Invader ZIM © Jhonen Vasquez/Nickelodeon
Someone turned on a television. And, after some white noise static, a local news station came on.
(("..With one week until the meteor shower predicted by our top scientists,
Many residents in the general area are gearing up to watch the splendor of falling stars in the night sky.
I certainly know what THIS reporter will be wishing for..
BUT, on a more depressing note..Tragedy struck our mediocre city when a woman was found dead in her apartment.
Sadly, we cannot show you the photos taken by the police, as they are too graphic to be shown on television..
..BUT, it is perfectly okay for us to describe the carnage.
Miss Cortex was found with her entire chest cavity torn open, and emptied of all of her internal organs
(which were eventually found hidden in specific places in her apartment like Easter Eggs.)
Her throat had also been slit open (which was what presumably killed her.)
and, her cheeks were slices apart, resulting in her jaw hanging open in a VERY unsettling manner.
The police report described it as (and, I am reading a very loose summary here..)
'a Horrendous murder committed by one very deranged wacko.'
Miss Cortex leaves behind a ten year old son named Sidney Cortex.
Who was away with a friend at the time the murder took place, and initially discovered her body.
There were talks of Social Services getting involved,
BUT we are told that Sidney lives with an older cousin in co-habitation.
The police were unable to question said older cousin,
as she was out of town on business, and as such was "unreachable"
Sidney has also declined to answer ANY questions."))
For once, it was very quiet in the classroom of the recently returned Mr. Elliot.
All eyes stared at Sid, as he sat in a very far off corner away from everyone.
And, Sid's expression was downright disturbing.
His eyes remained open, and never once appeared to blink.
he had an expression of someone who felt dead inside. No emotion at all.
Nothing Positive, or even Negative..just NOTHING.
This made Gaz feel..uncomfortable.
An overly cheerful Sid she could tolerate, and she could even handle Sid when he was a mindless savage.
..but, an unfeeling zombie was something that genuinely made Gaz' skin crawl.
She couldn't read someone like that. Making their next actions unpredictable.
Although, all Sid had done lately is sit alone, and do nothing.
He never spoke a word, and didn't even seem to eat anything, either.
Apart from busying himself with homework, he just seemed "lifeless".
*hey, gaz..* Gaz scowled at one of her classmates. *what?*
*was it really as bad as the news say?* asked the student, clearly referring to Sid's dead mother.
*It's something that I won't soon forget ever seeing.* answered Gaz.
*did you take any pictures?* asked the student rather bluntly.
Gaz took offense to this, and grasped her classmate's throat, choking him.
*someone's mother just died..and, Sid is clearly traumatized.* growled Gaz.
*so, unless you want me to tear you a new asshole..show some god. damn. respect.*
The student nodded in terror. *r-right. sorry.*
Gaz released him..and, looked back to Sid. As usual, he didn't show any sign of being self-aware.
Gaz wondered what he must be thinking (or, even if he was thinking about anything.)
What effect had all this done to his already fractured mind?
Gaz shuddered to even think at how much worse his psyche may yet crumble..if not already.
The bell rang, heralding yet another end of the school day.
Gaz walked out, and immediately looked around for Sid.
Throughout the whole day, Sid never spoke to her, nor even looked at her.
It was almost as if Sid was..ignoring her.
Gaz finally did spot Sid..who was already departing down the sidewalk.
Usually they walked home together..NOW, Sid was being unusually reclusive.
It somehow felt familiar to Gaz.
"Sid!..WAI-!"
"GAZ!" Gaz was barred from reaching Sid by Dib suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
"Get out of my face, DIB! I need to-"
"Guess what, Gaz! I saw ZIM!" exclaimed Dib, ignoring his sister's protests.
"He was speaking with Zita, and looked very shifty. I THINK HE'S BRAINWASHED HER!"
"I don't care, Dib. I need to go-" Gaz was suddenly dragged away by Dib pulling at her wrist.
"COME ON, GAZ! We have to go see what Zim is up to!"
Gaz growled, then proceeded to bash Dib's head with her (surprisingly sturdy) GameSlave.
BUT, it was all in vain, as Dib was somehow ignore the blows to his head, and continued to drag Gaz away.
[Later That Day..]
Sid lay slumped against a wall in the very room where his mother was murdered.
his head swayed around, a stoned look on his face.
The boy has grown considerably slimmer, given his refusal to eat and drink anything.
"i never..should had left her..ALONE." spoke Sid, his voice raspy and weak.
(("what you SHOULD'VE done was move her into the basement, dumbass.")) spoke a growling voice in Sid's head.
(("I mean, leaving her near a window with no curtains?!, you may as well had left the frickin door WIDE OPEN."))
This time, Sid didn't argue with his alternate personality.
..not when he knew that his harsh words were the truth.
"it's my fault..it's all my fault. I'm a horrible son..I don't deserve to live."
(("oh, so THAT'S why your going on this hunger strike, then..")) spoke the Other Sid.
(("You're actually trying to starve yourself. GOD, even your method of offing yourself is weak."))
Sid scowled..then, reached for his orange bottle of pills.
He removed the white cap..and then stared into the bottle.
Sid stared for a good long while..then, he slowly opened his mouth wide.
..Only for his pill bottle to be swiped out of his hand. spilling the contents all over the floor.
"FOR GOD'S SAKE, SID! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?" exclaimed Gaz, who only JUST walked in.
