Hey, gang! ^_^

Okay, so this isn't the next chapter in the story, and I apologize for that. 
I
was meaning to post it this past Friday or Saturday, but I got wound up in
playing Half-Life and Final Fantasy VIII, so I'm a bit behind.

However, I wrote this three page Interlude that I can't fit anywhere in the
main story. It's also a good test to see if I've gotten my formatting issue
from the last chapter worked out (if there are problems, the interlude will
be on the website, as always) and I'm also trying to decide if I want to
insert these "diary entries" into the story proper from time to time.

Anyhow, here is a bit of an interlude. It does refer to events that haven't
occurred yet in the story, but I just consider that my own poor attempt at
foreshadowing.

Anyhow, here it is! Expect Chapter 1 sometime in the next few days.

J.

===========================

Twilight of the Dead - Series I
A Ranma/Day of the Dead Crossover
--------------------------------------------------------------------
By J. Thomas Jeans

E-mail:
spikerevell@excite.com

Webpage:
http://www.angelfire.com/crazy/ranma_twilight
http://www.fanfiction.net/u/745152/
--------------------------------------------------------------------

====================================
FROM THE JOURNAL OF RYOGA HIBIKI...
====================================



Damn that Ranma! Why is it that, no matter what he does,
everyone always forgives him? I've never been able to
figure it out, and I guess I never will. I mean, even after
grabbing Akane like he did, and squeezing on her ... well,
I won't get into detail, that's not polite, but I just
can't believe it!

ARGHHHH!

I just want to scream sometimes. People say it helps, but
writing it down just isn't the same. I guess I'll just let
loose and scream, then.

Man, that does kind of help. But I'm still mad at Ranma!
There's no changing that!

Hmm?

I better go. Checkers is being nosey. I think she wants me
to follow her.


*********
*********

You'll never believe what just happened! Okay, so it didn't
*just* happen, but it's still so fresh in my mind. Checkers
came to get me a couple of hours ago, and when I followed
her, she led me to an old man who was sleeping in the same
alley in which I was writing in this journal.

The guy was in a really bad way, and the smell of him was
nearly enough to send me running. I'm surprised I didn't
notice him there sooner! He lay with his arms wrapped
around himself and I could see him shivering under a
makeshift blanket he'd fashioned out of extremely worn
cardboard.

I asked him if he was okay and he just groaned at me. I
thought he was asleep, but then he started to get up. I
took a couple of steps back because, well, he smelled like
he was dying. I've never smelled death before, but if it
had a smell, that would be it for sure.

"Are you okay?" I asked, taking a reluctant step toward
him. I reached out, ready to steady him if he should fall.
I was offended by his odor, but I'm not a complete jerk,
unlike some pigtailed people I could mention.

Without a word, the old man lunged at me! I jumped out of
the way, crying out as he sprawled past me. Checkers began
to bark and growl, readying herself to spring should she
think I needed help. She's such a good dog. ^_^

Anyway, the guy spun around on me and lunged again, this
time reaching for me with his hands. I was shocked, but
that doesn't explain my hesitation. I think it had more to
do with the look in his eyes; it froze me to the spot.

He grabbed me with both of his hands, getting me by the
shoulders, and before I could react he latched onto the
side of my face with his mouth. He was trying to eat my
face!

I jerked back and struck the old man in the chest. I did it
open palm, afraid I might hurt him otherwise. He fell back
against the opposite wall and just stood there, groaning.
After a second or two, he slid down into a useless clump
and just stared at me.

I reached for my face and could feel warm fluid drooling
down my cheeks, and for a moment I panicked. It was my
blood! The man had bitten right through my cheek and my
very life was draining out!

But then I realized the bite didn't hurt, and I pulled my
fingers away to see them coated in some pretty gross
looking spit. I sighed a breath of relief and thanked my
lucky stars. If it hadn't been for the fact that the old
man didn't have any teeth, I could have been seriously
injured.

I cast an uneasy glance at the old man and decided not to
press my luck. He obviously wanted to be left alone, so I
called Checkers, gathered my backpack and this journal, and
got the hell out of there.

I waited until I reached the hills to take the time to
write this down. I don't know what his problem was, but
there have been a lot of weird things going on in Tokyo the
past few weeks. I tried to talk to Ranma about it a few
days ago, but he was too busy running around getting cats
out of trees and helping old ladies across the street. I
kind of wish I'd been there for the Big-Brother event,
though. I hear that was pretty funny.

Checkers is bothering me again, I think she wants to go for
a walk before we have dinner. I guess I should get to that,
then.

But man, that smell of that guy ... it's still all over me.
I'm not sure I've got much of an appetite anymore. If it
weren't so silly, I could almost swear that the old guy was
the walking dead...

Nah, I'm just being stupid.

More later!

=============
END ENTRY...
=============

_________________________________________________________________
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