Chapter 1: A New Year
Another year, another summer gone. Some teachers have retired, new ones have been hired. Still,
one thing remains the same; that distinct rush of adrenaline caused by the hunt. The predator
anticipating its filling meal after displaying its violent prowess. The prey, waiting to be vored. Can it
escape? Perhaps.
The first administration classroom visitations were coming up. Understanding of his role, the
chipmunk inquired to his superior if he would be included in the task of examining the students, a
task given only to those highest in power, such as the superintendent and Sabins.
“We’ll see when the time comes,” Sabins replied snidely. Indeed, as the first week of September
passed, the chipmunk did not receive confirmation of participating in the honor of visiting the
classrooms. Instead, he was asked to do interviews for Ms. Yoneda’s biotechnology class.
“Okeh!” The nidoran announced, proceeding to explain the process of how students were going to be
sent in, and the interviewers were to ask them specific questions. Sullivan did what he was told-as
that’s what he did best- until there was an interruption. It was the ferocious beard.
“May I take Sullivan?” he asked the pocket monster. Considering that all of the interviews were done,
Yoneda agreed, replying with a simple “okeh.”
And the chipmunk went on his way, following his beloved elite.
“Because you’ve been such a good pet, I’ve decided that you will be joining us on the visitations
today.” With an excited glimmer in his eye a “Yes, finally!” escaped the chipmunk’s lips. “Did I ask you
to speak?” Sabins scolded, looking down at his prey. “for that, you won’t be going on the tours with
me.” His dreams crushed, the grass dweller now understood not to disobey, for there would be
consequences. This reaction did not faze the predator, his position was firm.
The devastated chipmunk could only muster an “I understand” from his downcast head. He was now
to go on the tours with Mrs Rubalcaba. Sabins, being the big cheese, toured with the only person who
knew how to drive slaves harder than he- the superintendent.
Put in his place once again, the chipmunk would not forget his punishment.
Chapter 2: Shrom Com
“I have a present for you” Sabins said, approaching his beloved pet with his arms behind his back
“It’s my mushroom”.
“Your... what?” The chipmunk asked while blushing, flustered by the uncertainty of what this could
imply
“My mushroom”, Sabins replied excietedly as he revealed the stuffie he was hiding behind his back.
“Oh...” the chipmunk muttered while shyly looking away, ashamed that he had imagined something
much more pleasing in mind.
“What? You don’t appreciate my gift?”, the deerstalker snapped, his expression now bitter. The
gopher immediately tried to retract his statement, waving his feeble paws frantically in hopes that
he could get the hunter to understand. “No no no, I didn’t mean tha-” “Well I suppose you do not
deserve this token of my affection then.” The pursuer interrupted, insulted that his prey would
respond in such a disrespectful manner.
“No, please... May I have it?” The chipmunk begged in an attempt to redeem himself. “Have what?”
Sabins growled menacingly, now expecting a respectful response. The chipmunk’s round eyes met
with the predator, and after miraculously overcoming his nerves spoke out.
“Uhm.. May I please h-have your m-mushroom..” A smirk emerged on Sabins’ face, now satisfied with
the humble response. “So I know that you’re worthy, you must carry it around with you for the
whole day.”
“But what if someone sees?” The field animal asked frantically, not wanting to expose their unique
relationship to the world. The predator reaffirmed his order, he didn’t care if anyone found out
because he was the one in charge.
“It doesn’t matter, you do it for the whole day of October 10th, understand?” The chipmunk sighed,
knowing that this was the only way to redeem himself in the eyes of his superior.
“Okay, I understand... but what does today’s date have to do with it?”
“Because you have to prove that you’re a ten out of ten” Sabins said as he walked away, assured that
he got the message across. Indeed, the chipmunk did as he was told and held the stuffie given to him
by his ownew cwose to his heawt the whowe day.
