The weekend the world stopped
May 5th, 2001 started like any other Saturday for most. Some people of Mexican descent preparing to celebrate their holiday, others planning to celebrate purely as an excuse to celebrate, while others were just enjoying the beginning of their weekend.
Security teams in charge of protecting the world’s leaders were experiencing a much less calm day, as 35 of the world’s most developed nations had nearly simultaneously experienced their leaders going into coma-like states. An exception, was the leader of Mexico, Vicente Fox, who had requested a gathering of the UN to make a presentation in two days. Most of the nations were keeping this as discreet as possible, though rumors started to make their way online and several announcers on CNN, Al Jazeera, and BBC News reported cancelled meetings and rumors of something occupying their attention (they weren’t occupied of course, they were sleeping and unable to be woken).
Later that day, earthquakes triggered nearly simultaneously as dormant volcanoes awoke. People in Portland were shocked to see smoke coming from Mount Hood. Tourists and locals alike were shocked as Koʻolau Volcano came to life in Honolulu, spewing ash and smoke. Meanwhile, across the world in Europe, Mount Vesuvius came to life as well, shaking the people in nearby Naples. The normally calm New Zealanders struggled with their own fears, as Rangitoto Island came to life and the people of Auckland prepared for a disaster.
Geologists reported a far more dire news, as the super volcano in Yellowstone began shaking to life as a reported 6.2 earthquake shook the area. Worries about apocalyptic endings quickly were reported across the internet, with religious people holding abrupt gatherings to pray and wait for the end times.
The weekend passed with some afraid, some celebrating because they thought it was the end of the world, and others calling their friends and family to say goodbye; sure that this was the “end times”. That was, until just before midnight, when nuclear systems across the world suddenly activated, their launch codes entered, and their bases suddenly radio silent. Operatives across the world attempted contact and called other nations to assure them that they weren’t intending to launch nuclear strikes. Something that became more difficult as precious minutes passed without them being sure that they were, in fact, not going to launch. Military across the world prepared to intercept in case they suddenly had to deal with nuclear strikes.
The UN hall was a flurry of shouting and angry people the next morning. By this point, news organizations around the world were reporting a mix of rumors, secret informants, and public discourse and threats by some regimes against whichever nation was behind the threats.
Vicente Fox stepped onto the floor, even as missives were being put in front of most of the world’s UN representatives.
As representatives began reading and sharing news reported by their governments, Vicente Fox stunned the world by announcing a government change in Mexico. Vicente Fox reported that Huitzilopochtli, the Aztec god of war, was resuming direct control of his government, and that he was stepping down as president and assuming the role of cihuācōātl and prime minister. For thirty minutes, Vicente Fox spoke of impossible things, then refused to answer questions other than his lord would be speaking to the world directly shortly and that he wanted a vote to recognize the new nation afterward.
And with that, Vicente calmly stepped away from the podium, ignoring shouts and loud questions, even as a livestream began streaming simultaneously across multiple networks of a man sitting at what looked like a throne in a modern fancy suit, with extravagant Aztec jewelry accessorizing his sharp Aztec heritage. Moments later, war god Huitzilopochtli spoke to the world and shattered people’s understanding of the world.