A Walk in the Dark by Arthur C. Clarke Episode #70

Arthur C. Clarke | May 8, 2023

A Walk in the Dark by Arthur C. Clarke Episode #70
Arthur C. Clarke

A WALK IN THE DARK

Episode #70 · Written by Arthur C. Clarke · Narrated by Scott Miller

On a desolate world at the edge of the galaxy, engineer Robert Armstrong must walk six lonely miles through total darkness to reach safety. But something unseen walks behind him—matching his steps in the night.

Few writers could combine scientific plausibility with psychological suspense like Arthur C. Clarke. A Walk in the Dark begins with a simple predicament: Robert Armstrong’s vehicle breaks down on a distant world, and with the next ship departing in hours, he has no choice but to walk the six miles to Port Sanderson through a landscape where even starlight is faint. As his torch fails, he continues by touch alone—guided only by memory and fear. But as he ventures deeper into the silent blackness, he realizes he is not alone.

What unfolds is one of Clarke’s most gripping short works—a meditation on isolation, reason, and the thin line separating courage from terror. Each page tightens the sense of dread, yet Clarke never resorts to spectacle; the horror comes from within, as the rational mind meets the unknown and begins to crack. It’s a story that lingers long after the final line.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Arthur C. Clarke (1917–2008) was a scientist, explorer, and one of the legendary “Big Three” of science fiction alongside Asimov and Heinlein. A radar specialist during World War II, Clarke proposed the concept of geostationary satellites—a vision that became reality within his lifetime. His novels and short stories—2001: A Space Odyssey, Childhood’s End, The City and the Stars, Rendezvous with Rama—brought scientific wonder to the masses while reminding readers of humanity’s smallness in the face of the universe. A knighted author and futurist, Clarke’s works continue to inspire scientists, dreamers, and storytellers around the world.