29 THE DEAD ISLAND

CHAPTER 29 THE DEAD ISLAND Ahead, the ocean gently shimmered, and then clouds of dust came billowing past the robot. Roz had encountered the poison tide once again. As she marched through the cloudy water, the ocean became shallower and rougher. Waves started rolling overhead, and their motion sent her tumbling. She popped to the surface, and suddenly a gigantic wave was carrying her away. The wave's curling face pushed her along, lifting her higher and higher, until the peak toppled forward and the robot went crashing into the surf. Sea-foam and sand sloshed around her. And when the water receded, Roz saw that she was lying on the beach of an island. This island was very different from the robot's home island. It had no mountains, no waterfalls, no forests. It was just a field of shrubs and grass and a few scraggly trees. Strong winds had sprayed the poison tide across the island, turning the plants brittle and bare. There should have been leaves rustling and insects buzzing. But all was still and quiet. The island was dead. Dry grass crackled underfoot as Roz crossed the dead

island. And then she discovered something unexpected. Mushrooms. Lots of them. And where the mushrooms grew, the soil was darker, richer, healthier. Mushrooms are fascinating things. They're not plants or animals—they're fungus. Surprisingly, the fungal growths were surviving in that harsh environment. The robot's computer brain went to work and found that certain kinds of mushrooms were capable of healing the land by absorbing toxic substances. And when Roz studied the ground, she spotted tiny green sprouts trying to take root. If only the poison tide would go away, this island could recover, which meant her own island could recover too. The robot felt a little boost of hope, and she marched back into the waves and continued her long journey north.