"The afterlife… does it really exist? Or is it just a delusion we've created to alleviate the fear of death? Is it truly possible for our souls to move on after our physical bodies perish? Or do we truly cease to exist indefinitely? According to my research I-"
"BORING!!!" Sara yelled followed by combined laughter of the rest of the class.
Dib grunted and furrowed his brows at the ignorant fools. He turned to his teacher who had apparently passed out during his presentation. Dib's eyes widened in surprise and he actually wondered if she was still alive. Did she OD? Did she have an allergic reaction to something?
"Ha! Dib-Shit's boring drabble caused the teacher to die of boredom!" Zim cackled.
Dib clenched his fists tightly, suppressing his desire to rip the alien freak apart. They all laughed, these sheep who refuse to seek answers to the mysteries of the world. How he loathed them all, he couldn't WAIT until he got ahold of undeniable, In your face proof. A mischievous grin spread across his face and he walked back to his desk while simultaneously daydreaming of the day he would make them all choke on their words. The rest of the class chattered mindlessly, Zim was fidgeting with some alien looking device that seemed to be irritating him and Dib just rolled his eyes and stared at the clock wishing for this day to be over already.
The bell rang, and the herd of skool children rushed to the door practically crushing one another. Zim and Dib waited impatiently for them to stop blocking the doorway. Zim growling and tapping his foot all the while "I hate all of you horrible earth monkeys! Oh it will be a pleasant day indeed when I fffinally get to reduce this filthy planet to ashes'' he hissed.
Dib sighed, normally he would be ranting and raving, trying to shout to everyone in their proximity about what Zim just said. He just didn't have the energy today, he was over it. He just wanted to go home, watch mysterious mysteries, and continue his research. Zim was exhausting to deal with and overconfidence was always his downfall, Dib decided to let him fall to his own devices and only step in when absolutely necessary. Besides unbeknownst to Zim, Dib had planted a spy camera in his base, he had made a secret pact with Zim's computer that if Zim actually succeeded in doing something that would prove dangerous to the planet that he would be alerted immediately. Now if the enemy's computer could be trusted or not was a different story but constantly defending the Earth for the sake of ungrateful and incompetent people was getting old.
He let Zim march ahead of him, the Invader giving him a suspicious glare before he exited, Dib just rolled his eyes. He walked towards his sister's classroom almost getting slammed by the door by his former teacher Ms Bitters "DIB! Your sister is in detention for scaring another student so badly they defecated themselves! You can pick her up there in an hour!" She nagged before slithering away into the shadows. Dib groaned and walked towards the entrance of the Skool and sat on the stairs. He kicked his feet anxiously while he waited, bored out of his mind. "Longest...day...everrrr" he sighed to himself. He zoned out not noticing a tall shadowy figure creep up behind him, he was swiftly lifted up by his underwear painfully!
"NYAHHH! WH-WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Dib wailed, flailing suspended in the air.
He heard the collective sound of dark snickering around and his attacker dropped him, making him fall face first into the ground. "Hahaha he screams like a little bitch!" Chunk laughed. Rob, the tallest of the group had held a grudge against Dib since the former called his father a yeti, he grabbed and emptied Dib's backpack "Look at all this freaky bullshit!" He snickered.
Dib picked himself up, but stopped for a moment as he noticed his nose was bleeding from the impact. Carl picked up some of Dib's notebook and flipped through it "THIS GUY! haha! He actually thinks he's seen his dead mom's ghost!" He laughed.
"Let go of my stuff!" Dib screamed before tackling him, but Carl had tossed the notebook to Chunk.
"Aw man Dib you just get crazier and crazier!" He taunted.
"GIVE IT BACK!" he yelled and attempted to rush the bully but Carl yanked him back and punched him in the face. Chunk then handed the notebook to Rob.
"Tsk Tsk Dib! You know I actually feel sorry for you! You really need help!" He smirked and got out a lighter from his pocket. "This is for your own good buddy" he snickered and set fire to the notebook.
