Happy New 2009 year!
Don't own anything...
Zero Connection.
'Sky is strange today.' - thought Yugi shifting closer to bus's window, not tearing his gaze from sky's truly winter clouds.'Sun should be setting by now'. Even if it was summer.
It was 21:17 o'clock on his watch and sky was shining as brightly as it was in the morning – and all day.
Bright silver light – it was so sharp that humans couldn't look at it without shedding tears. Yugi blinked, salty drops running from his deeply bright amethyst eyes, catching cloud's shine as they fell down on the floor, his knees, his Puzzle...
Golden pendant, when covered in tears, was reflecting light which was much brighter than sky behind the glass which was covered in traces of dried rain and road dust. Golden speckles caught his attention and Yugi snapped out of his daze-like state.
Immediately his hand rose to shield his face from anybody in the bus who might see it – yes, damn, he could feel that his cheek was wet. Carefully, carefully,still covering face, he bent forward so his Puzzle rested on his knees, then tilted it so he could see his escorts- friends faces reflection. It wouldn't be good if he was seen crying – beating wouldn't be light if he still showed that "immature side" of his that his friend seemed to hate so much...to be ashamed of.
Small teen let out a breath he didn't knew he was holding: Jounouchi was looking forward, in the bus first door's direction, lost in his own thoughts. His honey eyes were narrowed in glare, hands clenched into fists, lips forming soundless curses and treats. Oh yes, this was classical bully's prefight behavior.
Moving as little as possible Yugi wiped his face with inner side of his uniform's sleeve as dry as he could. Then opened his eyes and checked reflection: Jou still hadn't moved.
Amethyst eyes followed his gaze – and slightly sparked with humor: his today's "friend in crime" was glaring at the bus driver's back, and obviously hadn't realized it yet. Nevertheless, driver's hands shook ever so slightly, his back stiff, and he didn't even dare to look back at the guy – not directly at least, while still trowing occasional nervous glance at the "inside bus" mirror.
However smaller teens humor was lost when driver looked at him through the mirror.
Pity. He! He was being pitied!
Not again...
Yugi shut his eyes and when he opened them he was looking out of the window – this time not to look up at the sky, but to memorize their route. Sky really was strange – it's light didn't reach ground at all and streets looked like it was evening. Almost all windows were yellow with light. They were passing Domino hospital.
He was angry at himself: what he has been expecting?!? Small teen – thanks a lot, he knew that he still looked as if he was only 12 year old – so yes, small teen, driven into corner by threatening looking guy (who now kept his hand over his little shoulders, as if not letting him run), in the empty (aside from them) bus – which could be heading to the cemetery for all he knew - and late in the evening.
He knew that even with his hair like that he looked like a victim. Maybe because it was natural? Or because he used to be bullied at elementary school – just a prey to hunt down – to everybody? Was he too weak-looking? Maybe... Was white shirt under uniform ans white trainers not appropriate?
Or was it because he was still occasionally being beaten? Sometimes, rarely... but it happened. When he was tricked. When he tried help others to escape...
Was he being looked upon like that because he still didn't know whatever will he get beaten today or not? Wasn't sure if he was being tricked by Jou? Was it showing?
Yes, could understand why driver would pity him.
Still, no matter how right bus driver might be, Yugi couldn't help but feel offended. Pity was meant for pitiful beings – and he wasn't one. He didn't think so...
He tried to look brave – Jou has been "training" him into being able face his fears. Most of the times he passed. And while Jou was his friend thanks to the Puzzle, Honda – because of Jou, there are many others who ceased attacks on him.
Reason? He couldn't comprehend why... Maybe it was because he was "uncatchable prey"? Since elementary school nobody could outrun him in the crowds of Domino city. He could choose path with smallest amount of obstacles for him, and full of impediments for his persuaders.
Now, even as he stayed the same – weak, he knew he was weak - he wasn't just victim – many times bullies stalked him not to beat up, but to get help. It turned out they, sometimes, also had problems.
Main problem: fear that after fight they'll be left to die on the street or in the forest. Apparently it wasn't rare occurrence. So he was told meeting place and time (and threatened to be beaten so he wouldn't tell anybody – not that that would have worked at him, not in Domino). When fight is finished he is to come there and help people who were left to their homes – or call ambulance (if that was unwelcome – treat wounds and carry them into safe place).
Sometimes he was just yanked from his way to home (or school) and made to wait while they fought. Hiding.
He wondered why they never tried to make him witness to bullying... he knew they didn't stop...
Second to main problem was buying groceries. Who knew that gangs in Domino cared so much about reputation that prohibited their members to buy anything "uncool"? Good for them that Grandpa often (or more like always?) forgets something to buy.
Yugi blinked: they just rode out of town.
