When Helping Becomes Painful | A Sanders Sides Story

Chapter 9

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Third Person POV

The three sides and their host walked through the Mindscape, in the direction of the subconscious. As they approached the Darkscape, their surroundings started to change, getting darker and creepier. They could barely see in front of them, the path they were following only visible thanks to a bunch of fireflies. Roman was leading the group, holding his loyal sword in a defending position, ready to strike at any threat. He was followed closely by Patton and Thomas, who were grabbing each other, hoping to reassure one another. And they were followed at last by Logan, who was making sure that they all stay grouped.

After what seemed like eternity, they finally reached their destination. A house was standing in front of them. Thanks to the light coming from the windows and the outside lights surrounding the house, they could distinguish it pretty well despite the darkness. It felt strange to Thomas. It felt both familiar and unfamiliar. It looked like his house, but something was off. It looked so much more... darker? Thomas wasn't sure if it was the right word to describe it. It was different, for sure.

They were first surprised that there were no curtains, but then again, why would they need curtains when they were litterally surrounded by darkness. They could distinguish black silhouettes from where they were. Without making any sound, the four men looked at each other and decided to get closer to the window.

Carefully, they watched the three sides on the other side of the glass. They saw a green dressed man with a bat and a dozen of eggs in his hands. He looked annoyed at another man, dressed in yellow. They couldn't hear what this one was saying, but he seemed to be reprimanding the other man. They then saw a third man, sat on a chair near them, giggling with his hand in front of his mouth.

Patton had to put his hands in front of his mouth to hold back a scream. The sight of the purple dressed man brought to him a wave of joy. If Logan's hand wasn't on his back, trying his best to silently calm him down, he would be jumping everywhere.

Virgil was talking to the two other sides, with a smile sitting on his face. The four men wished they could hear what he was saying. Suddenly, he got up and went near Remus. He walked slowly, and when he was close enough, he snaps the bat from Remus' hand. He started to run upstairs as the Duke followed him, looking angry. A giggle escaped Janus's mouth, but he quickly hid it with his hand.

Roman, clearly taking the role of the leader of the group, decided it was the right moment to intervene. Quietly, he called out the rest of the group and made a gesture to ask the others to follow him. He leads them to the front door, and they stood there for some time, all looking at each other. Who was going to knock on the door? Since no one was making a move, Logan got impatient and knocked firmly three times.

Janus opened the door, and for a second they saw him smiling. However, as soon as he saw Logan in front of him, his smile dropped, replaced with an angry look on his face. He frowns harder when he saw the others behind him.

- What do you want?

His voice was sharp, he looked ready to strike back if they tried anything. Patton was scared, but he refused to back down. They went all this way to get Virgil back, and they will bring him back home. He stepped forward, pushing Logan a little on the side so he could be directly in front of Janus.

- We're here for Virgil.

The moral side had his eyes filled with determination, but it didn't seem to impress the deceitful side.

- You are not welcome here. I'd suggest you to turn around and go back to where you came from.

Patton could feel his blood boiling. He definitely didn't like Janus's tone. It was patronizing. The two sides looked at each other intensely, which made the three others uncomfortable.

Virgil stepped back in the room behind Janus. As he saw the other sides, he froze in place, like a deer in front of a car at night, blinded by the car lights. Roman and Patton looked really happy to see him. They called his name, but he didn't answer. He didn't know what to do, how he should react to seeing them. After all that happened, it was too recent, the wounds were still bleeding. A voice screamed to him to go run and hug them, but he didn't move. A stronger voice was telling him to flight. And so that's what he tried to do, until Thomas called him. Seeing his host in front of him was the hardest part.

The voices came back. They weren't speaking anymore, they were screaming. That he abandoned him to his suffering. That he failed to do his job. That it was wrong of him to come back here and choose his comfort instead of his host's. That he was a failure. That he should be ashamed. That he should've disappeared when he had the chance.

Virgil started shaking. Fortunately for him, Remus stepped into the room at this moment. As soon as he saw the anxious side in front of him, he knew something was up. He could hear his intrusive thoughts. They were loud, so loud. Remus sometimes gives Thomas intrusive thoughts, but it was never this violent. He quickly got near him and tried to comfort him by stroking his back slowly.

Thomas and the three other sides wanted to enter the house and go help him, but Janus still stood in the way. Thomas tried to convince the snake side.

- Please, Janus. Let us in. Let us talk to him.

Janus looked at him, then at Virgil, then at Remus, then at the three sides on the other side of the door, and then again at Virgil. He sighed deeply and then opened the door wider, letting them into the house.

1038 words