Chapter Six

Zim and Dib paused looking over the double of the Robin Hill farm, the body pit, the graffiti scribbles, despite the added fallen leaves, and the new smell of the soil, and the humidity of the forest...it was the same. "I don't like this," Dib gave a small whine of discomfort, and the messy tracks did little to calm his nerves. Zim shuffled through his PAK and pulled out a purplish pink looking gun. Dib examined it, seeing a gauge that indicates heating, and Zim slid in a purple magazine inside of it from below the receiver. "Oh no, Zim, I can't…! You know I can't trust myself with a gun!" Dib was flustered, having a deer-in-headlights look that Zim knew too well. Zim felt his gut spin at the sad expression on Dib's face, "Please Zim, I can't—"

"Dib!" Zim yelled but lowered his voice after, cautious eyes might be on them, "Dib, I know this is hard...we talked about this...I-I'm aware you don't want any weapons, but you need something to defend yourself right now. I'm...I'm not going to let my one mate die in these disgusting woods!"

"Can't you hold it?"

Zim felt his eyes start to water, "What happens if something grabs you?! We...I don't want to lose you!" he stroked Dib's cheeks with tenderness and care, "I told you before I'm nothing without you! You're my purpose! So, for Irk's sake, listen to me…" Dib answered with a quiet nod, "This is a blast gun, I only ever use it in times like these. There's only fifteen shots, if you hold the trigger, the more powerful it gets—"

"Will you teach me how to hold it correctly?" Dib asked, sheepishly.

Zim nodded, "Please don't think you're helpless. Don't listen to that negative little voice, please? I'm not...I'm not letting you die like that. I love you too much, you understand?" Dib nodded again; Zim knew he couldn't say, but the small nod felt like a "I'll try" but he still took it as an agreement. Zim pushed Dib slightly to the side of the barn against the entrance as a means to protect him, and have Dib be a lookout. Zim grumbled, wishing he had kept a flash bomb; but instead Zim used a limb to cut a rope holding a sandbag above. It flopped onto the hay covered flooring and Zim kept his senses sharp.

"It's like hearing a pin drop…" Dib commented.

"Silence usually means something worse, doesn't it?"

Dib pursed his lips, "I don't want to answer that."

Zim hesitantly walked in with Dib into the barn, examining the interior, nothing looked out of place; each stacked mirrored the other back on the hill, right down to the bent nails and graffiti from spray canned paint bottles. Zim remembered their little corner where they spent the night cuddling after the kiss, but Dib went there first and startled Zim with a scream.

"Ahh!" Zim exclaimed, "Can you not scream so fucking loudly?!"

"Forget my screams, Zim, just look! Just look!" Dib pointed to where their bodies pressed once before and Zim pointed the flashlight downwards, his eyes widened. He regretted pointing his light to the hay, Zim at first thought they were mere shadows but instead they were mere more than that. It looked like them, but they were like wax figures with a milky texture coming off the skin, clay made grins and with hair that felt more like moss than follicles. Dib wanted to examine the clothes but Zim pulled him back.

"They're fake! I doubt those clothes are even replicas...they rather remind me of grass rugs."

Dib scoffed, "Grass rugs aren't even real grass."

Zim pointed his flashlight again at the figures clothing, "Does that even resemble real cloth?" Dib looked again and fell silent, they weren't even felt or resembled wool, he couldn't even pinpoint that texture except...grass. "Dib, may I have the permission to burn these unearthly abominations?!" Zim said, rather cheerfully. Dib rolled his eyes.

"Where did you get that idea?"

"Horror movies."

Dib groaned, "Look Zim, it's best to use fire when you know it works. This is why when thrill seekers accidentally summon a bad spirit or demon, and decide to burn their Ouija Board. The being ends up as the worst roommate ever," he explained, leaving the unnerving figures that laid on the hay. Zim scowled in dissatisfaction, and kicked Dib's clay looking alike. Zim thought his eyes were playing with him as its glassy eyes glanced in his direction and it tried moving its mouth, the clay moving like fish lips and little gasps came out like pockets of air. Zim threw hay on them both and ran back to Dib on the second floor.

"Dib, share some of your nausea medicine!" Zim barked, "I feel like I'm gonna hurl!"

"What the hell did you see to get you nauseated?"

