Andrew Cunningham!

Period 5 English!
10/27/14

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Bittersweet Endings
by Andrew Cunningham!

The rusted pickup veered around the bend; its rubbery wheels popped and bopped

over the rocky road and its engine roared. Suddenly Slim curved o to the right of the road
and parked in front of a tattered pub; the rusted exhaust pipes shuttered and black smog
roared out of the back fender.!
!

That don sound promising, joked Slim trying to lighten the mood. George didnt

respond; the pair with heads hung as low as their knees pushed throughout the drunken
throng to the bar. With a crooked finger George pointed to the writing on the bar menu
muttered laconically to the bartender and then white as a ghost he lay his head on the
table and started to sob. Arg, don you cry George, you hear? Its not worth nuttin, ya d0
what you gotta do, Slim words did nothing, George now over come by frustration, guilt,
and regret tilted his head back and drained a shot. !
!

The sun light faded as clouds came pouring in like cream into coee, a light wind

rustled the golden hay in the feeds of the labor camps as the sun turned to leave its job
behind. A moon made its replacement and bowed before its coworkers below as they left to
their houses; all except George. Next to the nearly unconscious killer, a mountain of glasses
shattered. Cries of panic filled the pub, shots rattled throughout his surroundings as a lone
scurrilous gunman strolled through; he reached out and ripped the bartender o the floor
with a mighty yank of his arm. The bartender writhed in pain and clenched his shoulder.!
!

Now listen here, the gunman spat, I aint interested in no funny business, with a

loud shot the bartender crumpled to the ground grasping the laceration on his foot. Now
go empty the cash register, leave nothing out, or its your arm, the belittled bartender
limped to the comfort and security of behind the bar leaving a trickling path of blood
behind him, and began to deliberately stack the contents of the cash register onto the
counter. !
!

Cunningham, Andrew

Tuesday, November 4, 2014 at 12:28:16 PM Pacific Standard Time

70:56:81:af:ec:43

Andrew Cunningham!
Period 5 English!
10/27/14

!
!

Georges stomach churned making him curl over with nausea, Carlsons gun fell hard

in his pocket like a 100 pound weight. Suddenly as if he had a realization of the past,
present, and future, he cautiously grasped the handle of the gun in his pocket and pulled it
from its place; sweat trickled down his cheeks as his knees quivered and George shook
violently as he struggled to his feet. Silently George raised the gun to eye level, his hands
shook rapidly and he smacked his dry lips. As George started down the barrel of the gun
with his scared eyes gleaming the thought of Lennie and the fateful last moments they had
together resurfaced in his mind.!
!

What have I done, Lennie? he thought, I Im sorry. He knew what he had to do,

with sweaty palms he readjusted his grip, and with quaking hands he gently placed pressure
on the trigger, the gun clicked, and fired. The bullet ruptured a window behind his
opponents head; red faced the brawn man with sweat dripping from his brow turned and
raised his gun to eye level. In contrast to George the mans irate eyes were teaming with
disdain for the life he led, his hands held still, and his legs were firm and rooted into the
floorboards below him. The clicking of the trigger was the last sound George heard, his
knees buckled and his blood fell chill as the bullet ruptured his skull. Georges scared eyes
closed as he tumbled onto the floor below. !
!

Cunningham, Andrew

Tuesday, November 4, 2014 at 12:28:16 PM Pacific Standard Time

70:56:81:af:ec:43