took a step forward.
"I'm going after him." I told Dib, my eyes narrowed and gleaming.
Taking the chase to curb our fear
as the bloodless mooncast's its face
I felt a fire spark within me. Before Dib could even utter a syllable, I was off, running faster than I ever had before. I felt every breath in my lungs, every step on the pavement.
"Gaz! Come back Gaz!" Dib yelled, but I was too far off. I'd always been too far off for him to reach.
My feat pounded into the ground. I heard my blood pumping in my ears. My chest felt tight, and my hands were clenched into fists.
I widened my eyes and rushed even faster. I couldn't see anything around me. Everything blurred…, but one thing remained the same. It was the vision of his eyes. I wanted those eyes. I wanted those eyes to look at me and only me.
Oh something's not right,
I can feel it inside,
Something's not right
Keep going. Never stop. Keep heading forward. You can do it. A new voice sang inside my head. This voice was so much different. No malice. Then, it hit me. It was my mother's voice.
The video came into my mind again. Mother…, she was so graceful. She was so beautiful. She was so much…, like me. My heart ached thinking about it.
I shook my head and pressed onward. Then, finally, I saw it. I saw my house…, but it wasn't the way I wanted to see it.
My breathing suddenly stopped.
You would take the breath from my throat
and you would take the cherished people that I hold
In front of me was a view I'd never wished to see. Well, that's not entirely truthful. It was a sight I'd never wished to see at a time like that.
My house was burning away or the upstairs at least. I stood there for a moment, numb and unthinking. I snapped back into reality.
"The video!" I heard myself scream. With those last words, I rushed forward, though a voice inside me was screaming for me to get away.
The doorway was clear of all flames. Only the upstairs burned. Sirens could be heard, but they were so far away.
All in time you will be one of us
painless, us blameless
go to sleep, this wont hurt a bit
shifting your shape to our shells
I broke the door down. Yes, you heard right. I slammed into it, and it gave away. It was so easy. It was just so easy…
I looked around, my head spinning. I knew exactly where I'd find the tape. It was upstairs, under my bed.
I dashed upstairs, my eyes burning, and my chest tight. I wheezed and coughed but didn't stop. No one could hear me. No one would care if I died and all for the sake of a stupid video.
Again, I was completely mistaken.
"Gaz!" That wasn't a voice from within my head. It was someone; a real person, if you could call him that.
There he was, in all his damnable glory, Zim, the one who had set my house on fire. He was standing at the top of the stairs, his face covered with a breathing device that was hooked up to his pak.
I took one look at him and dove past his arms, running to my room. Past the flames, past the memories, and past the one I loved the most, without ever knowing it.
Oh something's not right,
I can feel it inside,
Something's not right
I heard him fumble a little before heading after me. I had just reached my room and was about to touch the door knob when I finally knew, I knew, what I'd find inside. I placed my hand on the door knob and felt pain shoot up into my arm as I was burned. I twisted it open and jumped back.
The fire was all around my room, yet my bed seemed untouched. I was just about to jump inside when he caught me by the waist.
"What the irk do you think you're doing?!" He hissed in my ear, pulling me away from the room.
"I have to get it!" I screamed. "I can't leave without it! I can't!" I thrashed around in his grip, clawing at his fingers.
You would take the breath from my throat
and you would take the cherished people that I hold
you would take the breath from my throat
and you would take the cherished people that I hold
He grabbed me again, only this time, it was by the shoulders.
"What?! What do you have to get, tell me, for irk's sake? What could be so important that you would risk your wretched human life for?!" He demanded, shaking me.
"My mother!" I sobbed. I sobbed. That was another mistake. I let him see the me that no one should ever see. I let him see the other me. I let him see the weak me.
Zim's eyes widened. His head snapped around, and he scanned the room again.
"Mother…?" He asked. "There is no mother inside." He gave me a questionable look.
It's funny how a whole house can be coming down around you, yet you feel as if nothing is happening because you're so caught up in one moment. Your adrenaline is pumping. Your chest aches from lack of oxygen…, yet all you can focus on is getting the thing you love the most…, even though you're seeing it right in front of you.
And they will try to make us forget ourselves
one by one one by one
I had a coughed fit right in his face, the smoke burning my lungs and eyes. Zim tore off his mask and pressed it to my face.
"Idiot." He muttered, his eyes soft yet angry.
I glanced back into my room and saw that the fire was drawing closer and closer to my bed. I heard the sirens of fire trucks outside. Zim's eyes followed my own.
"I'll get whatever you need," He said, "if you just go to where it's safe! You're human life is more important then you think!" His eyes glazed over and hardened. I realize now that he was protecting them from the smoke. He was an alien, after all. I shouldn't have forgotten that.
Call me crazy but they are after us
one by one one by one
I gazed into his eyes, and he gazed into mine. I knew, from that moment, that he wasn't going to be here after all of it. I knew he would disappear, like everything else I had learned to love.
It was a metal box underneath my bed. Inside it was the video. The only thing I had left. Something I thought would never leave.
Zim took off the mask and shoved me towards the stairs. "Leave. I'll get it. I promise. Just…, leave!" He pointed to the stairs, his eyes pleading.
Leaving that stupid alien was the worst thing I could have done…, but I did.
You don't have to know the truth
if you believe it, I believe it too
you don't have to know the truth
if you believe it, I believe it too
I ran downstairs and into a fire fighter. He had kind eyes.
"Are you ok?!" He asked, grabbing me by the arm and rushing me outside to the ambulance. He screamed for medics, and I was taken away.
Zim had set up the fire so that no one would find a trace of evidence. I never saw him after that day.
It was all over the news, you know. 'Professor Membrane's house goes up in flames!' That's what they all said.
I met up with Dib at the hospital. He was sad and angry…, as well as confused. He gripped my hand in his and pleaded for forgiveness. When I didn't say anything, he sat by me and cried.
I stared at him for a moment, my eyes open and soft.
Oh something's not right,
I can feel it inside,
Something's not right
"It's ok," I said finally. He looked up, his nose running and eyes all red. I stroked his hair a little, an effort to make him feel better. "It's ok." My voice was soft as I repeated what I had said before.
Dib's eyes grew large. He gazed at me and put his head on the railing of my hospital bed. He started to cry again.
"W-what?" I demanded, getting irritated. "What's wrong?!"
He lifted his head up a smile plastered on his face. "Y-you l-look just like M-mom." He stuttered. I wanted to get angry at this remark, but I was too tired to make the effort.
We sat there together for a few moments, silent and thoughtful.
"Do you think we'll ever see him again?" I said suddenly, quietly.
Dib thought about this, his eyes downcast. "No..," He said finally. "Isn't that a good thing?"
"Dib…," I started, anger filling my voice. "He saved our lives. He saved your ass. Don't you think he's a good guy now? What more do you fucking need?!"
"Gaz…, I know what your saying is true, but I can't like someone after hating them for so long."
I sighed. "It doesn't matter anyway. I don't care."
You would take the breath from my throat
and you would take the cherished people that I hold
you would take the breath from my throat
and you would take the cherished people that I hold
I'm such a liar.
--
I'm thinking about a sequel, but only if you guys want one. I love you, readers! Thank-you for reading.
Btw, the only way you all will find out what's on the video is by me writing a sequel. Sorry!