(Back with Dib…)
This couldn't be happening to him…
And yet no matter how many times he wished it wasn't so Dib could not make the situation that was unfolding before him stop.
Outside the school the white coats drag Dib to their truck where they open it up and toss him into the padded back. Dib yells more out of shock than pain. He stands up and looks out a grated window and sees that the truck is moving. He walks over towards another grated window that separates him from the white coats but then falls over as the truck hits a bump. He bounces around, grunting; trying to gain his balance finally he manages to get up so that he can have a better view into the window. "Look, you don't understand!" he insisted.
"If there's one thing we understand, son, its insanity." One white coat said. She was big with a goofy look on her face and red hair. Dib observed that her name tag had the name Chuck on it. He wondered if that was her last name or if her parents had actually named their daughter Chuck!
Chuck pokes her forehead as she spoke.
Dib sighs and walks over to a padded wall and leans on it. As inconvenient as this was, he knew Mrs. Bitters only did this to prevent another school incident. The last thing the Swollen Eyeball needed was for the general public to find out the Supernatural world was real. Sure, Dib believed his fellow citizens of Earth deserved to know what was really out there, but mass panic would surely follow. So, it was decided that keeping them in the dark was for the best. Besides Dib had no doubt Dark Booty would come and rescue him, and fix this. After all, Dib was pretty sure it was his father's machine that was responsible. He just hoped his dad could fix him in time otherwise his date with Miz would be ruined.
And being in a relationship with this job was already proving to be a challenge. Not because Miz was a handful (No he was always difficult.) Dib was just beginning to realize that every time he and his boyfriend had plans something always ruined it.
Suddenly, the arm he was leaning on disappears momentarily and Dib falls against the wall. He straightens himself up and then looks at his arms as they start to disappear once more. "Ah! No, not again!" he cried as his whole body disappears. "Noooooo!"
After a flash of light, Dib finds himself in a nightmare version of the truck he was in. It looks the same except darker and with pointy things sticking out of the padded walls. He looks out of the grated window and sees buildings flash back and forth from being normal to nightmare versions. Suddenly, a nightmare bat screeches in Dib's face. Dib backs away. The nightmare white coats start talking.
"He's the one! The one with the flashing neck! The one we've been waiting for!" Chuck's partner Buck exclaimed.
"She said he'd come, and he has!" Chuck agreed.
Dib runs over to the grated window separating him from the nightmare white coats.
"Waiting for me? What is this!?" Dib demanded to know.
"Shhhhh..." Chuck hissed as she turned her head around to look at Dib, revealing that it is a monstrous head with huge tusks. "We're talking all SPOO-KEEE!"
Dib falls backwards. The two nightmare white coats start whispering and muttering to themselves. Dib's arms fade away, followed by the rest of him. After another flash of light, he ends up back in the normal white coat truck. "Who's been waiting for me?" He asked, not seeming to realize he's back. "Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh?"
"What are you talking' about?" Buck asked
"You said... the monster said... uh, oh, never mind." He sighed. "I'm sane you know." He added though he was sure neither of them believed him.
(Back to Zim…)
At the moment the Irken is pacing around in his disguise, Gir who is sitting on the living room floor before him is also in disguise. At the moment he is playing with a toy octopus as only a dog would. Shaking it around in between his teeth like a rag doll.
"This is serious Gir, something is wrong with the Dib, and she must be behind it!" Zim was saying.
"Sir I have detected no activity from the enemy." The computer brain told him.
Zim looked puzzled; he had told the brain to keep tabs on Tak since her little stunt earlier in the week. "It has to be her."
"Master where is my taquitos?" Gir suddenly asked as he stood up on his hind legs.
"Gir dogs do not walk on two legs." Zim lectured. "Besides we don't have time for taquitos."
GIR suddenly starts panicking. "But My taquitos!" He screams.
"Gir!" Zim gave a warning hiss.
"My taquitos! Eh, homina, eh... TAQUITOS!" Gir runs into the kitchen.
Zim sighs.
"Sir I assure you it is not her." The brain went on. "Besides perhaps you should use this time to get back to the mission."
Zim nodded thoughtfully, the computer was right, Zim had not delivered any new resources for almost a month. Surely the Tallest would call if he didn't send something soon, which was an event he'd like to avoid. "Very well I'm going out, make sure he behaves." He says gesturing to Gir who is walking out of the kitchen with a mouth full of taquitos.
"When did I buy those?" Zim asked.
"I made them." Gir answered.
Zim goes to lecture him about the fact that dogs don't cook but decides to just leave it, after all the enemy had stopped spying on him weeks ago. He supposed he could thank Tak for that, she and the arrival of the Galactic Alliance along with the refugees had the Swollen Eyeball fairly busy.
With that thought fresh on his mind Zim activates his robot double to keep up appearances just in case Dib managed to get out in time for their date before setting off into the setting sun to get some much need work done.
