Amongst The Reeds

The Hand In The Photo

Special thanks to Esthyradler for helping me write this! I am not a fan of the show so much as I am a fan of the Invader Zim Fandom. Most of my knowledge of the characters is from fanworks. They are a huge help in making sure my writing makes sense with the show.

If you like this, please check out their comic of the that my story is based on. Their work is amazing!

If you asked Zim how he wanted to spend his Saturday, he would instantly tell you that leaving his base at the crack of dawn to go on a ridiculous ghost hunt at a lake was the worst way to spend it. The park they went to was an hour away from their town, and they spent so long looking for the right place that the sun was now completely out. Zim watched with one brow raised as Dib flitted among the reeds. The clicks of the camera were starting to grate on his nerves. "Why are we here again?" The alien huffed as Dib turned and took a picture of him, before walking along the old dock. "I told you! Many residents of this area have testified to seeing a ghost here! They call her the Grey Lady." Zim rolled his eyes. "How original." His friend continued undeterred.

"With so many witnesses to this ghost, there has to be evidence of her here! I just know we'll find it." Zim half-heartedly snapped a photo with his own camera. Apparently, it was some 'special' camera that could photograph the supernatural. Just a stupid hunk of junk, really. He glared at the lake and backed up another couple of steps. It didn't matter that he was several feet from it. He had no idea where Gir was, and that meant anything was possible. "Rephrase, earth monkey. Why am I here? It's bad enough you drag me to all your dumb paranormal hunts, but why bring me to one by water ?" When the Dib-stink said they were coming out here, he did not mention a lake. If he did, he could've at least brought his paste.

His friend's big head popped up from behind the tall reeds. "The lake has been part of this town for over a century. Many people came here to enjoy its serenity, but with so many 'ghost' sightings cropping up about the place, most residents stopped coming. Since you're an alien, I figured you might attract the paranormal. Besides, you don't need to be near the lake. Why don't you go where Gaz is by the park." Zim grumbled as Dib went back to photographing the smelly lake.

"Master!" He narrowed his eyes as Gir came running over to him from the lake bed. He must've been in the lake because water dripped from him as he ran. "I found a pretty rock!" The little robot shoved a pebble in his face. Zim winced when a drop of water landed on his hand. Okay, now he was mad. "GIR! You are drenched in water, and you're splashing it on me! Go be a nuisance anywhere else but the lake!" Gir chirped happily as he ran off to look for more things around the bushes at the entrance of the park.

The alien rolled his eyes at how easily the little robot was amused. Now that Gir was accounted for, Zim figured he had nothing better to do but head to the park. Not because he was listening to the earth monkey, but because the area was far from the lake. 'Dry grass, old wooden tables, and an abundance of bugs. What a great park.' He huffed as he walked over to where the Dib-sister sat. Gaz snapped a couple of photos of the road but seemed to be enjoying her GameSlave more as she lounged at a picnic table. "So, do you think we're going to find the ghost?"

How did she know he was there? Not once did Gaz look up from her game. He scoffed as he replied, "I doubt it. Half of these paranormal trips that the Dib-beast takes us on are flukes. There isn't any stupid ghost haunting this area. It's probably just another cause of chemicals being dumped in the water." Right as he finished his sentence, he shivered. It felt like some viscous sludge had crawled over him for a flash of a second. As he scoured the area for the origin of the strange feeling, he noticed Dib walking towards them.

"Alright! I think I have enough photos! Let's go home so I can get these developed!" Finally! The alien whistled for Gir to come back. Zim wanted to leave this smelly place as quickly as possible. It felt like there was some sort of dark miasma in the air. He shook his head. 'I'm probably overthinking it.' But as the denial echoed in his mind, he shuddered. The last thing he wanted was to get involved with a ghost.

Dib couldn't get home fast enough. He'd taken all three of their cameras and ran straight for his room. Curtains closed. Lights off. Safelight on. Dib laughed as he soaked the first photo in the developer. It was so routine for him, he had the steps memorized. Soak the photo in the developer, move the tray around to shake it, stuff it in the stop bath, and finally place it in the fixer. He did it one at a time until he had a large stack of fully developed photos to analyze. Dib quickly packed all of his equipment away before laying on his bed to go over the photos.

None seemed special, though. Lake. Person. Rock. "Ugh," he groaned as he grabbed the next photo. The signs all pointed to a ghost being at the lake! It would drive him nuts if nothing showed up. Dib brushed his hands through his hair as he set aside a photo of Gir waving at him. One glance at the newly formed stack beside him, and he could feel his enthusiasm drain. So many photos already but no ghost. There were only a few more photos left too. "I was so sure she was real..." He grabbed the next photo, recognizing it as the one he took of Zim. It was actually a nice photo. He'd managed to catch him mid-eye-roll.

He paused. "How'd he do that with his hand?" Zim's left hand had reached around him to rest gently on his shoulder. Except... "Oh, my god. Oh my god!" He slammed the door open. "WE GOT PROOF!" He cackled as he launched himself down the stairs. His sister paused the game she and Zim were playing so they could face him.

"Seriously?" Dib shoved the photo in her face. "Look! Right there!" She slapped his hand away. Dib immediately sat down next to Zim as he held it out for him to see. "I can't believe we did it! You really did bring us luck!" The alien raised a brow in confusion. "What are you talking about?" He peered over Dib's shoulder. "Remember I told you you might attract the paranormal? Well, you did! Check this out! That hand wasn't there when I took the picture!" His friend scoffed. "LIES! I'm sure it was your sister! There is no ghost!"

He froze, though, when he remembered that Gaz was nowhere near him. She narrowed her eyes at him. "I was over by the opposite side of the lake. There is no way that was me, Zim."Gaz watched as Zim's expression became haunted. Dib exchanged a look with Gaz before focusing on his friend again. "Are you okay-?" "Burn it." Dib blinked at the quick response. "Zim demands that you burn it." He pushed himself to his feet and walked over to the front entrance. "Wait, Zim! Where are you going?" The alien didn't look back as he opened the door. "Zim is going home. I have a delicate experiment that I need to work on. See you worms tomorrow."

The door closed, leaving Dib and Gaz alone on the couch. Gaz put her arm out to prevent her brother from going after him. "Don't worry about it. He'll be fine. I'd also need a moment to myself if that was me." She gestured to Zim's unattended controller. "Substitute Zim as my player two? I already started this round, and I can't stop it." Dib looked one last time at the door, before setting the picture down and grabbing the controller. "You're right. Zim's just in shock right now. He'll feel better tomorrow after he rests."