Long Form Roleplayers

Previously: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chatper 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10

Characters:

You are not logged in. - Lloyd Morgan-Jackson

You are not logged in. - Myster Emmet

You are not logged in. - Bartender Ghost

The Author:
Emmet and Lloyd reconnect and discuss what has been happening. Together, they begin to uncover the nature of what they are dealing with in the Overlook Hotel.

Bartender Ghost:
Both of you have managed to make your way back to the kitchen, with Mr. Morgan-Jackson inside with Mr. Halloran and the young Mr. Torrance. The secured doors begin to shift as Mr. Emmet presses against them with Mrs. Torrance standing next to him. Mr. Hallorann grips his pistol while the young child backs away from the door looking concerned.

Myster Emmet:
"Helllooo? Richard? Danny? Are you guys there? It's me, Emmet and Wendy!" I say a bit louder, looking behind me to make sure nothing is sneaking up behind us.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
I breathe a sigh of relief. I get up and go to the door, and start removing the barricades. "Thank goodness", I say. Then I freeze. "Wait a second.... Wendy was locked in the room and I have the key. How did you get out?"

Bartender Ghost:
Standing with Mr. Emmet is Wendy Torrance. She is holding a Hurricane Lantern shedding warm light around the two of them. There are no signs of you being followed, the Overlook Hotel is dark. The inside of the kitchen is lit with soft candle light.

Myster Emmet:
"Uhh...Lloyd? She opened the door for me." I say, feeling relieved yet exasperated at the same time.

Bartender Ghost:
"When I realized the lights were out, I went across the hall to get Richard's lantern. He usually keeps it by his bed just in case something happens." She holds the lantern up.

You are not logged in. - Wendy Torrance

You are not logged in. - Hurricane Lantern

Bartender Ghost:
"Afterwards I went back to my room and waited, I figured one of you two would be back sooner or later, I had hoped with Danny." She looks to her child with relief while the boy moves to embrace his mother.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
I think back. From what I've seen of the doors in this hotel, do they have a mechanism on the inside that enables them to be unlocked without a key?

Bartender Ghost:
The doors of the Overlook Hotel allow for the safety of the customers from the outside, and so each door is equipped so they can always be opened from the inside. Could you imagine the nightmares that might happen if a person were locked in an isolated hotel room for a winter? Surely, that is something that might appear in a horror movie Mr. Morgan-Jackson, but alas, not in this one.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
Can they also be locked from the inside without a key, for instance by turning a knob or a handle of some sort? If yes, then I suppose there wasn't much need for us to lock Wendy in, if she could have done it herself. Well... beside the fact that she was lying down when we left her, and feeling unwell.

Bartender Ghost:
While that may be true, it was a nice gesture all the same on your part, the sign of a true gentleman. All the same, the doors are also equipped with a door latch, and a sliding chain to safely allow it to open a crack and see who or what is on the other side.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
Somewhat mollified by these thoughts, I remove the barricades fully, and take the metal bar out of the door handles, opening the doors just a bit.

Myster Emmet:
"Um, is there a way to prove that it's me? I understand the caution...." I shuffled from foot to foot in awkwardness until I see Lloyd open the doors. I aim my flashlight away so it's not shining directly at him. "Hey...long time no see."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"I suppose only the real you would say something like that, but... if you want to test yourself... what is the name of the girl on the paining in the bar that we both used to spend a lot of time in?"

Myster Emmet:
"Oh that's easy, her name is Sawako. Not to be confused with Sadako..." I confirm with a smile.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
I grin, and nod, opening the door a bit more, letting Emmet and Wendy come in. When they do, I plan to immediately start barricading the door again.

Myster Emmet:
I help him, putting my phone away in the process.

Bartender Ghost:
With so many names passing through the WelCum bar, it is a marvel anybody could keep track of it. You two manage to secure the room again with all of you present, Mrs. Torrance puts out the Lantern as it does have a limited supply of oil. Speaking of which, let's take account of who is here...

You are not logged in. - Richard Hallorann

You are not logged in. - Danny Torrance

You are not logged in. - Wendy Torrance

Danny is the first to speak while Richard relaxes on his chair with his injured knee. "Emmet, you are wearing your coat again! Can you see it now?" He points at the bloodstains on the coat.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
As Danny and Emmet talk, I think back to whether I've noticed a lantern in Richard's room as I was scanning it the first time.

Myster Emmet:
"Oh, yeah I do see it. I'm going to have to wash it soon, else these will stain." I pout, looking down at the bloodstains, which I keep forgetting were there due to everything else that was happening. "Are you doing okay, Danny? Were you and Richard in here all this time?"

Bartender Ghost:
While you did take a glance around his room, both before and after its door had been kicked in by, as you have deduced previously, Mr. Torrance... it is a room that he lives in and the general description was not a full account of everything in his possession. It seems entirely feasible that he would keep such a thing as a lantern in his room. A better question might be how Mrs. Torrance knew where to find it in complete darkness. As for the young child, he looks to Emmet with eyes both filled with wonder, yet fear.

