Chapter Five: Nighttime Fears
Dib now insisted that she move her sleeping bag into his room so he could keep an eye on her, and she was partially glad for this. That way she could discreetly monitor him for any signs of suicidal traits. As far as she could tell, though, apart from that time in the kitchen, he was perfectly normal. But, of course, many times people don't see the signs until it's too late.
11:30. Mel was thirsty. She didn't want to wake Dib up in the middle of sleep, but she didn't want him to wake up on his own and have something horrible happen to him. So, she tugged on his sleeve from her spot on the floor and whispered, "Dib, wake up! I'm thirsty." He just turned over in his sleep, and didn't respond. She tried several times more, but it was to no avail. "Fine. I'll go without you." When she returned, he was dreaming pleasantly, most likely about being a famous paranormal investigator. "Goodnight, Dib."
12:00. Once again, Mel had insomnia, and couldn't handle being dormant for so long. So, instead, she sat awake, silently thumbing through some of Dib's magazines. Sometimes they were cool, but most of the time, they looked like they were written by nuts. A light flashed outside, and she peered out the window. A marvelously crafted UFO with purple and red lights that flashed in a complex pattern hovered above the neighbor's house. This was something worthwhile, and she had to wake up Dib. Perhaps a glass of water was too little to perturb him from slumber, but surely this would be excused.
"Dib! Dib! Wake up, Dib!" She shook him furiously, and he woke up, startled.
"What is it?!" He jumped out of bed and tripped over her sleeping bag.
"Dib, there's a giant UFO hovering above the house next door!" she breathed euphorically. He made a grab for his glasses and set them on his nose. The lights flashed more brilliantly, and the craft itself glowed blue. Then, it vanished from sight. Not a trace was left.
"Too bad we didn't get a picture of it."
"Yes, it is too bad. But let's get some sleep now."
"Yeah." Dib climbed under the covers, and soon fell sound asleep. However, Mel had to use the restroom. Not wishing to disturb him from his sleep, she didn't notify him. After all, what could he do but stand and wait outside? What was the worst that could happen?
When she was about to leave and go back into the sleeping bag, she saw the UFO again, only it appeared to grow larger as it came closer. A beam of blue and white light was shot into her eyes, and she tried to scream out to someone, but couldn't. She was gone.
12:40. Dib awoke, feeling very strange. It was as though he'd just come from a nightmare, but he couldn't remember any bad dreams. Looking over to his left, he noticed that Mel was gone. He darted out of his room and began searching the house, calling her name. No response. Daring to check Gaz's room, he knocked, but was greeted by his sister's harsh growl. In spite of this, he kicked the door down and got beaten up. As soon as he got away, he started to head back to his room to check once more. It was then that he noticed the bathroom door was closed.
'Maybe she's just in the bathroom. Yeah, that's probably it.' He knocked loudly and shouted, "Mel! Mel, are you in there? Mel?" Nothing. "Mel! Are you okay? I'm going to have to come in! One...two...three...I'm coming in!" Opening it slowly, he looked for any sign that she was there. He found her glasses at his feet, but nothing more was to be found.
"Something bad must've happened to her if she left her glasses...she can't see three feet in front of her without them." Terror-stricken, he ran down the stairs and outside. He searched for her up and down the streets for a mile radius. Not a trace. He left no stone unturned. Not a clue. It was now about 4:30; he'd expanded beyond this perimeter and looked more than once in each spot. Finally, he found himself at the gates of the city park. Eyes open wide in fear, he climbed the locked gates and tore through the area, screaming out her name.
"MEL! MEL! ARE YOU HERE?! ANSWER ME!" He sat on a bench, and began to think. "What could've happened? Someone must've snuck in the house somehow and took her...but how? Why didn't I hear? Why?!" The ground was covered with frost and snow, and he saw a figure ahead of him. "No! No, Mel, don't be dead!" As soon as he saw her dark, brown hair come into view amidst the snow and dewy blades of grass, he knew that it was Mel, just like in the dream.
