April's Fool
(A short Zadr Story)
Chapter 2: Dreaming Of You...
Gasp...
Gasp...
Gasp...
So hard... to breathe!
He could feel his heart pounding against his ribcage, frantic like a bird trying to escape it's hellish jail cell it called home. It beat a heavy, swift, rhythmic warning in his ear-
'No air, no air, NO FREAKING AIR!'
Another loud gasp for the quickly disappearing air, cold eyes sprang open and glared at the top of the casket glaring back down at him, mocking him about the situation he had gotten himself in to- or at least to him it was. The crushing jolt of the casket roughly striking the ground below had awakened him from his death-like slumber. Had he gone to far this time?
"Tch, of course not! Zim has went even FURTHER then I when it comes to his... horridly planned pranks."
Dib took off his fogged up glasses and wiped them off with the sleeve of his trench coat to clear them off before sliding them back on. He shook his head, pushing back his sticky black hair out of his face.
I'm in the right, it's about time I give that space boy the biggest prank he'll never forget!... Can't talk to myself too much now. I've got to remember to preserve whatever oxygen I have left now to make it back to the surface without suffocating and actually dying down here- in a premature grave.
The young paranormal investigator shuddered at the thought. Even though it would be pretty cool to see if he would become a ghost or not- he had plenty of time to figure that out when he got older and could rise himself back from the dead. Although he to admit, this whole prank was almost dream-like- a dream within a dream.
I mean, I can't explain just how it feels, the thoughts of my premature burial... Inside this oblong box I already lie, now lets hope I don't get buried alive! Maybe I should have done what Houdini did in his buried alive trick... Ah, but that would have been too easy, to simple! Someone would have noticed that it wasn't a real coffin and my plan would have been blown. So now, I do it the old fashioned way...
Dib knew he didn't have that much time being trapped in his coffin. Maybe an hour and a half at most if he could steady his breathing instead of panicking- if he was any 'normal' person but that was just it- he wasn't. He had created his own rather small, but workable oxygen tank to at least keep him going for a day or possibly two. Though two would have been severely pushing it. Though the actual hardest part of the trick would be escaping out of the coffin without the six feet layer of earth crushing him before he could even reach the surface. His eyes suddenly widened when he realized his dire mistake- he hadn't had the chance to grab anything besides a small knife to help dig his way out of the ground.
Was he going to actually die down here?! Panic began to set in, but Dib remembered to control his breathing to preserve his oxygen so he wouldn't have to use the tank just yet. He had to think of a way to dig himself free before his twenty-four hours was all used up, without getting crushed to death. He pulled out his knife and took a deep breath, his mind reeling. But he couldn't allow himself to die just yet, because only Zim was allowed to kill him or vice-versa. He wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
"... Crap, I didn't really think this ALL the way through, did I?"
He placed his hand on the top of the casket and could have sworn that he felt a tiny bit of warmth from the cold dirt that was suppose to be on top of his coffin.
How strange... isn't dirt suppose to be cold?
Zim quietly approached Dib's house, his eyes focused on nothing in particular. He was lying to himself for the real reason why he was there, imagining it to be just like any other 'normal' day between him and Dib. His eyes clouded up as memories began to flow into his mind, his fists clenched. The lonely Invader began to tremble fighting back the tears that threatened to reveal themselves yet again but he refused to give in- even though the only thing watching was the hollow moon fading in and out of the black sky, hiding itself behind few passing storm clouds.
"What have I... become?"
Zim sniffled into the sleeve of his irken uniform, wiping away a few stray tears. "A sniffling worm baby- over my worst enemy. Why? What is wrong with me? What is this that I am feeling?... Why have you done this to me Dib, why?!" He howled up toward the blackened sky even though he knew he would get no answer back. His eyes narrowed stubbornly. "Fine, DON'T answer me, you pathetic human! Zim will find your killer- and avenge your death! Hmph, Zim must to everything for you, musn't he? You would be no where without precious Zim!" The slight grin that had spread across his features faded as he looked back toward the ground, approaching the door to the house. He paused for a moment, arm half raised-
"And Zim is no where, without you..."