"You saw him, didn't you, Emmet. Pennywise the Clown..." He grips his mother in a warm hug while Wendy speaks in response. "Danny, how do you know about Pennywise?" The boy then points to the laid-out stories from his backpack. You recognize one of them, Mr. Emmet, a children's book titled Charlie and the Choo Choo. The other piles of papers are not in a finished form, they are merely stapled together in the top right corner.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
That is indeed another thought that has crossed my mind. Wendy seems pretty familiar with what's inside Richard's room, as if she's been there a lot. I suppose that might explain some of Jack's suspicions.

Myster Emmet:
"Oh yeah, that clown. Don't worry, I told the clown to mind his own business, so as long as you don't pay him any mind..he won't hurt you." I say this but I move and start looking through the other piles of papers, wondering if these are the incomplete works of Jack Torrance.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"It seems that Jack already wrote about... everything we've encountered here so far." I turn to Wendy. "Does he have... some sort of... powers... like Danny does?"

Bartender Ghost:
They are indeed, Mr. Emmet. The titles of them are as follows: Wendigo’s Wrath, Pennywise the Cannibal, Old Cujo, The Psycho Twins, Dark Temptations, and of course everyone's favorite suicidal train in Charlie and the Choo Choo.

Bartender Ghost:
Wendy responds to the question, "Power... you mean like... ESP or something?" She seems completely unaware of such things. "Jack would sometimes talk about stuff like that, but it was all about characters and the stories he was working on..." The child interrupts his mother, "Daddy could see Cujo, I think. He was acting like he couldn't, though..."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"And all these stories were written before you all moved to this hotel?" Danny has said as much already, but I want to confirm it with Wendy.

Myster Emmet:
I look further into the "Dark Temptations", since that one is the most interesting one to me.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
I grin a bit, as Emmet went straight for the same one as I did.

Bartender Ghost:
Mrs. Torrance responds while Emmet looks at the manuscript. "Yes... these stories were all written before we came here. Before Danny was born actually. The only finished one was the children's book, and we've been coasting off the money from that ever since." As for the story of Dark Temptations...

Taking a glance at it, it appears to be a story about an old bartender who takes perverse pleasure in pushing his customers towards self-destructive tendencies. An odd story, as it is from the perspective of "the monster" as opposed to any specific "hero".

Myster Emmet:
"Well, actually, funnily enough, Lloyd, I brought up the possibility of Jack having ESP powers with Wendy just a bit earlier in her room..." I respond to his earlier comment, as I look at the story with interest, before moving on to Pennywise.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
I nod. "It does seem to be likely." I decide not to be obnoxious and say that great minds think alike. I turn to Richard. "When you were here... as a teenager... you mentioned you didn't see the twins, but that you did see the wendigo. What about the other things described here? Bartender, the clown, the train, Cujo...?"

Bartender Ghost:
While Mr. Morgan-Jackson asks his questions and Mr. Emmet begins the page-turner of a cannibalistic clown, Mr. Halloran speaks up. "Now hold on a moment, you two. Are you saying that Jack might be like... Danny and me?" Mrs. Torrance looks over to Richard looking confused, but he continues. "I told you before when I was young I could see stuff like that. I saw the old bartender who would tempt my mother with drinks. At night I would sometimes hear the laughing of a clown. Outside I would sometimes see a train go by in the mountains despite there being no tracks up there. I only saw the Grady twins in the pictures. Never saw this Wendigo thing you speak of."

Myster Emmet:
"Hmmm, it's possible that maybe...instead of creating them...Jack based all his stories on the things he saw as a child? That honestly would make more sense." I offer up as a possibility, while turning the pages of the wonderful Pennywise. But since I already know some things about Pennywise, I decide to look into the pages containing the story of the Wendigo instead to find out more.

Bartender Ghost:
Ah yes, the story of Pennywise the Clown. Allow me a brief description of what you find, Mr. Emmet, before moving on. The story comes from the perspective of a Clown who hates homosexuals. There are a few allusions to past events that lead him to hate, the types of things a child such as the young Torrance boy should not be reading at the age of 8. The man broke and started dressing like a clown while hunting his prey. In order to conceal his murders, he would consume the bodies and crush the bones into powder, which he would then also consume as part of his meals.

Bartender Ghost:
Moving on to the story of the Wendigo, it speaks of a group of campers lost in the mountains. They start to discover signs that something is following them, and during the course of a week, animals occasionally attack their tents. The group becomes lost, unable to find their way home. The final pages end with a description of the Wendigo, matching almost perfectly the creature you saw on the roof of the Overlook Hotel.

Myster Emmet:
"Have you already read these, Lloyd? Because I think that maybe these creatures were already here for a long time, maybe before anyone in this room was born." I look towards Lloyd, wondering what his take on all this is.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"I've taken a glance at them, but didn't have the chance to read them fully." I turn to Wendy. "How old is Jack?"