Too frightened to say anything, Dib turned her over on her back. Timidly, he checked her pulse. It was low, but...still there! "You're...you're alive. You're alive!" She was blue with cold, but she was alive! Dib brushed some of the snow off of her, fit her glasses on her, and picked her up. Setting her on the bench, he tried to think of what he could do to warm her, and then remembered his coat. Placing it on her, he looked hopeful of her recovery.
An hour later, around 5:30 in the morning, her eyes opened. Dib, who was rather tired, saw this and helped her upright. She pulled away from him in terror, and yelled out.
"Who are you?!"
"What do you mean? I'm Dib. Don't you remember me?"
"What are you talking about; I've never known anyone named Dib in my entire life! What kind of joke is this, anyway?"
"No joke. Mel, are you kidding around with me? Because if you are, it's not funny. I mean that."
"Leave me alone! Where am I?"
"Oh, no...I think you have amnesia. Are you sure you aren't joking?"
"Of course I'm sure!"
"Why don't you come with me? Come on, we can watch Mysterious Mysteries. I'll pick out a special episode especially for you."
"What's Mysterious Mysteries?"
"You don't remember that either?"
"Apparently I don't."
"And what about aliens?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you remember your alien abductions?"
"What, are you crazy enough to believe in that stuff, kid?"
"Oh, no...something really bad must've happened to you." Dib took her hand, and she pushed him, making him fall backward to the ground. He got up, thoroughly concerned.
"I can help you. Just come back home. Take my hand. Trust me." She did, and they immediately found themselves aboard a spaceship, this time the Falish ship. "Mom! What's happened to her?!" Dib cried out.
"Someone's surgically removed the enhancements given to her and erased her memory, including brainwashing."
"Can you save her?"
"Of course. We have planned for this." His mother withdrew a needle. "You give it to her. She'll trust you more."
"She doesn't really trust me at this stage."
"All right, then. I'll do it. She sees me as a human nurse. That's how humans without the enhancements see me." His mother approached Mel and administered the injection. "It's good that they removed her fear of inoculations as well, or this might've gotten difficult."
"So she's going to be okay?"
"Yes. She'll fall asleep within a minute. You'll have to make sure that she's asleep for at least three hours so it'll take effect."
"Okay." He lifted her, and was transported back into his room. Dib allowed her to sleep in the bed, and stayed awake for the next three hours.
9:00. Mel began to wake up, and complained of aching. She sat up slowly, and saw him nodding off in a chair next to her. He had a book with him, Alien Update, and was pretty far in it. Seeing that he was in desperate need of sleep, she handed him a pillow and took the book, setting it down on the nightstand. Dib clutched the pillow and began to snore.
It was too pitiful a sight to leave. She awoke him slightly, and he drowsily got into his own bed. When she left, she saw something startling. The knife was out, and a small trickle of blood was stained on it. Going back to where he lay, she lifted the sleeves to his shirt, and, sure enough, saw a fine line of dried blood on his left wrist. Feeling the worst pity and utmost horror, she stayed beside him at the side of the bed.
'Why would he do that? Why?'
He stirred.
"Dib? Whether you can hear me or not, I'm going to tell you something very important. No matter what, we'll still be friends. I don't care if you're an alien or whatever; it's not worth killing yourself. If a friend is all you really need, then I see a long life ahead of you." She held his hand and thought to herself, 'I guess no one really knew what thoughts ticked inside of Dib Membrane...' Twitching a little, he took her hand. "Good morning, Dib. How would you like to watch Mysterious Mysteries?"
He smiled, and opened his eyes. "Sure."
It is unpredictable what we may do in response to what we think as the unthinkable. In such cases of abnormal reactions, one must know that the person is apparently undergoing great stress and requires the greatest help possible to give--a friend.
People often misinterpret the extreme positive effect on people that a friend brings--but more often they ignore the extreme negative effect on people that unkindness or harsh words bring.
