Chapter 22

On The Inside I'm Bleeding

Yellow...Red...Orange...multiple colors passed. Swirled into one. A loud crash broke the deafening silence. A young boy stood on the wet asphalt before the wreckage. He watched the fire, which seemed to glare off his curious eyes. Bodies were being placed in black suffocating bags. He didn't put two and two together. He hadn't realized they were dead and not coming back. Burned bodies and smashed bodies piled up. Screams and cries filled with anguish rang through the air. Death was all around. Surrounding him...quite suffocating. Love ones lost in the tangled car mesh. Blood spilled and piled in puddles on the ground, swirling with the rain. The crackling of the fire and the smell of burning flesh lingered in the air.

The little boy watched as the firemen attempt to put flames out, trying to cool off gas tanks or shattered vehicles. Failing to save another life as another body goes limp and crumbles to the ground. Boneless. Lifeless eyes looked up at the boy as a dying man screamed for help. Never in his life had he seen so much carnage. The atmosphere weighted so much despair and angust. Tears of loved ones soon arrived. Family members screamed names hoping their husband, wife, friend, or child was still alive. Women dropped to their knees and started to pray as the battle grew weary.

Yami watched as the child held a confused front. Yugi cocked his head to the side as he watched with curiosity.

Beat Thump

Da Thump Beat Thump

Yami could hear his own heart race. Clenching his fist he sighed softly. It was a sad scene.

"Gage, honey." He turned. "Lets go home." A woman held his hand out to him. Yugi hesitantly took it. Her bruised and burnt face looked worse that it was. A tall man was talking to the cops.

"Daddy?" Yugi whispered cocking his head to the side. The woman smiled gently and nodded. She placed her hand behind her son's small head as they walked over slowly.

"Yes honey, lets get daddy and go home." Yugi beamed and nodded eagerly. When they reached the man he wrapped his arms around his family.

"Oh dear lord! Thank you for protecting my family! Thank you so much." He whispered as crocodile tears ran down his cheeks and he littered his son's head and his wife's face with kisses. The cop's eyes softened and he dismissed them. Picking up his son they walked up to another cops car that would be their transport home.

Yami just stood there stunned. Everything happened so fast. It shocked him to see this abusive man act this way. Glaring at the man one final time the scene altered.

Giggles were heard. Low muttering filled the air. It was a woman's voice by the pitch.

"Oh yeah well my husband won't even put away his own socks! My lord when will that man learn!" A woman groaned. Sazuku, Yugi's mother, smiled and shrugged with the rest of her friends. Yami saw Yugi sitting on the staircase of their house, listening to the group of girls chatter. His tiny fingers clasped to the bars of the railing.

"My husband won't order pizza even if the phone is right next to him. He just sits there and whines, saying I'm being abusive and neglectful because I'm not feeding him. I swear that man would lose his head if it wasn't attached." Another woman sighed. The small boy on the stairs stood up and was about to go back upstairs when his presence was noticed with the squeak of his step.

"Oh is that little Yugi hiding up there? Please come down youngin'! I haven't seen you in ages!" Yugi sighed. He knew his mother did not want him there, but he complied. "My, my, my look at how much you've grown!" The woman said with a nodded approval. Sazuku smiled and held her arm out to the hesitant boy. Yugi stuck his thumb into his mouth as if to comfort himself.

Yami watched disbelieving. How could she be so nice to him? What is she pulling?

"Come here, Gage honey." Yugi walked over to his mother's awaiting arms.

"I still don't understand why you insist on calling him Gage, Sazuku." His mother smiled and hugged her son close.

"That the name I wanted for him." Yugi continued to suck his little thumb as his eyes went back and forth between his mother and her friends.

"It must confuse him-" Some one started.

"Oh don't be silly. It's his middle name. He doesn't mind, do you Gage honey?" He removed his thumb.

"No mommy." Yugi said shaking his head. He then smiled as his mother pulled him into her lap.

