Reptile - Janus Angst

Chapter Eight

Warning: brief talk of rather disturbing imagery.

Remus waited.

The others all had contemplative looks on their faces.

One one hand, this was Remus. His room was probably filled with things no of them wanted to see and there was a good chance this was just a joke to annoy them.

On the other hand, if he was being serious, this could be their one way to get to Janus and see if he was ok.

"We might as well," Logan said.

They all looked up at him.

"But what if this-" Roman started but Logan put up a hand, indicating he should stop.

"I know there's a chance that this is all just a lie and a joke to get under our skin, but I'm sure, deep down, Remus also cares about Janus' wellbeing and safety."

Logan glanced at Remus whose expression had become unreadable.

He gave Remus one of his rare smiles.

"We'll just have to trust him."

Remus had been balancing on the heel of his boot and now fell at Logan's words.

Trust him? They were going to trust him?

The others shared a quick glance before Thomas sighed.

"Lead the way then, Remus," he said with an attempt of a smile.

Remus shot back up onto his feet and his smile had returned, but not a maniacal, crazy, Remus smile - a genuinely happy and excited smile.

Thomas and most of the others hadn't been to his room before. He finally had a chance to show them!

"Ok! So, Thomathy, to get to my room, you're gonna wanna think of every horrible thought you've ever had, every gross idea that's ever popped into your pretty, little head," he said as he clapped lightly.

Thomas groaned softly but took a breath and closed his eyes.

They were doing this for Janus.

A million horrible things flooded his mind: rats nailed to a wall, his friends dying in such gruesome ways - from hanging to dismemberment - dogs and cats about to get euthanised who were calling for help as they dragged their failing bodies towards him-

"We're here!"

Thomas opened his eyes and tried to swallow the lump that had grown in his throat.

That was awful.

"Not bad, Thomas, not bad at all," Remus said with approval. "Anyway, welcome to my humble abode," he continued as he gestured to his room.

Thomas looked around Remus' little twisted wonderland that he called his room.

It was dimly lit by torches on cracked, stone walls which were covered in old, rotting portraits of dead... things. Some were people, some were animals, and some were things that Thomas just couldn't identify. More of these portraits could be seen on a rusty metal door that had Remus' symbol on it that Thomas could only guess led to Remus' half of the Imagination.

But then there was the surprise of seeing Remus had some Disney posters by his four poster bed. On which sat what could only be described as an octopus with sharpened tentacles, fangs, and tiny wings and horns.

"What is that?!" Roman asked with disgust.

Remus looked at him coldly.

"That is my son," he told his brother whose eyes widened with shock.