Hey, people, this is a story I wrote. I actually turned this in as an English essay, and my teacher made me read it in front of the class because she liked it -_-" So I'm publishing it here. Written from Ryou Bakura's thoughts.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, so don't sue me. Seriously. All you will get is an old boot that smells really bad.

It's dark

It's dark. It encloses around me, choking me. Suffocating me into submission to its claws and teeth. It's
retched ideals moving me to insanity. It hurts to breathe. My chest rises and falls in quick spasms that don't go away quick enough. And as silent as I lay, I feel an urge to chase away the darkness and all that comes with it with my voice. But I won't give into it. I must stay silent. Yet my sobs escape my parched throat, and the tears that slide down my face in streams seem to give the darkness its pleasure. Oh how I wish to scream. To yell a name, a word, any small sound to break the smashing, enclosing darkness. Silence.

It haunts me. Leaves me in blackness that disgusts me. Destroying me. Decoding my every thought. Leaving me to think about what I wish to forget. Dissecting my world and everyone in it. Leaving me to wallow in the memories and ideas that I don't wish to have. Why can't the darkness destroy those memories, hide those thoughts of pain and gore that I only want to disappear? But instead, pulling back the memories of happiness. Of daylight. Of everything that once made me smile.

The dark is killing me, the silence ripping me to shreds. Leaving me ravished, bleeding, dying. Drowning in the small sound of my own whimpers and sobs. The tears burning the skin beneath it. Macabre in my mind's eye. Seeing things through my streaming tears. Things that kill the hope that I have. Waiting in the murderous dark.

The shadows reach up to grab me. They try to pull me down, down to the place where they reside, down to the pit they call home, down to their master, down to become one of them…

Help me! I wish to scream. But no one is around to hear. Instead I just choke out a yelp, one that I can barely hear over the ticking of my own heart, ticking away every moment I have left.

I feel them pulling me down. Their grip tightens. A hand slips around my neck, tightening its grip and choking me. I cough and sputter, but it's no use. All That was left for me was to give in…

I woke up, drenched in sweat. My blankets were mangled, and one of my pillows had been tossed to the other side of my bedroom. Had I been dreaming? What is this feeling of despair? My memories of my dream had already begun to fade away.

I laid back on my pillow and let out a deep sigh. It had been a dream. But I realized that it was still dark in my room. Uneasily I untangled myself from my cocoon of a blanket and tiptoed slowly to my light switch. I flicked it on, and the blinding light pierced my eyes like a spear. I squinted and shielded my eyes from the bright light.

Sighing deeply, I went to lie back in bead, but found myself unable to fall asleep.

Sorry for the shortness, but I like how it turned out. I hope you did, too! Also, if you are reading my '333 ways' story, I am very sorry for the wait. I'm just not in a funny mood lately, but I will try my hardest to update sometime this weekend. Thank you all for reading!