There Will Come Soft Rains

Read
Inthelivingroomthevoice-clocksang,Tick-tock,seveno'clock,timetogetup,timetogetup,seven
o'clock!asifitwereafraidnobodywould.Themorninghouselayempty.Theclocktickedon,repeating
andrepeatingitssoundsintotheemptiness.Seven-nine,breakfasttime,seven-nine!
Inthekitchenthebreakfaststovegaveahissingsighandejectedfromitswarminterioreightpiecesof
perfectlybrownedtoast,eighteggssunnysideup,sixteenslicesofbacon,twocoffees,andtwocool
glassesofmilk.
"TodayisAugust4,2026,"saidasecondvoicefromthekitchenceiling.,"inthecityofAllendale,
California."Itrepeatedthedatethreetimesformemory'ssake."TodayisMr.Featherstone'sbirthday.
TodayistheanniversaryofTilita'smarriage.Insuranceispayable,asarethewater,gas,andlightbills."
Somewhereinthewalls,relaysclicked,memorytapesglidedunderelectriceyes.
Eight-one,tick-tock,eight-oneo'clock,offtoschool,offtowork,run,run,eight-one!Butnodoors
slammed,nocarpetstookthesofttreadofrubberheels.Itwasrainingoutside.Theweatherboxonthe
frontdoorsangquietly:"Rain,rain,goaway;rubbers,raincoatsfortoday..."Andtheraintappedonthe
emptyhouse,echoing.
Outside,thegaragechimedandlifteditsdoortorevealthewaitingcar.Afteralongwaitthedoorswung
downagain.
Ateight-thirtytheeggswereshriveledandthetoastwaslikestone.Analuminumwedgescrapedthem
downametalthroatwhichdigestedandflushedthemawaytothedistantsea.Thedirtydisheswere
droppedintoahotwasherandemergedtwinklingdry.
Nine-fifteen,sangtheclock,timetoclean.Outofwarrensinthewall,tinyrobotmicedarted.Therooms
wereacrawlwiththesmallcleaninganimals,allrubberandmetal.Theythuddedagainstchairs,whirling
theirmustachedrunners,kneadingtherugnap,suckinggentlyathiddendust.Then,likemysterious
invaders,theypoppedintotheirburrows.Theirpinkelectriceyefaded.Thehousewasclean.
Teno'clock.Thesuncameoutfrombehindtherain.Thehousestoodaloneinacityofrubbleandashes.
Thiswastheonehouseleftstanding.Atnighttheruinedcitygaveoffaradioactiveglowwhichcouldbe
seenformiles.
Ten-fifteen.Thegardensprinklerswhirledupingoldenfounts,fillingthesoftmorningairwithscatterings
ofbrightness.Thewaterpeltedwindowpanes,runningdownthecharredwestsidewherethehousehad

beenburnedevenlyfreeofitswhitepaint.Theentirewestfaceofthehousewasblack,saveforfive
places.Herethesilhouetteinpaintofamanmowingalawn.Here,asinaphotograph,awomanbentto
pickflowers.Stillfartherover,theirimagesburnedonwoodinonetitanicinstant,asmallboy,handsflung
intotheair;higherup,theimageofthrownball,andoppositehimagirl,handraisedtocatchaballwhich
nevercamedown.Thefivespotsofpainttheman,thewoman,thechildren,theballremained.Therest
wasathincharcoaledlayer.Thegentlesprinklerrainfilledthegardenwithfallinglight.
Untilthisday,howwellthehousehadkeptitspeace.Howcarefullyithadinquired,'Whogoesthere?
What'sthepassword?"and,gettingnoanswerfromtheonlyfoxesandwhiningcats,ithadshutupits
windowsanddrawnshadesinanold-maidenlypreoccupationwithself-protectionwhichborderedona
mechanicalparanoia.
Itquiveredateachsound,thehousedid.Ifasparrowbrushedawindow,theshadesnappedup.Thebird,
startled,flewoff!No,notevenabirdmusttouchthehouse!
Thehousewasanaltarwithtenthousandattendants,big,small,servicing,attending,inchoirs.Butthe
godshadgoneaway,andtheritualofthereligioncontinuedsenselessly,uselessly.
Twelvenoon.
Adogwhined,shivering,onthefrontporch.
Thefrontdoorrecognizedthedogvoiceandopened.Thedog,oncelargeandfleshy,butnowgoneto
boneandcoveredwithsores,movedinandthroughthehouse,trackingmud.Behinditwhirredangry
mice,angryathavingtopickupmud,angryatinconvenience.
Fornotaleaffragmentblewunderthedoorbutwhatthewallpanelsflippedopenandthecopperscrap
ratsflashedswiftlyout.Theoffendingdust,hair,orpaper,seizedinminiaturesteeljaws,wasracedbackto
theburrows.There,downtubeswhichfedintothecellar,itwasdroppedlikeevilBaalinadarkcorner.
Thedogranupstairs,hystericallyyelpingtoeachdoor,atlastrealizing,asthehouserealized,thatonly
silencewashere.Itsniffedtheairandscratchedthekitchendoor.Behindthedoor,thestovewasmaking
pancakeswhichfilledthehousewitharichodorandthescentofmaplesyrup.Thedogfrothedatthe
mouth,lyingatthedoor,sniffing,itseyesturnedtofire.Itranwildlyincircles,bitingatitstail,spunina
frenzy,anddied.Itlayintheparlorforanhour.
Twoo'clock,sangavoice.
Delicatelysensingdecayatlast,theregimentsofmicehummedoutassoftlyasblowngrayleavesinan
electricalwind.
Two-fifteen.

