"Honda- that dream really creeped me out- do you think it would actually happen?" Jou frowned, he was sitting backwards in a chair. Honda was busy writing a letter to his parents but was also listening to the blonde. "Do you think it was a premonition? Maybe I should do a banishing spell or protection spell..."

Honda raised his head, "Jou- I know your my bud but I'm going to say this one more time, I'm not involved with Wicca and choose not to be."

Jou raised his brow, "What's wrong with Wicca?"

"Nothing. I just don't think I should get involved." Honda said, not looking up from the table. Jou moaned. What a great help his friend was! Not even giving him reassurance- nothing. He practically insulted his religion. Jou stood up and walked out the door, slamming it back closed, Honda looked up.

Jou stormed out into the streets not caring if he got hit or not, he had to go talk to Marik. Quietly and swiftly he ran to the Ishtar residence and knocked on the door, the door opened immediately. Marik stuck his head out the door, "I've been expecting you." And with that he opened the door and let Jou in, the two sat at a table covered with a dark purple cloth and a crystal ball sitting in the middle. "I sense you fear, Wheeler."

"...then I assume you know why I'm here."

"Yes. Your dreams scare you... but I'm also picking something else up. Dare to let the cards speak for you?" Jou nodded, Marik slipped a deck of tarot cards out from his Rare Hunters' sleeve. He removed them from the carboard box and shuffled them, then took out a certain number of cards. "Hmm... They are all set. Let's see what the first card says."

DEATH

When Marik had revealed the one that said death, both boys gasped. Marik spread his senses to feel what Jou was thinking but all he got was static. 'There has to be something in his mind- it can't just be empty...- Ra- wha- what's that?!!' Suddenly the static cleared up and he saw a picture of Anzu smiling then a loud noise. Within an instant, Jou's mind subconsciously kicked Marik out.

"Marik? You okay? You spaced out..."

"Jou- what secrets are you keeping from us?...... there's something odd about you," Jou looked down, unsure of how to explain this certain 'gift' that he had that no one else had. What was he supposed to say? I see dead people? That sounded too dramatic.

"I...."

"Why are you so afraid of death? Is something after you? Someone? There's something about you that is different from all the other people in this world. Why is that?"

"I don't- I don't know, okay?"

"That's not a good enough answer Jou! What is it about you that your inner conscience knows but you don't!?" Marik slammed his fist on the table, Jou got the message.

"WHY SHOULD I CARE!!? IT'S YOUR FAULT, ANYWAYS!! YOU MADE ME LIKE THIS!!!" Jou screamed, grabbing at his hair, tears streaming down his face. Marik stepped back, offended but not exactly hurt. No. It took much more then that to break his stone cold feelings. He ignored this statement.

"TELL ME THE TRUTH! WHAT DID I TURN YOU INTO!?"

"Because of you I will never be the same! Some how, some way, you gave me a gift that I never wanted in the first place. I see what people dare dream of, the dead want me dead, I'm a walking hazard! And it's all YOUR fault."

Marik closed his eyes, letting this sink through. "You're telling me that you can communicate with the dead?"

"No. What I'm telling you is that I can see ghosts, dimwit. And no, I can't speak with the dead, I don't know how and don't really care. They can keep sending messages but I will not respond." Jou crossed his arms, Marik walked out of the room. Minutes later he came out with a mysterious board and a planchette. His eyes widend when he read the title.

"O-u-i-j-a....ouija....GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!"

"Stop it Jou. The dead obviously wants to give you a message and you have to act now before it drives you insane."

"No! No! I will not play it! You can't make me!" Jou yelled, again grabbing at his hair, this time he stood and ran towards the door. Marik raised an arm out and 'mysteriously' made the lock turn. They were both locked inside the house. Jou turned to face him. "Stop! I don't want to talk to them! I don't care! They're dead, I'm alive, that's all that matters- let me go!"

"You sure about that? Because they will bever leave you alone. It'll drive you crazy. They'll never stop, they'll drive you to your limits. Then- what if someone get's hurt? It's going to be your fault. When's the time your going to act? The day you find your sister dead?"

Jou stared at the ground, the shadows of his bangs covering his amber eyes. "Fine. I'll play your stupid game." Jou sat down next to Marik and the two prepared to play.

"I will go first." They placed their hands on the planchette, waiting for any sign of movement. Finally Marik decided to ask a question. "What is your name?"

...................................J-U-L-I- E...............................................

"That's it, I'm outta here."

"Before you leave, keep in mind, don't piss Tea off or anyone else."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Your inner conscience knows... Jou, will you come to our circle tonight?" Marik asked, Jou froze then nodded. "What for?"

"To get rid of these feelings. It's not healthy, ask the goddess for help."

"Maybe." Jou opened the door and left. He decided to pay Yugi and Yami a visit. He knocked on he gameshop door and entered seeing that no one was in the shop.

~No one is here~

'What was that? A voice? Oh god, I really am going crazy!"

~Leave~

Jou spun around when he heard rattling keys on the side of the door which he had came in from. The door swung open, two tricolored blondes stepped in. "Jou?" Yami mumbled.

