Author's Note: This takes place in Japan, but I'm not using the whole "-san" and "-kun" and whatnot, because I really am writing this as it comes to me, and it's coming to me in an American Detective novel version. Blame my muse if you must.


Black Shadows Chapter One: Curfews Are For a Reason
Chapter 1

It was 10:00 PM in Domino City, and Joseph Wheeler realized that he was way over his curfew. Because of a run of mysterious murders and accidents in Domino over the past week, Yugi had requested (rather forcefully) that Joey would stay at his house. It had also helped that Joey's father had been in one of the accidents, and was currently in the hospital.

Joey sprinted down the street, cursing, before seeing an alley that led to the street which the Kame Game Store was on. That could cut 5 minutes off my time easy!

Joey waited until a car zoomed by before trotting across the road to the alley. He then cautiously began to walk down its length. Hold on, he thought, this seems a lot darker…and longer…than I thought. Crap, the time! Gotta run-

Shaking his head to clear it of any stupid thoughts, Joey sprinted down the alley.

Is it me or are the walls closing in?

Joey soon began to feel pressure, and it really did look like that the walls were creeping in, that the buildings on either side were starting to move together.

Joey ran faster, but it seemed to him that things were coming out of the shadows, stretching their limbs to grab him in his mad dash down the alley.

OK, now I know why Gramps said 9:00. Please, whoever's out there, if I get through this, I'll promise to never break curfew ever again in my life!

The exit was closing-it was shutting-he never was going to make it-

-HOLY--LET ME OUT!

And as he thought the name, he flew over the exit of the alley, out onto the peaceful street. His breath came in gasps, and his heart palpitated at a rate much faster than it should have health-wise. Turning around, Joey saw a peaceful alley with nothing but a black cat with blue eyes in it. The cat cocked its head at him as if to say, what's your problem? before it turned away and haughtily walked down the alley.

Shaking in fear, Joey stumbled back, further into the street. That-what-but-

His thoughts were cut off as a bright light shone in his eyes, followed by a VROOM that sharply turned into a SCREEEEECH before it all went black


Ring. Ring.

"Unh…somebody get it…"

Ring. Ring.

"It could be important-like where your friend Joey is!"

Ring. Ring.

"Grandpa, it's 11:46 at night. If he was going to call, he would've done so sooner."

Ring. Ring.

"Yugi! Get it-never mind."

Ring. Ri-

Click.

"Moshi-moshi, Mutouh residence."

"Is this Sugoroku Mutouh?"

"Yes it is."

"Unh…Grandpa, who is it?"

"I'm calling on behalf of the Domino City Hospital and the Domino City Police department about Mr. Joseph Wheeler. You're listed as his current guardian."

"On behalf of WHO! Dear me, what happened?"

"Grandpa, what's going on? Why are you so pale? Did something happen to Joey?"

"We have-an unusual case. He-"

"Is he hurt?"

"No, he's-um, I think you have to come down here to see this-"

"Calm down, ma'am. What happened?"

"Well, Mr. Wheeler was picked up at 9:13 PM by the Domino City Police. He was hit by a car…but not really. Oh, this is so hard to explain! Please, Mr. Mutouh, you have to come down to the station immediately. Please."

"What do you mean, he was hit by a car but not really-"

"WHAT!"

"Yugi, calm down! How badly is Joey hurt?"

"He isn't! He's perfectly normal…we think."

"Yugi, Joey's not hurt. Ma'am, what do you mean by…that last statement?"

"What is she saying? WHAT HAPPENED!"

"YUGI! BED!"

Pause.

Grumbling. Fading.

Quiet.

"…Sorry ma'am. Now, what happened?"

"Sir, you'll have to come down to the Police Station immediately. Detective Griggs will meet you there. Goodnight."

"What-wait-"

Click.

Silence.

"Why did her voice change?...It must've been just my ears playing tricks on me…It's too late at night for an old man…"

Grumbling. Fading.

Rustling. Jingling.

Click, open.

Click, close.

Click, lock.

Silence.

Rumbling.

Lights go on.

More rumbling.

The lights move away.

Rumbling fades.

The house is quiet.

The house is dark.

A car heads to the center of Domino City.

Excellent.


Author's Note: And the suspense builds! What happened to Joey (yep, I'm using his/most other peeps' dubbed names because I feel like it)? And who the holy heck is that Dragon from the Prologue? Keep that last question in mind, because Jacob's popping up again soon. How soon? Well…NOT TELLING! Oh, and to assuage my readers' fears, yes, there IS supposed to be a blank in Joey's mental scream. You'll find out later. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAAA! coughhack