Spongebob flipped through a wad of cash he had stored in a wrinkled old shoebox. He licked his thumb between every few dollars and recounted twice.
"...twenty, thirty, forty, fifty..."
His eyes widened as his triple check confirmed his suspicions.
"Just a wink over 1500...I can finally pay off both Sandy and Squidward."
A feeling of relief rushed over his body for a second before grabbing a pen and some ziploc bags to sort out the respective money to his lenders.
"One for Sandy, one for squid.."
A grocery bag caught the corner of his eye which provided another rush across the kitchen sponges body, but this time filled with more anxiety. He had received his new shipment from Bubble Bass the following day. He got a variety of new goodies he can try and pawn off his growing clientele base. He opened the plastic grocery bag and looked at the individually wrapped packages to make sure everything was there.
"Valium, xanax, ganja..."
He closed the bag back up around his living room. It was still clean just as nights prior, maybe a few pieces of trash here and there but nothing major. The morning light crept in threw the first floor window and shone upon his kitchen. This reminded him that he better get his ass up and get to work. The sponge made a run for the fridge to get some cereal for himself and to feed Gary.
"Mao"
"Yes, Gary I know."
After finishing up, he went out the door and started walking down the street. Squidward and Sandy has been on his mind quite often. No one has still heard back from how his neighbor is doing or even where he is located. The conversations at the hospital still ring through his own mind. He could practically hear the final words when he was caught up in a flashback.
"You're dead to me..."
The sponge grunted at the painful thought. Why are emotional pangs so much worse than the physical? It seems to torture him more greatly than any withdrawal he's had before.
His mind then drifted off to Sandy.
"Oh, Sandy..."
She's been spotty with her texts again. They talked a little bit after their meeting at the restaurant, but again has disappeared for over a day. No read receipts, no trace. He even checked the county booking report to see if she landed herself in jail.
Nope.
Maybe there's a news report about someone being hospitalized?
Nah.
He just hoped she didn't bail on her 9 to 5 job. He really REALLY hoped.
The frycook found himself suddenly transported to the double glass doors of the Krusty Krab. Without thinking he gave a push but found the doors stuck. Frustrated he shoved them again but glanced at the big obvious red print reading 'CLOSED' up top.
"What the fuck? It's almost nine!"
He checked his phone for any messages from his boss but have yet to find anything. The sponge looked in his contacts for Mr. Krabs and gave him a couple rings.
ring ring. ring ring.
No answer.
Spongebob breathed out heavily, kicked the door, and then sat beside the door for a while. His arms crossed in frustration before he pulled out a cigarette to smoke but randomly got a grotesque feeling looking at it and put it away. Looking at his phone was tiring and burning his eyes so he let his mind wonder with every car passing by on the road in front...
Squidward grabbed a fish tiddy while grabbing a tuft of shiny red hair and pulled it back.
"Mm OH!"
"You like that?!" He slapped a tentacle on the woman's purple asscheek. Causing her to knee jerk the metal frame bed and allowed the mattress springs to squeak. She followed with a groan.
"Yes!"
He flipped her over on her back and made his tongue down south and played her like a fiddle. The purple woman arched her back while gripping the paper thin sheets beside her.
"Fuck!"
The evening sun batted its last remaining rays until the dim night crept in through the barred window. The light from the hallway peeked through the square window on the door and a little from beneath it. The hospital was so poorly funded that there wasn't enough nurses to watch the copious amount of patients residing there. The purple girl, who Squidward has yet to know the name of, offered him her own body in exchange for him holding a few subs in his cheek when medicine was distributed. She said she knew a time and place when the nurses would not be near certain wings of the hospital and he could receive his 'pay'. At first, Squidward was appalled a such an offer. Drugs got him into this hellhole, why the fuck would he mess with it this time around? But the more he thought about it the more and more he just didn't give a shit. It's been a long time since he's had sex, the squid sometimes considered himself a born-again virgin, he eventually though what the hell? It's a win-win situation for both parties.
"O-o-oh f-fuck I think I'm gonna cum" The sweat drenched squid panted
They were in missionary now and the woman was muffling her moans with her fist as Squidward started pumping harder, trying to get to release. The mattress springs started whailing as Squidward finally reached the tipping point and delivered one final blow.
"mmnnnAH!"
"Oh shit!"
Squidward fell on top of her and stayed still for a few seconds before the woman psuhed him off to the side.
"Too sweaty for that"
Squidward chuckled and rose to his elbows to find his gown laid upon the edge of the bed. The girl rolled off to the side and landed on her feet, finding her gown and slipping it on quickly.
"Well that was fun...next time we do it let's bring a towel. Poor whoever who sleeps in this bed tonight."
Squidward chuckled again.
"Ya I hope no one knows its us"
The purple fish walked over to the door and peeked through the window before creeping open the door. She looked back once more.
