Invader Zim: Living With The Enemy

La llorona - Part 3

Dib had just set the last trap when Zim approached him drinking something from a can with an alien symbol in it, totally unconcerned.

"Where were you?" He asked. The tone of the question ended up being more accusatory than expected.

"Watching you work made me tired, so I left to get a drink."

Dib rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Actually, I'm kinda thirsty too. Did you bring anything for me?"

"Why should I?" Zim asked, looking more confused than sarcastic.

"Because… It's what nice people do?"

The alien went silent, processing the information.

"Never mind" Dib said, turning his attention to the computer in front of him on the floor.

"Hey" called Zim.

Dib looked up and saw that Zim held out the can to him. Suddenly he felt slightly bad for being rude.

"Are you going to take it or just stay there staring at me? I mean, I know I'm awesome, but my arm is getting tired."

"Ah... yes, of course... thank you." He picked up the can and took a sip of the drink, then less than a second later he ended up spitting it all out.

"How ungrateful" complained the alien.

"If uranium had a taste… it would taste like this" Dib said, spitting out the rest that remained in his mouth and wiping his face on his sleeve.

"Technically, everything has a taste, it just takes someone crazy enough to try it."

That conversation was taking a strange turn, so Dib chose not to respond.

Soon there was a "beep" coming from the computer, so they both went to check on it.

"What is it?"

"I set up several cameras and traps in this part of the forest and used the seaweed sandwiches we bought as baits. This mystery will be solved in a blink of an eye."

Zim blinked a few times.

"No, I don't think so."

"Okay, in a lot of blinks. Now let's go."

"To where?"

"To the hideout."

Dib took the computer and dragged Zim behind a bush.

Inside the bush, it was not just an ordinary bush. Inside, there was a small room with several screens, two chaird and even an air conditioner.

Dib put the computer on the table in front of the screens and jumped on one of the chairs.

"You built a base disguised as a bush?" Zim asked looking around.

"Of course not. I bought it on eVay."

"...And now? Zim asked, ignoring the answer.

"Now... we wait. Observing in silence is also part of a paranormal investigator's job."

Zim did not hide his discontent. He started to groan and mumble in what was probably his native language.

"Can you stop complaining? This is serious" and it's not like I want you here either, he added mentally.

"This is stupid. We could just go after that dirty trash eating oast and make her wish she never set foot on the surface of this planet."

Dib looked at him with a raised eyebrow, surprised at how that went from 0 to 100 suddently. Realizing this, Zim cleared his throat.

"Or, I don't know, just lock her up, whatever."

Dib reminded himself to keep an eye on him too. Perhaps the real threat was not the supposed ghost woman.

"First of all, it's ghost, not oast. Second, we don't know what we're dealing with. She might possess us or pluck out our guts and wear it as a necklace. Well... she can do that to me I guess, I have no idea if you have a soul or even guts. Anyway, the best thing to do is sit and wait."

Zim gave up trying to argue and sat next to Dib, slurping the alien drink from the neon pink straw, making sure to do the maximum noise he could in the meantime.

-

Fifteen minutes passed, half an hour, an hour, two, three... many hours and not a single movement was captured by the cameras. Dib was thirsty, hungry and his bladder was about to explode. I should have ordered the bush with bathroom, he thought.

And on top of that, he was exhausted from all the sleepless nights. The excitement of the beginning of the day slowly faded leaving a useless and tired Dib carcass.

The chair was comfortable, the air fresh and everything was quiet, even with the presence of the alien. Dib didn't want to end up sleeping and staying there vulnerable, but after some time fighting against it, he ended up falling asleep.

-

When Dib woke up, instead of feeling lighter and rested, he felt like he had been crushed by a meteor.

Even though his body was heavy and strained, Dib sat back on the chair. He took off his glasses and wiped the foggy lenses, quickly putting them back and squinting to focus his vision.

The first thing he noticed: Zim was gone. He simply disappeared without any warning. Had the ghost taken him? Or did he team up with her to steal Dib's guts? He knew I shouldn't have trusted that… that… he couldn't think of an insult at the moment, but when he did he was going to say it right to the alien's face.

Then, Dib looked around again and realized the second thing, looking at the cameras: all the cages of the traps were still open, but the baits were gone.

He jumped out of his chair, startled.

"What happened?.." he asked himself out loud.

"Talking to yourself?" Dib turned quickly and saw Zim standing at the entrance. "And I thought you couldn't get any crazier."

"Zim! The traps! They… Wait, where did you go?"

Zim held up the object in his hand - another can of his weird drink that tasted like radioactive material.

"You left again?! You should be watching the cameras!"

"It is not my fault that your poorly developed, big-headed human body just turned off all of a sudden. If it was so important for you, you should have been more dedicated."

Dib wanted to jump on the alien and strangle him with both hands. He took a deep breath and puffed out his cheeks trying not to freak out while mentally counting to ten. Only after counting to fifty, he breathed out, now calmer.

"It is almost time for dinner. We better get home before dad gets worried. We can try again tomorrow."
Also, I really need to go to the bathroom.

Zim seemed surprised and even disappointed by the boy's calmness. He then just shrugged and followed Dib when he turned off the cameras and left the base.