Of Mice And Men AU w/ OC Insert

part 1

It was a hot early morning with only a light brush of wind flowing through the trees and tall grass as the leaves rustle and grass lightly whish touching each other. A flock of birds flew by heading towards the open meadow. There was a dried thick path where some houses were spaced out by the sides with open cut fields and gardens, a couple of trees here and there. The area was quiet, you could hear the sound of shoes crunch up on the tiny rocks and leave faint shoe prints on top of other past foot prints being pressed on and off on the dusty path-and walking down that path is Martín, a 15 year old boy, walking right besides his 42 year old father, Andrés.

Andrés was somewhat short and rectangle shaped-quiet muscular, very bold indigenous Latino features. His skin was slightly patchy and a two toned color with some parts like his face was darkened while others like his arms were a light sandstone orange that barely fade back cut to his hands, a tanned bronze that were rough and ashy.

Martín on the other hand, he looked mature of face but young at the same time. He looked like a young version of his father, features like his eyebrows, and his eyes are similar. But when side by side with his mom, it would be clear he inherited most of his mother's genes with doe like soft sharp features. He was considered "light skinned" with a persian orange tan, though his elbows to hands were slightly darker but barely noticeable as it faded in nicely.

Their clothes were roughed up and noticeably dirty, worn out and old. Andrés, wearing a denim jacket with a light tanned plain button-up, tucked in with splits in the middle and jeans. Martín wore baggy jeans held up by a belt, a green flannel buttoned striped shirt let down loosely with some holes teared and cut with a missing button, very thin fabric.

Walking down the path, it was quite quiet, they look around the area, constantly noticing the littlest movement around them since it seemed so dead. Andrés took a couple of glances at Martín, wanting to start conversation but didn't know what to bring up. So far with their travels, the only things they did talk about was the directions of heading to "El rancho" but now that they have some sense of not being too far from the place with only a couple miles more, nothing come to mind.

They decided to walk instead of getting bus tickets, not wanting to spend money for some transportation that didn't even treat them right-would probably even kick them out halfway. They were fine with it, though, wasn't their first time walking foot to some location that took hours or even days, weeks, months. It's been only 8 hours from the city since they were already close in Soledad.

Martín looks down at his shirt. He fidget with the loose fabric that droop down from the holes on his clothes. Andrés looked over at Martín.

"Cascado."(Worn out.) He say in a somewhat questioning tone, finally breaking the silence.

"Mm." Martín looked up at him for a second, then looked back down; he stopped fidgeting with the fabric as his arms swung back down and his eyes looked around to find something else interesting to look at.

Andrés felt a little bad, making his son wear such poor conditioned clothes. He would give his jacket, but in a weather hot like this, it wouldn't do no good. In the corner of his eye, passing by the houses, he noticed some clothes being hanged out to dry that were behind the closed fences. He paused, staring at the clothes. He could tell the ones that were still pretty damp apart from ones fully dried, some flow freely while the damp ones sway weakly. Andrés thought, he looked around, observing his surroundings with no one particularly in sight. Anyone sane and smart wouldn't have some type of risky ideas like his, but Andrés was willing to do anything that provided for his family.

It wasn't new for them to have stole a couple of things, they survive off it. In an era like this, people like them never get any chances to earn money. Their strategy was to rely on taking what they could grab. Once, they even ran through the whole city in hiding while a group of people came after them as death was on their trail. Who would let some latinos stay alive after stealing from a white shop? It was only bread.

Martín caught his father eyes glued onto the drying clothes in sight like it was calling his name. He tugged his arm, shifting him towards him a little, making him snap out of whatever he was thinking.

"Papa, it's okay. These clothes aren't as ragged as you think it is."

"Pero mira como es muy antiguo"(But look at how old it is)

Martín let out a long exhale. He looked forward at the path, then back down at himself. He automatically adjusted his shirt while examining it a little, though he didn't want to admit it, it was pretty raggy.

Andrés was still devoted to getting his son some new clothes. All he did was turn to Martín and pointed at a tree nearby before slightly moving him towards it.

"Martín, Quédate aquí junto a este árbol por un rato." (Stay here by this tree for a bit)
"I'll be right back." He says with a slow, broken english.

Martín watches his father walk forward towards the fence. His arm extends out, leaning against the fence pushing himself closer to grab whatever he can reach. A dark teal green dress brush against Andrés hand, and for a second, he hesitated. But he pulled it down off the clips, snatching it down and landing onto his arms. Martín stared in disbelief, and right behind it there was a big dark blue flannel setting there to dry.

"Why..." Martín says in a bit of disgust and humiliation at the sight of the dress.
There was no way he was going to be caught wearing such a thing.

Andrés turned to look back at Martín, the first thing he saw was his disapproved face. Andrés turns back around and stretches his body more, attempting to reach the blue flannel. Just as he was about to take chances with the blue flannel, a scream from inside of the house alarmed him. His head turned quick to see a white lady at the window staring dead at him from inside the house. Martín quickly reacted, his body automatically started to back up and speed walk away from the tree and back onto the middle of the path.

"RUN!" Martín shout starting to run.
Andrés follow behind, still holding onto the dress, catching up to Martín running along side eachother.