Chapter 8: Warning in the Night

" Goooooood Morning USSP!..." SpongeBob turned off the T.V as he did every morning irritated.

SpongeBob carefully walked up to his sweet wife who oddly went to bed early the night before then kissed her on the cheek. Sandy opened her eyes to see the yellow sponge she calls her husband and smiles.

"Good Morning...You're up early" Sandy yawned out.

" Yeah I know just had one of those nights." SpongeBob chuckled.

Sandy rubbed her eyes and proceeded to start her monotonous morning routine. SpongeBob got starting putting his pants on then his shirt and walked downstairs with his wife right behind.

Sandy got out a pan and then an egg to conserve their food resources and got to cooking. While working she was still thinking about the events of yesterday replaying them in her mind " How does SpongeBob not even bat an eye to what happened yesterday? Doesn't he remember the frightening armory being presented in our small town?"

Sandy woke up from her thoughts as she saw the eggs simmering " Breakfast is served!" She called out while walking towards the table.

SpongeBob picked up a piece of egg with his fork and shoved in his mouth with delight " Mmmmmm boy Sandy you sure are an amazing cook! It's a shame they don't have you as a chef!"

Sandy blushed at his comments and proceeded to eat in silence " Could use some salt..."

The married couple walked outside their house and stopped right before the car seeing a man dressed in camo on their lawn!

SpongeBob spoke up " Hello sir? What on Earth are you doing here?"

The Protector looked up from the ground and to the sponge " Fellow Citizen! Don't you remember the order yesterday? This Is public property as you can see some of your neighbors lawns are occupied by makeshift tents."

Sandy looks at the man intently as he lights a cigarette " Well y'all better leave before I kick your ass out!"

The Protector rolls his eyes " Ma'am I don't make the orders I just follow them OK? And watch your mouth missy saying the wrong words can get you arrested and I wouldn't like to do that so carry on!"

SpongeBob grabbed Sandy's wrist " Let's just go to work..." And so they went.


Just next door another conversation was taking place by the two squids we all know...

" I just didn't find it right..." Squidward quietly said as Squilvia took his plate away.

"Indeed it was strange yesterday but, you know how primitive acting the rock throwers were... I mean this is the 21st century for crying out loud!" Squilvia washed the dishes speedily.

" Ya it was a bit uncalled for but, honestly what about the Protectors they're one of us and the government is using fellow citizens against us citizens, it's mutiny!"

Squilvia sighed as she knows every mention of the State drives her husband mad. She walks out of the kitchen and out the door without a word.

" You alright Squilvia?"

Squilvia hopped in the car and adjusted her seatbelt " Quite, now can we leave we're almost late!"

Squidward nodded as he hopped in the car, put on his seatbelt and drove away. Squidward slows his car down as he notices cops on people's lawns though angered, Squilvia held his hand.

"It's for our own good."

Squidward inaudible mumbled while driving down the road. Squidward couldn't believe the so called "ignorance" in his fellow citizens though he was surprised people did fight back.

" Maybe we can do it." Squidward mumbled.

Squilvia raised a brow "Do what?"

Squidward didn't realize he said words aloud " Oh nothing sweetie just thinking."

Squilvia shrugged her shoulders and looked out the window. Meanwhile Squidward was thinking " Maybe I'm delusional or maybe just maybe there are others..."


In the sweaty distribution center we all know SpongeBob is assorting corn in boxes in a rapid pace.

" Hey boy-o how it be?" Mr. Krabs bellowed.

SpongeBob glanced at the crab and back at his work " You know..."

Mr. Krabs looked at the sponge peculiarly " Something a matter boy?"

"Well something strange kind of happened today..." SpongeBob shyly replied.

"What might it be? You can tell your former boss anything!" Mr. Krabs patted SpongeBob.

" Remember that speech a Protector was yelling on the street?" SpongeBob stopped packaging.

Mr. Krabs gave another peculiar stare " Of course how can I forget something like that? It was a brawl for crying out loud!"

SpongeBob continued " You see today I walked out the door with Sandy as usual but, there was these military men camping out on our lawn!"

SpongeBob took a breath and resumed " Then we asked them to leave but they said its all public property and...and it makes me feel weird."

Mr. Krabs stood there without blinking an eye trying to pick out an answer " Lad umm its natural and uh it's just our old imperfect ways getting the best of you!"

SpongeBob was confused " Mr. Krabs why are you all fidgety like that? You don't sound yourself."

Mr. Krabs pointed with his eyes to a guard standing by a door installing what appears to be a camera.

" Ohhh how nice of them keeping an eye out for us!" SpongeBob awed.

Mr. Krabs fidgeted again at the sponges comments and the camera but whispered " SpongeBob we really need to meet up with Tentacles again."

SpongeBob yelled "But Why?!"

"Shhhh boy! Are ye trying to get us killed? Look we said we would continue meetings when emergencies come about. So Tentacles and I talked last hour and we're doing it again understood?"

SpongeBob just nodded since half of him was curious and the other half dreaded to do a meeting he finds it both boring and stressful.

" Fine we'll be there after work..." SpongeBob sighed.

Mr. Krabs looked over SpongeBob one more time and then walked back over to his own station to do his own dirty work.


The day was very sunny with a gentle breeze that made it seem perfect. Sandy walked out of the lab and sat down on a curb as she did about everyday. She's been having a rough couple of days at work which is strange since she always loved science. She pulled down her dress as it started to reveal to much and rested her head on her knees.

"What is wrong with me? What would my husband think? He better not call me backwards cause I swear..."

Sandy hit the curb with her fist and grunted, she hates these new mood swings that she recently develop but, unfortunately they're mostly anger and depression.

