A/N: While I was writing this, one of my friends told me that there was a movie about this girl who ripped off the tag on the mattress, and thought the world would end. I have never seen this movie, nor even heard about it until I was already a good 3/4 complete with my story. My friend told me, however, that it wasn't about "everybody dying" really, but more about the "world coming to an end". There's a difference, really. In my version, the world is still there, but no one is alive in it. Now, with that being said, I would like anyone who was going to flame me for that, to please refrain. Thank you.

Everybody Dies

"Today will be such a wonderful day!" exclaimed GIR as he merrily skipped through the house. "I can't wait!" He smiled brightly. "I'm gonna watch my favorite shows, play with my moose, and then roll around on the floor! And maybe Master will play with me too!" The optimistic little robot walked into the elevator, and descended down to the lab, where Zim slept.

Once the elevator had reached its destination, GIR pranced out and across the floor, searching for the Irken. Last night Zim had stayed up late testing the buoyancy of various small animals tied to rocks. He usually didn't sleep, but today was an exception. And since his usual sleeping quarters were wet from the previous night, he was forced to sleep on a regular human bed.

GIR approached Zim's sleeping form carefully. His paws covered his mouth in an effort to stifle his giggling. He was going to play a trick on his master and scare him awake. Creeping up slowly, he reached the end of the bed with a mischievous smirk on his face. As he prepared to jump up and scream, he glanced down and noticed something peculiar. He grabbed the end of it with his paw, and held it up to read. It was a small piece of thick paper, attached on one end to the bed. He squinted to read the small print. But his small, artificial brain couldn't concentrate on reading such boring text, and only paid attention to the largest words that said, 'Do not remove under penalty of law.'

GIR looked at it inquisitively and wondered why he couldn't remove the little tag. 'What would happen?' he asked himself. He continued to stare at the mattress' small piece of attached paper. 'What could be the worst thing that happens?' he thought. But he soon answered his own question. '..everybody dies.' Why else would they have such a law against removing the tag? It must make everyone die! Be he didn't know for sure. Finally, curiosity overpowered him, and he ripped the tag off, sending the ripping sounds echoing down the hall. He looked at the piece in his paw, and wondered what he had done.

He glanced around. Nothing seemed different; the world hadn't ended. But what if everyone had died? GIR looked to Zim, who still lay asleep. "Master?" he called to him. "Master, wake up!" He shook the Irken in an effort to bring him out of his sleeping state, but with no avail. GIR didn't know, but Zim had taken some Irken sleeping pills to make sure he stayed asleep, even through GIR's antics. The little robot continued to shake Zim, but with no avail. He just lied there, unmoving. GIR's eyes welled with tears as the thought of his master's death became relevant. His nightmare was coming true--what if he really had killed everybody?

He ran over to his rubber pig, which lie on the floor from previous playing. GIR picked it up and looked into its eyes. "Pig?" he said to it, attempting to get it to talk back to him, "Can you hear me? Hello?" Once again, the thought of death swelled in the SIR's tiny brain. He began to scream at the inanimate object, that couldn't talk to him even if he hadn't pulled the tag off the mattress. But of course, GIR wouldn't think about that. "PIG?! PIG, PLEASE TALK TO ME! WAKE UP!" he continued to yell at the toy, and even shake it violently.

While this was going on, MiniMoose just happened to be floating by. He saw GIR's eccentric actions, and turned his attention to it. "Squeak?" he peeped quizzically. However, as he watched, he continued to float. Since his concentration was set on GIR, he wasn't paying attention to where he went, and he crashed into a nearby light. The electricity crackled angrily and shocked MiniMoose, sending him to the ground, unconscious from the accident.

GIR heard the sound and turned around. He saw MiniMoose lying on the floor motionless. He approached, and cautiously poked him. Nothing--the small moose didn't move, and just lie there, limp. GIR gaped in disbelief; this was what he feared. He thought everybody was dying due to the tag removal. He decided to go see if everyone else had too. He thought the best place to check was Dib's house. So, he scampered out the door to the Membrane household, to see if his fears were correct.

Dib flipped through the channels as he and Gaz sat on the couch, watching TV. Gaz wasn't paying much attention, though, and concentrated on her game, Vampire Piggy Hunter. She grunted angrily as she made a mistake due to Dib's talking.

"Man, there's nothing on today..." he complained.

"Shut up, Dib!"

"I'm just trying to find something to watch, sheesh." He continued to channel surf, and came across another commercial. However, something was different about this one.

"Attention all gamers!" said the television. Gaz perked up. "There's a new action-packed game, coming out soon! Introducing Vampire Piggy Hunter 2! Yes, that's right! Two! Stay tuned for actual screenshots! Here they are--"

Dib nonchalantly flipped the channel again, not really paying attention. On the next station, the "Mysterious Mysteries" was just beginning. "All right! Mysterious Mysteries is on!" said Dib happily.

"Change it back or prepare to face your doom..." growled Gaz as she balled her fists.

"No, my show's on. Besides, it's just a commercial. You know they'll play it again. Who knows how long until they'll play this episode again? I've only seen it six times anyway. I've seen most at least ten and--"

Gaz suddenly punched Dib in the stomach. He recoiled and groaned with pain. She struck him again, this time to the head, and he collapsed unconscious to the floor. Gaz grabbed the remote and changed it back to the previous channel. She sat, mesmerized, as she watched the previews for the new game. She didn't even blink as she sat gaping at the screen.

Suddenly, GIR burst open the door. Gaz didn't react, and was still entranced by the game screens. Dib still lie unconscious on the floor due to Gaz's attack.

GIR studied the two motionless children for a moment before shrieking with terror. "They're dead too!" he screeched.

Outside in the street, Zim had awakened and was now searching for the missing SIR. But due to the drowsy effect of the sleeping pills, he had forgotten to put on his disguise. The people he passed gasped with shock and fear as the alien walked down the sidewalk.

"Attention everyone!" said one of the gawkers. "Maybe if we all play dead, it won't hurt us!"

They all agreed, and fell to the ground, feigning death. Zim looked around and gasped. Quickly, he ran into an alley, afraid his mission was compromised.

GIR bolted out of the Membranes' house and down the sidewalk. He looked around at all the people. He shrieked again. "Everyone's dead here too!" The robot began to cry as he realized what crime he thought he had committed. "I killed everyone." He sniffled. "It's all my fault.." He wiped another tear away and continued to weep.

"GIR?" called Zim's voice as he peeked from behind the alley.

GIR perked up and looked in the Irken's direction. "Master?"

Zim walked up to the distraught SIR. "Finally, I found you. Do you realize how much danger you've put us in?! The whole mission could be ruined!"

"Master!" GIR squealed happily. "You're not dead!" He jumped up and gave the Irken an affectionate hug.

"Umm..." Zim hesitated as the little robot clung to his waist. "Yeah, I know.."

"I thought I killed everyone because I tore off the tag thingy! But you're not dead! YAY!" GIR screamed happily.

"Of course I'm not...wait? What tag?"

"You know, that little taggy thingy.."

"The one on the bed?"

"Yeah, that one!"

"Why would you think that would kill everybody?"

"Because it said 'Do not remove under penalty of law.'"

Zim gasped. "The FBI! They're probably after us now!"

GIR suddenly grew nervous and whimpered. "But..I didn't mean to.."

"Come on, GIR! We gotta return that mattress before they find us!" he instructed.

So, they were off to return the mattress, and it was somewhat like the time Zim broke into the mall to return GIR's movie to the Video Outhouse. In other words, it sure was crazy.

THE END (please don't cry like I did)