"Gage starts preschool soon. I can't wait." Her mother said smiling and fondly ran her fingers gently through his hair. Yugi closed his eyes and leaned against his mother, sighing in content, even if he knew it wouldn't last.

"You must be so proud of your mommy for caring for you, huh little Gage?" A woman said smiling gently at the 3 year old. Yugi smiled and nodded. Then tilted his head to the side and smiled at all the women showing off his tiny perfect white teeth. All the women cooed that he was the most adorable child they had ever seen. Sazuku smiled and wrapped her arms around her son's unnoticeably thin waist.

"...she breaks down..." A small child whispers.

"...she gets by somehow..." An echo ricochets off the walls and slowly disburses.

"...so proud of your mommy?..." The soft whispers seized.

Suddenly the room was flooded in darkness. Yami gasped as it took a second or two for his eyes to adjust.

"God damn bastard!" A smack was heard. A body tumbled to the floor, but not sound came from the person. A red light was the only light showing him this revelation. The perfect mother was standing over the crumpled form of her son. "Get up!" Yugi responded and stood, ready to take the next hit. Ready to attempt to soften the blow and to be thrown down once again. He closed his eyes as he received another hit. The red light slowly flashed. As the beating grew fiercer the light flashed faster until it was as fast as a strobe light. Yami watched horrified as Yugi's mother hit him again.

"How much will it take to reach the bottom...or am I already there?" A soft voice whispered. He ripped his eyes from the terrifying scene before him and saw the angle boy. Yugi's older preschool self. "How deep would I have really gone just to see through it all..." An eerie glow surrounded the child. "I always thought they'd get better you know?" His serious face melted into a cheerful one. "But I can always imagine everything away." He looked out into the dark abyss that flashed a bright red light. The beating looked like it was still. Like you could stop it by just turning off the light. That some one drew this on a series of paper and were just flipping through it. Watching this child be violently attacked over and over again. He knew he couldn't stop it. "You know what mister?" The child next to him asked.

"Hm?" Yami responded not really trusting his voice.

"I know a secret." The small child giggled. "Daddy shown me his gun. He tells me stories about life without the mother and me...without anyone sometimes. That it would be much better off. The world doesn't need people like me. I'm a poor rat from a non-sa-fe-sut-kat-ted (sophisticated) line of dirt from the mother's side." The child attempted to say.

Looking up the boy looked straight into the man's eyes. Seriously he stated, "You can't save me. Please just leave me alone." With that his vision went white.

A child in a tattered dress stood in the middle of the room. Yami gasped and ran over. It was Yugi. The child's face was red with humiliation. Laughter and moans of pleasure were heard making the child's face redder. He could feel the shame radiating off the boy. The boy bit his bottom lip forcing himself not to cry even if he could feel his eyes burn with unshed tears. Then Yami noticed bite marks up and down the boy's neck.

The room changed they were in a dark room. Pictures hung against the wall. Showing off pictures of smiling family members. But in every picture of this child there never seemed to be a smile. Just a dull ghostly stare.

"I had to take her spot..." A child's voice whispered.

"...I swore I'd never tell..." Came the same hushed voice.

"I have to run away...It's now or never..." The boy stood in the middle of the room. His uncle came out from the shadows and smirked at the boy. The child was wearing nothing but a pair of ratty underwear. Yugi's left arm was grasping his right arm from across his stomach. A cold chill made the child shiver and sent goose bumps down the boy's back.

"Come here boy. I want you to be very nice to my company today. You will treat them with the utmost respect. Understand?" He asked harshly, while stomping his foot on the ground. Stiffly the boy nodded. His uncle smirked and ruffled through his drawer. The child's eyes watched every single move the man made, never taking his eyes off him. "Come." The man ordered. The boy's impassive eyes melted into fear and confusion. Tensing the boy stiffly walked over like an automaton.

