A JOURNEY TO AUTISM viii
(Autistic author)
Plankton's antennas
lift slightly. "Game," he
whispers, his voice
shaking. "Just game."
Mr. Krabs' eyes narrow,
his claws tense. "If it's
just a game, then why
are you acting so
strange?" he snaps at
Plankton.
Plankton's antennas
wobble with effort
to maintain control.
"Because," he starts, his
voice shaky, "Plankton...
different."
Mr. Krabs stares at
Sponge Bob, his
expression unyielding.
"Different?" he echoes,
his eyes darting to
Plankton, then back to
his employee.
Sponge Bob nods, his
voice trembling. "Yes,
Mr. Krabs, Plankton's
been through something
that's changed him."
He looks at Karen for
support, but she stays
silent, her eyes
reflecting a mix of
concern and hope.
Mr. Krabs crosses his
arms, his eyebrow
quivering with skepticism.
"What do you mean,
changed him?" he asks.
"Is he trying to steal
the Krabby Patty formular
again?"
Sponge Bob's
frustration rises. "No,
Mr. Krabs," he says,
his voice steady. "It's
not like that. Plankton
has... a condition."
Mr. Krabs'
skepticism turns to
curiosity. "Condition?"
he repeats, his voice
softer.
Sponge Bob nods,
swallowing the lump
in his throat. "He's
been diagnosed with acquired
autism," he explains,
his voice barely above
a whisper.
Mr. Krabs' eyes widen,
his mouth dropping open
as the words sink in.
He turns to Karen, his gaze
demanding confirmation.
"Is it true?" he asks,
his voice gruff.
Karen nods solemnly,
her circuits flickering
with a mix of
sadness and hope.
"Yes," she says gently.
"Plankton has
an acquired
form of autism."
Mr. Krabs' expression
shifts from skepticism
to shock. He looks
at Plankton.
"Autism?" he repeats,
his voice barely above
a murmur. "But... but
how?"
Karen's LED lights
dim slightly. "I don't
think he'd like to answer
that question" she says,
her voice clinical. "It's
caused a significant
shift in his neural
functioning."
Mr. Krabs' gaze
remains on Plankton,
his expression one
of dawning
understanding. "Was
me fry pan..." he starts,
his voice trailing off.
Plankton's antennas
drop, and he
nods slowly. "Yes," he
whispers. "Krabs pan."
Mr. Krabs' face
crumbles, his
claws clenching into
fists. "I didn't mean to,"
he stammers, his voice
choking with regret. "I
was just trying to keep
me formular safe."
Plankton's antennas
twitch, his single eye
welling with unshed
tears.
Mr. Krabs' guilt is
palpable, his eyes
swimming with
remorse. "I'm sorry,
Plankton," he says
hoarsely. "I had no idea."
But Plankton's gaze
doesn't soften. His
stare is unyielding,
his voice cold.
"Sorry not enough," he says,
his words clipped.
"Hurt, Mr. Krabs
hurt Plankton bad."
Mr. Krabs' heart squeezes
at the accusation in
Plankton's voice. He's
never heard him speak
like this before, with such
raw emotion.
"I know," he says
remorsefully, his
voice cracking. "I know
I hurt you, Plankton. I'm
so, so sorry."
But Plankton's
unforgiving gaze
doesn't waver. "No,"
he insists, his voice
still cold. "Not just sorry.
Mr. Krabs must understand."
Mr. Krabs nods,
his eyes brimming with
tears. "I do," he
chokes out. "I understand.
What can I do to help?"
Plankton's antennas
still don't move, his
expression unreadable.
Mr. Krabs' reaches for
Plankton's shoulder.
That's the last straw.
With a burst of
energy, Plankton
pushes away the
clawed hand. "No
touch," he snaps, his
voice cold. "Mr. Krabs
not understand." His
words are like shards of
ice, each one cutting
deeper into Mr. Krabs'
guilt.
Mr. Krabs' face falls,
his hand retreating
quickly. "But I do,"
he insists, his voice
desperate. "I swear,
Plankton, I do."
But Plankton's
expression remains
stony, his antennas
rigid. "No," he says
simply. "Krabs don't." His
voice is a knife, slicing
through the tension
in the room.
Mr. Krabs' eyes
water, his heart
heavy with regret. "I
swear, Plankton," he
pleads. "I'll do anything
to make it right."
But Plankton's
gaze remains
steady, his
unforgiving gaze
bearing into Mr.
Krabs' soul. "Make right?"
he echoes. "Cannot make
right. Cannot change. Krabs
fault."
