Member-only story
The Hamster Infestation
Trigger Warning: There are hamsters, irresponsible pet owners, and everything associated with both in this story. It is mostly true, to my shame and horror, with some names and places being changed. I do not advocate that you ever dump a pet in the woods, even if you are a young child that has grown to loathe the vicious little creatures you are in charge of. Learn from my mistakes and do better…at the very least, don’t buy your kids a beta fish or a hamster. You are not prepared.
If you want to be a writer, first consider being born into wealth so that you have the funds to support yourself in the lean times. If that opportunity has slipped past you, never negate the value in a well-traumatized upbringing, and the quickest way to accomplish this is by obtaining a pet considered “great for beginners” and “easy to care for”, descriptions which are almost always lies. Life (especially in small creatures) is a delicate, precious thing, and you almost certainly should not trust a pet shop to prepare you to care for it. So why share this story? Because it’s important to acknowledge your mistakes in life, the things that traumatized you, and the hurt you caused others. We have to acknowledge our darker truths in order to grow, and to hopefully educate others against making the same mistakes. Sometimes…
