Wake up you sleepy head
Put on some clothes, shake up your bed
Put another log on the fire for me
I`ve made some breakfast and coffee
I look out my window and what do I see
A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me
All the nightmares came today
And it looks as though they`re here to stay

What are we coming to
No room for me, no fun for you
I think about a world to come
Where the books were found by the Golden Ones
Written in pain, written in awe
By a puzzled man who questioned
What we were here for
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they`re here to stay

Oh, you pretty things (oh, you pretty things)
Don`t you know you`re driving your
Mothers and fathers insane
Oh, you pretty things (oh, you pretty things)
Don`t you know you`re driving your
Mothers and fathers insane
Let me make it plain
You gotta make way for the Homo Superior

Look out at your children
See their faces in golden rays
Don`t kid yourself they belong to you
They`re the start of the coming race
The earth is a bitch
We`ve finished our news
Homo Sapiens have outgrown their use
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they`re here to stay

Oh, you pretty things (oh, you pretty things)
Don`t you know you`re driving your
Mothers and fathers insane
Oh, you pretty things (oh, you pretty things)
Don`t you know you`re driving your
Mothers and fathers insane
Let me make it plain
You gotta make way for the Homo Superior.




I love you.

"Desiree?" the voice said.
"Cousin?" squealed Desiree, thinking he might be sleep-talking.
He sounded quite alert: "Going retrograde, I found I could utilize the network your hairbabies have made of your scalp to communicate with you. Cool, huh?"
"Won't this interfere with your rest?" she asked.
"On the contrary, my dear, I anticipate an exceedingly interesting time-out, being in. -Is that okay?"
Desiree suppressed a shudder, surveyed her suppositions, sympathized & simply said, "Sure."

Cousin gave the Network a knowing nod and told them to reassure their host.

Desiree sighed with pleasure,
as the Network assuaged the tender new pathways of communication.

Desiree placidly blinked:
"This is smooth, Cousin. I could adapt to this easily."

Cousin was pleased. The rest of the gang would now have a path to follow.

Runni came skating, thinking to dissuade Desiree from accepting the unload. Snoddi appeared in the sparkles because he was, as ever, at Runni's service. "Nice path you have here," he observed.
In the far distance, they could hear their dogs baying.

Merrick & Louden rode in, in style, atop Stallion's back.

"I've been a little bit worried this might happen someday," muttered Stallion.
"Not as worried as I am about having transported these dogs," Stallion replied.
Merrick & Louden would have blushed if they'd been able.
"Congratulations," Stallion told himself.

Jim Cantore fed the dogs and then gently steered Stallion aside.

"Ive had many days where I stood talking to the wind, Stallion,
but, I had this microphone you see."

Louden & Merrick wolfed their kibble.

Stallions wished #3 was nearby, deeply concerned that they were very much in need of professional assistance.
"How much of disassociation can one horse contain?" he wondered.
Runni patted two of his necks to comfort him, but she had an odd gleam in her eye.
Rhodes finally roused. "Where are we?" he asked those assembled.

#3 appeared, with his mouth full of bread crumbs. Disbelief filled his eyes as he took in the multiple Stallions, but it was seeing Runni in action that made his uniform uncomfortable.
"None of us know where we are," Desiree told her brother, "I hope #3 brought his manual!"
Cousin chuckled in her head in appreciation. "I don't think he goes anywhere without it, Desiree."

"Well, it's not in the index," #3 mumbled, leafing through the pages, "& my training never addressed re-integrating stallions that have come apart. I can help with the puppies, if I can have some assistance..."

"Maybe I could paint re-unification with some of the afterbirth," offered Runni.

"You can paint when we're done here," snapped #3. He was sweating a bit.
"I don't think this litter will be any problem," said one of the Stallions, "you can keep your reins to yourself."
"He's just trying to help," said Desiree.
TACO knew this to be true, but found it funny anyway.
"Sis?" said Rhodes...