He shook his head, remembering what he came here to do, and knocked on the door with his gloved hand. The knock echoed around the block and rang in Zim's head. It wasn't like it was the first time he had ever knocked on Dib's door, asking for help and for a split second the Irken hoped it wouldn't be his last either. Memories flowed back to him as the doorknob began to wiggle- someone was answering the door. The alien's hope began to rise, actually believing that his Dib was behind the door, getting ready for a silly explanation to why the Invader was harassing him at THIS hour. Two of his three fingers crossed behind his back, his eyes stared intentionally into the door as it swung open to reveal-
That big head he had begun to miss, those glasses that missed nothing Zim did, the silly blue shirt he always wore, that black yet rain repellent black trench coat he had been allowed to borrow once before, and that scythe like black hair that wouldn't look right on anyone else but Dib.
"Dib?" Zim whispered in a hoarse almost silent voice. He slowly began to raise his hand to put it on Dib- to see if it was just an illusion- or if his Dib really had come back from the dead.
"What do you want, Zim?"
Wait.. the voices... they... they don't match!
The illusion was suddenly shattered right in front of Zim. His eyes widened as the image of Dib began to melt away with his hope and happiness. Purple hair, angry piercing eyes, smaller head, Gaz had replaced the image of Dib standing in the doorway. A bitter taste filled his mouth as his hand dropped to his side. The agonizing sadness and anger had returned once more leaving him hollow and empty. Drained.
"What do you think I want?" He snapped toward Gaz, eyes narrowed unphased by her intimidating anger.
"Obviously a good punch in the face if you think that it's ok to go around waking people up at four in the morning!" Gaz growled at him threateningly. Zim still refused to back down to the younger sister. He was hell bent determined in figuring out what in the hell had stolen his Dib away from him. he stood his ground, fists clenched.
"I don't care what time it is, Gaz! Time does not matter to Zim! What DOES matter to me, is the information on how the Dib... how the Dib..." The words refused to come out of his dry throat. The Irken tried as hard as he could to fight back his swollen tongue and finish his sentence as Dib's younger sister glared at him expectantly. After a few long moments of choked up silence, Gaz realized that Zim wouldn't- no, couldn't finish his sentence and decided to finish it for him, coldly and unemotionally like usual.
"How he died, right?"
Zim couldn't answer so he only nodded in silence.
"Well too bad, it's family business. Why do you even CARE Zim, I thought you two were like.. worst enemies or something." Zim glared at Gaz, feeling his patience holding on to its last thread.
"We are- well, were. But I was suppose to be the one to kill him, not anyone else! Only me, ZIM! So, I want revenge, and I'm not going to let some pathetic earth monkey such as yourself, stand in my way!"
Gaz in a shocked silence couldn't seem to find a comeback for him. No one, not even DIB had ever stood up to her before, and now here Zim was standing on HER property in front of HER house, demanding her for answers, at four in the morning, and even went as far as to say such things to her?
"No. Now leave Zim, before I make you suffer a fate worse then my brothers." Gaz went to slam the door in the alien's face but a booted foot blocked the entrance.
Zim's patience had snapped.
His fingers wrapped around the door and pried it open and out of Gaz's hands before they went to wrap themselves around Gaz's pajama shirt collar. He yanked Gaz close to where they were eye to eye, face to face, and he growled threateningly. A strange side of Zim that hadn't ever been seen before. An actual scary, threatening side that didn't seem to hesitate when it came to getting what it wanted.
"I don't give a rats ass! You tell me, NOW Gaz, before I make YOUR life a living Hell to where DEATH would be welcomed!" He slammed her against the door frame as if he was warning her- that even though he had failed at many other things, he would make sure to succeed at this one. "I will make sure that you suffer until you BEG me for death and even then I won't bring you that comfort! When you do finally die a slow agonizing death in my basement of my lab,I'll be extra sure to rip out your heart and eat it as a snack in front of your dimming shallow eyes!"
Silence passed between the two. Long minutes of silence. Yet this did not bother the Invader, he somehow sensed that he had won the fight between him and Gaz and the human was letting it all sink in. Even though no fear showed in the younger sister's eyes, he knew he had snapped something inside of Gaz. Whether good or bad wasn't his problem, finding out who killed HIS Dib was and if it meant he would later suffer for doing this to Gaz then so be it. As long as he got his revenge he would die happily and content with the way things went.
"Fine." Gaz said lowly. Zim released her and backed up watching her carefully. It was too easy, there had to be some catch coming...-
"Come back at eight and on my way out the door to skool- I'll tell you. But Zim- after you get finished doing your stupid revenge, I WILL make you rue the day you EVER touched me and threatened me. You remember that, I will get you back."
