Was it disease, poisons, bullets, fires or chemical warfare that Europeans used most to kill Indians?
More likely that a wire got knocked loose.
Speaking of fires, you've been on fire lately! I like this a lot. And, I like the last line. cries from the anguished ride the plume excellent line. Good job, Shultzie!
If you absolutely, positively NEED to kill a rat (one you've already caught, not one that's running around your house and getting into your food), try doing it the same way cancer researchers use when they have to kill a lab rat and dissect it: lower it in its cage into a bucket containing a layer of dry ice pellets. The dry ice gives off carbon dioxide and the rat goes to sleep quitely and painlessly, and the researcher learns something that will cure cancer and benefit millions of people worldwide. PETA can go whistle. 7 DEC 06, 1946 hrs, GMT.