So far so... good? Yeah right, just because you make who knows how many hours on a plane and in cars without any arguments hardly counts as 'good'. I love America don't get me wrong, but I never wanted to move here. I liked Wales. I liked how no one but a Welsh person knew where in the U.K it was. Even the practically constant rainy weather, it was home. This was... this was strange. Now strange wasn't a problem for me, I loved the weird and wonderful but this was a different kind of strange. I didn't like it.

"Amy, why not go next door and meet some of the neighbours?" Mum offered, "You might meet a friend."

"Hmmm, sure..." I mumbled, tying my jacket around my waist and heading towards the door, hoping around the now emptied boxes littered everywhere.

"Oh, I've made a few fairy-cakes," she smiled weakly "Your sisters not feeling too good and she needs to catch up on her girl-scout sales, try and sell a few? Maybe meet someone nice?"

I nodded and placed the container in my bag. 'Fairy-cakes', we're in the U.S now, they're called muffins or cup-cakes. I was still getting used to calling my jeans 'pants'. Weird was the lingo here. Not to mention, why was I stuck doing my sisters dirty work? I don't care if she was just 7, she wanted to join girl-scouts she can cope with the tasks given! Whatever, what good was moaning going to do? Let's get this over with...

It was a nice enough afternoon, the sun setting warmly over the street, sorry, side-walk. I looked around; each house was pretty much exactly the same. Which one shall I try first? I sighed, this was going to be...fun...

Hang on, hello... One house, directly next door was different. Sticking out like a sore-thumb, how did I miss that? This house was green with a purple pointed roof. Giant gnomes around my height grinned eerily back at me, one or two flamingos stood guard by the white fence, a flag waved in the warm breeze claiming that "I Heart Earth!". Um... okay, and was that a men's toilet door in place of a front door? Seriously, how did I miss this? Well, gawping at it won't get me anywhere. These seemed like my kind of people! I hoisted my bag back up to my shoulder and took a breath. Here goes...

I strode up to the door and knocked. I jumped as a muffled cry of "INTRUDER!" sounded on the other side, was it me or did that sound kinda robotic? Impressive security system, I've gotta say. Was a camera going to pop out somewhere or voice recognition?

No. The door creaked open to reveal a large and pretty bare living room. A TV stood at one side of the room while a sofa stood at the other, a painting of a wide-eyed monkey hung on the wall, staring at me. At first, it looked like I was alone, but something brushed against my legs. I hopped to the side and looked down in shock. What the hell?

A little... dog, maybe? Stared up at me. He could have been a Jack Russell, or maybe some kind of spaniel, to be honest, I had no idea the thing was bright green! I've heard of people dying their animals different colours, but this was so random, I loved it! I stooped down and tickled it under its chin, its head twitched with delight.

"Hello, gorgeous, you're a funny little pup aren't you?" I cooed.

"MEOW!" it groaned, grinning with its tongue hanging out.

I paused, "So you're a cat?"

It tilted its head to the side before shaking its head and started barking.

"So you're just a clever dog?"

It nodded.

"Ah, right, sorry." Hang on, I'm talking to a green mewing dog! What the hell?

I noticed it was nuzzling at my bag, it could probably smell the cakes inside. Well, one wouldn't hurt. I unzipped my bag and pulled out one with lots of sprinkles.

"Here you go."

It jumped forward and grabbed the cake from my hand and then gripped my wrist with its free paw. It was dragging me into the house. Wow he was strong for a little guy. Wait, a god was pulling my by its paws into a weird house, this wasn't right, even I knew that!"

"Wait, wait, no I'm not allowed inside! Where's your master? No, stop, please!"

I tripped and landed on my stomach, making it all the easier for him to drag me inside. The door slammed shut behind me. The dog stopped and turned to look back at me. I noticed the big silver tag hanging around its neck; it kinda looked like a zip.

"Okay, thank you, but I've got to go now, okay, pup?"

"GIR!" it growled at me.

I jumped to my feet and started backing away, "Okay, okay, easy boy..."

