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[Holly]

The Overlook Hotel has been rebuilt, but the residents are still the same...

Father/Husband: Matthew Brady, Daughter/Sister: Helen Brady, Mother/Wife: Anna Brady, Son/Brother: Corey Brady.

Mother weak minded, can't handle her rock/metal. Brown belt in karate. Father nice guy, loses temper easily, can get abusive. Daughter has the shining, paranoid, doesn't trust neither parents. Son just a baby.

Danny will be Helen's guide, as Jack will be the one to persuade one of the parents into the hotel's evil past.

Matthew was in search for work after getting kicked off the force for killing a unharmed man. Anna's best friend was a maid at the Overlook, and was able to get a interview with the Hotel's manager Mr. Ullman. He had told Matthew that he needed a man to look after the hotel for the next 4-6 months. He also told him his family was not allowed to stay with him. He had to be alone.

Chapter 1 - The Interview
- - -

Matthew parked his '96 light blue Volkswagen Beetle in the Overlook's parking lot. He checked his rear view mirror to make sure everything looked alright and let out a sigh. What were you thinking? He thought to himself, looking at his reflection. Your just a trigger-happy mofo. He smirked at that thought. He pushed his side door open, and stepped out. Taking in the fresh crisp air with his eyes closed. He let out another sigh and opened his eyes. The Overlook was a beautiful site to see this time of year. Cloudless blue skies, fresh green grass, mountains surrounding the Overlook... beautiful.

Matthew fixed his red tie and took the first step on the stony side walk beneath him. He walked by animal hedges, which he preferably wished were not there. As he walked by one of the three lions he swore he heard a faint growl behind him. He stopped and looked around but saw nothing. After a few seconds, he turned back around and continued walking towards the Overlook's front door.

Standing at the entrance to greet him was a elder man with white hair, big brown eyes, and wearing a tan suit that probably cost more than Matthew's last year's gross on the force. The man smiled at Matthews, pulling his right hand out of his pants pocket. "Why hello there! You must be Matthew Brady! I am Mr. Ullman the Overlook's manager." Matthew raised his right hand and shook Ullman's. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Matthew told Ullman.

Ullman pulled his hand back and tucked it back in his pocket. "Please follow me Mr. Brady." Ullman turned around and walked through the Overlook's big brown doors. Matthew was amazed at what he saw. Just the lobby was bigger than his whole house. There were two fancy leather seats to his left, facing at a huge stone fireplace. A red/gold floral rug was neatly placed under them, and a coffee table made out of marble was placed in between them. In front of him was the clerk's desk. A young attractive red-head was behind it. Smiling at Matthew. To her right was a slim corridor, and next to that was a wide stair case, next to that was two elevators. He looked to his right and there were more chairs, and throw rugs. "This is amazing." Matthew whispered not realizing he spoke it out loud.

"This... is just the lobby Mr. Brady. There are many other rooms like this, but today let's stick with your interview." Matthew blushed a little as Ullman started to walk down a slim corridor on the right of the clerk's desk. Matthew followed him. "Good luck Mr. Brady." The attractive clerk said to him as he walked by her. Matthew smiled and nodded in her direction.

Not far down the corridor was a door on the right, and a turn on the left. Ullman placed his hand on the doorknob and pushed it open, not bothering to hold it open for Matthew. Matthew pushed it open himself and walked into Ullman's office. Ullman sat down in his red leather office chair and pointed at the little black leather chair across from his big marble desk. "Please have a seat." He told Matthew. "Would you like a drink?"

Matthew walked over to the chair and shook his head. "No thank you, I do not drink." He answered flopping down into the chair. Ullman grin and looked down at Matthew's resume. "Why don't you tell me the story about your last day as a police officer..." Matthew softly gulped, and started to explain as detailed as he could...

When he was done Ullman didn't look too pleased. "So you're saying it was a accident Mr. Brady and-" Matthew cut him off. "Oh please call me Matt Mr. Ullman." Ullman looked annoyed, but continued. "How do I know you won't have any 'accidents' here watching my hotel Mr... I'm sorry, Matt?"

"Because I'll be alone?" Matthew replied, trying his hardest to stay calm, and not let his smart ass tone take over. Ullman jumped out of his chair as if his underwear was on fire. It had startled Matthew. "One of the last men I trusted with my hotel burnt it to the ground back in 1983, I had a bad feeling about him, and I have the exact same feeling about you Mr. Brady." Matthew shallowed every ounce of anger he was growing, or at least tried to. "I am sorry my qualifications do not reach your expectations Mr. Ullman. But I can assure you I am not a drunk like the man you are referring to."

Ullman's expression when from annoyed, to surprised. "Yes... I did my research on your precious hotel... Jack Torrence was obviously the wrong man to hire. Any blind man could have foreseen it better than you... Mr. Ullman." Ullman slowly sat back down and placed his hands on Matthew's resume. There was a long moment of silenced.

"Well... how about we go over the details..."

After a little more than a hour of watching Ullman's lips flap Matthew was finally able to escape his office. Ullman had called the Overlook's engineer up to give Matthew a tour around the hotel. Matthew insisted he waited in the lobby.

Matthew walked back to the large lobby alone. He took a quick glance to his right to see if the clerk was still there, she wasn't. He walked over to one of the over sized chairs and sat himself down. Watching the happy Overlook residents. After a moments he saw a man walking down the wide stair case. His attire didn't quite fit in Matthew thought. He was wearing a light gray jump suit, and a old dirty trucker hat. He was wiping his hands with a red head wrap when he noticed Matthew sitting down. The engineer smiled and walked over to Matthew.

"Howdy, I am Patrick Newman. But you may call me Pat." He had said while outstretching his right hand. Matthew took his hand in handshake. "Matthew Brady. But you may call me Matt." Matthew couldn't help but notice that Patrick had not wiped all of the oil off his right hand before outstretching it. When Patrick took his hand back Matthew quickly rubbed the oil off on the arm of the chair. Patrick did not see this, he was looking to his right, hoping to see Betsy--the attractive clerk.

When he realized she wasn't there he looked back at Matthew and grinned. "Follow me. I'll give you my 'special' tour around the Overlook... but please no flash photography, and try to keep all questions to yourself until the end." Matthew grinned and followed Patrick up the stairs...

Matthew walked back down the few steps on the Overlook's front porch, after Patrick's tour was over. He was browsing through the many FAQs and regulations Ullman had handed to him as he was walking out, to go over at home. He read the The Caretaker can no longer have relatives, friends, or any visitors of that matter during the months he is staying at the Overlook. and smirked. Of course he was going to pick up his beautiful wife Anna, and two children, Helen and Corey first chance he gets.

[Holly]

Chapter 2 - Anna's Past
- - -

Anna 'Craig' Brady grew up alone in life. She had two parents but neither of them ever paid any attention to her. She once ran away from home with her high school bad boy boyfriend and they never once called the police, or even tried to find her them selfs.

She dumped the boyfriend after he tried to rape her at her best friend's birthday bash, and never even bothered to tell her parents.
When she was 16 she fell in love... with rock music. She first heard Metallica back in '95 when the Fuel album first came out and instantly fell in love with the band... and genre.

She spent countless hours in her room blasting the music... it made her feel good. The lyrics spoke what she felt, and what she wanted to do. One particular album, The Wall by Pink Floyd changed the way she thought about life entirely. The hammers... it was the hammers she enjoyed. The way they came down on people's skulls... she quickly found her dad's old hammer in his toolbox and walked into her parents room as they were sleeping.

She stood next to her mother and raised the hammer above her head. She closed her eyes and wanted more than anything to drop it. But the little bit of sanity she had left stopped her at that moment. She dropped the hammer and fell to her knees. Her mother awoke, startled and surprised. She turned on her bed side lamp and looked down at her daughter. When she had a little more focus she screamed. Anna looked down at her arms and saw she had cuts all across them. She had no memory of picking up the knife, and swiping it across her arms.

Her father called the hospital. As she was being treated her mother looked around for a good therapist. She had found one, Dr. Smith, and scheduled eight appointments for Anna. Dr. Smith had never had a case like this before. When Anna talked about her problems she would hum rock songs, or beat the chair she was sitting in like it was a drum set. Smith brought up the subject about her music problem on the second appointment and she fled the room in anger and denial.

On the third appointment Dr. Smith had suggested to her to try new things, register for after school activities until she had found one that occupied her fully. And to help her forget about rock music all together. She took his advice, and signed up for three, basketball, track running, and karate. She was horrible at basketball, she couldn't throw well. She was too slow for track running. But she enjoyed karate. She took lessons three times a week and was moving up the ranks faster than anyone her mentor has seen.

She was a purple belt, after only 11 months, and then he walked in. She was warming up when she saw him for the first time. She couldn't stop staring at him... he looked like a angel.
With his bleach blonde short spiky hair, big crystal blue eyes, perfect tan all around, and a smile that made her knees shaky.