(Back with Dib…)
The young teen tried his best not to struggle, but being strapped into a chair with metal straps had an uneasy effect on Dib. Also, there were wires attached to his head…for some reason. Finally, a massive observation lens glares down on him from above as a team of scientists watches him from the stands.
Dib knows this looks a bit extreme, but necessary. About three years ago a new disease had swept over the US. It was dubbed Crazy Syndrome because it turned its victims into crazy, and sometimes murderous lunatics. And thanks to his…uh colorful history of blaming people of being well…monsters. It was no surprise to Dib that these scientist thought he had caught the crazy!
A Scientist with purple goggled stands near him, holding a can of Poop soda. "Now Dib, tell us about these reality jumps, as you call them."
Of course, Dib had told them everything that happened, and what he thought it was, but he had yet to explain how it was even possible.
"It started yesterday." Dib said. "I was in Dad's lab with my boyfriend Miz, making some modification to his dimensional scope, hoping to peek into spooky alternate realities..." He blushed as he realized he just admitted his sexuality to a bunch of strangers without even batting an eye. And for a moment he marvels at the fact that he no longer cared that people knew he was gay. He guessed he had Miz to thank for that. "...Also, with Halloween coming up, we wanted some cool costume ideas." He went on.
"See my dad wanted to finally prove if other dimensions were really possible or just science fiction. But I've always had this theory that some paranormal phenomenon might be the result of collisions between our world and these other dimensions."
"I see." The scientist with purple goggled said.
"I tripled the output, which was a little stupid, but I still didn't really see much. All I got was a brief flash of something, but that's it."
"Flashes of what?" The scientist asked.
"A nightmare version of our world." Dib said. "Oh and some random objects, ice cream, and a nightmare lamp post. I thought it was just a malfunction, So I didn't say anything to Miz or my Dad but since then the flashes keep coming...even without the machine...getting longer each time!"
"So, I find you here, son. Oh, I suppose it was only a matter of time. You know not to use my tools for your para-science!" Professor Membrane spoke with Authority as he enters the room with Dark Booty by his side.
"Dad, I-" Dib begins, but his father raises a hand and Dib goes quiet. It is in that moment Dib realizes his father hasn't really changed. He still cares too much about his public image to defend him. None of his peers knew he was secretly protecting the world from aliens, no if they did, he'd be just as much as a laughing stock as Dib.
Dib, However knew this was the only time he'd get to talk to his father or Dark Booty to explain what was going on. So, despite his father's feelings he continued as the other scientists start conversing among themselves.
"Look if the jumps keep getting progressively longer, as seems to be the case, it won't be long before I end up stuck, stuck in that horrible dimension!"
The scientist chuckle. "Well Dib, hehe, we've got some bad news." He said.
"I just told you the bad news!" Dib insisted giving his dad a very cross look.
Professor Membrane looks tempted to say something but the scientist with purple goggled cut him off.
"Yes, yes, trapped in a horrible nightmare world, very nice. Look, we've decided that you're insane. You'll be confined here for a period no shorter than the rest of your life. Enjoy your stay, bye, bye."
"Nooooooo! You don't understand!" Dib exclaimed as the white coats came for him.
"Michael, you cannot legally contain him without my consent!" Professor Membrane declared, it would seem he finally found his voice for he said this rather loudly.
"He's right." Dark Booty spoke up. "You tested the boy for the Crazy, yes?"
The scientist with purple goggled, Michael nodded. "The results won't be in until the morning." He concluded.
Professor Membrane deflated, as he realized his hands were tied, Michael; who was jealous of his success had always did his best to bruise his reputation. And now it would appear Dib would be in his hands until the morning. No doubt this incident would be all over the news.
"We'll hold him for the night." Another scientist said. "If he is in the all clear we'll discuss releasing him."
"You can't be serious!" Dib yelled as the white coats grab Dib and rip him from the chair. "Dad do something!" He insisted before some kind of muzzle is placed over his face muffling his screams as they carry him away.
Prof. Membrane sighs. "My poor insane son."
Dark Booty gives him a distasteful look. Sometimes the man did some ridiculous things to keep his image.
"He'll be fine." Prof. Membrane assured him. "By morning he'll have figured it all out and when he's acting normal again with negative test results, they'll let him go."
"How can you be so sure?" Dark Booty whispered harshly.
"Because I know my son." Said Prof. Membrane, surprising him. "And he always finds a way."
(Back with Dib…)
The white coats take the elevator to floor 13.
"Listen, this place can't help me!" He says though he knows the muzzle must be making it hard to understand him. "They don't have the equipment! I need someone-" He screams as the white coats toss him into a padded cell. Dib goes to run over to a barred window at the door when he stops. "Wait, it's happening again! It's... nooooo!"
A flash of light occurs in Dib's cell transforming the room into an organic nightmare cell hanging in midair. Other cells hang nearby containing nightmare monsters. One monster tries to solve a Rubik's Cube. Dib looks around at the other cells. One of them contains Keef. And the sight of him makes Dib jump back. Dib slips and moans as he slides down the slanted floor of his cell towards an opening big enough for him to slide through.
