The Death of Hope (short story)

 was the seventh story in the anthology In Time.

Plot
Benny is invited by the Mother Superior to a hollow asteroid. The inside is luxuriously furnished and has different atmospheres for different species, which allows Benny to deduce that it has not been left over from some ancient race and is likely a trap. When she touches the wall, she sees Braxiatel babysitting Peter whilst she goes for dinner with Jason; she realises that she is in an idealised version of her life when Jason mentions her time in the Unbound Universe and she returns to the real world.

The Mother Superior explains that she touched the wall herself when she was brought here by Novice Anndwalt, seeing a world where the Sisterhood of St Beedlix saved the universe with their numbers. She suggests that they touch the wall and, when they do, Benny sees Joseph teaching Jason and Peter how to make bread before the family go for lunch together and the Mother Superior sees the restoration of her world, Monte Globulis. They return and Benny suggests that they do it a third time, but the Mother Superior disagrees.

The Mother Superior shows Benny the body of Novice Anndwalt, eaten by the luminescent ivy on the walls. Benny surmises that they have come here to destroy the asteroid to keep it from killing anybody else, but the Mother Superior wants to find out whether or not the asteroid is a god and if it would be kinder to let the people of the dying universe die dreaming of a better life. Benny believes in the President, however, and makes the decision that they will trust in him and the asteroid will be cordoned off. The Mother Superior hopes that Benny is right and they return to the Parliament of the Universe.

Characters

 * Bernice Summerfield
 * Mother Superior
 * Lawrence
 * Novice Anndwalt
 * President of the Universe

The dream

 * Jason Kane
 * Peter Summerfield
 * Irving Braxiatel
 * Joseph

Continuity

 * The President of the Universe is trying to save his universe from ending. (AUDIO: The City and the Clock)
 * Jason is dead. (AUDIO: The End of the World)