He looked over at her and grinned. She wasn't usually shy, but for some reason she was today. She turned around and walked as far away as she could from him. Also she doesn't usually miss up during her practice runs with her mentor, but today she couldn't do anything right. After the fourth screw-up her mentor had told her to go home and rest.

She didn't bother to change, she grabbed her duffel bag and speed walked to the front entrance. She was too embarrassed to look anyone in the eye. As she rushed past the new guy, she looked in the other direction.
Two days later she came back,and saw him again. He was across from her, stretching his lower body, when he noticed her staring at him, he gave her one of his melting smiles. She smiled back at him, blushing a little.
That day she was able to get her moves right. She was back to her old self again, and her mentor was pleased. He told her to take a little rest, after one hour of practicing. She walked over to the drinking fountain and let the cold water run down her face.

"Please tell me you aren't aiming for your mouth." A unrecognizable man's voice said behind her in a joking manner. She turned around and was face-to-face with the new guy. "Hello, I am Matthew Brady..." He outstretched his hand. She hesitated for a few seconds, then took it in handshake. "Anna Craig." She replied, shyly. "Well Anna I couldn't help but notice your flawless techniques... and I was wondering if you could schedule personal appointments for newbies. " He said giggling a little. He came closer to her, at first she thought he was going to kiss her. But he went to the right and whispered in her ear.

"I am only taking these courses because the chief of police requires all rookie policemen to know a few moves, and he suggested to learn them here. But to be honest... I don't think can last another second with my mentor. He is such a jackass..." She knew who his mentor was, and was quite aware how big of a jackass he could be.

She whispered into his ear. "I'll gladly teach you some moves Matthew." He stepped away from her and smiled. "Here, let me give you my number." He walked over to the registration desk and stole a piece of paper, and a blue pen. He wrote down a nine digit number and handed her the paper. She folded it neatly and tucked it in her white karate pants.

After that moment they were inseparable. They spent everyday together, she would teach him her take down moves, he was a very quick learner, it didn't take him long at all to start taking her down by surprise. After three days he asked her if she wanted to come to this great Italian restaurant he knew about in downtown. She said yes, and on the fourth night together they went. She ordered the daily special, and he had the shrimp paradise special.
After they were done, he drove her home... but not her home.

He stopped outside a unfamiliar building to her. She asked him what he was doing, and he told her this is where he lives. On the fourth floor, room 408. She looked scared for a few seconds, the memory of her last boyfriend almost raping her came to mind when he came close to kiss her. She ducked at the last second and he kissed the chair. He opened his eyes and looked hurt. "It's not you Matthew... I really like you..." He closed his eyes again and went back for a kiss. This time she didn't duck, she closed her eyes and let him kiss her hard on the lips. The windows started to fog up in the car. He pulled away from her and smiled. "Let me show you my room.."

He walked out of the car, and opened her door. She took his hand and they walked up the steps to his apartment building. When they reached his room, he pulled his key out, and unlocked the door. He barely had a chance to open the door when Anna threw herself on him. He held her up as she kissed him constantly. He kicked the door closed behind him and walked across the room. "It's a great apartment." She said during a short break from his face. He didn't have a chance to say thank you before she went back to kissing him.

He carried her to his bedroom, or at least tried to. He hit just about every table, chair, door, and wall he had before successfully walking through the bedroom door. He dropped her on the bed, and threw his shirt off as quickly as he could. She pushed herself up to her knees and unbuttoned her black blouse as quickly as she could, revealing her black lacy bra.
Her shoulder length red hair was messy, and her eye make-up was smeared, but he couldn't remember ever wanting anything more in his life at that moment. She threw her blouse aside and gestured with her left index finger to come to her.

The rest of their clothes came off and he entered he slowly and gently. Neither of them remembered to use a condom, and those few wonderful minutes together will change their lives forever.

- - -

All of the following week after that lovely night she spent with Matthew, Anna felt sick. Every day at school she threw up in class. And twice she was sent home early from karate because she was having trouble holding herself up. One of her friends at school, Elizabeth Howard had told Anna she recognizes those symptoms.
She told Anna to purchase a home pregnancy test after school. Those words scared Anna half to death.

After school she drove to Wal-Mart, and picked up the most expensive one she could find. When she got home she read the instructions carefully, and did everything it said. After ten minutes of the device soaking in her urine, she took it out and saw a smiley face on the side. It's official... she was pregnant.
She flopped down on the hard bathroom floor, and spaced out for many hours. Thinking what she was going to do with the child. She pushed herself up, ignoring her sore back from hitting the ground so hard, and called Matthew. When he answered she broke into tears.

- - -

Matthew stopped by her house and held her tight in his arms. She was stilling crying hard. She hid her face in his jacket. "Let's get married." He said to her out of the blue. She pulled away from him, crying had came to a stop. "What?" She calmly replied. He kissed her forehead. "I said let's get married... wait let me do this right." he got down on one knee, and took her left hand.

"Anna Craig, will you make me the happiest man alive, and marry me?" Anna smiled down at him. "Yes, yes Matthew I will marry you!" Her birthday was just a few weeks away, so they decided to wait until she was 18. When that day came she dropped out of school, and karate, and left her parents a note on the kitchen table and left them for good while they were sleeping.

She smiled at Matthew who was waiting in her driveway. She ran into his car and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. They drove all through the state of Michigan until they finally found a 24/7 wedding chapel at the crack of dawn. They picked up the wedding rings the week before, and when he placed hers on her left hand she felt so happy, she thought she was going to float away. She placed his on and the reverend said "You may now kiss the bride." And that's just what they did.

She moved into his little apartment and he followed through the police academy.

She gave birth to a 9.5lbs baby girl on July 16th, 1996.

In 2001 Matthew was transfered into Boulder Colorado.

In 2006 Anna gave birth to a 8.2lbs baby boy.

In 2007 Matthew lost his job for accidentally shooting a unarmed teenager. Killing him instantly.

A few days later one of Anna's close personally friends had told Anna the Overlook's caretaker passed away, and Mr. Ullman was in search for another one before November first...

[Holly]

Chapter 3 - Danny's Unexpected Visit
- - -

Anna had just laid Corey down for his afternoon nap. She walked into the living room, and saw Helen sitting down on their love seat. Looking dazed and confused. Anna walked around the couch and flopped down on the cushion beside her. "Is something on your mind?" She asked Helen, a little concerned.

Helen acted as if she didn't hear her mother at first. Anna wrapped her right arm around her shoulders. Helen instantly jumped as if Anna just snook up on her from behind. "I'm fine mommy." Helen said looking into her mother's eyes. "Did you have one of your visions again?" Anna asked, hugging Helen tightly. "No... I just have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach." Anna sigh and wiped Helen's blonde bangs out of her blue eyes.
"Don't worry sweetie... everything will be alright."

Helen gave her mother a soft smile. "I'm gonna go play in my room." Helen jumped off the couch, and ran into the bedroom. Anna watched her go, and felt sad. The doctors had told Helen she was a 'special' girl who can foresee the future at times. Only a few cases like this have been reported.
Helen once came up to her once, and told her that daddy didn't mean what he said. Anna had asked her what she was talking about, but Helen walked away. Later that night Matthew came home in a bad mood... and told Anna how he wished he never had kids. Because they were just burning holes in his wallet.

Anna slapped Matthew for that statement, he looked up at her, nostrils flaring, forehead sweating, and the vain on his neck looked like it was ready to pop. But to her surprise he didn't slug her, he walked out the door, and didn't return until six in the morning. Purposely waking her up when he came to bed.
After that night her and Matthew were never the same. She felt he hated her guts. But she wasn't willing to change to fix that.
Divorce came to her mind once or twice. But she was too scared to bring the subject up to him.

Things will get better, they always do. She would think to herself when he has one of his anger tantrums. But these days she is having a hard time believing that.
It started to pour down raining outside. Anna knew the brakes on Matthew's beetle weren't the best in the world. She felt a little nervous.
It has been over two hours since he called her on his cellphone, and told her he got the job. The Overlook was only a hour and a half away...

She started to read a fashion magazine, she was on the third page when he burst through the door in his dark gray work suit, white work shirt, and red tie. He was carrying a unfamiliar brown briefcase in his left hand. But she paid no attention. She jumped off the couch and smiled big at him. He gave her one of his melting smiles, she shrieked with excitement. She flew across the room and wrapped herself around him, not caring how wet she got doing so. He dropped the briefcase and wrapped his arms around her waist. She looked into his blue eyes. "When do we move in?" She asked him.
He looked "You mean when do I move in." He corrected her. She looked confused and pulled away. "What do you mean Matt?"

"Read these." He slammed the briefcase into her chest, and walked past her into the kitchen...