--Invader Mel's Diary of Perception.
Dib now insisted that she move her sleeping bag into his room so he could keep an eye on her, and she was partially glad for this. That way she could discreetly monitor him for any signs of suicidal traits. As far as she could tell, though, apart from that time in the kitchen, he was perfectly normal. But, of course, many times people don't see the signs until it's too late.
11:30. Mel was thirsty. She didn't want to wake Dib up in the middle of sleep, but she didn't want him to wake up on his own and have something horrible happen to him. So, she tugged on his sleeve from her spot on the floor and whispered, "Dib, wake up! I'm thirsty." He just turned over in his sleep, and didn't respond. She tried several times more, but it was to no avail. "Fine. I'll go without you." When she returned, he was dreaming pleasantly, most likely about being a famous paranormal investigator. "Goodnight, Dib."
12:00. Once again, Mel had insomnia, and couldn't handle being dormant for so long. So, instead, she sat awake, silently thumbing through some of Dib's magazines. Sometimes they were cool, but most of the time, they looked like they were written by nuts. A light flashed outside, and she peered out the window. A marvelously crafted UFO with purple and red lights that flashed in a complex pattern hovered above the neighbor's house. This was something worthwhile, and she had to wake up Dib. Perhaps a glass of water was too little to perturb him from slumber, but surely this would be excused.
"Dib! Dib! Wake up, Dib!" She shook him furiously, and he woke up, startled.
"What is it?!" He jumped out of bed and tripped over her sleeping bag.
"Dib, there's a giant UFO hovering above the house next door!" she breathed euphorically. He made a grab for his glasses and set them on his nose. The lights flashed more brilliantly, and the craft itself glowed blue. Then, it vanished from sight. Not a trace was left.
"Too bad we didn't get a picture of it."
"Yes, it is too bad. But let's get some sleep now."
"Yeah." Dib climbed under the covers, and soon fell sound asleep. However, Mel had to use the restroom. Not wishing to disturb him from his sleep, she didn't notify him. After all, what could he do but stand and wait outside? What was the worst that could happen?
When she was about to leave and go back into the sleeping bag, she saw the UFO again, only it appeared to grow larger as it came closer. A beam of blue and white light was shot into her eyes, and she tried to scream out to someone, but couldn't. She was gone.
12:40. Dib awoke, feeling very strange. It was as though he'd just come from a nightmare, but he couldn't remember any bad dreams. Looking over to his left, he noticed that Mel was gone. He darted out of his room and began searching the house, calling her name. No response. Daring to check Gaz's room, he knocked, but was greeted by his sister's harsh growl. In spite of this, he kicked the door down and got beaten up. As soon as he got away, he started to head back to his room to check once more. It was then that he noticed the bathroom door was closed.
'Maybe she's just in the bathroom. Yeah, that's probably it.' He knocked loudly and shouted, "Mel! Mel, are you in there? Mel?" Nothing. "Mel! Are you okay? I'm going to have to come in! One...two...three...I'm coming in!" Opening it slowly, he looked for any sign that she was there. He found her glasses at his feet, but nothing more was to be found.
"Something bad must've happened to her if she left her glasses...she can't see three feet in front of her without them." Terror-stricken, he ran down the stairs and outside. He searched for her up and down the streets for a mile radius. Not a trace. He left no stone unturned. Not a clue. It was now about 4:30; he'd expanded beyond this perimeter and looked more than once in each spot. Finally, he found himself at the gates of the city park. Eyes open wide in fear, he climbed the locked gates and tore through the area, screaming out her name.
"MEL! MEL! ARE YOU HERE?! ANSWER ME!" He sat on a bench, and began to think. "What could've happened? Someone must've snuck in the house somehow and took her...but how? Why didn't I hear? Why?!" The ground was covered with frost and snow, and he saw a figure ahead of him. "No! No, Mel, don't be dead!" As soon as he saw her dark, brown hair come into view amidst the snow and dewy blades of grass, he knew that it was Mel, just like in the dream.