"How'd you get in here? The door was locked..." Yugi said, placing a bag of groceries on the counter, Jou looked at his hands.

"The door- was unlocked."

"No- we locked it, we checked several times." Yami cut in.

"Are you sure?" Both nodded, he turned pale. Yugi sat Jou down on a chair and felt his forehead, it was normal. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah."

"Jou, you're lying to me. Is it your homelife? Magick? What's wrong?" Jou stared down at his closed fists. "It's really kind of difficult to answer that, Yugi."

"Answer the best you can."

Jou shrugged, "I guess it'd have to be Magick."

Yugi smiled and patted Jou's knee, "Ah. Now that's something I can help you with! Well then, what's it about?" Yami listened to his hikari talk to Jou while putting the groceries away. "Premonitions."

"Uh- oh...not good," Yugi mumbled, lost in his thoughts.

"Is there anything you can do to help me? Yugi kept mumbling things out for minutes until he figured something out, he nodded.

"Uh-huh. -I think...a potion."

"Potion?"

"Yah, it's supposed to let you sleep better. A sleeping potion." Jou smiled at this idea, he could use a good nights sleep, and ever since Marik took over his mind he's been having nightmares. He prayed that they would stop. He tried everything he knew, spells, barriers, etc. but why hadn't he thought about potions? "I can brew it right now, if you don't mind knocking out here for the night."

"Yeah, it'll be fine. Sure." Jou said, totally forgetting Marik's circle invitation.

"Okay then!" Yugi snapped his fingers, "Yami! Get the things we need for the sleep potion!"

Yami made a long heavy sigh, "Yes Aibou." Then began rummaging through the pantry looking for special items. Jou watched Yami and Yugi's unnatural speed, feeling useless for not offering to help. Within no time they were making the potion and finishing it. Jou looked around the gameshop, it had really changed. It used to be filled with old games but they were now replaced with Duel Monsters.

F is for fires that burn down the whole town- U is for Uranium- bombs, N is for no survivors! WHEN YOURE HAVING FUN!" Yugi yelled out from the kitchen, his grandpa said he watched too many cartoons, Jou was starting to believe him. He turned around to see a model of a train.

'This-' He looked at the object next to it, a bus model. 'What the-' He muttered when somehow, he heard a train running on railroad tracks, he looked at the model of the bus, it's headlights were on. Then, it fell off the shelf and shattered into tiny pieces. Jou froze with horror.

"Jou?"

Jou quickly turned his head to see Yugi.

"The potions ready." Jou gave a weak smile, Yugi walked back into the kitchen. Yami came into the gameshop area with the potion in one hand and a broom in the other, he handed Jou the drink and walked to the shattered pieces of the bus.

"Whoa.what did you do?"

"I-I don't- It just fell."

"By itself?" Jou nodded, Yami began to sweep the mess when he noticed that the blonde was staring at the glass of creamy (*shudder*) liquid. "Drink. That's what it's for." Jou glanced up at him. "I promise we didn't use poison or any other liquids, it's made up of herbs and smashed fruit. Trust us,"

"Uh."

"After you drink it, you'll knock out."

"If I do anything- or even flinch outside here in the real world promise me you'll wake me up."

"Okay, I promise."

"Alright then," Jou held the glass to his face, forcing the foul smelling liquid down his throat. He smiled, gave a peace sign (typical Jou), and passed out, Yami catching him. He placed Jou on the couch in the living room, turning on the TV. "Ooh! Cooking Station! I love this channel!"

'GAH! SOMEONE WAKE ME UP! YAMI YOU STUPID LYING BASTARD!" Jou screamed as he was once again being chased by the train. 'What is it with this!? What's this dream telling me!? SOMEONE WAKE ME UP DAMMIT! I'm going to die! SOMEONE HELP ME!'

~Left~

'Huh-' Jou turned ans saw a girl hiding behind a tree. He couldn't exactly make out the details but she looked ghostly white with pale-almost silver- long blonde hair. She was wearing a gloomy light pink dress with a brown belt wrapped around her waist, wearing long school girl socks with pink shoes. Around her neck were long necklaces of white pearls. Suddenly she turned serious before screaming.

~Watch out!~

'What!? GAH-' Jou tripped, the train quickly ran over his body, blood gushing everywhere.

"GAH!" Jou sat up, he looked around for Yami, he spotted him in the game shop. Swiftly, he got up and ran to him, "You said you'd wake me up~ Why'd you lie to me dammit!?"

"Jou-"

"I hate you!"

"Jou-"

"It's too late now!"

"Jou! L-look." Yami pointed to a mirror, Jou turned an shrieked. "What the hell!?!!" His clothes were soaked with dripping blood, his arms were badly bruised and slit. He looked like he had came out of a Freddy Creguar movie. Standing behind him was the pale white-ish girl, smiling a taunting smile.

~You will find an end in America~

"What do you mean? Jou- what does she mean by that?" Jou went silent.

~Julie~

~Texas~

~Go now~

'To put an end to this nightmare. I know what I must do. I have no other options. I will find the answer- the end, in America.'

TO BE CONTINUED