Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains" is set today (2026-08-04)
This article presents an excerpt from Ray Bradbury's short story 'There Will Come Soft Rains,' which depicts a fully automated house continuing its routines in a post-apocalyptic, radioactive city. The narrative highlights the eerie persistence of technology in the absence of human life.
Why it matters
It serves as a literary reflection on the dangers of nuclear conflict and the potential for technology to outlive its creators.
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.
In the kitchen the breakfast stove ejected eight pieces of perfectly browned toast, eight eggs sunnyside up, sixteen slices of bacon, two coffees, and two cool glasses of milk.
“Today is August 4, 2026, the city of Allendale, California.”
Somewhere in the walls, relays clicked, memory tapes glided under electric eyes.
“”Eight-one, tick-tock, eight-one o’clock, off to school, off to work, run, run, eight-one!” But no doors slammed. It was raining outside. The weather box on the front door sang quietly: “Rain, rain, go away; rubbers, raincoats for today…”
Outside, the garage chimed and lifted its door to reveal the waiting car.
After a long wait the door swung down again.
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