A Bell Ringing in an Empty Sky (short story)
A Bell Ringing in an Empty Sky was a 2003 short story written by Jim Mortimore and released as the final story in the Bernice Summerfield anthology Life During Wartime.
Summary[[edit] | [edit source]]
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Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]
On Day 1, Bernice starts to write in a diary, and confesses that she thinks she is dead. She has woken up a while ago, and wonders where all the people are.
On Day 4, nothing technological is working, and Bernice speculates whether she has somwhow jumped into the future, or has gone mad. On Day 8, she writes about how she realised that she doesn't need to breathe anymore. Eight days later, she feels guilty, as she remembers when the Fifth Axis invaded the Collection.
On Day 32, Bernice hasn't slept since she woke up on Day 1, and on Day 38 she remarks that she hasn't seen the sky, stars or sun since then, only a grey fog. There are also no shadows. On Day 256, she still hasn't had her period yet.
By Day 512, she plans to break into Braxiatel's private rooms with a crowbar and acid. Day 1024, and she has spent more than a year exploring and researching the Collection, discovered that she can still bleed and that her hair still grows. On Day 2048, Bernice reasons that she is trapped by the Axis to interrogate her.
On Day 4096, Bernice has been trying to resist writing in the diary - and counting tiles to pass the time. She decides to stop numbering her diary entries. On Day 131072, she finds a carbon dating kit, and realises why she can't see the sun. On Day 262144, she writes in the diary that she is at the end of the universe.
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Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]
Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]
- The Harp of Ayela is an artefact in the Braxiatel Collection.
- How to Build A Better Vacuum Pump is located in the Collection.
Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
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Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]
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