Now all his attention was on the road – if something happens it will be on him to get them back safe, and while he knew Domino in and out he hadn't been outside of it even once – not to this side of the island, not by bus (only planes and ship), not while being with a friend who had a potential to turn into criminal...
Stop. Doors opened – not only one as usually but all three. Was driver hoping that they'll get out from second or third door? Was he hoping that Jounouchi, who looked very dangerous when glaring he must admit, wouldn't get any nearer to him?
He glanced up at Jou, and while older teen took his arm off from Yugi's shoulders he didn't move to get up.
Yugi caught drivers eyes in the mirror and shook his head: 'No, you'll have to drive us farther.'
Doors shut and they drove to the next stop. This time Jou didn't glare at driver's back – instead he began carefully look around, as if he wasn't sure when their stop will come – and driver became more cheerful, while Yugi grew more and more distressed:
What Jou wanted from him this far from the town? If it's this far, he could as well taken Honda... Actually it might have been better... He wasn't planning to do something to him, was he? No, he didn't look like that...
Stop. Then – next stop, and Jou who by that time was looking around almost frantically suddenly got up. Yugi was dragged to the nearest door, and bus happily drove away.
They stood on old bus station – from there they could see only few lights of houses which were too far away...
"Look Yugi, it is it." - Jounouchi was pointing at storehouse. It looked abandoned – or at least it's owner didn't look after it. Storehouse as if was under attack of plants (or rather – looked like flowerbed): weeds were growing out of broken windows, door wasn't seen behind wall of tall flowers, fence has fallen in some places and turned into pedestal for especially tall weeds and small trees. Plants – mainly trees - were growing even on the flat roof.
Yugi wondered how it'll look in the winter – with all these trees turned into black, leafless sticks... Must be creepy.
Still Yugi didn't have answer what they are there for – was this greenhouse meeting spot? He couldn't see anybody.
"Can ya..." - Yugi was all ears.
"Can you make sure that I wouldn't be seen?" - there, that was familiar territory.
"Not seen as in people, police, or is there something...?" - Yugi was good at finding "blind spots" where nobody normally looks...
"I think there are cameras" - interrupted Jou.
'Cameras? There? ' - Yugi was at doubt.
"Can you... I don't know. Make them record the same thing or something? I don't wanna get spotted, I'm already deep in..." - Jou looked troubled.
"Yeah, sure! I'll wave to you when everything will be ready!" - Yugi was sure flower-bad didn't have any cameras... where did Jounouchi get such idea from? Then again, Jou believed that there were aliens running around and eating brains...
Anyway, he decided that he needed at least to act as if he was searching for cameras...
He was surprised when he found one.
Then another.
Then...
They looked very outdated – too big and clumsy to be properly hidden, objectives covered with leaves and dirt, and when Yugi followed their wires he found out that they were cut off – or gnawed off...
Yugi went around storehouse once, detecting best places for cameras and checking if they were already damaged or he needed to help them with that... They all were hopeless – even if once this place had, as it seemed, top-security, now flowerbed was open territory to anybody.
There were many snakes – first one Yugi confused with metal twig from fence. Now he wasn't only checking not working cameras, but also tried to find as many snakes as he could in twilight: step on one spot, turn around – look for camera, turn around – look for snakes, poke them with stick – check if you were right, next step...
So far – 5 cameras and 6 snakes.
Fifteen minutes and Yugi again was before gates, waving to Jou: it was safe, nobody'll record whatever he was going to do there...
"Err, you'd better be cautious there are some animals, snakes... and people could hear you if you're too loud..." - was saying violet-eyed teen while looking as his friend was trying to break off metal twig.
"Yeah, bud, sure." - said Jou weighting twig in his hand - "It'll go..."
Yugi signed: he wasn't sure if what he said registered in Jou's head. Well, let's hope other's problems won't turn into his.
And - he shouldn't had been surprised that they came here to "make this place pay for what they did", no, he really shouldn't...
As Jou ran off with his stick to begin his favorite pastime: cause as much damage as he could, Yugi stayed near gates. He was at loss as what he should now do. Wait?
He went to the bus station – only to learn that next bus will be there in three hours, roughly. Wonderful.
Yugi went around greenhouse for the second time: Jou found mechanism in fairly good condition and was destroying it.
There was nothing to do, and Yugi found himself yawning.
Bored.
Once again around storehouse – he got caught in metal 'twig' from fence and fell with a yelp.
After few minutes he was again – bored.
Door behind flowers wasn't shut, and he went inside. Handle was dirty, but so was his hands after he fell...
He nervously looked back: outside from here was so much brighter... then looked at the ceiling, half-expecting to see roots. There wasn't any.
Roof stood so far – it wouldn't fall now, right? It wasn't like they were trowing rocks or were jumping on it...
He cautiously stepped forward into darkness – golden sunbeams reflected from his Puzzle on room's walls lighting up dark hall, making it as it was alive, sunbeams moving with his every step. There were few sofas, chairs, pegs –all in all it looked like small waiting room. Something run into corner.