- - -

Helen was playing with Barbie dolls. She had a Ken in her hand, when she heard a man's voice in her room. She looked around but didn't see anyone... "Down here." The man said. She looked down at her hand and saw the Ken doll wink at her. She gasped and dropped the doll on the floor. She pushed herself off her knees and made her way to the door when the image of a image of a man maybe in his early 30's appeared in front of her door, she tried to scream but couldn't find her voice.
The man slowly raised his left hand up to his lips and gave her a shh noise. She walked backward, into her pink bed and closed her eyes.
"Helen please listen to me. It is rather important you do not visit the Overlook Hotel. That place is not for kids with The Shining." She opened her eyes a little.

"Yes... the Shining. That is how we are communicating right now. I am no ghost, I am a man living in Florida. Dick Hallorann- -the man who taught me about the Shining told me in a dream to get in contact with you right away... that you and your whole family may be in danger." She opened her eyes fully and walked up to the hologram image. "Who are you mister?" She asked him.

He smiled at her. "I am Danny Torrence."

- - -

"What are we suppose to do about this Matthew?" Anna said in the kitchen, reading over the regulations. Matthew grabbed the red kool-aid the had in the fridge and poured himself a drink. "I thought about it. I can wait until all the employees leave, and pick you and the children up. The Overlook can be alone for three hours unharmed." She opened her mouth about to say something, when Helen let out a high pitched scream. Anna dropped the papers on the kitchen floor, and ran to Helen's bedroom door, Matthew hot on her heels. When she reached it she tried the doorknob, but it was locked. She started to knock on the door, when Matthew pushed her aside, and pounded on it. "Open this door!" He yelled.

Anna tried to calm him down, but he just pushed he into the wall. Corey started to cry behind her. "You get him-" He said pointing at Corey's door. "I got this." She was on the verge of tears, but did what she was told. She went into Corey's bedroom and gently lifted him from his crib. She heard the door burst open behind her. She walked to Matthew's door and saw wood splinters on the ground. She rushed into Helen's bedroom, and saw she was tuck in the far left corner, shaking constantly. Matthew just reached her and picked her up. he sat her down on her bed and gently shook her by the shoulders. After the third shake, Helen stopped shaking and wrapped her skinny arms around her daddy's neck, crying furiously into his wet work shirt. She tried to speak but was just muttering gibberish to him. "Clam down sweetie, just calm down."
When she did clam down she tried to tell him everything Danny had showed her, this time she was able to speak it in English.

Anna joined Matthew's side and looked scared as Helen told the story. She finished it with a "Please daddy, please say we don't have to go!" Matthew kneel down in front of her. "Where did you hear all of this non-sense?" He asked Helen. "it's not non-sense daddy! Danny Torrence told me!" She screamed at him. The second the word 'Torrence' came out of her mouth Matthew's expression changed, and his face flushed with fear. There was no way she could've known about the Torrences. He never told a soul, other than Ullman of course.

Matthew brushed her bangs away from her eyes. "That was just your imagination playing tricks on you. The thought of moving into a large hotel for 4-6 months scares you, and believe me when I said it scares me." He calmly told her. She looked up at her mother for support. Anna had fear written all over her face. But she kept her mouth shut.
Matthew pushed himself up. "Now then, we all have three days to pack. Make sure you pack every single piece of warm clothing you have.

[Holly]

Chapter 4 - Moving Into The Overlook
- - -

Anna saw her favorite black turtle neck sweater hanging up in the back. But when she pulled it out of her closet she thought she saw blood stains all over it. She closed her eyes for two seconds and opened them again, the blood was gone. Huh... that's weird.. She thought to herself throwing the sweater in her briefcase.
Matthew was on the other side of the room packing his briefcase. He couldn't get the thought of the Torrence name coming out of his little girl's mouth. Did she use her psyche ability to listen to mine, and Ullman's conversation? Yeah... that must be it.. He thought to himself. He looked over at Anna and felt bad for the way he treated her in the hallway, in fact he has been treating her bad ever since they transfered to Boulder from Hartford Michigan...

"I sure hope Mrs. Morris does a good job watching our house while we're gone. I would just hate to come back to find out we were robbed after a big party was thrown." She said half-joking. Matthew grin at her. "She'll do fine." He replied. "I'm worried weather or not I do a good job watching the Overlook." He looked back at her. "You're going to love this place Anna, everything is up to date, and HUGE." She giggled. "I am not kidding... you'll feel like a mouse in a mansion." She giggled harder.

It was great to be able to laugh after such stressful times.

- - -

The next few days Matthew was a changed man to Anna and Helen. He had more patience, and was even able to smile when things went wrong for him. Helen felt a strange vibe coming from her father, but she never paid attention to it...

- - -

"Goodbye Anna. I will see you in four, maybe five hours. Depending on how long Ullman plans to stick around." Matthew told her on their door step. Helen was standing next to Anna, looking scared. "Daddy..." She took his hand. "Please don't go daddy... the Overlook will get you just as they got the caretakers before you." She said in the sweetest voice she could.
Matthew jerked his hand away from hers.
"If you mention that one more time..." He bit his lip, and looked up at Anna who looked confused.
"I'll be back." He turned around, purposely not looking Helen in the eye. "Daddy!" She screamed behind him. He put his right hand up and gave her a flick of the wrist.

Helen burst into tears when he got in the car, and drove off. Anna kneel down beside Helen and hugged her tightly. Those words about the Overlook possessing frighten her terribly.
"Helen... what do you know? What did Danny tell you?" She spoke into Helen's ear. Helen stopped crying and pulled away from her mother. "He told me... in fact showed me what the Overlook will do to him... mommy... he is going to kill us..."
Anna believed her for a few seconds, then realized that wasn't Matthew. He wouldn't kill his family no matter how annoying they get to him.
"Honey like your father told you, that was just your imagination getting the best of you..."
Helen shook her head furiously.
"No mommy! Please, not you!"
Anna grabbed Helen by her shoulders. "Now Helen this hotel is perfectly safe, and if-" Helen pushed her mother's hands off her shoulders, and ran into the house. Anna didn't bother to stop her.

- - -

Matthew was half way to the Overlook when Helen's words started to bug him. The last caretaker died just two days after Matthew and family moved into Colorado. He died at the Overlook... a electric fire of some sort, he went up in flames instantly, along with 1/10th of the Overlook. Luckily for Ullman that happened in November, before the Overlook was buried in snow. The fire department was able to reach the Overlook in a short time span.
The strangest thing about the inncident... was that there was a few pieces of yellow, green, and red confetti around the caretakers body. It was as if it was laid on his body after the fire killed him.

Patrick had told Matthew all of this during the tour. At the time Matthew thought good ol' Pat was full of shit. But now that he is on his way to the Overlook he had a bad feeling growing in his stomach...
- - -

When he reached the Overlook, he parked his car in the same spot as he did for his interview. He got out, and took in that crisp mountain air again.
He walked up the trail to the front door, as he was walking past the animal hedges, he felt a weak vibe coming from the lions. He stopped and noticed they were now in a group, when before two were on the left of the trail, and the third one was up ahead on the right. He slowly walked by them, not taking his eyes off them for one second... He was ten feet away when Ullman snook up from behind.
"They aren't real my good friend." He said with a chuckle. Matthew turned around, startled, and almost lost his balance. That made Ullman chuckle harder.

Matthew kept his cool. He gave Ullman a smile and giggled at himself. Ullman was dressed in another suit, this time a dark redish/orange three piece with a red/black striped tie. He reminded Matthew of his lawer...
"Well Mr. Brady... the Overlook is not going to watch itself." He said, stepping aside for Matthew to walk up the trail.
Matthew, still smiling walked past Ullman. When his back was aiming at Ullman he started to snarl. Ullman followed Matthew up the trial, getting a cigarette out of his front shirt pocket.
Matthew saw Patrick up on the front porch. He was wearing his gray jump suit and black trucker hat again. He saw Matthew walking up the trial and waved at him. Matthew started to smile again and waved back.

Patrick was standing on the first step, smoking a cigarette. "Howdy Mr. Brady! How you doing on this lovely afternoon?" He greeted Matthew when he approached the first step. "Oh... getting by." Matthew replied. Patrick nodded in agreement.
Matthew looked back, and saw the lions had changed positions. He quickly turned his attention back to Patrick, he was looking down at him with a odd expression. "Is something wrong with the hedges Mr. Brady?" He asked Matthew. Ullman took the cigarette out of his mouth and started to chuckle again. "It seems as though Mr. Brady has the spooks from harmless bushes." He told Patrick.

Patrick grinned and took another inhale from his cigarette. Mr. Ullman tossed his cigarette on the ground, and squashed it with his expensive shoes. "Well then Mr. Brady why don't you follow me into my office. I have forms we need to go over before I leave you alone with my hotel..."

