A/N: Hello! I'm back. How long has it been now? Three weeks? That's impressive. The last chapter was a little controversial, and this one will be too. But we knew it was going to come down to that. There may be long paragraphs at the end of this chapter, but like I've said before feel free to skip. That's why I wait until the end. It's just that I am not 100% happy about how I expressed my views on life, death and everything else in the characters' dialogue. It was coming off vague and confusing... so I will try and explain better as much as I can. Well, read on.
Disclaimer: One day I will be able to prove how I don't own Invader Zim, but, alas, it isn't that day just yet. Yeah, I don't own Invader Zim...
...
There was coldness all around. Not the biting, chilling kind that numbs the blood, but a dry kind that comes with the whispers of a lonely wind.
There were voices in the wind too. Voices far away that echoed throughout the empty void; some were familiar, and others foreign.
Zim woke to a loud cry. He looked up to see black shapes hovering in a colourless sky. They looked like vultures, or maybe pterodactyls...
He didn't care to find out, because he knew why they hovered above his lifeless body, and rolled over onto his side. The birds—or dinosaurs—flew away once a high wind engulfed the land, taking Zim's breath away.
Small grains hit his eyes, and it was times like these when he wished he had eyelashes. No Irken truly had eyelashes; the females only wore false inserts for fashion, much like human females.
Once the wind had done its final sweep of the land, he stood up to take a good look of his surroundings.
It was too foggy to see anything, and the ground was neither soft nor hard. When he peered down at his feet, he could only see his ankles.
He scratched his eyes, as there were grains of sand wedged between his non-existent lashes. But what he scratched out was not sand. They were particles of some sort, but they seemed to glisten like gems.
He didn't have much time to dwell on this peculiar sand, because a sudden whirr went out about the land. The wind and those faraway voices ceased.
It was too silent. His heart was the only thing he could hear now — that wet sloshing of his blood, pumping through the valves of his alien heart. It beat faster and faster, until it whirred like the wings of a hummingbird.
He tried to cry out, but his voice never came. Such a horrible and hopeless thing it was to have your own voice fail you, leaving you utterly helpless to the point of tears.
A single tear dripped from his eye, while the surrounding mist consumed him, reminding him of how alone he truly was and always will be.
It was hard trying to remember how he came to be here, for it seemed it was the only place he had ever been. But a small spark flashed in his mind as he remembered a large room with grand furniture, and the frantic face of a strange, foreign creature.
He did know the face, but his mind couldn't place it.
It was an odd creature. It had golden hair curled around its face, and two round eyes like little blue planets. But its expression was what triggered an innate part of him, and he saw another face with white hair in complete disarray.
That face ignited a burning rage in his gut, and once he felt it rising to the surface like lava, he could only place one word — hatred. Yes, he hated that face, and the other... did he love?
The previous face came back, and he saw its frightened expression once again. The images came to life as they replayed in his mind. The little golden-haired face was something dear to him, and then he felt it: his voice growing deep from his chest, for the little face gave him strength.
"Molly!" his familiar voice echoed. It was great to hear it again. Even in its short or long absence, he had forgotten how it sounded.
"Molly! I won't let him hurt you!"
A sound exploded across the way, and then he saw in the mist a faraway shadow coming closer... It seemed to drag itself, and he couldn't tell the size or distance since the mist clouded his view.
However, he did know he should be afraid, and the closer it came, he knew why. Even from afar it was the most terrifying thing he ever saw. It brought the foul stench of death, like a rotten carcass. Zim hoped the vultures would return and carry off this cadaver, just to be relieved of the smell.
The form spoke. It sounded similar to his skool teacher's voice—her true voice—but more horrific. So horrific indeed, that he brought his hand up around his neck, and squeezed until there was no life left.
Another sound came the opposite way, and with it the flash of light. The light shone on the shadow. Zim saw it only a second. It may have sounded scarier than his teacher, but the mist had exaggerated its fearsome form.
The shape had the look of him, and the longer the light shone it very much became him. At one point it even looked sheepish in a "you got me" kind of way.
Zim approached the figure in the mist, but he hit his head on a wide, reflective surface.
The Irken looked up. It was a mirror, and there he was face-to-face with his own reflection. He had never come across a mirror where his own image smiled and pulled its tongue, and then walked away till it disappeared. That was strange.
He turned to where the light shone brightest, and there in the mist was another figure, and hopefully not a damn mirror. He approached it, and as he got closer he saw it was human. It was a young women.
Zim sighed, and shook his head, for he knew who she was.
"I know who you are. Come closer!"
The girl seemed distracted by her feet, and Zim was becoming impatient. He advanced closer, and saw that she was sitting on a bed with white linen, painting her toenails.
Her hair was pale blonde, and she had the appearance of a teenage human. Great... All this time, his guardian was a vain blonde who painted her stupid toenails!
"Hey! I'm talking to you! Stop doing that foolish, girly thing, and pay attention!"
The girl startled, spilling the nail polish she held so delicately in her hand. "Oh, look what you did. Now I'm going to have to start over."
"If you are who I think you are, then I've got no hope in getting back and saving Molly, have I?"
"Don't be so negative, Zim, and quick to judge. But you're right, I have a job to do, and you're my client. Very well, I am at your service."
She stood up from the bed, and Zim had the uncomfortable notion that he stepped right into her bedroom. She even wore a white nightgown. But then her bed disappeared, and her attire changed into more formal wear.
He took a good look at her, noticing the liquid blue of her eyes. She was quite the sight, despite the fact she was human, but it was a beauty he couldn't deny. It was the purest kind of beauty, and it left him feeling like gelatine.
"Who are you exactly?" he finally asked, after that impatient look she gave him. "You act and look human, and you come across foolish and vain. Painting your nails at a time like this?!"
"I could paint your nails too if you'd like? I could paint them to match your dress!"
"It is not a dress!"
She raised a hand in peace, and Zim soon calmed. She may be a ditsy, stereotypical blonde, but she still held a certain power over him, and he felt it the second she raised her perfectly manicured hand.
"Tell me, how did I end up with an idiot girl like you?"
"Is that how you choose to treat the voice that stopped you turning into an ice statue, convinced you to accept that sweet little girl, and prevented that thing in your class from taking you and Molly? She was an ugly one too. How can you learn anything with her for a teacher?"
"But how are you even human? You're some type of angel, right?"
"If you'd like me to be."
"You didn't answer my question. Why are you human?"