He also could see weeds – especially many were near windows and door. There wasn't as many of them in the center, on rubber floor, and he went forward a little more confident.
There wasn't much to look at – but hall had one more door – and this one was shut. Yugi pulled door-knob and it opened: apparently keyhole he spotted on this door wasn't used last time people were here.
Behind it was narrow corridor with doors on one side and windows covered with plants on another.
Step, and something small with squeak run from him into farer corner. Yugi stood frozen: really, how many mice there was?!? He lost count. And outside – snakes...
This rotten... building...
Breathe.
Yugi calmed a little, and began to turn around to exit this place: he wasn't too fond of wild rats and neglected rooms full of dead and alive insects; when window shattered with loud clatter and something black, thin and long pushed through weeds inside.
At surprise Yugi jumped back – and at the door, which immediately opened and he fell.
"Ouch, ouchhhh" there was glass on the floor – and it wasn't flat like window's, more like piece of bottle-neck. It was under his left hand which now stung, and when he looked closely at it he saw thin cut dipping with blood.
'Bad, bad, it'll get infected' – thought Yugi while licking cut trying to avoid rest of his dirty hand: he wasn't carrying everywhere with him first-aid kit for goodness sake! One couldn't foresaw everything. Like random pieces of bottles (who knew what was in it?) which lay on people's way...
He stood up and looked at the window: nothing. There wasn't anything trying to get into building the worst possible way – without using open doors... nothing was trying to catch and eat him...
he smiled. Silly. What could get into head when startled at night in abandoned house?
Then shattered next window – and he saw Jou with his metal twig.
"Jou? Don't scare me like that!" - his (maybe a little too loud from surprise) voice had his friend looking around, Yugi wondered if he also didn't like sudden loud noises at night.
"Yug'? Hey, what ya doing inside here?" - his voice also was loud.
"Nothing, I was just bored... I was already heading out." - he looked at his watch - "Our bus should be there in 30 minutes... We better head to the stop soon – it might came here earlier..."
"OK, I'll just finish it." - Jou nodded at his right.
"OK."
Yugi went to shut door at which he fell, after all it wasn't his home to open door as he pleases...thank God it wasn't.
There was sound of another window shattering behind his back as he looked into room where he fell a moment ago.
Then, interested, he stepped in.
Room was smaller – but in it had more things in it than other two together.
Filled with all these shelves, tables, unknown to him small machineries, one computer (just as outdated as cameras outside) with gnawed wires – that small room without windows looked much more interesting. And presentable – there wasn't any plants.
'But apparently rats could sneak here too' – though Yugi when something small run to the corner while he was making his way to glass wall which separated one windowless room from another.
Room behind glass looked like smaller version of apartment: little bed, table, rocking-chair, sink, partition, books, toys, notebooks, pencils, cups... Opposite wall also was made of glass: he could see room similar to one in which he stood now, and it seemed that in it door also was opened and now light from both rooms illuminated mini-apartment.
Yugi went along glass wall lightly touching it with fingers.
He couldn't find a door...
Here!
Now how to open it...
In the end it was easy to open: black, plastic handle was at two glass block's joint, all he needed was to pull to the side.
As glass door slid open one of empty bookshelves which was standing on the other side fell. Now there was dust everywhere and bookshelf lay on the floor, not letting glass door to shut again.
Well, isn't it wonderful: he hasn't even stepped into apartment and its furniture already was falling around?
Still, he wanted to see how it looked from inside...
Cautiously avoiding touching shaky furniture he went into glazed room: it was dark, dusty and all these things scattered around as if somebody lived here made him feel uneasy, awkward. His skin tingled.
He shouldn't be here...
It was difficult to breathe: there wasn't enough oxygen...
He was standing near table: notebook on it was opened, but blank.
He looked at his watch – he really should head to the bus now, - he should have came here earlier...
He went to the other side: on this glass wall he also could see the door, but it didn't have door-handle from this side...
OK, that settled it, he's going back: it's too creepy... Not as creepy as pictures about world destruction would be, but still...
His hands shook when he tried to push away annoying bangs – he really should cut them shorter...
He turned back and bumped into something.
Half-expecting fall of another shelf he screw up his eyes, but nothing happened.
I should hurry...
He slowly opened his eyes. Then yelped.
Before him, between bed and table was something, that at first glance he thought to be a blanket fallen from bed – it was white and misshapen. Now, in the light reflected from his golden pendant he saw a person, not moving, rolled up in tight ball, with a white plastic bag on head... he could see where mouth was – should be under plastic...
No way he was alive...
That sight had Yugi running out of green-house in a second – not caring how much furniture fell on his way, quickly shutting the door, then- down the hall, between black in the setting sun stems, into binding light, run, run, run...
