Nightmares Within the Darkness

Part Three

It had been many hours before anyone spoke. High above them, the storm seemed to have passed; yet it was still very dark; which Dib had figured that nighttime had fallen over the city now but Dib didn't make an effort to move, knowing this may actually be it for the both of them. Just then, a ragged cough broke the silence and Dib looked up. He could see that Zim had become more limp and only relaxed against the wall.

"Zim..." Dib said.

Zim didn't respond

"Hey!" Dib shouted.

He then sucked in a breath as a new pain washed over his body. Unlike before, this pain was numbing and stiff, his spine feeling brittle and tingling from the cold; feeling ready to snap at the slightest movement. Dib gritted his teeth as he slowly managed to get up. He was about to scream; tell him how stupid and pathetic Zim was for not responding or moving from his spot, when the harsh and cruel words died in his throat. Zim just lie there, still and motionless. He looked so exhausted, but it was more than that; he looked pale and actually really sick. Dib then looked down and saw the water was actually stagnant with the young Irken's blood.

"Z-Zim..!" Dib nearly shouted in awe.

Zim made a very weak and almost sickly groan.

"Zim..! Hey...!" Dib shouted, his voice a bit shaky now.

Dib gave Zim a rough shake, getting only a sickly groan from his enemy. That was Dib realized, Zim's body didn't feel warm; it felt stiff and as cold as a corpse, actually seeming to be more dead than alive.

"ZIM!" Dib said, screaming this time.

Zim let out another hard cough and finally opened his eyes. Dib let out a breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding.

"Z-Zim..." Dib breathed out.

Zim groaned as he tried to sit up.

"H-how l-long...?" He coughed. "H-has it been...?"

Dib looked around.

"I-I don't really know..." Dib finally croaked, his own voice dry and sore.

Dib stifled a cough and shivered, trying to stay calm. Zim shuddered as the numbness in his body became stronger, his eyes growing heavier. Dib moved closer to him.

"Z-Zim..." He started. "Zim, come on!" Dib shook him harder to try and wake him up again.

Zim lay very still and limp.

"Zim!"

Dib slapped his face over and over but Zim didn't awaken again.

"ZIM!"

Dib hit him harder, but the Irken remained limp against the wall. Dib kept hitting and hitting, trying to make Zim stir.

"Z-Zim..." Dib croaked out. "G-get up... I d-don't want to d-die alone..." He finished, his voice making a slight whimper as he spoke.

Zim remained lying limply against the stony wall of their prison. Dib stiffly yet hurriedly removed his trench coat, draping it over Zim's limp form. After doing so, Dib pulled his legs against his chest and hug them tight. He let out a harsh cough into his hands, shaking in horror as he then saw splotches of crimson coating his palms. Dib rest back against the wall, his own eyes becoming heavy and blurry from exhaustion and cold. Within the darkness, there was a cough. The soft sounds of moving water soon filled the darkness as Zim finally stirred.

"O-ouch..." He groaned, feeling a stinging pain in his face.

Zim looked down and saw the black trench coat draped over his body. That was when he looked up and saw Dib was curled up against the opposite wall.

"Dib..?" Zim croaked

Dib didn't wake up.

"Dib!" Zim shouted, punching his shoulder.

Dib yelped and let out a moan. Dib shivered and stirred.

"Z-Zim... Y-you... Y-you're not dead..." Dib croaked, in surprise and a bit of relief.

Zim coughed and sat back again.

"N-no... I am not dead..." Zim replied with another cough. "Why are you not upset?"

Dib looked at the murky and bloody water, deep in thought. Why was he relieved that Zim was still alive? Didn't he want Zim to be dead? Why was it so important that Zim was still alive?

"I-I don't know..." Dib replied, hoarsely.

There was a howling of wind from above them as another storm was beginning to form.

"W-we have to get out of here..." Dib groaned and began to stand up.

He stumbled across the chamber on stiff, aching legs as he tried his best to search for a way out. When he began to grip onto one of the icy stone walls, the rocks gave way, crumbling to the floor; creating a chain reaction to the other three and everything came tumbling into the old and abandoned well. Dib and Zim took cover as wall of dirt and rock showered over them. They didn't move from their positions; that was, until they realized that the water around them had withdrawn to only their ankles. Dib looked up in confusion and stared into the new looming darkness within the spot where the now missing wall stood.

"Zim... Look!" He hissed quietly.

Zim looked up and now stared in awe, a shocked and almost dumbfounded expression as Dib stood up. Slowly but surely, they began to walk towards the tunnel as the darkness beckoned them.

I really need to work a bit harder on these chapters... -_-; I feel like I'm not trying hard enough ToT I want to try and figure things out so I can update faster -.- Oh well *shrug* If anyone has any clue on what I should have happen next, please let me know ^^; Thanks