The Wild Robot Escapes

Jad and Jaya are playing underneath a tree, where their father and all his family before him have carved their names into the bark. When Roz passes by on her way to fix the Drone again, the bored children ask Roz if she can do any tricks, like a backflip. After the robot executes a perfect backflip, the children are amazed and command her to juggle and tell a joke. When they ask her to tell a story about a robot or an animal, Roz says, “How about a robot and animal story?” (49) and begins to tell them about a robot marooned on a wild island. In the story, a robot falls out of a tree, causing a goose nest to fall to the ground. The accident kills the mother and father goose, leaving one orphaned goose egg. When the gosling hatches, it thinks the robot is its mother, and they create a family and live together happily. The kids want to know what happens next.

The children begin meeting with Roz regularly under the tree to listen to her stories about the robot. They enjoy the parts about the island adventures, but they love the parts about the robot’s goose. Roz never tells them her stories are true, but she inspires Jad and Jaya to tell their own tales, and gradually they begin to tell the real story of their lives. The children share how much they love living on a farm with their family, but after their mom died and their father was injured, life at Hilltop became very sad and difficult. Jad and Jaya tell Roz she is going to save their farm.

Knowing that wild plants and animals will help the farm rehabilitate, Roz allows the unused land to go fallow. However, the newly wild areas attract more than just bugs and flowers, and one day while inspecting the property and following a curious scent, Roz finds a deer carcass and a pile of unidentifiable animal scat. Not wanting to alert Mr. Shareef that she had left the property, Roz leaves the carcass but stays on guard for any signs of danger.

Roz sees more signs of trouble and then hears the unmistakable howl of a wolf.

Seven wolves invade the farm, led by a scarred wolf named Shadow. The Herding Machine tries to stop them but cannot move fast enough before the wolves attack Annabelle. Roz leaps into action, defending the cows, but she cannot use violence and instead uses her robot body to fend off the wolves’ biting and clawing. She uses her loud voice, saying, “Leave us alone!” (58), and the wolves disperse in fear. The other cows crowd around Annabelle for support as the wolves withdraw. Annabelle will recover, but Roz knows the wolves will return.

The wolves return multiple times, and the cows are so afraid that they will not leave the barn. Roz must solve the problem before it disrupts the farm’s milk production. When she tells Mr. Shareef about the wolves, he gives her a rifle and commands her to shoot the wolves. Roz explains she cannot use violence, and Mr. Shareef becomes angry, telling her it is her job to defend the farm and sometimes that requires killing. As Roz looks at Oscar and sees that he fears the rifle, she has an idea for how to solve the issue without killing.

Using the camouflaging skills she learned on the island, Roz hides in the pasture and waits for the wolves. When they do not come, she mimics the sound of a wounded calf, and soon Shadow, along with his cronies Slash, Lurk, and Fang creep into the pasture and encircle what they think is easy prey. Roz bursts up from the ground holding the rifle and tells Shadow she knows he got his scar from a gun. Though she is only bluffing, Roz threatens violence against Shadow if he ever returns, and the frightened wolf retreats.

The summer heat bakes the farm dry, but the wolves do not return. Roz is busy managing the mowing and baling of hay, but she still finds time to play with the children and is still hopeful they can help her escape. Mr. Shareef sometimes joins them outside during the cool periods of the day, and he tells the children not to distract Roz from her work. Sometimes, ominous funnel clouds appear in the sky, and though none have touched down yet, the danger of a tornado is inevitable.

Roz continues with hay baling despite the weather forecaster’s prediction of oncoming tornadoes. As the wind picks up and lighting cracks, Roz hops into the truck and heads for safety. Suddenly, Roz sees the funnel cloud swirling down from the sky moving toward the farm, and the violent wind rips the roof off the milking parlor. The Shareef family watches from inside the house, and Roz shouts to them to get into the storm shelter immediately. Jad is too scared to move since he has always been frightened of tornadoes, but Roz rushes in to scoop him up and guide the family to the shelter. Just as the door closes behind Jad, the wind sweeps Roz up into the storm. The intense wind pelts Roz with debris, and Roz thinks of Brightbill. A shovel slams into the back of Roz’s head, and everything goes black.

After the storm, the Shareefs drive around in Rambler, surveying the damage and find Roz in a ditch. She is badly damaged, and her power is off, but as soon as Jad presses her button, she begins to speak in a slurred, strange way. After Roz’s system recovers, she is once again fully operational, and Jad hugs her tightly; he thinks it is his fault Roz was injured. The entire family is in shock from the storm, and they all gather in a group hug, thankful for their survival. Roz apologizes to Mr. Shareef for leaving the farm, but he is only grateful she is okay. The cows survived, but the entire farm is a mess. Mr. Shareef says Roz will need to visit the repair shop before she can return to her work.

