~Of Mice and Men Continuation~
Curly, Carlson, Slim, and George paced silently back to the barn. As they entered, Candy quickly shot a questioning look to George. Looking nervously at Curly, he swallowed, �Well what happened?� A derisive grin grew on Curly�s face as he said, �We got him.� Candy glanced to George, then back at Curly. �George shot him his self.�
***
Phone calls were made, the body expunged, and funeral arrangements made. George was resting quietly on his bunk as the others busied themselves around him. The night was dark, and a chill ran through the room. �Why�d ya do it?�
George�s eyes opened at the sudden inquiry. He sat up to see Candy sitting beside his bunk. George shared a distressed face as he rubbed the back of his neck slowly. �I wan�t gonna let Lennie keep livin� like he had.� George held his face in repine. �People keep treatin� him bad, givin� him no job �cause he�s slow. People just too mean for a guy like Lennie.� George leaned back on the wall, his features now stolid. �Nobody wanted him �round. He had to live dealin� with that. An� then this with Curly�s wife�� His voice trailed of into an anguished brood.
The two men sat silent for a long time. Things in the room started to settle down. A few men were sitting at the sole illuminating light, playing cards, while a couple of others took to their bunks. �What are we gonna do about our plans, George? They still on?�
George looked questioningly down at Candy until the breach of realization hit him. �I�d near forgotten �bout it. Well, I guess it�d be alright.� Again George�s face flashed with affliction for a moment. �Another month or so and we got it. I jus� talk to the man jus� the day before last.�
Another silence followed as night crept in around them. The crickets made sounds outside, and several of the men were snoring, brining to the room a dull, monotonous aura, calming and soft. Candy and George just sat, with no signs of retreating to slumber.
Candy glanced at the other men, then back at George, and watched him for a time. �Lennie was kinda like my ol� dog in a way.�
George looked down at Candy. �Yeah, kinda like him.�
***
�Pig�s done George!� George came eagerly onto the porch then through the forest green front door, into the kitchen. �Smells sure good!� George said with a readiness ready for his meal ahead. Candy smiled at the compliment. Out of the fire Candy pulled a luscious meal, the scent infecting the nostrils of the two voracious men.
It had been a month since they had left the farm. Now in an abode of their own, humble and quaint, they sat enjoying their freedom and authority. This small, ethereal little house meant more to them than just the domicile itself, but held within it a pride of ownership emanating from the two men.
Smiling with satisfaction, George departed the house to finish up his last chores before the sun would fail to permit their being done. George sauntered over to a little place next the house. He could hear the faint scrambling as he neared. �Hey there!� George spoke with a grin as the little rabbits came into view. He placed the feed in their cage, but did not retreat just yet. He stood there watching them for a trice. One particular bunny sat by the feed, eating up quickly, stuffing into his mouth what he could. George watched this one for a bit, picturing himself eating the meal just before. George turned and left for the house.
�I get to tend the rabbits, George.�
George turned around with a start, memories of the past flashing into the present with a brusque recovery. No one was there. Unsure of what he heard because of the wind and reticence of the proclamation, George turned critically to continue his junket to inside the house. A bit unnerved, George went into the house, to play a game of cards with Candy. Outside in the yard, a little rabbit sat with a handful of feed, and a leer on his face.