A toothy nightmare monster appears on the other side of that hole, screeching. Dib puts his feet on the grating to stop himself from sliding out. He then crawls upwards and grabs his food dish which is attached to the cell by a chain. The toothy nightmare creature screeches some more and then leaves. On the other side of the cell, Dib sees a nightmare version of himself, and he gasped.
Nightmare Dib is in the shadows so Dib can only see his silhouette, but there's no denying that it's him.
"You're him! You're the one." Nightmare Dib said.
"The one what?" Dib asked.
"The boy with the flashing neck will come." Nightmare Dib explained. "He will be the key to freedom... and stuff."
"And Stuff?" Dib asked. "Look I'm not the one!" He insisted.
"You're telling me the prophecy is wrong?" Nightmare Dib asked. "Besides it's not me so it must be you!"
"I... gotta get out of this place." Dib said out loud. "Look you're me, help me out here."
"You want to get out?" Nightmare Dib asked. "Then you'll have to escape your own head, because that's where we are... In your head!"
"You're insane!" Dib insisted.
"No, I'm- well... yes I am." Nightmare Dib admitted. "But it's true! This whole dimension exists in your mind, Dib! Maybe that's why your head is so big!"
"My head's not big! Why does everyone say that!?" Dib groaned.
"Look it's Dib." A creature whispered to another in a cell to his left.
"He has finally come." The other creature cheered.
"How do they know my name?" Dib asked his Nightmarish self.
"Everyone knows your name here. They're done with this place, ruined all of it! Now they want out, into the real world, and the only way out is through your head!" Nightmare Dib answered.
"So, you're saying this world is a result of my own imagination?" Dib asked out loud. "You mean this is how I see everyone?"
Nightmare Dib nodded.
"Maybe I am crazy!" Dib muttered as a worm-like platform slithers up towards his cell, carrying the two nightmare white coats and a straight jacket creature. A walkway forms between the worm platform and the cell. The cell opens up.
"Neck blinking boy!" Nightmare Buck laughs. Suddenly a face on his coat comes alive and takes a bite out of an ice cream he's holding. Nightmare Buck punches the face and it makes a high pitched yell. Nightmare Buck then takes a bite from the ice cream himself.
Dib winces in disgust.
"It's time to go!" Nightmare Buck laughs as the straight jacket creature runs over to Dib and wraps itself around him before he can act.
"Where?" Dib asked fearfully.
It is then that Nightmare Dib steps into the light, revealing that he is also in a straight jacket and that he has lobotomy scars. "Right through your big head!" He said laughing maniacally. "Just like they tried with me."
The straight jacket runs back to the worm platform carrying Dib with it as the cell closes behind them.
"My head's not big!" Dib insisted once more as the walkway connecting the cell and the worm platform disappears and the worm platform starts to lower down. The teen tries to think of a way to escape but before he knows it they're outside once more. Where head for a Nightmare version of the white coat truck.
"The machine's almost ready!" Nightmare Chuck says as her partner opens the back of the truck.
"Soon the time will be right!" Buck agrees, but stops as a flash of light occurs. The nightmare white coat turns around and sees that Dib is no longer in the straight jacket creature.
"He's gone! Oh no!" Buck exclaimed.
"He'll be back." Chuck assured him. "Now go on! I like it when you do those speeches all scary like!"
Nightmare Buck shrugs. "Hmm, okay. But then we go tell the boss what happened." He clears his throat and shuts the back of the truck as he says. "Soon the time will be right for our ravishing conquest of the new world."
(Following Dib…)
Dib appears in a middle of a corn field… running frantically, he is now wearing a real straight jacket which hugs him loosely. He shrugs it off as he keeps running.
'I have no idea where I am.' He thought. 'Or when and where I will appear when I flash back to that horrible place.'
'Come on Dib think.' The rational part of his brain said. 'Dad's gonna expect you to have fixed this by morning.'
Yes, he was aware of what his father's actions would likely be, but this time he was not bitter. His father had always taught him and Gaz that if they had enough time to get themselves into trouble, then they'd better make enough time to see their way out of it.
It may be seen as a cruel way to raise your kids by most, but Dib understood the need to see a mistake through to the end and find out about the consequences. Besides, how could he ever managed to be taken seriously if his father was always bailing him out?
Dib suddenly stops as he notices this corn field is familiar. "Wait a minute…." He darts left and after running a few meters stops at a large factory. "It can't be." But it was. Dib was at the Factory where he first encountered Zim. "But that's clean across town!" He exclaimed. "So why…"
He gasped as he noticed a light was pouring out of the high window Gaz had used to save them. "He's here!" he realized. "This is my chance." He thought out loud, not stopping to think it through. "I can talk to Zim, try to convince him, this must be fate." He said hoping he didn't disappear at any moment.
'Miz would kill you if he knew.' His common sense reminded him.
"It's the only way!" Dib argued, and he believed that, he really did.
And one way or the other he was going to convince Zim of it too…or die trying!
-To Be Continued