Little Shop of Hamsters Read online

  Dad went downstairs. I was feeling pretty good. Any pet I want …

  Sweet.

  I just needed a good report from Mr. Fitz.

  Uh-oh. How was I going to get that?

  My good feeling lasted only a few seconds. A wave of dread fell over me. I let out a long sigh.

  I pictured the two hamsters, crazed, clawing each other, wrestling furiously on the cage floor.

  Snarling and growling and biting. Cute, cuddly hamsters — and they had ATTACKED me!

  The candy turned them mean.

  But how?

  I’d been gulping it down ever since I got home from HorrorLand. I’d eaten tons of the little round candies. And I was exactly the same. The candy hadn’t changed me. It made my face tingle a little. But it hadn’t turned me mean.

  I reached into my shirt pocket for the candy dispenser.

  Uh-oh. Not there.

  I searched my jeans pockets.

  And then I gasped and let out a moan. “Oh, nooooo.”

  I must have left the candy in the hamster cage!

  The next morning in class, what do you think I was thinking about?

  Well, I definitely wasn’t thinking about Civil War battles. My teacher, Mr. Pilcher, started a slide show about them.

  But I had a different slide show going in my head. It was about hamsters!

  Ferocious hamsters, growling and baring their teeth. Biting and clawing, frothing at the mouth, scratching each other’s eyes out.

  The pictures in my brain were totally disturbing. They kept me up all night. And now the next morning, I wanted to concentrate on Civil War battles. I really did.

  But all I could think of was getting back into that cage and grabbing my candy dispenser before it could do any more harm.

  After school, I jumped on my bike and began to pedal furiously.

  But before I even reached the street, I heard Lexi shouting to me. “Wait up! Sam — wait up!”

  I turned and let out a startled cry. “Lexi? What’s up with that?”

  She came stumbling across the grass in her hamster costume. She had the head tucked under her arm. “Give me a break, Sam! Can’t you wait up?”

  “Why are you wearing that? Did you run out of school clothes?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Ha-ha. I just brought it to my drama class to show it off. Everyone thought it was totally cool.”

  I groaned. “I’m kind of in a hurry,” I said.

  “I’ll jog beside you,” Lexi replied. “Here.” She shoved the hamster head over my handlebars.

  “How are you going to jog in that costume?” I asked.

  She shrugged. “I’ll do my best. What’s your big hurry, anyway?”

  As we made our way slowly down the street, I explained to her why I was in such a hurry.

  “Don’t you see?” I said. “That candy is dangerous. I’ve got to get it out of that cage before more hamsters go crazy.”

  She stumbled. Grabbed on to my handlebars to keep herself from falling. And nearly pulled my bike over.

  “I get it,” she said. “You want to get into the cage and grab your candy phone back before Fitz sees that you left it there.”

  “Right,” I said. I squeezed on the brakes as a squirrel ran across the street inches in front of us.

  “I can help you,” Lexi said.

  I groaned. “Oh, please,” I begged. “Please don’t help me.”

  “No. Really,” she said. She rubbed the thick fur on her chest with both paws. “I’ll get Fitz’s attention. I’ll keep him busy while you climb into the cage.”

  “Well … okay,” I said. “Sounds like a plan.”

  She was hobbling in the dumb costume. At this rate, it would take half an hour to get to the shop.

  “Sam, if you’ve turned those cute little creatures into vicious beasts, you’ll be in major trouble.”

  “Oh, thanks for sharing that,” I said. “That cheers me up a lot! And by the way,” I said, “you look ridiculous walking down the street in that costume.”

  “Just doing my job,” Lexi said.

  * * *

  A few minutes later, I locked my bike in front of the shop. Lexi grabbed the hamster head and tugged it down over her head. Then she led the way inside.

  Fitz was sitting on a tall stool behind the front counter, reading a magazine. But I was too worried to stop and talk to him. I rushed up to the big cage and peered in through the glass.

  Had the hamsters turned into vicious beasts?

