Shadu: One of my darker stories, I was kind of in one of those moods when I started this story. Hope you at least enjoy part of Crimson.

Ch. 1

Did you know Joey has three sides? Yeah, no kidding. There's "Joey", whom everyone knows. Joey is the fun loving, wisecracking, caring brother everyone knows. People are most familiar with Joey. Then, there's "Big J", as he's known on the streets. Big J is the toughest thing in the alleys and in Domino. Not many get to truly know Big J, but his dueling opponents get a small taste of Big J. Still, the most frightening side of Joey, that only a few have seen, is "Boy". This side of him only comes out around "him", around the one Joey fears. I've seen Joey transform into one of his sides, and I've seen all three.

Yugi laid on the couch, listening to music from the CD player sitting beside him. He closed his eye, letting the full effect of the melody seize his imagination and let his mind go wild. His foot began to tap in time with the tune involuntarily. He blocked everything out and let his mind run free. He loved to listen to the music and envision the story in his head. He wasn't even aware of when the phone had rang until Grandpa came over to Yugi and tapped Yugi's shoulder, interrupting his fantasies.

"Phone for you," Grandpa stated, offering the cordless phone to Yugi. "It sounds like Joey," he added.

"Thanks," Yugi smiled at Grandpa, pausing his music and slipping off the headphones. "Yugi here," he said into the receiver after he had pressed the earpiece against his ear.

"Yugi?" Joey's voice asked, barely holding onto its strong tone, panic apparent in every word.

"Yeah, I'm here," Yugi nodded, concern growing rapidly.

"Listen, I, I need you to get me outta here," Joey pleaded, his voice dropping down to a weak, but panicked whisper.

"Where are you? Why do you need for me to get you?" Yugi asked, his mind racing with all the possibilities of what could've happened.

"I'm, I'm at my apartment," Joey answered, a little frantically. "'He' was here, just minutes ago. I need to get out of here, but I don't have the strength to move."

Yugi's heart leapt up into his throat, but he managed to ask, "What about your dad?"

"He went out for a drink, he'll be gone for a good two hours, at least," Joey replied, and then coughed violently. "Please help," he choked out, his voice even fainter.

"Okay, Grandpa and I'll be right over, I promise," Yugi nodded, assuring himself and Joey.

Joey pressed the button to hang up the phone and set it down. Joey uneasily laid his head down, shifting his eyes around carefully, checking for "him", looking for "him". Joey hoped that he was right about how long "he" would be gone. Joey didn't want to get Yugi hurt. Joey feebly raised his head again. No one there, good. He felt ready to pass out, but he was trying to stay awake. Oh, how he wanted to escape and leave the cruel place he now laid in. Oh how he longed to go to a better place, but not yet. He couldn't go now. There were too many who depended on him. He wanted to go, but he had to hold on just a little longer.

"Grandpa, we gotta get to Joey's apartment, now!" Yugi exclaimed after he too had hung up the phone.

"What's the emergency? Where's the fire?" Grandpa questioned as he watched Yugi put the phone back on its cradle and grab his jacket.

"He's been hurt and he really needs our help! Quick Grandpa!" Yugi explained briefly as he jerked on his jacket. "He sounded really weak on the phone."

"What happened to him?" Granpa asked as he grabbed his own jacket and the car keys.

"I dunno, but he pleaded with me to come and get him," Yugi told Grandpa as he waited by the door. "I think something really bad has happened."

"Okay, we'll go get him," Grandpa assured little Yugi.

They both tugged on their individual jackets and dashed out to the car where they both piled in. The car jumped to life with a tremendous roar after Granpa inserted and turned the key. He stepped on the gas pedal. The car lurched forward and sped off for Joey's apartment. The time to go from the Game Shop to Joey's apartment felt like an eternity to Yugi. In reality, it only took ten minutes to make the travel, but it seemed like forever to Yugi.

Grandpa parked the car outside the building. The moment the car came to a complete stop, Yugi unbuckled his seatbelt and leaped out of the car as quick as anything. Yugi raced up the pathway towards the building and was nearly inside when a familiar voice stopped him.

"Yugi!" the voice called, freezing Yugi in his tracks.

Yugi turned around slowly. Tristan stood there in front of Yugi, wearing a long-sleeved, indigo blue and orange striped sports-style shirt and jeans. Tristan's olive eyes studied Yugi with confusion. Yugi was going to explain before Tristan started speaking, but didn't get the chance.

"What are ya doin' here man?" Tristan asked. "You know this place is dangerous."

"I'm well aware, but I came to help Joey," Yugi explained, spreading his arms wide.

"What's wrong?" Tristan asked, concern replacing his confusion.

"I don't know, but he called up and pleaded for help," Yugi stated.

"Let me come up there with you then," Tristan instructed.