Yami's eyes filled with worry. He's small student being subjected with such mind games was so...cruel. He remembered past dreams of the boy smiling and laughing despite the predicament. If only he was taken from his parents...was there hope now? A tear trailed down the man's face. The tears he shed were for his broken student that he had slowly become oh so close to. It was tearing him apart to see what cruelty the child suffered. No wonder he is the way he is...but he did notice a steady change in his young student. It was progress...now if he could just keep it up...maybe there was a future for the boy...he could always hope.

Hold before the child was a little girls dress. A horrified look crossed Yami's face. He dreaded to think what would happen next.

"Well boy. Aren't you going to thank me?" He growled out.

"What's it for?" The child asked slightly nervous.

"What do you think you idiot! To wear." Smirking the man shoved it into the boy's arms. "Get dressed for my guest." He grunted as he left the room. What could be more degrading? The child stood before a mirror in the bathroom and just stared at himself.

"What have I become?" The boy laughed. The laughter was not one of joy and happiness it held nothing but pain and agony tangled with humiliation. The hollow laughter echoed in Yami's ears, forcing him to cover them.

"Boy stop goofing off and get your ass down here! They will be here soon!" Yugi took one last look in the mirror, his expression once again impassive. When the boy walked down the stairs he stumbled slightly as he uncle met him half way and shoved small black school girl shoes into his arms. "Put them on! Hurry!" He said straightening his tie. The boy's uncertain grip on the shoes made his uncle slap him up side the head. "Now!" Yugi sat on the stairs and put the shoes on. They were too big. His uncle looked slightly surprised. "Hmm...you are a scrawny kid aren't you? You need to eat more brat!" The boy resisted the urge to roll his eyes as his uncle stated the obvious. The door bell rang. His uncle straightened his suit and roughly pulled the boy up. Spitting in his hand he quickly attempted to tame the boy's wild hair. "Act like a girl or you will regret it. Talk like one to you little fag." Grunting in disapproval he went to answer the door.

Yami watched sadly as the boy looked down at his shoes. He could she a slight reddish tent in the boy's cheeks.

"Mr. and Mrs. Haki! Welcome! Welcome!" His uncle roared with delight.

"Hello Mr. Jikari. Where is your little one?"

"Right in this other room. A bit shy she is." Yugi cringed slightly. A chuckle broke the silence.

"Quite alright. Our little one is excited to have a play mate her own age. Isn't that right Suna?"

"Yes father." Came a little high pitched voice.

"Please come in! No need to stand in the door way." Yami stood next to the smaller boy. The boy did have a cherub look at a young age and his amethyst eyes. He could go for a girl while in a dress. He clenched his fist together as he looked at the boy's blank look. Unexpectantly the boy darted up the stairs and into a room, slamming a door behind him. "Please excuse me a moment." His uncle said politely as they walked into the room. "Please have a seat and fill your plates don't wait for us." They smiled at Sanku and nodded. Yugi's uncle growled under his breath. The boy's teacher followed his brow furrowing in worry.

There the boy sat before them. Slightly rocking and clawing into his arms that were tightly wrapped around his knees. Blood seeped through his self inflicted wounds and smeared as his finger nails dug deeper.

"God damn brat." He muttered knowing if he yelled some one down stairs would hear. "You better not have gotten any on the dress." He hissed and he vigorously shook the child and dragged him to the bathroom. Glaring down at the boy he grabbed a rag and tightly wrapped them around his thin arm. He roughly grabbed a quilted long sleeve jacket and pulled it over the boy's arms. He grabbed one of the boy's arms and twisted it. Yugi's mouth hung open as he repressed a scream. Inhaling deeply he fell to one knee, hoping his uncle would soon let go. "Listen to me you god damn brat. If you act up once more the end result won't be pretty. Am I clear?" He asked twisting his arm further.

"Yes." The boy hissed out.