"This is just how I look. Why do you look like a giant ant?"
"I am not an ant!"
"And I am not human."
Zim stopped himself.
"Well, how would you like me to look?"
"I don't know. I'm a little confused right now." He looked her up and down. "Please don't tell me you have feathered wings too."
She shrugged apologetically, as a pair of feathered wings materialised behind her back. She kept them folded against her sides. At one point she plucked out a rogue feather, and flicked it towards Zim.
He wafted the dead feather away. "Oh, come on! This can't be real?!"
"What? Are you disappointed that my wings aren't the product of millions of years of evolution? I heard what you said to that little girl. You owe her an apology. What were you thinking telling her angels weren't real? You were a little insulting."
"I didn't say they weren't real; I meant to say they don't look human. How can they? How can you?"
"I know, I know, a human is just another organism like any other: a Homo sapien if you wish. If you want, I can be any other form? A sea urchin perhaps? What makes humans so special that they get to resemble astral beings?"
"I figure because they are in respect the most intelligent species on Earth. But not that I believe that!"
"From the human perspective maybe. Many creatures develop the potential to do things at will. Humans just have the ability to deliberate those actions. Animals are more innate, but that doesn't mean they're not intelligent... Besides, dolphins are kinda smart..."
"Then why are humans at the top of the food chain? Though I had plans to change all that once I took over the planet."
"Well, I guess that's just evolution for you, my sweet Irken. You of all aliens should understand that theory after that dire talk with Molly. You can allow yourself a little faith, despite what you know of science. You're such a pessimist."
"I'd rather be a pessimist than have a hopeless belief in a perfect afterlife."
"Why are you still so stubborn? I know deep down you believe in an afterlife, maybe not a perfect one, but it's in you. After all, why would you go through so much trouble to save that little girl's soul? Where do you think she's going after this? Planet Blorch?"
"There's a place for Molly. I know that for certain. But there is no place for Irkens. Our souls die the minute they're relieved of our corpses."
"Don't be so grim. No one truly dies. Life is phase one if you think of it that way... Besides, has it never occurred to you where you are now? Your soul has been preserved."
"Yes, but... does that mean that I'm... dead?"
"Technically speaking, yes, but you're soul isn't."
"That thing I saw. It was me the whole time, wasn't it? Is that the true appearance of my soul? Please tell me it's not so."
"The mirror is just a trick of the mist. It shows all the flaws a soul can acquire during its life. But don't worry, all is forgiven. That's why you looked normal at the end of your ordeal, and your wicked half was taunting you after."
"All is forgiven? What of that evil, murdering scum who took Molly's life and now mine?"
"Evil was once a foreign term to you, Zim, and even then you were indifferent to it. Your kind was trained to think that your goals for universal conquest were the norm. Think of it as a creature's will to survive. No one would fault you for living."
"For living? He had dark, sick desires that would even shock the cruellest among my race. Raping and killing a child? That is in no way acceptable."
"Infanticide is a terrible deed, and a very heartbreaking one too. But it's not just human beings. It's observed in many creatures. Would you fault a lion for killing another's cubs? He's an animal, he has no concept of good or bad, but he doesn't want to father another male's offspring... Like you sometimes say, humans are modified apes. But they were very much wild once too, and relied solely on instinct."
"A child should not have to suffer because of someone's 'instincts'. No animal would kill so mercilessly, and I doubt they use the cubs for sexual desires. It's like you said, humans have the ability to deliberate their actions, so he was very aware of his evil deed. And what are you now, some kind of zoologist? Stop comparing the lion to the human. It's not the same thing!"
"Well, why not? Do you not understand? Humans are no different to animals, really. They just evolved into the complex creatures they are now. Those baby cubs suffered a great deal, yet it's in a lion's nature to kill. So it's not that man's fault that he is plagued by the corruption of a human mind. Souls are pure. His was the day he was born, as was yours. The day he dies, his soul will be replenished. A soul is too precious to waste. He will have another chance of life until he gets it right."
"I don't want him to have a second chance; he deserves to be condemned into a fiery pit. If there is a heaven, then surely there must be a hell?"
"Yes, but hell is in the mind. You can create your own personal hell and heaven. If people want it to be gruesome, so be it. Some people believe that hell is already on Earth."
Zim gave a faraway look. "For a minute I thought that horrible image of me was—"
"The devil? Please, don't flatter yourself, Zim."
"What?"
She laughed pleasantly, and Zim thought he heard bells ringing.
"You're so adorable when you're confused."
"Then who is the devil?"
"Who do you want him to be?"
"Stop with all the trick questions!"
"If you want him, or her, to be a horned beast then go ahead, just as you want me to be a divine being with the wings of a bird."
"I don't want you to be those things!"
"Very well. I didn't want to do this, but here I go..."
She stood before him, and changed into a tall, statuesque Irken. Her antennae were long and curled, as they sloped elegantly behind her back.
The sight took Zim's breath away, because if there ever was a beautiful Irken then it was her. She was by far the most spectacular creature he ever saw, and if her previous image turned him into gelatine, then he simply melted at her feet now.
"Why are you doubled over? I'm just Irken like you now."
"I don't know. I suddenly felt sick. You're so... you're so..."
"I'm so what?"
"Now I know why all those foolish Earth men write poetry, but no words could describe you..."
"Oh, get a grip. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder anyway. I guess this is just what you consider 'beautiful'. I am taller than your very own tallest. Why don't you check these wings out if you don't like feathers?"
Behind her back appeared the wings of a butterfly, with bright, iridescent colours. The colours dazzled Zim as they danced across his face, leaving him speechless and confused.
"I can't work with you like this. Change back! I doubt this is the kind of place that accepts temptation..." He looked around, warily.
"No, it is not, because those temptations are usually accompanied with the body, not the soul. You leave your body's natural urges once your spirit is released."
"Yes, but I'm no longer attached to my body, that's the problem!"
"So, it's all in your mind? I'm flattered, Zim, but for your sake I'll change back into my less-attractive form."
She changed back, but Zim still gazed at her like a blind man who saw the sun for the first time. Beauty at its purest was hard to forget.
"I guess now you want to get back to Earth and save Molly?"
"Yes, immediately. I'm wasting too much time!"
"Don't worry. Barely five minutes have passed since you were struck."
"How is that possible? It feels as if I've been here for hours, days, months, or even years. It's hard to decide on which."
"That's not important now. It will soon be in the past."
