The Dark Sides

Chapter 5: Breaking Out

"So, are you satisfied?" Deceit asked as Anxiety walked back into the room.

Everyone was sprawled out in the main room. Laziness was reading a book on the couch while Anger fired up some video games; rage games, of course.

"Yeah, but...Dee, can we talk? In private?"

"Sure."

Deceit looked a little taken aback, but the two of them walked into Anxiety's room and sat on the bed. After seeing his own room, however, the corner felt...unsatisfactory.

"Deceit..."

"Yes? What happened? Did someone hurt you? See, this is why I said not to go out there."

"No no no, it's not that. It's just..."

Anxiety fumbled with his words. "Remember how you told us that none of us had a room?"

"Of course. That's why you all stay here. We need to stick together, or else who knows what could happen to you."

"But I-"

"No, I get it. Thank you for talking to me, Anxiety. I'll tell the others we should barricade the door, and then none of us will ever have to deal with—"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME I HAD MY OWN ROOM?"

The outburst had come out of nowhere. Anxiety covered his mouth, but although he was embarrassed, he could have sworn the gesture was involuntary.

"Anxiety..."

He tore his hand away from his mouth. "You heard me. Why didn't you tell us we have our own rooms? Why don't we have actual names? Why did you lie to us? To me? I thought we..."

"You thought we had something?" Deceit laughed, a hollow chuckle, as he stood up from the bed. "Please. Besides, we do have 'actual names'. My name is Deceit. Because that is who I am. You are Anxiety, because that is who you are. We are the bad guys of this story."

"But what if I don't want to be? What if we could be better? What if—?"

This time Anxiety's hand was firmly pressed against his mouth. Try as he might, he couldn't say anything. He couldn't even stand up. With fear in his eyes, he looked up at Deceit, now a cold, distant figure, looming over him.

"You're going to stay in here until I deem you ready to come out. Understand?"

Anxiety felt Deceit's power wash over him, forcing him to comply.

"Good. Farewell, Anxiety."

And with that, Deceit left, shutting the door behind him, locking it from the outside. Once he left, Anxiety could move and speak, but he chose not to. He didn't know what Deceit would do to him, but he wasn't going to wait around and find out. It wasn't safe for him here anymore. He had to escape. He had to find a way back into that room. Somehow, he knew that if he could return, he would be alright.

Anxiety thought through his options. He couldn't leave through the front door. First of all, his bedroom door was locked, and second, Deceit would stop him. The floor was a possibility, except he had nothing to dig with. He glanced at the walls. Maybe...