Adult-FanFiction.org : Yu-Gi-OH

Rending the Veil	By : SangoHuntress1977 Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 3154 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: YuGiOh and all characters thereof are the sole property of Kazuki Takahashi and all media rightsholders. I am merely a fan borrowing for fun and entertainment and derive no profit therefrom.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
April 29 - May 5
Golden Week
The coming of the week long holiday from school and work known as Golden Week hailed the return of Honda and Shizuka from Sapporo for a weeklong visit.
Yugi yawned and stretched out as he glanced at the vault of blue sky through his skylight. A smile graced the young man’s features. He was so glad the weather was giving Honda and Shizuka a beautiful day for their visit.
Bzzzz!
Yugi quickly flipped his phone open.
W4rDoG: ill b there by 9 dont eat no brkfst cuz wer etn @ bw
blackmage: OK.
W4rDoG: cant w8 2 c lil sis agn o & the jerk 2
blackmage: LOL It seems like Honda and Shizuka have made a life for themselves in Sapporo.
W4rDoG: guess so if honda can a4d a car now
After getting dressed, Yugi got on his computer for something to do until Jou came by. He would have watched TV downstairs, but ever since that creepy night back in March, he never felt alone downstairs, even when he knew he was. The feeling was just unnerving enough to make Yugi keep to the upstairs as much as he could, though he certainly did venture downstairs when he needed to. He just preferred being upstairs, where it was usually a bit less… crowded.
Yugi played some video games for a while, then fired up KaZaA, which had MP3s and even entire movies not available in Japan for download. Due to his being on dialup, the movies were out of the question, but the MP3s were doable and Yugi started a download of a promising looking song called Cemetery Gates, by an American band called Pantera.
When the clock showed 8:55, Yugi looked at his computer, his download only halfway finished. He quickly decided to leave the machine running to finish its download. Just then he heard the screech and the honk. Pausing only to grab his wallet, Yugi flew from his room, down the hall, the stairwell and through the kitchen, pausing only to step into his shoes in the genkan, before going out the door to meet his friend.
“Hey, dude! Ready t' rock?” Jou asked.
“Ready,” replied Yugi as he jumped over the door and into the seat beside Jou.
“Yer winded. Place still creepin’ ya out?” Jou asked as he put the car in gear.
“A bit. I just stay in my room,” shrugged Yugi.
“Dun worry. We’ll find a way to get ridda it one a dese days,” said Jou goodnaturedly.
“I’m not worr…”
Jou’s phone suddenly blasted its heavy metal text tone. He grabbed the device and checked the message.
“Fuck! Dere already at Burger World!” he exclaimed. “Hang on!”
Before Yugi could respond, Jou put the pedal to the metal and they whizzed down the street toward Burger World, heavy metal blasting in their wake.
When they arrived at BW, Jou hastily parked the car, then he and Yugi jumped out and ran into the diner. In a booth, side by side, sat Honda and Shizuka. It was Shizuka who saw them first, hazel eyes lighting in glad recognition.
“Katsuya!” she called out happily.
“Hey sis! Honda, ya ol’ bastard! How ya guys been?!” cried Jou, plopping down across the table from the couple.
“Big brother, I’ve missed you so much!” said Shizuka, giving Jou’s hand a quick squeeze across the table.
“Hey, guys! Been a long time. Have we got a lot of stories to tell you,” said a smiling Honda.
“Yeah. Tell us all about Hokkaido,” asked Yugi as he sat down next to Jou.
After one of the waitresses took the group’s orders, they fell into talking.
“So how’s it been, workin’ da slopes?” asked Jou.
“Cold, but a lot of fun. Me and Shizuka get free run of the slopes as long as there’s no work for me to do,” said Honda.
“So ya know how to ski now?” grinned Jou.
“Skiing my ass. Snowboarding’s my thing. Shizuka’s the skier,” said Honda, jerking his head over to his girlfriend. “In fact, she’s so good, they made her an instructor before the first month was out.”
“Well, just with the little kids,” said Shizuka humbly.
“That’s not all you’ve been up to,” teased Honda.
