Bittersweet Vengeance
Chapter Two
Things didn't look any brighter in the morning. Zim went through his normal routine in a daze. Not going to Skool never even occurred to him. He was too busy imagining his plans of global domination going up in flames. The flames got worse - or did they get better?
He moaned and looked around. he was surprised to find himself almost to Skool. He must have been on autopilot all morning, but he couldn't decide if that was a curse or a blessing.
He trudged into the classroom just after the bell rang. Ms. Bitters hissed and slithered over to him.
"You're late!" she spat.
"Yes, I'm late," Zim said quietly. "And I'm considering killing myself."
"I'd have to mark you asbent," Ms. Bitters said. "Enough of that nonsense. Sit down!"
Zim obeyed. He had an urge to say something about how she would have to obey him once he conquered the world. But it didn't look like that was going to happen now.
He was barely conscious al through the first half of school. He didn't move, he didn't think. When the lunch bell rang, he slowly raised his eyes to see Dib hovering over the desk.
"What are you up to, Zim?" Dib demanded. "Why are you being so quiet?"
Zim looked straight at him and held his gaze for a long time, until Dib glanced away uncomfortably.
"You can forget about me, Dib-human," Zim said in that same, quiet voice. "Go get pictures of your demon squirrels or whatever. I'm not going to take over the world."
"Whaaaat?" Dib stared. "You're kidding, right?"
"No." Zim hopped out of his desk and plodded to the door. "Be glad, Dib. You win." He walked out the door.
"Hold on a second!" Dib ran after him and spun him around by the shoulder. "Why? What happened?"
"Don't touch me," Zim snapped, and batted Dib's hand away.
"Tell me, Zim!"
"Aren't you happy?" Zim snarled. "Your pitiful planet earth is safe now."
"But... but... but..." Dib looked pathetically human, confused and wide-eyed. "It's just so sudden. What happened, Zim?"
He was so earnest. Zim shoved him away, hard. He wanted nothing more than to grind his once-enemy into the floor. But he knew he shouldn't take his anger out on Dib. It wasn't the human's fault.
Dib stumbled back, rubbing his shoulders where Zim had hit him. What was going on? Zim preferred mind games and trucks, not outright violence.
"I'm going home early," Zim said softly. he walked down the trash-strewn hall of the skool, and, pulling the door open, disappeared.
A sick feeling descended onto Dib. Zim had said something earlier about killing himself. Was he serious? Dib made a mad dash for the door. But when his hand fell on the door handle, he stopped. Why should he even care? Zim was an evil alien. He wanted to destroy humanity and to take over the world. He had plagued Dib constantly. Dib could hardly imagine a world without Zim and his evil, incessant laugh of doom. And now, he would be gone.
He stood, staring at the handle for a few moments, then wrenched the door open and ran out, yelling Zim's name.
Zim heard Dib calling. He turned from where he was about to cross the street and looked at the fast-approaching boy.
"Don't kill yourself, Zim!" Dib cried. "Don't do it!"
Zim raised an eyebrow. "So what if I were?" he asked. "There's nothing left for me."
Dib caught up, panting hard. "Look, Zim, I declare a truce."
"A truce. Why?"
"Well... I've been through this myself. Feeling like there's no purpose in your life, and you don't have any friends. You need someone to talk to."
Zim thought about it. "Yeah, that would be nice," he said, "but there is no one I can talk to."
"Yeah, I know we're enemies, but during the truce I'll help you out. Then we can go back to being enemies."
"That's absurd," Zim said. "We could never be riends. Human friendship is one of the most idiotic, destructive, disgusting..."
"Please, Zim!" Dib said. "I don't want you to kill yourself."
"Why not?" The alien glared at him suspiciously.
"I'd be really bored. Think about it - you keep me occupied."
Zim turned away, but he had already given in.
"Just tell me what happened," Dib said.
"Well... okay."