For the Love of Rabbits - Of Mice and Men Fanfic

Chapter 4

FanFiction - Of Mice and Men - For the Love of Rabbits

Chapter 4

The sound of the barn door crashing against the wooden beam caused both George and Anya to jump out of their skins. They both regained themselves quickly though and they turned to face the opposition. Curley stood by the barn door with his hands on his hips trying to look as menacing as possible whilst George and Anya stood side by side on the other side of the barn. Curley stormed up to them with that evil smirk plastered on his face. "So, it looks like you're breaking the rules already ain't ya beaut'ful." Anya scowled at him and this just made him laugh more. "What will pap say when he finds out."

"There ain't nothing going on. I was just showing him Milly."

"Ha! You got a love of rabbits or somethin'?" George said nothing. "Ain't much for conversation, are ya?" Still nothing. Curley just scoffed to himself and then turned back to Anya. "You seen my wife beaut'ful?"

"You should keep her on a leash if you insist on losing her all the time." He scowled at her now.

"Maybe you should stop actin' like a man and get back in to the bedroom where you belong, ay?" As he said this he slapped her arse so hard she had to flinch to stop herself from showing the pain it caused. This made George talk.

"Maybe you should back off, pal." He was now squaring up to Curley, blocking the path between his opposition and Anya. Curley looked furious. "I think you have a wife to go find." At this statement, Curley faltered slightly.

"Yeah, I do... but i'll be back for you later." He sniggered as he pointed at Anya.

"Asshole." She whispered venomously. When she noticed that George was still tense and staring at the spot he just left, she walked over to him and placed a soothing hand on his shoulder. His only response was a flinch at her touch. "It's okay, George. He's gone." At this, he turned to look at her and she could see the hatred in his eyes.

"Are you hurt?" He said as she removed the hand from his shoulder.

"It'll be sore for awhile, but it's not the first time he's slapped me around a little." She spoke in a neutral tone as if the events of the barn meant nothing.

"Has he ever..." She stopped in her activity of tending to Milly for a second before continuing.

"No. He''s never... no. He's felt me up a few times, but it has never gone further than that."

"Bastard."

She smiled slightly. "I agree."

George was leaning on one of the fences of the compunds in the barn when she had finished. "What was he talkin' about when he said 'looks like you're breaking the rules already.'"

"You caught that, huh? Well apparently because I'm doing a man's job, I have to act like a man. I ain't allowed to be with a man on the ranch to put it blunt."

"I see." There was an awkward silence that occured between the pair but it wasn't unwanted. "Do you think you could let Lennie come and see, Milly." George spoke after a little silence. Anya laughed despite herself as she looked at George's serious expression as he spoke. This allowed him to relax momentarily and they both began giggling like two secret lovers.

"Sure, I think Milly would appreciate the company and I'm confident Slim will give 'em a pup too. We should go. We have work to do." They both led out of the barn and headed towards the dying campfire and one look from Slim told him that she had had another run in with the boss' son.

"You okay, mi'lady" She punched him on the arm playfully at his sarcastic curtsies.

"Yeah, just another encounter with the shrew." He scoffed and then looked to George who was scanning the area for his friend.

"He's just inside the bunkhouse, been waitin' for you to come back. We're heading off in the trucks now. So, best go grab your friend." George nodded in appreciation at Slim and headed in the quarters to get Lennie. "So, I noticed you were in the barn with the new guy."

"Yeah, I think he was interested in my rabbit." Slim stared at her in minor disbelief and when she caught his drift she laughed at herself. "I swear, that sounded better in my head. What I meant was, I think his friend likes animals and he asked if Lennie could go see her sometime. Oh, I think he's also interested in one of your pups if you're willing to give one up."

"Sure, I have a few spare." With that said, the two men slumped out of the bunkhouse ready for their first days work. As they all clambered in to the trucks, the sound of shouting from Curley and Curley's wife could be heard from the house. They all shook their heads in annoyance at the sound of their pointless screaming. Anya was back to squishing in the back of the truck with the hay and George and Lennie joined her. George purposely placed himself between her and Lennie which Anya found curious.

"So, how long have you and Lennie been travellin' together?"

"For a very long time."

"For a very lon' time." Lennie repeated beside him. She smiled at him sweetly and she recieved a grin in return. "Tell her 'bout the rabbits, George." George looked at Anya for a second with a serious expression on his face which softened almost immeditately after.

"Hey, Lennie. Anya has something to show you later."

"What is it, George?" Lennie sat dead upright with his knee's tensed together and his hands clapping as a small child does when they recieve a new toy.

"You'll find out later, but you'll only find out if you work hard, got it?"

"Oh sure, George... I wanna tend those rabbits."

"You know for once, you're smarter than you think." Anya and George both beamed at one another at the prospect of showing him little Milly... and his new pup.

"Oh, George. I forgot to mention that I've asked Slim about the pups."

"Whoa, whoa... wha' pups, George?" George patted down the hands that Lennie had moved towards his face to try and get his attention.

"What'd he say?"

"He said that Lennie could take one." With this, Lennie started bobbing up and down on the truck in excitement.

"But only if you do a good days work."

"I.. I can do that, George. I'll work extra hard, George." They both sat giggling at Lennie and that's when the truck pulled over to their destination. Now, they knew it was time to be serious and get some work done otherwise they'd all get it in the neck.