“Hiroto…” chided Shizuka. Then with a little sigh, she began. “I’ve been working in the giant flower fields up there. It’s just the prettiest place in the world.”
“Dat so?” said Jou with a proud smile.
“She’s a natural talent with plants and has a great eye for how everything should look,” bragged Honda.
“Oh, I’m not that good, Hiroto,” said Shizuka, humbly brushing off her boyfriend’s compliment.
“The director only said her rows are the prettiest he’s seen,” bragged Honda.
“Alright, Hiroto. They get the idea,” said Shizuka, reaching under the table and squeezing Honda in a certain area that made him give off a high pitched…
“Eeep!”
“Um, speaking of flowers, there’s a pretty spread in Domino Park. Why don’t we all go see them after we eat?” piped up Yugi.
“I’d love to!” agreed Shizuka.
“Sounds good,” said Honda in his new soprano voice.
Just then, hamburgers fries and Cokes were brought. The four fell into a contented silence as they ate.
Domino Park
From one end to the other, the central park was a bower of colorful bloom. The air was perfumed by many different scents and bees and hummingbirds flitted about everywhere, taking advantage of the offerings of nectar. The sun blessed the park with its bright light and a warm, perfumed breeze blew the plants, making them seem to dance to a silent rhythm.
The park was teeming with people and dogs, elderly couples, young couples in love, families with children and babies and of course, groups of youthful friends, all there for the purpose of enjoying the beautiful flowers and trees on this Greenery Day.
The quartet wandered about, taking in all the sights and scents the lovely little park had to offer. It may not have been as grand as the flower fields of Hokkaido, but it was nothing to sneeze at either.
“Clear out of my space, morons!” came a familiar, rude voice, cutting in on the gaiety of the occasion.
“Aw, shit…” said Jou as the four turned to look into the sharp blue eyes and dour visage of Kaiba Seto, who sat on a park bench, ever present laptop balanced on his knees. “Dun tell me yer actually workin’ durin’ Golden Week.”
The scowl deepened as icy blue eyes narrowed.
“Unlike you slackers, I have a business to run; Golden Week doesn’t change that,” growled the CEO.
“But you came to the park instead of staying in your office, so you must be enjoying yourself,” pointed out Yugi.
Kaiba stiffened and shifted his position on the bench.
“Coming here wasn’t my idea,” he grumbled, icy gaze shifting away from the group.
The four friends’ eyes followed Kaiba’s gaze a short distance off to behold a boy with long black hair, talking with some girls who were wandering about, looking at the flowers. Upon seeing the familiar group off in the distance, Mokuba smiled and raised a hand in greeting.
“Hi, guys! Happy Golden Week!” he called to them.
“Hi, Mokuba! Same to you!” Yugi returned happily.
“Well, at least one a da two a ya actually knows how to chill out ‘n have fun,” grinned Jou.
“Shove it, guard dog!” growled Kaiba, closing his laptop before standing up and shoving his way right through the middle of the foursome, then stalking off to the field where his younger brother was.
“Nice ta see you too!” Jou called after the CEO. “Let’s go t’da othah side a the park. Dis side’s a bit chilly all of a sudden.”
The foursome spent the rest of the day wandering about the cheerful park, Jou keeping a wary eye out for any sign of Kaiba. Thankfully, the park was large enough to accommodate the group and the Kaiba brothers and delight rained down on everyone on that first golden day of the golden week.
That night…
“I had a great time today. Thanks, Jou,” said Yugi as he hopped out of Jou’s car.
“Yup. See ya tomorrow,” smiled Jou.
Jou took off, heavy metal blasting out of his car’s speakers and Yugi let himself in. It was the sound of heavy metal blasting from upstairs that caused him to hurriedly remove his shoes and dash upstairs toward his room.
And when she died
I couldn’t cry
The pride within my soul
You left me incomplete
All alone as the memories now unfold.
Believe the word
I will unlock my door
And pass the
Cemetery gates
When Yugi opened his door, he found his computer’s media program open, playing the song he had left downloading, over and over in a loop. Eyes wide in horror and dismay, Yugi jumped across the room to his computer and stopped the playback.
