All the Little Animals Page #2

to sit down on the grass to rest,

but I was afraid

of The Fat.

I was afraid he would send

policemen to take me back.

So I just kept going on and on

through the day.

Then I walked and walked

as fast as I could

until the houses got fewer

and there were more trees.

First it was fun

because I had been

kept indoors for so long,

but then I started

to get tired.

Look, that guy's in trouble.

Hey, you all right?

Are you ill?

No, I'm just tired.

Hungry.

Are you trying

to get somewhere?

- Yeah, Cornwall.

- Right, hitching.

Walking.

To Cornwall?

You must be joking.

No.

Yeah, Eve's all right, Des,

get him in.

Well, come with us

in the van.

- That's Jim, the dog.

- Hello.

- He's friendly, just pet him.

- Hi, doggy.

Des:
We're happy to give you a lift.

We're travelers.

My name's Des,

what's yours?

I'm Bobby.

Des:
Okay, this is Glastonbury.

We turn off here for Avalon.

You'll easily get a ride

from here.

Right.

- Thanks for the lift.

- Yeah.

- See ya. Good luck.

- Cheers, mate.

Bye, doggy.

Excuse me, are you going to Cornwall?

No, sorry mate.

I'm going the other way.

Excuse me,

are you going to Cornwall?

No, London, mate.

You going

to Cornwall?

Yeah, no problem.

Hop in.

You're lucky, I was just leaving.

Where's all your gear, then?

I don't need any things

'cause I'm going

to stay with my grandpa.

Well, I finish at Truro.

You said you were

going to Cornwall.

Truro is in Cornwall.

You got any money?

Yeah, some.

You can get us something to eat

and a cup of tea at the next services.

We won't be stopping

after that.

The truck has to be back

in the yard by 7:00.

Is that a rabbit's foot?

We in Cornwall yet?

Surprise, surprise,

awake at last.

You were no damn use

as company.

Out cold the whole way.

Look, it's a fox.

Look at that,

will you?

Watch me

get the bugger.

What are you doing?

No! Stop it!

Get off! Get off!

Get off me!

Get off me.

You'll get us both killed.

Jesus, hold on.

Oh my God!

Oh sh*t!

No.

Leave him alone.

What's that

you've got there?

It's a rabbit.

It's dead.

You're supposed to help people

when there has been an accident.

It's no use.

He's beyond help.

Anyway, you only help

good people.

He's not good.

He killed this rabbit.

Yeah, I saw it.

I was with him when he did it.

No, it was a fox.

I saw a fox.

No, the fox ran clear.

This is the poor little rabbit

that got in the way.

Look.

Told you.

He's like the rabbit now.

Dead.

You're supposed

to bury dead people.

His own kind

can do that.

I have other work.

How old are you, boy?

- I'm 24.

- 24?

Not yet 18

I shouldn't wonder.

No, I'm 24.

It's not fair, everybody always thinks

I'm younger, but I'm a man.

Just feel like a boy.

Why did you

bury the rabbit?

'Cause it was dead, boy.

Because I wanted to.

When a creature is killed,

I return it to the earth.

I consider it

my work.

Your work?

Rabbits are generally

thought to be

pleasing animal.

Whereas, rats, for example,

are generally detested.

Both are living creatures

of equal value

in nature's scheme.

When they're dead,

they should be buried.

And you're supposed

to bury dead people.

People?

People are of no value at all

as far as I'm concerned.

Besides, they can bury each other.

The animals need help.

All the men kill them.

I bury them.

I bury rabbits, rats,

mice and birds.

And frogs, hedgehogs,

even snails.

Where do you find

so many things to bury?

Where do you think?

On the roads, boy.

On the bloody roads.

The car is a killing machine,

pure and simple.

I've buried so many.

Well, you must know.

You must have been in cars

and felt that little bump,

that faint crunch

under the wheels.

Surely you've had

that moment of indecision

when some little live creature

shows up in your headlight,

but you drive over anyway

and forget about it.

Don't you scream

blue murder

every time the body of a bird hits

the precious paintwork of your car?

How many have you killed, boy?

And why?

- Why?

- Stop it.

I've never driven a car.

I can't drive.

All right,

all right, boy.

Sorry.

I didn't know.

I get a bit

worked up.

Stop crying.

Please...

stop crying.

Look, let's sit down

and have a cup of tea.

Come on,

I know a good place.

Come on.

Can I come with you?

Come with me?

Where to?

You know,

where you're going.

Where you live.

To stay, is all.

To stay?

No, of course not.

You can't come

with me.

No, I think it's about time

you went home

or wherever it was

you were going.

I can't go home.

I've run away.

Well, I can't take you

with me.

It's out of the question.

I've got work to do.

I can help you with the work.

I wanna help you.

Well, so good, boy.

I don't know you.

And you say

you've run away?

Well, that's not good.

People might come looking for you.

I can't be doing with that.

I could help with the digging.

I could carry your things for you.

Listen, are you simple or something?

I said no.

No, no, no. Now, go away.

Go home.

I wanna shine a shoe!

I never have anything to do!

Hey, it's all right.

No, no, no.

Come up.

Huh? Huh?

Please, can I come?

I've got nowhere to go.

Well, I...

Well, I mean...

do you really want

to help with the work?

Yes. Please.

Do you like animals?

I love animals.

So, can I come?

Yes, I suppose so.

I mean, if you really

want to come.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You're a very nice man.

Come on, if you're coming.

- You dropped your whiskey.

- Oh, thank you.

There's a few important things

you have to remember.

First one is,

never talk to anyone

about the work, or about me.

Got it?

Yep.

The second one is,

always do as I say.

The third one is,

you must never

kill anything.

You understand that?

Never kill

any living thing.

Yeah, I'll remember them all.

I promise.

Good.

That's it then.

- By the way, what's your name?

- Bobby.

Call me Mr. Summers.

It's gonna get dark soon.

We've got a long way to go.

What's that noise,

Mr. Summers?

You'll see.

You see?

It's bamboo.

It does so sigh in the wind.

Come on, boy.

I imagine it's the land

whispering to me.

Or playing its music.

Do you want some supper?

Yes, please.

Come on.

Here.

Wash you hands

and sit down.

What's that for?

The cheese?

It's for the mice.

When the mice

are finished,

the cockroaches come

and eat what's left.

It's nature's way.

So, do you feed the mice

every night?

Every night

that I'm here.

If I feed them,

they don't steal from me.

People usually kill mice

when they don't want them to steal.

But I feed them.

Well, I think it's time

you went to bed.

You can sleep there

for tonight.

Thanks.

- Good night, Mr. Summers.

- I'll put the lights out now.

Mr. Summers.

Look!

It's the mice.

It's the mice.

I used to have a pet mouse.

He was a beautiful black

and white mouse called Peter.

He was so tame,

he'd sit right in my hand.

If Peter was here,

these mice might have

made him king or something.

I would like to hear more

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