ZADR: Just An Experiment

The News - 3

D
The pain in my body was unbearable, it seemed like Zim was enjoying it, but then... he got a notification on the huge computer screen.

It read, "Incoming call from THE TALLEST" I stopped wiggling and listened to what they said.

Z
I was thinking about how I felt, what this emotion was, when The Tallest called me.

I went over to the desk and answered it, saying, "My Tallest! I have good news! I have captured the deviant that keeps foiling my plans! The Dib human is here."

I pointed to the Dib-stink on the table and looked back proud. They didn't share my exuberance.

"Zim, we hate to break it to you, well no, we love to make you upset- here's the point. You are a mistake. We sent you into space because you were useless, not actually thinking you would find Earth, much less LIVE.

"We wanted you dead, and still do. Oh and also, you're defective, that's another reason. We just couldn't take these weekly calls, they were getting very annoying! And you have emotions, which Irken aren't supposed to have.

"Anyways, don't call us again, you might as well just kill yourself, nobody wants you alive anyway. Bye!"

The call ended... My face was burning with tears, my antennae flat on my head.

"I'm..... a mistake. Useless."

I paused, "defective."

D
I heard all of it, part of me was triumphant, the other, to my surprise, was empathetic.

Why? He was my mortal enemy! We had been fighting for over 3 years now! Why was I feeling bad for him? I should be proud and excited! My enemy was finally beaten!

But no. I felt bad. Zim looked over at me, his eyes wide, his face burned. Every part of his life that made him proud, confident, ignorant, and self absorbed seemed to be stripped away from him.

He walked over (I expected him to hurt me) and said quietly, "Computer. Let Dib go. Give him his things and let him leave without harm."
"Yes, Zim."

The shackles around my wrists and ankles unlocked and I sat up.

Zim handed me a chemical and said, "antidote," then sulked over to one of his tubes before going up.

I drank the antidote and grabbed my stuff, then looked back one last time, and left.

(Time Skip One Week)

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I haven't seen Zim at school at all this week, and he never misses school! What is he doing? Is he planning something? What is he up to?

The bell rang on Friday and I headed to Zim's house. When I knocked on the door, no security went off.

I opened the door myself after waiting outside for 10 minutes with no response. Zim was in front of the TV on the floor, his antennae still down, his eyes dull.

He slowly turned his head and looked at me when I said hello, but then went make to watching the TV.

Why is he so upset? I thought. I mean, yeah, that call was probably upsetting and all, but for an entire week? What happened to him?

I walked over to Zim and sat down. There were fresh burns on his face from where I could only guess he had been crying today.

"Why are you so upset?"
"I'm useless" He quietly responded.
"No you aren't."
"Yes I am."
"NO! You ARENT!" He glared at me, opened his mouth to argue, then lost the angry expression and went back to his dazed, depressed state.

"Why are the Tallests' words hurting you so much?" When I mentioned The Tallest, Zim flinched.

Later he responded, "An Irken's only purpose is to invade and conquer, but I can't even do that. I'm defective and useless. A mistake."
I shook my head, "That isn't true!"
"The Tallest would never lie!" He screamed as tears welled in his eyes.

He inhaled sharply at the pain, then turned off the TV, got up, and walked off. That's when I noticed how thin Zim was becoming.

He was already thin normaly, but this was a new level. There was a problem, and I felt... bad for him.

Why?

Zim is upset! I wonder what Dib will do about it?! Well... not really. I'm writing this I know what will happen next but uhhhh..

Published- June 23rd, 2018
Revised- March 29th, 2020