When the Sun went outStone, Leslie F. (Leslie Francis)
Science
When the Sun went out
Stone, Leslie F. (Leslie Francis)
Disasters -- Fiction; Science fiction; Short stories; Sun -- Fiction
Adjoining the single room was a small bathroom with all its necessary
features, and on the far side of the room was a small closet. Herein
were three faucets and a cupboard. One faucet gave water, and the other
two faucets each emitted a liquid food that was the mainstay of the
Earth's thousands. Once man ate the flesh of animals, but animals, as
well as leaves, fruits and roots of grasses and vegetation had passed
away. Man had discovered thereafter that the food products of trees,
and later of minerals, were even more highly efficient, and though
Man lost sense of taste he gained a better store of body energy. The
machinery that produced the tasteless liquids also brought forth
cubes of highly concentrated food that was preserved in this manner
for indefinite periods. And, as one cube a day together with a measure
of liquid is sufficient for the human, it was possible to carry
several months' supply on one's person without taking up much space.
Consequently the pleasure of eating had been lost, but the tripled
efficiency of the food overcame that loss.
Kuila Rei drew a glass of the colorless liquid that was hot to the
taste; and then threw himself on a couch. He did not sleep immediately,
dreaming rather of the girl he had just left. Soon, however, sleep
claimed him. He was awakened by a metallic voice near at hand, coming
from a small instrument on one of the nearby tables, that informed him
that the hour of meeting in the Auditorium was at hand.
He found Ramo Rei at the place they had named for their tryst, and
together the pair took their places on the benches arranged to seat the
several thousand the building was housing. They were addressed by an
official who spoke of what the machines had been doing in the bowels
of the Earth; of what they would find in their new home; of what would
be the duty of every man and woman. It was not a beautiful prospect he
painted for them, but then there was no reason to paint the picture any
brighter than it was. He explained that everyone was to carry on the
type of work that he was accustomed to atop the Earth, and for those
whose type of employment would be of no use under the Earth's crust,
new work should be found.
Ramo and Kuila turned to each other with a question. What could they,
the astronomers, do now? It would take years before shafts could be dug
through the earth back to the summits of the mountains whereon stood
the observatories. Well, whatever might come, it was certain that the
twain would stick together.
They went into a conservatory and strolled there together for hours.
Then, when the hour of dawn was again at hand, they repaired to the
roof. Two more days passed in the same manner, and on the third day
word was noised about that the last hour was at hand. The Sun was in
its death throes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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