Shi no Asa (Death's Morning)
Morning. 'Did I go to bed last night?' Dib thought to himself. "What a Christmas. My long-lost sister is dead." Dib descended the stairway and found Gaz by the tree, already opening presents. "Gaz, how could you just break into the presents like that? What about Kat?"
"Relax, Dib, I'm getting something for you. Dad put it under there last night for you. It's supposed to be something real special." Dib couldn't remember the last time she'd acted so nice toward him. She picked one out and tossed it to him. He caught it, and began to open it. Inside was a 10x10 picture of Kat.
"This could be my only gift, and I'd be happier than ever." It was framed, and with glass in front. He stared deeply into it with adoration in his eyes. It was a treasured gift, indeed.
"I saw you last night. You fell asleep at your computer. I've never seen you like that."
"It wasn't mine, Gaz. It was Kat's."
"What are you talking about, Dib?"
"I saw her - her spirit gave it to me. I was reading a note by her. It even says 'Property of Kat Membrane' on it. I - I'll show you." Dib headed upstairs and retrieved the laptop. He brought it down carefully, so as to not damage it. Then, he opened up the document labeled 'Goodbye.' Gaz read it herself, and gasped.
"Sh-she, she -"
"She killed herself." Dib hugged his sister, not to annoy her, but just because he needed a hug. And, rather than pulverizing him, Gaz allowed him to do this, for even she could see how insecure he was. His whole being quivered, and a steady flow of tears made their way down his face. "Gaz, don't ever do what she did! I don't know what I'd do without you."
'Dib's lost it...' Gaz thought, 'It's like he doesn't have any dignity anymore! He's acting like an emotional fool!'
"Gaz...you're so precious to me. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Why am I that important to you? It's not like we ever talk to each other."
"Just knowing that you're alive...just knowing that I have a sister to be proud of. After all, who else is the champion video gamer of all-time? I smile when I think about you. Don't you know that?" Gaz shook her head. "I do." They embraced once more, this time fully realizing how they thought of each other.
Prof. Membrane walked inside and saw this. It brought him joy to see the two of them hugging and actually enjoying being around each other, which was good news after the discovery that his youngest daughter Kat had died. They perked up at his presence and ran up to him. "I thought you were working late again," Gaz stated.
"I got today off."
"Really?" Dib inquired.
"Yes. And tomorrow. And the day after that."
"Aren't you going to work again?"
"Yes. Not for a while, though. I'm getting another job."
"What kind of job?"
"Let me explain this way. I saw your mother last night."
"But Dad, she's, she's -"
"Yes. I know. But I saw her."
"You mean - a ghost?"
"Yes. That's what I mean. I'm going to be a paranormal investigator." Dib's jaw dropped, as did Gaz's. They both knew he was a complete skeptic. He normally would've explained away the apparition as some hallucination. Whatever would drive him to choose THAT profession would certainly be nothing to sneeze at.
"Why do you suddenly believe in ghosts, Dad?"
"Your mother told me. And even if it was some psychological reaction in my head, it means the same thing. This is what I have to do."
"Dad, did you give me this picture of Kat?"
"No. Where did you get that?"
"Gaz said it was your gift to me." They looked to Gaz. "Gaz? You gave me this? Where'd you find it?"
"I have my sources."
"Gaz? Gaz! Thank you!" Dib hugged her once more and more tears fell. When he pulled himself away, he had tears dripping down his cheeks and an elated expression. "Thank you! You've all made this the best Christmas ever! Thank you!"
"Dib, you still have presents under the tree."
"I don't need anything else. But thank you, so much!"
"Fine, Dib, if you won't open them, I guess I'll have to." She neared the pile of presents and picked one up. "Hmm...says here it's for someone named Dib. I guess he doesn't want his gift. Oh well, might as well just throw it into the trash...."
"Wait!" Dib reached out and grabbed his present. It was a fairly large box, and was of medium weight. Unwrapping it, he saw what it was: A Barbie Doll Deluxe Beach House! "What?!" Gaz snickered.
"Look inside the box, dummy!" Dib opened the box and found a pile of magazines - UFO Today, Crop Circles, Trailing Bigfoot - you name it.
"Where'd you get these? Some of these are at least five years old!"
"They're Kat's old magazines. From before Mom died. Before Kat ran away."
