Bushfire! (3 page)

It was all systems go as the rescue van pulled into the animal hospital. The staff appeared from every corner of the hospital to help unload the animals. The kangaroo was moved onto a stretcher and carried inside, while the others could be moved in their cages.

Rosie and Bindi helped their adopted animals into the main reception area of the hospital. The narrow hall behind was immediately filled with animals needing attention.

“What will happen now?” Bindi asked Richard.

“Our triage nurse will inspect each animal and decide who needs to be seen right away and who can wait a little longer for more detailed treatment.”

Richard pointed to the kangaroo. “Our courageous kangaroo will be the first cab off the rank.”

Richard knew the girls were anxious about the animals they had adopted. “Try not to worry. Every animal will get the attention it needs. I'm not the only vet here. Your furry friends will be looked after.”

Just then the front doors swung open, followed by a loud shout of “Incoming!”

A man covered in dirt and charcoal staggered up to the group. He held an injured possum in his arms. “This fellow needs help, doc.”

“You both look as if you've been through the fire,” said Richard, checking out man and possum.

“The fire came close to the back of my land,” the man explained. “I was hosing down my place when I caught a glimpse of this little bloke in the thick of it. He could hardly even move. It looks like he's burned his hands and feet.”

Richard took a closer look at the wounds. “I can't believe he let you this close to him without anesthetic.”

The man shook his head. He was just as surprised by the possum's actions. “I've never seen anything like it. He just seemed to know I'd do right by him.”

Richard led the two of them to a consultation room. “Well, it sounds like you risked your life to save his. I'm sure he's grateful. Let's take a look at him.”

Bindi and Rosie hovered in the corridor, watching staff and volunteers whiz past. They weren't sure what to do next—everything had been such a whirlwind. Now here they were back at the hospital but all the staff had a fixed role and knew what job they were meant to be doing. All the girls wanted to do was help, but they didn't want to get in anyone's way.

Richard stuck his head back out into the corridor.

“Bindi! Rosie! I'll need your help, please! You know the old saying: many hands make light work!”

The girls couldn't help smiling at each other as they scuttled after Richard. He might like to overuse his old sayings, but he sure knew how to save lives.

Terri and Robert were helping out in the hospital kitchen preparing food and drinks for the staff and volunteers. They were making piles of sandwiches, a large pot of soup, a lasagne, and various salads. It was now midafternoon but many of the staff and volunteers would be working late into the night.

Bindi and Rosie wandered in, starving.

“You girls look like you need some food,” said Terri as she dished out two plates of lasagne and salad and poured two glasses of lemonade.

“Thanks, Mum!”

“Thanks, Terri.”

Bindi and Rosie plunked themselves down at the large table which dominated the room and wasted no time digging in.

Robert came over to the table, smiling. “I helped fry the meat.”

Bindi smiled. “Mmmm, totally delicious, little buddy!” She was so grateful she didn't even mind when Robert stole a piece of cucumber from her plate.

He glanced out the window and frowned.

“What's up, Robert?” asked Rosie.

He was looking at the colorful wind socks that were flapping furiously outside the window. “D'you think the zoo's going to be okay with the fire and everything?”

Bindi and Rosie looked at the wind socks. “I think so. As long as the wind doesn't change direction,” said Bindi.

The girls returned the plates to the kitchen and hurried back to surgery.

Terri came over and sat with Robert. “Thanks for your cooking expertise, Mr. Irwin,” she said, ruffling his hair.

Robert was concentrating hard. He pointed to the fish-shaped wind sock. “Look at the wind sock, Mum. I don't think it was blowing in that direction before.”

Terri froze as she watched it dancing like crazy in the wind.

Robert was right. The wind had changed direction. It would be bringing the fire directly in line with the zoo and the wildlife hospital.

Richard peered at Smokey's burns as she lay on the operating table under anesthetic. Bindi adjusted the surgical mask covering her nose and mouth and watched with interest as Richard talked her through the koala's treatment.

“Her burns are second degree, which means they are moderate but not beyond repair. We'll treat the burns, then pad and bandage her. We'll have to change the dressing daily.”

He carefully reached inside Smokey's pouch and pulled out a tiny joey.

“Because the joey is only about four months old, she's what we call pre-pouch emergence. She's not ready to come out yet. We don't want to disturb her but we will need to check her and weigh her regularly to see if she's doing okay.”

He took the tiny little koala and set her down on a set of scales. The vet nurse noted her weight.

“We'll also keep an eye on Smokey's milk supply. If her body shuts down due to her injuries then the joey will need a hand from us with a special koala formula we can make up.”

He placed the tiny joey back into Smokey's pouch.

“It looks so snug in there,” Bindi observed.

Richard finished cleaning up Smokey's burns and applied a dressing to the affected areas. “Now we need to X-ray Smokey to see if her lungs are clear.”

The nurse took Smokey over to the X-ray room. As they waited for the results, Richard washed his hands. Bindi set about clearing the table.

Richard turned to her, his hands still dripping. “There's an old saying: all experience is education for the soul. Try to remember that, will you, in case things don't go the way you hope?”

Bindi nodded, a lump in her throat.

