5. THE VISITORS

- Uhm... Solitaire? - Yes, Loo-nah?
- Do you really need to drink so much of that... awful-smelling, canned liquid thing?
- You mean my beer?
- I... guess so.
- Princess Loo-nah is right. - admitted Dib. - It is not the right time to booze. We've got something important to do, you know.
- I know, I know. The Irkens, the plan to stop them, save the universe and so ooon and so oooon.
- Stop fooling around! - demanded Onigiri, hitting table with his fist. - This is serious. Dead serious! For you that may be all in fun, but for us that is a matter of life and death!
- Who said I was not serious about fighting against the Irken Empire!? - I growled.
- Look at you! You're getting drunk, kidding and - last but not least - you are a Witch!
- Oh-huh-huh! - I laughed ironically. - So I am a Witch, so what!? - It is only a matter of time before you turn into cruel, wicked, bloodthirsty monster like the real Witches were once.
- Don't gimme that shit! - I stood up, filled with extreme wrath. - I don't care what you're saying! I'd never ever do any harm to an innocent creature!
- Those are nothing more than empty words. Sooner or later, you'd turn your back on us.
- Onigiri! This isn't right to discriminate someone the way you're doing it now.- objected Loo-nah. - Princess Loo-nah.. - the rude alien's voice has changed instantly.
- I trust Solitaire. I believe her words and intentions are true.
- Thanks... - I said, grateful for support given to me by the little princess. I could feel my rage leaving me completely. I took a look at Dib to notice he was staring at me.
- What? - I asked.
- Nothing. - answered Dib, looking away.
My sight jumped from the boy to table top in front of me. My memory gave me some scenes from '' Invader Zim'' - the animated series and the comic as well. I mean the ones with Dib being tormented and mistreated by Gaz, Professor Membrane, Skoolchildren, random people and eventually - by Zim. ''He deserves much better than that.'' - I thought. I wondered it there was any chance to make his life less miserable than that. I let a single moan out of my throat.
- What's wrong, Solitaire? - asked Loo-nah, concerned.
I stood up and ran to the window to take a look outside.
- Oh fuck! - I mumbled. I forgot to follow the ''no-swearing with children nearby'' rule.
- What? What happened? - said Dib with curiousity.
- Dib... Come here. Quick! - I ordered.
He did what I asked him to do. As soon as he saw what I was seeing, size of his glasses has doubled.
- Oh my! Oh my! Real, living Bigfeet! - he screamed in excitement.
There were three ape-like creatures standing among trees and staring at our wooden cabin. One of them was really tall, the other one was a little shorter and the third one was pretty small. The biggest one - presumably male - was wearing a black hat and a tie and also had a pipe in his mouth. The shorter had a full make-up on her face and a wig on the top of her head. The smallest one was wearing a colorful propeller hat and was holding a stuffed animal, probably a bunny or something similar. However, that was not the scariest part. Their clothes and the bunny were covered with dozens of dark red stains.
- Wait! Is that... - said Dib with embarrassment.
- It seems so. - I confirmed.
- Whose blood can that be?
- Hold up, hold up! I was standing still for a moment, pricking up my ears.
- What's the matter, Solitaire? - asked Loo-nah with care.
- I... I don't know how to explain this, but... I heard that stuffed animal talk to me. - I answered.
- What? - muttered Dib, frowning.
- It is... some sort of... telepathic, non-verbal message. This is how I communicate with any toy in the universe, no matter if they belong to me or not.
- What did it say?
- The plushie bunny there said those Bigfeet are large, strong and pretty dumb, but not barbaric. They are not the ones responsible for its previous family's death.
- Does that toy know who or what the culprit is?
- Yes, he does. He said something about huge, black, bipedal bear-like creature that came at night, smashed up the camping place and killed the couple with two children.
- A bear-like creature? Sounds like description of the Man-Eating-Bear-Wolf-Beast.
- If you say so... Anyhow, few days after the carnage, the family of Bigfeet has appeared in that place and took whatever they liked.
- I see. Where is that place?
- Many miles away from our cabin.
- Something tells me we are not safe here in these woods.- stated Dib.
- Relax. I've got the power. I'll protect us all. And so will my little treasures. - I said calmly.
- I wouldn't be so sure if I were you.
- Huh! .Wait.
- Wait? For what?
- I will show you what I'm made of. Veeeery soon.
I grinned in a vicious way, frightening Loo-nah and Dib, just a little bit.