Alternate Endings to The Shining (#JustWriteIt)

Alternate Ending #1

Hallorann burst through the double doors and carried the two of them through the trench in the big snowdrift on the porch. He saw the hedge animals clearly, more clearly than before. A chill went up his spine because he knew the evil spirits still roamed this place, clawing for the little boy's powers of sight. "No.." he whispers under his breath quietly. Hallorann takes grasp of the mother and little boy's hand. Danny had tensed at the feel of his hand. They walked nearer and nearer to the garden and through the kiddie playground. Snow was falling rapidly now and the path through the garden was shrouded by a thick sheet of white snow. The cold had nipped at his nose and cheeks as they walked through the snow towards the all too familiar chain link fence. When they had gotten to the gate, Hallorann hesitated for a moment, eyeing the hedge animals and then the gate latch. At last, he opened the gate. The boy had also hesitated, much for far longer.

He just stood there too, looking at the hedge animals in fear and with wide eyes. "Come on Danny, all we have to do is get through this playground and then we can get to the garage and move on out of here." says Hallorann, trying to coax the frightened Danny through the gate. This was only step one.. This wasn't even the hard part! So many thoughts were buzzing around in Danny's head. He wanted his mom and dad. Tony even. Tony was really his only friend besides his parents. Tony had made him feel loved and he made Danny very happy. "Please be brave Danny.. We need to go." says Hallorann again, in the same urgent tone of voice. The mother had tried to drag Danny along, however, he wouldn't budge. There was something going on with him, something more than just the common fear. Danny was seeing something that neither Hallorann nor Wendy could see. What Danny saw was his father. He saw his father standing among the hedge animals like a wild circus animal tamer. His father had a wild glint to his eye. Jack slowly put his finger to his mouth in a shushing motion as he clutched the mallet in his other hand.

Then, Danny's father was gone. He had slunk behind a lion hedge, hiding. Waiting. Waiting for his prey to move into the open so he could strike and finish his duty. He wanted to make the hotel, and all the spirits in it, happy. So he could lose his insanity and return to normal. Or, Jack would become part of the hotel itself. "What is it Danny?" says Wendy, putting both of her hands on Danny's shoulders. She looked him in the eye and saw the look of terror within him. "What did you see? Please, Danny, please. Godammit please tell us what is out there! Don't you want us to leave this hotel?" Her tone of voice was urgent and scared. Two emotions he hated to see in her. His eyes wandered for a moment and then both his and his mother's eyes met. Danny noticed the small snowflakes beginning to pile up into her matted, long blonde hair. Her deep brown eyes were trying to search him for a sign of what he saw. "There-there.." Danny starts, trying to make this sound like he isn't going crazy or seeing anything that isn't there. "Daddy, daddy is out there. He's among the animals." he says. Wendy looks from Danny to Hallorann and then back to Danny. "Where is daddy?" she asks. "I said, he is among the head animals. At first I saw him at the lion."

Wendy sighed and got up, "We can outrun daddy, come on Danny. Please." she is not trying to coax him anymore, she is now full on begging. Pleading. Danny took a step forward, and then another, and another, and another. They were now about a fifth of the way through the playground. The hedge animals were only but a mere few feet away from them. The hedges loomed over them like a tall building does to an average person. Out of the corner of Hallorann's eye, he saw a bunny go from a standing stance to a crouching one. The snow had begun to pile around its snout like it was eating the nonexistent grass. The dog had begun to move as well, the paw prints were even left in the snow. The dog had now moved behind them in a crouch-like position. It looked like a wolf beginning to stalk its prey in the woods. The snow had also fallen off of both of the hedge animals. Hallorann could feel Danny's tight grip on his hand. Danny still had a look of fear written on his face. Suddenly, there was a crunch in the snow. Danny saw what had loomed behind Hallorann. His father, except, it wasn't his father. Jack's face had become so grotesque and distorted with determination that it looked like a completely different person. Danny felt like he didn't even know who that person was. Danny let out a loud scream of fear. When Wendy had seen was scene was unfolding she quickly picked up Danny. His face had gone from fear to full on terror.