"Then I guess it isn't my time just yet. Is that why you're here, to guide me?"
"You guessed right. You have many years ahead of you, Zim, and you're going to do great things."
"Really?"
"No... well, maybe, but you could if you wanted. The decision is all yours. I can't tell you how to live your life. If that were the case, then wouldn't the journey from birth to death be for naught if it was decided for you?"
"I suppose you're right. If I change my behavior, will I have an afterlife, too, like Molly?"
"I can show you a glimpse of that afterlife if you'd like?"
The fog lifted from the land, and Zim saw that they were standing on top of a high summit, overlooking a valley. The scene was picturesque. Artists would paint masterpieces, writers would compose sonnets, and children would sing songs... yet Zim was a little disappointed.
"It's beautiful, but it's not how I pictured my afterlife." He waved a butterfly out of his face, and a little way away rabbits chewed grass. It was all very pleasing, but Zim was never a fan of rabbits, anyway.
"No, your afterlife looks more like this."
The scenery changed into a blank void, and Zim looked up at her confused.
"What trick is this?"
"Think about it. Your idea of happiness is destruction and annihilation, and having people bow down at your feet. Your mind has never pondered— or even been given the chance—on the possibility of a divine existence. You've never known that kind of freedom. So right now your heaven is an empty canvas. You decide how your heaven looks. You can't have a peaceful afterlife and still crave admiration through fear. You have to gain that glory with a different tactic."
"How?"
"That's for you to decide, I can only guide you to do what's right. Oh, look, you're coming to."
"What? Where?"
Zim looked below, and there he was lying motionless in a strange, dull world. But beside him was the small, quivering form of Molly; the only source of light he could see. It looked like she was crying.
He looked up at his guardian, whose features had changed into that of an old, wise woman. She smiled at him warmly, and Zim had an urge to call her grandma. But he wiped that thought from his mind considering he wanted to rip her dress off not so long ago...
"Remember what I said, and I'll look out for you, no matter what path you choose. Everyone deserves a friend on the other side, and I'm yours whether you like that or not." She squeezed his cheek, and led him to the edge of the mountain.
Zim looked over the edge, and saw that there were clouds miles and miles below that seemed to sit on the valley itself. Another thought occurred to him, and he asked fervently, as if the chance might slip away.
"Wait! One last thing before I go. Who is God, our creator? What does it all mean?"
"I've already told you; you decide for yourself."
"But he does exist?!" he shouted almost hopefully.
"Think about it very carefully, and you'll find your answer. I'll give you a clue. He/she is not something that must be seen, but felt. Farewell, my little Irken..."
And before you could say "hallelujah", she pushed him off the mountain rather roughly, and Zim thought he heard her say, "Oops, I am not good at this..." But he descended back towards the Earth before he could make sense of her words.
During his fall, he thought he saw his home galaxy that was nothing but a tiny star. Then everything turned into a billion lights, until it all vanished with a flash.
Next, he felt like he was stuffed into a box, and for a second he wanted to return to that world of the mountain summit with the valley that never ended. But, alas, he must return to do his duty, and finish phase one.
…
He lay there like a lifeless doll, and all Molly could do was stand and watch. She felt the room shatter to pieces the moment Zim fell, and when he didn't wake, her world simply crashed.
How could she let this happen? Zim was gone now all because she was too afraid to finish that man herself. She mourned his death more than she did her own...
No, she couldn't let him die. Not now, he had a role to fulfil. There were many other ghosts that needed help, as well as their loved ones. It wasn't his time yet.
She fell down to her knees and wept beside his motionless form, feeling for the first time since her own death true grief.
"Zim, please wake up..." she struggled to say. "It's not your time. You still have to help me go to heaven. You have to help me so I can be with my Daddy."
She waited for a response. But none came.
"Zim!" she cried. "I won't let you go! Come back! Please, Zim. I need you... You're my best friend."
She laid her head on his chest, hearing that lack of life below. His body was still warm, and it gave her hope, even if it was a diminishing heat.
He can't be dead. He was like a flame that couldn't be extinguished, but someone had doused that flame, and now that someone must pay...
A weary figure crept out from the shadows, and there appeared the douser of Zim's flame — the true face of insanity. A dry, raspy laugh oozed out of its mouth like venom, terrifying the little spirit.
"Well, thank the moon and stars I got that little bastard out the way. He should know better next time to cross me. But I guess that 'next time' will never come for him now, hey?" He gave a bitter laugh. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I can be your new friend. It'll be like old times again. You remember that? Such fun we had..."
Molly lifted her head off Zim's chest, and turned it slowly till she faced the dispatcher of those last four words.
"Such fun we had..."
How dare he...
There came a strange sucking sound next, leaving behind a stale, lifeless atmosphere. It was hard to breathe.
The blood drained from the man's face once he saw that livid expression on her face, and he crawled back into his lonely shadow.
The girl hovered to her feet. Now her hunched form changed into one of a dangerous spirit.
Words escaped him now, and the only sound he could utter from that vile mouth was the shrill of a scream. But even that failed him, and all he could do was make a pathetic squeak.
Molly released a powerful scream as punishment for a lack of his. It shattered the glass doors, the windows, the TV, and the lonely vase that sat wistfully on a polished table.
Glass showered over the cowering man as he covered his face. Now he screamed.
"Stop, I surrender! Please, I'll do anything you want!"
Molly looked down at that pitiful creature in front of her, feeling a strange energy buzzing inside. She finally found her courage, something deep inside of her that yearned to be set free the moment she was free of her body.
And so it was that she smiled. It wasn't the sweet, innocent smile of a child anymore, but the demented, crazed smile of a maniac hell-bent on her revenge.
The only thing Molly felt now was hatred, and a slight touch of insanity. It coursed through her now like electricity, reaching her arms and legs. This hatred wasn't borne of her own death, but for the death of a beloved friend...
The man whimpered fearfully as she advanced upon him now. This was it. His 'just deserts' had finally arrived.
And then his screams disappeared into oblivion...
Many wondered what events took place that night, but whatever happened tamed the wild nature of a deranged beast, rendering him weak to the point of mercy.
And so it was that he confessed all his crimes of the past and present, helping many whether they be loved ones of his victims, or members of the public.
Molly reflected on the events of the night as she watched over her friend.
Her other 'friend' had run out of the house to who knows where. Molly didn't care; she only cared for Zim now. But she made sure he would confess his crimes, and not hide away in a dark corner like a rat.
