The Fall of an Empire (invader zim fanfic)

Chapter 8: Burgeoning

The pair of irkens seemingly crawled through the ferric tunnels for what seemed like hours before appearing in a storage room several levels above where the Tallests are. Zim and his associate climbed out of the cold shaft and into the darkened space. As the irken who followed Zim scanned the area, Zim proceeded forward without any thought of what might be lurking within the umbrageous shadows. His arm was quickly grabbed as soon as he noticed the small irken departing without a care for his surroundings.

"What do you think you're doing?" The guard whispered as he held onto Zim's shoulder. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

The little irken shifted out of the guard's grasp and looked up at him.

"Don't you dare touch Zim!" The short alien exclaimed. "I need not your-"

Before Zim could say another word, the much taller irken covered his mouth before pinning him against the wall.

"You listen here, Zim: We're not on Irk, or any other planet for that matter, where your yelling is only mildy annoying," The alien kept his hand over Zim's mouth. "This is life or death and knowing those creatures are on board and can likely hear almost anything, your usual behavior will get us caught. Do you understand?"

Zim struggled as he tried to break free, but eventually stopped when he heard his convoy's words. He slowly nodded as he looked up at him with his red eyes with a sense of understanding finally behind them. The armed irken shined his light across the umbrous expanse and illuminated whatever his light could reach. Once the coast was clear, he took his hand away from Zim's mouth and gestured him to follow with his his hands and antennas. The pair stood closely together as they traversed the unreasonably large storage room they found themselves in with the ever-present silence that occupied this area making their footsteps sound as loud as a waterfall. 

The clicks of their shoes echoed endlessly in all directions before the two suddenly came to halt. They listened closely to their surroundings, trying to feel any sudden changes in air pressure or subtle movements that hid behind the sound of their steps. it was clear that there was nothing present, but the two could not help but feel as if there were eyes on them. The sensation was quickly overwhelming, and the guard couldn't help but look around just for insurance, but no matter where he looked or how empty the room was, something was there, hiding within the darkness. Not once have either of them felt fear to this degree before. It was like they were being hunted by something that was not only stronger than them, but significantly smarter, too. The leading alien soon brought himself and the irken anathema to everyone else to the wall before turning off his light.

"Hey, what are you-"

"Shhh! don't talk..."

Despite knowing this will likely not end in their favor, the guard followed alongside the wall with Zim held in this grip. He made sure to be as silent as possible before hearing a slight shift in front of him. He hitched his breath and stood still as his heart dropped from the noise. He was paralyzed with fear as he remembered the footage he witnessed while accompanying tallests Red and Purple before everything suddenly went dark: Seeing so many of his comrades turned into something unrecognizable by a force his people could not defend against. He knew that no matter how they prepared or what they did to defend themselves, it all ended the same. At some point, they would be consumed from the inside out with their flesh and mind converted into that malign abomination without so much as a vestige of themselves remaining. 

As fear took hold of the once bold guard, Zim moved away from the wall and out into the open whilst tugging the alien's arm. He tightly grasped Zim before moving away from the metallic panel and into the surrounding darkness. As they moved, whatever shifted within ear shot followed. Luckily, it was not close behind. If they shined their lights, whatever is there could see them and kill the two without hesitation, but if they don't then they can't see where they're going. The only thing they can do now is navigate the surrounding through memory and hope they don't bump into something that makes their presence known. 

The pair took light steps as they meandered through the lightless expanse, trying to find an exit. Not a single word was uttered between the two irkens, and every sound created only made whatever was following them shift in their direction. Both of their hearts were beating incessantly in their chests as they walked through the room, only quickening with every error they made. Then when the guard's mind was finally clear enough to think of something to divert this thing's attention away, he had an idea. Although this would leave them vulnerable, it is the only thing they have to not get caught. He took the spear he had always held with him before throwing into a crate, unintentionally hitting one filled snacks and other accessories for the tallests. 

The sound of plastic crumpling and metal ringing was enough to get the thing's attention and somehow turn shifting into a myriad of loud and heavy steps. They took this moment to dash out of the open and find a door leading to another room. Once inside, the irken that watched Zim finally turned on his light as they both dashed through the corridor. They could see many doorways leading different rooms, but the absence of power made it clear that safety was nowhere close by. Then, right when they thought it couldn't get worse, the sound of a faint explosion erupted behind them. Too afraid to look back, the pair kept running as multiple pairs of heavy, unsynchronized steps rapidly approached. The guard could feel his heart in his throat as he ran with all his might while carrying Zim in his arms. Soon, he saw the the opened door of a darkness filled room before turning off his light and dashing the last few meters off of memory alone. Right when it felt right, he took a sharp left past the doorway as the approaching steps became increasingly louder. Right when he thought he was caught, the sounds passed him and continued running into the dark corridor.

When silence was amongst them again, Zim took the guard's light and illuminated the room. When he was able to see the tall irken again, he was hyperventilating on his hands with his skin hot to the touch. Before long, the fear and anxiety finally took a tole on him and forced him to vomit onto the pink, metallic floor below. Such strong feelings were often nullified by his Pak, but these emotions were to intense for his implants to isolate. He quietly sobbed with his hands over as he layed his back against the wall. This was a lot for him, way more than what he was programmed to handle.

"I can't- I can't do this," The guard said, clearly overwhelmed. "This is too much, I can't stay here! I don't care about the Tallests anymore, I just want to leave this terrible place and never look back!"