The ominous threat didn't phase or even scare Zim. He had accepted his fate the moment his patience had snapped. "Fine, then at eight, I will be back for the information. Don't try to lie to me, Gaz. I'll know, and then there WILL be a war between you and I." Zim wasn't going to try and push for answers any sooner then she had said. He knew he had gotten lucky just getting anything out of her, he wasn't stupid enough to push it. At least, not yet. He'd give her a chance around eight and see what happened but until then- he had a long four hours of wait in front of him.
The Irken backed up even further as the door slammed in his face. Gaz was pissed, he could feel it through the door yet he wasn't exactly focused on Gaz anymore, but the door in front of him. The image of Dib that had appeared in the doorway had caused his heart the flutter unlike anything he had felt before. Why was that?
He lifted up his hand and placed it on the door shutting his eyes. He listened to the silence of the night around him, trying his hardest to picture Dib's voice asking him what he was doing there, through the door. Boy, did he miss Dib's annoying voice that always broke through his thoughts and schemes. What I would give, just to hear it one last time...
He took his hand off the door and turned his back to the house. Zim began his lonely walk back to his base in complete silence. Making a silent vow to himself to avenge the death of Dib or die trying. His nerves were shot from the sudden stand off with Gaz and his belly trembling with the idea of figuring out how Dib died in just four more hours. The moon was beginning to fade behind the Earth's cold surface and he knew the sun would be rising soon. Though the icy light left of the moon only reminded Zim of Dib's cold grave and the feeling of his head against the headstone. Reminded him of the feelings and emotions he had felt on top of Dib's coffin, the despair he felt when he heard the coffin strike the ground, the loneliness that blanketed him as Dib's coffin was being blanketed by that cold dirt of the Earth...
Zim quietly entered his base and shut the door silently behind him. Gir was asleep on the couch once more, he had fallen asleep waiting on Zim to return home from Dib's. It would be for the best if he kept Gir asleep instead of waking the dysfunctional SIR unit. The alien was craving for some time alone to get his head and thoughts straight. Or at least to stop his body from trembling. He walked into the kitchen leading himself away from the living room and sat down at the table laying his head against the hard surface. It suddenly felt like all the previous energy had been sucked clean from his body, like he didn't have the energy to go on.
Maybe... it's a good thing that I am waiting four hours... it seems like tonight's events.. have just drained me...
He closed his eyes, listening to the silence, trying his hardest not to think. It was strange, even though Zim didn't NEED to sleep, it actually felt like he needed to. Like it would be the right thing to do to gain all that lost energy back. To renew his fighting spirit that he had felt overcome by, on Dib's grave.
Yet his thoughts kept roaming back toward Dib, reliving their memories together behind closed eyes. Almost like watching a movie of their life and them together. It gave him a strange feeling of happiness and warmth in his tummy. Something he hadn't exactly felt before. The memories of them fighting and working together, it seemed to make him happy and content, calming down the Irken enough to where he could almost drift off into a peaceful sleep.
Dib... I wonder... wherever you are... are you... thinking of me too?
Then for once Zim fell asleep- dreaming of him and Dib.
"Oh come on, seriously Zim?" Dib snicked and held up a bunny in Zim's direction.
"Eek! GET THAT... THAT RODENT BEAST MONSTER OF CUTENESS AWAY FROM ME!" Zim jumped back away from Dib and glared at him.
"You are seriously scared of a little cute bunny?" Dib laughed and walked closer toward Zim with the bunny held out to touch Zim. Zim's eyes widened and he continued to back up until eventually he was pinned to the wall, Dib only walking closer, a smirk covering his face.
"I'll have you KNOW, FILTHY human, that I am not SCARED of the BUNNY itself!" He wrinkled his nose and backed up all the way into the wall to try and escape the touch of the bunny. "It's just COVERED in filthy, filthy, disgusting GERMS!" Dib laughed and pulled the bunny back into a tight embrace to his chest shaking his head. "I swear, for an elite alien race, the littlest things can ruin your plans, can't it?"
"Shut up, Dib-worm! One day I WILL rule your planet and make you PAY for saying stuff like that!"
"Man, if you are this scared of a bunny, I would LOVE to see your reaction to the EASTER bunny! Haha!" Dib chuckled to himself earning a curious glare from Zim. "Oh but you know, I'm sure you don't know what the Easter bunny is so-"
"Tell Zim what this... EASTER bunny is?"
