There's Something Inside Your Head (Invader ZiM AU)

News of the recent murder spread like any other rumor; one person knows something, then four, then it goes from there. People would talk about how awful it was, how horrifying it was, and how exciting this was. They'd claim to care, claim to be sad; they'd even say the most fake, cliche things imaginable.
To be honest, people didn't care that much; no one really liked Keef. Though, it was new news, and since no one was there and no one knew what happened, they could add on whatever they had wanted. Every version of the tale altered just slightly, based on what someone heard or didn't hear. A game of telephone. While every story was different in its own way, every one still had one thing in common: no one knew who did it. Sure, people would make things up, but no one really believed it. It was all "he said she said they said".

"It's all like 'The Smartphone Hour', 'The Telephone Hour', 'Pick-A-Little, Talk-A-Little', 'Murder, Murder!'..." Carrie laid on her back across her and Dib's desks, staring up at the ceiling. "I don't know if 'Robin Sucks' counts..."

"Carrie, can you go one day without referencing a musical?" Dib poked her shoulder.

"No, Dib. I don't think I can. In fact, I may be like this 'For Forever'." She started to laugh. "No, no, that was an awful joke. I apologize deeply and it won't happen again." She sighs. "Though... I wanna make a music based on like... aliens. And cryptids. Maybe cryptid hunters... like us! I don't know if that already exists, but, hey! Sounds cool, right?" The redhead turned to face Dib. "Speaking of; who do you think did it? Maybe somethin' that isn't even human. Liiiike... a bear. Or a dragon. Or a manticore. Or a griffin. Or a giant."

"That's a very specific list."

"You caught me."

Dib stared at her, trying to read her face for any form of negative feeling or something like that... unfortunately, he wasn't very good at that kind of thing. He had mixed feelings about all of this; sure... it was terrible that someone had died, and it was certainly unexpected, but... he didn't know him too well. He didn't have any real attachments. He didn't even realize he killed him. "...are you feeling any form of discomfort from this? Someone in our class just died... honestly, the least the skool could've done was cancel today. I mean, wouldn't more people be broken over this?"

Carrie shrugged. "Oh, no, I'm terrified. I'm just trying my best to hide it so I don't worry you. But, I do have to agree—everyone does seem to be taking this well... it could be like a Heather Chandler situation. Someone that—let's be real, most people didn't like—dies, possibly from murder, and people just... don't care. Sure, people are in shock, but they don't really care. However, the second someone tries to put them in a good light or get publicity off of it, suddenly, everyone cares. Hey, maybe we're in a Heathers fanfiction or somethin'."

Or Jekyll and Hyde, Dib thought. "Well... let's hope more don't happen. As sole defender of Earth—" Carrie cleared her throat. "—ehh, as one half of a defender team of Earth, I can't let anything else like this happen!" He sat up tall, but Carrie poked his side. "Eeah!!! Hey!"

Carrie giggled.

"Ngh.. anyway.. I don't really know who could've. Any of us, really... honestly? My bet's on ZiM."

Carrie raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "Really. That ball of sadness? He's not in the condition to commit murder. Arson, maybe, but..."

"Are you sure? Where was he yesterday? If he wasn't at skool, then— what, what's that look for?"

Carrie's eyebrows were now together and lowered. "You were at his house yesterday. All day. You didn't tell me why but... you told me that much. And ZiM was here yesterday. You didn't lie did you..?"