Her eyes dried of tears, and all she could do now was pray for Zim's return. A part of her felt he may. I must be a ghost thing, but she knew his spirit wasn't completely detached of its body, but merely held it like the strings of a puppet.
She looked down at his peaceful face, deciding that he looked cute yet again. It was almost as if he was dreaming. Molly stroked his head.
"Even if you don't come back, Zim, I know you'll go to a good place. Maybe you can come back for me and take me with you... but I need to see my Mommy again for one more time. That's what kept me here. It wasn't 'revenge' like you say, but love. Love made me Earthbound... I like to think I taught you something about love. I know it's in you. Maybe you could teach other aliens about love when you wake up? Everyone deserves a friend, and I hope I was that for you. I was a lonely little girl, living or dead, and it took a young death to find a friend like you. I died for a purpose, and that was to meet and help you, Zim. I love you, you're the friend and brother I never had..."
Molly looked at the brass statue of the chimera on the floor, but she felt no hatred towards it now, or the man who wielded it.
There was a change in her eyes. She may still have the face of a five-year-old child, but the person who looked up was a woman of sixty years. Molly had finally gained some wisdom.
To remove all hatred left her soul pure, and she only felt pity towards the man who took her life. Someone obviously wasn't there to teach him about love, and if it were so, maybe he would have grown to be different. Monsters are made, not born...
She looked out the window. If the police show up Zim will be exposed. Her friend deserved to be laid to rest, and not prodded and probed like a test subject.
She saw the blue flash of a police siren, and her heart stopped. But it pulled up three doors away. She breathed a sigh of relief. Molly had forgotten about that woman's scream.
She tried to think of her next plan. If she could get hold of Minimoose or the computer, they could come for Zim's body before the authorities get him.
Just as her mind pondered over the possibility of Gaz or GIR, or even Dib, a sound came Zim's way.
The sound she heard was his weary groan, like that of a zombie. A part of her felt fearful of the latter, but she pushed that silly thought away. Why should a ghost like her be afraid of a living corpse of all things?
Zim sat up jadedly. He peered around the room for a moment with eyes like a mole, before he rolled over onto his side. His PAK hadn't finished rebooting yet, so he still felt pretty drowsy.
"Ow, my... my head, " said the sound of his groggy voice.
"Zim, you're alive!" Molly cried. She ran over and lifted him into an embrace.
The Irken squealed in pain. She dropped him again.
"I'm sorry, I've just never been so happy to see you!"
"M-Molly? Is that you?"
"No, it's GIR... Who else would I be?"
"Thank goodness. I was afraid that..." Zim's eyes shot open. He jumped up, pointing his lasers in every corner of the room.
"Where is he?! He'll rue the day he tried to kill Invader Zim!"
"He's gone, Zim. I did it!"
"Eh? I don't understand. Did what?"
"I finally faced my demons and stood up to him. He's gone!"
"Gone where? You let him go?!"
"He's gone to confess his crimes." Molly folded her arms, proud.
"Oh, you stupid girl! Why would you do that? And don't tell me because he promised. Come, we're going to find him and fix your mistake."
Zim was about to rush through the shattered glass doors, but then Molly grabbed his arm, taking him by surprise. Her grip was powerful.
"I know he's gone to confess. I didn't ask him, I told him, Zim. Please have faith in me."
Zim watched her strangely, seeing that grown, and slightly psychotic, woman in her eyes. He stepped back, and withdrew his legs. He checked over the room, taking note of the broken glass.
"Okay, I believe you. After all, I'm no stranger to your wrath myself..." Zim reflected on his own experience, which sent a shiver down his spine. He could only imagine what it did to that pathetic worm.
"Well done, Molly. I'm proud. It's not hard when you put your mind to it, is it? Did he cry for forgiveness? Oh, I wish I had been alive to see it!"
"I didn't have to use my mind. My heart was broken. I guess it was my heart that did all the hard work."
He turned sheepish. He felt bad that he left her, even if it wasn't by his own doing.
"I'm sorry I left you, but I'm back now and I'll keep my promise. We'll reunite you with your mother. Hopefully, if word gets out of his crimes, your mother can finally have her closure."
She hugged him. "I know it wasn't your fault, but I'm glad your back. I missed you, even if you were dead for five minutes. It felt like much longer."
"Don't I know indeed. It felt like a lifetime to me."
"Did you see it? Heaven?"
"Something akin to it, yes." He smiled. "I think it plays on a psychological aspect of the brain. I suppose the pleasure stems from just guessing."
"I'm happy you saw it. You deserve to go to a good place."
"Yes, but I have to work for it. But not to worry, I am back! Zim has returned to do his duty. Now let's leave. If that man does confess, he may not leave the part out about ghosts and aliens... Oh, and dancing dogs too."
Molly scoffed. "Yeah, but they won't believe him."
"But they may still check his house. We have to finish removing all traces of our part in his confession. Quick, not a moment to lose!"
They went over the house at once. Zim didn't worry about the control room, and when he ran outside the dogs were fast asleep. They had undone their chains by themselves (the urge to dance was that strong), and now slept paw in paw in the middle of the lawn. It was adorable in a grotesque kind of way.
Zim cleaned their mouths with some sort of mouthwash. His clear pink blood was still on their lips. It made him quesy.
He cleaned up his blood on the back porch too, with a strange device from his PAK that burnt away all traces of DNA. He realised the dogs may still have his Irken anaesthetic running through their veins. The authorities might not check. They'll wake with wretched hangovers, anyway, so they'd be pretty snappy by morning.
They may wonder how his glass doors shattered to a million pieces. The man couldn't have accomplished a feat like that himself, but Zim would leave that as a mystery. Let them mull it over until their heads hurt.
Next, he located all the cameras, and vaporized them like he did with the control room for no particular reason. It just felt good. Now that would be something for the humans to digest.
"I guess it's all done. What else is there? There may still be traces of my saliva on his skin, but who cares now. It's not like I could have melted his face off."
"Yes, but you would have liked to," Molly said.
"Yeah," he laughed. "I can't believe we did it. You and I, we're an unstoppable team! Operation... Wow, we never gave our mission a name, did we?"
"How about 'Operation Taco'?"
"Why would we call it that?"
"Well GIR likes tacos. He never got to be a part of our mission, so why not?"
"Fine, 'Operation Taco' it is. It's over now. This is a cause for celebration. All we have to do is wait, and see what tomorrow brings."