Zim was reluctant to answer but Dib gave him a capsule and shared some of his bottled water. The second floor was wider than the second floor, and it was covered in mud covered hand prints that belonged to Torque. Torque gave quite a fight as the mud looked like a frantic hand painting before the mud skids had little bits of broken nails and blood. "You know...I'm starting to have second thoughts," Zim replied, discomfort ringing in his tone. Dib came upon a set of doors that weren't there in the Robin Hill not far from the city, before Dib could say anything Zim kicked each door open like a bull in a China shop and even broke off a few knobs that were now part of the interior.

"What were you saying about second thoughts?" Dib said sarcastically.

Zim ignored him as his flashlight pierced through the dark, examining each room, noticing how one room had a set of stairs that lead to nowhere, another had a spiral staircase that snaked upwards yet when he checked where it led to, it just lead to a pipe system that was not connected to the plumbing; instead it led to the underground water pipes that pierced through the ceiling like a basement. The rest of the rooms were like this, they ignored the logic of reality, twisting it like a toy, Dib even moved a large grandfather clock and propped it against one of the doors with chairs and tables because the distorted noises from within sounded like a garbled echo of a family enjoying dinner, yet what reverberated was hard to describe to his human ears; but Dib knew one thing, it or they were no longer human. "Let's take the last door I guess," Zim replied, "Let's just find Torque and get out...I'm tired of this creepy barn."

Dib hesitantly opened up the door and looked inside, surprised that it was a worn down children's bedroom and Torque was strapped onto a kid's car bed by black rope that looked like it came from a car or it was used for heavy machinery. Zim pulled out a wire cutter from his PAK as Torque sputtered in a panic, but was incomprehensible. "I'm not sure if you being alive is a blessing or not," Zim replied sarcastically, cutting the black chords, "I just know you're one freaking idiot if you thought this was the right way to the road. How the hell were you hall monitor for two years anyhow?"

"Zim, cool it. He's in shock," Dib intervened, "Save your insults for school, okay?"

"Pl-please get me out…" Torque blubbered.

"Did some sort of gang did this to you or a group of people?" Dib asked. Torque shook his head, slumping on the floor once Zim cut the last chord. Dib examined his body and saw his fingers and knees were bloody and neck and legs were splattered with hand prints. Zim suddenly noticed a thick sour smell coming from Torque's pants causing himself to cough.

"Did you piss yourself?!" Zim exclaimed.

"Hey fuck you!" Torque snarled.

Dib rolled his eyes, "Can you both call it quits?! Torque, you and I both need medical attention, and Zim—Zim, what did I just say about burning supernatural stuff you don't know about?!" Dib nearly shrieked as Zim kicked a pile of flammable toys in a corner of the bedroom. The structure itself let out moans and creaks of pain that echoed through the room once Zim managed to fan the flames, and stoke the fire that it started eating through the wood. Zim looked at Dib briefly before picking up a bat and smashing through the window. Dib could hardly remember what happened as it happened all too quickly, Zim brought the two out of the window and stopped the landing with his limbs, distorted sounds echoed from behind them that sounded like screaming through a fan. Dib felt his body pass out from exhaustion as he was lulled by sounds of yelling and Torque's screaming.

"A bear attack?" The doctor asked Zim who begrudgingly had to make an excuse for their bruises, and other injuries. Zim even temporarily lied about how Dib got his leg hurt; since Dib had a habit to go exploring on his investigations and had to cover Torque.

"Yes, it was huge," Zim replied. The doctor didn't want to question further.

"Your boyfriend's leg is in bad shape, and he's a bit delirious and dehydrated. He's not going to leave tonight, I'm afraid, and Torque Smackey, your classmate is in an even worse condition...I'll give you papers to give your teacher while I contact his parents," The doctor explained, "Not the first time Mister Smackey came in, but he really looks like...well, it must've been one hell of a climbing accident."

Zim felt conflicted inside, "How do you mean worse?"

"I mean worse, in all my career I never saw so much loss of blood, fingernails messily coming off the bone, and he needs medical help for his hallucinations; did Mister Smackey accidentally eat some hallucinogens while in the forest? You know, wild berries, mushrooms, even eating any edible plants can do that; some of them are poisonous and yet patients eat them thinking they're safe."

"I...I don't know if he did, sir," Zim admitted, "He walked off till I found him."