Mr. Krabs' shoulders
sag with the weight
of Plankton's words.
He knows his rival is
right; he can't reverse
what's been done,
no matter how much he
wishes it. "But I want
to help," he says
desperately. "Please, tell
me how..."
But Plankton's
expression is a
mask of coldness,
his antennas unyielding.
"Help?" he echoes, his
voice dripping with
skepticism. "Krabs
can't help." His gaze
slides to the
discarded chessboard,
his eyes lingering
on the scattered
pieces. "Too late."
Mr. Krabs' shoulders
sag with the weight
of Plankton's rejection.
"Please," he says
desperately. "I didn't
know. I just want to
make it better."
But Plankton's
unforgiving gaze
doesn't falter. His
stare is a mirror
reflecting Mr. Krabs'
own guilt and regret.
"Better?" he repeats,
his voice devoid of
emotion. "Cannot be.
No cure. Just stop."
Mr. Krabs' eyes
well with tears, his
heart aching with
the pain of his
mistake. "But I want
to fix it," he says
pleadingly. "I want to
make it right."
But Plankton's gaze
doesn't soften. "No fix,"
he says flatly. "Cannot
change what is." His
single eye seems to
bore into Mr. Krabs,
his voice unyielding.
"Krabs hurt Plankton.
Krabs must live with."
Mr. Krabs hangs
his head, his
shoulders heaving with
sobs. "I'm sorry," he
whispers, his voice
breaking. "I'll do anything."
But Plankton
simply shakes his
head, his antennas
still. "Cannot change,"
he murmurs. "Must live
with." His eye are
empty, devoid of the
malicious spark that
once fueled his quest
for the Krabby Patty
formula. Normally
Plankton would love to
cause such a reaction
out of Mr. Krabs.
Mr. Krabs'
sobs grow louder, his
guilt consuming him.
"But I didn't mean
to," he wails. "It was
just a mistake."
Plankton's antennas
twitch slightly. "Mistake,"
he echoes, his voice
still cold. "Mistake
not enough." His eye
are unrelenting, his
stare piercing through
Mr. Krabs' soul. "You hurt
me," he says, his
words a quiet thunder
clap in the tense silence.
"Mistake changed me."
Mr. Krabs looks up,
his eyes red with tears.
"I know," he says, his
voice thick with regret. "I
know I hurt you, Plankton.
Yet I didn't know how bad..."
But Plankton's
expression is one of
resentment, his antennas
twitching with anger.
"Hurt," he says, his
voice cold. "Krabs hurt
Plankton. Krabs must
understand." His gaze
doesn't waver from Mr.
Krabs, his accusation
hangs in the air like a
heavy fog.
Mr. Krabs' sobs
quiet, his eyes
swimming with regret.
He opens his mouth to
speak, but the words
catch in his throat.
"I do underst--"
"No," Plankton
interrupts, his
voice like a whip. "You
don't." His antennas
wave with agitation,
his eye flashing with
a cold fire. "You don't
understand pain." His
words are sharp,
cutting through Mr.
Krabs' protests.
Mr. Krabs'
expression falls, his
claws trembling. "I
see that now," he
whispers, his voice
racked with emotion. "But
what can I do?" His
desperation is clear,
his eyes searching Plankton's
face for any sign of
forgiveness. "I'd even give
you a krabby patty.."
But Plankton's
expression doesn't
change. His antennas
remain rigid, his eye
still cold. "Krabby
Patty not fix," he says
simply. "Cannot fix
brain." His voice is
matter-of-fact, his
tone unyielding.
Mr. Krabs' eyes
widen, his hope
dashed. "But I'll do
anything," he insists,
his voice desperate.
But Plankton's
unforgiving gaze
remains unmoved.
"Anything?" he repeats,
his tone mocking. "Can
you give me back my
mind?" His antennas
wave in frustration.
"Do leave, Krabs. Can
leave."
Mr. Krabs'
expression falls, his
claws hanging limp at
his sides. "But Plankton,"
he begs. "We can work
together, I can help
you get better."
But Plankton's
face is a wall of
coldness, his antennas
waving with anger.
"No better," he says
firmly. "Only live
now." His words are a
reflection of the stark
reality that Mr.
Krabs had ignored.
Mr. Krabs' eyes
fill with tears, his
claws clutching at
his chest. "I hurt you
so badly, Plankton. But I
can't live with this,"
he sobs.
"I know Krabs sorry now.
Yet I last registered Krabs
laughter as I fainted from
the impact. Even if Krabs
didn't mean to, Krabs di