[ Darkness Within ]
Story By Hazel

Have you ever been in a situation that you have been isolated from your family for more than a year? It hurts even if it doesn’t last a year, doesn’t it? But then you always have your friends with you at your side, but what if they aren’t there too?

It was Amane’s, Bakura’s little sister, birthday. But Bakura wasn’t very happy. Why not? Well, would you be happy if it were your sister’s birthday and she were dead? I wouldn’t.

[ Chapter 1: Dead Memories]

He lay in bed, thinking. It was his sister’s birthday today. Of course he should have been happy for the day she was born, but how could a person be happy for the birth of a person if they were dead? The guy lying in his bed was Bakura, his dead sister, Amane. Bakura is sixteen years old in his sophomore year. He had long, semi-tidy, white hair. His eyes were a green blue, but now his beautiful, large eyes were filled with tears.

Bakura turned his head. His eyes fell on a picture sitting on his desk. It was a picture of him and his sister, along with their parents. They were all smiling. So happy. This picture was taken a year ago.

Sure, it’s only been a year since I’ve seen my family… But it hurts just the same. A single tear slid down his pale cheek. His hand found its way on top of his millennium item, the millennium ring. It took him a while to realize that he was gripping the trinket tightly, so tightly that the pointers was piercing his skin, opening up a tiny vein in his hand. Blood started to seep out of the wound. He finally realized what he was doing, and released the ring. He started to study the wounds on his hand he had made with the millennium item. His eyes went from his hand then to his millennium ring. He started to study it; the specks of his own blood on it, shining a bright crimson red.

How such a small item can ruin one’s life… His fingers ran over the cold metal of the ring.

“Yes,” he murmured to himself, “How this object ruined my life, making me so alone…”

You were always alone… His other self’s words ran through his head again. You never had friends. Don’t you remember? When you were a little boy you’d play by yourself, in the sandbox. You’re lucky I’m here.

“Those are all lies!” he cried out. He gripped his ring once again.

If those are all lies, tell me the name of one of your friends that you had before, his other self challenged. Bakura eyes widened, and he let out a short gasp. You can’t, can you?

“I can’t…” his voiced trailed off. “Why can’t I remember?” A point of the millennium ring sank deeper into the palm of his hand.

It’s not your memory at fault; it’s just that you never had friends. At least not until you heard my voice. I helped you make friends. Remember that.

“No. You lie. You never helped me make friends. You… you took them away. In Japan, you locked my friends’ souls into dolls. I remember!” He released the ring.

So, you still do remember… But, remember this; your fallen dreams shall be realized by you soon... I will show you your fallen dreams. Soon… The spirit of the ring’s voice trailed off.

“Gone…” He let out a soft sigh of relief. He flung the ring aside. “He’s gone… But not for long…” A drop of sweat ran down his forehead. He let himself fall onto his bed. Then he heard a quick rap against the door of his apartment room. He let himself lay on his bed for a while before he got up to answer the door. He walked slowly; the blood trickled down his hand and splattered onto the floor with a plap plap. He didn’t seem to notice. He opened the door revealing one of his friends, Anzu Mazaki.

[ Chapter 2: Eyes Don’t Lie ]

You can usually tell very easily if something is bothering someone. Sure, they can try to hide their problems, but the way to tell if something is bothering someone is to look into their eyes. But sometimes you never know…

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“Gone…” He let out a soft sigh of relief. He flung the ring aside. “He’s gone… But not for long…” A drop of sweat ran down his forehead. He let himself fall onto his bed. Then he heard a quick rap against the door of his apartment room. He let himself lay on his bed for a while before he got up to answer the door. He walked slowly; the blood trickled down his hand and splattered onto the floor with a plap plap. He didn’t seem to notice. He opened the door revealing one of his friends, Anzu Mazaki.

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Room 801, she rapped quickly against the door. She had to wait for a while before Bakura opened the door. I wonder why he took so long, she thought. Oh well, he’s here.

“Hi, Bakura,” she had big smile plastered on her face. “Do you want to join me and the others at the arcade?”

Bakura hesitated a while before he answered, “Um… I don’t know…”

He hesitated, she told herself. Maybe there’s something troubling him. “Is something… Is something wrong, Bakura?” she asked tentatively. She gazed into his eyes. His eyes revealed that something was wrong, but his facial expressions did not. He’s hiding his emotions, she told herself. Then her eyes fell upon his hand. The blood. “You’re- You’re bleeding! Bakura!” Her eyes stared at him; her eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

Surprised, Bakura looked at his hand; rose, red blood dripping from his hand. He continued to stare at his hand.

“Bakura…”

He looked up. “Oh! Oh yeah, I accidentally cut myself just now. I’m sorry if I gave you a little scare.” He laughed politely.

She looked at him; studied him to make sure this was true. He looked surprised when I told him that his hand was cut. But why? She then asked with concern in her voice, “Does it hurt?”

“Not at all, it’s fine. The cut’s actually really shallow. It’s nothing to worry about. Really.”

Nothing to worry about… But his hand is bleeding! She looked at his hand; the blood streaming from his palm to the floor. “Well, that is a lot of blood because it’s dripping onto the floor.” She pointed to the puddles of blood forming on the area of floor under Bakura’s hand.

“I didn’t notice that.” Embarrassed, he put his hand on the back of his head, and laughed. “Ha, ha, funny huh?” He smiled.

Such a cute smile. But… I’ve seen this before. In Battle City, he was hurt, and we told him that he shouldn’t be dueling in the condition he was in. he laughed and said that his arm was fine. He said that he felt no pain, just like he just did. But it’s different now; Malik isn’t controlling him, and screening the pain. But how can he not feel any pain? Maybe the spirit of the ring has a part in this. He is stronger physically, so…

Bakura interrupted her thoughts. His hand was on Anzu’s shoulder, “Anzu?”

“Oh! Bakura, I, uh, was…”

“I had to say your name at least twenty times until you snapped out of it,” he laughed playfully.

“Really?”

“No, of course not, anyway, do you want to come in?” he asked, inviting Anzu in. “I have to wash the blood off my hand, so you can wait inside.”

“So, you’re telling me that you’re going to join me and the others at the arcade, right?”

“I suppose so.”

Anzu’s brown eyes brightened, Perhaps there’s nothing troubling Bakura.

[ To be continued...]

Do you have any questions or comments on my fan fiction, Darkness Within? If so e-mail me at mangadrawer@hotmail.com. I’d really appreciate any comments or constructive criticism from you. Thanks for reading my fan fic!

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