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Chapter 5- Snapped

Dib sat at the usual table in the skool cafeteria, the one in the corner, his back to the wall. He could see everyone that way and know who was watching him. That is, he could if he ever bothered looking up.

Now he was staring down at the potatoes on his tray, visualizing Mr. Nevers's head as he poked them with his fork. He should've gone home after his visit with that man, but if he had, he would've just had to face his father's plans for his future sooner.

"Are you going to eat that sandwich?" Gaz's voice brought Dib out of his angry thoughts.

"Since when do you ask before taking my stuff?" Dib asked, not taking his scowling eyes off the potatoes. Gaz glared at him.

"Give me the damn sandwich."

Dib turned his hateful look on his sister, his hand tightened around the fork until it hurt. "Take it.," he growled throwing the sandwich down onto her tray. Gaz's glare deepened a moment then she picked up the bread and meat and took a bite.

Half way across the cafeteria, Zita and her fellow cheerleaders were sitting at their reserved table and passing their usual gossip, some of which had just been made up in the past few minutes. Zita had just happened to look over at the brother/sister quarrel in time to see Dib throw down the sandwich. A haughty smile curled her lips.

"Oh, girls…" She said quietly. "Look over there." The other girls turned their attention to the table their self-appointed leader was smirking at.

"My, my, someone has a short temper today." Sarah giggled. Aki and Mary nodded. Zita grinned mischievously.

"Who wants to bet I can make him snap?" She hissed. Her friends looked at her with only a little surprise. Their faces quickly mimicked Zita's. "Do I have any takers?" She asked. Aki laughed.

"You're evil."

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Zita replied. She stood up, smoothed out her cheerleading skirt and began walking confidently across the cafeteria, a little bounce in her step.

"What is she doing?" Mary wondered aloud.

"I don't know." Sarah replied, "But it should get interesting."

"Hello, is anyone sitting here?" Zita asked sweetly, motioning to the bench across from Dib and Gaz. Gaz looked up at her a moment then went back to her sandwich. Dib watched Zita suspiciously.

"Why?" He finally asked.

"Just wondering." Zita shrugged. "I couldn't help but notice your little argument with your sister. I just came over to see what was going on." Dib glared at her.

"That's not your business." He told her and looked down at his tray. Zita stepped over the bench and sat down anyway.

"No, I suppose it's not." Zita admitted. An idea came to her, causing a smirk to flash across her face. She quickly replaced it with a curious smile. "I was actually wondering what you were doing tonight." Dib stopped and looked up at her, keeping his face blank.

"Why would you care what I was doing tonight?"

"Don't you think a girl might want to ask you out?" Zita asked a slight giggle in her voice. Dib's blank face went back to a scowl.

"You're not asking me out. I'm not stupid." He told her defensively. "And if you were, by some moment of random insanity, I'd turn you down."

Zita glared at him. She had come over to this table to make HIM mad, not to let him get to her! He was going to pay for that comment.

"You're right." She hissed. "I wasn't asking you out; I don't date freaks." Dib's hand tightened on the fork again. Zita went on. "I wanted to know what you were doing so I could find out if the police should be notified ahead of time. We all know what tonight is, Dib. One year ago tonight, Zim disappeared. One year ago tonight you killed him!"

Dib stared at her blankly, eyes empty, hand gripping the fork tighter. Zita waited, expecting him to deny her accusation, but he just stayed still and quiet.

"Did you hear me?" Zita finally asked, getting annoyed. "I said you kill--"

"I hear you." Dib growled quietly. He glared down at the tray a moment, and then turned the look on Zita. "But I didn't kill him. I tried, but I didn't."

Zita stared, confused. His response had caught her off guard. "Wh-what?" She stammered, feeling the first twinges of fear.

"I tried to kill Zim…" Dib told her, a little louder. "But it didn't work. His body died, but he's still here. He's been trying to destroy me."

Fear now showed clearly on Zita's face, her hands gripped the edge of the table tightly; ready to push away quickly if needed. Beside Dib, Gaz stared at him too, but her face betrayed nothing.

"You… you're crazy." Zita whispered.

Zim chuckled at this. Dib tensed, his hand convulsing around the fork so tightly the metal handle bit into his palm, sending pain shooting up his arm. He dropped the fork with a yelp. He frowned and looked down at his hand, a small puddle of blood pooled in the creases of his palm.

"…since the moment I saw my blood on my glove…"

Dib gasped at the memory and wiped his hand on a napkin in panic. A flash of light on metal turned his attention to the fork handle, blood smeared the shining utensil.

The knife smeared with Zim's blood…

Something snapped.

"You…" Dib growled at Zita. "You've been helping him…"

"M-me?" Zita asked her green eyes wide.

Dib jumped to his feet so quickly the force pushed the bench he had been on over backward, taking Gaz down with it. She stared up at her brother in shock. Everyone in the cafeteria turned to see what had happened. Quiet settled over the room.

Dib grabbed the bloody fork and struck it out so fast Zita didn't have time to react. The fork's tines scratched her face, leaving four long, deep, gouges in her cheek. The force of the blow knocked her off the bench and to the floor. She screamed in pain. The rest of the student body gasped, a few ran out into the hall to find help.

Dib looked over the table, glaring down at Zita; she stared up at him, quivering in horror, waiting for him to strike her again. Instead, Dib looked up at the rest of the students. He pointed the blood-dripping fork at all of them.

"You've ALL been helping him!" Dib screamed, nearly hysterical. "You're all destroying me! Your tormenting me has fed him! Kept Zim alive! He would have died with his body if it weren't for all of YOU!" Everyone was silent. Dib scowled back down at Zita. For a moment, he appeared to be thinking. His mouth curved into a slight grin. With out warning, he spun around and sprinted from the room.

Zita's friends rushed to her side and tried to comfort the hysterical girl.

On the other side of the table, Gaz pulled herself to her knees, using the overturned bench for support, and stared at the door her brother had just run through. She tried to ignore the voices whispering around her, but her thoughts echoed them.

Dib had snapped.

It's not over yet. Two more chapters.