They left the house from the back and made their way to the Voot. There were police officers in and around the house by where they parked. But they went about their business, and soon flew off into the night.
If any officers look up they will see a giant bee. Nothing out the ordinary.
Zim looked down, and saw a young, injured man being carried out the house on a gurney. He was quite the handsome chap; Zim could see what the scanty lady saw in him. He may as well find out what happened over there, since he practically risked his life over that stupid woman's scream.
An older man was being led into a police car, as well as the woman into a car separate. She finally covered up her underwear.
Zim heard the older man shout, "You cheating, gold digging slut! I knew you only married me for the money!" He was shoved into the back of the car. He told Molly to cover her ears, since it was not something for a child to hear.
None of those people even knew what happened three doors away. It was surprising how the world carried on while he went to heaven and back again.
When the houses were far away in the distance, Zim thought he saw the flash of sirens coming into the road where they left. The residents of that small cul-de-sac weren't going to get much sleep tonight.
…
The next day came around, and word got out about Molly's murder. All of a sudden she was brought back into the limelight, like someone dragged up from the dead after fifty-five years.
Her search had been cancelled years ago, and many of the officers who worked on her case were either old or deceased. So many were surprised. It was safe to say that no one will ever know the real reason why her murderer confessed after all these years...
Molly hated the attention. Fame was overrated, and not something she wanted, but news had to get out so it would reach her mother. It's not often a little girl is found after so many years, living or dead.
When Zim saw it on the Earth news, he sat right back on the couch in GIR's ass print, then released a huge sigh.
All his hard work finally paid off. There was nothing more satisfying than a long, awaited reward after so much anticipation, stress, heartache and even death. He can move on, and so can Molly.
It was actually Gaz who called Zim to turn the TV on, and all those dopey news reporters—the exact ones who reported on Moofy's case—adorned his and every other screen in the city.
The man's grand house sat in the background. It looked less menacing in daylight, and his gardens with all the topiary children were actually beautiful. Zim never noticed he had a water fountain at the front of his house.
They explained that his shattered windows and the melted control room were being investigated, but after a while they put it down to ordinary cause. The humans could be stupid at times. They didn't even notice his weird, alien house when Moofy got her foot stuck in his yard...
There was also mention of aliens and ghosts, but no dancing dogs. They had decided that his old age had finally caught up with him, and he was just hallucinating due to the effects of dementia, even though the results of his brain scan proved fine. The man insisted on the brain scan to prove his sanity, yet everyone found it hard to believe the words of a deranged killer.
Gaz still sounded a little angry on the phone, considering she missed out on Operation Taco, but there was sincerity in her tone. After all she liked Molly as much as Zim, and only wished for her happiness too.
Molly's picture would come up on screen, looking like the face of pure innocence. Zim would peer over at her to see her confused reaction.
Molly was certain the image was of her. It was hard to recognise herself, but she definitely knew it was her since it was the same picture Zim showed her in his lab.
Zim could only guess what this was doing to Molly's poor mother. He remembered how hurt she looked the day he confessed to her. Such pain he saw in her eyes, and to have it dug up after so many years must be heartbreaking. No wonder she snapped at him, but at least she got her closure in the end.
Her murderer revealed his real name as Cedric Huffle—no wonder he turned out a bad apple—and had adopted many an alias the past fifty years.
He had been all over the world from Europe, Asia and even Africa. And the latter was where he met Thomas Williams; the man whose house he had inherited after he was killed by an aggressive bull elephant on one of those charity trips.
Thomas had given his house and fortune to Cedric—though he went by the name of John—since he didn't have any living relatives, and that was where he lived the past five years. He had been in the country for that long, and managed to go on unnoticed.
He revealed the details of other children he had taken advantage of all over the world, and had even sold children into prostitution. Such twisted deeds to accomplish, and Zim couldn't believe his guardian, who should be wise and all-knowing, could compare this monster to an animal.
Animals weren't self-serving like humans, and only did things for the greater good of the species, or for survival.
It wasn't fair on the lion to be compared to such a beast; he only killed because it was in his nature, and a part of his evolution. This man was beyond anything in the natural world.
Zim tried to think from her point of view, as hard as it was, he knew there was some logic to it. All it took was to not think of evil from the human or Irken perspective, but from something separate.
Whatever that separate perspective may be was hard to understand. But it was there regardless even before time began, and will probably still exist when that time meets its end.
Molly's body had been buried in a secluded forest, and once the DNA was recovered from her remains, it was revealed to be that of hers.
Her bones were confiscated and looked over by specialists, and soon her funeral was arranged by her mother and very siblings — siblings that weren't even born at the time of her death. But she was the sister they never met. They needed closure just as much as their mother, and all those who knew her.
Her funeral was set for the seventh day of the seventh month, three months after the ordeal. Her family had always celebrated her birthday, and now they chose to bury her remains on the day they cherished for so long.
Zim waited patiently, because it can't really be over until she is buried. He was too afraid to approach her mother since last time. The woman was eighty-one; it was bad enough that she had the police, detectives and the whole media at her doorstep. The old woman needed her peace.
Zim decided to wait until her funeral. He would attend the service, as well as Gaz. Even the Dib invited himself. He said it was for SEN purposes, but he was really in it for his end of the bargain. He still wanted his photographic evidence. Zim left him to it. All he cared about was Molly now.
He still had to keep his end of the bargain like he promised, and that was to reunite her with her mother.
Her funeral was based at a crematorium in a small, quiet town at the edge of the city. Zim had no idea how to get there; he didn't want to take his Voot considering it was broad daylight.
Gaz suggested the bus, and seeing no other option, Zim opted just for that. But then Professor Membrane saved the day, overhearing their conversation, and said he would take them. He felt proud of his kids because they were going to pay their respects to Molly and her family. Bet he had no idea he took said little girl herself, who rode shot-gun.
Zim, Dib and Gaz sat in the back quietly, like naughty children forbidden to talk. Zim sat in the middle, while the Membrane siblings gazed out the windows.
GIR wanted to attend the service, but Zim told him he could not for obvious reasons. Minimoose understood why, but GIR was hysterical. But then his messed up programing forgot the whole ordeal, and he went to bake a cake instead.
Molly kept looking up at Professor Membrane respectfully, and spoke to Gaz.
"Your Daddy is so nice to take us to the crematorium. I really miss my Daddy, but I can't wait to see him again."