"STOP! YOU MORONS!!!" He shrieked and pushed Carl away scurrying to his notes as quickly as he could. He tried desperately to put out the fire. He did but too late, all his research and evidence turned to ash. He stood before the mess, numb to the world around him.
"Maybe without all your cuckoo notes you'll actually be able to have NORMAL conversations with people" Rob sneered while the other two goons nodded in agreement.
"Idiots…" he mumbled
"What was THAT?" Tod asked
Dib turned to them, "Idiots! You're all IDIOTS! TOO AFRAID! TOO STUPID! To realize that maybe just maybe there's more to life than just us! Aliens, Vampires, Spirits and yes… yetis all exist! And one day you're alll gonna be kissing my ass begging for forgiveness! Because I'll be FAMOUS and you'll all still be NOTHING! " He spat.
The three of them just looked at him stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"What's so funny?" A sharp female voice asked darkly.
The bullies stopped laughing abruptly and gasped. The three slowly turned to see the tiny yet feared younger Membrane spawn. A hardened glare shot their way, instantly chilling their bones. "W-We were just leaving! Let's go guys!" Rob stuttered. The trio of cowards ran away as quickly as they could leaving the Membranes in the dust.
Dib took a deep breath and started to pick up his belongings scattered across the school yard. Gaz shook her head in pity, sighed and began to help him. The two exchanged a look before wordlessly beginning the trek back home. The walk seemed longer than usual, the awkward silence between them not helping in the slightest. Gaz stopped suddenly and tugged at Dib's Trenchcoat, he turned around with a confused expression.
"You know, I'm not always going to be around to defend your ass right? You need to tell Dad what's going on!" She grumbled.
Dib scoffed "I don't - You really think - I DEPEND on you to protect me?" He asked, offended.
Gaz crossed her arms "And what would've happened to you if I didn't show up when I did?" She asked.
Dib cringed "Y-Y-You know what? Nnno! I would've been JUST fine!" He yelled.
"Dib… you're trying my patience now! I feel bad for you but you're too old to be in denial! These attacks are getting more violent the older you become!" She grabbed the collar of his shirt and held her fist to his face "Tell Dad or I WILL BE THE ONE TO END YOU!" she shouted, her voice echoing throughout the whole neighborhood.
Dib lifted both hands up in surrender "Okay, okay I'll tell him… I don't know why you think he'll care but I'll tell him" he pouted.
She released him "Good! Now was that so hard?" She asked.
Dib pressed on "YES!" he answered.
The two strolled up to their shared residence and entered. They took off their respective backpacks, and they were about to head towards their rooms before Foodio 3000 stopped them "Hello Dib! Hello Gazlene! Dinner tonight will be early as per your father's orders! Please wash your hands and report to the kitchen immediately!" He droned.
They both groaned, annoyed having their routine disturbed but did as they were told. Gaz washed up first and took her seat at the table "What do you think we're having tonight?" She asked bored.
Dib washed up and turned around "I don't know, I'm not that hungry either" he answered before he pulled up a chair.
"Good evening children! We'll be having something spectacular tonight!" Professor Membrane declared loudly from another room. The two adolescents perked up for a split second shocked to hear their father's voice only to be disappointed when a floating tv monitor entered the kitchen.
Gaz slumped back into her chair "Pizza?" She asked.
The Professor laughed, "Ha ha, that's hilarious daughter!"
Dib drummed his fingers on the table "Bacon Cheeseburgers?" He asked meekly
"No of course not! We're having my newest invention! Liquefied MEAT!" He bellowed.
Foodio lit up the kitchen with a yellowish green glow and materialized the Professor's invention into two glasses and pushed them towards the two horrified looking children. "Don't forget your straws!" Membrane ordered. Gaz looked at her father with her mouth agape in shock.
"Y-You can't really expect us to eat this dad!?" Gaz shouted.
Dib twirled his meat around with his straw "I wasn't hungry anyways" he sighed.
