The Wild Robot

CHAPTER 76 THE BROKEN ROBOT

Geese and otters were bustling all around Roz. They were pulling arms and legs out from the robot pile and pressing them against her body. They were hoping to hear thwip sounds and that the robot limbs would snap right into place and Roz would return to her old self and life on the island would go back to normal. But nothing happened. No matter what they did, the limbs wouldn’t attach. Our robot’s body was too badly damaged.

“I’m sorry, Ma,” said Brightbill, his voice trembling. “I thought this would work.”

“It is okay, son,” said Roz calmly. “I am lucky I can still think and speak.”

The animals tried to smile at their poor friend. But they couldn’t hide their sadness. Roz was a mangled wreck, and there was nothing they could do to fix her.

The robot wanted to be strong for her son and her friends; she wanted to ease their worried minds and tell them everything would be fine. But Roz knew that everything would not be fine. She looked down at her broken body. Then she looked up at the geese and the otters and said, “I will need some help getting home.”