oscillating, expanding light. Then the image went blank – overloaded by the glaring light.
“Bingo!” the General s houted, making Melanie jump. “One down, six to go.”
13
Lennie and Betty
Dartmoor National Park
Princetown
Dartmoor Prison Museum’s Car Park
3:24 PM GMT
T he creatures churned around Lennie, ignoring him holding his grandmother in his arms, the prey they were after were much faster, and more likely to get away.
Charlie was dancing around Lennie’s large feet, barking and growling at the passing creatures.
Slowly, without rush, the heartbroken, giant of a man, with the mind like a child, walked off towards the road. He paid no attention to the direction; or the screaming of the squad, and the blasting of gunshots behind him, he simply stared down at the bleeding face of the only person in the world that cared about him.
Lennie had no concept of death, of being nothing. He did not know about heaven or hell, good or bad, right or wrong; his life was simple. All he cared about was the fragile body he carried in his muscular arms.
“No Lennie... Put me down and run...” Betty said in a weak voice, while coughing up a glob of blood. She blinked so fast it looked like she was having a seizure.
“Get away from here. ..”
“Nana is gonna be okay ,” Lennie muttered while hugging her close to his chest. He did know when someone was poorly.
Lennie started singing slowly, concentrating on the words; it was a nursery rhythm Betty sung to him as a child, whenever he was sick. “I woke before the morning, I was happy all the day, I never said an ugly word, but smiled and stuck to play,”
The banging of the creatures behind stopped. Their focus was changing. They could not reach those behind the sealed door, but they could get to the man walking along the road. The sound of gravel crunching under stamping feet echoed around the car park.
“Run Lennie... run ...!” Betty whispered.
“Nana is okay. Lennie is here. Lennie carry you home Nana.” He rubbed his cheek against her face, as she used to do to him when he was ill as a child while she sung A Good Boy nursery rhythm.
Lennie continued to sing softly in a relaxed tone. “And now at last the sun is going down behind the wood, and I am very happy, for I know that I’ve been good.”
The feet pounded closer.
“Grandma loves you... and always will...”
“Nana loves Lennie. Lennie loves Nana.” A big smile spread across his face, as he hugged her close. He could feel her eyelashes brushing blood against his cheek.
Lennie rocked her gently in his arms as he continued to sing. “My bed is waiting cool and fresh, with linen smooth and fair, and I must be off to sleepsin-by, and not forget my prayer.”
Betty cried tears of blood, as she used her last ounce of strength to kiss her grandson on the cheek.
Lennie seemed oblivious to the creatures charging at them. He cradled his grandmother like a newborn baby. He continued singing. “I know that, till to-morrow I shall see the sun arise, no ugly dream shall fright my mind, no ugly sight my eyes.”
The first group of creatures hit him in the back, making him trip forward, releasing his grip on his grandmother – Betty flew forward. As he was crawling towards her, a crowd of savage eaters sunk their teeth in, ripping and shredding his overalls, trying to reach his flesh.
Lennie did not understand what was happening. He tried to roll, to get them off. He grabbed one creature and crushed its head in his hands. Another he swatted away. But there was just too many.
Betty rolled on her back. She could not close her eyes; her blinking would not allow it. She watched as her grandson vanished under a pile of frenzied, naked, biting, creatures.
Charlie jumped and snapped, biting and scurrying around, trying to get the creatures to leave. They ignored the small pest; they had a bigger meal to contend with.
Betty cried tears of blood, as her grandson tried to crawl towards
“Bingo!” the General s houted, making Melanie jump. “One down, six to go.”
13
Lennie and Betty
Dartmoor National Park
Princetown
Dartmoor Prison Museum’s Car Park
3:24 PM GMT
T he creatures churned around Lennie, ignoring him holding his grandmother in his arms, the prey they were after were much faster, and more likely to get away.
Charlie was dancing around Lennie’s large feet, barking and growling at the passing creatures.
Slowly, without rush, the heartbroken, giant of a man, with the mind like a child, walked off towards the road. He paid no attention to the direction; or the screaming of the squad, and the blasting of gunshots behind him, he simply stared down at the bleeding face of the only person in the world that cared about him.
Lennie had no concept of death, of being nothing. He did not know about heaven or hell, good or bad, right or wrong; his life was simple. All he cared about was the fragile body he carried in his muscular arms.
“No Lennie... Put me down and run...” Betty said in a weak voice, while coughing up a glob of blood. She blinked so fast it looked like she was having a seizure.
“Get away from here. ..”
“Nana is gonna be okay ,” Lennie muttered while hugging her close to his chest. He did know when someone was poorly.
Lennie started singing slowly, concentrating on the words; it was a nursery rhythm Betty sung to him as a child, whenever he was sick. “I woke before the morning, I was happy all the day, I never said an ugly word, but smiled and stuck to play,”
The banging of the creatures behind stopped. Their focus was changing. They could not reach those behind the sealed door, but they could get to the man walking along the road. The sound of gravel crunching under stamping feet echoed around the car park.
“Run Lennie... run ...!” Betty whispered.
“Nana is okay. Lennie is here. Lennie carry you home Nana.” He rubbed his cheek against her face, as she used to do to him when he was ill as a child while she sung A Good Boy nursery rhythm.
Lennie continued to sing softly in a relaxed tone. “And now at last the sun is going down behind the wood, and I am very happy, for I know that I’ve been good.”
The feet pounded closer.
“Grandma loves you... and always will...”
“Nana loves Lennie. Lennie loves Nana.” A big smile spread across his face, as he hugged her close. He could feel her eyelashes brushing blood against his cheek.
Lennie rocked her gently in his arms as he continued to sing. “My bed is waiting cool and fresh, with linen smooth and fair, and I must be off to sleepsin-by, and not forget my prayer.”
Betty cried tears of blood, as she used her last ounce of strength to kiss her grandson on the cheek.
Lennie seemed oblivious to the creatures charging at them. He cradled his grandmother like a newborn baby. He continued singing. “I know that, till to-morrow I shall see the sun arise, no ugly dream shall fright my mind, no ugly sight my eyes.”
The first group of creatures hit him in the back, making him trip forward, releasing his grip on his grandmother – Betty flew forward. As he was crawling towards her, a crowd of savage eaters sunk their teeth in, ripping and shredding his overalls, trying to reach his flesh.
Lennie did not understand what was happening. He tried to roll, to get them off. He grabbed one creature and crushed its head in his hands. Another he swatted away. But there was just too many.
Betty rolled on her back. She could not close her eyes; her blinking would not allow it. She watched as her grandson vanished under a pile of frenzied, naked, biting, creatures.
Charlie jumped and snapped, biting and scurrying around, trying to get the creatures to leave. They ignored the small pest; they had a bigger meal to contend with.
Betty cried tears of blood, as her grandson tried to crawl towards
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