"Don't get blood on the jacket our it will be twice as worse. Stand up and apologize to them for make them wait." Nodding the boy stood and walked down stairs. After apologizing to the guest, which they waved off, they all sat around the table to eat. His uncle served him little food and no one seemed to notice. Though Yugi honestly wasn't complaining since it had been a while since he actually had any food. The girl across the table smiled at Yugi. The boy didn't respond until his uncle kicked him under the table. He forced a smile at the girl. She happily ate the rest of his food and asked to go play. His uncle gave a warning glare to his nephew who stood and followed the girl; he didn't even get to finish his food. He could hear his uncle talk to the girl's parents. Mostly to the father about business.

"What games do you have?" Unsure how to react the boy just shrugged. 'Think quick Yugi.' He thought panicky.

"Lets go to the park." He muttered softly. Yugi watched the girl as she squealed in joy. Hesitantly he grasped her hand and led her to the park. The boy sighed as the child ran up to the equipment. A dull aching burst from his chest when he remembered his sister. The memory was still raw for him. After a short time he heard a shout from his uncle's neighborhood. They were calling for them. He uncle charged over when he saw Yugi.

"What in the world were you thinking b-err...little one?" He calmed down when he saw Mr. and Mrs. Haki standing not too far away. Still in earshot. Straightening himself up he glared down at his nephew. "Go home boy. He hissed softly as to only let Yugi hear. Nodding he walked past him and straight down the street and into the house. While the girl's parents took off with the child Yugi sat in his room. He stared out the window. He opened it slightly to hear.

"I'm so sorry for my little one. Always adventurous." Mr. Haki chuckled and smiled.

"No harm done. It was a pleasure to finally meet your family. I'm sorry 'bout the wife though." Sanku smiled and nodded. They both shook hands and they left. Closing the window he sighed deeply. This was going to be very ugly. The front door slammed. His uncle charged into another room. All was silent, quite deafening. Yugi looked worried at the door...he knew what ever his uncle was doing it couldn't be good.

"You god damn bastard! I'll get you for that stunt you pulled!" His uncle shouted up the stairs after what seemed like eternity. The boy plastered himself against the wall...he heard his uncle's words and that they were slightly slurred. 'Oh Shit. He's drunk.' His door slammed open.

Yami knew what was coming. He wanted to make it stop. He didn't wish to see this. Yami himself had a couple of experiences with a drunken father but he would never ever lay a hand on him or his mother. No he just became violent and threw a tantrum. Smashing things and yelling but in the end he would always comfort and apologize his little son for scaring him. Yami knew his father tried.

Yugi stood transfixed.

"Look at you boy! You're disgusting! Worthl-hic-less piece of shit!" His uncle striked and Yugi snapped back ready to fight back. "Stupid boy." He muttered. Backhanding the child Yugi slammed into the floor. His uncle got on top of the boy and smirked. "Pretty little fag aren't you?" He smacked the boy across the face. He then reached down and kissed the red hand print. Yugi whimpered and tried to push his uncle off of him. His uncle reeked of booze. Sanku smirked and kissed the child's neck. "I love it when they struggle." He moaned into the boy's ear. Eyes widening Yugi pushed and hit his uncles back. Wanting release. He fought back but he wasn't strong enough. The man's hands gently caressed the boy's cheeks. In a smooth motion he placed his hand under his nephew's head and held it in place as he reached down to kiss him. Capturing the boy's lips he moaned.

Yami's stomach turned.

The man's other head roamed down the boy's body. Pulling back the man purred, "Respond." into the boy's ear. Then he kissed the boy's soft pink lips again. He then bit down on the boy's lip and smiled when he saw blood run down the boy's chin. Reaching down he licked it up and smiled when the body below him shivered. He lowered himself down to the boy's neck and began biting him. His roaming hand ripped his dress. The boy whimpered and closed his eyes. 'Please...blackout.' He cried out in surprise when his uncle's body fell on top of him. He pushed the older man off of him and he pulled his body out from under the heavy slab of meat. He kept backing up until his spine touched the wall. Sitting there he pulled his knees to his chest and tightly wrapped his arms around them.

