Dear Amane,

It didn't work.

It didn't work and now he's angry.

I can feel it in the back of my mind. He's seething. He's whispering to me how he won't let me get away with what I tried to do. About how nothing is going to separate us.

I went to the church last night, around six o'clock. When I went in, it was just the priest and I.

He turned around when the door shut behind me. He asked me what was wrong. I opened my mouth, and everything spilled out before I could stop myself. I was crying, shouting, and making a real scene. I told him everything. About you, mother, father…and my other half.

I ranted for the better part of an hour, and the priest just stood there listening to me as I dumped my emotional garbage on him. I told him about how you and mother died, and how guilty I felt. I told him about how father doesn't care about me. I told him about the man in the alley my other half had murdered.

He didn't stop me. He didn't judge me. He just listened to me, and that's a lot more than anyone's done for me in a long time.

When I was done ranting, I'm sure I had the priest highly disturbed. He looked at me like one would look at someone who was near death. He led me into a room in the back of the church and told me to sit down.

He walked out of the room, leaving me alone to cry.

I heard him talking to a woman on the other side of the door. The phrases 'troubled boy' and 'that poor child' popped up often. They were gonna send me to the mental asylum. At least, that's what I thought.

I was left alone for quite some time, alternating between trying to stop my tears and trying to make out what they were saying about me.

Finally, the priest came back in, and I caught a glimpse of what looked like a nun (there were nuns here in Domino?) leaving the building. He looked at me with an understanding expression. I asked him if he thought I was insane.

"My child, I think not."

It felt like a knot had been undone in my stomach. He actually believed me! I thought for sure he'd never buy into this. I think I smiled. Just a bit.

I think not…so there was still a slight chance he thought I was stark raving bonkers. But still, that was better than having him call a mental hospital.

The priest picked up a large golden crucifix. I asked him what he was going to do. He told me that, if there truly was a demon possessing me, then he was going to exorcize it.

He was going to get rid of him. I must confess that made me feel a little better. Getting rid of this monster dwelling inside me forever. It seemed like a good idea at the time. So I agreed.

He told me to close my eyes and touched the crucifix to my head, and began saying things I didn't pay attention to.

I began feeling a strange tingling sensation run through me. I felt warm all of a sudden. It was getting hard to breathe.

I could almost feel my other half struggling inside me, fighting to stay linked with me. It was like there was a rope connecting our minds, and the words the priest was speaking were a knife hacking away at the material. But Bakura would not let go without a fight, and seemed to be struggling to hold the two ends together.

I was shaking to the point of having a full-blown seizure, the words spoken alternated between the priest performing the exorcism and the demon inside me shouting curses at me.

"Demon, feel the fires of Hell burning you!"

"I'm never going to leave you!"

"Flee from this child!"

"Do you think that this will work? I will never leave you."

I think I may have screamed. Then everything went black.

When I came round again, the priest looked absolutely terrified. He stared at me as if I was the devil incarnate.

I was out of my chair, and holding some blunt metal object in my hand. I let it go, and it clattered to the ground. I made myself look down. It was the priest's crucifix.

"I'm so sorry," I said. "So sorry."

I ran out of the room and was halfway through the door before I heard the priest call to me.

He gave me another understanding look.

He told me it wasn't my fault. He tried to reassure me, but I couldn't be consoled. I started crying again. How can someone cry as much as I can? I'm surprised my body can even hold this many tears.

The priest told me to go home and pray, and that I could always come to him if I needed to talk. I thanked him and headed toward home with that intention.

I went into my room, knelt down and poured my heart out to the Lord. If anyone could save me, he could. Surely, He'd never turn his back on one of His most faithful children…right?

I don't remember doing anything personally to make Him angry with me. I say all my prayers and Hail Mary's and go to church and confession every week. I don't fight or drink or swear. I read the bible every night and do my homework. I don't lie or cheat. I try to be nice to people and be a good person.

Maybe…maybe it's because I do all those things, but I really don't care much for them. There are some times when I feel like skiving off church, but I never let myself. That's got to count for something.

Oh, who am I kidding? It must be my other half that's caused the Father to forsake me.

I just wish God would hurry up and banish me to the fires of Hell. Then at least I'll be free of this monster.

Why did everything go wrong, Amane? There was a time where everything seemed wonderful, and life was easy. But then something happened and it all went wrong.

First you and mother died and father gave me the Ring. Then one by one every other facet of my life was torn down.

I make myself feel better with empty words that all will be well soon, when I know they will not. It never lasts for long, anyway.

…I really am sorry. If I can't say something pleasant when I write to you, then maybe I should just stop writing altogether.

Love,

Ryou