Hey there, and welcome back to Animal Farm: The Novelization. This is the last chapter of this story, just before the epilogue. I did say that this probably isn't as good or popular as my Lion King Novel fanfic, but I'm still glad I did this.

In the previous chapter, Napoleon's final fate is a mix of what happened to Snowball in 1954's Animal Farm and Scar's death in both versions of The Lion King. He was originally going to have a heart attack and die right there and then, but I decided to try for something more epic.

Uploading Date: November 10, 2021

Enjoy!


Chapter 20: Free At Last

It was raining when Sam and some of the animals limped back to the battle-ravaged farmyard. It was a storm of judgment, nature washing away the disease that Napoleon had wrought. Sam felt the cooling drops wash over his body, lapping up water from a newly-made puddle, and the animals that fought as well let out sighs of relief. The month-long drought was over, and the tyranny that was Napoleon's reign had finally come to an end.

Animals on both sides - and a few men - had been killed, either bitten and kicked or shot and stabbed. The rest of the men had fled back to their farms, with Frederick and Pilkington leading them. Not only that, but the barn had crumbled from the fighting; years of neglect and fire from a lightning bolt had done the barn in. Hidden among the rubble of the barn were the young ducklings and chicks that had lost their mothers in the battle; they had gathered here together so that someone would come back for them later.

Three dogs were crouching over them, making sure that none of the debris had crushed them. They saw that these three had been part of the Animal Guard, badly battered from either the rebels or the pigs. No matter how weak they had gotten, they refused to stop guarding the baby animals.

"My son," whispered Jessie when she saw the black-and-white male in charge. "Is that really you?"

The younger dog looked up, his eyes tired. When he spotted the older female approaching him, Sam could hear a humbled whine rising in his throat.

"I'm sorry, Mama," Octavian whimpered as his eyes were full of tears as if he were a puppy again. "I'm so sorry..."

Jessie's eyes watered as well while she embraced her son. "You're alive," she murmured, her voice hitching while she let Octavian sob into her neck fur. "You're alive, and that's what matters. And whatever is left of the nine puppies is forgiven."

The three dogs that guarded the young poultry got up and padded up to Jessie, crying as well. Bluebell's three remaining puppies joined them too. Sam decided to leave them to weep together and check the other animals in the battle.

Sam looked around at the animals that had been wounded in the battle. They were mourning the loss of their loved ones that had died or tending to their injured fellow animals. He spotted the four riverbank friends from earlier - the mole, the water vole, the toad, and the badger - resting together, the smaller animals tending to the badger's wounds. The fox he had fought two days ago was lovingly greeting a heavily pregnant vixen, happy to have survived to come back to her. Surprisingly, he also saw Elijah the camel among these animals, having left the zoo to help fight Napoleon; he was currently tending to the baby animals in the dogs' place.

He also noticed the three equines he knew - Benjamin, Mollie, and Clover - together by the shed where Snowball had his windmill plans from long ago. Clover was gently grooming Benjamin, whose neck trickled with blood from a sharpened rake. In turn, Mollie had taken a wet rag and was gently wiping it over Clover's own wounds.

"You okay, Clover?" asked Sam.

"I've gotten injured like how Boxer did: split hoof and bloody knees," said Clover, wincing when Mollie dabbed at a spot. "I don't think I can work anymore, and I should have stopped two years ago. But Mollie has a way to help me: She's invited me to live at her sanctuary."

"At least now, you won't go to the knackers as Boxer did," added Mollie while she finished cleaning the wound. "You can have a pasture set aside for yourself and all the hay and sugar you can eat."

Then Sam scanned the clearing of live animals. "Wait, where's Snowball? Did he survive his wound?"

Mollie bowed her head in sorrow. "No," she murmured. "The bullet was buried deep within his heart. Snowball has died as he lived, fighting for his friends. Now, where's Napoleon?"

"He's dead too." Octavian had looked up from where he grieved with Jessie. "We killed him and ate him."

Most of the animals winced upon hearing that. Those living at Animal Farm knew that the dogs were vicious brutes, killing anyone who displeased Napoleon. But to actually think that they would turn on Napoleon one day was unheard of until this night.

"It's all right. He's gone and won't hurt you ever again...and neither will we," said Octavian. "But that still doesn't excuse the crimes we committed under Napoleon. Whatever punishment you have, we'll take it."

"Speaking of punishment, where's Squealer?" demanded Sam, looking around the farmyard. "He needs to pay."

"He ran off, probably just before Napoleon died," reported Clover. "Do you think he could start up another Animal Farm?"

"Probably not. But I wouldn't bother chasing him," said Benjamin. "By now, the pigeons are spreading the word of tonight's battle. When everyone hears this, no one will want Squealer to join their ranks."

