Epilogue To John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

(This alternate ending starts at the end of page 103)
“Go on,” said Lennie. “And when the enda the month come-” “Later,” George said softly” “Righ’ now we gotta worry about gettin’ you outta here” “‘But George, why do we gotta leave?” moaned Lennie. “Is it cause I done another bad thing?” Lennie looked shamefacedly at George, and muttered softly, “I didn’t mean it George.” “I know you di’nt, but we gotta get out of here or you're gonna get shot.” Lennie’s eyes dilated in fear. “But George, I don’ wanna get shot! George, you gotta help me! George!” Lennie started to freeze up, but George gave him a hard smack to the face. “Lennie!” he hissed as loudly as he could. “You damn sonofabitch you gotta calm! If we want ta’ get out of here with

“Everything’s gonna be alright as soon as we blow outta town, we’ll be old news, we’ll be forgotten. We just gotta-” George stopped. Voices were heard far off, but coming closer. “Quick!” hissed George. “Into the bushes. Hide until I tell you something else.” Lennie stumbled into the brush. The voices were getting louder. Curley’s voice was clearly made out. “I’ma shoot that sonofabitch even if it’s the last thing I do!” Carlson’s loud booming voice was also head. “Don’t ya start being reckless. Besides, we don’t know if he’s got any of the others yet. Say, where’s Slim and George at?” “Didn’t Slim run ahead of us?” Piped the higher voice of Whit. George appeared to be in deep thought. Suddenly, he pulled the Luger, and shot over the water they were near. A great bang emitted from the gun. George darted over to a nearby rock, and hurled it into the water, making a huge splash. George then yelled as loudly as he could, “GOTCHA, YA BIG BASTARD!” Then he looked to where Lennie was still hidden, and firmly reminded him, “stay where you are.” George heard an excited whoop from afar, and saw Curley, Carlson, and Whit dash into the clearing. “Did ya get him!?” asked Carlson

He finally had to stop. Lennie fell to his knees, exhausted. He spied a gutter full of water on the other side of the street. Lennie moaned, and began to drag himself across the street. Suddenly, a bus came thundering down the road, the very same bus that had dropped George and Lennie off at the ranch. Lennie was too fixated on the water to notice. The bus sped closer and closer, and still Lennie was unaware. Suddenly, with the bus bearing down on him, he looked up, but it was too late. The bus ran over him, and continued on it’s way. Lennie lay dead in the