Yami kneeled down next to him. He didn't even realize he was crying.

After collecting himself the boy stood and walked out of the room. He walked to the bathroom and grabbed his discarded clothes from the floor and walked to the front door. The sky was dark and street light illuminated the streets. He trudged down the streets in his torn dress, bite marks running down his face and neck.

His teacher followed his aimlessly wandering student. Yugi led them to the bridge that wasn't far from school. He held his breath at he watched Yugi slowly walked over and up onto the ledge.

Yugi ripped off the rest of the dress and stood before the water in only his underwear and the black shoes. Kicking off the shoes into the water he watched his reflection become distorted with the ripples in the water. He looked down at his scarred, bruised, and bitten body as it slowly came to focus. He contemplated to just fall into the water and drown himself. He pulled on his clothes and sat on the ledge.

"I'm never going back." Yugi whispered to himself. The boy's eyes glazed over and he stood before the little lake, licking his chapped lips nervously, and dived right in. Holding his breath he turned upward and opened his eyes. He could see a street light to the left of him. He saw air bubbles float up to and break the surface. He then slowly closed his eyes and just relaxed his body. Slowly he floated to the surface. Opening his dull amethyst eyes he glared at the stars above him. He leaned back and dived back under. He held himself under as he replayed the day's events. It was so cold under the water. He dived deeper. His hands went numb and his lungs burned. He didn't want to be warm. Just numb and here in the depths of the water he could be. He was hidden from any light and any danger. Opening his eyes he turned upright and as through he knew Yami was there he opened his mouth. Bubbles rushed to escape the boy's mouth. He had mouthed out one word...'help'.

"Yami?" The young teacher groaned. "You alright? It looked like you could use the rest but you started to mummer incoherent words and you're all sweaty. Have a nightmare?" Bakura asked concerned. Stretching Yami stood and smiled sheepishly.

"Nah. It's ok. I'm fine. Don't worry about it." He couldn't get the small form of his student out of his head. He was the most perfect child he had ever seen. He could still feel the boy's shame and it almost made Yami cry. How could anyone even think to lay a hand on the boy? It was absurd. "I'm going to go check on the boys. I'll be right back." Bakura smiled and nodded.

He walked down to his work room and quietly as possible opened the door. Two amethyst eyes stared at him in the dark.

"Yugi?" He whispered. The boy was still holding the slumbering albino child. "Have you been awake long?" The boy shook his head.

"Just woke." He muttered. His teacher nodded and smiled gently at the child.

"Why don't you bring Ryou into my room and well have a little snack?" Yugi looked like he was about to refuse but paused and looked to at the boy in his arms. Mutely he nodded and rose careful not to wake his friend. Lifting the boy into his arms he walked over to Yami. His teacher smiled and led the way. Bakura smiled when he saw who returned with Yami. Yugi walked over and handed Ryou over to his father. Ryou's father chuckled softly and held his sleeping son.

"Care to join us?" He said softly to the boy.

"I better go." Yugi muttered turning for the door. Yami stood in front of Yugi and smiled slightly.

"I think you should eat with us." He teacher stated sternly. The boy glared at the man before him. "Come. I know you must be hungry."

"Get out of my way." He hissed to his teacher.

"Not until you eat something." The boy rolled his eyes.

"I did you fucking moron." Yugi growled. Yami reached out to turn the boy back toward the table but the child jerked away. "I mean it. Don't tempt me." He warned. 'Why must he do this? Doesn't he realize I don't want to hurt him! Damn teacher.'

"I think it would be nice if we all sat around and had a snack. You need your energy."

