ᵀʰᵘⁿᵈᵉʳ ⁽ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᵇᵒᵇ ᶠᵃⁿᶠⁱᶜ⁾ "ᵀʳᵘᵗʰ ᵒʳ ᵈᵃʳᵉ⸴ ˢᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᵇᵒᵇ?" ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ'ˢ ᵃᵗ ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᴮᵒᵇ'ˢ ʰᵒᵘˢᵉ‧ "ᴰᵃʳᵉ!" "ᴵ ᵈᵃʳᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ᵗᵒ ᵍⁱᵛᵉ ᵐᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ᵏʳᵃᵇᵇʸ ᵖᵃᵗᵗʸ‧‧‧" "ᴵ ᶜʰᵃⁿᵍᵉ ᵐʸ ᵐⁱⁿᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵗʳᵘᵗʰ‧‧‧" "ʸᵒᵘ ᵗᵉˡˡ ᵐᵉ ʷʰᵃᵗ ᵗʳᵘˡʸ ᵍᵒᵉˢ ⁱⁿᵗᵒ ᵃ ᵏʳᵃᵇᵇʸ ᵖᵃᵗᵗʸ‧‧‧" "ᴺⁱᶜᵉ ᵗʳʸ⸴ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ! ᴵ ʳᵃᵗʰᵉʳ ˡᵒˢᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ᵍᵃᵐᵉ ᵗʰᵃⁿ ᵐʸ ʲᵒᵇ‧‧‧" "ᴵ'ˡˡ ˢᵉᵉ ᵐʸˢᵉˡᶠ ᵒᵘᵗ ᵗʰᵉⁿ‧" ᔆᵘᵈᵈᵉⁿˡʸ⸴ ˡⁱᵍʰᵗⁿⁱⁿᵍ ˢᵗʳᵘᶜᵏ ˢᵗᵃʳᵗˡⁱⁿᵍ ᵗʰᵉᵐ ᵇᵒᵗʰ‧ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ʲᵘᵐᵖᵉᵈ‧ "ᴴᵉʸ ⁱᵗ'ˢ ʲᵘˢᵗ ᵃ ʳᵃⁱⁿˢᵗᵒʳᵐ⸴ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ‧‧‧" "ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᵇᵒᵇ ᶜᵃⁿ ᴵ ˢᵗᵃʸ ᵘⁿᵗⁱˡ ᵗʰᵉ ʷᵉᵃᵗʰᵉʳ ᵖᵃˢˢᵉˢ?" "ʸᵉˢ ᵒᶠ ᶜᵒᵘʳˢᵉ!" ᴴᵉᵃʳⁱⁿᵍ ᵗʰᵘⁿᵈᵉʳᵒᵘˢ ᶠˡᵃˢʰᵉˢ ᵃᵍᵃⁱⁿ⸴ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ʷʰⁱᵐᵖᵉʳᵉᵈ‧ "ᴵᵗ'ˡˡ ᵖᵃˢˢ⸴ ⁿᵒ ⁿᵉᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵇᵉ ᵃᶠʳᵃⁱᵈ‧ ᵂᵉ'ʳᵉ ᵗᵒᵍᵉᵗʰᵉʳ⸴ ᵃⁿᵈ ⁱᵗ'ˢ ⁿⁱᵍʰᵗ ᵗⁱᵐᵉ; ᵐᵃʸ ᵇᵉ ⁱᵗ'ˡˡ ᵇᵉ ᵍᵒⁿᵉ ᵇʸ ᵐᵒʳⁿⁱⁿᵍ‧‧‧" ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᵇᵒᵇ ˢᵃⁱᵈ ˢᵉᵉⁱⁿᵍ ʰⁱᵐ ᶠʳⁱᵍʰᵗᵉⁿᵉᵈ‧ ᴴᵉ ᵍᵒᵗ ᵃ ᵇˡᵃⁿᵏᵉᵗ ᶠᵒʳ ʰⁱᵐ ᵃⁿᵈ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᵗᵒ ˢʰᵃʳᵉ ᵒⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜᵒᵘᶜʰ‧ ᴮᵘᵗ ʸᵉᵗ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᶜᵒᵘˡᵈⁿ'ᵗ ˢˡᵉᵉᵖ‧ ᴱᵛᵉⁿ ᵃˢ ʰᵉ ᵗʳⁱᵉᵈ⸴ ᵗʰᵉ ⁱⁿᶜˡᵉᵐᵉⁿᵗ ʷᵉᵃᵗʰᵉʳ ᵏᵉᵖᵗ ˢᵗᵃʳᵗˡⁱⁿᵍ ʰⁱᵐ ᵃˡˡ ⁿⁱᵍʰᵗ‧ ᴴᵉ ʰᵘᵈᵈˡᵉᵈ ᶜˡᵒˢᵉʳ ᵗᵒ ˢᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᵇᵒᵇ⸴ ʷʰᵒ'ˢ ᔆˡᵉᵉᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᵗʰʳᵒᵘᵍʰᵒᵘᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ⁿⁱᵍʰᵗ‧ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᵈⁱᵈⁿ'ᵗ ʷᵃⁿⁿᵃ ʷᵃᵏᵉ ˢᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᵇᵒᵇ ᵗᵒ ᵃᵈᵐⁱᵗ ʰᵉ'ˢ ˢᶜᵃʳᵉᵈ‧ ᴱᵛᵉⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ⁿᵉˣᵗ ᵈᵃʸ ʷʰᵉⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵗʰᵘⁿᵈᵉʳⁱⁿᵍ ˢᵗᵒᵖᵖᵉᵈ⸴ ᵗʰᵉ ʳᵃⁱⁿ ᵈⁱᵈ ⁿᵒᵗ‧ "ʸᵒᵘ ˡᵒᵒᵏ ᵉˣʰᵃᵘˢᵗᵉᵈ‧‧‧" "ᴵ'ᵈ ⁿᵒ ˢˡᵉᵉᵖ ᵃᵗ ᵃˡˡ ˡᵃˢᵗ ⁿⁱᵍʰᵗ‧‧‧" ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ˢⁱᵍʰᵉᵈ‧ ᴮᵉˢⁱᵈᵉˢ ᵗʰᵉ ʳᵃⁱⁿᶠᵃˡˡ⸴ ᵗʰᵉ ᵒⁿˡʸ ˢᵗᵒʳᵐ ˢᵒᵘⁿᵈˢ ʷᵉʳᵉ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ˡⁱᵍʰᵗ ʳᵘᵐᵇˡⁱⁿᵍ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵈⁱˢᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ‧ "ᴸᵉᵗ'ˢ ᵈᵒ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ᶜʰᵃʳᵃᵈᵉˢ‧‧‧" ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᴮᵒᵇ ˢᵗᵃʳᵗᵉᵈ ᵃᶜᵗⁱⁿᵍ ᵃˢ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ˢᵗʳᵘᵍᵍˡᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ʷᵃᵗᶜʰ‧ "ʸᵒᵘ ᵃ ᵐⁱᵐᵉ?" "ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ⸴ ʸᵒᵘ ᵐⁱᵍʰᵗ ᵇᵉ ᵗᵒ ᵗⁱʳᵉᵈ‧‧‧" ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᵗʳⁱᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵍᵃᵗʰᵉʳ ᵃˡˡ ᵃⁿʸ ᵉⁿᵉʳᵍʸ ʰᵉ'ᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵗᵃᵏᵉ ᵃ ᵗᵘʳⁿ⸴ ᵗʳʸⁱⁿᵍ ᵗᵒ ᵈᵃⁿᶜᵉ‧ "ʸᵒᵘ ⁿᵉᵉᵈ ʳᵉˢᵗ‧‧‧" "ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᵇᵒᵇ⸴ ᵖˡᵉᵃˢᵉ‧‧‧" ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᶠᵃˡᵗᵉʳᵉᵈ ʷᵉᵃᵏˡʸ ᵃˢ ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᵇᵒᵇ ᶜᵃᵘᵍʰᵗ ʰⁱᵐ ˢᵗᵉᵃᵈⁱˡʸ ʳⁱᵍʰᵗ ᵇᵉᶠᵒʳᵉ ʰᵉ ᶜᵒᵘˡᵈ ᶠᵃˡˡ‧ ᴮᵃʳᵉˡʸ ᵃʷᵃᵏᵉ/ᵃˡᵉʳᵗ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ʷᵃˢ ᵗᵃᵏᵉⁿ ᵗᵒ ᵃ ʳᵒᶜᵏⁱⁿᵍ ᶜʰᵃⁱʳ‧ "ᴮᵘᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ˢᵗᵒʳᵐ‧‧‧" "ᴵ'ˡˡ ᵇᵉ ᵗᵃᵏⁱⁿᵍ ᵍᵒᵒᵈ ᶜᵃʳᵉ ᵒᶠ ʸᵒᵘ!" ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᵇᵒᵇ ᵗʳⁱᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵃˢˢᵘʳᵉ ʰⁱᵐ⸴ ᵇᵒᵗʰ ʰᵒˡᵈⁱⁿᵍ ʰᵃⁿᵈˢ‧ ᴱʸᵉ ᵇᵃʳᵉˡʸ ᵒᵖᵉⁿ ʰᵉ ʰᵃᵈⁿᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ˢᵗʳᵉⁿᵍᵗʰ ᵗᵒ ᵃʳᵍᵘᵉ‧ ᵀʰᵉ ʳᵃⁱⁿᶠᵃˡˡ ᵐᵃᵏⁱⁿᵍ ʰⁱᵐ ᵐᵒʳᵉ ᵈʳᵒʷˢʸ⸴ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ˢᵃᵗ ᵇᵃᶜᵏ ʷⁱᵗʰ ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᴮᵒᵇ ᵒⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ʳᵒᶜᵏⁱⁿᵍ ᶜʰᵃⁱʳ⸴ ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᴮᵒᵇ ᵍᵉⁿᵗˡʸ ʳᵒᶜᵏⁱⁿᵍ‧ ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᵇᵒᵇ ˢᵐⁱˡᵉᵈ⸴ ˢᵉᵉⁱⁿᵍ ʰⁱᵐ ⁱᵐᵐᵉᵈⁱᵃᵗᵉˡʸ ᶠᵃˡˡ ⁱⁿᵗᵒ ᵃ ᵈᵉᵉᵖ ˢˡᵉᵉᵖ ⁱⁿˢᵗᵃⁿᵗˡʸ⸴ ˢᵗⁱˡˡ ʰᵒˡᵈⁱⁿᵍ ʰⁱˢ ʰᵃⁿᵈ‧ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᵈⁱᵈⁿ'ᵗ ᵉᵛᵉⁿ ᶠˡⁱⁿᶜʰ ʷʰᵉⁿ ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᵇᵒᵇ ʳᵉᵃᶜʰᵉᵈ ᵒᵛᵉʳ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵍᵒᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ᵇˡᵃⁿᵏᵉᵗ ᶠᵒʳ ʰⁱᵐ‧ "ᴴᵃᵛᵉ ᵃ ᵍᵒᵒᵈ ⁿᵃᵖ‧‧‧" ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᵈⁱᵈⁿ'ᵗ ᵐᵒᵛᵉ ᵘⁿᵗⁱˡ ᵗʰᵉ ˡᵃᵗᵉ ᵃᶠᵗᵉʳⁿᵒᵒⁿ ᵃᶠᵗᵉʳ ᵗʰᵉ ʳᵃⁱⁿ ˡᵉᵗ ᵘᵖ‧ "ᵂᵃⁿᵗ ᵐᵉ ᵗᵒ ᵗᵃᵏᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜʰᵘᵐ ᵇᵘᶜᵏᵉᵗ?" "ᵀʰᵃⁿᵏˢ ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᵇᵒᵇ‧"

- The Unlucky Major Summerford o Struck by lightning three times; o After his death, lightning struck and shattered his tombstone.