"I see seventeen," said Desiree, then in a different voice:
"There might be infinity
puppies waiting within there, to run
with the wind on their tongues, to fly!"
& ended with a startled squeal as she wondered (again) at the wisdom of allowing the Cousin access to her baby-net.
"Sis?" said Rhodes.
The puppies' parents waited patiently, panting in time to aid the pre-partum Stallion's struggles.
"I don't recall feeling so anxious when I got duplicated," he said.
"That's okay," said #3, "this manual has a chapter on psychology."

"First things first," grumbled Cousin, "we don't have a couch here."
"Cousin?" said Desiree, "How can you be inside my head & outside at the same time?"
"I still have a few tricks under my sombrero, my dear. There's nothing for you to worry about."

A sizable splashing was heard, followed by numerous soft thuds, & #3's panicky cry for additional assistance.

"Oh, good," said Runni, "my supplies have arrived."

"Before we leave again," said Snoddi, "I want to talk to our son."
"Sis?" said Rhodes, even more disoriented.
"You should listen to him, Rhodes, even though he hasn't been a very impressive father-figure."
"Miss?" said #3, "you won the puppy-pool."
"Oh, goody," said Desiree, "I feel like I need to wash my hair."
"Don't you dare," said The Cousin.
Runni & the adult dogs were negotiating their shares of the afterbirths.
Jim Can't Elope announced he had another engagement.

"I'd give you a ride, Gym-boy," said Stallion one, "but I'm in the middle of something with the group. Why didn't you stay gone when you fell off my tail?"
"Strong up-drafts," said the experienced whatever-man.
"Just back-track the path & you should be all right." Stallion turned away to nuzzle his other.
"But sometimes I'm lost even with my equipment!" Gem Carbunkle exclaimed.

Desiree cleared her throat.
Emboldened by the lack of obstructions,
her voice shouted for a toast.

"I raise my conflaguration to all! Long live life,...even the the sort that bites
and crawls and keeps me awake itching all night!"

"I think you meant to say 'flagon,' my dear", piped Cousin.

Desiree huffed. With both hands on her ample hips, she retorted:

"I hope you spontaneously compost."

Runni struggled out of the dog-pile with only three placentas. "This is going to SERIOUSLY limit the places I can paint us," she complained.
"That's okay, darlin'," said Snoddi, "you know I'm content wherever you are. Rhodes seems to get it, confused as he seems. Let's go."

The Stallions ran off together.
Runni improvised somewhere dimly lit.
Desiree said, "I'm going with Cousin."
Rhodes wondered, "Sis?"
"I'll be back," she allowed, "you should stay with the dogs."

"& you should really have that growth checked out."
"I know," said Rhodes, "but at least its rate of increase has lessened. You must see, from behind, what they saw in us?"
"Bro!" said Desiree, "You mean our parents?"
"Well, Dad tried to talk to me..."

Cousin Silenus sprained his most willful organ, while
attempting to turn back time. His brain pan was scrambled.

They found him mumbling..."Just one more dose of slumber, por favor"

Mercury could not spare a backwards glance.
His silver could only move forward.

Retrograde relatives went for their slippers.

The dogs shared a chuckle, & some more of what came from the horse. The puppies were beside themselves. As victims of a multiple birth, they couldn't help themselves, but they were still hungry.

"Where the hell is dinner?" their spokesone whined.

"It's in your kibble," growled Merrick.

"Go back to your humors; I'm lactating!" came offering Silenus.

All unknowing where the satyr even can from, the pups dugged in.

"Dag Gummit!" shouted Jim Cant-quite-get-it.

"He means well." Merrick offered.

Snoddi mumbled in his sleep, "Well I'll be dog all gone."

Stallion sunk deeper into his dream.
A very quiet dream,
without even a mouse.

Snoddi cowered on the bed, afraid of the squeaking. "Where have you painted us now?" he asked.
""Never you mind, love," you said.
More light's somewhere near, can't you see it?"
"You, my dear, provide cozy," old Snoddi allowed, "& these mice seem quite friendly."

Gem Cantkeephisnosein chuckled from the corner. "Forces of nature & all that," he mused.

Rhodes was worried. "I haven't felt this alone for awhile."

#3 proffered his manual.