- - -

This is ridiculous Matthew thought to himself, reading what all he had to do in the six months he is taking care of the Overlook hotel. "Re-shingle the whole roof?" Matthew quoted from the paper in his hand. Ullman nodded. 'I have all my caretakers do that every year."
When Matthew was done, he laid the paper down on Ullman's desk. Ullman stood up from his chair, and walked over to a CP radio next to his door. "This is for emergencies only. I have the 911 channel programed into it right now so I don't recommend switching to your favorite rock tunes." Ullman told Matthew.

"I don't need that. I have my cell phone, and enough land phones in this hotel to get all of Iraq communicating." Matthew replied. Ullman shook his head. "When the snow storms hit the land lines will go down. And you won't be able to pay off your cell phone bill if you don't have a land phone or Internet access." Ullman said, opening his office door for Matthew. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have work that needs to be finalized."
Matthew stood up, grabbed the 'to-do list', and walked out of Ullman's office for the last time...

- - -

Patrick was in the main lobby, talking to Betsy, who was walking out the front door. "Ah c'mon Betsy, you know I don't give up." Patrick was saying behind her. "Maybe that's your problem." She shot back over her shoulder.
She walked through the front door and slammed it shut behind her. Patrick saw Matthew standing there watching him. "Yup... she wants me." Patrick said grinning. Matthew chuckled. "Easily fooled me." He replied, only half-joking.
Patrick stopped grinning, and looked around the lobby, as if he was looking for someone, but no one was in the Overlook besides Matthew, and of course Ullman.

"You better take care of yourself Mr. Brady... I hear funny stories happen to you when you stay here alone... when I'm in the cellar I sometimes feel something tap me on the shoulder, but when I turn around nobody is there..." Patrick started saying. Matthew could hear Ullman walking up behind him. "Patrick you give him your keys, and then take off. We're all done here for the Winter. Now we just have to pray we left this hotel in the right hands." Ullman said walking by Matthew.
Matthew gave Ullman a smart-ass salute. "Do not worry Mr. Ullman. I will treat this hotel better than I treat my own children." Ullman stopped and looked back at Matthew. "I sure hope you can do better than that." Ullman replied with a serious expression. Matthew put his hand down and grind his teeth. Ullman continued for the exit.
Patrick watched Ullman walk through the front door, and started to rant about him. "What a fucking asshole! You should have kicked his ass Brady!" Matthew shook his head. "What good would that do? I would get arrested, lose this job, get kicked out onto the streets for not paying my bills, and for what? So I can feel good about myself for a day or so by cleaning the Overlook's floor with his ass?"

Patrick giggled. He stuck his right hand in his pocket, and brought out a ring with at least 40 keys on it. "These should be all the keys you need for the Overlook. Except room keys which I'm sure Ullman has gone over with you, how you aren't allowed into those unless you plan on cleaning something."
Patrick tossed the keys at Matthew, who got them perfectly. Patrick took a deep breath and walked over to the door. He stopped when he was facing it, and turn around to look back at Matthew. "I'll see you hopefully in March Mr. Brady. You take care now." Before Matthew could reply Patrick rushed out the door. And Matthew never saw him again...

Matthew was now all alone. He made a slow 180 turn around the lobby, spinning the key ring around his right index finger. "This is it?" He spoke out loud to himself. He looked over to his right at the two chairs facing the fireplace. He walked over to the chair on the left, and saw the oil was still there. He laughed at it, it looked like someone noticed it, and tried to rub it off. Only smearing it worse.
He pressed his fingers against the stain, and frown. The oil should have been dried by now. But it felt warm and wet under his fingers. He slowly lifted his hand up and saw they had blood on them where he touched the oil. He looked at the stain and in front of his eyes it went from oil to blood, he gasped, taking a few steps back. Blood started to gush out from under the chair.
Matthew had seen enough, he turned around and dashed for the door. When he reached it he looked back at the chair, and saw there was no more blood. He looked down at his fingers, the blood was gone.
Matthew let out a sigh of relief. Pull it together man... you told your daughter there is nothing to be afraid of. That this hotel was perfectly alright. Don't you believe your own words? He thought to himself. "Yes... yes I do believe them." He answered himself. He looked next to the door and saw the bell hop's luggage carrier. "Time to move in."

[Holly]

Chapter 5 - Picking Up The Family
- - -

Helen looked at her packed Barbie duffel bags and felt a tear run down her right cheek. What Danny had showed her three days ago took place in the Overlook in one of the guest bedrooms.
Helen was in the dead center of a large bathroom, a sink was on her right, with a toilet next to it, the bathtub was behind her, and the door was in front of her. The bathroom was freezing, and everything was blue. Even the door. She tried to warm herself up with her hands. That's when the doorknob in front of her started to twist and turn.
Helen was about to open the door when the creature on the other side started to attack the door.

Helen screamed and ran into the bathtub. She tried to hide herself behind the curtains. She heard a large piece of the door fall to the ground, and the pounding stopped. Next came footsteps, boots were taping against the marble floor. The taps were getting louder until the were right next to the tub and stopped. Helen sat in the bathtub and listened carefully for a movement. After 15 seconds she was willing to take a peek through the curtain.
She was slowly outstretching her left hand. She was only a few inches away from the silky curtain when it was thrown aside by... her father...
Matthew stood there smiling down at her. He was wearing his favorite pair of dark blue jeans, and his black AC/DC T-shirt. His bleach blonde hair was no longer short and spiky. It was on his shoulders and greasy...
Helen quickly brought her hand back to her side, and looked up at her father.
"There you are Helen... I've been looking everywhere for you." Matthew kneel down beside the tub.
"Why do you look so scared? I only wanted to bash your tiny brains..." He softly said to her, still smiling. His light blue eyes were slowly changing to a bright yellow. Helen gasped and tried to run out of the tub.
He pushed her back in. She hit her head on the far side of the tub, and started to cry.
"Don't worry Helen..." His voice was no longer Matthew Brady's voice. It was deep and raspy.

"This will help us regroup as a family." He pulled the hammer that he had tucked in his back jeans out, and raised it above his head with his right hand. Helen screamed as the hammer came down through the air. She closed her eyes and waited for the cold metal to strike her in the skull. But nothing happened...
That's when her father picked her up and brought her back on her bed.
That's when she try to explain the image she just saw.
That's when daddy told her the Overlook was just a harmless building.

She was sitting on the bed, when Danny returned. This time he was standing outside her bedroom window behind her. "Helen... you have to stop your father... it is not too late." Helen closed her eyes. "Leave me alone Danny... you caused daddy to hit mommy..."
"If you do not stop your daddy... he will hit your mommy many more times in the future."
Helen cuffed her ears, and started to sing loudly. After a few seconds of singing at the top of her lungs, Anna rushed through her bedroom door. She walked over to Helen. "Helen.. Helen stop that now." She said bringing Helen's hands down.

Helen opened her eyes and stopped singing. "Mommy there he is! Danny is standing outside my-" She turned around and saw Danny was gone. "She cannot see, nor hear me Helen." Danny said now standing behind Anna.
"Helen, what are you talking about?" Anna sounded scared.
Helen looked up at Danny. "Helen... please answer me..." Anna tighten her grip on Helen's hands. Helen looked her mother in the eye. "Sorry... I had one of my visions. It's gone now..." Helen replied.
Anna let out a soft sigh of relief. "I'm okay now mommy. You finish catching some rest before Corey wakes up." Helen suggested.
Anna smiled a little. "You get some rest too alright."
Helen looked up at Danny again. "I'll try..."

- - -

C'mon man... you can make this. Matthew thought to himself, trying to push the bellhop's luggage carrier up the three steps on the front porch. After the fourth attempt he grabbed his bags and carried them through the front door himself. He laid them next to the door, and went back for more. After the luggage carrier was empty, he pushed it back down to the parking lot. Saving himself a trip for the rest of the family luggage.
Matthew closed the front door behind him, and picked up two of his duffel bags. He started to carry them to his caretaker's room, which was on the left of Ullman's office.
When he reached the door, he found out it was locked. He tilted his head back and gave out a annoyed groan.
He dropped the bags and grabbed the key ring out of his pants pocket. He tried the first key, didn't work, he tried the second, didn't work, he tried the third, didn't work. He started to lose his patience.

After approximately 12 minutes of fiddling with the keys, he finally found the right one. He pushed the door open, and saw the caretaker's room for the first time. It was huge, like the rest of the hotel. It had a living room, a small dining room, two bedrooms, and one bathroom.
He dropped his bags onto the master bed, and went back to the lobby for the rest.
After all of his bags were out of the lobby, and into the master bedroom, Matthew took off. Almost forgetting to lock the front door behind him.

He tried the first key, didn't work, he tried the second, didn't work, he tried the third, didn't work...

