A few more days went by nonchalantly. Woke up, hitched a ride, sold some pills, worked, hitched home, went to sleep. Mr. Krabs would sometimes give an update on how well the product is selling. The crab would also try and hint on having Spongebob reveal the seller's name.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Just curious, that's all. It's kinda peculiar how someone like you ended up with some high-quality shit…It would pique the interest of anyone in the game"

On top of this, Spongebob has weaned off the coke a bit which also confused his boss. What's changed? Spongebob hadn't really realized this until his boss pointed it out another time. Are the AA meetings helping? Is he happier? Or is he replacing the coke with something else? Maybe he drinks too much to make up for it.

Whatever is working is working, he guessed.

Another night has come and gone at the Krusty Krab and Spongebob was washing some dishes. He patted the last few pieces of cookware dry with a paper towel and set them on a hook.

"Done at last''

Earlier on in the day, he got a call from the county sheriff warning him of an upcoming court date for his past drug possession charge.

"When is it?" Questioned a shaken sponge

"It's about a month out, I have to hand deliver you the subpoena and then you'll know the exact date."

"A whole month? But-"

"Listen Mr. Squarepants. I'm just delivering the news from the judge and nothing else. I'll be at your residence sometime this week"

"Um ok…"

"Goodbye, Mr. Squarepants"

He walked out to the dining lobby and patted his pockets to make sure his belongings were still present. Squidward was already sitting in his car waiting for the fry cook to come along. The sponge couldn't keep his eyes off his friend as he walked up. Something seems really different about him. The light in the squid's eyes seemed to have faded away so suddenly. They were distant too. Spongebob hadn't brought up the conversation from the other day back up again out of discomfort.

Squidward looked up as his neighbor hoped in the vehicle and then he turned the ignition in silence. They cruised down the road for a short while before the yellow kitchen sponge spoke up.

"Ok, Squidward. What's up?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you so mopey all of a sudden?"

Squidward glanced to his side. "I tried explaining it to you…it's complicated"

"Are you gonna be ok?"

There was a pause before Squidward replied.

"I don't know, Spongebob. I just need time to think"

This wasn't good enough answer for him

"What exactly happened that night we all separated?"

Squidward drove in silence for a while until he hit the brakes to his driveway. He turned to Spongebob with the moistest eyes he's ever seen on the squid. His lip quivered while a burst of wind skated by.

"Spongebob…there's no point to any of this"

"What?"

"There's no point! Every day we suffer and suffer and- I don't know."

He held his head with his hand on his eyes

"Don't you ever feel trapped in your own body? Trapped in your own life? Why were we born just to slave away at some meaningless job, have our dreams crushed in the process, and die?"

The fry cook stared at his friend with astonished eyes. Sure he's had fleeting thoughts that are similar, but this seemed like a whole different kind of personal agony. So foreign. What exactly was going on in his friend's head?

"Shit…I don't know…"

Squidward continued "I just feel like I fucked up y'know? Like I'm not living my purpose. But then it's like was there even one to begin with…"

"You do have your purpose though! Anyone can see that! Your music, your art…"

"N-no there's more to it than that. I-"

"What do you mean?!"

"I don't know how to explain it. It just feels like nothing will ever fill this void inside me. Nothing will be of satisfaction."

He gasped before continuing.

"THAT'S what I mean by 'my purpose'. I don't think I'll ever be whole…"

He was crying a little now. Spongebob awkwardly patted his neighbors back in comfort. The sponge looked around to see if there was any way to break this off so he could go home.

"Do you need a therapist? Squidward? This sounds like some heavy stuff."

The blue squid looked up at his friend. He hesitated before talking. While wiping his eyes he spoke. "I suppose I should see one…shit that acid trip really through me for a loop"

"I see"

The squid sighed before smiling a bit. "Thanks for listening"

Squidward started making his way out of his car and into his house. Spongebob did the same but to his own abode.

"G'nite Squiddy!"

"See ya Spongebob"

—-

Honk honkkkkkk

Hm?

Honk honk honk honkkkkk

Spongebob peeled his eyes open to shut off his alarm.

Honk honkkkk

Confused. Spongebob sat up and looked at his clock.

"5:42?"

He looked around frantically

"What's that noise?"

Honk honk honk honk

A shimmer of red light bounced off his bedroom window, illuminating the room. The sponge couldn't tell if it was a dream or not. What was going on? He climbed out of bed and put on some pants before peering out the window.

It was Squidward's house.

An ambulance, a fire truck, and a cop car were planted on the street in front of their homes. A few personnel were standing outside the home and making their way in.

Spongebob's breath was fogging up the glass and he wiped it away. What is going on? He turned around and put on the rest of his clothes hurriedly. The sound of blood rushing to his head filled his ears as he panicked. Gary meowed after him but that didn't stop the yellow kitchen sponge from gliding down the stairs and out the front door.

As he walked out, he saw a stretcher with his neighbor laid right across it. Tubes and things-ma-jigs were poking in and out of his skin. At least it wasn't a body bag.

Spongebob ran up to a few officers waving his hands and shouting

"Hol'up! Hol-up! What is going on!?"

Two wide-eyed cops turned and faced this frantic yellow sponge screaming at their faces.

"What happened to him? Why are you here?!"

One purple fish cop turned to the green one and looked back at Spongebob.

"You know this man?"

"Yes! I'm his neighbor…I just came out of the fucking giant pineapple...I'm one of his good friends"

The purple fish sighed, and eyes leaked out sympathy

"It was a suicide attempt"

Spongebob's body went numb

"What?"

"Overdose. Pretty sure it was some kind of drug cocktail according to the medic"

Spongebob's eyes glazed over as he heard this news. The world around him went quiet and he felt light-headed. What if dies? Why did he do this? What if part of the cocktail was one of his own Percocet?

Spongebob nodded a thank you and went back into his home. His chest was aching and felt as if he was on the verge of a panic attack.

"I think I almost kill-"

He slumped over onto the kitchen floor. Reaching up to the counter to try and find some balance, he manages a grip and leans over the counter. Looking around, he finds a bottle of rum and reaches over. He unscrews the cap and takes a gulp before reaching over and grabbing a mug to put some more in.

"Work is gonna be colorful today…I hope we fucking close down"