The Shining (Kubrick Version)

Part 7: Monday

The snow was falling heavily by the come of the new week and wasn't showing any signs of stopping. Schools in Sidewinder were closed until further notice and most shops had shut up too. Chemists were open for a certain time frame, from 8am until 1:30pm, when it got too dark and the chemists were jam packed with people trying to get medication. The supermarkets were open from 8am-4pm, with only experienced drivers with a zero bad car record working past 2pm. 2pm was when it usually started to get bad and by 3pm, most of the streets were deserted. The hospitals were pretty abandoned seeing as most people were inside, snuggled up in bed reading books or watching TV on the lounge in front of the fireplace or eating warmly cooked foods such as pie, casserole, soup etc. Police precincts were open from 9am-12pm only for urgent matters. Then, the police all sat in the squad room, playing gin rummy and watching the news. The fire brigade was about as empty and gloomy as The Overlook Hotel. Only 3 firefighters a maximum were in the shop and the only emergency they had had since the snow had started was a child's head caught in the stair banisters. Speaking of The Overlook Hotel, it was rather a gloomy place. Nobody could see it from the view of the mist and falling snow. Not that there'd be anyone to see it from the roads. The roads up into the mountains were declared a suicide mission. Inside the hotel, the Torrances felt very small and lonely in this giant place, yet also felt claustrophobic. They couldn't really go outside with the wind. They were stuck inside. In the lobby this snowy Monday, around the morning before the police decided that supermarkets would have even more limited opening hours (those would be 9am-12pm) and chemists being open for only an hour to receive medication scripts for serious prescriptions only (10am-11am), Wendy and Danny were watching a movie. The picture was to be desired. Several times, static had been on the screen, but this was only for a few seconds. Ten seconds of static caused Wendy to stand up and walk to turn off the television, but she had stopped when it had come back on. Danny sat on the lobby rug, playing with his toy trucks and cars. His father was upstairs asleep. He had been working on his play since 4:30am and it was 11:30am. Although you'd never know by the amount of snow inside and lack of visibility outside. Danny was about to send the fire brigade to the restaurant on the rug's town when he paused. No fire engine. How could a fire be put out on a rug without a fire engine? Now he remembered. He had carried his fire engine and some of his cars to his bedroom last night when his father had specifically requested some quiet time in The Colorado Lounge. Wendy had meekly told Danny that it was time to go to their bedroom. 

"Mum?" called Danny through the loud howl of the wind.

"Yeah?" replied Wendy, hardly sounding there at all.

"Can I go to my bedroom and get my fire engine please?" asked Danny. Wendy felt a mild surge of anxiety go through her.

"Not right now," sighed Wendy. "Your daddy's asleep."

"I won't make any noise," begged Danny. Wendy sighed.

"Come on, Doc," she sighed. "He only went to bed a few hours ago. Can't you wait until later?"

"No," begged Danny. "I'll be quiet. I promise I'll tiptoe." Wendy sighed. There was no arguing Danny here. She wouldn't hear the end of it. The loud howl of the wind would probably muffle Danny walking in anyway.

"Alright," she sighed. "But I mean it Danny. Don't make a sound."

"I won't," promised Danny.

"Oh, and make sure you come right back because I'm going to make lunch soon, ok," said Wendy.

"Okay, mum," called Danny. But Danny didn't feel like eating. In all honesty, he felt dreadfully nervous inside. 

Danny opened the door as quietly as he could. He shut it as gently as he could. He walked up the stairs leading to the floor as quietly as he could. And there was Jack Torrance, sitting on his bed, looking at the window outside. He was in his blue dressing gown. His face was unshaven and he almost looked like a mannequin. Jack turned around when Danny had looked at him for a few seconds. Nervousness swept through Danny.