The animals began telling each other what happened during the battle and the part they played in it. While they did, all the animals made sure to bury any fallen comrade in the orchard where Old Major was buried years ago. Snowball was among those buried animals. Napoleon's bones had yet to be fetched and flung into the ditch, as well as the sheep that had constantly bleated "Four legs good, two legs bad" and "Four legs good, two legs better". Crabbe and his half-sister were also in the ditch, but Octavian and his surviving siblings and half-siblings made it a point to bury them there instead of flinging the bodies.

Squealer and plenty of Animal Farm's pigs had already fled the farm as Benjamin had said, leaving a few behind to face justice. They pled guilty for the crimes they helped commit under Napoleon and accepted that death would be their punishment. But enough blood had been shed that night, so they were released on the grounds that they were never to go to any farm ever again. It would be a while before the animals of England would trust any pig once more.

"My fellow animals," said Sam, getting their attention. "It's time for all of us to decide on what each and one of us will do. For me, for example, I've already made up my mind. I'm leaving."

Most of the animals that Sam knew gave him surprised looks.

"Why would you do that?" asked the fox that he had fought. "You fought like a champ from where I'm looking."

"You all fought like champions," Sam replied. "But we're getting off-topic. I'm not coming back to Animal Farm...or Manor Farm or whatever you want to call it. I've had enough of this place."

"Where will you go if you don't want to stay?" asked Clover.

"Maybe back to the country where I was born," said Sam. "I come from a land that is younger than England yet very powerful. I want to be back in America with my owners, to watch the sun rising and setting over the mountains with them. All in all, I want to spend my last days home free."

Jessie smiled at her old friend. "That sounds wonderful," she said.

From the group of wild animals, the water vole nodded. "I know the feeling. I've thought about my hole by the river all the time," he said. "Moley misses his hole in the ground, Badger misses his set in the forest, and Toad loves his life near the manor. Believe me, I know."

Sam flashed the four animals a grateful smile before a loud "Hee-haw!" put a halt to the talking from the other animals. It was Benjamin, who wanted to speak up.

"Napoleon was right about one thing: Animal Farm is no more," he declared, looking around at the other animals. "Old Major's project has failed. Now you lot have a choice: You farm animals here must either fend for yourselves, or you must get human help. Whichever way, you all need to start thinking for yourselves." He gave a snort and stamped his hoof. "I think I've had enough of this nonsense, and I've gotten too old for it. And if any of you are smart, you'd have enough of this too."

The animals started to talk among themselves over what to do. After having been away from human contact for so long, Animal Farm and Forest Farm's animals were conflicted over whether to go back to humans so soon or not.

"If anyone can't live at Animal Farm or Forest Farm anymore, I have a place you can go," said Mollie. "When I was rescued from the horse slaughter, I was brought to a farm where humans take care of lost and abused animals. It's got plenty of space and food for everyone."

"I already agreed to go," said Clover, "and I won't take the decision back. It sounds like a wonderful place for any animal ready to retire. Anyone who wishes to come to Mollie's sanctuary is more than welcome to come along."

But the dogs stayed where they were. "You know we dogs can't be pets after this," said Octavian. "If you're letting us go, let us take our chances in the wilderness. We'll protect any animals that join us."

"Whatever path you choose, you're all free from Animal Farm," declared Sam. "All animals are born equal; what they become is of their own doing. As long as you remember that, animals will know the meaning of freedom and liberty."

"Freedom and liberty! Freedom and liberty!" bleated the surviving sheep. "Freedom and liberty! Freedom and liberty!"

Now the surviving animals took up the chant. The dogs barked it, the cows mooed it, the poultry quacked and clucked it, and the horses whinnied it. It was a lot stronger than any chanting Sam had heard in a long time, and it made his heart swell with pride.

"Come on, Sam," said Jessie, leading the way towards the barred gate with Benjamin at her side. "Let's take you back to your owners. You're free to return to them now."

Sam knew that she was right. Now that Napoleon was dead, he was free to return home. He gave Mollie and Clover one final farewell bark, and the two mares nickered in reply. With this goodbye out of the way, he spun around and followed Jessie and Benjamin out the gate and into the open world.

When they looked behind them, they saw all that they were leaving behind. The finished windmill known as Napoleon Mill was now in smoldering ruins; the second unfinished windmill would never be finished. From the distance, the barn where the Seven Commandments had once been written on was now nothing more than a burned-out shell. The animals were now separating to follow their own paths. Some would return to civilization: to their humans, zoos, Mollie's sanctuary, or other farms. Others began returning to the forests, fields, and mountains where they had originally come from, along with some new animals to help.

It was sad, leaving it all behind in spite of the bad memories. But Sam knew that they were all free now. Wherever the animals would choose to go, he wished them the best of luck.

