Our Purpose

Chapter 5

Dib had never felt so nervous in his life. 

What if his father was withholding some awful, terrible secret from him? What if it was something so horrible, that he actually started hating his father, aside from just feeling neglected? 

The whole school day was torturous. The only thing he'd been able to concentrate on was the single question he was about to ask right now.

He'd been sitting at the kitchen table for at least three hours, doing his work however distractedly, before he heard the telltale opening of the door, signifying his father was home. 

Gaz, as she usually did, had gone upstairs so she'd be able to focus on her work rather than Dib's "incessant rambling."

Dib nearly jumped out of his seat as he heard the door open, watching his father walk into the kitchen as he glanced at the boy who was staring at him silently. 

The Professor sighed; he didn't want to deal with this right now. He didn't want to be bombarded with questions after spending so many days at the lab. He made to walk away, just to stop as Dib called, "wait!"

The scientist turned around, facing his son, who'd gotten out of the chair and stood nervously. "... Can I talk to you?" He asked, receiving nothing but silence. 

He was so, so incredibly anxious. He'd never talked to his father about anything, really, because the Professor was never home... and even if he did, the man would shrug it off as Dib being insane. 

After a moment, Dib decided to clarify.

"Dad, I..." He hesitated, unsure of how to continue. "I just feel like there's something you're not telling me, I guess." There, he said it. He said it, but still the silence persisted. He opened the eyes he realized he'd shut while he spoke, looking up at his father. The older man seemed to be thinking.

And he continued to stay silent, seemingly contemplating.

...

Dib had no idea how any being could ever stand there and think for so long, but maybe it was his anxiety that made it feel so long.

But still, he waited longer for an answer.

The silence was unbearable; his anxiety grew by the second.

...

Finally, the Professor spoke. "I suppose you're old enough to know. Son, I've kept this from you for so many reasons, and I promise to you I'll explain why if you're willing to listen. Are you absolutely sure you want to hear this? It might ruin your perception of who you are," he warned, and Dib let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

His father's words scared him, frankly. He wasn't very sure about this anymore. Granted, he was uncertain about it in the first place, but this just made everything ten times more uncertain. How bad was this secret his father had been holding from him? Could anything really be that bad, or was his father over exaggerating? 

He didn't know; he never got to analyze the older man's movements and telltale signs of a lie or a true secret because of the fact that the scientist was never home.

Still, despite the growing pit in his stomach, curiosity overwhelmed him, overwriting all instincts that told him no, he didn't want to hear this, just like it had with Zim earlier.

And so, he muttered the word...

"Yes." His voice was shaky. 

He couldn't tell whether or not this would be the worst decision of his life or the best. He couldn't tell if it would set him free or lock him in a chain prison in the depths of the ocean, the key thrown into the deepest volcano known to man. 

What he did know, though, is that he didn't want this secret to be kept from him any longer.

The Professor sighed, moving to sit himself at the opposite side of the table Dib had been seating prior to his father's entrance. He sat down, motioning to Dib to sit in his previously deserted spot. 

Hesitantly, he did.

And so began the Professor's tale.

"I've always been an excellent scientist among my peers. I was well respected for it, in fact! My fellow beings loved everything I did! I was well renowned among all, and I was even the head scientist!" The Professor let out a small chuckle, remembering days past. 

"However, I've always been very... tall for my age. Now, this wouldn't ever be a problem here, but it was back then. Some of my peers resented my height, especially since I seemed to be growing very quickly. The ones that ran the place hated me!" He paused a moment, taking a breath.

Dib listened intently, vastly confused. His father continued. "At the time, I was a few inches shorter than my leaders. They feared that I'd grow taller than them and try to seize power, so they tried to get rid of me. One day, I was called to go on a special trip, far, far away. I was adamant to accept the position, of course! I was sent here, to a place farther from my previous home than any of my peers had previously travelled. In fact, it was probably four times as far as anyone else had gone!" He paused once again, trying to evaluate Dib's expression. 

It was one of blatant confusion, gears turning in his head as he progressed toward the answer.

"... Along the way, I created two organisms with my DNA and DNA from the humans on this planet to keep me company and aid me in my plans," he stated, hesitating before he continued. "That was you and Gaz. And quite frankly, you two are my greatest creations yet!" He went quiet for a second, Dib's expression showing the gears clicking into place. 

He took a deep breath in, recovering from his explanation. "Do you understand now, son?"

His father was extremely vague in everything he'd said, but piece by piece everything clicked into place.

He took a second to process.

And another.

And yet another.

Before he finally said, "you're... You're Irken..."

He hesitated, fear and confusion welling up in his eyes.

"And..."

He struggled to say it.

"... I'm... a clone." 

His father silently nodded in confirmation, and Dib... Dib stared. 

He stared at the table as if it'd just told him his favorite pet had died. There was deafening silence between the two. It carried on over the next few minutes, the Professor not knowing what to say and Dib not even wanting to say anything at all. 

Suddenly, Dib stood up. 

He turned toward the exit of the kitchen and walked out briskly, ignoring his father's call for him to wait, for him to let himself explain. 

No, Dib was out of the front door in an instant, trying desperately to keep himself from break down and hyperventilation. He didn't want to be in this house right now. 

He couldn't be in this house right now. 

He had to go somewhere else, away from... this.