"Out of my way." He warned one last time. Yami stood firm. Sighing the boy slacked his body and Yami thought he had given in but boy was he wrong. The child slammed his fist right into the man's stomach. Bakura gasped and held his son close while trying to cover his ears. "Why can't you just leave it alone! Do you think you can save me? Huh! Do you think I'll just fall into your arms and cry and everything will be alright!" The boy's fist was shaking. "Can't you even understand I don't want to hurt you but you force me to? I know it's all my fault, ya know? I didn't say no to anything. I didn't fight back enough. I didn't walk away. I didn't tell anyone. I just let everything happen...and it dragged me down with it! I know! Fucking god! I don't know why I played myself that way. Why I let them do this to me! I guess it was my choice! I don't fucking care! But you! Dear fucking god! Leave me the hell alone! Let me willow in self-hate! It's what I deserve!" Yugi shouted, eyes shut tightly.

"No. You don't deserve it. You didn't deserve any of it. You-"

"Don't you dare." The child growled. "Don't you fucking dare say that." He slammed his fist into the wall. "At night I keep relieving everything. I can't sleep anymore. I can hear screams and most of the time I don't realize they are mine. My uncle saying "tell me you like it." over in my fucked up head. I know what they plan to do to me at the end of the school year. I'm not stupid. I'm going to some insane institute that will finally lock me up. I don't give a shit! No...no matter what you say nothing will take away this pain." Yugi had no idea where this sudden outburst came from. But he felt lighter now that he had burdened some one else with these issues. He ran past the man, who was still on the floor, and out of the school. Bakura uncovered his son's ears and ran over to Yami.

"You alright there, Yami?" Yami smiled slightly and nodded. He caught his breath and shakily stood with his friends helping hand.

"Well that didn't go very well." Bakura smiled sadly.

"Let's eat."

The next day Yami was surprised to see Yugi show up early. The boy treaded over to his seat and slumped into it. After the whole confrontation he expected the boy to never come back. Bakura walked into the room with Ryou trailing behind him. They both smiled at the boy who was already in his desk.

"I finally got Ryou up. I thought we'd be late." Bakura chuckled giving his son a hug before he scampered off. The young boy just giggled and batted away his father's hands. Ruffling his son's hair he watched as he trotted off toward his friend. Ryou quietly talked to the unresponsive Yugi before the bell rang.

"Alright class quite down! Today is the test I know you have all been dying to do!" Every child groaned except Ryou, who smiled, and Yugi, who remained impassive. "Now this test we are doing is a little late. So we are behind the other classes in it. Just try your best. This test will show me what you already know and what we need to cover. Ok class." Bakura helped pass out the papers. "Begin." Yami was startled when Yugi pulled a pen out of his pocket and started to write. Baffled he looked over at Bakura, who too had a surprised look on his face. The test was over the normal studies like history, math, science, and english. After 10 minuets the eleven year old sat his pen down. Standing up Yugi walked over to Yami's desk and placed the paper before his teacher. Yami sat dumbfounded before his student. Snapping back at Bakura's gentle shake he took the boy's paper. Grasping the child's paper he didn't even shout for the boy to return as Yugi sharply turned and ran out of the classroom. The classroom was still and mummers were heard. "Keep working." Yami ordered. Looking at the boy's paper he grabbed the answer key. He assumed that the boy was just trying to make a fool of him...buy why?

First question...right.

Second question...right.

Yami's eyes grew wider with every question. He completed the whole test without missing one. There wasn't even any scribble marks from messing up with a pen. It was in neat hand writing and he even showed his work for the math problems. Sitting back in his chair he gasped. Right at the bottom of the child's paper was a simple, and yet familiar, 'You really shouldn't have.' Regards Yugi.

I'm sorry for neglecting my other stories that you're dying to hear the end of. I took all day doing this chappie and now I have tons of homework waiting for me. Yes I will work on all stories. I do...urm...like sometimes a sentence a day...; I know there is just no inspiration I guess...sorry once again...

Thank You

Writer of Destiny

Moon'sHope

Sara

Kuroi Kitty

Seigyoku Kiryou

blood-fire-dragon

Padfoot13

wolfwood-Voresse

Kuramalovergirl

blue-soljah

suekosa

nah I'm from the US. Kansas. Yup. nutin special...flat mostly...lol thanx double