"Meh, I suppose," Gaz said.
The only other person in the vehicle who could hear Molly was Zim, so Dib was taken by surprise.
His sister wasn't exactly the type who talks to herself (only he gained that in the Membrane gene pool). The Professor just continued to drive and hum in his little world of science.
"Wait, you just talked to her, didn't you? She's in the car?!" Dib eyed the vacant seat in front, suspiciously. "That's why you wouldn't let me ride shot-gun. She's sitting right there. I knew it!"
"Shut your noise tube, Dib. I don't even understand why you insist on coming to this funeral," Zim said.
"To get my proof. You made your promise!"
"And what makes you so sure she'll be there?"
"What ghost wouldn't go to its own funeral?!"
"Do I hear more talk of elves and fairies from your foolish mouth, Son? I will pull over and kick you out of this car until you talk of real science!" the Professor said.
"I don't believe in elves!"
Dib sat back in the seat and pouted. He turned to look at Zim, who had a smug smile on his face.
"Quit it!" he snapped.
"I'm not doing anything, Dib. This is just how I smile..."
"If either of you keep talking, then I shall unleash an unspeakable wrath upon you both!" Gaz snapped.
Zim and Dib kept their mouths shut.
...
They finally arrived at the crematorium, which was a strange, dome-shaped building. Zim, Dib and Gaz got out the car, followed by a distracted Molly.
The Professor bid them farewell and drove off. He told them a colleague would come to pick them up after, since he was a busy, busy man.
It turned out a lot of people came to attend the service. There was even a camera crew outside, but they couldn't get inside the building. Molly's family must have asked for no media coverage. But the public were free to attend as they wished, which was why there were so many people walking into the building.
Zim felt overwhelmed by all the people who wanted to see off the little girl he saved; the one who went missing all those years ago. Her disappearance had plagued the city for so long, and now they had come to pay their respects.
A strange feeling welled up inside him. It was by his doing that all these people came together. The humans weren't as bad as he thought they were.
Molly looked just as shocked on his right. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you ready for this?"
"Yeah," she said, quietly.
"Then let's go and say a final goodbye to your remains... Sorry, that sounded different in my head."
Molly grabbed his hand and led him inside, as Dib and Gaz followed. A man at the door confiscated Dib's camera. The boy groaned.
"Aw, man!"
"You can get it back after the service little boy. The family has asked for no pictures."
"Fine, take it. But I'll be looking out for you..." Dib pointed.
There was a large traffic jam at the doors, and it took a while until everyone was inside. Many had to stand at the back. They just managed to find seats near the end of the room.
Zim sat next to a large, crying woman who explained that she was Molly's great, great cousin once or twice removed.
All he could say was, "I'm sorry for your loss, ma'am." He looked over at Molly. The girl shrugged, having no idea who the lady was. Zim figured many people in this room claimed to be a distant relative of Molly. Maybe one shared a caveman ancestor...
Her immediate family sat right at the front, and Zim saw her — Molly's mother.
Along her bench sat her daughters and only son. Beside each of her children sat their partners, and behind in the second row were all the grandchildren of various ages. There was a girl of sixteen years playing on her phone, as the oldest of Molly's sisters told her to turn it off.
Zim recognised the little girl he saw at the park, sitting behind her mother, but the baby was not present. A funeral was no place for a baby; no one would want to listen to it crying, anyway.
The service began, and Zim moved around uncomfortably in his seat. The lady next to him wouldn't stop blubbering, even though the girl's own family sat in silence. True grief doesn't have to be expressed through tears.
Zim glanced around the room, noticing someone dressed as the Grim Reaper near the altar. He thought it was very disrespectful at first, until he realised no one else in the room could see it. He felt his skin freeze over.
The figure looked up from below its cowl, revealing a section of its face and white, shinning eyes.
The entity looked to be a human male in his twenties. Zim had to admit; he was creepy.
Those white eyes found his at last. They held him there a moment, until the creature smiled. It was the smile of a complete maniac, probably one who heard voices...
Zim wasn't exactly a stranger to the additional voice, but this creature freaked him out. It was like it knew he was alien. He couldn't help but notice how its eyes lingered on Molly, as if she was long, sought out prey.
He averted his eyes, and noticed a light shining down on the hooded figure. The Irken looked up to see a white shape inside the patterns of a stain glass window. It almost looked as if it... no, she... was scolding the hooded figure. It was his guardian's face in the window.
The hooded figure seemed to hear her sentiment, and slipped away from the altar.
Zim looked up at the window again, and his guardian waved playfully as if all was well. He looked away in case anyone followed his gaze. They didn't. He realised he must have been the only one who could see either of them. Neither were ghosts, but something higher.
"Zim, who was that scary man?" Molly's small, frightened voice asked. Apparently, she saw him too.
"I'm not entirely sure. You won't have to worry about him too much now."
"Will he come back?"
Zim looked to the window again. His guardian's image had vanished, and he returned Molly's answer as best as he could.
"He may. I don't think he's as bad as he looks, just more of a nuisance."
"Okay, I trust you, Zim," she said, grabbing a hold of his hand.
The service came to an end, and Molly's family stood up and left the room. Then everyone else followed suit as the curtains drew around Molly's coffin. Her remains would be cremated, and the ashes would return to Molly's mother inside an urn to be scattered.
Just as Molly's mother slipped out the room, she met Zim's gaze. The Irken looked away at once, wishing he could see her expression. Would she be hostile or welcoming? He was too afraid to find out, but by the time he looked again, she was already gone.
Her mother held a wake after the service, and Zim was determined to attend. Dib and Gaz agreed to come along, so the boy went to retrieve his camera.
"Here you go, kid," the guy said at the door. "Why do you take ugly pictures of your granny in a hot tub?"
"It's a picture of a banshee, and that's not a hot tub; it's a pool of nuclear waste! And you can't look at my pictures. That's private property!"
"Whatever, I don't care anymore."
Dib mumbled something unintelligible, and went outside with the others to wait for their lift.
Professor Membrane's colleague finally turned up. She was a woman and exactly the Professor's type: red hair pulled back in a neat bun, a white lab coat that hugged her small figure, and smart glasses that sat precisely on her turned up nose.
Dib and Gaz watched her carefully, since this woman may be their new stepmother, and the last thing Dib wanted was another scientist for a parent.
Gaz called shot-gun, so now Zim, Dib and Molly sat at the back until they reached Molly's mother's house. There were a lot of parked cars in the street, so the Professor's 'colleague' had to park around the block.
