Metanoia

Chapter 5

We followed them to the clinic, seeing them getting out their truck carrying the mammal into what looked like a swimming pool. I quickly went inside the clinic the others following closely behind me, "Hello sweeties, how can I help you.", the receptionist greeted us with a smile, "Hi ma'am, we are the people who found the mammal you guys just brought in, is there any way that we kind speak to someone regarding it please?", I asked the receptionist with urgency in my voice.

"Doctor Thomas has just gone to check on the patient now, but you guys are welcome to take a seat and wait until he is done.", she said giving us, pointing to the seats behind us. About an hour later a man that looked to be middle aged stepped out into the reception are, "Maggie , you said there are people waiting for me?", he asked confusion lacing his voice. "Yes Dr Thomas, those children asked to see you.", Maggie replied to Dr Thomas, I impatiently stood up to greet the doctor and by the look on his face I knew he understood. "Hello, I'm Dr Thomas, how can I help you today?" the Dr asked in a professional tone, "Hello Dr Thomas, my name is Ardnola and these are my friends.", I replied gesturing to my friends.

"We are here regarding the mammal that was just brought in." I said to the Dr while anxiously playing with my fingers, "Ahh yes, please follow me.", he said walking leading us someplace in the clinic.

We walked in front of a huge tank that was holding the little mammal in. "Is he okay?", I asked while my friends looked inside the tank. "He is not in the best condition you guys found him just in time.", the Dr said in a serious tone looking at the tank then at me again. "What is he?" asked Sarah, "He is a vaquita, and is still a baby. One of the last of his kind actually." Dr Thomas replied, "They actually live in the Northern Gulf of California."

"That's all the way in Mexico!", I stated my eyes wide with shock. "Exactly, poor little guy was probably caught up in a net and ended up on the beach shore.", the Dr said "Ardnola and I actually found him caught up in a net on Half Moon beach, that's when we called for help.", Colton stated giving Dr Thomas the back story on how we found the baby vaquita.

"No wonder he is in such a bad state, poor little guy.", Amanda said sadly . "Their territory overlaps with commercial fisheries in Mexico that catch shrimp, curvina and sierra which is the food they mainly eat along with a few other things." Dr Thomas informed us. "Isn't that where all the illegal fishing operations happen?" I asked, "Yes actually, the also target the totoaba fish which is equally endangered as the vaquita.", the Dr said answering my question. Wow so the vaquita is an endangered species and Colton and I ended up finding one, a baby to exact that's hectic.

After chatting with Dr Thomas for a while we decided to go home, before I left the clinic I turned to Dr Thomas and asked, "Dr Thomas would it be okay if I come by tomorrow?", he smiled "Of course you can, I will just let Maggie know. You can come by anytime tomorrow.", he replied. I gave him a friendly smile and nodded my head, and headed home with Sarah and the rest, excited for tomorrow.