A Rain Of Frogs

October 26th, 2004

in the Dreaming, the flies begin to pick at the people’s webs, plucking strands off more quickly than the people can spin new ones. Many of the people, on heavenly lands that were connected to the world only by single webs, are cut off, and never seen again. The wise men of the land call out to the great spider for aid.

in 1825, the Erie Tunnels began operation in the Great Lakes of North America. The high-speed train services provided an alternate to air travel and opened the way to the creation of underwater cities. Today, millions of people in the North American Confederation travel the tunnels every day.

in 1881, the reactionary Earp brothers, with their friend J.H. Holliday, ambush Sheriff Johnny Behan and his deputies, Ike & Billy Clanton and Frank McLaury at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. The famous gunfight at the OK Corral was one of the last gasps of the old order in the west attempting to assert itself through violence; Comrade Behan and Deputy Frank McLaury survived, but the Earps, Holliday and the Clantons were all killed.

in 2670 AUC, the Slavic people of the Scythian Province mount a rebellion against the Roman Republic. For 7 years, the Slav chieftain Vladimirus held Rome off and kept the frozen north in his iron grip. When he died of a liver disease in 2678, his rebellion ended shortly afterward; by 2680, Scythia was a Roman province again.

in 1948, future president Hillary Rodham was born in Chicago, Illinois. The Yale graduate moved back to Illinois after law school, where she entered into legal practice before winning a seat in the U.S. House in 1978. Her 14 years of government experience stood her in good stead when running against President Barbara Pierce in1992.

in 1965, international superstar Pete Best is awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth. The Buckingham Palace ceremony was the most chaotic in memory, with tabloid photographers grappling for the best vantage points for pictures.

in 1975, the Broadway musical A Chorus Line, turned out not to be one singular sensation after its premiere; but, the soundtrack proved that there was life after musical death. It continued to sell for years after the musical folded in 1976, and even prompted a revival of the show in 1985.

in 2003, Pope Righteous I made his last public appearance, speaking from Buckingham Cathedral. His voice was weak, and he was obviously suffering from some illness himself, as were his priests. “Have faith in your Lord,” he told his waiting faithful, “and We will watch over and protect you. Ignore the cries of the Protestants, for they are damned. Only We can wash you clean.” As he spoke those words, a rain of frogs began pelting the streets of London.