Too frightened to say anything, Dib turned her over on her back. Timidly, he checked her pulse. It was low, but...still there! "You're...you're alive. You're alive!" She was blue with cold, but she was alive! Dib brushed some of the snow off of her, fit her glasses on her, and picked her up. Setting her on the bench, he tried to think of what he could do to warm her, and then remembered his coat. Placing it on her, he looked hopeful of her recovery.
An hour later, around 5:30 in the morning, her eyes opened. Dib, who was rather tired, saw this and helped her upright. She pulled away from him in terror, and yelled out.
"Who are you?!"
"What do you mean? I'm Dib. Don't you remember me?"
"What are you talking about; I've never known anyone named Dib in my entire life! What kind of joke is this, anyway?"
"No joke. Mel, are you kidding around with me? Because if you are, it's not funny. I mean that."
"Leave me alone! Where am I?"
"Oh, no...I think you have amnesia. Are you sure you aren't joking?"
"Of course I'm sure!"
"Why don't you come with me? Come on, we can watch Mysterious Mysteries. I'll pick out a special episode especially for you."
"What's Mysterious Mysteries?"
"You don't remember that either?"
"Apparently I don't."
"And what about aliens?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you remember your alien abductions?"
"What, are you crazy enough to believe in that stuff, kid?"
"Oh, no...something really bad must've happened to you." Dib took her hand, and she pushed him, making him fall backward to the ground. He got up, thoroughly concerned.
"I can help you. Just come back home. Take my hand. Trust me." She did, and they immediately found themselves aboard a spaceship, this time the Falish ship. "Mom! What's happened to her?!" Dib cried out.
"Someone's surgically removed the enhancements given to her and erased her memory, including brainwashing."
"Can you save her?"
"Of course. We have planned for this." His mother withdrew a needle. "You give it to her. She'll trust you more."
"She doesn't really trust me at this stage."
"All right, then. I'll do it. She sees me as a human nurse. That's how humans without the enhancements see me." His mother approached Mel and administered the injection. "It's good that they removed her fear of inoculations as well, or this might've gotten difficult."
"So she's going to be okay?"
"Yes. She'll fall asleep within a minute. You'll have to make sure that she's asleep for at least three hours so it'll take effect."
"Okay." He lifted her, and was transported back into his room. Dib allowed her to sleep in the bed, and stayed awake for the next three hours.
9:00. Mel began to wake up, and complained of aching. She sat up slowly, and saw him nodding off in a chair next to her. He had a book with him, Alien Update, and was pretty far in it. Seeing that he was in desperate need of sleep, she handed him a pillow and took the book, setting it down on the nightstand. Dib clutched the pillow and began to snore.
It was too pitiful a sight to leave. She awoke him slightly, and he drowsily got into his own bed. When she left, she saw something startling. The knife was out, and a small trickle of blood was stained on it. Going back to where he lay, she lifted the sleeves to his shirt, and, sure enough, saw a fine line of dried blood on his left wrist. Feeling the worst pity and utmost horror, she stayed beside him at the side of the bed.
'Why would he do that? Why?'
He stirred.
"Dib? Whether you can hear me or not, I'm going to tell you something very important. No matter what, we'll still be friends. I don't care if you're an alien or whatever; it's not worth killing yourself. If a friend is all you really need, then I see a long life ahead of you." She held his hand and thought to herself, 'I guess no one really knew what thoughts ticked inside of Dib Membrane...' Twitching a little, he took her hand. "Good morning, Dib. How would you like to watch Mysterious Mysteries?"
He smiled, and opened his eyes. "Sure."
It is unpredictable what we may do in response to what we think as the unthinkable. In such cases of abnormal reactions, one must know that the person is apparently undergoing great stress and requires the greatest help possible to give--a friend.
People often misinterpret the extreme positive effect on people that a friend brings--but more often they ignore the extreme negative effect on people that unkindness or harsh words bring.
--Invader Mel's Diary of Perception.