- - -

Anna walked over to Mrs. Morris' house with Corey in her arms, and her house keys in her right hand. She knocked on the door and patiently waited for her friendly old face to appear through the glass. After the third round of knocks Mrs. Morris opened the door and gave Anna a jolly laugh.
"Oh you brought the angel!" She started to make baby noises to Corey. Anna never did like this.
"Yes, and I brought the keys to our house." She handed them over to Morris. "I wish I could stay and talk but I really must be going. Matthew is expected any minute now." She made baby Corey wave goodbye to Mrs. Morris, and took off. She didn't need to leave any directions to her, Matthew did that the previous day.

When Anna laid her hand on the front doorknob, she heard Matthew's Beetle pull into the driveway behind her...

[Holly]

Chapter 6 - Matthew's Past
- - -

Matthew 'Benjamin' Brady grew up on a ranch in Marion Iowa. He was a only child. And both of his parents treated him with much love and respect. Especially his mother, who he thought of as his best friend growing up.
When he was sixteen men in suits came and gave his father a offer for his land. They wanted to build a road and their house was right in the middle of their plans.
His father said no, the men treated him nasty after that and left.

Not long after Matthew's mother dropped dead from a heart attack hanging clothes up on a beautiful Spring afternoon. Matthew was at school when it happened. His teacher came to him and asked him to come with her into the hallway.
When they were both alone she broke the terrible news about his mother. At first Matthew didn't believe her... couldn't believe her. He left her in the hallway to run home. He couldn't breath, but was able to run faster than he ever did before.
He ran to his house which was more than a mile away in less than eight minutes.
When he reached the end of his driveway he saw the police cars, and ambulance parked in front of him, and fainted. When he came to he was laying in his bed with a cold wash rag on his forehead.

The remembrance of his mother passing away hit him instantly, and he started to cry. He cried until his throat hurt, and couldn't feel anymore tears in his eyes.
After the funeral his father decided to sell his land. Matthew thought it would be best. Too many hurtful memories of his mother laid in this house.
His father only got half of the original offer from the business guys. But it was still enough to move somewhere else for a while. So Matthew and his father took off for Michigan... because Matthew's aunt Joey lives there.
Aunt Joey let Matthew and Mark Brady stay with her for a while until they were on their feet again.

Mark was able to get a job in a convenient store as a over night clerk. He had that job for less than eight months when he was robbed and murdered. After his father's passing Matthew started to hate life. He became a heavy drinker... he hung out with guys older than him so he could easily get the booze.
His attitude changed the most. He started to treat Aunt Joey horribly...
When he was seventeen he met the girl of his dreams. Her name was Sara-Beth. She was the most beautiful Asian Matthew had ever seen. She had long black silky hair, and brown almond shaped eyes. Her handful of freckles around her nose and cheeks drove Matthew crazy. They were absolutely adorable.

Matthew asked Sara-Beth out after school one day. And she said yes... after that their relationship sparked and they were inseparable. They dated for 40 months before that horrible accident...
Matthew was driving his '63 black Corvette convertible. It was in the middle of the night, and he had a bit too much to drink.
His best friend Rodney and his girlfriend Mary were in the back seat, making out like there was no tomorrow.
Sara-Beth was riding shotgun next to him. They were blasting Metallica's Black album, and never heard the train soaring down the railroad tracks.

The RXC sign was broken, and no one bothered to repair it. Matthew was too drunk to see ten feet in front of him, as was Sara-Beth. His '63 Corvette went over the railroad tracks and the train smashed right into Sara-Beth's, and Rodney's side doors.
Matthew awoken in a hospital bed, both legs and arms were covered in casts, and it hurt his ribs like hell just to breath.
The doctor told him he was damn lucky to be alive. Matthew asked how Sara-Beth and Rodney were doing. There was a long moment of silence before the doctor told him that he was the only survivor.
Matthew took the news the same way as he did with his parents. He refused to believe at first, then started to cry.

Matthew took two years to fully heal. He hasn't touched a drop of liquor since that night... and never plans to again. He decided to join the academy. He always wanted to be a police officer as a child. He saw that sign-up was only two weeks away and thought now was the best time.
He did not get along with the chief of police. His anger has been a problem since his father's death, and the chief of police didn't take kindly to Matthew's smart-ass tone and back sass replies.

He thought it would be best for Matthew to take karate lessons. That way he can let all of his anger out, and learn take down moves which are a must if he wanted to be a police officer.
So Matthew took his suggestion and started to take karate lessons. After one day he knew he wouldn't last long, mainly because his mentor was more of a jackass than the chief of police.
That was until his eyes first saw her...
She was on the other side of the room, doing some kind of odd stretching with her leg. He couldn't stop admiring her perfect bone structure, and red hair pulled back in a bun. She opened her eyes and he started to admire them. They were the most beautiful pair of aqua blue eyes he has ever seen.
He wanted to introduce himself but his mentor stopped him. So he figured he would wait until afterwards. But she took off in the middle of the session.

He was so happy to see her again two days later. During their break he imminently went to her to introduce himself. He asked her for some personal lessons and she said yes. After that he knew he had a girlfriend. The only problem is she was five years younger than him... and only seventeen.
But he didn't find that out until he got her pregnant.
She first told him about the child over the phone while he was enjoying a football game. He closed his eyes and told her he would be right there.
When he got there she ran to him. He was freezing from the November snow outside, her body temperature felt so good.

He proposed to her on that night. And she said yes... but she'll have to wait a few weeks. Matthew asked her why that was, and she told him she was only seventeen. Matthew felt so ashamed. He assumed she was older and so he never bothered to ask her for her age.
He suggested that they keep the baby a secret, and everything else for that matter until she was eighteen.
That's just what they did, when her birthday came around they got married as quickly as they could.
After ten years of being with the Hartford Police, Matthew was transfered to Colorado. He did what he was told and thought it would be best, with another baby on the way and all.
So he took the job and moved his family into a small apartment building. A few months later they found the perfect house and rented it.

Boulder was a great place to live Matthew thought. That was until he ran into the man who took his job away...

[Holly]

Chapter 7 - Danny's Unfortunate Accident
- - -

Danny let out a soft sigh. He was sitting in his apartment alone. His girlfriend moved out on him just two months ago, complaining about him being married to his work.
He missed her terribly but didn't stop her from going. He knew once she has made up her mind on something nothing can change it.

He became a child psychiatrist shortly after graduating (with honors).
As he was at work one day Dick Halloran--a man who once saved Danny's life, was laying on Danny's patient couch in his office. Dick passed away in 2004 from heart failure. But he was still able to communicate with Danny through The Shining.
Danny smiled at Dick's hologram image. "Long time, no see old timer." Danny said with a chuckle.
Dick looked up at Danny with a sad expression. That caused Danny to stop smiling.
"Did you know The Overlook has a new caretaker? And that caretaker has a daughter... with our 'gift'..." Danny sat down beside Dick and nodded.
"Only she doesn't have anywhere near the strength of the Shining as we do. But that wouldn't matter to the Overlook. She has enough to make them... live again."

Danny closed his eyes and the horrible memories of his father being controlled by the Overlook flooded into his head.
When he opened his eyes Dick's image was gone. But he said one last thing to Danny in Danny's mind. "Get in touch with her Danny. Don't make the same mistake I made by reaching the Overlook too late."

Danny nodded again.

- - -

A few days later he found out Helen's parents didn't believe her, and moved into the Overlook. Danny quickly packed two briefcases with warm clothes, and other useful items. He called his secretary, and asked her to push all of his appointments back until the 5th. She said she'll do just that and wished him the best of wishes. He let out another sigh, knowing her wish would never be granted.
He locked his apartment behind him, walked down the skinny staircase that leads to the street and threw his briefcases into the pack of his red Ford-F150.
When he was sitting in his car he broke down in tears. He knew the Overlook would use his father against him if he stepped foot in it.
After a good five minutes of weeping onto the steering wheel, Danny started the truck up.
He drove up to the entrance to the apartment buildings and stopped. One thing he did not like about this road was that there were few red lights and cops, and a big fat oak tree was blocking the driver's view on the left. If you pulled out at the wrong time then you would surely get T-boned by speeding drivers.

Danny made sure his left-turning signal was on. He looked to his right and saw nothing, he couldn't look to his left but didn't hear anything coming. (Normally you can hear these speedings cars coming a few hundred feet away).
After a few seconds of silence, Danny decided to pull out. He crossed one out of four lanes before he was instantly T-boned by a passing semi.