"Going into the forests at night...you don't go into the woodlands unprepared like that," the doctor lectured. Zim wasn't in the mood for a scolding, even his styrofoam cup of coffee went cold that he didn't want it anymore. Zim excused himself and visited Dib's room where his bad leg was wrapped in a cast and Dib was asleep from medicine, while being lulled asleep by the cold feeling of nausea medicine, with the hydration bag being hung on a holder above his bed.

"Doc said you can't leave yet, and Torque is going to be transferred to another hospital," Zim whispered softly.

"Wh...huh?" Dib slowly stirred, looking up at Zim, "T...Torque is…"

"His emergency contacts will be called, of course, but he's going to be transferred to another hospital. You won't be home for a while yourself, Dib worm."

"I expected that," Dib took his hand, "Zim...please move in with me sooner. It can't wait till graduation. I just...we need to make plans...you have lived more than me and I'm going to be an adult soon." Zim felt his heart beat faster; Dib must've felt due to the shock of the ordeal that things had to hasten. Dib was kidnapped by his classmate and left in the woods to rot and die while both his relatives were away; Dib might've been old enough to have a roomie or live on his own but he had too many enemies, students at school had grown bloodthirsty. Zim couldn't tell if it was due to Dib's already trashy reputation, or the death of Dana Hill, but the humans had gotten a taste of brutality. It was like a bad poison, an opium of bad behavior, once someone had gotten a taste of making someone bleed...it was hard to stop that addiction. Dib was a helpless bleeding prey, and the school were a hungry pack of scavengers and flesh eaters.

Zim at first thought they could wait it out a few months since he needed to make plans, but deep down, he felt the same as Dib. Zim couldn't risk this incident to repeat, maybe by then Dib wouldn't be so lucky. Zim caved, almost flinching as he thought things over, a slow move wouldn't hurt; as long as Dib was in his sights. He could protect him. "We did agree that after one more month that I'd move in, but considering the circumstances, I suppose I can move in more quickly...I can move my base to be an extra floor on top of your house, or the yard, if you'd like," Zim said.

"We have a satellite up there, but take the yard," Dib suggested, "You sure you can't just leave your house where it is?"

"Good idea and let me risk any of our school enemies to track after me too; things will turn out fine, the only thing your household needs to worry about is my robotic parents," Zim said dryly before hearing the sounds of fire truck sirens roll by, his eyes widening as Dib glared.

"Oh fucking A!" Dib exclaimed, "You really did try to burn that Robin Hill barn twin place, didn't you?!"

"I...I don't know how much burned per se," Zim shrugged warily, "I mean getting you two flesh worms out was a much higher priority than some cursed barn." Dib flopped back onto the hospital bed, letting out a frustrated groan; unless the circumstances called for it, burning supernatural objects, especially when they were at their strongest was bad news and Dib found himself bracing for the consequences. The Robin Hill monster was still lurking, and Dib feared the worst if it decided to flee and migrate.

Dib's grumpy demeanor followed him even by the time Zim moved in and his leg was improving; the skeleton of a barn was found in the forest where Deacon had warned them, but any remnants of doors, windows and stairs seemed to have evaporated; and the bodies were just stuffed burnt scarecrows. Dib could barely focus as Zim shared his bedroom after his belongings were finally inside. "You've been quiet all day, can't you talk to me?" Zim asked as Gir, along with Minimoose, ended up bunking in the attic.

"I told you not to burn that place, and you didn't listen. Why are you always like this?!" Dib snapped. Zim was flabbergasted Dib was still hung on this, but Dib was one to remember Zim's blunders, "I was hoping you, of all the people I knew, would at least listen to me but you reacted so impulsively!"

Zim glared, feeling the brunt pushing was not needed. If he didn't burn it, someone else was going to. Zim felt like he did the reserve a favor by burning that atrocious barn, "Has anyone died yet after I burned it?"

"Well...well, no...but…"

"Then we're fine."

Dib paused, blanching in embarrassment, "Um, what about you?"

Zim stretched, before looking over a cookbook, "What about me?" he asked.

"What about you and your leaders, aren't you going to contact them...let them know you're alright?"

