Shadows

Spongebob hurried home that day, his eyes darting left to right nervously. Dennis being here only made his frail mind more vulnerable. He was never the type to be depressed, nowadays he seemed to be in need of serious medication… 'What has happened to me?' He closed the front door and secured every lock making sure to double check them, he was about to rush to his room and duck under the covers when Gary appeared in front of his path,

"Meow?"

"Oh!" Spongebob jumped startled by his dear pet snail. "Gary! You know you're not supposed to sneak up on me like that…." He felt sort of bad for scolding him but he's been on edge for the longest time now.

"Meoooow…."

"Everything is quite alright Gary; I'm just tired after a long day of work is all, no need to exaggerate." Spongebob insisted sounding a bit too defensive for his liking.

Gary's tone became lower in response, "Mow moow.."

"Do not speak to me in that tone mister, I am telling the absolute truth here."

Spongebob sighed seeing Gary was not buying it, he was just too clever for him.

"Okay… besides the fact that Dennis the Assassin paid me a visit at the Krusty Krab today and nearly gave me a heart attack, that is the only thing out of the ordinary, oh and yeah, there's a terrifying serial killer here in once peaceful Bikini Bottom who make attack another victim at any given moment."

…. "Oh Gary, what am I going to do!" He fell to the floor next to his only pal left in the world. Gary meowed sympathetically in response. "Oh your right Gary, I can't trouble myself anymore with worried thoughts or I will become a mental patient for sure. I'll get a new lock for the window first thing after dinner at the local hardware store to ensure our safety."

Spongebob sighed wearily dragging himself from the kitchen to see what he could make with the few ingredients left in the refrigerator.

He settled on making a simple sandwich with only one slice of bread, since that's all he had. It would have to do, he needed to get to that hardware store before it closed for the night. He couldn't see himself having any sleep without knowing he had some protection. Throwing on his fluffy white sweater his sweet grandma made him, he hurriedly sprinted out the door to the local hardware store. It wasn't far, after five minutes of full speed running he was there and inside the doors. The lady appeared surprised to see him since the store would be closing in five minutes.

"I'm sorry miss, but I'm in an urgent need for locks tonight." Spongebob cried completely out of breath, his voice aching with desperation. She seemed understanding enough and hurried down the aisles to where the locks were available not only for his doors but his windows as well. Spongebob thanked her greatly and left merrily and content with his purchase.

He wasn't in much of a hurry now since he got what he wanted, but he now realized how empty the streets were, not a single fish in his sight, and just as his thoughts were reeling he heard a loud crash. The sound resembled the noise that a metal trash can would make if someone were to kick it over on its side. He stopped dead in his tracks, his heart sped up immediately. He turned around, then back to the front, he darted his eyes from side to side but saw nothing and no one but the darkness that surrounded him. He began to walk very quickly, shaking violently in the street just hoping for something comforting like a young fish hurrying home or an unfortunate homeless fish stumbling through the alley, but he saw nothing. He stopped walking to frighten to move anymore.

"P-please, if anyone is there, please just say something," Spongebob whispered in the dark clenching his eyelids so tight his head began to hurt. When he finally opened his eyes he noticed how he had dropped down and held his knees in an effort to comfort himself. He took in five large gasps of air his eyes darting in the black night hopelessly.

He suddenly sprang out into a full speed sprint, somehow finding the courage or level of fear he needed to move. Spongebob darted around the corner, he could see in the distance some street lights that were still on. He ran faster wanting nothing more than to simply see where he was going.

'Almost there, almost there, almost, almost….' He was stopped cold in his tracks, all the wind in his chest knocked out of him. He gasped helplessly as a pair of strong hands gripped the back of his collar yanking him violently into a pitch black corner. He thought he would pass out as he was thrown against the hard stone wall. He cried out but no sound escaped his lips except the desperate need for air. He felt hot breath against his neck, whoever it was breathed heavily as if they were out of breath as well.

"Mm don't you smell nice." The man whispered coarsely in his ear. Spongebob gasped his hands gripped the strangers broad shoulders but it did no good, his attacker was much larger and much taller.

"I'm going to take you home and were going to have some fun." He chuckled this and gripped Spongebob's neck lifting him off the wall. He was kidnapping him, this had to be the serial killer, he was going to torture him like the rest of his victims… he was going to die. Spongebob held no hope as the man moved with utter silence. Spongebob felt hot tears fall from his pained blue eyes and for no particular reason he somehow managed to cry out a choked plea,

"D-dennis!" And he swore not five seconds had gone by when he felt the man's grip on his throat completely loosen and he fell to cold damp floor. As he lay there curled into a tight ball he could hear a violent struggle and a ring of curse words, 'did Dennis really hear him… was he saved?' He wasn't able to find out as his weak mind failed him, and everything went blank.