02589cam a22003853u 4500 58974 UtSlPG 20260610134347.0 m cr n 260607r2019||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Bixby, Jerome, 1923-1998 Our Town Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2019 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, February 1955 Release date is 2019-02-27 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "Our Town" by Jerome Bixby is a science fiction novella written in the early 1950s. The story explores the aftermath of a devastating bombing in a small, fictional Tennessee town called Smoky Creek, where the majority of the population is killed, leaving only a group of elderly residents to remember their lives and the people they lost. The narrative addresses themes of war, loss, and the resilience of those left behind, portraying a haunting yet poignant reflection on the impact of conflict on ordinary lives. In the aftermath of the bombing, the elderly residents of Smoky Creek try to maintain some semblance of normalcy while grappling with their profound loss and isolation. They have fortified their town to look abandoned to the outside world while secretly salvaging what they can for survival. The story unfolds through conversations and reflections among the characters, revealing their collective grief and resolve to defend their home against any future threats. An enemy jet unexpectedly flies low over the town, prompting the old men to arm themselves and shoot it down, a moment of bitterness tinged with determination. Ultimately, the narrative captures the resilience and camaraderie of the survivors in a world that has forgotten them, exposing the cyclic nature of war and its destruction. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories War stories Villages -- Fiction Older men -- Fiction Tennessee -- Fiction Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, February 1955 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58974 99800 99800