"Nah, I think I'll let you find out on your own..." Zim pointed at Dib and growled darkly, "You will tell Zim! Or Zim will force it out of you!" Dib rolled his eyes, knowing that Zim had NEVER once seemed to be able to force anything out of him, but realizing toying with the alien could be just as fun he decided to humor Zim and play along.
"Well, the Easter bunny is a BIGGER version of this bunny, except it can stand up and walk on his hind feet like a human. And also wears clothes like a human." Dib snuggled his little Easter present close to his chest as he continued, deciding to milk the story a little bit. "He brings eggs, toys, and candy to the human children of Earth, but if he knows you are an alien he'll hunt you down and instead of leaving harmless eggs in your home, he'll leave his evil egg minions that hatch into alien eating GIANT chickens that crave your alien flesh!" Zim's expression was pure horror and fear. Was Zim ACTUALLY believing this stupid story? /Hehe, silly alien boy! You'd fall for anything I say!/ His grin widened as he continued.
"The chickens will hunt you down until they find and eat you with their uh... Their..." Dib was having a little bit of trouble now, scratching his brain for ideas. "Indestructible candy people! They'll nibble off your legs like we do with chocolate bunny ears.~" The thought of a chocolate bunny right now was appealing, yet watching the fear turn into terror on the alien's face was just as appealing. In fact- His glasses caught glimpse of a person wearing an Easter Bunny costume for all the younger children to get pictures with. Dib waved the man in the rabbit's costume over before he sneered and pointed suddenly for Zim to see.
"Zim, Zim look! It's too late for you now, the Easter Bunny knows you are here and is after you! He will be sending his alien eating chickens after you at any moment! Better run home Zim, run home and hide- OOOUPH!" Dib didn't have time to even finish his sentence. He had frighted Zim so bad that the Irken had practically almost jumped into Dib's arms and clutched on to his trench coat, eyes clamped shut trembling from fear. "Protect Zim, Dib-human! Protect Zim from the TERRIBLE Easter Bunny, DON'T LET HIM EAT ZIM!"
Dib looked down at the smaller form of the trembling alien and couldn't help but finding him rather cute, clutched to him like he was his protector. Pushed all the way up against him as if the Easter Bunny was really coming to get him and he thought Dib would save him from the terrible monster. Dib couldn't help but be overcome with his feelings for Zim and lifted up his chin with his hand looking down at him through his glasses loving and protectively. Holding Zim close with his other hand he leaned in and whispered so only Zim would hear.
"Don't worry Zim, I won't let the big bad Easter Bunny get you. I'll be your protector- I'll save you."
He leaned in and pressed his lips against Zim's, giving him a soft reassuring yet passionate kiss. His warm eyes melting Zim against Dib's chest and had him clinging to Dib for a whole new reason. Zim didn't fight against the warmth of Dib's embrace and had even completely forgotten about the germy bunny that was pressed in between the both of them. Instead, he was focused on the warmth in his belly, the safety he found with HIS Dib. Something that Zim never thought he would do, even now. Dib's voice caught him off guard as he pulled away.
"You know.. I could fall in love with you."
Zim's head shot off the table as a soft alarm went off in his ear letting him know it was close to eight and time for him to make his way back to Dib's house to speak with Gaz. Yet, his body didn't seem like it wanted to move. Something had left him shocked and out of place, yet left a warm feeling in the pit of his stomach. Was it his dream?
Through the haziness of Zim's thoughts, Dib's voice echoed in his foggy head.
"You know... I could fall in love with you."
"I guess... I'm dreaming with you tonight... somehow, Dib..."
So as promised, Chapter 2 is finally out before April 1st. We slowly are dipping into the real bit of the story. We find out Dib is actually alive but buried six feet under and slowly beginning to realize he screwed up- bad. That Zim secretly harbors confused feeling for the human, and that dreams can be just as realistic as the actual memories. Plus, I had to throw in some Easter scenes since I know I'll miss Easter (yet again), and not be able to do an Easter one-shot in time.
Oh well. Maybe next year.
Characters are going to seem a little off since a lot of confusing things are happening, especially to our favorite Irken. So please forgive me for the smallish OC moments. Anyway, again per usual chapters please do feel free to leave me some feedback, I'd love to hear what you guys think or if your still interested in the fic. Until then, hope you enjoyed Chapter 2.