"You mean...she once read and enjoyed these? Gaz, I can't..." She handed him a note, and he read aloud:
"If ever something bad were to happen to me, I'd have to make sure that the ones I love know how I feel. I'd leave all my UFO magazines to my brother Dib, and all my video game magazines to my sister Gaz. And to my father, I leave a tape recording of myself. I love you all, and please lead happy lives.
With Deepest Love and Adoration,
Kat"
"She knew she was going to die," Dib said, "And it's dated two and a half years ago."
"What do you think, Dib?" Gaz inquired of him.
"I think...I think the 'Goodbye' note she left was phony. I think she was murdered." A long silence blanketed them. "I'm going out." He put his coat on and took off.
"I'm calling the police," the professor said.
"Don't, Dad. He knows what he's doing."
"Follow him, Gaz."
"But Dad -"
"Follow him!" Gaz put a jacket on and headed out.
"Stupid Dib. Forcing me to spend my Christmas making sure he doesn't do anything reckless. Why should I have to?" She proceeded to follow him to the graveyard. The graveyard? What was he doing there? Kat hadn't been buried yet. He dropped down to his knees at one point, and stared straight ahead of him. Gaz hid behind a tree. She heard muffled sounds, whimpering, and was surprised when she grasped that it was Dib.
"Mom...Mom, I love you..." he laid down flowers, and as the last few tears fell from his face, an annoying shriek was heard.
"Ha! I've got you now, Dib-monkey! I'm taking advantage of your being weak at the moment! Prepare for your doom!"
"If you must kill me, I'm glad it's here. My mom died just at that intersection over there."
"Any last requests?"
"Yes. Do you know who killed my sister Kat?"
"Of course. I killed the filthy little worm yesterday, and concealed her in a pile of snow. She tried to interfere with my plans, and you know how much I don't tolerate interference." Dib's eyes opened wide, and then he charged at his enemy.
"You horrible monster!" He began to choke him, until he was thrown off. Zim pointed a laser to his neck and swayed it back and forth.
"That look on your face...it's exactly the same one your sister had on her face. I will enjoy this.... I had her write some false notes before she died. Isn't it amazing the resemblance you two bear? It's like killing you a second time." From behind the tree Gaz growled in fury as she watched this. Zim had killed her sister. She really did have something to hate him for. Looking to the ground just to her side, she saw a long sword. Without hesitation, she grabbed it and dashed toward Zim.
It sliced through his shoulder with remarkable ease, causing him to fall down. Dib took the alien's laser, and pointed it to his neck. "Any last words, ZIM?"
"I-I - you'll never get away with this!"
"Yeah, right, Zim. You took Kat's life, and now I'll take yours."
"Just finish him off already, Dib."
"Gaz, stand back. This is between him and me."
"You'll pay for this, Dib-monkey! I will get you back!"
"Never! Because you'll be dead!"
"Look! Kat's ghost!" Dib turned his head.
"Kat? Wait, she's not -" Zim pulled the laser from his hand. First he aimed for Dib, but then to Gaz as she swung at him. She got hit before she could strike Zim. "NO! How stupid of me! Gaz! Do you hear me? Gaz! Gaz, wake up! Gaz, please, open your eyes! You shouldn't have come! Gaz? Speak to me!" Zim was coming up from behind, about to attack them.
"Get away, Dib," the girl instructed.
"No! Never!"
"Stop being a fool and go home!"
"No! I'm not leaving! Gaz, I'm staying right here with you. I love you." Dib held her, and saw Zim about to kill him. Things went in slow motion for him as his death neared. For a flickering moment, he thought he saw Kat, and then everything went blank.
************************************************************************
Gaz blinked her eyes open and looked up. What happened? Her vision was blurred so greatly that it hurt to look anywhere besides the ceiling. Ceiling? Where was she? A nurse walked in and warmly said, "Ah, Gaz, nice to see that you're up."
"Why is my vision so blurred?"
"Well, you were injured badly with that laser. You need glasses. Here. We have a pair specially made for you right here. Try it on." Gaz fitted the glasses over the bridge of her nose. It was a great improvement indeed.
"Dib."
"Huh?"
"Where is Dib?"
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I don't want to be the one to tell you, but...Dib passed away. He said something about giving a cat a second chance, or something. We think he was delirious."