“No way,” he said softly.
…thump bump thump…
The familiar, eerie sounds from downstairs caused Yugi to quickly gather his PJs and tear down the hall and into the bathroom. It had been a long, but fun day and he was tired.
May-June, 2002
Spring passed into summer, bringing bright sunlight carried in on warmer winds. Flowers gave way to seeds and cicadas began singing their summer song among the verdant foliage of the trees.
Grateful for the change in weather, Yugi began leaving the game shop door open to get much needed air and sunlight into the little store. Now that the children were out of school for a one month holiday, the shop was flooded with young kids coming in to buy Duel Monsters and other games. Yugi’s heart was gladdened at the sight of the small fry with their uplifting exuberance.
Unfortunately, the coming of summer also meant the opening of Kaiba Land and this meant that Jou had next to no free time to come over and hang out. Yugi began relying very heavily on email to keep in contact with the blond and the two spent each day emailing each other back and forth, commenting and complaining about their respective work.
The presence continued to be felt at the game shop. Not a night passed by that Yugi didn’t hear some strange thumping noises from downstairs. In addition to this, on some nights, he was treated to the sound of footsteps on the lower floor, staircase and hallway just outside his room.
Kayobi, Tuesday, June 4, 2002
Yugi stretched out his limbs and looked gratefully at the blue sky with just a few wispy clouds floating in it through the skylight. Song birds wheeled and turned about in the wind, adding to the loveliness of the day. It was as if the weather had remembered one young man’s birthday and made the day light and beautiful all for him.
‘In another year, I’ll be a full adult,’ Yugi thought, feeling both joyful and solemn at once.
Bzzzz!
He picked up his phone and flipped it open.
W4rDoG: happy bday yuge gt ur ass ^ & dressed im takin u out all day
With a wide smile, Yugi quickly tapped out his reply.
blackmage: Thanks, Jou. I’ll be ready. Don’t empty your wallet for me though.
Bzzz!
W4rDoG: dont wrry abt tht KCs bn gd 2 me
After shedding his PJs and donning jeans and a simple white t-shirt, Yugi went about the monumental task of taming his large spiky hair, then ran downstairs just as the familiar squeal of tires and honking horn sounded.
There was Jou in his red convertible, heavy metal blaring from his speakers. With the rag top down, the sun shone on the blond’s hair, making it seem to glow like fire. A large grin spread across the young man’s features at the sight of his buddy.
“C’mon Yuge! Let’s go pahty!”
Yugi bounded outside, pausing only to lock the side door and leapt into the front passenger seat. As soon as Yugi was seated, Jou shifted into drive and punched the pedal. As they went along, both young men head banged to the crying guitars and screeched lyrics of Jou’s chosen musical genre. Although not initially a metal head, Yugi had found quite a few bands that he genuinely liked and this was one of them. He bobbed his head up and down and wailed the lyrics as best he could.
Before long, they were in Downtown Domino. After parking the car, Yugi and Jou went to find a restaurant for breakfast. They quickly came upon a small roadside ramen stand and ordered themselves two bowls, Jou getting pork and Yugi getting beef.
‘Grandpa would be beside himself if he could see me eating breakfast at a ramen stand. But what the hell? You only get one birthday each year,’ Yugi thought as he slurped up noodles.
After breakfast, Yugi and Jou went to their old favorite arcade. Yugi noted thankfully that with the summer holiday, there was a marked increase in the number of kids and teens coming in, compared to what he and Anzu had seen upon their visit here last year.
The arcade was filled wall to wall with students, enjoying their holiday to the most. Consoles lined the walls, their screens flashing hypnotically at all the kids hunched over them. The floor was sticky with spilled pop and the air smelled of Coca-Cola and nachos. The noises from the video games, explosions, punches, gun shots, car motors, combined with the shouting and laughter of the youth, created a cacophony that reverberated off the walls and fed back on itself in a never-ending loop. Thankfully, Yugi and Jou were both inured to it, having been coming to this place for years.
