My hamster Minnie went out in a way that gained real respect for me, so I decided to write out her last couple hours:
Here is some background information that forecasted this valiant death: I was about 10 or 11 when I went on a road trip to San Antonio with my family for the day, these are the events that took place in that 7 hour time period:
Minnie is out, enjoying her first solid taste of freedom in her life outside of her cage. Filled with glee and excitement, she decided to go explore around my room and around the house. Soon, she meets the stairs. Being her tiny little size, this seemed to be the greatest obstacle infront of her guaranteed freedom away from the cage she called her prison. Soon, step by precious step becomes a fight for survival, and freedom. Finally, after much effort, she makes it down only to discover a whole new world that you would call our living room. Now keep in mind, after climbing down a whole flight of stairs and going halfway across the house, that little hamster is hungry! Minnie finally finds a bowl of food and starts to eat. Little does she realize that she is not alone. She soon notices a pair of piercing eyes looking at her, and looking hungry. Too bad the very reason she was locked up in the first place doesn't want any Meow Mix and notices the fat furry ball of goodness.
Yes, it's a cat, his name is Tiger. Minnie tries to flee, but she is struck down by the fat, 20 pound "flea R-V" and is knocked out instantly. She wakes up, bleeding, but still alive and there is still hope. She then noticed that Tiger had directed his attention elsewhere. Now is her chance! She bolts with the speed of a field mouse, her little legs pitter pattering across the kitchen into the dining room. Her only hope is to make that treacherous climb back up to the saftey of not only her cage, but her home. "How wrong could I have been?" she thought to herself, "I'll die before that vermin lays it's paws on me again." She finally starts on the first step, unknowingly trailing blood from the kitchen to the stairs. The first couple steps go by fast because of the adrenaline but sooner, with each step, she gets weaker and weaker. She then starts to hear tags on a collar clinging together with each clumsy step of her new found enemy coming up behind her. A final burst of defiance against her impending doom sends her up the last 3 or so steps only to be confronted with the worst: There's another cat! Rufus takes a smell and Minnie, ready this time tries to attack him only to do no harm. Tiger soon gets up the stairs and it's hopeless she realizes. With her back to the hand rail and her front to the cats, she has two choices: Either be cat food, or jump the 20 feet to her death. She sighs, as she remembers the many hours running on her green plastic running wheel, and her comfy warm wood chip bed. She missed crapping on the ground only to turn around and eat it again too, "ahh, all those good times," she says to herself. In her final act of courage and defiance, she steps out onto the ledge, gives out a nice double finger to the cats and jumps.
