"Wait," yelled Candy, "George git back here for a moment"

George heard this and started his on way into the barn. He opened the barn door and walked to where the old man had yelled from.

Candy was perched upon a nearby crate, rubbing his whiskers in deep thought.

"I was thinkin' about how we could still git that little house with the land. All we'd have to do is go git the big guy before Curley and Carlson find 'im" explained Candy, still in deep thought.

"Candy just let the thought go, the dream was mine and Lenny's, it's nothing without him."

Whit walked through the barn door and saw Candy talking to George.

"I'm goin' to git Sheriff Wilts." Said Whit

"Curley told me and George to go git im'. Ask George if you don't believe me" Said candy convincingly.

"It's true," said George, " He trusts you more than me to stay with his wife"

"Okay. So I have to wait here with this tramp." Whit said looking down at Curley's wife, her body just laying there, lifeless and limp.

"Come on George, we better go get the sheriff." motioned Candy

"You guys can take my truck. Just don't wreck it or anything," offered Whit, "The keys in there."

George and Candy walked out of the dark barn and walked towards the small pickup truck parked right outside.

The truck smelled of manure and had obviously been used to haul the fertilizer somewhere around the ranch.

"George you should drive." Candy said lifting up the place where his hand should have been.

George jumped into the drivers seat and Candy the passengers. The truck started and then drove down the little dirt road leading away from the ranch.

"So as I was sayin'. We could make it look like we got the cops and helped them look for Lennie. Then we meet up with the big bastard and hightail it right out of this town."

"That might work," said George his hopes rising a little inside, "But first we have to go git the cops"

George and Candy drove to the Sheriff's station and the both of them entered.

" Excuse me. Do you happen to know where Sheriff Wilt is ma'am?" Candy asked in a half polite manner.

" Why don't you two have a seat on that comfy couch over there and i'll go get him." Said the pretty blonde secretary.

A few minutes later the blonde lady reappeared with the sheriff close behind. " Now what's the problem with you two fellas'?" Sheriff Wilt asked. George explained their situation " We have a murder on our hands. My partner Lenny Smalls killed a woman. But, it was an accident. Lennie ain't right. He thinks differently than us. I bet he didn't kill the lady on purpose."

"Well, son if he's dangerous and not right in the head there's no telling what he can do. You two come with me. Deputy Sheen you accompany me and these two."

A nearby policeofficer came over and stood beside the sheriff.

"Now, do you guys know where he'd have gone?" asked Wilt

"I think I might know where to find Lennie," George said, "We camped at a nearby pond before we made our way over to Curley's paps ranch."

"We'll start there then." stated Sheriff Wilt.

The four men exited the police station and got into one of the small, cramped police cruisers stationed outside.

Sheriff Wilts looked out his window and said "We'll go check out the pond on the dirt road leading to Soledad first,"

Sheriff Wilts drove the tiny cruiser to the dirt road he had told George about and followed it towards the pond.

The leg room in the backseat was horrific. George's and Candy's legs were on top of each others and both were feeling sick due to the small amount of breathing space that the car held. The feeling in his stomach didn't help George any bit. All he could think of was how he had done so much for Lennie and got nothing back in return, except for broken dreams.

"We're here" the Sheriff said, pulling up to the side of the dirt road. George and Candy both opened their doors and happily exited the car. All four of thm walked towards the brush hiding the pond from their view.

"Try to make as much noise as is possible. So Lennie can hear us coming and hide." Whispered Candy

George did not reply.Candy ran through the brush making as much noise as his old body could make.

"Calm yourself down whiskers," cautioned the Sheriff "If he happens to have a gun and is dangerous you shouldn't be charging right towards him like that."

"Sheriff, Lennie don't got no gun." stated George

Sheriff Wilts advanced past Candy, gun pointed in front and walked through the brush, as did his deputy. On the other side was a brillant light that reflected off the calm waters of the small pond. Yet, everything was quiet. An eerie silence hung over the place as if time had stopped for a moment and had forgotten about the George. This moment was the best he'd felt in years. The sun's rays warm aganist his cheeks and face. A gentle breeze played with his hair as if it was alive. The moment was to good to be true. When george readjusted to the light a grizzly sight awaited him. Lennie was holding a shotgun pointed at Carlson and Curley was beneath Lennie's feet a pool of blood soaking the ground around him.

"Lennie what are you doing." yelled George

"Put the gun down now. Put it down now or I'll shoot." warned the Sheriff

"Sheriff Wilts let me try to calm Lennie down. Him and I have been friends for awhile. He'll listen to me." Persuaded George

Wilts nodded at George. " I'll give you one chance to calm that crazy bastard down. Then i'll take actions into my hands." His gun cocked and already aimed at Lennie's chest.

"Lennie why do you have that gun pointed at Carlson?"

"George make them stop, they shots at me and hollered bad words George. Make them stop." pleaded Lennie.

"What did Curley do to him?" George screamed at Carlson

Carlson lay on the ground several feet from Lennie never lifting his gaze away from the shotgun that was held at him.

"Me and Curley walked through those bushes and saw him just sitting there next to the pond playing in the shallows. Curley got pissed and hit the bastard right in the head with the shotgun. Lennie feel, then Curley started to tell him that he was going to shot his guts out and how you wouldn't be able to help him none. Lennie started to blubber up and broke down. Curley shot right past Lennie, which scared him some and made him jump. That's when he started to go crazy. Lennie leapt onto Curley and started battering him with his fists. I didn't want to shoot. They were so close, I didn't want to hit Curley. So Lennie took the shotgun and, and shot Lennie . That's when he aimed it at me and he's been standing like that ever since. Just get that crazy son of a bitch to put the shotgun down."

"Put the gun down now Lennie before i sock you one. I mean it any more of this and you won't be tending the rabbits and living off the fat o the land like we dreamt of." threatened George knowing that their dream had no chance of becoming reality.

Lennie started to lower his gun, when Carlson suddenly pumped and shot his. Lennie got scared and held onto the shotgun in shock. Carlson screamed and dropped back. Blood began soaking through his shirt turning the white fabric to crimson.

Deputy Sheen shot Several bullets that hit Lennie in the chest right where his heart was located. Lennie feel over and laid still. Candy flung himself at the deputy and began punching him with his good hand.

"Why did you have to ruin my dream? I was alone, until these guys came along and began talking of a dream that I once had long ago," tears welled up in Candy's eyes as he screamed at the deputy who lay beneath him too frightened to move, " Now it's ruined thanks to you."

Candy fell back off of Deputy Sheen and began to sob.

George walked over to Lennie and knealt down beside him and looked into his lifeless eyes. "Well you damn bastard you ruined our dreams, only if you had listened, I told you that girl was trouble." whispered George as he took out the slugger that he stole from Carlson's bag.