"Now now children! This is good for you! I've specifically made it for each of you! Gaz you have anemia, this particular mixture is loaded with iron and will help with that!" He explained.
"...I'd rather die…" she growled.
The Professor sighed "Oh very well, can't say I didn't try" he then turned to Dib "And for you son…liquefied tuna! Loaded with omega threes designed to FUEL that enormous brain of yours!" He elaborated.
"You should make him something that gives him more muscle mass or strengthens his bones" Gaz grumbled before she caved and drank some of her "meat" causing her to gag instantly.
"Why would I want to do that?" Membrane asked.
Gaz stopped her gagging momentarily to shoot Dib a look. Dib groaned knowing he had to basically tell his Dad how weak he is.
"She's saying that because I got attacked today by a group of bullies," he said.
"Pardon me son but what else is new? You've always been teased! All great men of science are!" He beamed.
"It was more than just teasing Dad!" Gaz snapped.
"They gave me a wedgie, most likely broke my nose and destroyed all my evidence of life beyond death! I had proof! And they burned it!" Dib ranted.
The Professor was quiet for a moment, his expression unreadable behind those goggles of his. He took a deep breath "Gaz honey, if you're finished I'd like you to excuse yourself, your brother and I need to chat"
Gaz, still nauseous from her meal, scooted her chair away from the table and left holding her stomach and using the walls of the house as a crutch. Membrane turned his monitor in her direction making sure she was gone before turning his attention back to Dib. "Now son, please tell me this doesn't have to do with your mother again" he begged.
"I SAW HER DAD! In your lab! It was only for a second but I saw her!" Dib stressed.
"Son, you're 13 now! It's time to grow up! There are no such things as ghosts! It's harsh but the truth is your mother is gone and gone forever! She's never coming back! When we die we die!" Membrane shouted.
Dib furiously threw his "meal" at the wall and got up from the table "I KNOW what I saw! And I showed you! But you still refuse to believe me! Nothing I ever do is good enough for you!" He yelled.
"That picture was obviously altered with photo editing software! Son, your obsessions are unhealthy! You're losing your mind! I am trying to save it!" Membrane argued.
"YOU REALLY THINK I WOULD DO THAT?! I would never make a FAKE photo of Mom!" Dib screamed.
"You would do anything to try and prove me wrong Dib! You don't even care about the pain you're causing me and your sister! You're selfish and put your INSANE dreams above your own family" Membrane retorted.
Dib grinded his teeth together, his eyes bulged out of his head and his hands trembled in rage "I'm selfish? I'M SELFISH???!!! You're never even home! You don't even listen to me or Gaz! You put our needs and wants to the side for your STUPID agendas! How dare YOU call ME selfish!!!" Dib spat.
"Dib…" he growled.
"You know what Dad! Mom believed in ghosts, why can't you? I know if she was alive she would not only believe me but actually support me too" Dib heaved.
"I wish it was you…" Dib growled.
"What...did...you...say?" Membrane asked
"I WISH IT WAS YOU!!!" Dib shrieked.
"Dib?!" Membrane gasped.
Dib threw a plate from the table at the monitor, causing it to crack and blackout the picture.
"Dib Membrane! I'm warning you boy! You better stop breaking things in the house!" Membrane nagged.
"Oh great I can still hear you!" Dib groaned and shoved the monitor into a closet.
Foodio awkwardly approached Dib "Ummm please go to your room Dib, you are grounded" he whimpered.
Dib reached around the robot's neck and pressed a button, making his eyes flicker off and deactivate. "Sorry Foodio, but I got to get the fuck outta here for a while" he mumbled. Dib rushed upstairs and grabbed a few miscellaneous items, then went back downstairs and loaded up his backpack. He slammed the door and took off. Dib didn't pay attention to where he was going nor did he care. He was running on pure adrenaline and furious emotion, all he knew is that he needed to get away. He needed a break, he was suffocating in these recent failures and the harsh criticisms from the people that mattered most to him. He was so fed up. Done. He just needed some peace, a place to quiet these demons of self doubt that wouldn't leave him alone.
