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The Angel Family 

And so, it goes and every day we buy a new hamster.

“Girls,” my mom screeches. “It’s already six,” my dad sternly adds as my sister and I dutifully run dashing to the kitchen. The lights are off and the room is somber.  It’s my turn. A hamster, a flashlight and a knife lie in front of me on the dining table.  As tradition demands I grasp hold of the hamster in one hand and the flashlight in the other: “May the ceremony begin, and peace be brought onto all living things,” I solemnly utter while contemplating the dimly lit creature trembling in my hand. I proceed by passing the flashlight to my father and pointing the knife towards the now relentlessly kicking, visibly frightened critter. I tighten my grasp, ensuring there’s no escape.

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“Be a good person,” I think as I slowly pierce the little fluffy, black and white hamster's heart. “A world of peace is waiting for that little ball of fur” my parents and sister enthusiastically chant in a monotonic voice with proud, beaming smiles on their faces. I pull the knife out of the now transformed tranquilly immobile creature and examine the weapon covered in gloriously gloomy wine-colored blood. 

 

Tomorrow is my mom’s turn, and the day after that my dad’s, and the day after that Julia’s, my mildly whiny yet charming little sister. And so, on it goes, and every day we buy a new hamster. 

 

Lately, Julia has been throwing fits. She only kills baby hamsters because of her young age: “Suzie is two weeks and two days younger than me and she already kills grown up hamsters!” I hear her repeatedly grumble.  Suzie is my sister’s best friend as well as a cousin: naturally we only talk to members of my Angel family. Who knows what uncanny, evil things happen in other families? We don’t know other families. And what you don’t know is evil and is an enemy.  Anyways, that’s what my Angel family says, and my Angel Family is always right.

 

Every evening, when the bell rings, at exactly six, my family gathers in the kitchen. I’m not going to lie: I don’t always look forward to this daily ritual, but I suppose no child ever looks forward to doing good deeds. That’s what parents are for: to show their children what needs to be done to become a good person. I guess that’s what growing up is about; anyways, that’s what my Angel family says, and my Angel family is always right.

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Thankfully, last night I came to the realization that I am slowly but surely getting over my selfish repulsion for this ritual, growing into an honorable, mature member of my Angel family.  Cuddled under my quilt, as I remembered the soothing looks on the now transformed and peaceful hamsters little chubby faces, a gratifying sense of righteousness occurred in me. 

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Our lives — myself and my Angel family's — would be meaningless without the reassurance of knowing that every day, we save one hamster from starvation, stress, and the general misery of hamster life. “I would live forever if I could save all hamsters from life,” I mumbled as my eyes closed with the satisfying conviction of being a glorious martyr for thinking such a selfless thought. I realize now that that’s what growing up is about...

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Julia told me that Susie overheard my mom telling Aunt Priscilla that she heard that one of their neighbours doesn’t kill hamsters: they just let the little furry balls live, fight and stress! Just thinking about that makes me want to puke: I understand why we never talk to other families: they've got no respect, no morals, no humanity whatsoever.

 

Images of hamsters left alive, uncared for, struggling for survival in the dangerous outside with glints of pain in their eyes won’t leave my mind. The eyes of those poor small creatures fill me with indescribable sadness. 

 

Are there really people in this world with so little consideration for the troubles and anguish we, the Angel family go through to help hamsters? How vile! When I grow up, I’m going to find a way to reform those evil members of other families into civilized people. Good people we will make out of those inhuman barbarians. No monster will ever die a monster. Every soul will become a model member of the Angel family. 

 

When I grow up, the world will be a better place.
 

And so, on it will go: and every day we will all buy a new hamster…

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©2019 Rosa Silberztein

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