Almanac

Hello Dear Readers,

            I have good news!  The benevolent and enabling Robyn was able to give me a ride to the library so I can finally get my hands on the 1887 Newtown Almanac.  I believe she wanted to distract me from brooding about Daniel Lister (A.K.A. the Vandal).  Hooray for the pit!  Hopefully, with the almanac, I will be able to find out what the Dwellers Below, who are probably the Tribes Below, failed to take over, that led to the Treaty of 1887 with the Representative of the Screaming Skies and Whispered Rooms.  Perhaps even who the Vandal was possible an agent of.  Boy, do I love good a recap!

            I went to the front desk of the library and announced my presence.  I was told to wait while the head librarian arrived to escort me to a specialist room.  The head librarian turned out to be a tall, elderly dark-skinned gentleman with white hair.  He led me to a room in the basement of the library.  The fact the library has a basement is very interesting to me.  My head whipped around trying to take in all the details that I could.  Everything was whitewashed concrete blocks with drains in the floor.  I was led into a small room that looked uncomfortably similar to a police interrogation room.  There was a table, a single chair, and the almanac sitting in the middle of the table.  I was told that I could not take the almanac out of the room.

The head librarian eyed me with curiously.  Then he gestured to the almanac.  “Everyone always wants to read about the Black Year.  Though it’s generally older folks interested in history.  Nice to see some of younger folk taking an interest in the town’s history.”

“Absolutely, I’m interested in all aspects of the town.  But what’s the Black Year?”

He looked at me again.  “In 1887 there were a series of natural disasters that took a toll on the mental health of everyone in town.  Things went downhill from there.  It's all in there.”  He pointed to the periodical.  “If you don’t mind me asking if you didn’t know about the Black Year, then why did you request it?”

“Something someone said made me curious, that’s all.”  I thought perhaps it best to keep the details vague.

He seemed hesitant to leave me alone with a hundred thirty-year-old historical document, but then he left.

I must tell you, dear readers, it was a fascinating read.  You won’t be believed the price of buttermilk biscuits that year.  Their recipe for blueberry crumble is ridiculous!

But let me give you, the reader, a summary of the pertinent details.  It seems that late in March of that year there was a terrible storm that caused flooding and homes to wash away.  Then there was an earthquake!  At the same time as the flood!  Talk about bad luck.  There were reports of water bubbling up from a crack in the ground.  Since much of the ground below Kevin’s Crossing is hollow, that’s not entirely surprising.  Things don't get better after that.  There were a record number of demonic possessions, mysterious illnesses, and several cases of mass hysteria.  Church attendance soared.  This didn’t seem to help.  Speaking in tongues and ‘getting the spirit’ was a common occurrence at services.

The waters from the flood-soaked the fields and ruined the crops.  They never seemed to dry back out again.  Food was scarce.  This didn’t help things.  I was starting to realize why it was called the Black Year.  When the year ended, so did the bad luck.  Like a cloud over the town finally lifted.  But the damage was done.

Were all of these horrible events part of the ‘those that dwell bellow’s attempt to take over.  And speaking of that, take over what, the town?  What were its goals?  What would success have looked like?  I fear to imagine.

This new information was given me a lot to think about, but none of this information helps clear things up.  The fuzzy mystery I'm trying to bring into focus only gets bigger.  I have to wonder, was Enoch Newton was in collusion with the tribes below.  The events in the almanac would leave me to believe that they are up to no good.  It doesn’t make sense.  Why put a town here if you knew it would be in danger

I’ll keep you updated.

FUN FACT

Did you know that Kevin's Crossing has an official pie?  Well, it does, and it's the Fruit Cocktail Pie.  Which can be acquired at Muriel's and your finer roadside stands.  You get a pretty good idea of what's in it from the name.  But don't let any Charleton tell you it should have cream or pudding in it.  Because that's sacrilege!