Mr. Shareef takes Roz to the TechLab Shop in town for repairs. The shop has many shiny robots on display, including Rozzum units that look like her. The shop owner, Nadine, calls for a robot named Patch to repair Roz. After scanning her and quoting Mr. Shareef a price, the robot works quickly to reset Roz’s twisted limbs, and in no time, she is fixed. Nadine asks Mr. Shareef if he would like to purchase an upgrade for Roz since she is only a base model, but he declines and asks for a crew to come to assist in the farm cleanup.

Since the communication system is down at the farm, Roz is offline, and Mr. Shareef cannot track her movements. She wonders if she should make her escape but decides she cannot leave the Shareefs with the farm in such a mess. Roz finds the cows huddled in the damaged barn; they are safe but traumatized by the storm and very much in need of milking. Without electricity, the milking machines cannot run, so Roz offers to milk Tess by hand. The cow declines, so Roz takes the herd out to graze safely while the crew repairs the farm. Three trucks of robots arrive and quickly and efficiently repair all the damage to Hilltop Farm, leaving it better than before the storm.

Jad and Jaya present Roz with a card and a gift. In the card, the children express their thanks for all of Roz’s help on the farm and tell her they spent all their savings on the gift. Inside the gift box, Roz finds a tool belt they hope will help Roz with her farm work. It has a custom leather strap that goes across her chest, fitting her robot body perfectly. Roz loves the gift and is happy that the children care for her, but she wonders if they care enough to help her escape. For now, Roz takes them to the tree for more stories about the island robot.

Roz makes a campfire so the Shareef family can roast marshmallows, but instead of using flint to create a spark as she did on the island, she uses a lighter. Jaya points to the Space Station in the sky where people live. Jad says they have a farm on the Space Station and suggests they take their cows to space, but Mr. Shareef says he is happy to stay on Earth. Jad and Jaya fall asleep, and Mr. Shareef tells Roz about his earlier life. His family loved their life at the farm, including sitting around the campfire telling stories, but his siblings moved to the city, and his parents were too old to care for the farm on their own. Mr. Shareef hired Jamilla to help him run the farm and eventually they fell in love and had two children. When the kids arrived, they hired machines to help with the farm work, and one of the machines accidentally caused Jamilla’s death. Roz wants to know more but stops herself from behaving in a way that is too human.

Hilltop Farm was a different place in the past, when the original owners grew food and kept sheep, goats, and chickens, but traces of its past remain, including an old barn hidden in the woods. Roz investigates the barn and finds a table full of old tools, farm magazines, and a journal that belonged to Cyrus Shareef. Roz reads the journal and learns how farms used to work in the past through Cyrus’s detailed notes. Cyrus believed in the old way of farming, where farmers and their crops were vital to the health of the town. Roz is mesmerized by Cyrus’s writings and keeps the journal in her toolbelt.

As the season changes from summer to fall, the farm rhythms shift in preparation for winter. The cows continue to graze under the watch of the Herding Machine while the Field Machine prepares the land and the Drone keeps watch. The children are in school but still find time for Roz’s stories. All the animals prepare for winter, including the birds who are ready for migration.

A flock of geese lands in the farm’s pond, and they know Roz’s name; she has become legendary amongst all the geese for knowing their language and for her goose son. Autumn flocks of geese continue to visit the farm, and they all know Roz. Wingtip’s flock is the last to arrive, and Roz is hopeful they had news of Brightbill. Unfortunately, they have nothing to report. Roz wonders if she will ever see her son again.

Every day, Roz thinks about escaping the farm and finding Brightbill. She wonders if it would be easier to forget her old life; since her robot brain remembers everything, she can never forget what happened on the island. She contemplates erasing her computer memory to relieve her sadness but ultimately decides she does not want to forget.

Another flock of geese arrives at the farm, flying north instead of south. The leader announces to the cows that his name is Brightbill, and he is looking for his mother, Roz.

Roz notices there is a commotion amongst the cows, and when she reaches the barn, she sees Brightbill. Robots are not emotional, but Roz is very happy to see her son and scoops him up into an embrace. Brightbill tells Roz that all the geese have been telling her story, and finally he heard it and came to Hilltop. Loudwing, Roz’s other goose friend from the island, is also with Brightbill, and Roz is happy to be with her family again. Suddenly, Roz hears the children say, “Roz! What are you doing?” (102). They are in the barn doorway and have witnessed the entire scene.

Jad and Jaya had snuck into the barn to see what all the commotion was when they stumbled upon the strange scene: All the cows are crowded around Roz, who is hugging a goose and speaking a strange language. As the kids remember Roz’s island stories, they put the pieces together and realize the stories were about Roz. Roz tells them the truth and introduces them to Brightbill. She begs the children not to tell their father because he will send her back to the factory. The children feel compassion for their robot and promise to keep her secret.

