This is a podcast extra from Nature. Each week nature publishes a science fiction story in its

futures slot. Each month we read you our favourite. This month's story is Idania, written by

Natalia Theodiridu, published on March 3rd and read by Charmony Bundell. It's cold and sunless in the tunnels.

Bart is sweeping the walls vigorously trying to warm himself up inside his stiff uniform.

He scans every crack he comes across for contaminants, seals it, then moves on.

Sweeping and scanning. Scanning and sweeping.

The job is repetitive.

He's heard of people who've been driven mad by the repetition of it, lost their grip.

But Bart doesn't mind.

If only it weren't so cold.

If only there were some sun in the tunnels.

But of course, there isn't.

Sun is precious, sun is rare, he whispers behind his mouth cover.

Sun is for the worthy.

And for Idania, he adds silently.

He tries to recall the warmth of sun on his skin.

He almost succeeds.

And the worthiest of all get to live above,

showered in sunlight. He finishes the length of tunnel number eight and enters the Rar intersection.

All the intersections are named after long-lost deities associated with the sun. The next one's called

Helios. Then there's Tonatewa,

Solo Logos, Suria. Bart knows them all. Every name, every inch. He always works methodically.

...