"Kat is our sister's name. She died yesterday, on Christmas Eve."
"Yesterday? Christmas Eve? Are you all right?"
"Yes." She knew it was a lie, probably the biggest she had ever told. Gaz carefully got out of the hospital bed and to the room next door, where Dib was. Upon opening the door, she thought she saw something flash by her, a luminous haze. She approached Dib, and looked at him. He seemed as if he were still alive.
Timorously, she touched his cheek. Dead. As dead as the alien who attended skool soon would be. Tears were at her eyes. That hadn't happened since...since she could remember. "Dib, no! You have to understand! Kat doesn't want to be alive as much as I want you to be alive! I don't care that you and I never talk, just knowing you're alive and I can say, 'that's my brother, the genius.' I took you for granted! Dib, wake up! Please!" Some doctors dragged her out of the room, screaming and yelling, praying for mercy from all hindrances to her - the world.
************************************************************************
One week later
A couple doctors sat around on their coffee break. "And she was kicking and screaming about some girl named Kat who she claimed died on Christmas Eve."
"When did you say this happened?"
"Last week. Why?"
"Because they just retrieved a girl from the snow named Kat Membrane, who had pictures of a girl and a boy - Gaz and Dib. They're her sister and brother. As a matter of fact, they didn't even know she existed until they saw on the news, probably. She was born after their mother left their father. Why was she in here, anyway?"
"She just asked why her vision was blurred, turning out to be from a laser, scarring her frontal lobe, and where her brother was. Then she told me about Kat, who died on Christmas Eve. But she's still alive, isn't she?"
"Yes, I believe so. But where on Earth did she get exposed to a laser?"
"I don't know. But such exposure would cause a fracture in her chronological sense. That could explain how she thought it was Christmas eight days before it actually was." A scream broke their conversation.
"KAT! KAT, SPEAK TO ME! KAT! I LOVE YOU! KAT, NO! DON'T DIE!"
"What do you make of it?"
"I have no idea. I have no idea." They departed, and went to help keep Dib away from Kat while they carted her body to the morgue. And so ends the tale of a girl who saw the future, and could not live with it. The tale of a girl who went 'insane.' An exercise in reason...in the Twilight Zone.
Morning. 'Did I go to bed last night?' Dib thought to himself. "What a Christmas. My long-lost sister is dead." Dib descended the stairway and found Gaz by the tree, already opening presents. "Gaz, how could you just break into the presents like that? What about Kat?"
"Relax, Dib, I'm getting something for you. Dad put it under there last night for you. It's supposed to be something real special." Dib couldn't remember the last time she'd acted so nice toward him. She picked one out and tossed it to him. He caught it, and began to open it. Inside was a 10x10 picture of Kat.
"This could be my only gift, and I'd be happier than ever." It was framed, and with glass in front. He stared deeply into it with adoration in his eyes. It was a treasured gift, indeed.
"I saw you last night. You fell asleep at your computer. I've never seen you like that."
"It wasn't mine, Gaz. It was Kat's."
"What are you talking about, Dib?"
"I saw her - her spirit gave it to me. I was reading a note by her. It even says 'Property of Kat Membrane' on it. I - I'll show you." Dib headed upstairs and retrieved the laptop. He brought it down carefully, so as to not damage it. Then, he opened up the document labeled 'Goodbye.' Gaz read it herself, and gasped.
"Sh-she, she -"
"She killed herself." Dib hugged his sister, not to annoy her, but just because he needed a hug. And, rather than pulverizing him, Gaz allowed him to do this, for even she could see how insecure he was. His whole being quivered, and a steady flow of tears made their way down his face. "Gaz, don't ever do what she did! I don't know what I'd do without you."
'Dib's lost it...' Gaz thought, 'It's like he doesn't have any dignity anymore! He's acting like an emotional fool!'
"Gaz...you're so precious to me. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Why am I that important to you? It's not like we ever talk to each other."
"Just knowing that you're alive...just knowing that I have a sister to be proud of. After all, who else is the champion video gamer of all-time? I smile when I think about you. Don't you know that?" Gaz shook her head. "I do." They embraced once more, this time fully realizing how they thought of each other.
Prof. Membrane walked inside and saw this. It brought him joy to see the two of them hugging and actually enjoying being around each other, which was good news after the discovery that his youngest daughter Kat had died. They perked up at his presence and ran up to him. "I thought you were working late again," Gaz stated.
