74 THE SKY

CHAPTER 74 THE SKY Hours passed, and the sun set in the west. More hours passed, and the eastern sky began to glow. Roz spent that whole night in the park, waiting for Strutter to return with Brightbill, but there was no sign of them. In fact, there weren't any birds in the park at all. Roz couldn't let those thoughts distract her. She needed to stay alert. The park ranger robot had seen her once or twice already, and now she heard his footsteps wherever she went. Was the park ranger following Roz? Had he noticed our robot's unit number? Would he report her to the RECOs? Roz took a pathway into the woods, trying to escape the ranger's view. And that's when she heard familiar voices calling from the sky. "Where are you, Ma?" said Brightbill. "Come on out, Roz!" said Strutter.

Roz turned toward the voices but saw only leaves and branches. Brightbill and Strutter were flying somewhere above the woods. She wanted to call back to them, but the park ranger was still trailing her. Instead, she followed the sounds of their voices as they glided over the treetops. But then there came a new sound. A buzzing sound. It grew louder and closer. Air started blasting down from the sky. And when Roz looked up, she saw a white triangular airship floating above her.