I was just chatting with a friend when I suddenly remembered this short story that I especially liked in high school, so I’m sharing it.
The Last Night of the World
by Ray Douglas Bradbury
The story is set against the backdrop of the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the like. The dark cloud of nuclear war hangs over every corner of the world, and human civilization could be wiped out at any moment. No one can say whether that moment will come in the next second, tomorrow morning, in a few decades, or perhaps never. This was the daily reality for people during the Cold War.
The world’s final night is not a specific event at a specific time. The novel depicts people’s daily lives against the backdrop of a full‑scale nuclear war that could erupt at any moment.
In fact, the author uses the Cold War setting to portray the universal condition of humanity. For us today, every day could still be the day of the end. Sudden accidents, diseases, and the like can at any moment take away a life that was just moments ago lively and active. Who can guarantee that after you fall asleep tonight, you will still see tomorrow’s sunrise?
“A conclusion that everyone knows deep down needs no news coverage.” Since the ending is already set, how will you spend this final stretch of time?
What OP liked most were the details of a family’s evening life described in the article: agonizing over whether to close the door fully or leave it ajar, washing and arranging the dishes a little more gleaming and tidy than usual, complimenting how clean and neat today’s sheets were, turning the faucet on and off, and adding a special “dear” after saying goodnight…
What makes today so special that they feel the need to perform these extra little acts as a commemoration? Because today is February 30, 1951—a day that has never existed in history. On this day, everything in the world reached an unprecedented state, which is why today is so special.