Chapter 3: Where are you? And I’m so sorry
No matter how calm the chipmunk desperately wanted to appear, his frantic eyes darted across the
quad as he reached for his phone. He remembered what Sabins had said, that he had to prove himself
to earn the affection of the hunter. Even though he did what was expected of him, was it enough? He
hadn’t received any confirmation that it was enough, and he hadn’t received a reward for doing well
either? Was the reward the satisfaction of knowing he could serve his superior? A million thoughts
were racing through the hamster’s mind, as if it was running on a wheel. Somehow, he got the
courage to call Sabins but now was unsure of what to say. He couldn’t hang up now, it would be-
YOUR CALL HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO AN AUTOMATIC VOICE MESSAGE SYSTEM
He didn’t pick up.
Unbeknownst to the jerboa, Sabins was in the office planning a lunch date with one of the office
ladies. He hung up the phone and started walking to his office, desperate for an answer. As he
approached the office, the door swung open. It was none other than his beloved superior.
“I-I called you” the chipmunk said hesitantly. Although this greeting was awkward, it would have
been much more frightening for the meek animal if it were the beast who approached him.
“You did?” Sabins patronized the gopher although he was a bit surprised at his actions. “What was so
important that you felt the need to tell me?” The beast growled
At a loss for words, knowing that he dare not reveal his true feelings of longing to know whether or
not he had pleased the big cheese, the chipmunk could only mutter “I- I don’t know...”
Expecting a solid answer, Sabins was taken aback. How could he not have a reason? “Then there was
no reason for you to contact me. This is why I’m the one that’s in charge, you pathetic rodent”
The beast stormed off, disappointed that he had not trained his pet better.
The chipmunk stood alone, abandoned. The situation was out of his control and decided that he
should just forget it and move on. After he has reflected on what had happened, Sabins realized how
he had neglected his precious little animal and pulled out his phone to text the chipmunk.
“Where r u?” A minute passed, another, and another. No reply. As reasonable as it seemed to wait
longer, he couldn’t, and went to check in his office. Empty. He then got on a golf cart and began
nyooming around the school. Searching, searching. In the distance, there he was. Sabins rushed over
to the chipmunk’s side. “I’m so sorry”.
The chipmunk looked up, with tears forming in his eyes.
“Here,” the beast said softly “Why don’t we go back to the office?”
The chipmunk got into the golf cart and rode silently back to the office. He now knew that no matter
how abrasive his superior may be, he would always be there. Or would he?
Chapter 4: | |l || |_?
Although confused about the status of their relationship, the chipmunk didn’t want it to end. The
feeling of being owned was very fulfilling and he didn’t want to become some outcast rodent,
groveling on the street in search of a new four-striper.
Little does he know, the predator is very much missing his beloved pet, but he didn’t dare to reveal
it. How would he even say it? He was the one in charge, the one and only pedagogue.
It just so happens that there was a bmx anti-bullying assembly which both of them had to attend.
Everything was standard, the announcer did a wonderful job persuading the young minds with his
words. His booming voice filled the gym, “so guys, remember that you deserve to be happy and get
he- WOW A 180! I’VE NEVER SEEN THAT TRICK BEFORE!”. The chipmunk looked on, enjoying the
display. But no matter how much he tried, Sabins would not leave his mind. What had their
relationship become? Would it continue?
The announcer excitedly asked for a volunteer, and eventually settled that it would be Sabins.
He had to sit on the ramp and one of the bikers would do a backflip over him.
Sabins clambered up the ramp and hesitantly sat in the chair. His heart was racing; he was truly
vulnerable for the first time since he had met the chipmunk.
He refused to look down to his pet, not wanting to reveal the fear in his typically stern eyes. Down
below, the chipmunk felt conflicted. Should he say that this is unsafe? While this was racing through
his mind, the biker dude started to pedal, speeding up and ready to do the trick. He quickly
approached the ramp and then…
thud.
He did the flip and landed successfully on the other side. Sabins took a big breath of relief. He was
fine.