Thedogwasgone.
Inthecellar,theincineratorglowedsuddenlyandawhirlofsparksleapedupthechimney.
Twothirty-five.
Bridgetablessproutedfrompatiowalls.Playingcardsflutteredontopadsinashowerofpips.Martinis
manifestedonanoakenbenchwitheggsaladsandwiches.Musicplayed.
Butthetablesweresilentandthecardsuntouched.
Atfouro'clockthetablesfoldedlikegreatbutterfliesbackthroughthepaneledwalls.
Four-thirty.
Thenurserywallsglowed.
Animalstookshape:yellowgiraffes,bluelions,pinkantelopes,lilacpantherscavortingincrystal
substance.Thewallswereglass.Theylookedoutuponcolorandfantasy.Hiddenfilmsclockedthough
thewell-oiledsprockets,andthewallslived.Thenurseryfloorwaswoventoresembleacrispcereal
meadow.Overthisranaluminumroachesandironcrickets,andinthehotstillairbutterfliesofdelicatered
tissuewaveredamongthesharparomaofanimalspoors!Therewasthesoundlikeagreatmattedyellow
hiveofbeeswithinadarkbellows,thelazybumbleofapurringlion.Andtherewasthepatterofokapifeet
andthemurmurofafreshjunglerain,likeotherhoofsfallinguponthesummer-starchedgrass.Nowthe
wallsdissolvedintodistancesofparchedweed,mileonmile,andwarmendlesssky.Theanimalsdrew
awayintothornbrakesandwaterholes.Itwasthechildren'shour.
Fiveo'clock.Thebathfilledwithclearhotwater.
Six,seven,eighto'clock.Thedinnerdishesmanipulatedlikemagictricks,andinthestudyaclick.Inthe
metalstandoppositethehearthwhereafirenowblazedupwarmly,acigarpoppedout,halfaninchof
softgrayashonit,smoking,waiting.
Nineo'clock.Thebedswarmedtheirhiddencircuits,fornightswerecoolhere.
Nine-five.Avoicespokefromthestudyceiling:"Mrs.McClellan,whichpoemwouldyoulikethisevening?"
Thehousewassilent.
Thevoicesaidatlast,"Sinceyouexpressnopreference,Ishallselectapoematrandom."Quietmusic
rosetobackthevoice."SaraTeasdale.AsIrecall,yourfavorite...