Yugi and Jou faced off in some martial arts video games, all of which Yugi handed Jou his ass in. Jou didn’t mind being thumped by Yugi, because Yugi was always a gracious winner and never crowed about his victories.
After the martial arts games, Yugi and Jou plunked their coins into the slots of the car racing games and burned virtual rubber, each trying to reach the finish line first. Jou was a dirty driver and thought nothing of trying to run Yugi off the racetrack, but Yugi was very skilled and knew all of Jou’s tactics, having played against him before, and was able to dodge Jou’s advances and cross the finish line first.
“Ya got lucky!” glowered Jou without malice.
After the arcade came the movie theater. Yugi hadn’t been to the theater since he had run out in the middle of Fellowship six months ago. Today though, they took in Austin Powers Goldmember, which was so hilarious, it had Yugi working hard to stifle his laughter only ten minutes in. Jou put his feet up on the seat before him, threw popcorn and hooted and hollered throughout the movie, much to Yugi’s embarrassment.
Jou and Yugi exited the theater, laughing and joking about the movie they had just seen. The sun was slipping into the western horizon, leaving swathes of red and pink in its wake. A pleasantly cool breeze blew in from the Pacific Ocean, making it an evening to spend out having fun.
“So, ya wanna grab a bite?” Jou asked.
“Nah. I’m stuffed on theater food,” smiled Yugi, patting his full stomach.
“I was hopin’ ya’d say dat. Now we kin cut right to da piece a resistance,” grinned Jou, pulling a pair of tickets from his pocket and holding them up to Yugi.
“Church of Misery, mosh pit?!” Yugi yelped, eyes lighting as he looked up into Jou’s. “No way! How’d you…”
“Like I said, Kaiba Corp’s been good to me,” smirked Jou. “Dis concert’s gonna go late. Ya ready?”
“Am I!” cried Yugi, figuring he could always keep the shop closed tomorrow.
The only bad part of getting into the concert was standing in a long line. However, Yugi and Jou contented themselves by talking about anything and everything or Yugi laughing himself nearly to tears at Jou’s snide observations about the other concertgoers.
At long last though, they were through the line and into the mosh pit. The entire atmosphere was thick with the palpable tension that comes with anticipation as the concertgoers stood around talking and waiting for the main act.
Finally, the lights dimmed and the spotlights glowed on the stage. Then Church of Misery entered the stage. The audience erupted in bloodlust as Tatsu and Yoshiaki greeted them and announced their first song, The Boston Strangler. The speakers all around the pit blared loudly as the guitars started and the singers screeched their lurid lyrics of bloodshed. It was absolute pandemonium as some people were headbanging and others were slam dancing. A fist fight broke out as Jou took exception to someone shoving him from behind and leapt on them, kicking and punching.
PLEASE LET ME INSIDE
OPEN YOUR DOOR
I’M HERE TO CHOKE YOU DOWN
Next thing Yugi knew, he had been picked up and was being passed around over everyone’s heads. Fortunately, Jou had told Yugi about moshpits and he knew he was crowd surfing and wouldn’t be harmed. Still, he hoped he would be able to find Jou after he was put down. Finally, Yugi was set down at the edge of the pit. Now came the daunting task of getting back to his spot. Yugi hunched down and weaved in and out among the other concertgoers without drawing anyone’s ire.
SHOW ME YOU’RE SMILING
AND HEAR ME YOUR CRYING
WHITE TEARS FALL FROM MY GRACE
Eventually, he found his way back and surely enough, there was Jou, sporting a few bruises and a shiner that would probably be swollen shut by tomorrow, but grinning ear to ear; the guy who had attacked him from behind nowhere to be seen.
REIGN OF SPERM - WHITE NOISE
I LOST MY MIND
IN A TRANCE, I WILL CUM
The next song came on, the rhythm of it setting everyone slam dancing. Yugi got knocked about a couple times before picking up on the rhythm and hurdling himself into anyone coming at him. He knew he would be sore in the morning, but it was worth it!
The sun had long since set by the time Yugi and Jou had exited the arena, leaving a navy blue sky bedizened with twinkling diamond-like stars and a full moon smiling down upon them as they emerged into the somewhat cooler night air.