He stopped and got his breath, his body finally feeling the effects of his hasted retreat. His breath ghosted in front of him, he had just noticed how cold it was as he started to shiver involuntarily. He looked around to find he was shrouded in darkness save the faint light from the crescent moon that illuminated the trees. "Nice one Dib, getting lost in the woods is the PERFECT way to show Dad you're not insane!" He complained out loud and kicked the dirt.
He continued forward not even sure if he was going the right way and despite his freezing and tired body, he didn't even mind. He had found the quiet peace he had longed for. The only sounds he could make out were those of crickets and his own footsteps. "Well if I'm going to die this wouldn't be such a bad way to go, unless a bear eats me alive, that would suck" he rambled aloud. He continued forward hearing the faintest sound of water " Must be headed towards a river, I can follow that back home" he thought.
He cautiously moved in between the trees blocking the path to the river but halted instantly, hearing the echoing cries of… someone. He turned in the direction of the voice to see a glowing blue light. His eyes widened in wonder, "What...is...that? Could it be…" he wondered aloud, very stealthily pressing on. The cries became louder, the air became impossibly more chilling, but that light was all the more alluring. He caught sight of the source of those haunting cries. A seemingly teenage girl, blue skin and navy blue hair that floated in the air, her eyes though were pure white and spooked him. He hid himself behind a tree, trying to regain his composure. His heart was beating rapidly and he needed to calm down. " A Ghost girl! A real ghost! What if she wants to steal my soul! I have to be careful…" he mentally prepared himself.
The girl stopped her crying, she turned to look in the direction of the tree Dib hid behind. "Is someone there? Can you see me?" She asked gently. Dib's heart rate only spiked more, he got out a small compact mirror from his trenchcoat pocket. He held it up and tried to use it to look behind him. "It's okay you don't have to come out, I'm used to being alone" she said softly. In the mirror he saw her face, she looked the same except her eyes had changed from pure glowing white, to sapphire blue. Dib took a deep breath and gathered his strength.
He stopped hiding from behind the tree and walked into the direction of the girl "H-Hi ghost girl?" He said shakily.
The girl wiped her tears away and gave Dib a soft smile "Hi, don't worry I won't hurt you!" She said gently. "I'm surprised you can see me! No one ever sees me or hears me!" She beamed.
Dib laughed lightly "Man I know how that is!" He nervously rubbed the scythe in his hair. The girl tilted her head and frowned at Dib.
"You do?" She asked.
"Yeah, but I don't want to talk about that, let's talk about you! How long have you been a ghost? What abilities do you have? Did you have a chance to leave this world at one point?" Dib asked excitedly.
She laughed "Okay okay I'll answer all your questions but first you got to tell me your name".
Dib raised his brow "Why? You're not gonna steal my soul are you?" He asked suspiciously.
She gasped "No! I don't even think I can...can I? I don't know, I haven't tried it before" she answered.
Dib cleared his throat "My name is Dib, Dib Membrane" he said and held out his hand. The girl laughed and mimicked his body language "My name is Maple, Maple Saito" she smiled. She fake shook his hand playfully. The two of them laughed loudly at their attempted handshake and ridiculously formal introductions.
Dib cleared his throat again "I gotta say Maple, you're pretty funny for a dead person"
Maple giggled "Thank you, you're funny too!"
"So Maple, do you just float around in the forest all day?" Dib asked.
Maple sighed sadly "Yes I unfortunately cannot leave the forest, I've tried and I just wind up right back here" she explained.
Dib looked at her with a solemn look "That's terrible" he muttered.
"Yes, but what about you? What are you doing out here all by yourself?" She asked.
Dib groaned "It's a long story, ironic actually, My dad and I got into a fight about ghosts" he chuckled "WAIT A MINUTE! Maple! Would it be ok if I filmed you?" He asked suddenly.
Maple blinked, with a perplexed expression on her face "Filmed me?" She squeaked.
