I saw Atlas shrug.

I saw Atlas shrug. It wasn't a big shrug. He just rolled his shoulders back ever so slightly and let the world he had been holding up for so long, just kind of propel down off his strong body, with the momentum of it's own weight.

For months and months Atlas had been doing a marvelous balancing act with the world. He got so good at it that no one even really noticed after a while that it was he who was keeping everything from shifting drastically. Some didn't give him credit for bearing any of the weight what-so-ever.

Probably because Atlas barely ever complained, really. And he never sweated it much or drew attention to the fact that some days it was almost more than he could bare. He just did it. He loved the people in the world and loved seeing all the things that go on in it every day and so he wanted to make it the happiest it could be. So he kept it as still as possible, to make it best for everyone.

But, after a while, because he was so humble, Atlas must've forgotten that he truly was the super hero of the world. No one reminded him much and he must've stopped believing it himself, and he relaxed for a moment. And that was all it took.

The world rolled and bounced and threw everything in all directions, and the last I heard it is still flying apart under its own demise.

And Atlas? I heard he was somewhere bowling, rolling strike after strike.