Between Dreams | Sander Sides Story

Chapter 20

(Third person POV)

It had been awhile since Thomas had made a Sander side's video. The script was made, equipment was set up, now all they had to do was film it. Sounds simple enough. Thomas was ecstatic to work with the four again but the others were hesitant, even Patton was less bubbly than usual.

Logic clicked his pen, Roman was sweating and averting eye contact, and Patton was perfectly still. Thomas was the only one like himself. Logan suggested it was the wrong time to film a video. He always wanted to work so why now doesn't he? Thomas thought.

Thomas wanted to know what was making them so upset but the others won't tell him. After everyone's attitudes, he thought it was best to call off the video. When it was the third day he attempted to make a video and his cast wouldn't perform, he grew sick of silence and felt he deserved answers.

"What's going on with you guys?" Thomas asked. "And where is Anxiety?"

Roman burst into tears. Thomas jumped back. Logic clicked his pen faster and Patton blinked. No one knew where he was. The last time they saw him he took Mel to her room. Patton went to check on them and left as fast as he got there.

(Patton POV) *flashback to when Patton found out they were missing*

I hadn't seen the two since breakfast. Roman kept pressuring me to check on them. He would do it himself but didn't for fear of looking needy or overprotective. I don't remember which. I reached the waiting room in front of the imagination station. The room was trashed. The chairs lining the walls were everywhere and there was a dent in the wall. I didn't think Mel would through up such a fight. I hoped Virgil is alright.

Mel's office was fine. Nothing out of place. She started letting us help her film the dreams. Roman loved it because it was an excuse for him to be on camera. Mel's door was ajar. I nudged it further open only to be greeted by the stench of alcohol and smoke.

I know Mel drank, more than she should but I didn't know she smoked. Then again I have seen Virgil hand her a lighter from time to time. Why does Virgil have a lighter? He better not smoke too.

Similar to the waiting room, Mel's room was a disaster. Papers were thrown everywhere, scratches on the walls and what I assumed was dried blood on the walls. I hoped it wasn't blood.

"Roman! Logan! Anyone!"

I ran out of the room to get someone. Anyone. The two I called came rushing to my aid. I tried to explain what I saw but my speech was broken repeatedly with sobs. I pointed to the door that leads to the waiting room. Roman who had me in his arms handed me over to logic. Logan tried his best to calm me but he didn't know the best route on how to do it. I am normally the one who cares the upset.

Roman came out of the room with his mouth covered. He leaned against the door frame, removed his hand from his mouth and breathed heavy. He begged for Logan not to go in there but he did. He rested me down and went inside. He didn't return for awhile but when he did he seemed unfazed until he wiped his eye.

(Third person POV) *Back to present*

"We should tell him," Patton said emotionlessly.

"We know nothing to tell him," Logan said. "How do we know nothing?"

Logic was perplexed with the little information they knew. They knew there was a struggle. They knew the blood in Melissa's room was there before the day they vanished. The scratched walls can have the same presumed about them. There was a fight in the waiting room which was most definitely on that day. Someone possibly Virgil was through into the wall and they have vanished with no trace.

"We should show him the mindscape" Patton said quietly.

"What? Are you kidding?" Roman said.

"He's right" Logic stopped clicking his pen.

Patton, Roman and Thomas all turn to look at Logan. He was the one person they all expected to disagree.

"We can't live like this anymore. It would make everything easier" he stated. "It would distract us."

The two nodded before Logan gave Thomas some instructions. Thomas followed them as best as he could. They all sunk down and appeared in the common room.

It looked nothing like Thomas' house. It was comparable to a mansion. Versions of Thomas walked around oblivious to the presence of their host. Thomas was in awe. Roman told the others he was going to bed. He was far to emotionally drained to tag along.

Thomas was shown around the mindscape. The main locations were the common room, the cafeteria, the control room, Logan and Patton's room. They went outside in the garden for a bit. There was this gigantic water fountain that the three of them sat at. They weren't going to take him to Anxiety room without permission and with him not around there was no point.

Thomas wanted to go to Virgil's actual room to check on him and was confused on why the others would not take him.

"I know I have asked a million times but what happened?" Thomas asked. "I might be able to help you or at least comfort you."

Morality stared at the ground hoping he wasn't going to be the one who would say it and make it real. If he didn't say if he could convince himself that Anxiety wasn't gone. He missed his son.

Logic was going to be the strong one and tell Thomas. He may not seem to others that he was hurting but he was. It reached the point where he couldn't hide his feelings any longer. It made him sick. They devoured him. He couldn't eat, barely sleep and work was a chore. He was broken. He never knew how much Virgil meant to them, all of them. He suspected that Melissa would leave eventually, she didn't belong there. Everyone wanted her there. It was great having a fresh face but she didn't grow up with them all. She wasn't a trait. She was a dragon-witch after all. Bad was in her blood. In the end, she would be called back to her roots, they all are.