"Nothings gonna happen don't worry about it. I'll see ya later"
Just as fast as he came, she scrambled out the door and shut it behind her. A disorientated yet euphoric squid was left behind to sit in the silence of the room. He stood up to stretch and fix himself up to look a bit presentable once he stepped outside.
He soon followed suit by opening the door and slinking into the empty hallway. He kept his head down while walking towards the common areas. besides that girl, he didn't really know anyone else here. So, he felt his anxiety growing as he stepped into this tv room where people were gathered watching some soap opera, others chatting, and a few playing board games. He scanned the room and spotted a lonely bookshelf with few books scatteredly placed throughout. He placed his tentacle on a plain red book and flipped through some of the chapters before setting it down. he sighed. He picked up a dictionary from 1985 and skimmed through the yellow-tinted pages as well before tossing it back on the shelf.
"These are for people with a twelve year old reading level"
A sound of ruffling pages and footsteps crept up behind him which didn't catch his attention until:
"You can borrow this one, it's pretty good and I'm almost done with it"
That voice. So distinct and penetrating. Why does he know that voice? He turned around and met eye to eye with a familiar face but took a few seconds to process as they both gasped.
"Squidward?!"
The squid stepped back and squinted his eyes.
"...Sandy? What the fuck are you doing here?"
Mr. Krabs never showed up which left Spongebob, and a few hungry customers stopping by, royally pissed off at the situation. The sponge brushed himself off as he stood up and made his way home.
"Fucking stupid ass crab. He better have died in his sleep to have me walk all that for nothing this morning"
Under the anger, there was a hint of confusion encircling the sponge's mind. It was extremely rare for Mr. Krabs to shut down the store. Money is literally his life, what could possibly be so pressing that he couldn't even bother to call? Spongebob stopped in the middle of the street and looked around to find a few rocks. He walked over and picked up a heavy stone with his right hand and glanced around him again. A lonely stop sign was about five feet from him which gave the sponge a devilish grin. Without thinking, he threw the stone right in the middle.
BANG
That felt really good for him, even if he looked like a pouty eleven year old. His blue eyes darted around to see if anyone noticed but soon found himself to be all alone. He picked up a few more stones and pebbles.
BANG
and then some more
DING BANG
and then some more
DING DING BANG
The yellow sponge wiped his head with hand, leaving a streak of sweat on his fingers. A car swung by and left behind a trail of wind to cool him down. He peered at the sign to see he had done a number on the red paint job. Oops. A little embarassed, he scurried away and looked ahead until he made it to his front door. He placed his key in the lock and turned before hearing a faint voice startle him.
"...yo spongebob?"
Spongebob dropped his key and kneeled down.
"Fuck! You scared the shi-"
He caught his throat when he turned and saw what appears to be Juney from AA and one of her little friends. He was a tall skinny orange swordfish wearing a brown shirt and nothing more. Spongebob looked at him and Juney before turning back to the door.
"What do y'all want?"
The swordfish nudged Juney as she walked up a little closer.
"I'll be upfront. Got any more of those pills to sell?"
Spongebob opened the door wide enough for himself before pushing it even further.
"Come on in. But next don't ever pull that sneaking up shit again or I'll fuck you both up, ok?"
He didn't see it but could tell they nodded their heads as they made their way inside. Spongebob motioned them to sit on the chairs as he went into the kitchen to throw his keys on the counter before heading to his upstairs closet. He opened the sliding closet door and reached up high to grab his shopping bag of goodies. Pissed off at them being so rude, he also reached next to the box for his gun. He opened the chamber to see it's loaded and turned off the safety before sliding it in his back pocket. No one gets to fuck around with him and he wants them to see he is serious. A deep breath was let out as he stumbled down the stairs and put on a more jovial facial expression.
"So! Same old same ole? Or want to try something new too?"
Juney spoke up while peeking at her friend.
"Well defintley some of the regular stuff. Like ten each? But also what else you got for us?"
Spongebob opened the bag and looked inside.
"Pretty much anything. Benzos, weed, opiates..."
"What kind of benzo" Peeped the swordfish.
Taken aback by the quiet mans sudden question, Spongebob looked up.
"Xanax."
"I'll have two"
Spongebob moved his eyes over to Juney
"And you?"
"I'll take an eighth of that weed"
Spongebob shot a tight-lipped smile while reaching in his bag and pulling out a scale. He weighed the weed first and then counted the pills before wrapping them up in individual baggies and tossing them into the laps of his eager customers. They handed him wads of dollar bills before the two got up and made their ways to the door.
"See ya" muffled Juney
"Stay safe out there. Next time just CALL me before coming over" replied Spongebob.
They left his house with a light bang from the closing of the door. Spongebob counted the money in his hand again before slapping the stack on the palm of his hand. His heart jumped and felt as he had found his groove in the hustle.
"Fuck I'm good"