An Alternative Ending to "Of Mice and Men"

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Alternate Ending-‘Of Mice and Men’

As the sun set behind the rugged hills of the Gabilan Mountains, the Salinas River rolled along the hilltops, and meandered quietly down towards the valley. It was late afternoon and already the sun had left the summit. The top of the hills now looked aphotic in the shadows.

Under the trees skitters of lizards on leaves could be heard. The leaves lay charred in the sun like burnt toast. The rabbits rushed out of the brush away from foxes, as lizards skittered once more, through the crisp leaves back towards the brush.

In the trees the birds stopped singing, and gradually quietened down until silence had completely fallen over the hills. They sat in their nests, motionless, like small figures, lifeless. All could be heard was the wind, and the occasional tumble of leaves onto the rocky surface beneath.

On the bank of the water, the lifeless trees swayed heavily in the enduring winds. Clouds could be seen not far off in the north, reclaiming the sky rapidly. The mood was changing swiftly as dusk descended dashingly on the hills of the Gabilan Mountains.

Lennie was sitting in the barn. He was quietly petting his dog in the hay. He sat there, gazing into its big puppy eyes and stroking it with his giant thumb, and holding it under the stomach with his paw like hand. Lennie was content; so were the other animals in the barn. The horses stood there and watched peacefully as Lennie continued on stroking the puppy. You could see that Lennie showed affection for the puppy, as he was caring for it and petting it. But Lennie did not realise his own strength. Lennie was a bull and his amazing strength proved this. Often he would stroke i...

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... to Lennie’s head.

“No! Don’t do it!” pleaded Lennie.

Lennie’s eyes looked to George for help, just as the puppy had looked to his, right before it died. His eyes widened, and then his face dropped fast, as George just stood there and watched, just as Lennie had when the puppy died.

Curley pulled the trigger. Just before he pulled it his wife jumped in front of Lennie, there was nothing he could do but cringe and turn away as her body hit the floor with a loud crack. As Curley turned back around to check on his wife, he heard another gun being loaded, and as he turned back, George pulled the trigger. Curley dropped next too his wife. They lay there like two sleeping puppies. Lennie glared at George. He knew what Lennie was going to say.

“George...do I still get to…”murmured Lennie hopefully.

“No Lennie, it’s over,” said George under his breath.

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