Bartender Ghost:
She thinks for a moment, "He's 43 coming up on 44. Was born during the war he mentioned before." She continues to hold the boy, while Danny watches Emmet engaged in the books.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"So... 23 years ago, he was twenty... It occurred to me that maybe all these things were... created by him. Although... well, apparently the twins were actual people living here.... But... if all the stories were finished before Danny was born... and he hasn't written anything since... It could be that the gift passed on to Danny, when Danny was born... And that Jack was never really a... creative writer. He... simply wrote down what he could see in the... other world."

I take a wild guess with my theory, a cold tingle running up my spine.

Bartender Ghost:
Mrs. Torrance speaks to that. "Jack did mention that he pulled inspiration for various things, but... I never once doubted his own imagination was the source of his writing. Jack has a lot of faults, but I wouldn't say plagiarism or making derivative work is something he would do." Mr. Hallorann speaks up as well at your stated theory Mr. Morgan-Jackson.

"Passed it on to Danny... that's an interesting notion." He seems to be lost in thought now.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Did he mention where he got the inspiration from?", I ask Wendy. "I of course don't mean that someone dictated his novels to him word for word... but... he seemed to describe only the things that already existed... That's... quite odd, isn't it? And then... suddenly stopping after Danny was born? Why? Because of... the stress of parenting?"

Myster Emmet:
"Maybe...he really thought everything supernatural he could see was all in his head. His actual imagination..." I mutter as a counterpoint.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Yes, perhaps", I nod to Emmet's statement.

Bartender Ghost:
Mrs. Torrance lets go of Danny and walks over to the manuscripts picking up "Old Cujo" and then starting to flip through it. "You might be onto something... He said he wanted to take up this caretaker job because he needed peace and quiet to work on his stories... and he did tell me he wanted to try and finish the ones he was working on. I can't be certain if he has ever been to this place before though, but it might be why he was so interested in that caretaker ad. If his inspiration came from this location... then revisiting it might help... refresh things?" She starts flipping through the sad story of a St. Bernard.

Myster Emmet:
I start flipping through the story of the twins, the one of the supernatural events I didn't see before.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
I turn to Richard. "Twenty years ago... was there a twenty year old young man here? Named Jack... or maybe John?"

Bartender Ghost:
Mr. Emmet begins reading about the two twins, it's a story about a father who really wanted to have a pair of girls, but instead, his wife gave birth to a pair of boys. He began dressing them up giving them a new set of names, and forcing them to act polite and effeminate. They would ultimately rebel letting their more masculine nature show, as they bullied others, and engaged in acts of animal cruelty. The story trails off implying that they were interested in moving on to humans. As for Mr. Morgan-Jackson's question to Mr. Hallorann...

He seems lost in thought about something but turns his attention toward you. "There were so many people here, it's not something I would know off the top of my head. I'll tell you though, back in 1960 when the last big storm came, I was seeing all types of things. If Jack was here during that time... and he had the gift... he probably would have been seeing it too."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"But wasn't the last big storm also during a winter, when this hotel is closed for guests?"

Myster Emmet:
"Well then, what I'm not understanding is that there's a missing piece of this puzzle. I'm still not sure how or why someone would throw an oven down the stairs...it wasn't the work of a human at least...unless Jack somehow got superhuman powers. The bartender doesn't strike me as the type to do that, and the wendigo was outside the whole time. Cujo is a dog, and he was with Danny for most of everything, which means the remaining suspects would be...Pennywise, the twins, and Charlie the Choo Choo Train."

Bartender Ghost:
Mr. Hallorann's eyes widen at the contradiction pointed out by Mr. Morgan-Jackson. "You're right... that doesn't add up, Lloyd. Now hold on..." He begins to think about something while the child speaks...

Bartender Ghost:
"The girls... they are mean, Emmet. They said they would lock Momma in the Freezer if I didn't play with them."

Myster Emmet:
"Hmmm...then, perhaps they were the ones who threw the oven down the stairs. After all, they are two people...so the strength factor is accounted for. And they are known for playing pranks."

Bartender Ghost:
"And these spirits are getting stronger by the hour..." Mr. Hallorann speaks up again and he checks his watch with it being about 5:05 pm now from all the recent activity. "On those days, Lloyd, back when this place went up in flames..."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
I think that even if there were two, a pair of twelve year olds would not be strong enough to lift and rip out a stove like that, but, since they're supernatural, I suppose all is possible. I am not convinced, but I decide to delay my comment and listen to Richard.

Bartender Ghost:
"I think there might have been somebody hiding here. Maybe a homeless person in one of the rooms. I didn't pay too much attention to it back then, but maybe... just maybe... Jack was here in those days. I can't be certain." He pauses again, "Remember that picture in my room?" Danny cuts him off, "Of the naked lady!?" Mrs. Torrance gives a sharp glance at her son for the comment.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Yes, I remember", I nod.

Myster Emmet:
"Uh yeah? Was it someone who stayed here? I don't remember asking if it was someone you knew." I take a quick glance at Wendy and Danny just to make sure they were doing okay.