They made their way over, but once they reached the house, Zim wanted to turn back and go home. The crematorium could accommodate a large crowd, but Elizabeth's house? Only half the guests at the service attended the wake, but it was still too many humans for Zim's liking.
He put all his fears of smelly human crowds aside, and walked up the path that led to the door. Gaz had already gone inside, leaving Zim to ponder at the gate, but Molly and Dib stayed at his side.
It was worse than he thought once he got inside. All those warm bodies pressed together made him feel ill.
Dib finally lost his patience, and braved his way through the crowd. He was pushed here and there, but he eventually made it to the buffet table to meet his sister. Now Zim knew why there were so many humans; they were drawn to food like moths to a street lamp.
He rolled his eyes, and looked to his right. Molly vanished. He panicked at first, and he couldn't bring himself to shout her name at her own wake. At least if one of the other guests was called Molly, then he could work with that. He did see Molly's niece before.
"M-Molly!" he called. No one seemed to notice.
He was about to shout louder, until he heard a giggle near the fireplace, and saw Molly talking to the other Molly. They were playing with the ginger cat; the one who took a shine to Zim the last time he visited.
He squeezed through the crowd, absolutely positive that someone just let it rip in his face. So he held his breath till he escaped the crowd.
Finally, he made it to the fireplace. Molly was looking at a photograph of her niece as a baby. The ginger cat rubbed its cheek against her legs, but it wasn't that Zim was surprised. Animals could see ghosts as much as any child or clairvoyant Irken.
"Aw, you were so cute!" Molly squeaked. "I wish I could have seen you then."
"Grandma says I looked just like you as a baby. That's why I'm her favorite grandchild!"
"Molly!" Zim snapped, as he walked to her side.
Both Mollys looked up surprised.
"Do not ever disappear like that! I need you so we can talk to your mother."
"I'm sorry," she said. "I was just talking to my niece. Isn't she pretty? Look how she's grown since we last saw her."
"I doubt she's grown much in the last few months," Zim pointed out.
"Hey, I know you. You waved to me at the park!" the other Molly said.
"Oh... Zim, this is Molly, and Molly this is Zim. She was named after me!"
"Yes, hello. I'm sorry to break this little meeting, but we have business to attend to. Tell me, Molly 2.0, but where can we find your grandmother?"
"She'll be in the kitchen preparing drinks. But please don't forget to come back, Molly. It's nice to finally meet you again, and you too, Zim."
"I promise. Goodbye!" Molly waved.
They left for the kitchen, which proved a challenge. So many bodies blocked their way.
"You have to go on before me. You can go through the crowd like you do a wall or plane of glass. I'll meet you in the kitchen. Keep your mother distracted. Smash a plate if you have to."
"I can't do that!"
"Fine, smash a cup, but make sure she stays in the kitchen."
"Okay, I'll try."
Molly braved the crowd, and there were a few yelps and shivers from the people she walked through.
"Did you feel that chill?" one voice asked.
"I think someone just walked on my grave..." said another.
Zim saw that the last person blocking her way was her great, great cousin once or twice removed. That was a whole lot of woman to get through, but Molly did it with ease. The lady squealed like a piglet, and looked around sheepish when a few heads turned her way.
"Sorry, I just suddenly felt so cold," she apologised, and continued eating her sandwich.
Through a gap in the crowd, Zim saw Gaz leaning against the buffet table, eating a sandwich and playing with her GS2. The sixteen-year-old at the service watched over her shoulder, mesmerised by her skills.
Dib wasn't far off, showing one of Molly's nephews photos of vampire sewer rats. The kid looked impressed, and Dib was revelling in the attention.
They go to a wake, and finally meet kids that they had things in common. Maybe they should just go to wakes instead of skool from now on.
Zim shook his head, and made his first move towards the crowd, but then a woman blocked his way.
"Excuse me, miss," Zim said, graciously, "but could you just—"
She turned around, and Zim recognised the lady as one of Molly's sisters — the eldest.
"I'm sorry. It's quite the squeeze in here, isn't it?" she said. "But it's so lovely to see such a turnout. So many people are here for my sister. Even someone as young as you has come to pay their respects."
"Yeah," he laughed, noticing the bump which was her belly. At first he thought she was a little fat, until he realised she was pregnant. Another of Molly's nieces or nephews yet to come.
"What gender is it?" he asked.
"Oh, a boy," she replied. "He'll come to know of his aunt as with my other two."
"She would like that," he said, realising his mistake. "I mean, if she were here now in spirit form."
"I like to think she is. She can finally be put at rest after so many years. It's the least she deserves."
"Yes, you're very right. I know for certain she is here, and very happy to see this many people."
She patted his shoulder, and brushed past him. Zim moved out of her way to give her space. If only she knew that it was him who set Molly free. What would she think of him then?
After being pushed and shoved a few times, he finally made it to the kitchen. Molly's mother was brushing up a smashed cup. The culprit herself stood to one corner, looking guilty as charged. Their eyes locked, sharing an unspoken agreement. The time had come.
Zim approached her cautiously, looking wary of the brush in her hands. Those bristles looked pretty sharp...
He cleared his throat.
She looked up. Zim peered to the left, remembering their last encounter. He felt ashamed.
"It's you," she said. "I meant to give you an apology. I shouldn't have reacted that way. I hope you can forgive me. It's lovely of you to come back and pay your respects. I saw you at the service with friends."
"Oh, yes, of course. Friends."
"It's so wonderful to see that you've made some since we last spoke. You're a nice boy. I know you meant no harm."
"I've been meaning to apologize to you too, ma'am. I know I was blunt, but I won't go back on my word. I have seen your daughter, though that whole alien thing was totally made up, because I'm crazy..."
She took a deep breath, and prepared herself. "I will give you a chance to explain this time. It has occurred to me that as soon as you came into my life, Molly's awful departure was revealed a week later. I don't know if it was a sign, but I'm ready to believe anything now. So I'm listening."
All it took was her willingness. Zim knew that himself from his own experience with Molly. After all, he wasn't always so open to her too.
Zim glanced at Molly, as she shuffled her feet. The girl looked up expectantly.
"Would you believe me if I said she was here now? In the room? The reason why I couldn't convince you last time was because she was absent. She was too afraid to see you, but I've managed to build up her courage."
Elizabeth was frozen as she never took her eyes off Zim. It made the Irken very uncomfortable.
