[microfiction] Repair
They ran down the lake path, the sounds of metal against dirt echoing in the still night. They shielded the silver creation in their hands as best they could, aware that it couldn't function out of water for long. The robotic fish was only a toy, not intended to last more than a year, but when they'd found it floating belly up in its aquarium, they'd gathered every spare part they could find and worked through the night to repair their pet. They reached the water and knelt, submerging the fish. It lay still in their hands, and they were convinced they had failed until one fin flickered, moonlight gleaming on the metal scales. Slowly, the fish awoke and, once fully powered on, swam into the depths of the lake. They watched until the fish left the range of their infrared sensors, their circuits humming with joy.