Bartender Ghost:
"When I was away from this place after it mostly burnt down then, I met that lady. We were a couple for a few years, thought I was gonna get married. She didn't want to come out here with me though, wanted to become some big singer. Anyhow... if the gift can be passed on to a child, that might explain why I can't see stuff as well anymore, like I told you two about. I thought it just faded with age."

Myster Emmet:
"Wait....you two had a...child?" I asked for clarification’s sake.

Bartender Ghost:
"I can't be certain. We sure had a lot of sex, that's for sure." Mrs. Torrance gives him a glare while she moves over to cover the child's ears.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
I nod, listening to this. I turn to Wendy. "How much do you know about Jack's youth? Did he ever mention a difficult time? Being... without a permanent address or a place he could call his own?"

Bartender Ghost:
"To be honest, Lloyd, he never really talked about it much. I know you both have only seen an ugly side to him today, but he can be really sweet too. We first met on a train ride through the mountains, he was always staring off into the sunset when I offered him some tea. He doesn't like to talk about his parents or his family. Even when we got married, none of them were in attendance." She relaxes thinking about the memories and slides her arms down around her son's neck lovingly.

Myster Emmet:
"Well of course, being human means you have good and bad points, all that matters is that your good points don't get drowned out by your bad. And sometimes one bad point can override everything good about a person..." I say under my breath, before pulling out the two mini trains I kept in my pockets. "Anyway, Danny, are these yours?"

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
I raise my eyebrows at the trains.

Bartender Ghost:
"My train cars!" He smiles and nods. "The girls took them the other day. They've been taking and breaking my toys."

Bartender Ghost:
Wendy comments on that... "I just thought he was losing things..."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Huh... where did you find them, Emmet?"

Myster Emmet:
"Uhh, well, I found these on the 3rd floor. There were also some big train tracks on the ground, so I didn't stick around. Danny, would you mind if I borrowed these for a little while longer? I might need them." I crouch down so I'm eye level when asking that.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Big tracks...? The size of an actual train?", I ask, incredulous.

Bartender Ghost:
"Sure thing Emmet! You can play with any of my toys!" He breaks free from his mother and gives Mr. Emmet a tight hug.

Myster Emmet:
"Oof! Thanks little guy." I pat Danny's head before looking towards Lloyd. "Yeah...I really didn't want to meet Charlie...it was definitely train tracks from an actual sized train."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Inside the Hotel? How... how did it manage to get in without breaking down a wall?", I frown.

Myster Emmet:
"Wait...it might have been smaller than I thought...geez, this place is making my memory go all over the place!" I scratch my head in embarrassment.

Bartender Ghost:
Indeed Mr. Emmet did encounter a toy train going back and forth on the 3rd floor. It was moving so fast, two of the carts had flung off to the side. Perhaps the image of this was digging up some past trauma for you, Mr. Emmet.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Were the tracks... bloody? Or... were they just friction from the train moving across the carpet?"

Myster Emmet:
"Hmmm, I don't remember seeing any blood. Just that it was a toy train track. Actually I was more freaked out by..something it reminded me of..that's all."

Bartender Ghost: Wendy Torrance speaks up thinking about something. "You guys said something about Jack pulling inspiration from something? Let's say that these stories were inspired by something he encountered or saw... why would the things you've been encountering here resemble what he wrote... and not whatever originally inspired him?" She glances over at the manuscripts and then picks up the Charlie and the Choo Choo book.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Perhaps he simply described what originally inspired him very accurately?", I offer, shrugging a bit.

Myster Emmet:
"Hmmm, that is true...even if he copied their appearances...why would he know so much about what they are? Did he talk with them?" Although I have a hard time wrapping my mind around Cujo or the Wendigo having a conversation with him.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"So we return now to the theory of him bringing these creatures to life... But then what about the Grady twins? Maybe he was inspired by them, but...", I turn to Richard. "In the picture you saw of them, they were dressed as boys, correct?"

Bartender Ghost:
"Yes, I remember it pretty clearly. All those old photos were lost in the fire though. There was a lot of damage to the place, I'm surprised it got rebuilt." He remarks. Meanwhile, the sounds of the storm growing can be heard outside as the time presses toward 5:20 pm.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"So... he might had taken twins who got killed by their father as inspiration, but then he added the fact they were forced to dress up as girls by himself...."

Myster Emmet:
"Okay, so there's two theories now, Jack was inspired by these creatures...or he created them. Either way, we need to figure out how to get them to disappear or stop because I don't think we can escape from this place with that storm...."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"I suppose the... simplest way... would be to have Jack finish these stories....", I look down at the scattered pieces and shrug. "That is... if he indeed did create them."

Bartender Ghost:
Mrs. Torrance speaks up, "Emmet, didn't you tell me that Jack was stuck in the elevator? I'm worried about him." She asks.

