Alternative Ending To Of Mice And Men

George came quietly out of the brush and the rabbit scuttled back into Lennie’s brain.

George said quietly, “What the hell you yellin’ about?”

Lennie got up on his knees. “You ain’t gonna leave me, are ya George? I know you ain’t.”

George moved stiffly towards Lennie and sat down beside him.

“George?”

“Yeah?”

“You ain’t gonna leave me, are ya?”

George was silent. Lennie shuffled closer to George.

George sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

“You killed her Lennie, she’s dead.”

“It was jus’ an accident.”

“Jesus Christ, Lennie! You broke her neck.”

Lennie whimpered, “I tol’ ya George, it was jus’ an accident. I can still tend the rabbits can’ I George?”

“God damn,” George said. “All you care about is them rabbits. What do ya think we oughta do then?”

“We oughta… We, we could get away, like we did in Weed. We oughta jus’ leave ‘em, leave ever’thing.”

“Leave alla this? We got good work ‘ere. We’d nearly worked up a stake. If you di’n’t ruin ever’thing, ya crazy bastard, we’d still ‘ave alla this.”

“I’m real sorry George. We can still ‘ave the land can’ we George?”

“I jus’ can’t anymore Lennie, I jus’ can’t. Get away, start ya own God damn life, I don’t want the responsibility anymore. I wanna stay.”

“But… But, George.” Lennie stammered, “Ya can’t… Because I got you an’ you got me.”

“No Lennie, not anymore.”

George got to his feet, he turned back to Lennie. “I won’t tell ‘em where you are.”

George started to walk away. Lennie stood and grabbed George’s arm.

“Get offa me Lennie.”

George tried to pull his arm back. Lennie held on tight.

“Get offa me Lennie!” George yelled.

Lennie made a whining noise, “But George…”

“Lennie, let go,” George roared.

Lennie pulled on George’s arm. George yelled, his arm now limp. Lennie stepped back, shocked that he’d hurt George. George glanced back at Lennie fearfully and tried to run away.

“No George, don’ leave me,” Lennie cried. He grabbed George’s shoulders and started to shake him.

“Don’ leave me George, don’ leave me, George,” Lennie whispered repeatedly, his eyes screwed shut.

Crack.

George went limp in Lennie’s arms, his neck broken, his shoulders crushed.

“No,” Lennie whimpered, “No. Not you too, get up George, get up.”

The sound of men approaching reached Lennie’s ears. Lennie looked around, panicked. He stumbled to the river and threw George’s broken body into it.

Lennie ran passed the willow trees, up towards the Gabilan mountains.

Minutes later Curley came up to the brush with Slim.

“They been here,” Curley said, spotting George’s hat.

Curley scanned the river; he jumped back suddenly and turned, wide-eyed to Slim. “Slim you gotta see this.”

Slim ran over, he studied the river for a few moments before he spotted George’s bloody body, snagged on a rock. Slim shook his head in disbelief.

“That Lennie’s a crazy bastard.”