"We better go now," said Benjamin. "Hurry."

And that was what they did. With one final look at what was formerly both Animal Farm and the Manor Farm, Sam turned and followed his friends down the dirt road. Never once did he look back after that.

...

The sun was just beginning to rise when Sam began retracing the steps where he had gone to his owners' cabin years ago. He remembered being chased through the woods by Squealer and the Animal Guard. He recalled wading through the boggy ground when Octavian and his pack had smelled him out and the log that Octavian had found him in.

At least now, he no longer had to duck for cover in the woods. Napoleon, Squealer, and the Animal Guard would haunt his steps no more. They wouldn't haunt anyone else ever again.

Suddenly, as they reached another road, his nose caught something familiar. It smelled faintly like meat cooked over a fire pit, a few days old. He remembered his owners trying out outdoor cooking just before he had to leave them.

"Are we getting any closer?" Benjamin called from behind Sam.

"We are," replied Sam. "I can smell their cooking. Come on!"

He scampered ahead, with Jessie and Benjamin trying to keep up. Sam remembered that they were older than he, so he made sure to stop and let them catch up with him.

It wasn't long before the three animals finally spotted a familiar log cabin. It was the same cabin with a path leading up to the spacious front porch. To his utmost surprise, all the decorations out front were missing. The American flag that stood out front was no longer on the flagpole, and there was nothing in the garden at the side of the cabin.

Then he heard a car engine start to grumble. Sam perked his ears when he heard familiar voices and smelled a familiar scent. Mr. and Mrs. Kleck had packed up their belongings, ready to return to the United States of America.

"They're about to leave," he whimpered.

As if noticing his dismay, Jessie gave her smaller friend a lick on the forehead. "Then this will have to be goodbye, Sam," she said. "I hope you never forget us, as we won't forget you."

"Never," said Sam as he gave Jessie a nuzzle. "I will never ever forget you two."

"You're going to make it very hard for us to forget you," said Benjamin, casting Sam a wry smile. "No matter how much I'd like to."

Sam smiled back at him. With a yap of thanks, he began slowly padding towards his owners. His injuries had been healed by Mollie during the time when they buried the fallen animals in battle, but they weren't completely gone. Sam's right shoulder - an already sore spot from an attack years ago - was bothering him again. That didn't matter when his owners were just a few feet away. All he wanted was to embrace them again.

Mr. and Mrs. Kleck were already packing the last of their items. They had decided to move back to America after their photography of the English countryside had made them some money. But they were still incomplete without Sam being in their lives, yet there was nothing they could do. Sam was lost to them; he was either still roaming around, somewhere far away, imprisoned at that weird farm run by animals, or even dead.

Just as they were about to start their vehicle, however, a bark caught their attention. Mrs. Kleck immediately undid her seat belt and got out of the car, her husband following her. What they saw next took their breath away.

It was Sam. The little dog was limping towards them, his sides matted with rain and mud and blood. In spite of his injuries, his eyes were shining bright, and his tail was wagging as it had never wagged before. Behind him were the Border collie and donkey they had seen with him years ago, watching the reunion.

"Sam!" both of them exclaimed, clambering out of the car and running to him.

Sam whined and hobbled over the fastest he could go, waiting until Mrs. Kleck was kneeling down. He scrambled into her waiting arms and began covering her now tear-stained face with frantic licks while she cried tears of joy. Mr. Kleck joined his wife, wrapping an arm over her shoulder while he ruffled Sam's head fur.

Realizing that these humans were indeed gentle, Jessie and Benjamin slowly approached the couple. Mr. and Mrs. Kleck stood up and found themselves staring at the two animals before Mrs. Kleck smiled.

"Thank you two for looking after Sam for us," she said, waiting until they stopped in front of her. "Wherever the goat is, I'd like to thank her too for her help."

She reached out to pat Jessie's head, and the Border collie seemed to flinch. But she relaxed and sighed when the patting became a lot more gentle, and she wagged her tail as she had done as a younger dog. Mr. Kleck reached out to stroke Benjamin's nose, who seemed to smile for the first time and let him. That would also be the only time he would let a human touch him, even if they were friendly.

"Come on, Sam," said Mr. Kleck with a relieved smile, heading back to the car. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's go home."

Mrs. Kleck followed him and got into the passenger side of the car, Sam on her lap, while Mr. Kleck started the car. While they pulled out to the road, Sam looked behind him. Jessie was watching him with a sad smile, barking a final farewell. Benjamin watched them go more silently, but he was nodding with an approving look in his eyes. With one final smile to Sam, Jessie and Benjamin turned around and headed deeper into the forest, going to wherever the rest of their lives would lead them.

Sam sighed with contentment and relaxed in Mrs. Kleck's arms, falling asleep. He was going home, free at last.

To be continued...