Nora pointed down the long hallway. “Is this the way out?”
“Yes.” Several answered in unison. After a few shy grins, they turned back to the walls.
“See?” she whispered to Anna as they walked on. “They’re not forcing us to stay inside.”
No. They weren’t. In fact, they didn’t run into any others as they retraced their steps from yesterday through the facility’s cathedral opening and back outside. The cameras must have known they were leaving at the very least, right? Anna decidedly walked toward the entrance.I’m not a prisoner here anyway.
But it was only Simon waiting at the same opening to the facility they walked in yesterday. The midmorning sun was high in the sky, humidity rising with it.
Anna quickly looked side to side. No one else was there. Only nature was on either side. Her shoulders dropped. Oh well. It probably was for the best no one was outside. They were free to explore without discussion.
But still, Atlas said he would come check on her in the afternoon and bring her again to dinner with the others. What would he do when she wasn’t there? She crossed her arms and forced herself to stand straight.I don’t need to sit around waiting for him. He’s interested in me because he has a job and that’s it.Her eyes fell back to the ground. But why did that make her feel . . . sad?This morning he wasn’t like that. In fact, lately . . .Anna touched her cheeks, now mostly healed from the sun yesterday.
Still. She firmed her shoulders. She was not going to sit and wait for anyone ever again.
The outside was warm even in the shade cast from the facility, but a strong wind blew. A dreadful feeling came over her as the double doors closed behind them.
Like a decision closing.
She crossed her arms, stiffening.It doesn’t matter.I’m not gonna be kept like a pet.This morning, making the crackers had given her a touch of freedom. The satisfaction of making something with her own hands. That felt too good to give up again.
Simon had a sack full of donuts under his arm. He handed her one as she got close. “Morning, Anna.”
“Morning.” She smiled back at him. “Although it’s kind of late in the day now.”
“Mama!” Tilly danced in place. Her face was already covered in frosting. “I gotta go to the bathroom.”
“Really?” Nora adjusted the backpack she wore, waving her hands. “Why didn’t you go while you were there? I told you to.”
“I did, but I need to again.”
“Let’s maybe just go over there in nature like back home.” Nora pointed to the bushes. “Here, I’ll walk with you. I don’t want to go back inside.”
Anna waited with Simon while Nora took Tilly away to the woods. The frosting was thick and too sweet, so she began eating the under part of the donut first.
She bit her lip, looking back. “Hey, Simon?”
“Hmm?” His eyes were scanning the distance.
“Where are we gonna go? Did you find something out last night?”
“There are some farming areas to the east.” Simon rolled the donut bag shut. “I downloaded the maps to all of Mars last night.Nora was interested in it because there are chickens and cows. This natural area is quite vast.”
Anna thought back to the hologram Atlas had shown her.Cows?“Oh, okay. Nora really doesn’t want to stay here?”
Simon side-eyed Anna. “Do you?”
“No.” She shivered. “This place doesn’t feel right. What about you? These are your people, after all.”
“Are they?”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Anna snorted. “You’re an android. They’re androids.”
“Nora and Tilly are my people. You too. You don’t love those other humans just because they’re humans, and I don’t love those androids just because we share the same circuits.” He gestured behind him with his bag. “Besides, we should see what’s out there. I’m as curious as you are.”
Anna looked at the forested area before trailing her gaze upward to the blue sky. The world really was vast around them. The facility stood, tall and clinical behind them. Completely unnatural to the landscape around it.What’s out there?
He reached back in the bag and held out a ration bar. “I’ll trade you this for that frosting you didn’t eat.”
