 Every week day after doing my homework, I would rush over to my TV, eagerly anticipating the moment I could switch the channel to Nickelodeon and Indulge in the delightful world of SpongeBob SquarePants. At the tender age of nine, this beloved cartoon brought immense joy and laughter to my life. The whimsical underwater adventures and lovable characters wore like a magical escape from the mundane routines of childhood. But then, on that fateful day of June 6, 2006, everything changed. Little did I know that my innocent excitement to watch a rerun of the episode, Something Smells, would turn into a haunting experience I would never forget. As the episode unfolded, I was as captivated as ever, reveling in the humor and camaraderie of the characters. However, when it reached the scene where SpongeBob asked Patrick if he was ugly, a neary chain of events began to unfold. The screen suddenly froze, plunging my room into darkness for what felt like an eternity. Confusion and fear washed over me as I tried to make sense of the unexpected turn of events. When the visuals returned, my heart sank at the sight before me, a haunting image of SpongeBob, seemingly burnt and tormented, as if engulfed in flames. The eerie spectacle persisted for about eight seconds before the screen once again turned black. The innocent cartoon I had known and loved was now entangled with something dark and inexplicable. A seemingly unrelated image of a serene river appeared next, followed by a commercial 14-dick, hosted by Nick Cannon. Still reeling from the unsettling experience, I struggled to grasp the meaning behind these strange occurrences. To my dismay, cryptic text emerged on the left side of the screen, addressing the creator, Steven Hillenberg, in an accusatory tone. Steven, why would you murder me? I thought we were husband and wife. Your behavior was normal at the time when we were together. Why did you kill me? Please tell me why. The enigmatic message sent shivers down my spine, and a sense of foreboding enveloped me. It was as if I had stumbled upon something I was not meant to witness, and the unsettling words left me deeply disturbed. As if to deepen the trauma, the screen flashed the word, in capital letters, why, its intensity enough to unsettle even the bravest of hearts. The flashing ceased, and a chilling drawing of SpongeBob against a foreboding red-backed drop appeared, accompanied by the ominous text, also in capital letters. See you in hell Steven Hillenberg. The disturbing images played on a loop in my mind, leaving an indelible mark on my young psyche. The sequence finally culminated with the Nickelodeon logo against an empty background, but to my surprise, none of the splats that make up for the logo were shown, it only showed the text. Followed by the familiar technical difficulties screen. I couldn't bear the eerie experience any longer, and with trembling hands, I switched off the TV, seeking solace in the safety of the real world. That unforgettable day left me traumatized, and it forever altered the way I viewed SpongeBob SquarePants. The innocence and joy I once associated with the show were overshadowed by a lingering sense of an ease and confusion. I tried to move past the unsettling encounter, but its impact on my young mind wasn't denyable. Despite my best efforts to enjoy SpongeBob's adventures like before, the haunting memory persisted, always lurking in the back of my mind. The show that had once been my source of happiness now evoked an unsettling mix of emotions. Over the years, I questioned whether others had experienced the same eerie sequence, or if it was an isolated incident meant solely for me. Regardless, that fateful episode became a part of my personal history, forever intertwined with my perception of SpongeBob SquarePants. Though the world continued to adore the lovable Sponge, my feelings toward the show were forever changed. The once blissful relationship I had with SpongeBob now held a haunting undertone, a dichotomy of love and fear that followed me throughout my life. Years after, I thought nobody knew about the incident, but to my surprise, someone knew about it and uploaded footage to it on YouTube. I managed to find the video.