There, bus stop.
Too soon – he still wasn't calm, such short distance wasn't enough...
Please, something, anything, he didn't want to think... not now...not now when all he could see was a form in white cloth, suffocated human with dark, as if covered in wax, hands which somehow managed to look alive, and weren't as bony as mummy's would be... And so clearly dead – in room with nothing to breathe, not moving...without any sound...still...
Something in this was familiar to him – too familiar...
How many times he sat like that – in the corner, hiding behind his bed, helpless to do anything- to help, to get help...
But without bag on his head.
Violet eyes were full of tears – why was he crying? Jou would be here any moment... He shouldn't be seen like that... crying...
Watch...bus should be there in 10, no 8 minutes...
How could there be a body? Shouldn't police has checked all abandoned buildings for such things, or something like that? How many more where there? And they so casually were walking around all day...
Sky wasn't bright anymore – its brightness was only illusion of his eyes after dark rooms of store house. Sun was setting – in fact he could see only pert of it above the horizon... Jounouchi should hurry up...
Was it true? Were they walking there for three hours, at somebody's soul's resting place? God, he was so sorry...
How lonely it must be there... How that could happen? Maybe he should go there, take it outside? But just one thought of going there now makes him feel creepy, his skin tingling...
Yugi shuddered and went – almost run – to check bus schedule. Was he wrong? Bus must be here by now...
Oh, here was Jou: running, trowing aside this twig... Interesting – he cared about cameras, and now he didn't care about fingerprints?
Yugi remembered how furiously Jou was destroying place... Maybe he knew something?
But no – as distance grew shorter he could see that that look at his friends face wasn't mourning, horrified or disgusted, as he imagined it would be if Jou knew about...
Stop. Was it pity he was feeling? He really shouldn't, that person wouldn't like it... How could anyone like pity? Such emotion... it's never strong enough to make people take action. Action that wouldn't hurt pitied one...
Had he spaced out? Because Jou was waving hand before his eyes. It was gloved. So there went all fingerprints...
"Um...sorry what?"
"Here! I already began to think that you were lost to us." - Jou made gesture with his hands as if he wanted to embrace whole earth. He looked satisfied – in 'I managed to kill all these annoying bugs in the world after they almost ate me' way.
"So, what were you saying?" - he looked at watch: if schedule wasn't lying bus should have been here 3 minutes back.
"I just remembered – I have a lighter! What do you think about trying it?" - Jou didn't look too excited. Thank God – it meant that his friend didn't turn into pyromaniac. Not yet, at least.
"And you want to set in fire storehouse which is situated so far away from the city? When there are people living around? " - despite all these facts it seemed that Jou still wanted to argue. Good, he needed distraction...
"Any moment bus will be there. What do you think he'll do if he saw you near building in fire? You'd be lucky if he wouldn't call police but fire station and drive away. And next bus will be there in the morning." - bad idea Yugi, now Jou won't talk – he's too down.
Something... anything...
" But if you want burn down it so badly " - bad, bad idea Yugi! - "Maybe you could ask Honda-san to land you his motorbike so you wouldn't depend on the bus-drivers." - there, that's better. Honda'll never separate from his 'wheel#3' – not after what happened to 'wheel#2'...
"Maybe...I'll think of something. Oh, look, there's our bus! Hey! Here!" - watching how Jou was jumping on the bench Yugi smiled: his friend wasn't too bad, no, far from that...
This idea with burning down abandoned flower-bed (so fitting for graveyard - winced Yugi) in the middle of nowhere was so far worst.
Other weren't this bad. Or was it because he knew what was inside?
On their way back Jou was strangely jolly, but quit.
Few times he tried to start saying something:
"At last.." - was Jounouchi fidgeting?
"Hmm."
"I began to fear that never'll do at least it..." - every time Yugi looked at him.
" Hey Yugi, you know?" - again, Yugi was looking at Jou, expecting him to continue.
"I think I'll quit."
"Oh... Really?" - smile. Yugi never liked that his friend wasting his time following stupid gang's rules. - "With gang?" - it was whisper.
"Yes Yug'. Starting from now! Thanks!"
"Tha...?" - it was Jou's stop and he was already outside.
It was dark outside – slurred car's lights were fascinating. Yugi shuddered – was it wind?
Keys jingled too loudly in their quit at night area.
Quietly opening door to the Kame Game Shop and putting his slippers on he wondered if his mother was home that night – she didn't ring him to the cell phone, so he assumed that she was at work...
In her room Mrs. Muto turned to the window. Wonderful, this...child was home. And here, she already began to hope...
You never should get too hopeful.
There wasn't moon in the sky tonight – just darkness.
TBC... I believe.
I just found note with "I should write at least one chapter this year" - so here you are:
not beta-ed, once checked by OpOf, jumpy story began.
Any questions?