“So, howdja like yer first mosh pit?” Jou asked as he started the car.
“It was awesome! Let’s do it again!” shouted Yugi, grinning more than Jou had seen him in several months.
“Dere’s some American acts comin’ in July. Metallica’s awesome,” hinted Jou.
“That would be cool!” said Yugi.
With a nod, Jou turned on the radio and more metal started blaring from the speakers as he put the car in gear and punched the gas pedal. As they tore down the freeway, Yugi and Jou headbanged to all the metal raging from the car’s stereo until they reached Jou’s apartment.
“Um, Jou, are you sure this is OK?” Yugi asked, vividly remembering the only time he and their friends had gone to Jou’s apartment and had the dubious pleasure of meeting Jounouchi-san.
“If yer worried ‘bout my ol’ man, don’t be. He’s in jail fer a bar fight,” said Jou in a low voice as he unlocked the door.
“Jou…” Yugi began.
“C’mon in!” said Jou brightly as the door opened and they stepped into the genkan.
“Please pardon the intrusion,” Yugi said as they stepped out of their shoes.
“Heh! Always so polite,” grinned Jou as they stepped up.
Poor Yugi was taken aback as to the state of the flat: beer cans, papers, and lewd magazines were strewn about the place, regardless of who saw them. Taking care not to stare openly, Yugi frowned as he thought of what Jou’s home life must be like.
‘Honda wasn’t kidding when he said Jou came from a broken home,’ he thought sadly.
“Dere ain’t much in da fridge, but grab yerself somethin’ if ya want. Gotta git some ice fer mah eye,” said Jou.
“Thanks,” said Yugi.
Upon opening the fridge door, Yugi discovered some actual food, like Grandpa used to bring home, including some nice rice balls.
“I’ll just grab a couple rice balls!” he called.
“Dat’s fine!” Jou’s voice rang from down the hall.
After they had crashed on the couch, Jou grabbed the remote and turned on the stereo. Some laid back electric guitar music flowed in the background, giving the entire place a dreamy ambience.
“English band called Pink Floyd,” explained Jou. “Dey ain’t ezaklee heavy metal, but de’re awesome anyway.”
“Kinda hypnotic,” said Yugi, liking the laid back, softer sounds after the harsh music from the mosh pit.
“Speakin’ a hypnotic,” grinned Jou as he tossed Yugi a beer can. “Happy birthday, man.”
“But we’re still a year underage,” Yugi pointed out, looking dubiously at the can.
“So? Who’s gonna check?” asked Jou as he cracked open his can. “C’mon, dude. Live it up!”
“Well… OK, but just one,” Yugi resolved as he cracked open his can.
“Now yer talkin,” said Jou, holding up his can, with Yugi following suit.
“Cheers!”
There is no pain, you are receding
A distant ship’s smoke on the horizon
You are only coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can’t hear what you’re saying
As Yugi took his first ever drink of beer, the bitter taste made his tongue curl up on itself. The effects went straight to his head, causing a funny warmth to blossom in his stomach and slowly radiate throughout his being. As he kept drinking steadily, the warmth radiated more, making him feel dizzy and a bit stupid. By the time he had finished the can, his eyelids felt quite heavy and his movements impaired.
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye.
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown,
The dream is gone.
“*hic* Jou?” he asked.
“It’s cool. It’s hittin’ ya cuz yer a lightweight,” grinned Jou. “You’ll prolly drop off soon.”
“No’ me. I’m wide ‘wake… *hic*,” said Yugi just before his eyelids fell closed and he tilted over on his side.
“Oh, yeah. Wide awake. Happy birthday, man,” said Jou as he went for his second can.
I have become comfortably numb
Doyobi, Saturday, July 13, 2002
Obon
In mid-July, the festival of the dead was once again upon Domino. Banners and chochin were strung up and the carnival was set up in Domino Park, where festivity hung in the atmosphere.
Yugi took the material he had purchased and worked in his room, putting the wood together and writing the kanji for Mutou Sugoroku on the rice paper before adding it to the wood.
Thump thump bump thump thump
thump thump thump bump thump
Yugi absently knocked on his desk.
