A Rover's Story

Chapter 78 consists of eight words: “Error. Error. Error. Blank. Blank. Blank. Blank. Blank” (255).

Resilience remains blank as Sophie writes several letters that span several years. Her mom is in remission, which has helped her entire outlook. Choosing a college, which seems like choosing the rest of her life, makes Sophie nervous, but when it starts to get overwhelming, she thinks about how much Resilience accomplished. During her second year of college, her mom gets permission to fund a rescue mission for Resilience. This news makes Rania jump up and down; Sophie thinks she should be embarrassed about her mom’s reaction, but when she thinks about Resilience, “[she] remember[s] what it felt like to be twelve” (263).

A year later, Sophie’s mom is sick again. Sophie reads Resilience’s letters to her mom, who seems to really like them when she’s awake enough to listen. Sophie’s second-to-last letter will be her last for a while because thinking of Resilience reminds her of her mom, and “it’s too hard for [her] to write about Mom” (271). The final letter comes 12 years later, telling Resilience he’s coming home and that he’s the first rover ever to return to Earth.