In the living room the voice-clock sang, Tick-tock, seven o'clock, time to get up, time to get up,
seven o 'clock! as if it were afraid that nobody would. The morning house lay empty. The clock
ticked on, repeating and repeating its sounds into the emptiness. Seven-nine, breakfast time,
seven-nine!
In the kitchen the breakfast stove gave a hissing sigh and ejected from its warm interior eight pieces
of perfectly browned toast, eight eggs sunny side up, sixteen slices of bacon, two coffees, and two
cool glasses of milk.
"Today is August 4, 2026,
" said a second voice from the kitchen ceiling,
"in the city of
Allendale, California.
" It repeated the date three times for memory's sake.
"Today is Mr.
Featherstone's birthday. Today is the anniversary of Tilita's marriage. Insurance is payable,
as are the water, gas, and light bills.
"
Somewhere in the walls, relays clicked, memory tapes glided under electric eyes.
Tomorrow we’ll be one year out from the day after nuclear fallout, per Ray Bradbury’s “There Will Come Soft Rains.”
It’s also my birthday so that’s neat.
#booksky #raybradbury #august4th #therewillcomesoftrains