“Don’t worry, Grandpa. I’ll cross you over if it’s the last thing I do. Just hang on a few more days,” Yugi said resolutely as he continued his work on the small boat that would ferry his grandfather’s soul into the afterlife on the last day of the festival.
The static electricity in the game shop seemed to grow stronger with the advent of the festival, as if a veil that had kept it from manifesting properly had been drawn aside. In fact, it was so strong that it actually woke Yugi up from a sound sleep. When he looked over, he saw his previously shut door wide open.
“Oh, my gods…” he murmured, feeling as though something were pressing down on his chest.
Sitting up, he grabbed his phone and emailed Jou about it.
blackmage: Grandpa knows it’s Obon. He’s in my room right now. The air is just CRACKLING with electricity.
Bzzzz!
W4rDoG: seems lyk if u wnt 2 snd ur grndpa 2 the nxt wrld u nd 2 sail a lantern 4 hm
blackmage: I was planning to do that. I hope it works.
W4rDoG: if it dont im outta ideas
The static electric presence grew thicker and more agitated with each passing day. It got to the point where Yugi could barely stand being indoors and opted to spend all day out with Jou, who didn’t object in the least.
Although a festival of the dead, Obon was a fun time, with so much to see and do, mostly at night, though there was plenty to do during the day too. Yugi and Jou spent each day walking about Domino Park, riding the rides, playing the games, taking in all the sights and stopping at the snack stands to feast on grilled dango and other goodies.
This year was a bit slower to Yugi because, alas, Honda, Otogi and Shizuka all had commitments elsewhere, so it was just he and Jou. However, he didn’t let this get him down as they rode the roller coaster, the carousel and tea cups.
As last year, Yugi and Jou danced in the Bon Odori, moving gracefully and clapping their hands to the rhythm. This year, Yugi sensed something different in the atmosphere of this first night of the festival, almost as they he could feel the rift in the veil between this world and the next. It wasn’t exactly scary, but it did send a thrill down his spine, even as he twisted and turned to the music.
Each evening, the cold static electricity was there, as though waiting for him, and assaulted him the moment he set foot into the house. Yugi would all but flee upstairs, take his bath and head straight to bed. Thankfully, this week, the entity didn’t venture upstairs, so Yugi had this one sanctuary where the air was relatively normal.
Kayobi, Tuesday, July 16, 2002
Yugi and Jou took in the sights and sounds of this final Obon night. There was music, fireworks, people running to and fro, shouts and swear words, drunkenness, just about everything one would expect of a large festival.
While Jou covered his eyes and screamed like a girl, a wide-eyed Yugi yelled at the tops of his lungs as the roller coaster started down the steep incline, quickly building up speed as it went, the wind whipping his spiky hair into disarray.
After the roller coaster came the tea cups. However, this was a bad idea, as Jou, still queasy after the roller coaster, had to lean over the edge and disgorge everything he had eaten earlier onto the platform below.
While Jou looked on, Yugi lit the candle contained in the four small rice paper walls. Carefully, he set the small lantern into the water and watched as the gentle waves bore it away to join the other souls on their trek back to the afterlife.
‘Thanks for everything, Grandpa. I love you and… farewell,’ Yugi thought as he tried to, but only partially succeeded in doing, swallow his tears.
Standing a short distance behind to give Yugi privacy, Jou noted the darkening sky.
‘Dude, wut da fuck? Where da hell’d dis shit come from?’ the blond thought in consternation. ‘Looks like da only fireworks we’ll get tonight’ll be thunder ‘n lightnin’.’
“Hey, Yuge. Dere’s a storm movin’ in. Let’s book b’fore it hits,” Jou advised.
“Huh? What about the fireworks?” Yugi asked.
“We won’t git nothin’ but a good soakin’ if we dun git outta here now. Sorry to say it, but da fireworks’re bust dis year,” said Jou, pointing to the ominous looking sky above them.
“Damn!” cried Yugi as he beheld the gray clouds encroaching on their fun.
When had the sky changed so much?