Yugi nodded. Though Joey had said his father wouldn't be back for a while, it was best if he had someone who could fend off the drunk madman, if indeed he did come back early. Grandpa saw that Tristan was going with Yugi and decided that it would be best if he waited in the car, keeping the engine running.

"Hey Wheeler, you in there?" Tristan called, banging on the door, once they had reached Joey's apartment.

"Oh, are you Joey's friends?" a timid, but sweet, young teenage girl asked as she poked her head out of the door across the hall.

"Yes, I'm Yugi and this is Tristan," Yugi nodded.

"I'm Tina, I'm sort of a pal of Joey's," she explained. "See, he takes care of my dad and I sneak him food and medical supplies when he needs it.

"Do you know what happened?" Tristan questioned.

"No, I just heard his dad leave," Tina sighed. "I'm real sorry I don't know more. If I could've just stopped it...," she paused. "He can take my dad, but not his own."

"Tina, go get a wet rag while Tristan and I get inside," Yugi instructed.

"Right," Tina nodded and turned back into her own apartment.

"Okay, time to bring this puppy down," Tristan exclaimed as he stepped back, preparing to ram the door.

"Uh, Tristan, it's open," Yugi stated bluntly as he twisted the doorknob and swung the door open.

"Oh, yeah, I knew that," Tristan nodded, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

The two of them walked in cautiously, Tristan going first. Yugi's eyes roved around the apartment. The whole place reeked of stale beer and cigarettes. Yugi just about gagged. And then the walls and floors. There were bloodstains everywhere. Blood had been spattered on the walls, the carpet, even the ceiling had blood, and how blood had gotten on the ceiling, Yugi didn't want to know. Some stains were clearly very old while others were extremely fresh. So fresh, in fact, you could still smell it.

"Joey?" Yugi called in a small, timid voice.

No answer but a weak, wet cough could be heard. Yugi didn't know exactly when Tina had joined them, but when he suddenly saw her by his side, he jumped a little, but kept his mouth shut. All of the nerves in the room were on edge.

"Hey, Wheeler, where are you?" Tristan called out loudly.

"Here," Joey's weak voice beckoned from behind the couch.

Tristan led the small group around. Tina gasped when she saw Joey. Yugi's stomach lurched a little. Tristan simply diverted his eyes at first.

Joey was lying on his side on the bloodstained floor. His left arm was almost completely skin-bare and was bleeding horribly. It looked almost as though it had been mauled. Joey's face looked to be smeared with some kind of soot or dirt. There was a long cut on Joey's cheek as well as many other minor scrapes. Joey looked horrible. Every place on his body seemed to be bleeding.

Tina slowly crept to Joey's side and bent down. She rolled Joey onto his back with great effort and propped his head on her knees. She gently pressed her hand on Joey's forehead. Concern grew even greater in her eyes, but she remained silent as she began to timidly wash Joey's face with the wet rag.

"Yugi," Tristan whispered, "see if you can find a couple of clean towels to wrap his arm in."

Yugi nodded in agreement and scampered off in search of towels. Tristan walked over by Tina and bent down as well. He noticed something that he could use to attempt to lighten the mood a little

"Hey Joey," Tristan said, a little playfully.

"What?" Joey snapped slightly, opening his eyes a little to see Tristan.

"You're drooling," Tristan stated.

"I've been doing that a lot lately," Joey replied hoarsely as he weakly lifted his hand to wipe the drool from the corner of his mouth.

Tristan realized his attempt had failed and decided to change the subject to something that was actually relevant.

"What happened to your arm?" Tristan asked, looking at the blood engulfed left forearm.

"Brute got a hold of if," Joey answered.

"Brute?" Tristan inquired.

"He's a dog 'he' borrowed from someone," Joey explained with a groan. "Mean as the dickens he is. 'He' used Brute to attack me."

"Is this the first time?" Tristan questioned.

"No," Joey barely shook his head.

"He was bitten almost two weeks ago," Tina supplied. "I know, I helped treat the wound."

"Got me right on the ankle," Joey agreed.

"Was the dog acting weird?" Yugi asked as he walked in from finding the towels.

"Yugi, I was being attacked, I couldn't tell," Joey groaned, a little agitated by all the questions.

"Okay, alright," Yugi nodded, admitting his defeat, as he began to wrap the mauled arm.

The towels instantly began to soak up the warm blood. Joey watched as the fibers of the towels lapped up the crimson mess like dogs. The fibers were hungry, thirsty wolves that had not had anything to drink in days and who finally found some water. They lapped it up so greedily, Joey thought. That towel was just like "him", stained crimson forever. "He" loved the look of Joey's blood, the smell, the taste. "He" longed for it. And as Joey laid there, head in Tina's lap, watching the famished wolves drink until they couldn't take in another drop, Joey realized that he, too, was stained crimson. Joey was stained with his own crimson blood.

Shadu: Please review.