"leave me alone.." muttered Sid. "just..leave me alone, Gaz."
Gaz glared at Sid..then, forced him back onto his feet. "(*SLAP!*) Snap OUT of it, Sid.
Don't let that Bastard do this to you. Killing yourself is NOT the answer!"
Sid suddenly glared, and swiftly shoved Gaz away. "what do YOU care, GAZ!?" shouted Sid, his eyes dark.
"It's not like my death would stop this frickin' world from spinning!
and, I am just..so..TIRED!, I'm tired of being miserable..I just want my pain to END!"
Gaz breathed out sharply, caught off guard from Sid's sudden anger
(even more so that his eyes didn't turn red this time. In fact..they lacked ANY color.)
"sid..It's okay. I understand how you fee-"
"NO!, you DON'T!" snapped Sid. "How CAN you?!, you don't care about ANYTHING."
"Yes, I do!" retorted Gaz. "I care about YOU..we're FRIENDS, remember!?"
"friends.." spoke Sid, as if insulted by Gaz even using such a word.
"You don't HAVE any friends, Gaz. just gaming pawns..LACKIES.
You never really cared about me..you just cared about what I could do for YOU."
Gaz grimaced. she hated to admit it..but, PART of what Sid was saying was true.
She only ever valued the gaming skills of those that she called her "friends", and nothing more.
but, it was different with Sid..and, she knew why.
"It started that way, yes..but, I really DO care about you, Sid."
Sid turned his back to Gaz, evidently not believing her.
"SID..My mother fell into a coma, too." said Gaz, finally ready to open up.
"i..don't remember very much about her. I was just a toddler when it happened.
but, as long as I could remember..she was "sleeping". all the time.
I wanted so badly for her to wake up. So she could read me stories..and, play with me."
Gaz then paused. she felt the barriers that she spent years building around herself weakening.
Her lip quivered, and her eyes felt itchy and moist.
her emotions were trying to break free..and, she feared she could no longer hold them back.
"but, she..she.." a single tear finally broke..and, fell down Gaz' cheek. "she never woke up."
Gaz shut her eyes tightly..fresh, hot tears squeezing out and streaming down her cheeks.
"it hurt so damn much..watching her body being lowered into the ground." continued Gaz, her voice raspy.
"the pain got so unbearable..that I tried to repress all my emotions. Never letting myself feel anything."
Gaz finally let out a sob. "but, I..I CAN'T!" Gaz covered her face, and cried.
..perhaps for the first time since she was a young child.
"..I just..can't. I knew I couldn't..when I snuck into your house once, and saw your mom." confessed Gaz.
"I knew right then that you were going through the same thing that I did. and, when we..found her.
It was like the moment so long ago when I first found my mother dead..only MUCH worse.
So, YES, Sid. I do understand how you feel. I may be the only one who does."
Gaz finally looked..and, saw Sid staring at her.
His eyes were their normal blue again..and, filled with tears.
Sid finally fell to his knees before Gaz..and, cried. "i'm sorry..I didn't know."
Gaz gently stroked Sid's hair. "no..i'm sorry. I should've told you before."
Sid wept fresh tears. "I miss her..so much. I wanted to help her..I could've helped her."
Gaz knelt down, and looked right at Sid. "I know..but, hurting yourself won't bring her back.
And, it won't end the pain, either..it'll just make it worse. for those that STILL care about you."
Sid exhaled. "I know..and, i'm sorry, Gaz. I didn't mean to hurt you.
I..what I said to you just now. i..i'm sorry. Can you ever forgive me?"
Gaz frowned. "I should be asking YOU to forgive me. I claimed we were friends, yet I never treated you like one.
What you said..they were TRUE things. and, I'm sorry for making you feel that way."
Sid looked at Gaz..he then slowly put his arms around the girl, and hugged her.
..for ONCE, Gaz allowed him to do with with no urge to react violently.
"of course I forgive, Gaz. I could never hate you..I lo-" Sid froze, realizing what he nearly said.
"you what?" Sid pulled away, looking embarrassed. "i..I-I..I, uhh..LIKE you. I like you, Gaz."
Gaz eyed Sid..then, she grinned. "I like you too, Sid.
Now, promise me that you'll NEVER do anything like this ever again."
"I won't..I swear it." said Sid, his tone serious.
"I believe you." with that, Gaz leaned over and gave Sid a soft 'peck' on his cheek.
Sid froze right there, his entire face turning every shade of red possible.
He then comically tipped over, and fell to the floor.
"let's..go get you something to eat, Sid. you're all bony." said Gaz, mildly amused at Sid's awkwardness.
[End of Part 7]
[Author Notes]
yeah..I killed off Sid's mom.
Now, I originally had a different fate planned for her that involved lobotomy in an Insane Asylum,
but for creative reasons, I decided to just have her be the victim of a random home invasion.
This chapter mainly focuses on the aftermath of Sid's reason for living being ripped from him.
and, while I was tame with it, I felt it would be realistic for someone so mentally damaged to consider suicide.
(I checked, and such self-destructive thoughts are common for the mentally ill.)
But, really this was a turning point chapter where Gaz just opens her little box,
and allows herself to be vulnerable so Sid could come to his senses.
(and, maybe imply some character development for them both.)
I also gave Sid's alternate personality some character
as an aggressive voice in Sid's head, rather than just the "Rage Mode" Sid from before.
