Chapter Fifteen – It's a Fine Line
1.1.1.1 Between Life and Death
Dib's eyes opened shortly, then closed. 'Wait,' Dib thought, 'I'm alive.' Startled by this, he sat straight up. He was in a hospital room. Before him was Kristen. "Wha-what happened?"
"Well, Dib, Callista saved your life."
"She did? How?"
"When the Crystal broke, your mother's prophecy was to come true. That there would be two injuries and a death."
"Wh-wh-who died?" Dib asked timorously, afraid of the answer.
"Callista. She stayed with you for hours. If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't be talking to me this very moment."
"What about Gaz? She's all right, isn't she?"
"Gaz is merely injured. It's the same thing with Zim."
"What about the prophecy? I heard it in my mind when I was eleven. I thought it was from my mom. If she's alive, how could she have sent it?"
"Telepathy."
"And Callista – there's more, isn't there? Just how did she die?"
"She discovered a bomb in the citadel. The problem was that the only way to disarm it was with the energy of the Crystal, which broke. She gave her own life energy to save you and the other people trapped there."
"That fortress had over two-hundred people in it. And I'm sure the capacity of the bomb was for the whole planet. She gave herself up for them all. I have nothing to say except that I'm very grateful. And sad."
"It's okay. She saved you. You're alive because of her, and that's what counts. There's a funeral procession that's going to take place later on today, at four o'clock. Everyone who she saved is going to be there to honor her for her bravery. Do you want to attend? That is, if you're feeling better. I know she'd understand if you couldn't go…"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"I knew you would come. You don't seem like the type of person who would refuse it. I'm sure that Callista is in a better place right now. No wait – I know it."
"Thanks. I knew I could count on you."
"You're welcome. They're going to have a ceremony to honor you too. You know, for risking your life against Merchenyl."
"That's okay, I don't think I'll go to that. I don't feel like a hero."
"But you are! Thanks to you, all of those people who were afraid to stand up to Merchenyl are now independent! The Sulfeitian Empire has diminished into nothingness! Your mom thinks of you as a hero."
"My mom…she thinks I'm a hero?"
"You did what she never could. Would you like to see her?"
"Yes…" Dib's mom entered the room within a moment's time.
"Dib…I'm so proud of you. You saved the future of our planet! You saved the remainders of the human race! It is thanks to you that I am out of that prison. You chose a wonderful girl to be your wife. She was very brave and I knew when I saw you again after thirteen years that you and the girl you would marry would be honorable people. Since Callista isn't here, they want you to take her place in rule."
"Me? Why me?"
"You are Callista's husband, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Congratulations. You deserve the honor and commendations that you are about to receive."
"Thank you." She left, then motioned for someone else to come in.
"Zim?"
"Yes."
"Thanks for saving Gaz. I don't know what I would've done had she died."
"It's really not a big deal. She was just a little sick."
"Just a little sick? You said she was going to die!"
"Yeah. She would have, too, had I not remembered that I had an antidote to that poison on hand."
"Poison? How'd she get poisoned?"
"Merchenyl."
"Please don't say that name. The memories are all too painful. Had it not been for her, Callista would still be alive."
"Had it not been for her, you'd have never met."
"It's an odd paradox. Thanks for saving Gaz. Bye." Zim shrugged and then allowed someone else to come inside. It was Gaz.
"Gaz? I'm glad that you could visit."
"Hi Dib. I'm sorry about what happened. I was the one who discovered her."
"I'm sorry. Gaz, I'm so glad you're alive. When I couldn't choose between you or Callista I got worried."
"It's okay. I'm alive. Are you okay? That gash looked pretty deep."
"Yeah. It was. I'm fine now, though. Hey, how long has it been since I left? The day in the park?"
"Almost a year."
"Sorry I missed your birthday."
"Not sorry I missed yours. I'm kidding. Are you going to the commendation for killing Merchenyl?"
"Yeah. Are you?"
"I guess so. Dib?"
"Yes?"
"I know that Callista's gone, and I know you have two kids to take care of. Well, if you ever have any trouble, just ask me and I'll give you hand. Is that okay?"
"Yes. Thank you, Gaz." Next, Caitlyn and Dillan were brought into the room.
"Dad, Mom died, didn't she?"
"Yes."
"I thought you said that she was going to stay and get to know us better! What happened?"
"Merchenyl took her from home and into a prison cell. She gave her life for the entire population though. She gave her life to save millions of others. And she didn't want to die. She didn't intend for it to happen. But she loves you very much."
"You said 'loves.' Dad, do you believe that she might still be alive?"
"No. But I believe her spirit is still alive."
"Huh?" the two children confusedly inquired in unison.
"Dillan, it's a very fine line between life and death. Sometimes it is hard to tell whether one is truly dead. So long as her spirit still loves us, she will never truly be dead."