Dib took off his backpack and got out his video camera "I'm not sure when you died, but nowadays you can film things and show them to people" he explained.
"Like television? I don't see the harm but I don't think this will work out like you want it too" she relented her arms crossed behind her back timidly.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"I would love to help you prove yourself Dib, but if he doesn't believe in ghosts he will never see them" she explained "I've seen many people and creatures within this forest over the years I've been trapped here, but none of them have seen ME" she continued. "As a matter of fact you are the only one who's ever seen me since I've been dead" she blushed, a soft bright blue shade dusting her cheeks.
Dib's expression changed from one of excitement to sorrow, "Man Maple, I'm so sorry, you must be really lonely" he said and he reached for her hand only to go right through… making Maple laugh again.
"Don't be! This is the happiest I've been in a long time!" She smiled at him.
Dib laughed a little as well, the two exchanged a look of mutual comfort before Dib sat on a boulder beside her. Dib gulped before asking what could be a difficult question "So Maple… can I ask...what happened to you?" He shuddered.
Maple looked at him and for a moment her eyes turned completely white again, causing Dib to back up fearing he went too far, but her eyes flicked back to normal "I uhhh fell off my bike!" She squeaked.
Dib raised his brow "Fell off your bike? I fall off things all the time I don't die"
"All it takes is hitting your head the wrong way ONE TIME" she laughed nervously, fidgeting with her hands avoiding eye contact.
"Did you… fall in this forest?" He asked.
"Y-yes! My parents never found me! Yup that's all that happened! Lame huh?" She started to laugh even louder.
Dib tried to touch her shoulder and once again just went through her, he never realized just how touchy he was until trying to comfort his new ghost companion. He grew frustrated at himself for being so dumb, of course he can't comfort her, she's dead!
Maple looked at him wide eyed "Something wrong? Have I weirded you out?" She asked humbly, her eyes flickering between white and blue, she bit her lip holding back a sob.
Dib shook his hands "No no no not at all I just, feel bad is all, you've been stuck here alone so long" he assured her.
She sniffled "W-well yes for the most part I am bound to the forest, but on full moon nights I can leave as long as I stay under the moonlight! But it's not like I have anywhere I can go"
"Come with me!" Dib blurted out.
Mable's eyes lit up "Really? You mean it?" She asked with a quivering lip.
"Of course! You can come to my house! Well outside of it I guess, but still there's so much I can show you! And it's got to be better than staying in this boring old forest!" He raved.
Maple went in for a hug, sending the ultimate chills through Dib as she just floated through him. Dib teeth started chattering and he hunched over holding his sides "C-Cold! So cold!" He whimpered.
Maple knelt down beside him "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry! It's just… I'm so excited! Are you okay though?" She asked, concerned.
"I'm ffffine! I'll get over it" he shivered.
Maple pouted "I'm so sorry I really shouldn't have done that!" She apologized.
"Maple, I'm okay! Really!" He stammered.
Maple reached out to him out of instinct but retracted her hand for fear of freezing him again. An expression of sadness overcame her face again. Dib rubbed his hands together to warm them up, not wanting to leave just yet.
"So Maple, you said you've seen not only humans in the forest but also creatures?" He asked.
"Oh yes! All kinds! Not just animals either! The strangest creatures you can imagine!" She said with glee "Even aliens!" She blurted out before covering her mouth.
"Aliens!?" Dib asked.
She gasped "I'm sorry I know that sounds crazy! And you probably think I'm insane…"
"No! No! Maple, I KNOW aliens exist!" Dib shouted
Maple looked at him with disbelief "You're not just saying that to spare my feelings are you?" She asked.
"No! I go to school with one! His name is Zim!" Dib exclaimed.
"You go to school with an alien? Come to think of it, I believe the alien I saw was also named Zim" she replied.
"Zim was out here? When?" Dib asked.
"He comes out here often actually, he doesn't do much and speaks a strange language, from what I can gather he just fixes broken alien equipment" she explained.