She gave a sigh. "All right. Where is she?"
"Over there in the corner," Zim pointed.
She turned towards the direction of his hand. Molly froze up. Elizabeth looked right through her, but there was a moment where her eyes lingered on hers. Molly thought she saw her, but then she looked at Zim again.
"Molly, come closer," Zim said.
She came to his side.
"Where is she now?" Elizabeth asked.
"To my left. I suppose it's best trying to find a way to convince you. I will tell you things only Molly could know."
Zim looked at Molly expectantly.
"What?" she said.
"Tell me something only you could know..." he said from the corner of his mouth.
Elizabeth looked disturbed, but played along as best as she could.
"I... I can't think of anything."
Zim sighed, and gripped his head in frustration. "She's not too sure at the moment. Please bear with us."
He faced his back to her, and Elizabeth watched him having a full on conversation with himself. She looked too afraid to say anything, in case it hurt the boy's feelings.
"Come on there must be something. A Christmas present perhaps? A long-lost pet?"
"I can't remember. It's hard... "
"Look, Zim is it? We don't have to do this today. There is plenty of time."
"No there is not. No offense, but you're not going to live forever."
"None taken," she said.
"Molly needs to speak with you now. It's the only thing that's held her down. She can't move on if you don't believe. You have to know she's here!"
Elizabeth could see the desperation in his eyes. She was sceptical of his words, but there was no denying that he wasn't lying. The boy honestly believed with all his heart, and that gave her some faith.
"Tell her if she remembers her pet goldfish Harry. She was distraught when he died; we held a little service for him by the toilet. I assured her that way he would go to heaven."
Zim looked at Molly.
"I remember Harry!" she said.
"She remembers the fish, but how do you know I'm not lying? You have to hear it from her."
"I'm afraid there's not much else. I'm sorry, Zim. It's not that I don't believe—"
"No, I've been through too much for this. I've sacrificed a lot. You will believe me!"
"... I think it's time now that you left. You can call on me anytime."
A sentence rang through Zim's head, something he had heard before and quite recently.
"It's not something that must be seen, but felt..." where the words of his guardian.
Though he may have had a hard time differentiating between figurative and literal speech, that didn't stop him from grabbing Molly on his left, and pushing her into her mother.
Molly fell on the floor, and looked up at Zim aghast.
Elizabeth only had a moment to realise what he was about to do when he grabbed the air on his left, and pulled it towards her side.
A chill went right through her, and for a second she sensed a familiar presence, one that she almost forgot in its long absence. And then her daughter's face appeared in her mind, as young and beautiful as the day she last saw her.
"Molly?" she choked.
Zim smiled, watching her old eyes light up like the eyes of a child on a snowy Christmas morning. One whose wishes and dreams had all come true, and nothing, absolutely nothing, could take away the happiness.
Elizabeth's eyes settled on that small girl kneeling at her feet. And when the girl looked up, she simply felt the love spread through the room, as if they had never been apart.
"Hiya, Mommy..." Molly said.
Zim had done it. Only one word rang through his head — victory. But it was a different kind of victory, one that comes with the happiness of others.
And that was the day he felt positive he could do it. Spread happiness instead of misery, and only then he will be truly worthy of admiration.
The Tallest and the rest of his race can have their parking structure planets. Zim found something on that planet worth preserving.
A/N: Basically, I like to think the human race is equal to all animals, and never in a billion years will be more important or special. Though because I am human, I don't always see it that way; I try but it's hard. Animals may kill every day in the wild, but humans are quite the exception. We have to be, because like Zim's guardian said, humans can think at will, ponder, create, and decide what they want for lunch.
But Zim is right too. Humans and animals are different, respectfully. I like to think whoever is looking out for us wouldn't treat us any different once we reach the afterlife, just because we're not instinctive or primal anymore. I do get annoyed when you hear of some horrible murder on the news, and people call said murderer an "animal". But what animal would kill so mercilessly? None, when you look at it deeply, which is why Molly's murderer is leagues away from any animal in the natural world.
Update: I have read papers that have shown that chimps will kill for pleasure... interesting... I hope I never run into that specific chimp in the wild. A lot of animals do kill for pleasure actually. I was rather wrong in the last paragraph (I just like to think all animals are perfect, like a crazy Peta preacher. One must think critically and not be 'biased').
My reasoning sounded off in this chapter. When I read it back, it sounded like she was saying it was okay for humans to kill because animals do it too, and what that man did wasn't wrong because lions do it. All she meant was there is no right or wrong, as she won't see it that way because she's far from human. But she can see that Zim can do great things with his gift and tries to encourage him much like a parent. It's his destiny…
I wasn't able to explain as eloquently as I could have, because not only is it one-sided, it's two-sided. Two contradicting perspectives fighting it over... At least now we can see how human Zim is becoming, thinking just like one and seeing that there is such a thing as right or wrong, good or evil, etc. Maybe not in the natural world, but in the world of humans.
Infanticide is seen in the lion, and it's awful even if it is nature. Rogue males will take over a pride, fight the existing male and kill his cubs, then mate with the females. Its sounds very familiar — the circle of life ring any bells? Zebras do it, too. They kill the young of other males so he gets to mate with the females. If you turn those roles around with humans, it's quite extravagant in comparison. I know I said we're all 'equal', but it is, and it makes you shudder.
I study animals. A lot. Too much. I study Zoology, so I sound too zoological at times. But I'm very interested in animal behaviour. It helps me make sense of the world, seeing how similar we all are — God's creatures. That's why I have a lot of animal characters in my story. I write them out just as I do any human character, or Irken. We've got to love them.
The heaven in this chapter is based off Aslan's country in the Narnia chronicles. Aslan is very much God in lion form.
I should point out why this chapter is called "Ashes and Flames". Well, I describe Zim as being a flame, and he kind of resurrected, much like a phoenix. Molly is the same; she came back to life after her story got out in the media, as if she was resurrected from the ashes. Also, it wasn't intended, but the ashes may refer to her remains after her cremation.
Sometimes I wonder too if hell is already on Earth, or demons are just inside us. But if heaven exists, hell must too. Things exist in opposites.
Well there is only one more chapter after this. It will be an epilogue of sorts, a conclusion, and then the end.
Oh, its Molly's birthday tomorrow on the seventh of July. She's 21, all grown up now.
Thank you for reading, and if you read all my author's notes, thanks even more.