She just sat there looking at the street newly noticing the rocks that are held together by tar to make such a thing when a set of wheels pulls up in front.

" Hey beautiful!" A cheerful sponge calls out from the car.

"Hey sponge" Sandy hops in the car and they start driving off.

All was quiet for a while and Sandy as usual looked at all of the propaganda signs and even noticed some signs that looked different like...

" Report all traitors, even if they're your family" and " Everyone is the same no matter WHAT"

"Is it me or are these posters getting creepier and creepier?" Sandy questioned the propaganda.

"Huh you know I haven't really noticed those things, I guess you get so used to it your brain doesn't see it anymore hahaha" SpongeBob chuckled at the thought.

Sandy pulled down her dress again and crossed her legs "So anything special happened at work today?"

SpongeBob eyes shot open " Oh crap the meeting! I forgot that after work I promised Mr. Krabs we would go to Squiddys house. You up?

" Why not? We got nothing else to do anyways..." Sandy smiled a bit at her comment.

The married couple parked at their driveway, got out of the car and immediately headed over to the Tentacles's home.

SpongeBob noticed the tent was gone but, more important matters were on his mind. he knocked on the door and within a few seconds Squidward came out in a hushed tone.

" Hello friends please come in..."

The couple walked in to find yet again Mr. Krabs , Patrick, and Squilvia already seated in the living room.

" Hiiii SpongeBob!" Patrick waved from the sofa.

With all the work that is going on the two best buddies rarely see each other any more and every time they meet it gets slightly more awkward.

"Hey...hey Pat" SpongeBob clumsily sat down in a chair and Sandy followed.

All was silent as it was last meeting and as you may have guessed everyone was pretty shocked on how fast this meeting came about again.

Finally Squidward started up " Alright Ladies and Gentlemen as you may have known there was a very...interesting event that took place yesterday."

Squidward scanned the room to make sure all was paying attention " As I'm sure we all remembered what they were talking about and that we know what the immediate and indirect results were."

" I don't, what was those things?" Patrick questioned.

Squidward replied to Patrick " Yes well the immediate reaction was the brawl and the indirect was them camping on OUR lawns."

Squidward continued " Now I'm pretty sure we all know that what our fellow citizens, the Protectors, did was wrong and an abused power of the State."

" Let's not jump to conclusions just yet!" SpongeBob declared "There are reasons for everything!"

Squidward rolled his eyes at the sponge "State your points."

SpongeBob cleared his throat " Well first off the State warned us that the Protectors were ordered to do what they did, second our fellow citizens were the ones who started the brawl in the first place throwing rocks and such and thirdly, even though it even freaked me out no one owns anything so it was OK for the Protectors to use our lawns."

Sandy shook her head and Squidward retorted back " Aha! but you did find it weird they were on your lawn! That proves it!"

SpongeBob stood up " Proves what?"

Alas another meeting starts turning to chaos as people start letting their blind rage get the best of them.

Squidward licked his lips "It proves that not even someone as naïve as you could accept EVERYTHING! Haha gotcha!"

SpongeBob stood there in silence as he tried finding a comeback "Well...well oh yeah! You see that's all part of progression, which is getting used to something if you like it or not."

" That's the problem SquarePants! You can't force change even it is for the good of society. Silly boy! You have no idea!" Squidward shouted.

All was silent as the two fish stopped their own verbal brawl and sat down.

Sandy finally spoke up " Men! I thought we agreed to having more mature talks. But anyhow..."

Sandy had her confidence up and had her argument ready "SpongeBob, My opinion is a bit different than what I said before I..."

" BANG! BANG! BANG!"

The whole gang froze at the horrific sound.

" What was that?" Patrick whimpered.

" BANG! BANG! BANG! OPEN UP, POLICE!"

Squilvia started tearing up in fright "Oh Squidward go answer before anything gets worse!"

Squidward breathed in to keep his cool and headed towards the door, at the door he opened the door slightly and Protectors came barging into the living room.

" Oh fellow citizens please don't hurt us!" Squilvia shrieked.

A Protector rolled his eyes and started to speak " Are you Mr. Tentacles?" He pointed to the squid.

" Why yes I am and that's my wife...the one hollering on the couch." Squidward sighed out.

The Protector then went from calm to a bit smug " Well Mr. Tentacles! Care to explain what is going on in your home?" The Protector crossed his arms.

Squidward looked at his friends and back at the cops " Just a friendly get together that is all..."

The Protector chuckled a bit " Huh it didn't sound like a "friendly" get together when talking with Mr. Krabs on the phone."

Both Squidward and Mr. Krabs froze in terror at the words just thrown into the room "You...you can do that?" Squidward trembled.

The Protector smiled "Well us cops can't but, we were informed by our dispatcher..." The Protector took in a breath " It seemed you and Mr. Krabs were talking a bit to freely if you know what I mean."

Squidward shook his head.

" You see you can't technically criticize about the State because it would cause disturbance and then you know the equality crap..."

SpongeBob spoke up " So we can't talk about the government at all, even praise?"

The Protector obviously didn't want to deal with BS now but he explained " Praise maybe, but unless for educational purposes or rallys as our early founders believed...To keep such a beautiful utopia like the USSP we have to make sure...you know, not think TOO much about it..."

Everyone was confused at the cops speech but, Sandy was furious " So thinkin' is a sin now?"

The Protector sighed " Look fellow citizens I'll let you guys off with a warning since I'm annoyed as crap now, Please don't ever do this again...It's for your own good."

The Protectors headed out the door followed by a huge slam, leaving six members of society clueless and frustrated in the underwater night.