He sighed and continued through the abandoned subway tunnels. Even the rats ran from him. He could hear them skittering ahead of him, scurrying away from the heavy, rhythmic pounding of his steps. He knew that he didn’t need friends. But he was lonely.

It was a malfunction. Robots aren’t supposed to feel.

The light from his single eye passed over something that was bright against the dark monotony of the tunnel. It was a flower. He bent over the small blossom. Five slender fingers slid out of his arm and he gently brushed one of the petals. The flower bobbed back and forth after this touch and his digital mouth read out phased into a smile.

He sat down then, letting his light shine on the little plant. He just sat and sat. The little flower began to grow. He didn’t know how long he sat there, but soon the rats did not shirk away from his light. They made beds around him and vines wound round his legs. Both the flower and the rats grew because of him.

They were happy and for the first time, and so was he.