Chapter 8 - The First Night At The Overlook
- - -

Anna's breath left her lungs when she first saw The Overlook. The big white building was one of the most beautiful sites she has ever seen. Matthew popped open the trunk from the driver's side, and looked back at Corey and Helen. Baby Corey was happily chewing on his blue pacifier. Helen was slowly unbuckling her seatbelt. "You okay dear?" Matthew asked her. Helen looked up at him and nodded. "I'm fine daddy." She hoped she sounded more sure than she felt.
When she hopped out of the Beetle, her eyes first laid on the animal hedges. She has seen many of them in the past, but only in books. This is the first time she has seen one in person, and she didn't like them.
Anna on the other hand adored them. "Ooh Matthew when we get back promise me you'll trim our bushes like those lions." She said only kidding.
Matthew walked out of the Beetle and noticed the lions were back in the very first positions as the interview.

- - -

"Oh my gosh!" Anna exclaimed opening the front door. It only took Matthew two minutes of fiddling with the keys this time. "This.. is... wonderful!" She nearly screamed. Helen walked slowly in behind her father, who was carrying Corey.
Anna looked down at Helen smiling as if she just won the lottery. "Helen isn't this great!?"
Helen looked down at her blue tennis shoes. She never replied.
Anna's smile faded a little when she looked at her daughter.
Corey let out a little whine, trying to wiggle his way out of Matthew's arms. "Uh-oh, I think someone may need a diaper check." Matthew told Anna grinning. Corey started to weep just then.
"I left the baby bag in the back of the Beetle." Anna said. "I'll go and get it." When she walked out the front door Matthew looked down at Helen behind him. "You want to see your room?" Helen looked up from her shoes and gave him a little nod.
He held fussy Corey in his left arm, and took Helen's left hand with his right. "Let's go shall we."

Helen beamed when she saw she had bunk beds. "I'm going to alternate! One night I'll sleep on bottom, the other I'll sleep on top!" She jumped on the bottom bunk and smothered her face in the soft white feather-down pillow.
"It's so comfy." She muttered into the pillow.
Matthew sat down on the bottom bunk beside her.
"You see. Everything will be just fine Helen. This is just a hotel, it does not have arms to choke you, or legs to kick you. Just soft pillows to comfort you." He told her. She lifted her upper body up. "I'm sorry I doubted you daddy." She leaned over and hugged him. Matthew gave her a kiss on her forehead. "Now let's go find mommy before she gets lost." He said standing up. Corey was still weeping gently in his arm.
She took her father's hand and together they walked to the main lobby.

Anna was walking through the front door just as Matthew and Helen entered the lobby. When Anna reached Matthew she took Corey from his arms. "Is there any place I can safely change him without burning a hole in anyone's wallet?" She asked. Matthew thought ahead of time for that. He looked in the green baby bag Anna had over her right shoulder and brought out four rolls of newspapers. "You... have got to be kidding me." She was looking down at them in Matthew's hands. "Just this once. I have a blanket we can use after this in the car somewhere."
Corey started to wail now. Anna grabbed the newspaper out of Matthew's hand. "Now where is our room?"

- - -

After Matthew unpacked everything from the car and carried it to the caretaker's bedroom. He started making dinner in the over-sized kitchen. He walked into the walk-in freezer and wished instantly he wore his sweater. He noticed all the meats were tagged with big white stickers. He found the large supply of T-bone steak in the back and pulled two good size patties out. When he reached the freezer door, the latch wouldn't move. He tried to wiggle it around, still no luck. Don't panic... He told himself. He laid the steak patties aside and dug in his pocket for his cell phone. He found it and quickly flipped it open, he wanted to throw the phone when he read no signal. He shoved it back in his pocket and started to rub his arms with his hands. His body temperature was dropping fast.
He slammed his right side against the door, again and again.
Each time he took a step further to his left to give him more running distance.

When he was all the way in the back, he was almost out of energy, it started to hurt just to breath, his lungs felt frozen solid. He ran with all of his might to the door, when he was half way down the freezer the door popped open almost as if someone threw it aside, Matthew ran straight pass the door and into the large slick counter in front of him. The blow to the stomach knocked the wind out of him and he fell background. Hitting the hard ground with a thud.
He laid like that for a few moments--until he could breath easily again. He pushed himself up, using the counter he ran into for support. When he could walk without the counter, he grabbed the two steak patties out of the freezer and shoved them into the oven.

He never noticed the blood dripping on his shirt from the back of his head.
When the steaks were done he cut one of them in half for Anna and Helen to share. He sat them nice and neatly down on three plates with mashed potatoes he whipped together and carried the plates on a bus boy's kitchen cart with three cans of Coca-Cola, and eating utensils.
He pushed their first dinner into the large dining room, and set everything up on one end of the table. When he was done he gave Anna a call and informed her dinner was serve.

- - -

After dinner Matthew pushed the dinner dishes back into the kitchen. As he was walking past the freezer, he saw the small puddle of blood on the ground for the first time. He raised his left hand and touched the back of his skull, when he lowered his hand his fingers had blood on them.
How the fuck did I not know I was bleeding!?
He grabbed a rag from the one of the sinks and wiped the blood up from the sleek white floor.
When the floor was spotless again he tossed the rag down the laundry chute.
He grabbed a clean rag from under the sink and wrapped it around his head for the time being.

When he was done in the kitchen he shut off the lights and was ready for bed. When he got to the caretaker's room he saw Anna alone in her bright pink nightgown, sitting on the lazy chair reading a book. Only one light was on and that was the desktop lamp on a coffee table beside her. She looked up at him from the top of the book and brought her finger up to her lips, making a shhh sound.
Matthew knew that she was going to say she just laid Corey down, and that is exactly said.
It was too dark for Anna to see the white rag around his head, so he never mention to her what happened.
He walked over to her and sat down on the love couch. He looked at the cover of the book and read it was Cell by Stephen King.
She tucked a small piece of paper in the book and closed it, smiling at Matthew.
"Are you ready for bed dear?" She asked him. He nodded and together they walked into the master bedroom.

[Holly]

Chapter 9 - Before The Snow Hits
- - -

Matthew woke up to the alarm at 5:04 AM. He set it so early so he had more than enough time to get half of the roof done before the first snow storm hits them.
He got fully dressed and made himself breakfast. He ate his two sunny-side up eggs and toast on one of the counters while reading a magazine he found tucked in the sink cabinet.
When he was done he filled two 12oz bottles for when he was up there. He carried them out to the tool shed in the back yard of the Overlook. Patrick had showed Matthew the shed during the tour.
He found the tool belt hanging on one of the many nails sticking out of the wall. He wrapped the old leather strap around his waist and tied it as tight as he could.
He grabbed the rag around his head and untied it. Dry blood was stain on the back of it. He tossed it aside.

The shingles were to his left laying up against the long shed wall. They covered more than 75% of the wall. Matthew grabbed the longest ladder he could find and dragged it outside.
He leaned it up against the front right of the Overlook and left it there to grab the water bottles.
When he was all set he climbed up the ladder, slowly and steadily.
When he made it to the top he slowly climbed onto the roof. He tried his hardest to not look done but curiosity got the best of him and when he looked down he felt dizzy.
He crawled over to the right corner shingle next to him and grabbed the hammer off his tool belt. He used the hammer's claw to loosen the shingle, when it was more than half way off he grabbed it and ripped the rest off, then tossed it off the roof.

He did this until 12:39 PM, when Anna called him for lunch.

- - -

He sat down in the dining room, covered in dirt and sweat. "Honey, couldn't you at least clean yourself up a little?" Anna said in her sweetest voice hoping it wouldn't tick him off.
He didn't say anything, just got up from his seat and stormed out of the room into the kitchen.
He returned a few moments later after washing his hands and face. "May I eat now your highness?" He said not joking.
She handed him his plate from the kitchen cart and he scarfed it down. She noticed he had a slight bump on the back of his head, but didn't ask him about it.
When he was done he went back outside to finish the east wing of the hotel. He never once thanked Anna for the lunch.
Helen helped her wash the dishes, as Corey slept peacefully in his baby rocker behind them.

"Helen, dear... are your feelings the same about this place? Does it feel... bad to you?" Anna asked Helen over the dish water. Helen didn't answer her right away. "No. Daddy was right, it was just the thought of moving that scared me. Bad enough to make me see and hear things I did not want to see, nor hear." She replied.
Anna smiled but inside she was unsure about the Overlook. Ever since she walked through the front door, she has had this strange feeling about Matthew. She didn't want to think about it much with Helen around, she was sorta paranoid thinking Helen can read her mind if she wanted to.
She blocked the thought out of her mind as best as she could and smiled down at Helen again. "I am so glad to hear those words." She replied.

- - -

Matthew worked hard the next few days. He worked from the crack of dawn, until the moon appeared in the dark blue sky. On the third day he uncovered the whole entire east wing, and grabbed the red marker from the side of his belt, to mark the half way point on the shingles with a large X. That way when he laid the whole east wing down he would know exactly where to start on the west wing. (You can't have the whole roof exposed at once).
He climbed down the ladder when he was done marking the shingles and made his way to the worker's shed for new shingles.
He grabbed the first row of shingles against the wall when he saw a wheelchair in the back west corner. Matthew swore it wasn't there before, but thought to himself that it had to of been. A ghost didn't push it in as he was on the roof.
He got the image of a nurse ghost pushing it around in his head and chuckled.
He grabbed a row of shingles out into the yard and stopped in front of the ladder.
"Now how the heck am I going to do this?" He softly said to himself, thinking of how to get them up the ladder without breaking a bone.

