Of Mice and Men

Lennie said, 'Tell how it's gonna be.'

George had been listening to the distant sounds. For a moment he was business-like. 'Look across the river, Lennie, an' I'll tell you so you can almost see it.'

Lennie turned his head and looked off across the pool and up the darkening slopes of the Gabilans. 'We gonna get a little place,' George began. He reached in his side pocket and brought out Carlson's Luger; he snapped off the safety, and the hand and gun lay on the ground behind Lennie's back. He looked at the back of Lennie's head, at the place where the spine and skull were joined.

A man's voice called from up the river, and another man answered.

'Go on,' said Lennie.

George raised the gun and his hand shook and he dropped his hands to the ground again.

'Go on,' said Lennie. 'How's it gonna be. We gonna get a little place.'

'We'll have a cow,' said George, 'An' we'll have maybe a pig an' chickens… an' down the flat we'll have a… little piece alfalfa -'

'For the rabbits,' Lennie shouted.

'For the rabbits,' George repeated.

'And I get to tend the rabbits.'

'An' you get to tend the rabbits.'

Lennie giggled with happiness. 'An' live on the fatta the lan'.'

'Yes.'

Lennie turned his head.

'No, Lennie. Look down there acrost the river, like you can almost see the place.'

Lennie obeyed him. George looked down at the gun.

There were crashing footsteps in the far brush now! George turned and looked toward them.

'Go on, George. When we gonna do it?'

'Gonna do it soon.'

'Me an' you.'

'You… an' me. Ever 'body gonna be nice to you. Ain't gonna be no more trouble. Nobody gonna hurt nobody nor steal from 'em.'

Lennie said, 'I thought you was mad at me, George.'

'No,' said George. 'No, Lennie. I ain't mad. I never been mad an' I ain't now. That's a thing I want ya to know.'

The voices seemed closer now. George raised the gun and listened to the voices.

Lennie begged, 'Le's do it now, Le's get that place now.'

'Sure, right now. I gotta. We gotta.'

And George raised the gun and steadied it, and he brought the muzzle of it close to the back of Lennie's head. The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied. He screamed 'Ducked!' Lennie in panic and confusion ducked, George pulled the trigger a spilt second later. The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again. George couldn't believe what he had tried to do, he knew that pretty soon they'd be wondering where the body was.

He opened the sack which he had brought along with him, took out a shovel and quickly started digging up where Candy's dog had been buried. He dragged it out; it was starting its stages of decomposing, a stagnant odour fluttered into the air like a butterfly. Lennie looked at George and the Luger in disorientation and dismay, he wondered what was happening but was too shaken up to speak.

'Lennie get over here!' George demanded.

Lennie scurried towards him, tripping over his own feet.

'Hold it away from you, like this,' George said whilst positioning the dog into Lennie's arms. 'Don' let go, no matter what, okay?

Lennie nodded, and did what he was told.

George raised the gun, aimed for the dog, and fired for the second time. He shot the dog; its remaining blood started gushing out and an even worse odour escaped. George dropped the gun, hastily walked over to Lennie and the dog. He grabbed the dog, whilst grabbing Lennie's hat and threw the hat and the dog into the river; along with a pile of rocks which had been lying on the ground for extra measure. A cloud of blood stained the water quickly trailing down the river.

'Lennie go hide in there ditch, and don' come out till I tell ya. Now, Lennie!' George ordered.

Lennie quickly hid, just as the men were breaking into the clearing. The brush seemed filled with cries and with the sound of running feet. Slim's voice shouted, 'George. Where you at, George?'

George sat stiffly on the bank and looked at the Luger next to him. The group burst into the clearing and Curley as ahead. He saw Lennie's hat floating down the river. 'Got him eh, by God.' He went over and looked down the stream, then he looked back at George. 'Right in the back of the head I guess,' he said softly.

George nodded.

Slim came directly to George and sat down beside him, sat very close to him. 'Never you mind,' said Slim. 'A guy got to sometimes.'

But Carlson was standing over George. 'How'd you do it?' he asked.

'I just done it,' George said tiredly.

'Did he have my gun?'

'Yeah. He had your gun.'

'An' you got it away from him and took it an' you killed him?'

'Yeah. Tha's how.' George's voice was almost a whisper. He looked steadily at the gun on the ground.

Slim twitched George's elbow. 'Come on, George. Me an' you'll go in an' get a drink.'

George let himself be helped to his feet. 'Yeah, a drink. Ya'll go ahead; Slim can I talk for a minute?'

Slim looked at him suspiciously yet trustingly. 'Yea, 'cors George. You ok?'

George watched as the last of the men left, back to the Ranch. He quickly looked around. Then when he was sure no one else was still lurking, his eyes dropped at the ditch where Lennie was hiding. Slim followed his eyes to the spot and, and looked knowingly at George.

Slim said quietly 'You hadda George I swear you did, but I'm glad you didn'

George just nodded and walked over to where Lennie had been crouching, as silent as a dead mouse. 'It's ok, Lennie. You can come out now.' He said solemnly.

Lennie slowly got out of the ditch and sat on the ground; he refused to look at George and just stared at the ground. Slim just continued staring with a hint of bewilderment in his eyes. George approached Lennie quickly and said 'Ok now Lennie, remember what you said? 'Bout you living in there mountains, if I don't want you.'

Lennie nodded.

'Well that's just what you gotta do now, till' I get enough for our little place. Not that I don' want you, ok?'

Lennie looked up in terror, but George's serious yet kind expression calmed him.

'Ok, George. But what 'bout the rabbits do I still get to tend the rabbits?' Lennie pleaded.

George almost smiled, and said 'Yea, as soon I'm done. An' don' worry I'll bring ya food every morning, ok?'

Lennie smiled and nodded.

Slim finally spoke in. 'I know a cave where he can stay till' you all are set up. S'not far either.'

George looked at Slim appreciatively, and said 'We got to get there now.'

Slim smiled at both men, wishing he had someone who cared about him as much as George did about Lennie.

'Follow me.' He said.

Slim led them to a cave a mile off the river, hidden away from the ranch. There was a hidden entry and a space to let light in. It was perfect for now. After they got Lennie settled in, George and Slim made their way back.

On the way George made himself cry as though that was what he was doing all along, and to stop people asking any questions. The journey back George learnt a lot about Slim's past and grew closer to yet another person.