Losing Control - Sanders Sides

Part 17 - Virgil

I heard footsteps in the distance. I didn't dare move as I knew it wouldn't end well for me. The owner of the footsteps kept mumbling to themselves. I couldn't understand what they were saying but I could tell by there voice, it was a man. Their footsteps moved quickly again and I heard them fade away. I opened my eyes and looked around, to my relief, he was gone. 

I wasn't tied to a chair or chained to the walls. I was just on the ground. Not Deceit's usual style. I went through the motions to push myself back onto my feet but my head was pounding. I got to my knees and waited for the pounding to stop before I moved fully to my feet. 

From there, I looked around. Everywhere was black, from the walls to the floors. I could see light but from no clear source. The room looked endless like you could walk forever and never get out. 

 A pit formed in my stomach once I recognized my surroundings. I was on the dark side of the mind palace. My old home. My old prison. It was quiet which wasn't a good thing for this side of the mind palace. If it was quiet, that could only mean that the dark sides were fighting with the light sides. 

I had to go out and help my friends. I took two steps before my head pounded again. I was in no shape to fight but what choice did I have? 

I noticed a table in front of me with a small lamp sitting on said table. I slowly limped over to it as the memories from this place started creeping back into me. All the old bruises throbbed, all the old cuts threatened to bleed, and my old insecurities started to haunt me again. 

On the table sat two pieces of paper, a map of the light sides' house, and a voice recorder. I turned the lamp on to get a better look. Both of the papers read different things but they were all about the same topic. All about me. 

I picked up the first one which read, 'Anxiety has powers stronger than both me and Remus. If push comes to shove, I'm afraid I cannot let Anxiety win. His powers from the light sides are only starting to take effect. I must get my hands on them. We must come up with a plan at once.' I put that note down and moved onto the next, 'It's happening, Remus!' 

I sighed with shaky hands as I set the papers down. I looked over to the map of the house. All of the rooms were labeled, including our rooms. Logan's room however, had a circle in the corner of his room, where his bookshelf would be. Odd. I looked past it for now and focused on the voice recorder. I pushed the button labeled play and held the speaker to my ear.

"Get a load of THIS Deceit!" Remus' voice screamed through the voice recorder. I moved it away from my ear slightly and continued to listen. "While Logic was with Morality in his room, I was able to sneak into Logic's room and read Virgil's book. You were right, it was a gold mine of information! Everything you'll need to know about how to control his powers and his mind when he's weak enough. HAHA! Oh Deceit, you tickle me like ants crawling on my entire body! I never really thought this plan would work. But you were right, he isn't the same side we raised all those years ago." The tape cut.

My hands were shaking fast and my breathing was hitched. Logan said he'd get rid of those books. He told me that to my face. He told that to Patton and Roman. He lied! 

I dropped the recorder and ran past the table. I had to get out of here. If Deceit has his way with me, who knows what will happen. I kept running towards what I was hoping was the exit. I hadn't been over here in years, I had no reason to come back. 

I stopped for a minute to catch my breath. I put my hands on my knees and breathed deeply. My mind was racing through everything I just learned and all the thoughts I was having all at once. They were planning to control the main mind palace, no doubt about it. But as of now, they were still in step one of their plan as long as I can still fight back. 

I decided to go back to the table to get the voice recorder to show to the others. Maybe Logan could figure out their next step or Roman could understand Remus' comments towards Deceit. I turned around to start towards the table when I ran, face first, into a wall. Or at least, what I thought was a wall. I looked upwards and met eyes with a mustached man with a smile bigger than his face could stretch. "Hello, Virgil." His voice was wacky and cartoon-like. He looked me dead in the eyes as his face grew closer to mine. "Welcome home."