Chapter 3: The Lunch Brigade
Author's Note: Thank you so much for reviewing guys! I didn't think you'd really like the story! Thank you a million billion for the positive feedback! Just so you know, this is my first story too! As for this chapter, a bit of it may seem a bit dumb but...oh well. All for humor, all for humor.
The two sat there for an hour more, until they could hear their stomachs growl. They were hungry, and it made sense too. It was 12 pm, which was their usual feeding time. Everyone came for lunch. It was their socialization period. Those who had trouble coming in the morning had no trouble in the afternoon. Bijou looked over at the door, hoping someone else would join them; someone that didn't have the problems the morning gang did.
The door finally swung open, letting in an orange hamster looking similar to Sandy in. "Heya babe!" he said, making his way over to Bijou and kissing her on the cheek.
Bijou just blushed. It was Stan, the flirty Stan. He was at least pampered, and not to mention pretty attractive. She sighed for a minute, knowing she was just another face in the crowd. He was the most suitable of the guy ham- hams, having no serious problems except for his little longings for making out with anyone. Anyone being the key word. Anyone pretty. And seeing, she was the only real attractive girl ham-ham she seemed to be his main target. Pashmina was pretty ugly and scary and Sandy was his sister...and engaged. How wrong would it be to make out with her?
Stan smiled. "So how are you Pashy?"
"Shut the hell up Stan." Pashmina replied.
"Glad to see you're nice. Anyhow, Bijou, baby, wanna go out on a date tonite?" Stan asked the white hamster, giving her a flirty wink.
Bijou smiled back. She wasn't too good at being flirty...but then again she never tried. Oh well...better now than never. "Of course cutie," she replied, finding she had a talent with it, even as it being her first time. "Anything for you,"
"So I see you're trying flirting out," Stan said, "Well you chose the right ham, doll."
Bijou smiled. "Did I?" She said, fluttering her eyelashes.
"Oh god you frickin' fools!" Pashmina exclaimed. "You're all so damn stupid!"
Bijou stopped short. "Oh sorry," she said. "And stop cussing," she added quickly.
Stan sighed. "Pashmina, Pashmina, Pashmina. Let your friend flirt if she oh-so desires." He shook his head, eyeing Bijou.
Pashmina shook her head stubbornly. "You all are so wacked."
Bijou smiled. "Am I?" she asked, still a bit flirty. "Or are you?"
"Nice come back, Bijou, honey," he winked.
Bijou giggled, but to her surprise she felt a slap, a hard slap...from Pashmina. "God damn you Bijou," she said, hating to see any form of romance OR flirting.
"Sorry..." Bijou said in an annoyed tone.
The door swung opened again, to a very skinny hamster. Could it be? His gray spots looked dull and faded, and he looked very unhealthy. "Hi guys," he said softly, walking in rather weakly.
"Ohmigosh Oxnard!" Bijou said. "Don't tell me you've been skipping meals again!"
"I-I haven't," he said. It was pretty obvious he was fibbing. He was all fur and bones. He was as thin as a pencil...maybe thinner. It had all started a while back when he was a little on the chubby side. Boss had commented on his obesity and one thing led to another. He started dropping breakfast and then...all other meals. No snacks and if he did eat he'd secretly throw the food up. He was a horror, a very depressing site. All the other Ham-Hams were concerned for his safety but he wouldn't let anyone help. He was too deep in his conflict...this conflict becoming deadly.
Bijou's eyes softened with concern. "Oxnard, have a sunflower seed. For all our sakes," she said, offering him one from a stack of many.
Oxnard took it and frowned, looking at it. At this point Pashmina couldn't contain herself. "LOOK AT YOURSELF YOU DAMN ANERXOIC!" she yelled. "You're thinner than a pencil; you can barely walk or do anything. You're worst than before! Don't you see it? We all have damn problems. But yours is getting out of paw!" she screamed, looking at the shivering hamster. Pashmina's words scared him.
"Pas-Pashmina..." he said, his body trembling with fear. Her scary eyes were placed upon him, as he started shaking even more.
"You heard me you damn idiot. Eat." Pashmina simply said, looking away. Stan and Bijou sat in astonishment. They switched concern glances, as Stan stood up.
"You have to eat, dude." He said simply. "If you wanna make it out okay ya gotta stop skippin' meals." He looked Oxnard straight in the eye and took his maracas out. He shook them once or twice, waiting for the terrified hamster's reply.
