Melancholy
Chapter Three
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"So, Pash, do you still feel sick?" Stan asked, his eyes worried. I looked up. Was he not being a flirt now? Was he actually...concerned?
"I feel better; my head's not dizzy anymore," I smiled at him and looked forward. But inside, my brain was mourning for answers. Why did I suddenly feel sick? Was it because...no, it couldn't be...
We were about a block from my home, but for us hamsters, it's still a lot if we just walk. When we were a bit farther, we passed a well crafted box, still smelling of fresh oak. And in it were the most beautiful flowers I had ever seen. They were a lovely pastel yellow, tinges of soft pink mixing in with it.
"They're gorgeous!" I breathed, my eyes glued to their pretty petals. Suddenly, I heard a small 'crack!' and a one of the flowers was cut off from the sprig and was placed behind my ear. I looked up and saw Stan grinning.
"Gorgeous flower for a gorgeous hamster," he slurred. I couldn't help smiling.
"You flirt," I scolded playfully. "You should remember that I still know your secret." I gestured to his knee.
"Let's not be that way," he winked. "C'mon, let's go, Beautiful."
"Stan," I reminded him warningly. He gulped.
"I mean...Pash."
A mother hamster soon passed us, carrying a small cream colored child. "Oh Daniel," she sighed. "That flu is spreading like embers on a bush!" Daniel coughed, his face pale. Suddenly, he turned his head and coughed; right on me!
"Oh my, I'm so sorry, miss!" the mother hamster fussed to me, scolding her child. "We must be going now, goodbye!" She hurried off, Daniel hacking uncontrollably.
"Pash, you all right? That kid was sick," Stan frowned, still looking off into where the two hamsters left.
"I'm sure it won't get to me," I said confidently. "It's just...yuck!" I winced at the thought of saliva and a little kid's germs sprayed all over me.
We continued, and when we were halfway down the block, my head started to throb. "Ow!" I would say after ever bump. Stan would ask me if I was all right, and I would answer with a "yes."
My feet now wouldn't support my body and was threatening to drop me. I was sweating. My head was piercing and like boiling magma. Suddenly, crash.
"Pash! Pash! Wake up!" I heard Stan's faint voice calling me. I managed to open my eyes, and I saw that I landed smackdab onto the concrete floor. My head was screaming.
"S...stan?"
"I'll get you to your house, no sweat, Pash!" he lifted me up onto his back with his strong arms and started running. I felt the cool air hit my face, and I willingly gulped it down, trying not to hurl on Stan's back. Then I tried to say it.
"Th...than..."
"What, Pash?" Stan yelled out to me.
"Thank you." And everything went dark.
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"Don't worry, miss, we'll get you better soon," a young doctor hamster stared down at me kindly. A white hat with a cross was jammed messily onto his forehead, and a first aid kit was strapped to his back. I closed my eyes and groaned. I was somewhere dark...June's room?
"Excuse me, young man, can you fetch me some cold water?" he asked someone.
"Hey, you're practically the same age as me!" I snapped open my eyes. Panda? Surely enough, I saw his black and white body scurrying down the table.
"You've caught the flu, and it's quite a doozy," the doctor chuckled. I rolled my eyes mentally. Doctors always say the same things in different solutions.
"But your fever has gone down two degrees, nonetheless," I heard him say after I shut my eyes. "But it's still a bit high. Sicknesses spread faster around hamsters than humans, you know..."
"Here," Panda muttered, shoving a small bucket full of water at the doctor, his face red, as if he didn't want me to see him. The doctor nodded approvingly, dantily washing a clean cloth by dousing it in the water, and settled it onto my head. I felt much better with the cold numbing my aching head. I closed my eyes in relief.
"I'll be leaving now," the doctor said huskily, setting a small tablet next to me. "Eat it when you're having a snack of sunflower seeds, okay? It'll heal you." He scurried out of my window, hopping onto the nearest tree branch.
"Where'd Stan go?" I asked to Panda. He frowned a bit, but answered me.
"He left a couple of hours ago when he remembered that his human is coming home early," he said simply, adjusting something behind me.
"Oh."
"I should go," he said suddenly. "I have to show Mei home!" He scurried over near the window. My heart started thudding wildly, my face growing hot.
"Bye Panda."
"See you tomorrow, Pashmina," he said at the sill of the open window. "I expect all of the hamuhamus will be visiting you then." He jumped out and scurried down the tree.
I turned around weakly, my head aching for me to stay still. I saw a small, folded note. I opened it, afraid that it would rip if I didn't do it neatly. It said:
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Dear Pashmina,
Hope you get better soon! All the hamuhamus were really concerned about you back in the Clubhouse. I was really worried, too. Luckily Stan was there to take you home. He's trying to look at what I'm writing right now, but I'm not letting him. Did you really get sick from a little kid's cough? Oh well...
"The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love."
Maxwell told me that quote. I don't think it's really about the flu, but I'll be sure to visit you everyday until the it's gone. Stan's leaving now, and the doctor's coming.I see him in your walkway.
Don't laugh too much when you read this. I'm blushing as I write this, since I hardly ever admit my feelings like this.
-Panda-
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I grinned.I couldn't help it. And I suddenly felt a bit better. I swallowed the tablet and read it again, my mouth glued into a smile. Panda, I'm not laughing. He was so sweet!
I lay down and my mind was filled with thoughts...
I thought about the sudden aching I had when Panda talked about what Mei told him...
...maybe...
...it was because I was afraid that Mei would steal Panda away from me.
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InspiredbyMiyazaki - I thought I was a mediocre writer! -thanks-
April Chikatow- Thanks for another review! Favorites? I am not worthy!
Crystalgurl101 - Oh, thank you! And about the hamuhamus and that stuff, it's because that's what they originally said in Tokotto Hamutaro. I don't really like Hamhams and Hamha. It makes them sound like slices of bacon for me. xD