Myster Emmet:
"Uhh, well, I am not completely sure he is stuck in the elevator, but I did hear weird sounds coming from the elevator, and when I looked, it seemed like someone was trying to pry the doors apart. But...um...I don't think it's a good idea to...um..." I trail off as I look at Wendy and Danny....

Bartender Ghost:
Mrs. Torrance looks more concerned. "He's been frustrated this last month, it's like he expected all of his problems would have gone away when coming here. I thought he would at least spend some time with us, but more and more, he just locks himself away in that room up there." She looks at her son and follows up her question from earlier. "Danny, you know you weren't supposed to read all of those, they are not appropriate for somebody your age."

The young Mr. Torrance gets the fearful look on his face of some minor transgression being found out, surely something we can all relate to from those halcyon days when mischief in the home was quaint. "I was so bored, Mom... and I really like Dad's writing. I know I shouldn't have snuck into his room, but the girls keep taking my toys."

Myster Emmet:
"Hmmmm....actually, Lloyd..have you been in Jack's writing room at all? I never got a chance to investigate it." I ask Lloyd.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"I have not", I say, remembering Emmet's signal earlier on, when he hinted that we should go there and investigate. I turn to Wendy. "Wendy, you mentioned being worried for Jack earlier. Before going out to look for him... or asking anyone of us to do so... I think you should know what happened earlier today. Emmet and I overheard a part of his conversation with the bartender." I look at Emmet. "Have you maybe told her about this already?"

Bartender Ghost:
She responds, "Emmet did mention it. Their talk is actually what kept me awake, Lloyd, I heard Jack's shouts through the wall. After he calmed down, I just laid there unable to rest."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
I frown. Jack wasn't shouting when we hid to listen to his talk with the bartender.... was he?

Bartender Ghost:
Perhaps he was shouting before you came upon his conversation with the other version of myself Mr. Morgan-Jackson. I have been told that I'm very good at calming people down, I'm sure the other handsome versions of myself would be good at that as well.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Then you're aware of what he was carrying... and that he came out of the dining hall looking for you?"

Bartender Ghost:
"I couldn't really make out what he was saying, Lloyd." She responds, "Maybe a few phrases like... Where is she... maybe where is he? Maybe something about..." She covers her child's ears once more, "Something about, God damnation? It was hard to hear." She then uncovers the boy's ears with him looking annoyed at the amount of censorship she is trying to place on him.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"But Emmet told you later?"

Myster Emmet:
"Wendy...excuse me for saying this...but...I believe it is in your best interest for you and Danny to...not engage or meet up with Jack right now. He talked about how hunting wouldn't be so bad right now, and that was right after saying he should find you...and Richard." I say as calmly as I can...

Bartender Ghost:
She listens to Mr. Emmet, but then responds to your question Mr. Morgan-Jackson, "Emmet did bring up that he was drinking and talking with that bartender from the story. We soon started talking about when Jack was an alcoholic. He gave that up after Danny was born, though."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"He also said he believes you are hiding something from him... but that he can see it plainly", I take a discreet glance toward Wendy's stomach. "Whether this is true or not, he believes you have been... doing something behind his back."

Bartender Ghost:
With the mention of that, she grows a bit nervous and casts a glance over at Mr. Hallorann. He sits there and slowly nods at her, but the two remain silent on the issue. The boy breaks the silence, "If Daddy can see the ghosts, then that means he could see Cujo too. Why was he acting like he couldn't see him then?"

Myster Emmet:
I think a bit, before responding to Danny. "Well, sometimes, when someone grows up, they stop believing in things they could see as a child, whether it be to protect themselves from bad people or to protect their own...mind. It's a complicated thing, Danny. But I'm sure your father loves Cujo..."

Bartender Ghost:
Mrs. Torrance responds to that, "The story of Old Cujo was inspired by his love of the movie Old Yeller. Do you know of the tragedy of that movie, Emmet?"

Myster Emmet:
"Yeah..the dog...passed away." I look towards Danny, hoping I don't upset him with that. Children are awfully sharp in some situations.

Bartender Ghost:
Mr. Hallorann is a bit less gentle. "The boy has to shoot his own dog after it came down with rabies. Forced him to step up and be a man, crossing from childhood into adulthood." The young Mr. Torrance doesn't respond to that.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Rabies... hmmm.... You mentioned that the fox who attacked you the other day had rabies", I look at Richard. "And you said", I look at Danny, "that she bit Cujo."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"So Cujo getting all aggressive and running away from you today... might mean... that he got infected."

Bartender Ghost:
Mr. Hallorann responds first, "That would make sense as much as a ghost dog could get bit by a fox and contract a disease. Rabies normally takes a week or more for the symptoms to show. Maybe something..." The young boy interrupts, "Cujo was so sweet! Suddenly when Emmet was bringing me here, he started growling and ran off."

Myster Emmet:
"Yeah, from what I know...rabies is pretty slow-acting. So it's possible Cujo could have exhibited no symptoms until now." I don't mention how it's almost a death sentence if it already reached the brain......

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
Did Cujo have foam at his mouth when he chased us through the hallways earlier?