Jou and Yugi walked a bit before they got to the corner where they would split up to go to their respective homes.
“Thanks for coming to the festival with me, Jou,” Yugi said quietly.
“No problem. Always a blast. Email me t’night,” replied Jou, ruffling Yugi’s spiky hair playfully.
“OK,” said Yugi with a partial smile and halfhearted dodge from Jou’s hand.
With no further words, the two friends split and went their separate ways for the night.
Jou’s words proved prophetic as raindrops started to pelt cars, buildings, the sidewalk, everything, bouncing off the green leaves of trees, just as Yugi made it to his side door. In a very quick movement, Yugi had himself through the door and inside before he could get more than damp.
The rain quickly picked up pace until it was a downpour. Lightning streaked across the sky, followed by terrible sonic booms that shook the rafters and foundations of the game shop and made Yugi tremble. He couldn’t remember a storm of this ferocity in his lifetime. It complemented the already thick and charged atmosphere that had permeated the festival over the evening.
The atmosphere inside the house was even moreso charged, the air so sharp with… something that Yugi couldn’t describe, the young man could swear he could taste the static electricity on it.
And then he saw it: a thick gray mist floating in the air before him, like fog one would expect to find in a field after a goodly rain, only inside the house!
“Oh, my gods…” was Yugi’s response as he quickly pulled out his phone and started taking picture after picture of this mist that not only floated, but undulated, changed directions with no wind blowing it and really seemed to be sentient!
The mist suddenly drifted toward Yugi, completely encircling him, pressing in from all sides. Yugi felt as though he were being smothered in supernatural aura to the point where he could barely make out the furniture in the room around him. The hairs on his neck and arms stood on end, an eerie tingling feeling coursing down his spine. It all became too much for Yugi to bear and he fled to the safety of his room, leaving the downstairs to his invisible, otherworldly guest.
In the comparative safety of the upstairs, Yugi grabbed his PJs and went for his shower and bath. The hot water splashing over his skin and the warm steam in the room helped to drive away the lingering effects of the cold, static electric mist downstairs.
Back in his room, huddled under the blanket, Yugi whipped out his phone, flipped it open and emailed all the mist pictures to Jou.
Bzzz!
W4rDoG: wtf dude thats fuqn crazy u wanna crash @ my place 2nyt i cn pik u ^
blackmage: I think I’ll be OK here. Thanks though.
W4rDoG: ill swing by 2mrw
blackmage: OK see you then.
W4rDoG: cya
creak creak creak creak
Lightning flashed outside, lighting up the house.
Up the stairs.
Yugi lay as still as a statue, hoping that somehow staying still would make the entity lose interest in him and go away.
creak creak creak creak
Down the hall toward his room.
BOOM of thunder!
Despite his best efforts to stay still, Yugi was trembling from head to toe, blood running cold in his veins.
creak creak
The footsteps stopped just on the other side of his door. The handle turned and before Yugi’s eyes, the door swung open, the mist drifting through and invading his room, chilling the air and causing goosebumps to swell on his arms as it moved toward him. The atmosphere pressed down on him from all sides, as though invisible hands were squeezing the very life out of him, leaving Yugi feeling sick and shivering all over. It was in this moment that he realized something painful.
“You’re not my grandpa!” he cried angrily, tears pricking his eyes.
Yugi decided that it was time to put Bakura’s advice from last April into practice and claim his territory. Balling his fists at his sides, Yugi stood up on his mattress, violet eyes blazing with uncharacteristic anger.
“Grandpa wouldn’t scare me like this! I don’t know what you are, but I don’t want you here! Get out of my shop! Get out of my life!” he screamed.
The mist stopped its movement and hung thickly in the air as though pondering Yugi’s words. Then he felt it, an overwhelming sorrow that stabbed him in the heart, causing him to clutch at his chest and double up in pain, wanting nothing more than to sob his heart out.
‘What is it? What’s this loneliness?’
Through the veil of tears that now dimmed his eyes, Yugi watched the mist slowly withdraw from his room, drifting out the door, pulling it closed after it. As the mist departed, the temperature of the room gradually returned to normal, causing the hairs on Yugi’s arms and neck to rest against his skin once again. Very, very gradually, the heavy sorrow that was inundating his heart began to scale back, allowing his chest to lighten just a bit.
creak creak creak creak creak creak
Down the hallway.
