Keiichi felt his hair stand on end.  He was just wearing a
pair of boxers, and they weren't very comfortable.

All of a sudden, his skin broke out in blisters.

He let out a voiceless scream as they began to pop all over.

Blood and pus began to flow down his legs, and he felt his
face erode under his hands, and he could see the bones, all
the bones, such a beautiful machine...

Oh, God, I'm, dying, please don't do this God-Belldandy-I'm-
dying-keepinsidewon'tyoukeepinsidestayinsideohGodsaveme...

In his ears, a cackling grew to life...

---

"Gotta get out... gotta get out... gotta get out..."

"Whassup, Keiichi?"

Keiichi stopped his mantra.  "Hadda god-awful nightmare
last night.  Gonna bum off."  Mumble, mumble.

Urd watched his receding back, before turning to go back
in.

Belldandy rushed down the stairs.  "Keiichi!!"

Urd stood where she was.  "You just missed him, sis."

The goddess of the present turned down the path Urd 
pointed, but he wasn't there.

---

"Gotta listen... gotta listen... gotta listen..."

"Morisato!"  Tamiya put a hammy hand on Keiichi's shoulder.
"What've you got there...?"

"Gotta listen... gotta listen... gotta listen..."

"Come wit' me.  Dere's gotta be a CD player in de dorm."

---

"Are you sure?"  Urd demanded.

"Yes!  There was a disturbance in the net earlier.  It's 
got to be!"

Urd turned grim.  "I hope not."

Belldandy seemed not to hear.  "Keiichi..."

---

"What!  I blew 4800 yen on a CD?!?  I don't even have a CD
player!"

Tamiya was considering the turntable.  "Mebbe dis'll work!"

---

Urd pointed to Keiichi's ex-dorm.  "There!"

---

"Well," Mara said, "since you," pointing to Keiichi, "bought
the CD, I'll grant you one wish."

That, that voice...

"Get it?  A demon granting a wish!"  She laughed:  a lilting,
demonic sound.

That, that laugh...  that, that cackling...!

His arms began to break out in blisters.

"Oh, God, Oh, God."

Tamiya didn't notice Keiichi's reaction as he grabbed a beer
can to throw at the intruder.

"Oh, No, No, No."

"Well?"  She wasn't looking at Tamiya;  a buzzing was starting 
to grow in her ear.

"no No No No NO NO!"  Keiichi was going into hysterics.

"Keiichi!"  Belldandy shouted from the outside.

Mara hissed:  time to go into hiding.  She prepared to phase.

Tamiya threw the beer can.

Keiichi raised his arms, horrified.  (They began to roll in gory
rivulets in his mind.)  He shouted, "KEEP INSIDE!"

Mara's eyes glassed over.

---

Keiichi caught the beer can.

Belldandy rushed into the room.

Tamiya goggled.

Mara turned.  "Well, if it isn't my old 'friend', Belldandy."

Belldandy gasped.

Urd came in.

Mara crunched the beer can in his/her hand.  "I'm home."

---

"Like the coldest winter chill,
 Heaven beside you, hell within."

		- Alice in Chains,
		  Heaven Beside You

Switch
Nikholas F. Toledo Zu @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/mezza9.html
Vector, Switch, Yebah, Rain Man, goo, Pervert, Scruples, Hollie, NomaD,
Blitz, Gee, Datzo, Jewel, Elf, Radler, Pinball, Mayhem, Chaos, Father
Fanfiction @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/fanfics.html
Warp Zone @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/thirteen.html
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The logo of the Church of All Worlds is nine concentric circles.
Word from the Laity:  Wipe yer feet!  Bloody 'ell...
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Gallery/3145/index.html
Currently under construction... confessional at the links.
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