Although it had been 15 years since the incident, there hadn't been a day when Spongebob didn't think of him.
Today, it was no different. Just more intense than others, since it was Patrick's birthday.
Spongebob awoke at exactly 5:00 AM for his job at the Krusty Krab, but he just couldn't put up his joyful facade. Today, it was harder than ever and he just wasn't ready.
He lie there, looking up at the ceiling with bloodshot eyes as Gary let out a hungry "meow."
"Why, Patrick?", he bellowed out as his face scrunched in agony and tears ran down his yellow face.
"Why did there have to be only one Dirty Dan, Patrick?! Why...?", his loud voice echoed out over the sound of Squidward's morning clarinet practice.
He felt the tears roll from his burning eyes again and rolled over in the bed.
"Maybe... Maybe it would be a better Bikini Bottom without me. Squidward wouldn't suffer. Sandy wouldn't be stuck with an annoying friend... and if I'm lucky enough, I can be with Patrick again in a better place."
Leaping from his bed, he'd never been so ready in his whole life to end it all. He rushed into the bathroom and opened the pill cabinet. The Sponge's slender, yellow finger grabbed the bottle and slammed the door shut.
"These damn pills never helped me anyway... But today, today is different..."
Looking at himself in the mirror, he knew he could never be that happy Sponge he once was. His bloodshot eyes were swollen from crying so much. Underneath them were dark circles, hinting at his lack of sleep. His face, it was sunken and pale.
Thin, yellow fingers slowly turned the cap on the medicine bottle and poured them out into a haggard, shaking hand.
"Is this really how it ends?"
He rattled his brain for any positive thoughts, something that could make him realize life is worth living.
Suddenly, it struck him like a 50 pound brick.
"I'm the Krusty Krab's only cook. Bikini Bottom needs me. Mr. Krabs needs me!"
Slowly, those thin yellow fingers put the pills back into the container and they were put safely in the medicine cabinet where they belong.
Quickly, he strode from the bathroom, fed Gary, got his spatula and left for his job at the Krusty Krab.
Upon stepping out, the ocean current was strong and the water was cold. He gave Patrick's rock a quick view.
"I know he would want this for me. He would want me to be happy."
An uneasy feeling stretched over him as he reached the Krusty Krab. Customers were already served? Wasn't that his job? Things only took a turn for the worse as he entered. There he saw Mr. Krabs talking to Squidward and laughing.
"Whoa, watch out, my boy.", the red man said, throwing his meaty claw out.
"Don't ya see you aren't needed here anymore?"
Spongebob looked back through blurry eyes to see a robot was preparing and delivering all of the food.
"Sandy made her this morning. Isn't she beautiful? And, she's making me a lot more money than you ever did!", he exclaims as he watches the robot zoom by.
"I'm going off to my office now."
Spongebob couldn't believe what was happening. Had he really been replaced?
In a last attempt to save the only thing that mattered to him anymore, he ran after Mr. Krabs.
The little guy used any strength he had left to shout,"But Mr. Krabs, this job is the only thing that matters to me anymore!"
"Well, I obviously don't need you, boy. So, leave me and my money be."
It fell upon deaf ears. That old man was too invested in himself to care if Spongebob, as a person, lived or died.
Spongebob hung his head low and slammed the door shut.
"I see how it is, you greedy bastard..."
"Do I need to escort you out?", that stingy crab asked mockingly.
Spongebob got closer to him.
"You never did care about me, did you?"
It came out as a mere croaking sound.
Mr. Krab just smirked at him and resumed to counting his money.
"I've spent my whole fucking life here! I've worked my assoff through thick and thin... and never did I get my share. I can't believe I thought you might care about me, as an individual. You only care about your dirty money!"
Those thin, yellow hands that were so weak a second ago grabbed a handful of coins.
"Everyday I suffered through it all... but no more."
Before could respond, Spongebob pryed open his rancid mouth and shoved the coins down his throat. Mr. Krabs gagged, and coughed, and tried to rip the coins from his throat.
This only sent Spongebob into a fury of laughter.
"Are you feeling it now, Mr. Krabs? Are you feeling my pain?", Spongebob managed to whisper out among his laughter.
Eventually the big crab stopped moving, and Spongebob collapsed to the floor.
"So, this is how it ends.", he croaks out between his laughing.
Those thin hands reached into the back of his brown shorts and pulled out his spatula.
His voice was low, hoarse and melancholy.
An air of sadness surrounded him and filled the room.
"Wait for me, Patrick. I promise you can still be the only Dirty Dan when I get there."
Spongebob put the spatula to his heart, and without further adieu, he fell upon it.