DOCTOR KYOTO TAKEI

ON PATIENT Ryou Bakura

AS OF THE ninth SESSION

                NOTES:

Patient is hallucinating, hearing "a voice"—this personality has no name, but is most likely the "demon" mentioned in his life (see notes on sessions three through eight).

Previously incurred wounds (see notes on first, fourth, and seventh sessions) are claimed to have been result of the "voice" taking control of the boy's person.

Prone to self-abuse, anger, and depression.

The patient's journal provides insight to a normal ten year-old's psyche.  He experiences loneliness and bitter feelings toward his father and tutors.  He begrudges the many moves in England and the move here to Tokyo.

One mention of what is obviously the "voice" or "demon" is found there in the first entry—the boy calls the personality "yami" which literally means "darkness" or "shadow".  The patient is creating a mystery for himself out of a need for attention. 

Confronting his own shadow may also symbolize confronting his past and his feelings of guilt over his mother's death.

When asked what he thought I could do for him, he replied, "Don't let me die."

                DIAGNOSIS:

Child abuse a possibility.

Clinically depressed.  Bipolar.  Could border on suicidal or schizophrenic.

Medication needed immediately.  In the case of another self-violent episode, hospitalization may be necessary.

                ATTATCHED:

The following is a report recently written by the boy.  The content hardly worries me—I read it once and threw it aside—but the notion struck me in the night, and I looked to confirm my suspicion.  One will note the message spelled out in every capital letter:

Post-modernism has changed the face of democracy, as we know it.  Little do we know about the true founders of this movement, but much can be learned from the trail they blazed.  Examples of such influential schools of mind can be seen daily in the world around us.  Alarmingly, we tend to take such conveniences lightly, and with complete disregard for the effort poured into them.  Surely every one of us needs to have a fair understanding of where our political system came from and why it's important for us today.  Even the least of men should have an understanding of where he came from.

Henry the Eighth had no compassion for his people, and he paid for his negligence dearly.  Lax governing sires a vengeful nation—the king learned this the hard way.  Power corrupts, and power in the wrong hands is devastating.  Many nations and kingdoms have fallen in such hands.  Egregious ignorance has been the downfall of every weak people.

In the same way, today's society has grown weak.  More often than not, any schoolchild cannot name even one feudal lord.  Sadly, this lack of knowledge traces directly to the source—the parent and, consequentially, the lax government.  Unknown by today's youth, great leaders of our past are left forgotten, our lineage and legacy proven void.  Far be it for me, however, to condemn such youth—the mirror shows another just like them.  For therein lies the image of today's youth.  Our reputations betray us; our parents hide their faces in shame.  Can we not recognize our faults?  Are we not cognizant of our shortcomings?  The day is near when we will assume the leading roles of our parents before us, and I fear what that day holds for society.  Nothing good can come from lethargic minds.  God help us all.

Patient received an 'F'.