THE LIFE OF UNITY iv
(Autistic author)
Kevin's smirk is long gone,
replaced by a look of shock
and regret. "I... I had
no idea," he stammers. "I
didn't mean to...
I didn't know."
Plankton's antennae quiver.
"Kevin," he murmurs, "you
hurt Plankton."
Sponge Bob's protectively
around Plankton, who is now visibly
upset. "You hurt Plankton's feelings,"
he says, his voice firm but not unkind.
"You see, Plankton had an accident.
He's not the same as before.
He nearly broke his
skull on a cash register at
the Krusty Krab.
It changed him."
Kevin's expression shifts from shock to disbelief.
"What do you mean, 'changed him'?"
he asks, his tentacles quivering slightly.
"He has autism now," Sponge Bob says
simply, never leaving
Plankton's trembling form. "It's ok,
Plankton," he murmurs, tightening around
the tiny plankton. "You're still you."
Kevin's eyes widen, the reality of the situation
sinking in. "Oh my...," he whispers, his
tentacles dropping to his sides. "I had no idea."
Plankton's voice
filled with accusation.
"Kevin," he murmurs, "you
didn't know. You didn't care."
Kevin's eyes are wide. "I'm sorry
I didn't mean to..."
But Plankton's cutting
off Kevin's apology. "Kevin,"
he murmurs, his one eye
flashing with
pain. "Kevin not care."
"I'm sorry, Plankton. I didn't
mean to be so cruel."
But Plankton's unyielding.
"Kevin," he murmurs, his
one eye still brimming with
unshed tears. "You didn't
know. You no care."
Kevin's smugness evaporates
as the weight of his own
words crashes down on him.
The realization that his
careless jests have caused
such pain is written all over
his face. His eyes are wide
with horror, his tentacles
trembling. "I'm sorry," he
whispers, starting to touch Plankton.
But Plankton recoils at the
touch, his antennae quivering
violently, his monotone voice
filled with panic. "NO!" he
squeaks, his one eye wide with
fear. "Kevin, no touch!"
Kevin's tentacles jerk back as
if burned, his eyes filled with
shock and remorse. "I'm sorry,"
he says quickly, his voice
thick with regret. "I didn't
know. I didn't mean to..."
"Kevin, no touch," he repeats,
his one eye flashing.
"Plankton not like that."
"I didn't know," he whispers,
his eyes never leaving
Plankton's trembling form.
"I'm so sorry."
But Plankton's antennae continue
to quiver, his monotone
voice a sad echo of the fear
he feels. "Kevin," he murmurs,
his one eye fixed on the sea
cucumber, "you didn't know.
You don't care."
Sponge Bob's placing
himself between Plankton
and the sea cucumber. "Kevin,"
he says firmly with a newfound resolve.
"You need to apologize to Plankton.
What you said was not okay."
Kevin's tentacles quiver, his eyes
darting from Sponge Bob to
Plankton's trembling form.
"I'm... I'm sorry," he stammers, his
smugness replaced by genuine contrition.
"I didn't know. I didn't
mean it like that."
But Plankton's antennae quiver
with a mix of anger
and sadness, his monotone voice
still echoing the
pain of the insult. "Kevin," he
murmurs, his one eye
narrowed, "you hurt Plankton."
Kevin's expression falls, the full
impact of his words hitting
him like a brick wall. He takes a
step back, his tentacles
drooping. "I didn't know," he says,
his voice barely above a
whisper. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize
you had... you know."
But Plankton's antennae quiver
with a mix of anger and pain.
"Kevin," he murmurs, his monotone
voice strained. "Kevin hurt
Plankton. Not funny."
Kevin's tentacles twitch, his expression
a mix of shock and
discomfort. "Look, I didn't know," he says,
his voice quivering.
"I'm sorry. I just..."
But Plankton's antennae quiver
with a mix of anger and
sadness, his monotone voice
cutting through the awkward
silence. "Space," he murmurs,
his one eye pleading.
Kevin creeps up closer. "Space? What..."
But Plankton's antennae quiver with
a mix of anger and fear, his
monotone voice a sad echo of the
pain Kevin's words have caused.
"Plankton," he murmurs, his one eye
wide with desperation. "Alone."
Kevin still doesn't understand.
"You're not alone,"
he starts, reaching out.
But Plankton's antennae
quiver more fiercely,
his monotone voice filled
with a rare urgency. "No,"
he murmurs,
his one eye darting
around. "Space."
"I don't underst--"
But Plankton's filled
with a desperation
Kevin had never heard before.
