𝖢𝖮𝖬𝖤 𝖳𝖮𝖦𝖤𝖳𝖧𝖤𝖱
𝖻𝗒 𝖭𝖾𝗎𝗋𝗈𝖥𝖺𝖻𝗎𝗅𝗈𝗎𝗌
part 10
Karen felt his grip
on her hand loosen,
his body relaxing
completely as his
eye finally closed. She
watched as Nurse Cherry
and Dr. McTentacles
exchanged nods of
confirmation. Plankton
was asleep. So they put
the IV in as they remove
the mask. The mask
had now been replaced
by the clear plastic IV tube,
snaking into his arm,
keeping him asleep
and pain-free.
Karen watched the surgical
instruments glint in the
bright lights, watching
his mouth open wide,
his face slack and
unaware of the
invasion happening.
The nurse had
explained that he'd
wake up disoriented or
loopy, so Karen held onto
his hand. She watched as
Dr. McTentacles' tentacles
moved with precision,
his beak working in sync
with the tools to pull
the wisdom teeth out.
Karen's gaze was
locked on her husband's
face. Plankton remained
still, the only indication
that he was alive being
the soft snores that
escaped his open mouth.
The surgery was quick,
Dr. McTentacles working
efficiently. Karen felt a
mix of fear and admiration
as she watched the tentacles
dance around Plankton's
mouth, pulling and poking
with a grace that seemed
almost inhuman. The teeth
were out in no time, and
the nurse handed them to
the doctor in a trash bin
before removing the IV.
Nurse Cherry then
moved to stitch him up.
"Dissolving sutures," she
said, producing a tiny bottle
and a needle. "They're
designed to dissolve over
time, reducing the need
for a follow-up appointment."
Karen nodded, her gaze
fixed on the nurse's hands as
she began the meticulous
task of sealing Plankton's
gums. The stitches looked like
tiny threads of spun sugar,
disappearing as they were
woven into the fabric of
his mouth. Each stitch was
placed with the utmost care,
as if Nurse Cherry was crafting
a delicate piece of art.
As the surgery concluded,
Karen felt the weight of
anxiety lift slightly.
Plankton's breathing remained
steady, his snores growing
softer. She watched as
Dr. McTentacles' tentacles
retracted, the surgical tools
placed back into their
respective trays with a
satisfying clink.
The nurse, with a gentle
smile, began to pack
Plankton's mouth with
gauze. It looked so foreign,
those stark white
cotton squares, nestled
against the redness of
his gums. Karen felt a
swell of protectiveness
as she watched them
carefully tuck each one
into place.
When Plankton started to
drool in his sleep, a
tiny line of saliva
snaking down his chin,
Karen couldn't help but
smile despite the gravity
of the situation.
The sight of him so
defenseless and at peace,
contrasted sharply with
his usual hyperactive
self, brought a tenderness
to her heart. She reached
over with a soft cloth
and gently wiped it away.
The surgery had gone well,
better than she had
dared hope for. But
now came the next part-
recovery.
Nurse Cherry had warned
her that Plankton might
have some funny reactions
to the anesthesia. "It can
affect people differently,"
she'd said, her voice gentle.
"Some get a bit... loopy."
Now, as Plankton's
snores grew quieter and
his breathing evened out,
Karen couldn't help but
wonder what the nurse
meant by "loopy." Would he
wake up babbling nonsense,
or maybe think he could fly?
"Don't worry," the nurse
whispered to Karen as she
cleaned up the surgical area.
"It's normal. The anesthesia
can make people say and
do some pretty strange
things. Just remember
it's not him, it's the drugs."
The nurse then let
Sandy in. "Chip's
still in the waiting
room." Sandy went
over by Karen.
Sandy's eyes searched
Plankton's sleeping face,
his features relaxed in
a way she'd never
seen before. He looked
almost... peaceful.
"What happens now?"
she asked Karen, her voice
hushed. Karen's gaze never left
his face. "We wait for
him to wake up," she said. So
Sandy simply held Karen's other
hand, offering silent support.
Plankton's mouth was
swollen as he
slowly roused from his
drug-induced slumber.
His eye fluttered open,
his pupil dilated and
unfocused. "Wahh... wh-wha
was’at?" he slurred.
Karen chuckled,
relief washing over her.
"It's okay, dear," she said,
her voice soft. "You had
your wisdom teeth out."
Plankton's eye widened,
his mind a foggy haze.
"Teethies?" he mumbled.
He reached a tentative
hand to his mouth.
"Don't touch," Karen said,
smiling. She knew the feeling
of confusion was part
of the anesthesia's charm.
"M'head's allll... swimmy,"
he murmured, his speech
slurred from the surgery
and numbness.
"It's okay," Karen assured,
her voice soothing. "You're
just waking up from
your nap. Remember?"
Sandy watched as Plankton
blinked several times, his
eye struggling to focus.
"Yeah, the... the tish,"
he said slowly, his voice
still thick.
Karen nodded. "That's right.
Now, let's get you sitting
up," she said, gently
helping him upright.
As Plankton's vision cleared,
he looked around the room,
his gaze finally landing on
Sandy. His face twisted with
confusion before he spoke.
"Ishii?"
Sandy's expression was a mix
of concern and curiosity.
"Hi, Plankton," she said, her
voice tentative. She didn't
know what to expect from
his post-surgery state.
Plankton squinted at her,
his eye unfocused. "You...
youw heaw?" he asked, his
voice still slurred.
"Yes," Sandy said, her
smile gentle. "It's me, Sandy."
Plankton's gaze searched
her face, then seemed to
clear a bit. "Oh," he said,
still groggy.
The nurse returned with
instructions for his recovery.
"Keep the gauze in for an hour,
then remove it. We put extra
of the dissolving stitches in
due to his history of spasms.
Take it easy today. Plankton
can nap, and just soft
foods." Karen nodded.
Plankton, still a bit
out of it, giggled to himself.
"Soft food," he murmured, his
eye still unfocused. "Nurse,
didst you shay... jelly?"
Karen and Sandy couldn't help
but chuckle at his slurred
speech. Nurse Cherry nodded,
smiling. "Yes, jelly is perfect,"
she said.