The nurse returned with the X-ray, which Richard held up to the light. After a long look he turned to Bindi. He pointed to Smokey's lungs on the X-ray. “See how the area is white? A clear lung would come up black on the X-ray.”

Bindi looked at the picture. “That's not good, is it?”

Richard shook his head. “It's not great but it could still clear up before too much damage is done.” Richard handed the X-ray back to the nurse.

Bindi felt tears prick at her eyes. All she wanted to do was help Smokey but she didn't know how.

Richard said gently, “I've got another operation to do now. I'll let you know about Smokey as soon as we know anything more. In the meantime, Tracy is going to show you how to tend to Smokey so she's as comfortable as possible. Could you do that for me, Bindi?”

Bindi cleared her throat. “Of course.”

Bindi listened as Tracy gave her instructions for the koala's care. She would do everything she could for this beautiful little animal!

Richard re-sterilized and entered another operating room. The team was waiting for him. They were preparing to operate on Spike, the little echidna. Some of his spikes needed to be removed.

Rosie was helping her dad by holding the anesthetic mask over the echidna's face.

“The echidna's spines provide such good protection. In this case too much protection. We need to get to the burns on his skin underneath.”

Rosie leaned in closer to watch her dad. “How will Spike manage without his spines?”

“Don't worry, Rosie, there's an old saying: beauty is only skin deep. We'll have this little fellow back up and running around in no time. His spines will grow back in about a year.”

Richard peered down at the tangle of spines. “Now, here comes the tricky part.”

Richard was poised to begin the extraction. Everyone leaned forward to watch just as the room was plunged into darkness. There was a collective groan from everyone in the room.

“Uh oh! Power out! In this kind of heat the grid gets overloaded.” Richard paused. “The generator should have cut in by now. Julie, can you please go see what's going on?”

Nurse Julie felt her way toward the drawer where the flashlights were kept. She turned one on and handed it to Rosie and took another one with her. “I'll be back as soon as I can.”

Richard became aware of the shuffling of feet. “Everyone else stay as still as possible and don't touch anything. We want the area to remain sterile.”

There was an uncomfortable silence as everyone tried not to move in the pitch black. Richard's voice cut through the tension. “Anyone know any good ghost stories?”

Rosie couldn't believe her father. “Dad! You're in the middle of an operation!” But then she remembered a funny joke she had heard at school. “Okay, I know a ghost joke. Why are ghosts so bad at telling jokes?” She shone her flashlight into the others' faces. Everyone shook their heads. “Because you can see right through them!”

They all chuckled.

Clare, the other nurse, piped up. “Oh, I've got one. What's a ghost's favorite dessert? Boo-berry pie and I scream!”

More chuckles before a flashlight flickered in the doorway and Julie came back into the room.

“The generator hasn't kicked in due to the heat, so they're trying to manually restart it. We might not get the power back for some time.”

“Okay then. We'll have to keep going by flashlight.” Richard turned to his daughter. “Rosie, I'll need you to hold your flashlight for me over Spike. They're not sterile so you won't be able to touch anything else. Julie, please shine yours here too.”

Richard leaned forward toward the little echidna and began extracting his spines…by flashlight.

Hours later, Richard found Bindi and Rosie curled up fast asleep on the couch in the staff room.

He turned on a light and gently shook them both awake.

“Sorry to wake you, girls.” He gave them a moment to take in their surroundings.

“What time is it?” asked Rosie groggily.

Richard checked his watch. “It's after 10 p.m.”

“The power's back on,” Rosie noted.

Richard nodded. “They managed to fix the generator about an hour ago.”

Bindi's first thought was the koala and her joey. “How's Smokey?”

Richard sat down on the couch between Rosie and Bindi. “That's what I wanted to talk to you about. We performed another X-ray on Smokey's lungs and they're not improving. She's developed an infection.”

He paused before he continued. “She has pneumonia, Bindi. I'm afraid it means she won't get better.”

Bindi tried to take in the news. She felt numb. Rosie squeezed her friend's hand in sympathy.

“Would you like to say good-bye to her?” asked Richard softly.

Bindi nodded furiously. Richard led the way into one of the operating rooms.

Smokey was lying on the table, her eyes half open. Bindi could feel tears start to fall down her cheeks. “She looks so peaceful.”

“She's been sedated. The good news is we're going to be able to save the joey. She's very young but we can raise her in the nursery. She's going to need lots of care, Bindi. Do you think you could take her on as a special patient?”

Bindi approached the table and looked at Smokey. Bindi gently stroked her fur. “I promise I'll take good care of your baby, Smokey.”

It was as if the koala mother knew that Bindi would look after her joey. She opened her big brown eyes and blinked. She trusted Bindi. Bindi had helped her when she had been scared and in pain. She couldn't feel the pain anymore.

Richard carefully removed the joey from Smokey's pouch.

“We need to get the little one settled in the nursery. She'll need a heat lamp and an incubator. Now's the time to say good-bye to Smokey.”

Richard left the room with the joey.

Smokey had Bindi's finger grasped in her paw. “Sleep tight, Smokey.”

Bindi gave Smokey one last look, gently pulled her finger away, and left the room. Despite her tears, Bindi knew she would need to be strong to look after Smokey's joey.

And Bindi was a friend who always kept her promises.