"Broken alien equipment huh? What is he planning?" He thought aloud.
"So you go to school with this alien and no one thinks it's strange?" Maple asked
"He wears the crappiest disguise, and people fall for it! They make me so mad! I hate to tell you this Maple but people these days… are pretty stupid" Dib ranted.
"Aw that's disappointing! Sounds like things haven't changed that much" she sighed."I used to try and talk to my parents about the possibility of aliens and they just… yelled at me" she laughed.
"I can't tell you the amount of fights I've had with my dad about ALL this stuff: aliens, ghosts, vampires, Bigfoot" Dib laughed.
"Bigfoot! I know him! I can show you where he lives!" Maple squealed.
Dib sneezed "Really? That's awesome!" He started to shiver again.
Maple frowned "Dib I think you need to go back home, but come back tomorrow night and we'll go together ok?" She smiled.
Dib pouted "B-bbbut!" He sneezed again "Ah damn it why doesss it have to be so cccold!?" He cursed.
"You need to go home before you catch a cold, it's okay tomorrow night you'll be more prepared" she suggested. "Besides it's almost sunrise, I'm very weak during the day".
"Awww man! Well I would take your advice but I'm kinda lost" he confessed.
"That's ok I'll show the way out of here, follow me" she proceeded to float ahead.
Dib followed her, but it seemed like every step he took was more draining than the last. Did they really just spend all night talking? His day was exhausting as it was but talking to her was easy and made the events of the day worth it. Now if only his body would cooperate with him long enough to make the trek back home."So Maple, what's Bigfoot like? Have you seen his victims?" Dib asked.
"Victims?" She asked surprised
"Yeah Bigfoot is known for attacking unsuspecting people! Campers, hunters, hobos...etc" Dib elaborated.
Maple giggled "I don't know who told you that, Bigfoot is just a really hairy guy trying to live naturally and as a matter of fact, people are always bothering him when he's just trying to mind his own business" she explained.
"No way! Bigfoot DOESN'T attack innocent people? That's… Disappointing" he pouted.
"He's not a weird animal or the missing link either, just a really tall hairy sensitive man, but I will say he's gulity of stealing people's clothes and using them as toilet paper" Maple laughed.
"EWWW! He MUST be stopped!" Dib squirmed.
"Aw leave him alone, those people barged into his home so he has a right to do as he pleases...no matter how gross it is" she shuddered
Maple's light was slowly diminishing the more the sun rose in the sky. She led him to the road just outside the forest. "Thanks Dib, be careful going home okay?" She spoke quietly, her voice almost a whisper.
"Maple, I just want to say… I really enjoyed our time together" he blushed. "I'll be back tonight".
"I ...hope...so" she spoke weakly, becoming more and more transparent.
"Maple, what's wrong?" He panicked but Maple had completely vanished. Dib took a deep breath "She's ok, she's ok, she's just trapped in that stupid forest" he told himself. "She'll be back tonight! Yeah! Everything is fine!" He shouted out loud and got hit in the back of the head with a shoe.
"Shut up you hoodlum! It's 5 in the morning! Yer disturbing the peace!" An old woman shouted and shook her fist at Dib from her porch. Dib shot her a dirty look and rubbed the back of his head. He walked for about an hour until he made it back home. Freezing to death, starving and drained…he barely managed to drag himself up the stairs and into his room, finally collapsing on top of his bed.
Gaz walked into his room "Hey Dib! Time to get up!" She shouted. Normally Dib would whine and tell her to leave him alone, but no response, nothing, not even a whimper. Gaz groaned and started to shake him "Dib! Wake up!" She shouted. Her eyes got wide, he wasn't responding at all. Her paranoid side took over and she checked his pulse "Okay he's alive, but what's wrong with him? Guess the dumbass stayed out all night" she theorized. Dib was cold to the touch, she sighed and covered him up with blankets, and gently removed his glasses. She growled and left the room.
"I'll just tell Dad, you're too sick to go to school today" she grumbled.