Atlas Abandoned

Camp Wellspring (9 months since the crash)

Atlas straightened his back, finished his push-ups, and moved into squats and sit-ups. He went through the entire workout in awkward silence while AGS-9 spent the whole time quietly analyzing him.

"How do you feel?" AGS-9 asked when Atlas was finished, taking a drink of water.

"Fine. Good," he said.

"Good, get your pack together, I have something to show you," AGS-9 instructed before heading back out to the clearing below from where they always started their local adventures. They had been surveying the land ahead for a couple months and getting a feel for the land around them in case of emergencies. Lately, though, AGS-9 had taken it upon itself to go further and further out in search of new discoveries.

Atlas got his pack together. It was basic: a large pouch with a sling made from the hide of several rats with some meat rations inside, some basic emergency tools like knives or hammers, and an extra belt around his waist to holster a couple homemade hatchets. Atlas also had a rat-hide hat he'd made himself with long flaps to divert rain, should he get caught in any. He chugged the rest of the water from one of the buckets, placed it under the spout of the water filtration system, and headed down the side of the cliff to meet the android.

Once outside, AGS-9 led Atlas out beyond the mountains in the direction they had been going before they found Camp Wellspring. Atlas had much more energy these days so they took off at a running pace. After a few hours and a few unexpected turns Atlas was no longer familiar with the area.

"We walk from here. Try to stay quiet," said AGS-9. Atlas complied and they started walking. It wasn't long before they found themselves on a cliff's edge. Below them was a small lake hidden by the surrounding trees.

"A lake! Wow! Do you think the water is clean? You know- drinkable?"

"It may be, Atlas, but that's not why we're here. This could...actually take a while. Get comfortable," AGS-9 was starting to sound a little too cryptic, but Atlas trusted it enough to know not to ask any questions. He went prone, on his stomach, giving himself a good view of the small valley below. Whatever AGS-9 wanted him to see would happen eventually.

Atlas was woken by the familiar smell of rain. Luckily the spot they had chosen was under some thick tree cover, so they didn't have to move. As the rain picked up, Atlas flashed a toothy grin at AGS-9 and nodded towards the lake. He had never seen this before- the raindrops were peppering the large body of water and the sounds of their quiet splashes were bouncing off the rocky walls of the valley.

"I never thought I'd say this here...but this is great," Atlas laughed at AGS-9, who joined him. In a strange way, Atlas was perfectly content. The smell of rain, the peace of watching the lake below, and the camaraderie of his android ally were all he needed to forget his troubles in that moment.

"It's pretty good," said AGS-9, "but that's not why we're here. Watch that path that leads down to the water on the other side." Atlas watched, and almost on cue he saw a small horde of rats stroll down to the water's edge and just sort of...walk into it. He scrunched his face, but his eyes widened when the lake lit up with countless glowing lights from where the rats were now underwater. It was the same blue and green colors that made up the marks on their stomachs. Steam or smoke- Atlas couldn't be sure- started rising from the water. He looked at AGS-9 for answers. "Just watch." Atlas watched, but he couldn't really make sense of anything for another 20 minutes, when the first one emerged. It was a rhino. Had the rhino been hiding underwater the whole time?

"Are they fighting down there, Aegeus?" Another emerged and trotted up the hill, dripping wet and steaming, its metallic hide glistening. There were no rats leaving the water.