"Space," he murmurs again, more
forcefully this time.
"Kevin, go."
"Go to outer space? But..."
"Space," Plankton repeats more
insistently, his eye frantic.
Kevin's with confusion. "But, Plankton
we're in the middle
of the jellyfish fields."
But Plankton's antennae quiver
with urgency, his monotone voice
unwavering. "Space," he murmurs,
his one eye pleading. "Now."
"I don't..." Kevin starts,
grabbing Plankton's hand.
But Plankton's antennae quiver
with anger, and he pulls away,
his monotone voice rising. "SPACE!"
he shouts, his eye flashing
with fury.
Startled, Kevin takes a step back.
"Where in outer space?"
But Plankton's antennae quiver with
impatience, his monotone
voice tight. "Any space," he
cries. "Just go."
Kevin's tentacles twitch, his
smugness forgotten. "But...
but what about the jellyfish?
Oh do you mean any planet.."
He says, absent mindedly
putting his hand on
Plankton's back.
But Plankton's antennae quiver
with anger, and he jumps
away. "NO TOUCH!" he screams,
his monotone voice cracking
with emotion. "PLANKTON. NEED. SPACE!"
Kevin's tentacles recoil as if
stung, his eyes wide with
shock. "I'm sorry," he stammers,
taking a step back.
"I can't fly a rocket to space.."
But Plankton's antennae quiver
with rage. "Any space,"
he repeats, his one eye
glaring. "Away."
Kevin's tentacles hang limp, his
smugness shattered by
the depth of Plankton's pain.
"But, Plankton, we can't leave
Earth without..."
But Plankton's antennae quiver
with fury, his monotone
voice a whip crack. "Any space,"
he repeats, his one eye
narrowed. "Now."
Kevin's tentacles retract, his
smugness gone. "Any planet
other than Earth? I'd like to
help but..."
But Plankton's antennae quiver
with frustration, his
monotone voice cutting through
the confusion. "Not space,"
he murmurs, his one eye blazing
with anger. "Space."
Kevin's tentacles tremble, his
smile fading into a look
of fear. "I can't get outer
space without a rocket?" he
says, taking a step back.
But Plankton's antennae quiver
with anger, his monotone
voice a thunderclap in the
stillness. "No rocket," he
murmurs, his one eye flashing.
"Space. Now."
Kevin's tentacles quiver, his
smugness replaced by fear.
"But Plankton," he stammers, taking
a step back, "we
can't just go to space without..."
But Plankton's antennae quiver with
rage, his monotone
voice a whip crack. "Space," he repeats,
his one eye narrowed. "Now."
Kevin's tentacles retreat, his smugness replaced
by a look of pure terror. "But Plankton,
I can't just leave the
sea," he says, his voice shaking.
But Plankton's antennae quiver with a mix of anger
and desperation, his monotone voice a thunderclap
in the quiet waters. "Space," he repeats unwavering.
Kevin's tentacles retreat, his smugness replaced by a look
of fear as he tries to comprehend Plankton's words. "But
Plankton," he stammers, "you can't survive in space.
It's not possible."
But Plankton's antennae quiver with anger, his monotone
voice a monotone shout. "Space," he repeats, his one
eye flashing with desperation. "Away from here."
Kevin's tentacles retract, his smugness dissolving in
to confusion. "But Plankton, we're in the middle of
jellyfish fields," he says, his voice trembling.
"We can't just..."
But Plankton's antennae quiver with a mix of anger and
desperation, his monotone voice a monotone shout.
"SPACE!" he repeats, his one eye flashing.
"Kevin go now!"
Kevin's tentacles twitch, his smugness dissipating like smoke
in the face of Plankton's distress. "But Plankton
I don't..." he starts, taking a cautious step back.
Plankton breathes in and gathers his words together,
his antennae quivering with the effort of controlling
his emotions.
"Kevin JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" he shouts,
his monotone voice crackling with anger.
Kevin's tentacles quiver in understanding, his
smugness evaporating like mist in the sun. "Oh,"
he says, his voice small and sad.
"You mean personal space.."
Plankton's antennae quiver slightly, his
monotone voice softening. "Yes," he
murmurs, his one eye blinking rapidly. "Space."
Sponge Bob nods. "Okay, Kevin,"
he says firmly. "You need to give
Plankton some space right now. He's going
through a tough time."
Kevin's smugness is completely gone,
replaced by a look of genuine concern.
He takes a step back. "I had no idea," he
whispers. "I'm really sorry. I'll go. Bye."