Chompsketta
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      saw
      it
      in
      a
      cage
     
    

    
     
      Sitting
      all
      alone.
     
    

    
     
      I
      said
      it
      looks
      so
      lonely;
     
    

    
     
      He
      said
      soon
      it
      would
      be
      dead.
     
     
      It
      was
      not
      to
      be
      a
      pet.
     
    

    
     
      Its
      reason
      to
      be
      alive
     
    

    
     
      Was
      to
      be
      a
      fighter
      and
      die
      a
      dier,
     
     
      And
      end
      up
      in
      some
      snake’s
      belly.
     
     
      What
      a
      shame!
     
    

    
     
      It
      was
      so
      cute!
     
    

    
     
      I
      could
      not
      let
      this
      be!
     
    

    
     
      I
      paid
      the
      money
     
    

    
     
      And
      took
      it
      home
      _
     
    

    
     
      And
      the
      fucker
      bit
      the
      tip
      off
      my
      finger.
     
     
      The
      stupid
      thing
      sat
      there
     
     
      All
      day
      long
     
    

    
     
      And
      plotted
      my
      demise.
     
    

    
     
      It
      hissed
      and
      screamed,
     
    

    
     
      And
      ran
      amok
     
    

    
     
      And
      plotted
      my
      demise.
     
     
      ‘I
      awoke
      one
      night
     
    

    
     
      And
      found
      her
      gone—
     
    

    
     
      Not
      to
      my
      surprise.
     
    

    
     
      This
      could
      not
      be!
     
    

    
     
      This
      could
      not
      be!
     
    

    
     
      She
      is
      way
      too
      smart
     
    

    
     
      To
      be
      running
      free!
     
    

    
     
      Armed
      with
      bucket
     
    

    
     
      And
      dirty
      towel
     
    

    
     
      I
      set
      off
      through
      my.
      house.
     
     
      My
      room
      mates
      asked
     
    

    
     
      Why
      so
      weird?
     
    

    
     
      The
      truth
      I
      dared
      not
      tell
     
    

    
     
      Bats!
      I
      said.
     
    

    
     
      This
      place
      has
      bats
     
    
   
   
    
     
      And
      my
      killer
      hamster’s
      still
      in
      its
      cage.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Not
      to
      be
      found.
     
    

    
     
      I
      figured
      she
      was
      gone
     
     
      Making
      babies
      in
      the
      walls.
     
     
      I
      went
      to
      sleep
     
    

    
     
      Primed
      for
      attack,
      ;
     
     
      Knowing
      it
      would
      come.
     
     
      My
      windows
      were
      open,
     
     
      The
      heat
      was
      off,
     
    

    
     
      And
      my
      room
      got
      cold.
     
     
      Under
      my
      blankets
     
    

    
     
      I
      was
      warm,
     
    

    
     
      And
      to
      my
      horror
     
    

    
     
      So
      was
      Chompsketta.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      woke
      in
      terror.
     
    

    
     
      It
      was
      under
      my
      blankets!
     
    

    
     
      I
      grabbed
      at
      the
      covers,
     
    

    
     
      And
      it
      fought
      back.
     
    

    
     
      I’ve
      caught
      the
      fucker
     
    

    
     
      Back
      into
      your
      cage.
     
    

    
     
      But
      what
      was
      I
      missing?
     
    

    
     
      I
      thought
      for
      sure
     
    

    
     
      Its
      plan
      was
      done,
     
    

    
     
      Yet
      I
      was
      still
      intact.
     
    

    
     
      I
      piled
      books
     
    

    
     
      Atop
      her
      cage,
     
    

    
     
      And
      they
      stay
      there
      till
      today.
     
     
      Never
      again
      will
      she
      get
      out,
     
     
      For
      she
      has
      proved
      her
      point:
     
     
      She
      escaped,
      and
      had
      the
      chance,
     
     
      And
      that
      was
      good
      enough.
     
    

    
     
      I
      know
      she
      could
      have...
     
    
   
   
    
     
      -She
      was
      right
      there,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      But
      she
      is
      not
      that
      mean.
     
     
      Evil,
      yes.
      Vicious,
      yes.
     
     
      But
      outright
      mean,
      no.
     
    

    
     
      I
      respect
      her
     
    

    
     
      As
      she
      does
      I,
     
    

    
     
      And
      we
      get
      along
      just
      fine
     
     
      I
      give
      her
      food
      ;
     
     
      And
      a
      place
      to
      sleep,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      And
      my
      eyeballs
      are
      safe
      from
      her
      teeth.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      She
      still
      is
      crazy,
     
     
      Yet
      so
      am
      I,
     
     
      So
      we
      get
      along
      just
      fine.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      —Thomas
      Lloyd
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
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