The chipmunk on the other hand had the realization that he could have lost everything in that one
moment. All the memories flashed before his eyes. Being hired, announcing the dodgeball game,
doing the improv show, receiving the big shroom... It could have all been gone in that one moment.
The chipmunk scurried away, fully realizing what he could have lost. Why didn’t he just speak up?
Sabins saw his beloved pet run out the door and knew what had to be done. He went out the door
and yelled out to the gnawer. “Did you really think that I had no control of the situation?”.
The chipmunk froze. “I’m in control of everything, you know”, Sabins said, trying desperately to
mask his lapse in authority. “I hope you didn’t question that”.
“I didn’t, but...”
“But what? Can’t speak your mind? Have I taught you nothing?” Sabins chorted
“It’s like I..” a faint voice escaped the chipmunk’s large-cheeked mouth
“Like you what?” the boss responded harshly
“I-Is this loss?”
“Loss?” Sabins was confused, what could his pet mean by loss?
“I just ... thought… What it would be like if you were gone, and what would change if you were no
longer my… superior… and I would no longer be…”
“My Chipmunk?”
Sabins was astounded that the chipmunk had spoken his mind so freely. Perhaps it was time to take
things one step further, he leaned in closer to the chipmunk, perhaps it was time to-
“Wake up Erik. We need to talk, come into my office.”
Chapter 5 : Graduation
As Erik watched over the graduation ceremony, listening to the speech in the background, he (for the
first time) realized the importance of this moment. At the conclusion of this ceremony, everyone
would say farewell to one another for the last time. The bittersweet nature of this moment of parting
was overshadowed by the everlasting bliss of the last few moments together.
And the only thoughts that Erik could have were all about the moments he had with with Jeff,
especially the most recent moment when he was called into Jeff’s office.
“Wake up Erik. We need to talk, come into my office.”
Disgruntled, Erik lifted his head to meet the eyes of his coworker. He reluctantly obliged, knowing
that this conversation won’t end well.
“Have a seat” Jeff said, gesturing to the chair sitting in front of his desk. Erik sat down with a sigh,
unprepared yet unbothered for what was about to come.
“It seems like you’ve been out of it lately, is everything alright?” Jeff inquired, concerned about his
colleague’s ability to keep up with his job.
“Yes, I’m fine, just a bit tired.” Erik’s eyes drifted towards the cage in the back of the room, with Jeff’s
pet chipmunk sitting happily inside. How many times had he flung himself into the fantasy of
becoming as carefree as that chipmunk? It was not his fault, this fantasy made everything more
exciting. Without it, Erik would not want to go to work anymore. It would just be a normal job and
they would be ordinary people.
“Alright”, Jeff said, understanding that pushing the matter wouldn’t have changed anything.
“Just remember that the graduation ceremony is tomorrow”
Erik got up and returned to his own office, wondering if he should even return to this fantasy which
had brought him amusement in the face of boredom. He decided to put it out of his mind for now so
that he could concentrate at the ceremony the next day.
And just as years prior, he stood in the background and watched as Jeff gave his speech. As Erik
realized the importance of the moment, he also realized how foolish it would be to remain in this
fantasy any longer. When it was time, he handed Jeff the diplomas as each of the students walked by,
just as he was told to do. Only now he no longer saw it as assisting someone superior to him, he saw
it as teamwork. Although the reality of the situation could take some getting used to, Erik thought it
was somewhat fulfilling, like it was something he could give up a wild fantasy for. Everything was
going to be different from now on. And he was okay with that.
“Erik, come here. It’s time to lock up” Jeff commanded. It looks like Erik was being summoned to his
side. Instead of twisting this reality into something more exciting, he simply stood there, learning to
be happy with the situation as-is. Jeff reached to grab the keys out of Erik’s back pocket and
‘inadvertently’ grabbed that phat chipmunk ass.
The End.