He decided tearing them into pieces and carrying just a handful each time would be best. It'll take a long time, but it is the safest way and safety always comes first.
Two hours after lunch Matthew felt he earned a short break. He laid down on the bare roof looking up into the blue sky.
Ever since Matthew stepped foot in the hotel he would think about the 'accident' that took away his badge. He was able to block it from his conscious so well until he had a moment of free thinking.
He tried to think of other things but the image of the man he shot always overtook his vision. After four minutes he started to work again, hoping it'll take his mind off the 'accident'.

- - -

He stopped working at dusk, and was too tired to eat dinner. He went straight to bed, and fell asleep the second his head hit the pillows. He was still in his works clothes.
That night was the first night the nightmares came to Matthew and reoccurred every night for the rest of his life.
He woke up drench in his own sweat, breathing hard and making sure everything was still intact on his body.
After he was done examining he saw Anna asleep beside him and read the clock beside her said it was 4:12 AM.
He laid back done, it wasn't time to get up just yet. He knew he wouldn't go back to sleep after such a nightmare. So he laid on his side and looked outside the bedroom window.
When it was 4:47 AM he got out of bed and changed his work clothes.
He ate the same breakfast and read the same magazine as the previous mornings, and filled the same bottles up with tap water.

He completed 25% of the east wing yesterday, and was determined to have at least 75% before sun down.
He unlocked the tool shed and slid the large door aside.
He never noticed the wheelchair had move direction since yesterday. He was too busy grabbing shingles and carrying them out to the yard.
He worked a little faster today, only taking a short break at eleven, and lunch break at noon. He washed up and ate in silence. Anna and Helen looked at Matthew who was playing with his food. Anna was especially upset when he came inside after working all day, yesterday and went straight to bed skipping dinner.
He sat at the end of the dining room table as pale as a ghost, not eating his food. He was just picking at his peas, and his turkey sandwich with his fork. Anna saw that Helen was almost done with her sandwich. "Helen, sweetie. Can you please take yours, and Corey's plates to the kitchen and rinse them off?" Helen nodded, and got the hint right away.
She grabbed the plates and walked through the large red sliding door behind Matthew into the kitchen.

There was a moment of silence between the two of them. Anna looked over at Matthew and bit her lip. She was thinking of the best words to use without pissing him off.
When she was sure she was ready she opened her mouth and only got a single breath out before Matthew cut her off. "I'm fine." He said with a minor harsh tone. He never looked up from his plate.
Anna closed her mouth and shook her head. "No, no you're not fine Matthew. You haven't been yourself since you walked through that front door and don't bother denying it. You know it as well as I do that those words are the truth."
She placed a hand over her mouth, she never meant to lash out on him. She waited for him to react, but he never did. He continued playing with his food, so she continued talking.
"Matthew we've only been here for five days now. The snow is expecting to hit anytime, now is our chance to leave... I understand if you want to stay but I'm taking Helen and Corey and we're moving back into our--" She was cut off by Matthew shoving himself up from the table and throwing his plate, sandwich and all at the wall behind her.

She let out a little shriek, thinking he was aiming at her, and was relieved to hear the glass plate shatter behind her. Helen who was eavesdropping in the kitchen gasped, and baby Corey started to cry. Anna looked up at Matthew, scared that he might hurt her.
He didn't say anything, he turned around and walked into the kitchen. He didn't look at Helen as he walked by her. Helen could feel he was upset though. Upset about something to do with Sara-Beth and his parents.
She watched him storm out of the side door, and peaked into the dining room, where she saw her mother had picked Corey up from his high chair and was singing sweetly to him. Tears rolling down her cheek but she was able to sing steady and smile at him.
Anna saw Helen standing at the doorway. "Pack your things Helen."

[Holly]

Chapter 10 - Visit From A Old Friend
- - -

Matthew tore the shingles off from the west wing with force. He was angry at Anna, he could not think of a good reason why. He just felt anger whenever he looked at her.
But why? What has she done to you?" His conscious would say. He would ignore that question as best as he could, mainly because he did not have a answer.
He worked so fast that day that he tore more than 80% of the shingles off without a single break.
His hands were blistered from holding the hammer all day, and his knees were bleeding from all the scrapes. But he didn't pay any attention to his aches and pains.
He climbed down the ladder for the night, not knowing that Anna was fixing to leave him... forever.

- - -

"Where are those damn car keys." Anna nearly yelled. She was frisking the whole den in the caretaker's room looking for them. She and Helen were all packed and ready to leave, and for the last hour or so Anna has been searching for the car keys to the beetle.
'He hid them from me..." She whispered to herself after searching through every drawer and under every piece of furniture.
"Or he could have them on him. Why on earth would he need them on the roof though?" That thought confused her.
She walked into the master bedroom, and hid her fully packed bags into the closet hoping he'll be too exhausted to notice them.
She made sure Helen did the same thing before she went out to greet Matthew in the main hall.

- - -

Matthew hopped down the last step and nearly fainted from exhaustion. All he could think about at the moment was the big white fluffy bed awaiting him in the bedroom.
When he entered the hotel, Anna was walking toward him with a big smile across her face. "Awwwww you look exhausted." She said outstretching her arms to hug him. When she reached him she wrapped her skinny arms around his waist and hugged tightly. He tried to raise his arms but they had no feeling.
She pulled away after a few seconds, to look him in the eyes. "I love you." She sweetly said to him, before he could say anything she kissed him hard on the lips.
He finally found the strength in his arms to raise them and gently push her away. She looked up at him with a hurtful expression.
"This is really flattering... really it is." He started to say. "But I just worked harder than I ever did in my life, and if I don't get my rest right this second you will have to worry about a unconscious person in your arms."
She gave him a little smile, and slowly brought her head up to his left shoulder. "Perhaps tomorrow?" She whispered into his left ear. "Sounds like a plan." He whispered back. She stepped aside and gestured toward the caretaker's room. He walked as steady as he could toward it.
Anna watched him go, disappointed that she didn't feel the keys in any of his pockets.

He didn't, couldn't take his clothes off for bed. The first thing he did when he walked into the bedroom was collapsed into the bed--dirty clothes and all. When his head hit the pillow a sharp pain with through his head. As tired as he was, he was still able to bolt upright and look at his pillow. Laying on it was his car keys.
How on earth did these get here? He wondered.
He picked them up and shoved them into his left jean pocket.
His eye lids started to feel like bricks, he fell backward and fell asleep almost instantly.


- - -

When he woke up the next day he saw that it was five past noon. He had slept over fourteen hours that night, and felt well rested. Except for his aching head. (He now had two knots on the back of his head).
Anna was not in the bed which was not a surprised. She normally wakes up at seven in the morning from baby Corey.
He got out of bed, and looked at his reflection in the mirror across the bedroom. It was a nasty sight to see. He quickly took his filthy white T-shirt off his back, and his bloody jeans off his legs. When he stepped into the shower the warm water against his body felt so good he couldn't leave until his hands and feet were white and wrinkled.
The bathroom suddenly felt so cold when he stepped out of the tub.
He started to shiver and shake all over. There was a soft scent in the air that grew stronger every second. He recognized it quickly as strong liquor. It grew so strong that Matthew couldn't help but gag.
All of a sudden the smell and the freezing breeze left the bathroom. Matthew stood in the middle of the room, dripping wet, arms folding across his chest, and bare naked. He stood like this for a few moments, waiting for another paranormal effect to occur.
He quickly grew tired of waiting and got dressed.

- - -

He did not see Anna in the kitchen nor the den. "Maybe she went outside?" He softly said to himself. But before throwing his brown leather jacket on and searching for her outside, Matthew grabbed a breakfast bowl, spoon, milk, and a box of cheerios and set them out on the small kitchen table. He poured himself a generous amount of cereal into his bowl and topped it off with nice cold milk.

After he was done eating his second bowl, Matthew put the Cheerios and milk away and placed the bowl and spoon in the dish washer.
The blisters on his hand were a little better. But they were still rather large and sore. His head was still aching from laying on his keys. But he still had a good two days of roof work ahead of him and hew knew there could be no days off.
When he stepped outside, the first thing he noticed was the air felt much colder than yesterday. He shivered and buttoned up his jacket.
Matthew walked down the porch steps, wrapping his arms around his chest. He saw the shingles scattered around the yard and let out a soft sigh.
He was about to turn his body in that direction when he heard a whispering sound behind him.
He stood still and waited for the sound again. Instead the first animal hedge closest to him moved a little. His eyes widen and he took a step backward.

