The Ghost

Chapter 4

"I told you already," Snarls Alister. "He was just looking at the mail and I was standing over there when he suddenly looked up and started screaming." Alister may be omitting some information. Before the boy even looked up, the green stone that Alister always wears had started glowing, but that had only been in response to some form of energy. The orichalcos stone had probably not caused any ill effects in the boy. Probably.

"Yeah, he started screaming for no reason while you were standing right there, and because of some odd occurrence, his unconscious body happened to be in your arms when we ran into the room," Says Tristan from his position by the couch and on the opposite side of the room from Alister. Joey, who has taken it upon himself to stand right next to Alister and glare at him, decides to contribute to the conversation.

"I found you fishy from the start. I doubt you're even his cousin."

Tristan steps away from his spot to join Joey in his guard duty.

"Yeah, and how come he did not mention you were coming to visit, because, usually, family does not just pop out of the blue like that?" Tristan's snarl and accompanying words are mostly for Miho's benefit. Whatever she saw happen in the hallway has caused her to completely withdraw into herself as she sits on the floor right next to the couch. Her quiet state has worked Tristan into a frenzy.

"GUYS, SHUT IT," Snaps Tea from her spot kneeling in front of the couch. "Whether Alister is telling the truth or not, it is not going to help us figure out what happened to Bakura and how to fix it if you continue your little macho fit."

The two fall silent at Tea's words and glance at the still figure on the couch. As he lays there, Ryo Bakura looks as though he is only sleeping and not in some unwakeable coma-like state. He has been like that for fifteen minutes.

"His name is Ryo." Mumbles a voice next to the couch. Almost everyone, except for the spiky-haired teen standing a little to the right of Tea, stares at Miho.

"He is our friend, so we should call him by his first name." Miho's eyes are downcast as she talks quietly enough to cause the others to lean towards her in order to hear.

"I agree with Miho." States Yugi who has finally finished conversing with the Puzzle Spirit about this matter. "Ryo is our friend. I mean, he practically died for us in Monster World."

The gang is silent in the wake of Yugi's words. One by one they nod in agreement.

Yugi walks over to Miho and stops in front of her.

"Miho, could you tell us what exactly you saw. You were the only one to see what happened, so you're the only one that can shed light on this whole mess." Yugi's tone is comforting and his eyes are kind. Miho looks directly into his eyes.

"I didn't just see something. I felt it, too." She becomes silent for a moment.

"Ryo was happily looking through whatever that girl gave him, and then the hallway started getting a little cold. Once that happened, Ryo started looking more and more terrified, and the hall kept getting colder and colder until I could only see my breath. Once that happened, Ryo looked up, but he didn't look at me. He...He was staring at something near his end of the hall. He looked so scared. Then, he screamed and I didn't know what to do because he looked so scared."

The end of Miho's story is met by a deafening silence.

"You're saying that he saw some kind of ghost," Says an extremely pale Joey.

Some emotion flickers within Alister's eyes.

"He knows something. Let me out."

Yugi does not see any reason not to comply with his Other's request. However, he is concerned by the eagerness in his Other's voice.