After Lennie died, I thought I’d have it a little easier. He was my best friend, like a brother to me, but God knows that crazy bastard made my life a living hell. I thought maybe I’d be able to keep a job, and not have to move outta town so much. But it turns out, when you kill the man who killed another man’s wife, the new widower doesn’t take too kindly to you inhibiting his revenge.

Curley and his posse of men chased me out of Soledad. Just like the other ranchers chased me and Lennie outta Weed. Where the hell am I supposed to go now? Arizona? Jesus Christ.

I’ve been running for hours. Feels like my lungs are gonna fall damn near outta me. I come to a little meadow, something Lennie probably would’ve loved, probably crawling with rabbits. I drop my bindle and collapse into the plush grass.

The blue sky stretches out above me, Mother Nature unaware of all transpired events. I close my eyes as I try to catch my breath. My heart races against my palm. I could cry, and for a moment, it feels like I might. Then a rustling in the grass nearby startles me awake. I jolt upright, ready to sprint or to shoot. But the human standing there isn’t anybody I recognize from the posse.

“Oh—“ I release the tension in my muscles and look down at the ground, breathing heavily. “The hell… What do you want?”