Oxnard looked around, nervously. "I-I-I..." he hesitated, searching for the right words to use. "I gotta go..." he said, walking out weakly, right before collapsing near the door. He laid flat on the ground motionless, panting for a breath.
"Oxnard!" Bijou exclaimed, running over to him. "Ohmigosh! Say something Oxnard!" she demanded. But it was useless...the thing was knocked out. "Oxnard?" she asked, once more. She panicked, staring back at Stan and then to Pashmina. "Someone's gotta help him!" she exclaimed, holding back her tears. There before her...could this all be real? All her friends...with so many problems...what happened to the happy carefree days of childhood? They were all over...everyone changed. Including her. She hesitated, even she had lost her manners and obtained a rather snobby at times attitude. She was an over achiever...and people made fun of her for that. She couldn't help she liked everything to be neat and tidy. She couldn't help herself being a perfectionist and a spoiled princess. She was treated much more elegantly in comparison to all her other Ham-Ham friends. She couldn't help she lived in a big nice mansion and came from France with a rich family. She couldn't help her ribbon was always shiny and her paws were always over pampered. Why make fun of that?
Pashmina looked a bit shock struck. Had Oxnard's problems really gone out of hand? Is this what happened to those that had eating disorders? She, herself, never really skipping a chance for more food, or getting addicted on drugs like Boss did, just stood before everyone else, her eyes wide open. A tear fell down her cheek, having just realized the problems she had with herself. This punk stuff...the cussing it just had to stop. She had to get her life back on track, and she needed help doing it. For once, she needed guidance and love. She needed compassion. She needed help. She went over to the mirror looking at her color dyed fur. What had happened? She used to be so good. She wandered to the corner of the clubhouse and took out a box. She opened it and wiped a tear. In it was a pink scarf and a picture, of her first owner June. Why did June have to die? Why did her whole family have to die from a horrible ice cream truck accident? Why did she have to be left abandoned? Why was life so unfair? She sat down in the corner and started sobbing to herself. She had everything...and she lost it all.
Oxnard still laid there, almost begging for help. His eyes watered as he held the sunflower seed Pashmina had given him close. Was these his last moments of life? He used to be so happy, munching on stacks and stacks of sunflower seeds at a time. But now he was limited...he was only doing this to himself. He watched the blurred version of Bijou run around panicked, while Stan, still laid back rushed over to the phone calling someone to help. He didn't see Pashmina anywhere; which sort of confused him.
Bijou noticed the sobbing Pashmina in a corner. What was wrong now? She sat next to her, and offered her a tissue. "Why are you crying?" she asked her, in a comforting voice.
"I lost everything!" the hamster cried, undoing her spike bracelets and wiping away the smeared mascara. "I lost June, I lost my home, and I've even lost all my friends!" she said. "I don't know what I'm going to do; I'm really scared." She looked at Bijou, practically begging for help.
"What did you lose?" Bijou asked. Pashmina had never told any of them what really happened, or why she went punk. Bijou tilted her head, letting her ponytail hang.
"June died." Pashmina said, wiping her tears. "She and her family died in a horrible ice cream truck accident." She started sobbing even louder. "That's why I'm depressed, that's why I gave up on everything." She took out the pink scarf and held it close to herself. "This is all I have."
"No, that's not true," Bijou said comforting to poor thing. She had a huge amount of pity for it. "Why don't you take a bath, and washed that dye?" she asked, escorting her friend to the shower. "Come out, and we can talk. We can all talk." She offered Pashmina her pink scarf. "Put this on too."
Pashmina nodded, and let out a small smile. "Thanks Bijou," she wiped a tear. "You've given me the one thing I need: a true friend." She went in, as the white hamster rushed back to Oxnard. That was one problem solved. But only one out of the many that surrounded her.
Stan shook his maracas impatiently. He doubted Oxnard could wait much longer. He needed help and now! He stood watching the door, hoping the help he had called for would soon arrive. To his shock, the doors immediately swung open letting in a group of hamsters with red crosses on their hops. They grabbed Oxnard and saluted, promising the two other ham-hams he'd be in good care.
Stan looked back to Bijou, and walked towards her, wiping the tear from her eye. "Don't cry babe," he said, with a concern glance. "Everything'll be okay."
Bijou couldn't contain herself any longer. She burst into tears, holding on tightly to Stan. Everything was too overwhelming for her. But all the people that had came that morning and afternoon weren't everyone. There was more to it...sadly much more.
Final Notes: I have to say the ice cream truck part was pretty weird, but it was random. Sort of funny. Well...I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review!