"I got today off."
"Really?" Dib inquired.
"Yes. And tomorrow. And the day after that."
"Aren't you going to work again?"
"Yes. Not for a while, though. I'm getting another job."
"What kind of job?"
"Let me explain this way. I saw your mother last night."
"But Dad, she's, she's -"
"Yes. I know. But I saw her."
"You mean - a ghost?"
"Yes. That's what I mean. I'm going to be a paranormal investigator." Dib's jaw dropped, as did Gaz's. They both knew he was a complete skeptic. He normally would've explained away the apparition as some hallucination. Whatever would drive him to choose THAT profession would certainly be nothing to sneeze at.
"Why do you suddenly believe in ghosts, Dad?"
"Your mother told me. And even if it was some psychological reaction in my head, it means the same thing. This is what I have to do."
"Dad, did you give me this picture of Kat?"
"No. Where did you get that?"
"Gaz said it was your gift to me." They looked to Gaz. "Gaz? You gave me this? Where'd you find it?"
"I have my sources."
"Gaz? Gaz! Thank you!" Dib hugged her once more and more tears fell. When he pulled himself away, he had tears dripping down his cheeks and an elated expression. "Thank you! You've all made this the best Christmas ever! Thank you!"
"Dib, you still have presents under the tree."
"I don't need anything else. But thank you, so much!"
"Fine, Dib, if you won't open them, I guess I'll have to." She neared the pile of presents and picked one up. "Hmm...says here it's for someone named Dib. I guess he doesn't want his gift. Oh well, might as well just throw it into the trash...."
"Wait!" Dib reached out and grabbed his present. It was a fairly large box, and was of medium weight. Unwrapping it, he saw what it was: A Barbie Doll Deluxe Beach House! "What?!" Gaz snickered.
"Look inside the box, dummy!" Dib opened the box and found a pile of magazines - UFO Today, Crop Circles, Trailing Bigfoot - you name it.
"Where'd you get these? Some of these are at least five years old!"
"They're Kat's old magazines. From before Mom died. Before Kat ran away."
"You mean...she once read and enjoyed these? Gaz, I can't..." She handed him a note, and he read aloud:
"If ever something bad were to happen to me, I'd have to make sure that the ones I love know how I feel. I'd leave all my UFO magazines to my brother Dib, and all my video game magazines to my sister Gaz. And to my father, I leave a tape recording of myself. I love you all, and please lead happy lives.
With Deepest Love and Adoration,
Kat"
"She knew she was going to die," Dib said, "And it's dated two and a half years ago."
"What do you think, Dib?" Gaz inquired of him.
"I think...I think the 'Goodbye' note she left was phony. I think she was murdered." A long silence blanketed them. "I'm going out." He put his coat on and took off.
"I'm calling the police," the professor said.
"Don't, Dad. He knows what he's doing."
"Follow him, Gaz."
"But Dad -"
"Follow him!" Gaz put a jacket on and headed out.
"Stupid Dib. Forcing me to spend my Christmas making sure he doesn't do anything reckless. Why should I have to?" She proceeded to follow him to the graveyard. The graveyard? What was he doing there? Kat hadn't been buried yet. He dropped down to his knees at one point, and stared straight ahead of him. Gaz hid behind a tree. She heard muffled sounds, whimpering, and was surprised when she grasped that it was Dib.
"Mom...Mom, I love you..." he laid down flowers, and as the last few tears fell from his face, an annoying shriek was heard.
"Ha! I've got you now, Dib-monkey! I'm taking advantage of your being weak at the moment! Prepare for your doom!"
"If you must kill me, I'm glad it's here. My mom died just at that intersection over there."
"Any last requests?"
"Yes. Do you know who killed my sister Kat?"
"Of course. I killed the filthy little worm yesterday, and concealed her in a pile of snow. She tried to interfere with my plans, and you know how much I don't tolerate interference." Dib's eyes opened wide, and then he charged at his enemy.
"You horrible monster!" He began to choke him, until he was thrown off. Zim pointed a laser to his neck and swayed it back and forth.