1.1.1.1 Between Life and Death
Dib's eyes opened shortly, then closed. 'Wait,' Dib thought, 'I'm alive.' Startled by this, he sat straight up. He was in a hospital room. Before him was Kristen. "Wha-what happened?"
"Well, Dib, Callista saved your life."
"She did? How?"
"When the Crystal broke, your mother's prophecy was to come true. That there would be two injuries and a death."
"Wh-wh-who died?" Dib asked timorously, afraid of the answer.
"Callista. She stayed with you for hours. If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't be talking to me this very moment."
"What about Gaz? She's all right, isn't she?"
"Gaz is merely injured. It's the same thing with Zim."
"What about the prophecy? I heard it in my mind when I was eleven. I thought it was from my mom. If she's alive, how could she have sent it?"
"Telepathy."
"And Callista – there's more, isn't there? Just how did she die?"
"She discovered a bomb in the citadel. The problem was that the only way to disarm it was with the energy of the Crystal, which broke. She gave her own life energy to save you and the other people trapped there."
"That fortress had over two-hundred people in it. And I'm sure the capacity of the bomb was for the whole planet. She gave herself up for them all. I have nothing to say except that I'm very grateful. And sad."
"It's okay. She saved you. You're alive because of her, and that's what counts. There's a funeral procession that's going to take place later on today, at four o'clock. Everyone who she saved is going to be there to honor her for her bravery. Do you want to attend? That is, if you're feeling better. I know she'd understand if you couldn't go…"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"I knew you would come. You don't seem like the type of person who would refuse it. I'm sure that Callista is in a better place right now. No wait – I know it."
"Thanks. I knew I could count on you."
"You're welcome. They're going to have a ceremony to honor you too. You know, for risking your life against Merchenyl."
"That's okay, I don't think I'll go to that. I don't feel like a hero."
"But you are! Thanks to you, all of those people who were afraid to stand up to Merchenyl are now independent! The Sulfeitian Empire has diminished into nothingness! Your mom thinks of you as a hero."
"My mom…she thinks I'm a hero?"
"You did what she never could. Would you like to see her?"
"Yes…" Dib's mom entered the room within a moment's time.
"Dib…I'm so proud of you. You saved the future of our planet! You saved the remainders of the human race! It is thanks to you that I am out of that prison. You chose a wonderful girl to be your wife. She was very brave and I knew when I saw you again after thirteen years that you and the girl you would marry would be honorable people. Since Callista isn't here, they want you to take her place in rule."
"Me? Why me?"
"You are Callista's husband, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Congratulations. You deserve the honor and commendations that you are about to receive."
"Thank you." She left, then motioned for someone else to come in.
"Zim?"
"Yes."
"Thanks for saving Gaz. I don't know what I would've done had she died."
"It's really not a big deal. She was just a little sick."
"Just a little sick? You said she was going to die!"
"Yeah. She would have, too, had I not remembered that I had an antidote to that poison on hand."
"Poison? How'd she get poisoned?"
"Merchenyl."
"Please don't say that name. The memories are all too painful. Had it not been for her, Callista would still be alive."
"Had it not been for her, you'd have never met."
"It's an odd paradox. Thanks for saving Gaz. Bye." Zim shrugged and then allowed someone else to come inside. It was Gaz.
"Gaz? I'm glad that you could visit."
"Hi Dib. I'm sorry about what happened. I was the one who discovered her."
"I'm sorry. Gaz, I'm so glad you're alive. When I couldn't choose between you or Callista I got worried."
"It's okay. I'm alive. Are you okay? That gash looked pretty deep."
"Yeah. It was. I'm fine now, though. Hey, how long has it been since I left? The day in the park?"
"Almost a year."
"Sorry I missed your birthday."
"Not sorry I missed yours. I'm kidding. Are you going to the commendation for killing Merchenyl?"
"Yeah. Are you?"
"I guess so. Dib?"
"Yes?"
"I know that Callista's gone, and I know you have two kids to take care of. Well, if you ever have any trouble, just ask me and I'll give you hand. Is that okay?"
"Yes. Thank you, Gaz." Next, Caitlyn and Dillan were brought into the room.
"Dad, Mom died, didn't she?"
"Yes."
"I thought you said that she was going to stay and get to know us better! What happened?"
"Merchenyl took her from home and into a prison cell. She gave her life for the entire population though. She gave her life to save millions of others. And she didn't want to die. She didn't intend for it to happen. But she loves you very much."
"You said 'loves.' Dad, do you believe that she might still be alive?"
"No. But I believe her spirit is still alive."
"Huh?" the two children confusedly inquired in unison.
"Dillan, it's a very fine line between life and death. Sometimes it is hard to tell whether one is truly dead. So long as her spirit still loves us, she will never truly be dead."