Anna's head popped up from behind the hedge, her hand was up to her mouth and she was making the shhhhh noise. He looked back at her, confused but playing along. He could see Helen walking up the trail now, Anna heard her coming and quickly ducked back under the hedge.
When Helen reached Matthew she smiled sweetly at him. "Have you see mommy, daddy? We are playing head-and-seek!" Trying not to look over at Anna's hiding spot Matthew shook his head.
Helen turned around and took off down the trail. Anna's face reappeared just then. "Where did she go?" She asked Matthew. He looked over at her and saw baby Corey in her arms. "She took off down the trail."
Anna rolled her eyes and laughed. Matthew walked over to Anna dn gently kissed her on the cheek. "I still have a lot of work to do... I probably won't take a break today, so don't call me for lunch." Before she could reply, Matthew turned around and walked toward the shed.

- - -

When he slid open the doors yet again, the smell of liquor was soft in the air. He walked in slowly, with each step the smell grew stronger. When he reached the back of the shed the smell was unbearable. He was about to rush out, into the fresh air when a sweet gently voice he had not heard since he was seventeen, spoke from behind him. "You killed me." Matthew's eyes widen and his heart felt as if it had stopped entirely. "It can't be..." He softly spoke. He looked behind him and in the wheelchair that magically appeared that one morning was Sara-Beth. Her eyes looked dead, she wasn't smiling nor frowning, she was sitting there looking at the wall behind Matthew like a vegetable. "Sara-Beth!" Matthew exclaimed not believing his eyes. He got on his knees and hugged her soft legs. They were unsurprisingly freezing, but he ignored the cold flesh against his body. "I miss you so much. Not a day has gone by when I haven't thought of you." He said while starting to cry.
"You killed me." She said again in the exact same dead tone as before. Matthew looked up at her, tears running down his cheeks. "Sara-Beth, I did not. It was a accident, you have got to believe me! I love you, I love you more than anything!"
She looked down at him, emotionless still. "If you really loved me, you would BE with me. Not with THEM." She spoke. Matthew stopped sobbing. "Yes, exactly. I was thinking of leaving her anyway. She is nothing but a pain-in-the-ass." Sara-Beth finally smiled a little at him.
"Then become one." She replied.
"How do I do that Sara?"
"He will tell you."
And just like that Sara-Beth was gone again. She slowly faded into the chair. Matthew grabbed for her by only manage to hold on to air. "D-d-d-d-d-don't leave m-m-m-m-m-m-me again!" He said, stuttering. But the chair was now empty. He buried his head in the seat and weeped.

- - -

Anna, Corey and Helen returned to the caretaker's room after Helen finally found Anna. (Thanks to Corey wailing and throwing a fiss-fight in Anna's arm).
Anna laid Corey down in the small crib Matthew had set up in the living room. Tired herself she told Helen to play in her bedroom and only the bedroom as mommy took a short nap.
When Anna entered the master bedroom, a rotten smell instantly hit her nostrils. It was Matthew's work clothes he left scattered around the floor. Anna shook her head and picked up the nasty clothes. When she picked up the jeans, a set of shiny metal keys fell out of the pocket.
She smiled and picked up the car keys.

[Holly]

Chapter 11 - Turns Out For the Worst
- - -

Matthew cried for for a good five minutes before comprehending what Sara-Beth had told him.
"HE will tell you."
"Who will tell me?" He asked himself. He wiped the tears off his cheeks and stood up, knowing there wasn't much day-light left and the snow will hit any day now.
He picked up the tool belt from the table and once again strapped it around his waist.
Sara-Beth never once left his thoughts as he worked up on the roof. He was curious to know who 'he' was, and what he will tell him. "I have a very big, black cock. With which I spew a huge load on little boys' faces"
Thoughts about leaving the Overlook came to Matthew as he was hammering the first of the shingles in place.
"Maybe Anna is right, maybe we should leave ASAP, and tell Ullman to shove it up his-" Before he could finish the sentence the hammer's head he was bringing down onto the shingle turned around right before his eyes and unscrewed itself in a matter of a few seconds. It didn't unscrew all the way, just enough to reach Matthew's left hand, holding the nail down. The claw on the hammer dug deep into his flesh, blood instantly gushed out, and Matthew howled in pain. Making him loose his footing on the roof, and go tumbling down the side of the roof. Matthew tried grasping something with his right hand, but could not get a grip on anything.
He felt his lower body go over the edge as he finally was able to get a grip on the gutters. He held on for dear life with both hands.
His left hand still had the hammer dug in the flesh, Matthew leaned up a little so he could gently remove it with his teeth.
As his legs dangled in the air.
When he pulled the hammer out by the handle, blood came gushing out of his hand.
He let the hammer drop out of his mouth unto the ground below. His arms started to lose feeling, and he knew if he didn't pull himself up right away, his sweaty palms will lose grip.
So holding his breath, Matthew forced himself up, swinging his right leg over the gutter, then the left. When his whole body was safely on the roof--he started to moan in pain. His hand was throbbing, and his arms never were so sore in his entire life.
He decided to leave the roofing as it was. Ullman will have to hire a complete crew when he gets back to finish the job, and repair any damage the snow will cause to the bare roof.
He carefully leaned forward and crawled on his hands and knees toward the ladder.
As he slowly climbed down... the first of the snow flakes started to fall on Matthew's face...

- - -

Helen was in her bedroom when mommy rushed in with a big smile across her face.
"Helen, the plan is back on. I'll come in and get you when Matthew falls asleep, then we can leave here right away. Tonight will be our last chance."
Helen let out a sigh and continued putting the cat jigsaw puzzle back together on the floor.
"What is wrong dear?" Anna asked kneeling down beside Helen.
Helen never looked up from the puzzle. "Daddy is sick. He shouldn't be left alone. He needs our help more than ever."
Anna brushed Helen's hair off her face.
"Sweetie daddy will be just fine. He'll-"
Helen cut her off by shaking her head furiously.
Just then, for the first time in twelve years, she heard rock music.
She looked around the room for a stereo, but couldn't see one.
She pushed herself up with force, startling Helen in the process.
Helen didn't have to ask what was wrong. She could feel it. She watched mommy rush out the door, on the search for the music.

- - -

Matthew peaked into the kitchen. He didn't see nor hear anyone, so he figured the coast was clear. He stepped inside and quietly shut the door behind him.
He rushed to the kitchen sink, trying his hardest to not look at the wounds. He turned the left nozzle, and let the warm water pour on his soar, shaking hand.
There was a white box, with a red cross on the wall to his right. He walked over to it and opened the little door. Inside were many pills and bottles. He found some antibiotics and pain killers and shoved them in his coat pocket.
The alcohol bottle was in the back left corner. He brought it out, along with a roll of bandages, and let out a little whine. He never did like the burning feeling it leaves on your wounds but unless he wanted an infection he had no choice.

Walking back to the sink, Matthew untwisted the bottle, and for the first time he saw the two large holes in his left hand. From the hammer hanging on his hand the skin was flabby, and loose.
The holes were deep. Very deep. And gushing blood out.
Looking at his hand made Matthew feel woozy. He quickly shook the feeling off and took a deep breath.
He placed the hand over the sink, and the alcohol bottle slightly above it.
Closing his eyes, he tilted the bottle and instantly felt the burning feeling on his left hand. After four seconds he dropped the bottle and quickly wrapped his left hand with the bandages.

His hand still shook, and now throbbed with pain. He knew for sure his roofing days were over.
He walked over to the kitchen table and sunk into one of the wooden chairs.
He placed his head in his hands and stayed this way until Anna found him thirty minutes later. The first thing she noticed was the blood on the floor.
"Matthew are you alright!?" She exclaimed, walking toward him.
That's when she noticed the bandages on his hand.
When she reached him she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged his back.
"What happened sweetie?" She sweetly spoke while gently rubbing his hand.
He hesitated for a few seconds, but decided it would be best to tell her everything, everything but seeing Sara-Beth again.

When he was finished Anna kissed him on the side of the head then the neck.
"It's okay now honey. The worst part of the job is over."
Anna said trying to comfort him. The words Helen had said earlier came across her thoughts. "Daddy is sick."
But she still felt she had to leave him during the night.
"I'll make you a nice warm supper. Do you have any ideas on what kind of meal you would like?" She asked him.
He shook his head. "I'll eat anything." He replied.
She smiled and kissed him on the neck again.

He ate the large meal Anna laid down on the table in front of him as if it was the first meal that week.
He thanked Anna for the delightful dinner, and went back to the caretaker's room to bath as Anna cleaned up the mess he left behind.
When he walked in he saw Corey laying on his side in the little crib. He walked over to him and stroked his cheek. His skin felt so soft against Matthew's dry, cracked, blistered fingers.