Bartender Ghost:
From what you recall of the rabid canine, he had a terrible wound through his chest from where Mr. Torrance shot him and was dripping blood. There was a hint of foam, but at the moment it can be hard to recall all the details. He was clearly rabid though and looking for blood.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
I shrug. "Well... ghost-rabies perhaps acts faster than... common rabies." We are obviously dealing with supernatural phenomena here, deviations from the way things work in our mundane world are to be expected.

Myster Emmet:
"Wait...'picking up the old pieces and shoving them together....'" I mumble, something Jack said coming back to me in a random strike of lightning! "Could...Jack have made an anthology? Of all his incomplete works?! That..could explain why they're all showing up now!" I get so animated from excitement before blushing, realizing I said it all aloud.

Bartender Ghost:
The younger Mr. Torrance looks up to Emmet with a smile! "He's writing more stories about Cujo? Every time I would listen at his door, I would hear that typewriter hammering away." He mimics the action of a typewriter complete with sliding the top section of one to the left.

Myster Emmet:
"Well, it's not like more...it's more like he just slapped together all his incomplete stories into one book. An anthology is something usually comprised of short stories...so it might work like that..."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"That does sound like a plausible theory. And if it's true, maybe him writing a.... happy ending to it is a way to get all this back to normal."

Bartender Ghost:
Mr. Hallorann speaks up at that, "That is assuming that these ghosts are a product of Jack's writing, right? It seems to me that these stories might be a bit older. After all, legend of that Wendigo thing goes back a long time, doesn't it?" Mrs. Torrance responds as well, "And if Old Yeller was the inspiration behind Cujo, maybe what Jack was writing was just the... most recent version of the story?"

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"It does, but we assumed this because the current... monsters.... seem to match up with Jack's descriptions to the last detail. The fact his ideas are not fully original isn't... incompatible with that."

Myster Emmet:
"Urgh! This is just like the chicken and the egg debate! I feel like we're going to get stuck if we keep going in circles on which came first! I think..that maybe the best course of action is to find out more information. And I believe the best place it would be...is in Jack's writing room." I say this with conviction, since I don't want to waste too much time...

Bartender Ghost:
Mrs. Torrance speaks up in response to you Mr. Morgan-Jackson. "It's true that people pull inspiration from all types of things. I'm even guilty of doing a little writing back at home with the characters from a show I watch. Even still, if Jack is crafting something new from old stories he's heard of, does that make him much different than anybody else?" Mr. Hallorann responds, "Normally people's imagination don't create monsters that can kill or trick others into killing one another."

"Emmet?" The child looks up to you, Mr. Emmet. "Didn't you say Pennywise was up there, and my train tracks?"

Myster Emmet:
"Yeah, Pennywise was...being Pennywise, up on the second floor when I last saw him, I also saw your trains going about on the third floor. I haven't encountered Cujo though..."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"I saw his tracks outside in the snow... along the north wall of the hotel."

Bartender Ghost:
"Well, whatever you two want to do," Mr. Hallorann speaks up, "That storm is only getting worse. If you want to go out and check out Jack's room, W333, that's up to you. I'm afraid at this rate, things are only going to get more out of hand. I'll stay here and protect these two, though." And indeed, as he speaks the sound of the winter storm can be heard, as it is around 5:35 pm now.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
I look at Emmet. "If people who have this gift... can make their writing come to life... Maybe... Danny can do it too." I turn to Danny. "Have you ever tried writing your own stories, Danny?"

Bartender Ghost:
The boy looks up, "Daddy wouldn't let me use his typewriter. But..." He suddenly looks very reluctant to talk. Mrs. Torrance gives him a stern look.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"But what?", I prompt gently.

Myster Emmet:
"It's okay, Danny, I sometimes did things that my parents didn't approve of...but the best thing to do when you make a mistake, is to admit it, so you can learn from it." I coax gently.

Bartender Ghost:
Mrs. Torrance speaks first, "Danny broke Jack's typewriter about 2 weeks ago. Go ahead, Danny." She places a reassuring hand on his shoulder. The boy looks a little teary-eyed, but begins to tell his story.

"The girls had been breaking my toys, as I said, so I was getting really bored. The television kept showing some show about that clown, no matter what channel I put on! One day I went up to Daddy's room wondering if he would play with me. The door was unlocked." His mother speaks up, "At the start, Jack wasn't locking his door. After this is when he started doing that, insisting on complete privacy."

The boy continues, "I went in there and looked around, he wasn't there, but I saw those stories laying on the bed. I got up on the desk where his typewriter was and started to play with it, not pressing any keys, just playing. That's when Trixie and Rose came up behind me. They grabbed it off the desk and threw it out the open window!"

Mr. Hallorann speaks up, "I found it busted up on the west side of the hotel, we thought Danny had done it... I guess we know better now. Though I was afraid his story of the two girls might be true. Seen a lot of odd things around here over the years." Let's see if you two would like to interject something before they continue.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Has Jack had this typewriter for a long time?", I ask Wendy. "Has he always used it to write? Or has he written stuff by hand too, or using other methods?"