It started pulling at it's tag, poor thing it's going to hurt itself! Wait, why was the tag travelling along its stomach? Please say all guts aren't going to spill out! More silver, and... blue? What the hell is this? The green coat pealed away and fell to the floor. It made my skin crawl, this was disturbed! I backed away further, my back hitting the cold wall. Beneath the fur coat, or was that a costume, or... whatever it was. There was a silver and blue being, a robotic figure with large blue eys and a small antenna on its head. It grinned at me and sang in its shrill voice.

"No cake-lady! Me GIR!" it started hoping from one foot to the other, getting closer before it started nuzzling its cold, metal face against my hand "Any more cake? I miss the cup-cake!"

Oh. My. God.

"Meet Master cake-lady! Master wants the cakie too!"

It grabbed my hand and dragged me across the room towards the kitchen. There was a toilet in the kitchen, what kind of house was this? The robot, dog, thing... GIR it called itself, jumped into the toilet and flushed. He vanished with a echoing cry of glee. I was free. Do I run, or follow? Every muscle in my body told me to run, leave the cakes and dive under my bed and pray. But... I could never resist a chance of adventure.

I peered into the toilet bowl and cringed. No, I should go, what was wrong with me? But, a green dog that was a robot, a massive house that stands out a mile away, surely there was something else to this. I had to find out what. No one would believe me otherwise.

With a deep breath, I climbed into the toilet and flushed. I expected to feel wet, or spin at least, but it was just like being in an elevator. I travelled straight down into a dark and metallic room filled with computer screens and machines I had never seen before. Writing was scribbled everywhere in languages I couldn't understand. Wow, was this some sort of secret military or government base? I was in so much trouble if it was! But even if it wasn't, I was still in trouble!

"Cakie!"

The robot jumped at me from the shadows, causing me to fall onto my rear. It hugged me with great strength and knocked the air out of me. It was a really cuddly thing despite it's solid and somewhat unfamiliar exterior.

"GIR!"

I jumped and let out an accidental whimper. The robot slid from me and saluted to a figure in the darkness. This voice was harsher and held more authority it seemed. I froze. Was this the 'master'?

"What had you done, GIR?" it snarled.

Out of the darkness, a pair of bright pink eyed narrowed in my direction. A shadow of a three fingered hand flickered into view along with what looked like two feeler things at the top of its head, its green head! I let out a cry for help, but no one would hear me here. I was doomed, I should have gone home.

"Please, I'm sorry I just - "

"I don't want excuses," it claimed, menacingly, "I want you out of the lab of the ALMIGHTY ZIM!"

"Z-Zim? Is that your name?"

It hesitated, "Heh? No no! I'm... It's none of your business filthy hyooman!"

Why did it sound so worried? Was I intimidating it? More like he was scaring the crap out of me!

"If I'm a filthy human... does that mean you're not human?"

"DO NOT QUESTION ME!"

"Okay I'm sorry! Just - Just tell me the way out and I'll leave you alone, yeah?"

Its pink eyes narrowed, I heard a small sound that I could only describe as air blowing through a tube, then a sharp pain in my neck. I cried out in pain and collapsed back to the floor. The room was spinning and fading into darkness. The last thing I remember seeing was its green lipped, wry smile.

My eyes snapped open, I gasped from the throbbing pain still in my neck. I dabbed it gingerly with my fingers and pulled out a syringe about three inches long. What the hell happened back there? He drugged me? What did he do to me after I passed out? My skin crawled and I felt bile rise at the back of my throat. I had to get out of here, I had to - No, wait, I was back in my room? In my pyjamas? That green creep undressed me? I felt so violated!

I jumped as my door creaked open.

"Hey, sweetie, you okay?"

"Mum! How did I get here? I was visiting the neighbours and - "

"Calm down, hun, you came back about an hour ago saying that you were too tired for food, you did seem a bit dream-like."

"No I passed out next door, they-he-it- "

"Okay, okay, calm down!" Mum hushed "Clearly the move has been stressful on you so try and get some sleep, you've got school in the morning."

But - "

Too late, she was gone. I rubbed the sore spot on my neck and stood up and walked across the room to shut the curtains. Oh crap, there was the house. A circular window faced me directly. I could see a shadow, staring back at me. It noticed I was looking and dived out of the way. I clamped my hand over my mouth to stop a scream and forced the curtains closed before diving back into bed. It knew where I lived! It drugged me! Oh hell no, it so messed with the wrong person!