"Damnit, 3, you know I need more than that! This doesn't even have interesting pictures in it," Rhodes was missing his sister, & a little worried that he hadn't understood what Snoddi tried to tell him.
"I read the chapter on massage," said #3.
"I'd rather pet the puppies," said Rhodes, & proceeded to do so.
Silenus chuckled, & #3 turned to look at him.
"I know a trick or two you won't find in any manual," Silenus said.
"You & the Inquisition," #3 insisted, "You scare me, but I don't think you're making things up."
"Fortunately, boy, I don't have to," said Silenus, & chuckled again.
Rhodes wanted Desiree's advice.

Unfortunately, she'd side-tracked her excursion with Cousin to check on the rest of the kids. The emergency vehicle rested, tilted, in a very deep ditch. Life support was off-line & the aquarium was nearly empty, but the survivors could hear the humming from her hair, & started to respond.
"Just what I need," said Desiree, "more root therapy. Have you any ideas, Cuz?"
"That's a silly question, honey, & this speech is much too slow. Open your channels."

The Cousin Of Silenus, signed for mercy, and whispered:

"I won't be fully awake 'till the eleventh of May, you selfish loonies.

I will crave & require TACOS, on the dawn of that day.

Please let me sleep. Go & enjoy preparing our feast."

"But, Cousin," came the multi-voice on its priority channel, "you haven't been asleep since you logged in. Help us format our lost siblings or our capacity won't be what it could."
Cousin grumbled a little, but remembered the bargain he'd made & got on with it.
Desiree promised herself while the others were busy, "I'm finding that merman & he's gonna pay for this."
"We heard that," said the multiples, "are you helping with dinner or our siblings?"

The Merman idled quietly,
just off the coast,
insecure of his knowledge that:

The Laws of the Land, differ from the Sea.

"Almost makes me wish I had different lower parts," he mused.

Rhodes felt the connection. His sister wanted to help herself, so he was willing to try...
Inexplicably, Runni & Snoddi had their mucus under control.
"Mouse guts make excellent paint," said Runni.
Snoddi said, "At least this place is more brightly lighted."
"You're always complaining, Dad," said Rhodes, "At least you were born of a woman."
"I could hardly share better, my son," said Snoddi, & smiled quietly to himself.
Desiree couldn't help herself, & @ the tone of the message said, "Cousin? I think we'd better go."
"I'm not done integrating the others," he grumbled, "but if Stallion can get us there, there we'll be."

Cantore shed his slicker quickly, turned it inside out, and laid it on the ground.

Rhodes trotted over. "Watchya doin?"

Cantore, trembling, stood up & wiped his hands on his pants.

"The map you need is painted on the inside of my slicker."

Rhodes raised a brow and said: " you sure took it off in a hurry, why the dramatics?"

Cantore blushed. "There was a mouse up my sleeve."

"That's what you get, for hiding in corners," growled Runni.
"Maybe I'm more sensitive to your gravity than you are," he allowed.
"Maybe a little withdrawal might be in order," came Snoddi.
"Where would that leave us?" asked Desiree, as Stallion trotted in with his cargo intact.

Cousin piped up. "C'mere, check out his map, it tells us exactly where we are."

"But it shows us all moving away," said Rhodes.
"That's part of what I tried to tell you," said Snoddi, giving his son's shoulder a squeeze.

"But, Dad!" (Rhodes was desperate.) "I haven't had one decent relationship."
"Your decency's been recognized by more than a few, son," replied Snoddi, "Your sister knows you, & wishes you would help with her hair-net."

"But all I know about hair is gel, & mine rinses out!"
"Don't panic, son, we're aware of what that did to Desiree..."
"It blew her skirt off?"
"I'm proud of you, son."

Desiree was a little put out. "What am I, chopped liver?"

Stallion snorted, & went for the bucket.

"It shared short speech, sis!"
"Don't be an idiot, Rhodes. It shared what it could."

Stallion snorted again, but produced the bucket, because he could do no else.

"I feel awful," he admitted to himself, "& unless I win my other half, my doom is sealed."

"He's an idiot," said Desiree.

"You tried to listen," Rhodes consoled.