Of Mice and Men

         Outside, the sun was nearing the center of the sky as Lennie, in a state of panic, stumbled from the barn.  George entered the barn. At first he did not notice the body, checking instead the pups, vaguely wondering if any of them had met their demise in Lennie’s paws. Then he saw Curley’s wife. For a long while he could not say anything. Then slowly, as if every step hurt him, he walked out of the barn to tell Candy.

     Candy was in the bunkhouse washing out the floor. When he first saw George he brightened up.
“You know George, I think we could afford a…”.
 Then he saw the look on George’s face and he turned pale as a sick man. Solemnly, he followed George from the washhouse to the barn. He had been expecting the worst, but still he gasped as he saw the inert form of Curley’s wife.
“Why…her head’s bent right back.”
George looked at her with a bleak, hopeless look, and said blankly,
“I’m gonna take that luger pistol, an’ make sure that they don’t get him.”
George had long since left by the time that Carlson entered. He looked for a second at Curley’s wife, nodded and left to spread the news. Alone, Candy could only watch.

     Curley took the news with sparsely hidden joy, and quickly started assembling his army. Soon a large number of dogs, men, and horses had formed a loud and noisy troop in the center of the ranch. When George appeared to Curley, Curley was immediately suspicious. He remembered George as the person that had encouraged Lennie to crush his hand. However, he may have had a change of mind…he looked at Carlson who was looking at George, not with suspicion but with outright rage.
“He’s got my luger.”
At this Curley exploded with rage.
“You swine- what wis you gonna do? Gonna protect him huh? Gonna steal my glory? Talk!”
 But George could not talk. George could not do anything. Curley had shot him.

    From cracks in the walls of the barn, Candy had seen all of this.  He went out to get Slim.  Slim too had seen the events unfold. Candy approached him,
“Listen, we got to find Lennie! We can’t let ‘em shoot him!”
Slim nodded and strode purposefully towards the bunkhouse. He picked up his revolver. Then he and Candy walked unobtrusively to the surrounding woods. They found Lennie stumbling around in the riverbank area. When he saw them he nearly bolted but kept his ground. He cautiously approached the pair.
“Where’s George?”
 He implored. “We’re sorry Lennie, George aint’ here. We need ta get you somewhere safe.”
 They continued down the river for a while, Slim leading while Candy guided Lennie.

     They paused by a place where the river was clear and untroubled by eddies and foam. Slim began to talk.
“So… I heard about a ranch you was gonna buy.”
“Yeah there wis some old people who needed an’ operation. We coulda got it off them.” He looked up, trying not to look at Lennie.
“Ah guess it’s all off now.”
There was a crackle of twigs and a loud noise, and, as if about to say something then thinking the better of it, Slim paused, and crumpled onto the mud.

     From out of the bushes came Curley and Carlson. They were both carrying pistols and Curley’s was smoking. Carlson looked bored but Curley’s face was a mask of victory. Carlson regarded Slim’s body with disinterest, prodding it with his foot.
“Dead”, he announced, looking at Curley who was striding purposefully towards Lennie. “So”, he growled at the back of his throat, making Lennie whimper, lifting his crushed hand,  “You think this is funny? Ya think that jus’ cos I’m little and you’re big, means I ain’t stronger than you? Does it? Huh?”
He ducked round and threw a blow at Lennie with his left hand. Lennie stumbled and fell.

      Carlson came over and started kicking Lennie. Candy stood helpless, unable to fight, unable to run. After what seemed like hours alternating between savage raving and savager kicking, Curley grew bored. Slowly he raised his pistol.
“Now ya gonna die like a dog,” and he aimed the pistol into position just over Lennie’s chest. A shot rang out. Carlson collapsed. Candy dropped the pistol he had kept in his pocket since he was young. He had missed. Curley knocked out Lennie, and slowly turned round to face Candy.
“Bend down to pick it up and you’ll die painfully”, he said.  He took aim. Candy watched in amazement as Crooks waded across the river. He paused to listen to the sounds of the approaching men, wondering if he had done the right thing. Then he nodded, assuring himself.
“A guy got to have someone to talk to”.

‘And I gotta’ tend the rabbits!’

Joel  8T



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