Zim smiled bitterly, "They're just my planet's leaders, not my parents, besides they're a bit angry with me over my growth spurt. Unfortunately there's nothing I can do to revert back...your earth vitamins mixed in with my biology," he sighed, "What am I going to do...I'm supposed to be an invader, yet this planet…"

"By planet, I think you mean just me, don't you?" Dib pointed out, "Zim, you can just stop your mission, can't you? If your leaders are angry over something so petty, then, maybe it's not worth it?"

"I was kinda hoping you would be my overlord consort?"

Dib rolled his eyes, "I might hate my treatment but I'm not that desperate."

"Fine, fine, the offer's still op—" Zim started.

"Let's go on a date tomorrow," Dib butted in, somewhat playfully, taking glee in Zim's expression between surprised and angry. Zim groaned, he had plans to continue his conquering of earth, but after their ordeals with Robin Hill and Dib nearly being killed; Zim couldn't risk him going out alone and it had been weeks since they did anything together. The days at school quieted down as soon as news passed that Torque had been hospitalized, briefly stopping any bullying towards Dib's direction, mostly out of fear.

"Where exactly do you wanna go?" Zim asked plainly.

"There's a nice diner with a karaoke area, but please, don't embarrass yourself in front of the patrons," Dib begged, "You make an ass of yourself, it's going to be my job to apologize on your behalf." Zim looked insulted.

"Zim can apologize."

"Oh yeah? When was the last time you said sorry to someone other than me? Another human?"

"Uh…"

Dib raised an eyebrow, "Anyone?"

"I apologized to the roboparents about accidentally spilling coffee on their wheels before they exploded for the eighteenth time," Zim answered quickly. Dib sighed.

"Well, close enough, I guess," Dib said.

Bobby's Diner & Karaoke was in between the road that connected the cul-de-sac with the city, snuggled in the middle between a salon, and an auto parts store, Dib had visited the place once and was relieved the locals didn't care who he was, nor what he did; as long as Dib was old enough to drink and paid for his meals, or for his time at the karaoke machine, he was welcomed. Zim felt like this place was hardly made for dating, but he felt it was mostly because he felt as if this wasn't a place he'd go. The diners bar counter had leftover crumbs and money tips left on the polished wood, that was decorated with scratches as if knives had danced on the edges, and the ceiling was just a mural of a bottle cap collection. Zim noticed a jukebox player in the corner and examined it, it was broken, and the buttons didn't work, yet the light arch rim gave a gentle glow. Zim sighed, not like he was expecting to slow dance with Dib in such a place but some music would've been nice.

"Hey Zim, which do you want, a booth or the counter?" Dib asked.

Zim glanced at the wooden booths with leather seating, "It's not gonna break on me if I sit in it, will it?"

Dib laughed a bit, "They just got new upholstery. You'll be fine."

Zim paused, "What of the bathrooms?"

Dib rolled his eyes and took him to the booth with a decent view of the karaoke area across from them; no one decided to use it yet, but Zim had a twinkle in his eyes of wanting to impress Dib with his chords. Dib wasn't focusing, instead looking absorbed in the folded laminated menu. Zim was about to speak up until he noticed Dib's expression, how exhausted he looked, even after the past ordeal of the Robin Hill in the woods; Dib looked strained. Zim scooted over and held his hand tightly.

"I'm sorry I...didn't listen to you. I was merely worried about your safety," Zim replied, clearing his throat slightly. Dib placed the menu down, rubbing his forehead with his free hand.

"I thought you weren't going to bring it up."

"Would you rather I sit and let you wallow?"

Dib shook his head, "I just have a really bad feeling in my gut that you weren't supposed to burn it; like, how you're usually not supposed to burn a Ouija board unless you really have to under the right circumstances, and...it wasn't the right circumstances for that barn to burn in the woods." Zim pursed his lips and tapped his finger on the wood table feeling something inside him drop like a cartoon anvil in his body.

"So...what are you saying?" Zim breathed, dreading the answer.

"I'm saying if you burn something like that, you release something. I think this is why the Robin Hill Barn within our city was never bulldozed. It's nothing but an old barn on the verge of collapsing yet no one's bought the damn thing, but not a soul wants to bulldoze it and make a new barn. Doesn't that seem a bit fishy to you?" Dib explained.

"Dib, if you screw on that tin foil hat any tighter, your brain won't be able to breathe."

Dib shoved him as hard as he was willing to in retort, "I'm serious! That property isn't normal, and the fact there's two of them in different locations, looking similar."