Free Who is Mackie Spence? by Lin Kaymer Page B

wash we scrub, and in about ten minutes we take off our masks. The smell isn’t as strong, but still foul. Dru pulls a face like she’s about to gag, but handles it all pretty well. At least, she doesn’t say anything. In twenty minutes the cage is clean, with Dru doing the final pressure-spraying to rinse everything off.
    We’ve just returned the disinfectant and scrubbers to main storage in the shelter when I feel my phone buzz. It’s a message from Mackie!
    R U off at 6?
    yes Y
    Call me then, PLZ.
    It’s four o’clock and we still have more cleanup. Mrs. Vartan motions us over to the front desk.
    â€œThe Large Flight Cage didn’t get cleaned this morning. They were short a volunteer and just ran out of time. Jeremy, would you handle that?” she asks.
    I nod because I like being in the big cage with Number 26. Cleanup includes removing bird droppings and food scraps that haven’t been eaten. Those can be almost anything. Like the hair or bones of dead, thawed chicks, rats, mice—whatever has been sent to the wildlife shelter. Though we breed mice for food, sometimes there isn’t enough, and our director, Gabe Hawes, purchases “frozen dinners.” We have an old microwave for defrosting the “dinners” before they are placed in cages for the birds to find. I remember watching in horror when a new volunteer took her warmed sandwich from the animal warming microwave to eat. Whoa! We have another microwave for our own food!
    Mrs. Vartan continues. “Dru, let’s transfer the new dry feed from the bags into the bins. Then we’ll check the boxed donations that came in yesterday.” The gifts will include old towels, linens, and bandaging items that people have dropped off.
    With my hood and goggles in place, I approach the Large Flight Cage quietly. Afternoon is down time for Number 26. Eagles sleep at night, but are most active in the morning, when they usually hunt. Since Number 26 has been with us for about six months, she knows our schedule for cleaning this cage. If she wanted to, she could get territorial and come after me, but she never has before. A part of me wants to believe that she understands how much we’ve been trying to help her. Or maybe she doesn’t and only tolerates us because of her weakened state.
    Brody was lucky when Mackie moved into the cage to defend him. Yeah, Number 26 absolutely would have noticed Brody. With two centers of focus, eagles can see both forward and out to the sides of their eyes at the same time. When an eagle hunts, it spots small animals on the ground up to one and a half miles away. There is no way that anyone could sneak in and surprise Number 26.
    My thoughts return to Mackie as I clean the cage. Mackie and Number 26. What has Mackie done that makes Number 26 show her respect? What is it about Mackie and wounded animals? How does the energy exchange work? What, exactly, does she do for them?
    Exiting, and after locking the cage door, I pull off my hood and dump the eagle’s refuse in a waste compost bin before heading back inside the shelter building. Re-entering the main room, I sit with Mrs. Vartan and Dru in a loose circle around the front desk. We review new informational handouts that Gabe and Olivia have prepared about ospreys.
    Finally, Mr. and Mrs. Keith, two volunteers who have worked third shift for a long time, push through the front door, laughing about something. I jump to my feet, ready to end the day. Mrs. Vartan nods. “You and Dru go ahead. I’ll wait for Seth,” she says smiling at us.
    â€œThanks,” I return and then, “See you,” to Dru. Passing the Keiths, I give them a big smile. It feels good to know that Mackie wants to talk with me.
    Walking up the shelter entrance drive, I pull my phone out and call her.
    â€œHey, what’s up?”
    â€œHi, where are you?” she asks, in a soft voice that gives me goose bumps.
    â€œHeading