The Almighty Times

by supersmileys

Those who are closely familiar with the Johnson family know why these strange supernatural events are occurring around Auckland and who exactly is involved with them, but how would an outsider view them? A collection of newspaper stories, written advertisements and other pieces of "journalism" following the events of The Almighty Johnsons.

1. Chapter 1

A/N: All people mentioned in this story are fictional. No resemblance is meant to be made with any real persons.

The New Zealand Herald - February 8,

2011

Unexpected Meteor Shower Baffles Locals
Melissa Coventry

Auckland residents last night were witness to a fourth consecutive night of "shooting stars" gracing the night skies, leaving witnesses and astronomers alike amazed.

Police were inundated with more than 700 calls to 111, with reasons including "the sky is falling" and "the neighbours are setting off illegal fireworks". 111 operators were instructed to inform callers that they were not in any danger, and to remind people that fireworks are legal in New Zealand unless purchased by a person under the age of 18.

Local scientists are scrambling to find an explanation for the event.
"Our equipment did not predict any sort of meteor activity for the next four months - and even then the sheer number of meteors that have burned through the atmosphere are unprecedented - there's either something major that we've missed on our telescopes, or there's something else causing these meteor showers - either way, it's concerning," said University of Auckland's Dean of Astronomy, Maria Wetzler.

"I've not seen anything like this since 1930 when I was 8 years old and living in Hawke's Bay," Avondale resident George McCutcheon recalls. Records show that similar meteor showers were experienced in 1930 in the Hawke's Bay, to which no explanations have been found. The strange atmospheric activity was reported in both local newspapers and informal publications right up until February 3, 1931, when the Hawke's Bay was devastated by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake which killed 256 people. The earthquake coincided with the abrupt cessation of the meteor showers. Mr McCutcheon then went on to explain the precautions he was now taking for what he claimed to be "an imminent earthquake", despite living in Auckland, a region not known for earthquakes.

Even the conspiracy theorists had an opinion on the matter. Dane Watson, self-professed conspiracy theorist, put the event down to supernatural forces.
"150 years ago, Norwegians arrived in New Zealand with a prophecy that the Norse God Odin will return. This meteor shower is much like the one described in Norse lore preceding the arrival of Odin." Mr Watson's comments were quickly dismissed by Dr Wetzler, who insisted that there was a physical and plausible explanation for the event, not a supernatural explanation.
"We just don't know what, yet."

The degree of panic prompted the New Zealand Herald to ask for a statement from the Prime Minister, who had declined to comment at the time this article went to publication.