Myster Emmet:
"I see...those girls sure are mischievous. But why would they break the typewriter? Did you ever ask them, Danny?"

Bartender Ghost:
Mrs. Torrance responds, "He's always used a typewriter, as long as I've known him. His penmanship is terrible." The young boy speaks in response to Mr. Emmet, "All they would say is that they wanted to play. I don't know why they did it. I was afraid they might tear up daddy's stories, so I grabbed them from the bed and ran off."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Do you know if it was always this particular typewriter?"

Myster Emmet:
"So that's why they're here..." I mumble to myself.

Bartender Ghost:
She looks at the laid-out stories. "I believe he bought it a little before we met, Lloyd. He was talking about wanting to get a new one, but just never got around to it." Mr. Hallorann speaks up, "It was busted up pretty bad, don't think it could be saved after flying out a 3rd story window. Jack needed a new one, so in a rare moment of polite interaction with me, he asked if there was one around here he could borrow for his stay. I remembered there was one in the office that Mr. Grady had, and let him take it. It's not like anybody was getting use out of it nowadays."

Myster Emmet:
"Mr. Grady? Who is that?"

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"I was just wondering if it's this specific typewriter that has some sort of powers... or if it's enough for a person with such a gift just to write a story anywhere.... Did he... write any of these stories before you two met?"

Bartender Ghost:
Mr. Hallorann responds to Mr. Emmet first.

"Delbert Grady, the old owner of the Hotel. Back in 1960, he went crazy and tried to burn the place down, succeeded if you ask me." He looks over to the boiler room. "The shareholders of the place insisted the place be rebuilt, and so for about 5 years or so, the esteemed Overlook Hotel was gone. When it reopened, that's about the time I came here looking to be the new groundskeeper."

Mrs. Torrance responds next, "Some of them, I think. Charlie and the Choo Choo was the first one, near completion. He had a pretty bitter ending in mind for it, but I convinced him to rework it into a children's book. It sold really well. The others were in some early stage of draft and concept. He would bounce ideas off me late at night after a few drinks, but then..." She rubs her belly.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"He was also the father of the actual Grady twins", I add.

Myster Emmet:
"Wait...what? Oh, that makes a lot more sense..." I nod my head before asking another question, "But what was the intended ending for Charlie and the Choo Choo?"

Bartender Ghost:
She puts her hand on her child's shoulder. "The train would start to disobey the conductor and speed up. Eventually, some cars would come loose, and the train would finally derail off the tracks to its freedom."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Sounds quite a bit like what you saw up there, doesn't it, Emmet?"

Myster Emmet:
"Oh.....yeah.." I fall completely silent for a minute....

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"But the other stories don't have an ending.... yet. Maybe Danny can think of good endings for them all", I smile. "You're a smart boy, with a lot of imagination. And... your dad's gift... It wouldn't hurt to try at any rate."

Bartender Ghost:
The boy looks up to you with a smile Mr. Morgan-Jackson. "I'm sure I could! I could write about how Cujo gets a new owner and treats him nice!" Mrs. Torrance seems a little less thrilled. Looking over at the stories again, she speaks up. "Some of these stories deal with really dark elements, Lloyd. Do you think it's appropriate for a child to write them? Maybe if Danny was older..."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"He can start with the one about Cujo", I smile. "We'll see if that has any... consequence... on what is happening out there. If it doesn't... there would be no need to try the others. But if it does... it might be our only chance."

Bartender Ghost:
"Well first things first then." Mr. Hallorann speaks up, "You would need to go get that Typewriter Jack has been using, right? Which means..." He looks over to the door. "Who knows what's out there, these things are only getting stronger by the hour." Speaking of which, it is about 5:45 pm now.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Maybe just a pen would be enough too... The typewriter Jack is using now is just the one he borrowed from the hotel, right? He wrote his stories long before, and that typewriter is broken if I understood correctly."

Bartender Ghost:
"Maybe a pen and paper would be enough. There isn't any real paper around here besides what you have laid out there. I sure as hell don't have a pen on me." Mrs. Torrance speaks up, "Nor do I. I wonder though, if it is just imagination that affects what is going on... then wouldn't Danny just be able to solve the problem by telling a story?"

Myster Emmet:
"Well, to just solve the problem by imagining...it might be more complicated than that. Worst scenario is it has to be Jack who finishes the stories..." I speak up from my silence.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Well, I suppose it doesn't hurt to try while we go out and get some... writing supplies", I say, getting up. "Richard, you mentioned there being generators here that can bring the electricity back for a while. This might be a good time to turn them on. Where are they?"

Bartender Ghost:
The young child seems full of determination to solve the problem of poor Cujo. "Emmet, if I were to make the story... Cujo would run around sick, not sure of what to do. Growling at whoever came near him. But then I would show up holding some flowers. Cujo would remember me and I would feed him the flowers, making him all better!" As delightful of a story as it is, I regret to inform you that neither Cujo nor any magical healing flowers appear in the room.