  No. They were burrowing in the shavings, darting back and forth … running on their wheels.

  Totally normal?

  Maybe.

  I had to get into that cage and find that candy phone.

  I turned and saw Lexi talking to Mr. Fitz. She was tugging at the hamster head.

  “I … I can’t get it off,” she told him. “It’s stuck!”

  She pretended to pull on the big mask.

  Good work, Lexi! I thought. Keep Fitz busy over there.

  Fitz turned his back to me. He began tugging at Lexi’s costume. She pretended to tug at it, too. But I knew she was holding the head on.

  Silently, I made my way to the cage door. I reached for it — and then froze.

  A chill ran down the back of my neck.

  I remembered the bites. The deep scratches.

  Hamsters are tiny, furry little adorable creatures, right?

  Was I really terrified of them now?

  Did I have good reason to be?

  I took a deep breath. Raised a trembling hand. Slid open the cage door — and carefully stepped inside.

  The sharp pine aroma greeted me. My shoes scraped over the shavings.

  Hamsters scampered over my feet. Three or four of them were running in circles, chasing each other. I looked for Freckle Face and his fierce pal. But I didn’t see them.

  I peered out into the shop. Fitz had his back to me. He and Lexi were still wrestling with the hamster costume.

  I dropped to my hands and knees. I kept a lookout for the two vicious hamsters. I ran my hands through the thick carpet of wood shavings.

  Where was the phone? Where did I drop it?

  Maybe near the back wall of the cage, with all the food dishes and water. I crawled to that side and began to search.

  Carefully, I slid my hands along the cage bottom. I pushed shavings out of the way and kept my eyes low, glancing back and forth.

  I moved slowly from one end of the cage to the other. Then I started back again.

  No sign of it. Why couldn’t I find it?

  Where was it? Where?

  The air grew stifling hot inside the cage. I could just barely hear Fitz and Lexi talking over the squeal of the whirling hamster wheels.

  My heart was pounding hard, and I was drenched in sweat. I began to search more frantically. I tossed shavings out of my way. I crawled slowly from one end of the cage to the other.

  No sign of the candy dispenser.

  Suddenly, I stopped with a gasp. What was that sound?

  Was that a growl? A hamster growl?

  Take it easy, Sam, I scolded myself. Don’t lose it now.

  I peered out through the glass. I saw Fitz pull Lexi’s hamster head off.

  Lexi’s face was bright red. She took a bottle of Vito-Vigor, raised it to her mouth, and began to drink it down.

  Fitz had his back to her. He was staring at the cage. His eyes went wide when he saw me on my hands and knees inside it.

  He slid open the door and leaned in. “Sam? What on earth are you doing in there?”

  I had to think fast. “Uh … just cleaning up a bit,” I said.

  “Good,” Fitz said. “I like it that you go right to work and don’t have to be told. Very responsible, Sam.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “I want to do a good job.”

  My eyes were still searching for that candy phone.

  “Be sure to fill all the water bowls and food dishes,” Fitz said. “I have to go out for a while.”

&nb
sp; “No problem,” I said.

  I watched him say good-bye to Lexi. Then he pulled on a jacket and hurried out the front door.

  As soon as he was gone, Lexi hurried to the side of the cage. “Did you find it?” she shouted.

  I shook my head. “Not yet. It’s got to be here somewhere.”

  “Keep looking,” she said. She slid the hamster head down over her face. Then she turned and hurried outside to do her job.

  I moved up and down the cage, searching desperately. Sweat poured down my forehead. My arms and legs ached from being down on the cage floor for so long.

  “Where is it? Where is it?” I started to mutter to myself.

  Two or three hamsters turned to stare at me. Did they think I was talking to them?

  I heard another growl. Hamsters growling! I could hardly believe it.

  I bent down to scoop away wood shavings. A hamster leaped onto my back. Then he instantly jumped back to the cage floor.

  I heard another soft growl. Almost like a warning.

  I have to get out of here, I thought.

  And then my hand bumped something hard. I wrapped my fingers around it and pulled it up.

