Dr. Marcus Finchley's Arc

Chapter 2 of 6

Marcus set his notebook on the workbench and studied the barn owl in the recovery cage. White fungal plaques dotted its air sacs—aspergillosis, just as he'd suspected. He needed to learn nebulization therapy fast if this bird was going to make it. He grabbed his field jacket and walked toward the cabin he'd discovered last month. The stone foundation kept it dry, and wide windows let in plenty of light. Inside, bird encyclopedias lined the shelves. Medical journals covered the desk. Marcus pulled down a thick volume on respiratory infections and flipped through the pages. He found a chapter on antifungal nebulization and started reading. The technique required specific dosing schedules and careful monitoring. He wrote everything down in his notebook, sketching diagrams of the equipment setup. The sun set while he read. Marcus strapped on his new headlamp and adjusted the brightness. The flexible metal band fit snug across his forehead. He kept reading by the bright LED light, filling page after page with treatment protocols. His barn owl needed nebulization treatments twice daily for three weeks. The metal tools he'd need sat in his kit back at the sanctuary. He could start first thing tomorrow morning. Marcus walked back through the dark forest, his headlamp cutting a clean path ahead. He stopped at the cedar feed dispenser near the recovery aviaries to check tomorrow's fish supply. The double-walled panels kept everything fresh. He had medical supplements ready too. The barn owl would get the best care he could provide. Every new technique he learned gave his patients a better chance. He would master nebulization therapy, save this owl, and add another success to his records.