
In a valley of Tennessee, the peace of Smoky Creek is shattered when a squadron of low‑flying jets drops tiny atomic bombs on the unsuspecting town. The blast reduces the main street to splintered timber, killing everyone except a handful of seniors who were out in the woods. The survivors awaken to twisted bridges, broken rails, and a silence that feels like a giant’s fist.
Led by the former mayor Ben Bates, the elderly residents set about rebuilding their shattered community from the inside out. They reinforce walls, stitch together roofs, and turn the ruined town hall into a makeshift recreation hall, all while keeping the exterior appearance of a ghost town to avoid further attention. Their quiet determination turns ruin into a hidden sanctuary where daily life resumes—horseshoes, cards, and whispered conversations.
But the sky remains a constant threat; occasional enemy jets skim the valley, their scanners searching for hidden activity. The survivors must balance secrecy with the simple comforts of rebuilt life, creating a tense atmosphere that asks how far people will go to preserve their world.
Language
en
Duration
~44 minutes (42K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2019-02-27
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1923–1998
A sharp, imaginative voice in mid-century science fiction, this American writer helped shape both magazine-era sci-fi and some of the genre’s most memorable screen stories. His work ranged from short fiction and editing to screenplays for film and television, including episodes of Star Trek and The Twilight Zone.
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