  The candy dispenser. I found it!

  I let out a victory cry. “YAAAAAAY!”

  I was happy — but not for long.

  I held the phone close to my face and shook it.

  It was EMPTY.

  I sat up. I shook the phone again.

  No. No candy.

  “I don’t believe it!” I cried.

  I jammed the phone into my jeans pocket. Did they eat it all?

  I looked down. A bunch of hamsters had lined up in front of me. They sat on their haunches, very still, staring up at me. Their round black eyes glowed.

  They sniffed the air.

  “Boo!” I waved both arms and shouted at the top of my lungs. I figured that would scatter them.

  But they didn’t move.

  There were at least ten of them. One made a snarling sound and bared his teeth.

  Another one uttered a low growl.

  This isn’t happening, I told myself.

  Three or four more hamsters joined them. I realized they were forming a circle around me.

  Two hamsters growled. The sound came from deep in their chests. A tiny brown-and-white hamster snapped his jaws.

  “Give me a break, guys,” I said. “Pick on someone your own size.”

  I meant it as a joke. But my voice trembled.

  My chest felt all fluttery. My sweat suddenly felt cold on my forehead.

  Something very weird was happening here. Something totally strange and frightening. And it was all MY fault!

  It had to be the candy. It changed them. It changed their personalities.

  It definitely turned them mean.

  I stared down at the circle of growling hamsters.

  How many of them had eaten the candy?

  Had I ruined Fitz’s hamsters forever?

  If he knew I poisoned his hamsters by leaving the stupid candy in their cage, he’d … he’d kick me out of the shop. Fire me.

  My parents would find out. And I’d be fifty years old before I ever got a pet!

  I looked down. Hamsters bared their teeth and snapped their jaws. Several raised up on their hind legs.

  Fear sent a chill down my body. They were seriously starting to creep me out.

  I recognized Freckle Face. He stared up at me coldly. He clawed the air with both paws.

  “Sam? What are you doing?”

  The voice startled me. I gasped and stumbled back against the cage wall.

  I blinked. Spun around. And saw Fitz poking his head through the half-open cage door.

  “I’ve been calling to you. Is everything okay?” he asked.

  “Uh … yeah,” I said. “Fine.”

  “Glad you’re having fun in there,” he said. “But you haven’t done your chores. Did you forget about the water and the fresh food?”

  “No. I didn’t forget,” I said. “I was just … uh … playing with them a little.”

  A few hamsters growled. Did Fitz hear them?

  He stared into the cage. His eyes narrowed as if he was thinking about something.

  A hamster snapped his teeth at my ankle.

  I swept him off and stumbled to the cage door. I stepped out quickly and slid the door shut. The hamsters still stood in a circle on their hind legs, staring out at me.

  A feeling of dread tightened my throat.

  I stared at the growling hamsters. They clawed the air and snapped their jaws.

  It sounds crazy, I know. They were just little hamsters.

  But my whole body shuddered with fear.

  I really didn’t want to go back in that cage.

  They were waiting for me. I knew it.

  After dinner, I hurried to my room. I opened my history book, but I couldn’t read a word. My mind was spinning.

  My phone rang. It was Lexi. “Sam, what happened?” she asked. “Why did you run out of the shop without doing your work? Are you okay?”

  “I … I told Fitz I felt sick,” I said. “And I really did. Something terrible has happened.”

  “Oh, wow,” Lexi muttered. “The candy?”

  “Yes. The candy.” I groaned. “They ate it all. The phone was totally empty.”

  “How much candy was in the dispenser?”

  “A lot!” I said.

  “And you really think it turned them mean?” Lexi asked.

  “I don’t think it. I know it. They were growling and baring their teeth and snapping their jaws. They surrounded me, Lexi. They were getting ready to chew me to pieces!”

  “I don’t believe this,” Lexi murmured into the phone. “Tiny hamsters?”

  “You’ve got to believe me,” I said. “I know they’re tiny. But they’re terrifying. They were going to gang up on me and —”

  “Okay, okay,” she said. “Maybe I can help you.”