⛈️🌧️🪔☕

𝖠𝖴𝖳𝖨𝖲𝖬 𝖫𝖮𝖵𝖤 Pt. 16 (𝖡𝗒 𝖭𝖾𝗎𝗋𝗈𝖥𝖺𝖻𝗎𝗅𝗈𝗎𝗌) They decide on a board game, one with clear rules and minimal talking. As they sit around the coffee table, setting up the board, Hanna watches, trying to follow their silent conversation. Karen sees her curiosity and smiles, explaining, "We're playing his favorite." She signs 'Your Turn'. Plankton nods, picking up a piece with trembling hands. His moves are precise, almost ritualistic. Chip and Hanna observe, trying to understand the unspoken language between the couple. The storm outside grows louder, the thunder rumbling closer. Plankton's antennae twitch. Karen notices his tension. Her hand covers his, steadying his movements. She signs, 'It's okay. We're safe here'. Plankton relaxes a fraction. Their silent communication flows easily, a dance they've performed some rare times before. Chip watches, feeling his own anxiety ease. The thunder rolls closer, the home shaking slightly. Plankton's antennae shoot up. He signs 'Love', his eye locking with Karen's. She nods, understanding that he's asking for comfort. She reaches out, her hand on his back, gently rubbing in circles. Hanna, who's still watching, doesn't get the silent conversation. "Is he okay?" she asks again, her voice barely above a whisper. Karen nods. "Yeah," she says. "He's just really sensitive to loud noises. The earbuds help, yet he can't hear us with them in." Hanna nods. The thunderstorm outside intensifies, the sound of hail pelting the windows. Plankton's antennae quiver with every loud crash. Hanna looks at Plankton. "So, you guys use sign language?" Karen nods, her eyes on the game board. "Only when he needs it," she says. "It's his way of communicating when words are too much." Plankton's hand moves again. 'What are you saying?' His sign is directed at Hanna. Karen translates, keeping her voice low. "He wants to know what we're saying." Hanna nods. "Tell him I just asked if he's okay." Karen repeats the message in ASL. Plankton signs back, 'I'm okay', his gaze never leaving the board. Karen translates for Hanna. The storm's crescendo matches the tension in the room. Plankton's antennae twitch faster, his eye flicking between the game and the window. Hanna tries to keep her voice calm. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she asks, looking from Karen to Plankton. Karen's hands move in a flurry of signs. "Just keep it quiet," she tells her. "He's already... overstimulated." Hanna nods. "Okay," she mouths, even though Plankton can't hear it. She sits on the couch, picking up a book to read. Chip watches as the storm outside grows louder, the hailstones sounding like tiny explosions. Plankton's gaze is fixed on the window. The game finishes up. "Why don't we watch something?" Hanna suggests. Karen smiles. They pick a show with subtitles for Plankton. As they settle in, Karen notices the uncertainty. "You can sit by him if you like," she suggests. "Just be quiet." Hanna nods, sitting down next to Plankton. She reaches for his hand, but he flinches away. She pulls back, her cheeks red. "It's okay," Karen says. "Just let him know you're here." Plankton's antennae twitch. He signs 'Space'. Karen translates this to Hanna. Hanna nods again, moving a little farther from him. They begin the movie, the subtitles flipping across the screen. Plankton's antennae quiver as he watches, his gaze never leaving the TV. Chip sits on the other side. As the minutes tick by, Plankton's eyelid starts to droop. Karen notices the change, a small smile touching her lips. "He's getting tired," she says to Chip and Hanna. Yet Plankton is trying to stay awake. His antennae slowed their twitching. Karen signs to him, 'You can go to sleep if you need to'. Plankton's antennae twitch. 