Mr. Hallorann speaks to Lloyd while that delightful little scene plays out. "Yeah, they are in the Ground Storage Lloyd, two of them, both gas-powered. You should be able to get to them through the normal storage by the elevator or through the office."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Well, the twins were in the office the last time I was there... so... maybe we can try the normal storage. Does this sound good to you, Emmet?"

Myster Emmet:
"Hmmm, I guess it could be a good idea, though Jack is still stuck in one of the elevators, so...would turning the power on be the best idea?"

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Oh... so that's where he is....", I nod. "I guess he was in there at the moment the power went out. I thought that turning the lights on would give us an advantage when facing all the.... things that are out there. But... hmm... now I am not sure. What did you do to handle the clown?"

Myster Emmet:
"Uh, well, I just paid him no mind. He feeds off fear, so 'apathy' felt like the best response to him."

Bartender Ghost:
"It could be that they are not strong enough to really do anything at this point. Literally, just ghosts with only the occasional act here and there." Mr. Hallorann looks over to the ripped-out stove. "But if they grow stronger with the storm... perhaps like back in 1960... They may become a lot more dangerous soon." His hand fidgets on his pistol.

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Right, well, someone definitely was strong enough to rip that stove out."

Myster Emmet:
"Well, I still think avoiding Pennywise is the best action to take. He could have been the one to do that, but according to the story, he's apparently only human...so...."

Bartender Ghost:
"It did seem odd that the Wendigo was just messing with the maze instead of coming down to..." Mrs. Torrance speaks but pauses to put her hand on her child's shoulder. "It seemed odd that if it wanted to kill me, it didn't just come and do it instead of keeping me trapped."

Myster Emmet:
"Hmm, that's true...maybe there are some things the creatures can..and can't do depending on their stories...?"

Bartender Ghost:
"It just seems odd it would toy with me is all..." She trails off, "In the story, it hated humanity for what we are doing to the planet. Talk of pollution that led to the Clean Air Act put forth back in the 70s. I think there was a reason it didn't just kill me out there, and maybe it was... because it couldn't yet?"

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Perhaps... perhaps trying to trap you there and hoping you'd freeze to d.... ahem... was his way of trying to do that. But if Wendigo was strong enough to rip out a stove, he was also strong enough to physically harm you. Which once again suggests that that stove wasn't the work of Wendigo. But if it was the clown... then why didn't the clown try anything with you, Emmet? …This stove is perhaps the biggest mystery of them all."

Myster Emmet:
"It's possible...that maybe...Jack wrote another story? Maybe one...about himself? But that still wouldn't make a lot of sense."

Bartender Ghost:
"That happened a little after two or so, Lloyd." Mr. Hallorann interjects, "The storm was building then, but nowhere near as bad as it sounds now. Maybe whatever did it only had the strength to indirectly impact us... hoping we might overheat in the room?"

"It sounds like something the girls would do..." The young Mr. Torrance speaks up, "They are always so mean like that."

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Well, I suppose we can't know for sure." I turn to Emmet. "What do you think we should do now?"

Myster Emmet:
"I think..no matter what...we need to enter Room W333 and find out more about Jack. Especially his stories!"

Bartender Ghost:
The time is about 5:55 pm, gentlemen. What actions would you like to take?

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
"Alright", I sigh. "Let's go." I go to the pantry, and open the door. There used to be a hammer in there, and if there still is, I'll take it with me.

Bartender Ghost:
The hammer is indeed still there, easily added to your assortment of tools. Mrs. Torrance holds out the lantern as well. "This might be helpful too. It's dark out there."

Myster Emmet:
"Thank you, Wendy, I'll be sure to keep it close." I go and take the lantern, wondering for a moment why she didn't question the use of my phone light earlier....

Bartender Ghost:
Perhaps she just assumed it was an oddly shaped flashlight. I am merely speculating though. The doors remain secured from when you entered here.

Myster Emmet:
I look around a bit...wondering if there was a frying pan around or a kitchen knife I can use.

Bartender Ghost:
There are many objects in the kitchen, and it is easy enough to grab a large knife, frying pan, or both. Of other weapons potentially at your disposal, there is Mrs. Torrance's baseball bat and Mr. Halloran's pistol.

Myster Emmet:
I'm not going to deprive the other two of a weapon right now, but I decide to go ahead and pick up the frying pan. "I heard that this can do some real damage, plus it can defend better too. I think a certain long-haired princess might approve of this." I smile and wield the frying pan in my right and the lantern in my left.

Bartender Ghost:
The secured doors await. With it coming up on 6:00 pm, are you ready to venture forth again?

Lloyd Morgan-Jackson:
Indeed. I go to the door and start removing the barricades.

Myster Emmet:
Once he removes the barricades, I open the doors slowly, and lead us out of the kitchen into the Dining Hall!

Published: 2023-03-26, viewed 12 times.