  Oh, noooo, I thought. Whenever Lexi tries to help me, it’s a disaster!

  “I’m desperate,” I said. “How can you help me?”

  “Well … I have an idea,” she replied. “Did you save the box the cell phone came in?”

  “The box?” I thought hard. “Maybe. I don’t remember.”

  “If you have the box,” Lexi said, “you can find the e-mail address or the phone number of the candy company. And you can contact them and ask them what to do.”

  “Huh?” My mind started to spin. “How can I ask them what to do?”

  “Easy,” Lexi said. “Ask them if anyone else ever complained about their candy turning pets or anyone mean. Ask if they know something you can give them to change them back to normal.”

  “That sounds a little crazy,” I said.

  “Worth a try, Sam. Really. It’s worth a try.”

  “But, Lexi —”

  I heard a loud clicking on the phone.

  “I’ve got another call,” Lexi said. “Got to go. Bye.”

  “But wait —”

  She clicked off. I stared at the phone in my hand. Maybe for once Lexi had actually come up with a helpful idea.

  But did I keep the box?

  I searched the bottom of my clothes closet where I always toss stuff. I found the little stuffed Horror that gift-shop guy had given me. It was leaning against the back wall next to a box of old CD’s.

  Down on my hands and knees, I kept searching. And there was the box under a pile of dirty T-shirts. PHONEY-PHONE.

  It had a picture of the phone on the front with a bunch of little red and blue candies popping out of the screen. Behind the phone, you could see a boy’s face. His eyes were bulging out of his head, and he had a big grin from ear to ear.

  I turned the box over and read the tiny type on the back. Yes. I found the company name: Phoney-Phone Productions. And in even tinier type, a phone number.

  “Will they know how to help me get the hamsters back to normal?” I asked myself out loud.

  I punched in
their number. After two rings, a recorded woman’s voice came on:

  “Thank you for calling Phoney-Phone. If you would like to buy a new phone, press one. If you would like to order some candy refills, press two. If you are having a problem with your phone …”

  I didn’t wait for her to finish. I pressed three.

  Some jingly music came on. Like you hear in supermarkets. I sat down on the edge of my bed and waited with the phone pressed to my ear.

  After three or four minutes, a man spoke: “This is Mr. Dover. How can I help you?”

  “Uh … Mr. Dover,” I started. “I’m having a little trouble with my candy dispenser phone.”

  “Is it jammed?” he asked. “When you shake it, can you hear candy rolling inside it?”

  “Well … my problem is a little different,” I said. “You see, I work in a hamster store.”

  “Excuse me? A hamster store?” he interrupted. “You mean a store that sells only hamsters?”

  “Yes,” I said. “And the hamsters ate the candy. And it turned them mean. I mean, totally fierce.”

  “You called to tell me that our candy turned a bunch of hamsters mean?” he asked.

  “Yes. And I wondered if you know something I can give them to turn them back to normal.”

  There was a long silence on the other end. Then Mr. Dover said: “What color candy was it?”

  “Orange,” I said.

  I heard him gasp. “Hamsters ate the orange candy?”

  “Yes,” I replied. I suddenly had a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

  Another long silence. Then he asked in a quiet voice, “Young man, you didn’t eat the orange candy — did you?”

  “Well, yes,” I told him. “I ate a lot of it.”

  “Oh, wow,” Mr. Dover said. “Oh, wow.”

  “Wh-what’s wrong?” I stammered.

  “The orange candy wasn’t supposed to be sold,” he said. “We recalled all the orange candy. We took it back. There was a mistake at the factory, see? The wrong ingredient accidentally went into the orange ones.”

  I swallowed. My mouth suddenly felt very dry. “The wrong ingredient?”

  “Yes, it’s a flesh-eating chemical. First it turns you mean. Then it eats all your organs. It eats up your entire insides. Then it eats your eyeballs. In less than a week, there’s nothing left but skin and bones.”