"That look on your face...it's exactly the same one your sister had on her face. I will enjoy this.... I had her write some false notes before she died. Isn't it amazing the resemblance you two bear? It's like killing you a second time." From behind the tree Gaz growled in fury as she watched this. Zim had killed her sister. She really did have something to hate him for. Looking to the ground just to her side, she saw a long sword. Without hesitation, she grabbed it and dashed toward Zim.
It sliced through his shoulder with remarkable ease, causing him to fall down. Dib took the alien's laser, and pointed it to his neck. "Any last words, ZIM?"
"I-I - you'll never get away with this!"
"Yeah, right, Zim. You took Kat's life, and now I'll take yours."
"Just finish him off already, Dib."
"Gaz, stand back. This is between him and me."
"You'll pay for this, Dib-monkey! I will get you back!"
"Never! Because you'll be dead!"
"Look! Kat's ghost!" Dib turned his head.
"Kat? Wait, she's not -" Zim pulled the laser from his hand. First he aimed for Dib, but then to Gaz as she swung at him. She got hit before she could strike Zim. "NO! How stupid of me! Gaz! Do you hear me? Gaz! Gaz, wake up! Gaz, please, open your eyes! You shouldn't have come! Gaz? Speak to me!" Zim was coming up from behind, about to attack them.
"Get away, Dib," the girl instructed.
"No! Never!"
"Stop being a fool and go home!"
"No! I'm not leaving! Gaz, I'm staying right here with you. I love you." Dib held her, and saw Zim about to kill him. Things went in slow motion for him as his death neared. For a flickering moment, he thought he saw Kat, and then everything went blank.
************************************************************************
Gaz blinked her eyes open and looked up. What happened? Her vision was blurred so greatly that it hurt to look anywhere besides the ceiling. Ceiling? Where was she? A nurse walked in and warmly said, "Ah, Gaz, nice to see that you're up."
"Why is my vision so blurred?"
"Well, you were injured badly with that laser. You need glasses. Here. We have a pair specially made for you right here. Try it on." Gaz fitted the glasses over the bridge of her nose. It was a great improvement indeed.
"Dib."
"Huh?"
"Where is Dib?"
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I don't want to be the one to tell you, but...Dib passed away. He said something about giving a cat a second chance, or something. We think he was delirious."
"Kat is our sister's name. She died yesterday, on Christmas Eve."
"Yesterday? Christmas Eve? Are you all right?"
"Yes." She knew it was a lie, probably the biggest she had ever told. Gaz carefully got out of the hospital bed and to the room next door, where Dib was. Upon opening the door, she thought she saw something flash by her, a luminous haze. She approached Dib, and looked at him. He seemed as if he were still alive.
Timorously, she touched his cheek. Dead. As dead as the alien who attended skool soon would be. Tears were at her eyes. That hadn't happened since...since she could remember. "Dib, no! You have to understand! Kat doesn't want to be alive as much as I want you to be alive! I don't care that you and I never talk, just knowing you're alive and I can say, 'that's my brother, the genius.' I took you for granted! Dib, wake up! Please!" Some doctors dragged her out of the room, screaming and yelling, praying for mercy from all hindrances to her - the world.
************************************************************************
One week later
A couple doctors sat around on their coffee break. "And she was kicking and screaming about some girl named Kat who she claimed died on Christmas Eve."
"When did you say this happened?"
"Last week. Why?"
"Because they just retrieved a girl from the snow named Kat Membrane, who had pictures of a girl and a boy - Gaz and Dib. They're her sister and brother. As a matter of fact, they didn't even know she existed until they saw on the news, probably. She was born after their mother left their father. Why was she in here, anyway?"
"She just asked why her vision was blurred, turning out to be from a laser, scarring her frontal lobe, and where her brother was. Then she told me about Kat, who died on Christmas Eve. But she's still alive, isn't she?"
"Yes, I believe so. But where on Earth did she get exposed to a laser?"
"I don't know. But such exposure would cause a fracture in her chronological sense. That could explain how she thought it was Christmas eight days before it actually was." A scream broke their conversation.
"KAT! KAT, SPEAK TO ME! KAT! I LOVE YOU! KAT, NO! DON'T DIE!"
"What do you make of it?"
"I have no idea. I have no idea." They departed, and went to help keep Dib away from Kat while they carted her body to the morgue. And so ends the tale of a girl who saw the future, and could not live with it. The tale of a girl who went 'insane.' An exercise in reason...in the Twilight Zone.