"Therewillcomesoftrainsandthesmelloftheground,
Andswallowscirclingwiththeirshimmeringsound;
Andfrogsinthepoolssingingatnight,
Andwildplumtreesintremulouswhite;
Robinswillweartheirfeatheryfire,
Whistlingtheirwhimsonalowfence-wire;
Andnotonewillknowofthewar,notone
Willcareatlastwhenitisdone.
Notonewouldmind,neitherbirdnortree,
Ifmankindperishedutterly;
AndSpringherself,whenshewokeatdawn
Wouldscarcelyknowthatweweregone."
Thefireburnedonthestonehearthandthecigarfellawayintoamoundofquietashonitstray.The
emptychairsfacedeachotherbetweenthesilentwalls,andthemusicplayed.
Atteno'clockthehousebegantodie.
Thewindblew.Afallingtreeboughcrashedthroughthekitchenwindow.Cleaningsolvent,bottled,
shatteredoverthestove.Theroomwasablazeinaninstant!"Fire!"screamedavoice.Thehouselights
flashed,waterpumpsshotwaterfromtheceilings.Butthesolventspreadonthelinoleum,licking,eating,
underthekitchendoor,whilethevoicestookitupinchorus:"Fire,fire,fire!"
Thehousetriedtosaveitself.Doorssprangtightlyshut,butthewindowswerebrokenbytheheatandthe
windblewandsuckeduponthefire.
Thehousegavegroundasthefireintenbillionangrysparksmovedwithflamingeasefromroomtoroom
andthenupthestairs.Whilescurryingwaterratssqueakedfromthewalls,pistoledtheirwater,andranfor
more.Andthewallspraysletdownshowersofmechanicalrain.
Buttoolate.Somewhere,sighing,apumpshruggedtoastop.Thequenchingrainceased.Thereserve
watersupplywhichfilledthebathsandwashedthedishesformanyquietdayswasgone.
Thefirecrackledupthestairs.ItfeduponPicassosandMatissesintheupperhalls,likedelicacies,baking
offtheoilyflesh,tenderlycrispingthecanvasesintoblackshavings.
Nowthefirelayinbeds,stoodinwindows,changedthecolorsofdrapes!
Andthen,reinforcements.
Fromattictrapdoors,blindrobotfacespeereddownwithfaucetmouthsgushinggreenchemical.

Thefirebackedoff,asevenanelephantmustatthesightofadeadsnake.Nowthereweretwentysnakes
whippingoverthefloor,killingthefirewithaclearcoldvenomofgreenfroth.
Butthefirewasclever.Ithadsentflamesoutsidethehouse,upthroughtheattictothepumpsthere.An
explosion!Theatticbrainwhichdirectedthepumpswasshatteredintobronzeshrapnelonthebeams.
Thefirerushedbackintoeveryclosetandfeltoftheclothesthathungthere.
Thehouseshuddered,oakboneonbone,itsbaredskeletoncringingfromtheheat,itswire,itsnerves
revealedasifasurgeonhadtorntheskinofftolettheredveinsandcapillariesquiverinthescaldedair.
Help,help!Fire!Run,run!Heatsnappedmirrorslikethefirstbrittlewinterice.AndthevoiceswailedFire,
fire,run,run,likeatragicnurseryrhyme,adozenvoices,high,low,likechildrendyinginaforest,alone,
alone.Andthevoicesfadingasthewirespoppedtheirsheathingslikehotchestnuts.One,two,three,four,
fivevoicesdied.
Inthenurserythejungleburned.Bluelionsroared,purplegiraffesboundedoff.Thepanthersranin
circles,changingcolor,andtenmillionanimals,runningbeforethefire,vanishedofftowardadistant
steamingriver...
Tenmorevoicesdied.Inthelastinstantunderthefireavalanche,otherchoruses,oblivious,couldbe
heardannouncingthetime,playingmusic,cuttingthelawnbyremote-controlmower,orsettingan
umbrellafranticallyoutandintheslammingandopeningfrontdoor,athousandthingshappening,likea
clockshopwheneachclockstrikesthehourinsanelybeforeoraftertheother,asceneofmaniac
confusion,yetunity;singing,screaming,afewlastcleaningmicedartingbravelyouttocarrythehorrid
ashesaway!Andonevoice,withsublimedisregardforthesituation,readpoetryaloudallinthefiery
study,untilallthefilmspoolsburned,untilallthewireswitheredandthecircuitscracked.
Thefireburstthehouseandletitslamflatdown,puffingoutskirtsofsparkandsmoke.
Inthekitchen,aninstantbeforetherainoffireandtimber,thestovecouldbeseenmakingbreakfastsata
psychopathicrate,tendozeneggs,sixloavesoftoast,twentydozenbaconstrips,which,eatenbyfire,
startedthestoveworkingagain,hystericallyhissing!
Thecrash.Theatticsmashingintothekitchenandparlor.Theparlorintocellar,cellarintosub-cellar.Deep
freeze,armchair,filmtapes,circuits,beds,andalllikeskeletonsthrowninaclutteredmounddeepunder.
Smokeandsilence.Agreatquantityofsmoke.
Dawnshowedfaintlyintheeast.Amongtheruins,onewallstoodalone.Withinthewall,alastvoicesaid,
overandoveragainandagain,evenasthesunrosetoshineupontheheapedrubbleandsteam:

"TodayisAugust5,2026,todayisAugust5,2026,todayis

ReprintedbypermissionofDonCongdonAssociates,Inc.Copyright(c)1950byCrowellCollierPublishing
Co.,renewed1977byRayBradbury.