Fluorescent lights (ZADF)

Part 7: A light at the end

The two boys exited the room. The hallway had now been engulfed in smoke and it was considerably harder to breathe. They quickly walked down a different corridor and kept pulling on door handles as they went. Almost all of them were locked. After trying to open at least a half a dozen doors, the boys were becoming discouraged. There was a door situated near the left end of the hallway. ZIM walked over to the door and pulled the handle. The door opened and a cool evening breeze hit him in the face. They were outside, at the back of the building. Both boys hurriedly exited the building and walked on the snowy gravel of the building's empty parking lot. It was still dark outside and the stars were shimmering in the night sky. It felt good finally being able to breathe fresh air. Dib turned to ZIM and remembered that he was only wearing that dirty hospital gown.

"Here," Dib said and quickly removed his jacket. He had a sweater underneath, which would still keep him warm. Dib put his jacket across ZIM's shoulders and buttoned up the front. ZIM looked at Dib confused. Then Dib took off his boots.

"I hope these fit. Try them on." Dib said and helped ZIM put on his pair of boots.

"Why are you being so nice to ZIM?" ZIM asked as he looked at Dib busy zipping up the boots.

"Y-you didn't deserve what happened to you tonight. I'm sorry for what happened, ZIM. I never thought this would happen. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I just want to make things right." Dib said, uncomfortably.

ZIM was silent, still embarrassed about everything that happened tonight. He tightened Dib's jacket around his arms and looked at Dib's boots that he was now wearing.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Dib said and put his arms across ZIM's shoulders.

The boys exited the deserted parking lot. The smoke from the building was rising up into the night sky. ZIM and Dib walked along the road back to town. There was no need to go through the woods as the chances of any of those scientists finding them were slim. Besides, there was less snow on the road, so Dib's socks wouldn't get too wet.

They walked a long while back to town, sometimes one of them stumbled in the snow. Mostly it was ZIM, because he was still exhausted from everything that had happened. Finally, they saw the lights from nearby buildings and streetlamps.

"Made it! Come on, let's get you home ZIM," Dib said squeezing ZIM's shoulders. When they arrived at ZIM's house the sun was dawning. Dib walked up with ZIM towards his front door, when GIR opened the door.

"Master! You're back! I missed you so much!" GIR said excitedly, and hugged ZIM.

ZIM didn't feel like being touched at all, but allowed the little robot to embrace him.

"O-okay, GIR, that's enough," ZIM said, but GIR still clutched ZIM tightly.

"Say GIR, why don't you go make ZIM some waffles. I think he's very hungry," Dib said, as he noticed that ZIM was getting uncomfortable from all the hugging.

"Yay, waffles!" GIR yelled and ran into the house.

"Well, um, I guess I should go home. Gaz must me wondering where I am." Dib said rubbing his arms nervously.

ZIM started to unbutton Dib's jacket to return it, but Dib stopped him: "No, you can keep it and boots, I'll pick them up later."

"Well, see ya," Dib turned around and walked down ZIM's walkway towards the street.

"Dib," ZIM said.

Dib turned around and looked at ZIM who was still clutching his jacket.

"Y-you want to have waffles with us?" ZIM asked.

"Sure," Dib said and smiled. He walked up to where ZIM stood and they both went into the house.

***