Since Jad and Jaya lost their mother, they understand the importance of Roz and Brightbill being together. Brightbill cannot stay, so Jaya suggests that Roz run away: Jaya says she ran away once but came home because she was hungry. Roz says she cannot run away because Mr. Shareef can track her on the computer and robots who run off are considered defective. Jaya asks Roz, “[I]s it possible that you are defective?” (106). Roz says she feels different, not defective, unless they are the same thing. Jaya agrees that everyone is a little different, and Jad pledges to help Roz get back home to repay her for saving his life. Brightbill is away until spring, and in the meantime, the children will formulate a plan to help Roz escape.

Roz treasures her time with Brightbill and hearing about all her other island friends, but when the first snowfall arrives, Brightbill and the flock must leave. Roz and Brightbill exchange an emotional goodbye, and Loudwing promises to take care of him as they fly away.

Winter at Hilltop Farm is different from the ones Roz experienced on the island. The weather is not as harsh, and Roz’s work is not hampered by bad weather. She makes careful preparations for spring so the farm will run efficiently when she leaves. Some of the cows go dry for the winter, but some must still be milked daily, and the milk truck still comes to collect the filled bottles. While Roz keeps the dairy running smoothly, Jad and Jaya secretly study Rozzum robots and find the answer to aid in Roz’s escape. 

After looking at a map of Roz’s circuitry, Jad determines that if they remove her Transmitter, Mr. Shareef cannot track the robot’s movements. Using the old barn for concealment, Jad will open Roz and see if he can remove the Transmitter without damaging her. 

Jad and Jaya wait until their father is asleep and meet Roz in the old barn. Roz has prepared a table for the operation, and she removes her tool belt and lays it down on the table before Jaya uses the button to power her down. Using the diagram on his computer, Jad carefully removes Roz’s head and opens her chest cavity to remove the Transmitter box. He begins reassembling the boxes and tubes but quickly becomes confused. Soon, the robot is completely disassembled into parts on the table, and the children are worried they will reassemble her incorrectly. Jaya grabs a lantern and uses it to peer inside Roz’s cavity and sees that the parts are numbered for easy reassembly. When they click Roz’s button, she awakens but cannot talk, and the children must turn her off and rearrange the parts inside. After a few tries, they finally reassemble Roz properly and check to make sure the removed Transmitter is still working. Roz will keep it inside her tool belt until the day she escapes. The operation concludes just in time for the children to leave for school.

Though she could leave at any time, Roz decides it is best to wait for Brightbill’s return in the spring so he can guide her home.

Roz spends most of the winter inside the barn with the cows. Tess says she is bored and cannot wait to return to the pasture in spring. Annabelle tells Tess she should be grateful for Hilltop Farm because she has been on other farms before where conditions are not as nice. Tess and Annabelle both agree they are thankful for Roz and will miss her when she leaves. Lily wonders why humans need so much milk, and Roz explains that they use it as an ingredient in many dessert foods, like ice cream and yogurt. When Lily does not understand the concept of dessert, Roz tries to explain the taste of sweet foods even though she does not eat them. Lily is happy that one day her milk will be used to make delicious food. Roz apologizes to the cows for leaving them, but she explains that life is better for her on the island where she is safe and with her family. She is afraid of what is to come, but Lily says everyone will work hard so Roz’s escape is successful because they love her so much.

Spring finally arrives at the farm, which means it is also calving season. Roz oversees the birth of many calves, but she also keeps a watch on the sky, awaiting Brightbill’s imminent return.

Mr. Shareef falls trying to carry an armload of grocery bags, and Roz rushes to help him. As she helps him inside, he calls to the children to assist with dinner preparation, but the kids want Roz to stay and help. Roz sees the inside of the Shareef home for the first time and notices a painting of the old barn and a photograph of Mrs. Shareef. Jaya cries while chopping the onions, so Roz helps and swiftly handles the task. Mr. Shareef tells Roz to take the night off, so she watches the family finish cooking and eating the delicious meal. When Roz sees the roast chicken on the table, it reminds her of her animal friends, and she wonders if humans are cruel for eating birds. She resolves they are just following their instincts, like all animals. After dinner, Mr. Shareef plays the violin and sings folk songs. When he tells Roz the violin belonged to Cyrus Shareef, she presents him with the diary she found in the old barn. The family gathers around and spends the rest of the evening reading about their family’s history. Roz leaves the house feeling conflicted because she wants to be with her family, but she does not want to leave the Shareefs’ home.

Brightbill finally returns with his flock, and after briefly catching up with the cows, Brightbill and Roz decide she will leave the farm that night.

Brightbill sends the rest of his flock away so they are not endangered during the escape. Roz exchanges goodbyes with the cows, who tearfully gather around her and Brightbill. Roz gives Annabelle the Transmitter so Mr. Shareef will not know she is missing until she is safely away from the farm. Saying goodbye to the children is hard, and Roz struggles to move as they hold her tightly. She tells them she has prepared the farm for her absence, but they will have to help. Roz will send a goose with a feather to the farm to let them know she and Brightbill have made it safely home. When she struggles to abandon the children, they say, “Roz, we order you to run away” (142), and she complies.