Two flashes of lightning.
creak creak creak creak creak creak
Down the stairs.
The sound of the side door opening and shutting.
creeeeeaaaaak
ptam
BOOM!
As Yugi lay staring at his door, the atmosphere of the house, which had been so thick and heavy for months, seemed shift and ebb away, as though chased out by his angry words. The pressure against his mind and body and the sorrow in his heart gradually lightened and then were just… gone, leaving a dull emptiness in their void.
Exhausted in mind and body, Yugi wiped the tears from his eyes and let the newfound lightness of the house’s atmosphere combine with the steady drumming of the rain to lull him to sleep. Even the occasional flash of lightning and crack of thunder couldn’t awaken him.
11:59 PM…
Yugi lay curled up under the blanket, eyelids closed so that long lashes touched his cheeks, mouth open just a bit, a rivulet of drool running down his cheek.
Then it happened…
A flash of lightning so bright that for the split second it was there, it seemed like daylight outside, immediately followed by an earsplitting…
KABOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!
The entire house shook with the deafening timbre of that strike. Yugi’s eyes, closed in sleep, opened wide, his entire body jerking in startlement from the noise and the sharp vibrations it caused.
‘I’ve never heard thunder that loud!’ he thought to himself.
The lightning continued to flash and the thunder to roll, but just in the garden variety manner now, as the raindrops continued to pelt on Yugi’s skylight and windows. Violet eyes glazed over with exhaustion and Yugi felt his being slipping back into the heaviness of sleep, aided by the now serene atmosphere of the house.
…knock knock knock…
Yugi’s brain attempted to sink into dark solitude to escape the sound. Even so, the faint, but steady, cadence finally forced the young man through layers of consciousness until hesitant eyes pried themselves open. The thunder and lightning seemed to have stopped, though the deluge continued, unabated.
…knock knock…
Yugi’s eyes snapped open. He wasn’t dreaming! Someone was knocking at the side door!
‘Who the hell would be out in this weather?!’ he thought as he lay still and listened.
…knock knock knock… knock knock…
Grabbing his baseball bat for protection just in case, Yugi opened his bedroom door and flicked up the light switch to turn on the hallway light, only for the hallway to remain dark. He flicked the switch a couple more times.
‘Damn! The storm must’ve knocked the power out!’ he thought petulantly as he went to retrieve his flashlight.
…knock knock knock…
Armed thus, Yugi made his way down the hallway until he stood at the top of the stairwell, staring into the darkness below. Each faint knock made his heart race and his skin crawl. Anyone who showed up at the house this late at night could only bring trouble with them.
‘Maybe I should be calling the police instead,’ Yugi thought to himself, then dismissed the idea. ‘As if the police would trouble themselves over a knocking sound.’
Yugi began his descent of the stairwell.
creak creak creak creak creak
It was normal for the stairs to creak when someone walked on them. Tonight though, the creaking seemed abnormally loud, heightening the adrenaline already coursing pell mell through Yugi’s veins, making him feel like he was about to jump out of his skin.
Then he was downstairs, the genkan and side door only a few yards to his left.
… knock knock knock knock knock… …knock knock knock…
The knocking had become louder and more frequent, indicating great desperation on the part of who or whatever was on the other side of that door. Standing across the kitchen from the genkan, Yugi strained his eyes to see anything, anything at all, against the darkness beyond the door’s window. Alas, he saw nothing.
…knock knock knock knock…
Did he really want to see what was on the other side of that door? All his self-preservation instincts screamed to simply run back upstairs, burrow under his blanket and leave the darkness to itself. Taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders, Yugi approached the genkan. Keeping his eyes on the window the whole time, he stepped down into his shoes and reached for the door. Entire body shaking with the rush of adrenaline, Yugi fumbled as he unlocked and opened the door. The next thing he knew, he was jumping back as something collapsed clear across the threshold!
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Rending the Veil