'No', his hand signs firmly. He tries to keep watching. Karen nods, her gaze soft. She keeps her voice low. "It's okay if you want to rest," she says. Plankton shakes his head. 'Movie', he signs. Karen nods. The film's plot unfolds, its intensity rising with each passing minute. Chip's eyes are glued to the screen, his heart racing. Yet Plankton's lid grows heavier. Karen chuckles, her gaze affectionate. She knew he'd refuse to admit or show any vulnerability. They all focus on the film. Plankton's eye struggles to stay open. But he stays quiet. Hanna's voice breaks the silence. "Is he okay?" she whispers, nodding to Plankton. Karen nods. "He's just really tired," she says, her voice soft. "The storm's noise can wear him out." Hanna nods, keeping her voice low. As the minutes stretch on, Plankton's head begins to nod. Karen notices, her hand moving to cover her mouth. She giggles. Plankton jolts upright, his antennae shooting straight up. He signs 'I'm fine'. Yet his hand's movement is sluggish. Karen looks at Hanna, who's staring at the screen. Yet Plankton fights against his body's urge to rest. But his eyelid droops again. Chip looks from his dad to his mom. "Should we let him sleep?" he asks. Karen nods. "Let's keep watching," she whispers. "We'll leave him alone." Plankton's antennae twitch with determination, his eye wide open. But the rain's rhythm seems to lull him despite his efforts. Plankton's eyelid flickers, his antennae droop slightly. Karen's eyes fill with love. She knows his stubbornness. Plankton's fighting sleep, but his body won't cooperate as they all continue to be increasingly engrossed in the film. The room is quiet except for the storm's sounds. Plankton's breathing deepens, his head tilts back. His hand slips from his knee, hitting the cushions with a soft thud. Chip stifles a laugh. Karen shakes her head, smiling. His head lolls back against the couch, his mouth hanging slightly open. Hanna watches him, her eyes wide. "Is he okay?" she whispers. Karen nods. "He's just really tired," she says, her voice soft. "It's been a long day." Hanna nods, but her gaze remains fixed on Plankton. "I've never seen anyone fight sleep like that," she says, her voice filled with wonder. Karen chuckles, shaking her head as she turns off the TV off. Chip gently lifts his dad's hand, placing it in his lap. Plankton doesn't stir. "Let's move him to bed," Karen whispers. They work together, lifting him with careful grace. Plankton's body is heavy with sleep. They navigate the quiet house, avoiding any creaks or bumps that might disturb his slumber. Once in the bedroom, they help him into bed. Karen pulls the covers over him, her hand lingering on his shoulder. Chip watches, his heart filled with a newfound compassion. They leave the room, closing the door softly. In the hallway, Karen turns to Hanna. "He's pretty amazing, isn't he?" she says, her voice proud. Hanna nods. "I've never seen anything like it," she says. "He's so... intense." Karen smiles. "That's just Plankton," she says. "He feels things so deeply, sometimes it's just too much." They stand in the hallway, listening to the storm. "Well it's getting late, and the storm is gone through." Hanna said. Karen nods. She turns to Chip. "We're all going to bed.." The next morning, Plankton awakes in his bed by Karen's. Last he remembered, they were watching a movie. How'd he end up here? He takes his earbuds out. He noticed the quiet. The storm's gone. His antennae twitch with relief. He looks around, his gaze landing on Karen's sleeping form in the other bed. He tries to get out of bed, his body protesting from the lack of movement. He's tired. But he's also aware of the silence. The absence of storm's noise is like a blanket of peace. He gets up, his legs wobbly. He walks towards the door, opening it quietly.