iN's 91st - Sniping Showdown [GL]

Open Me! One night, the Krusty Krab staff prepares for its 8:00 PM closing, which comes none too soon for Squidward. However, a customer walks up to the door and attempts to make an order. Squidward smugly informs him that they are closed, and the customer prepares to take his money elsewhere. Discovering the potential of late night customers, Mr. Krabs tears apart the "Closed" sign and, above Squidwards objections, proclaims the Krusty Krab to now be open 24 hours a day. SpongeBob is overjoyed at this prospect and, as the night goes on, takes pleasure in the chores he had no time to do during the day with him exclaiming "Night! Night! Night!" joyfully while doing said chores. When the time comes to take out the trash, however, he shows trepidation towards the darkness outside. Squidward, sensing SpongeBob’s fear, weaves him a terrifying tale of the "Hash-Slinging Slasher," a clumsy Krusty Krab fry cook from years past who chopped off his own hand and replaced it with a rusty spatula. Subsequent termination of his life and his job, in that order, gives rise to the horrific specter that returns every Tuesday night to exact vengeance on all who reside in the restaurant. Squidward goes on to explain the three signs of the ghost’s return: the lights flickering on and off, the phone ringing with no one at the other end, and the arrival of the bus that had taken the fry cook's life. Squidward then laughs at SpongeBob’s shrieks of fright, but when the screaming fails to stop, Squidward assures SpongeBob that the story isn’t true. This prompts laughter from SpongeBob that also fails to cease. "The Hash-Slinging Slasher!" By 3:00 AM, the restaurant is devoid of customers. The bored Squidward is contending with SpongeBob’s diligent cleaning when the lights suddenly begin to flicker. SpongeBob merely thinks this is another joke from Squidward, who in turn blames the electrical wiring. The next moment, the phone rings, yet remains silent when Squidward answers. Growing more nervous, Squidward tries to remember the third sign from his story. After ruling out the normal green ooze coating the walls, he and SpongeBob spy a bus pulling up to the restaurant. As the bus leaves, its lone departing passenger, a shadow-covered figure wielding a spatula, shambles toward the door. Fearing it to be the Hash-Slinging Slasher, Squidward and SpongeBob share their final words, frightened. As the figure enters the light, however, it is revealed to be an ordinary guy, whose spatula is held in a fully-unchopped hand up his sleeve. He's arrived to apply for a job at the Krusty Krab, explaining that he tried to call ahead but hung up due to nerves. Though he and SpongeBob are relieved, Squidward notes that this turn of events does nothing to explain the flickering lights. Suddenly, the lights begin turning off and on again and everyone looks around, relieved to discover that it's only the vampire Nosferatu. Smiling at them mischievously, he flicks the lights off once more as the episode ends. Tweet Nabber:   / mightbereign