Inconceivable

Chapter 2

“You should eat breakfast,” Jack said with a hint of displeasure. “This kid is always causing trouble.”

“When we get to the hotel, we’ll get you something to eat, okay?” Wendy reassured Danny.

"Okay, Mom."

Wendy noticed the displeasure on Jack's face and tried to change the subject: "Was the old Donatist Party located here?" Jack must know this; this knowledge was one of his strengths, and precisely what fascinated Wendy. A good wife should know how to manage the emotions of the whole family, and appropriate admiration for her husband is key to maintaining love.

Sure enough, Wendy's trick worked, and Jack showed a relaxed expression: "It should be more..."

Inside the western ridge.

"What is the Donat Party?" the child asked.

"They were a group of pioneers from the era of horse-drawn carriages. One winter they were trapped in the mountains and they had to eat people to survive."

"You mean they eat each other?" the child asked.

“They had to do it to survive,” Jack replied, his expression still relaxed.

“Jack…” Wendy was a little worried when she heard her husband’s bloody answer. The child was only 5 years old, and he was not one of those “pioneers” in their university who could do anything.

“Mom, don’t worry. I know what cannibalism is; I’ve seen it on TV.” Danny clearly didn’t take his mother’s overprotective attitude seriously.

“How about it? It’s okay! I’ve seen him on TV.” Jack said to Wendy with a smile. Women are always cautious and suspicious.

The hotel, shrouded in white smoke in the distance, seemed to be welcoming the family of three with open arms.

The hotel was bustling with activity; people were packing their things everywhere, everyone in a hurry. After working for several months, they had finally looked forward to the winter break. This last evening of business brought a sense of eager joy.

The manager and Mr. Uman walked towards the hotel lobby. "What time does the plane take off?" the manager asked. "8:30," Uman replied.

The answer was no; no one wanted to stay here for even a minute longer when it was time to go home.

Jack and his family had already arrived in the lobby. He immediately handed the hotel over to them, and could finally breathe a sigh of relief. A five-month vacation, nearly half a year of rest, was enough for him to make up for the joy and sleep he had missed in the previous seven months, which was also an important reason why he chose to work here.

(2)

"We still have plenty of time to check everything." The administrator understood that the closer it got to the holiday, the less they could afford to relax their vigilance.

This is a renowned hotel with a panoramic view, and there is no room for carelessness.

The two approached Jack, who was reading a magazine on the sofa in the lobby.

“Hi, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting,” Mr. Uman said.

“It’s alright, we have time to grab something to eat,” Jack replied. His manners and demeanor were impeccable. From today onward, he was the temporary owner of this huge hotel, and nothing could spoil his good mood.

“Very good, I’m glad you arrived before closing time. Has your family already seen everything?” Mr. Uman asked.

"No... my son discovered the game room."

Uman smiled, gazing at the hotel's playroom, a place that could attract any child; to them, it was a treasure trove. Even during work breaks, he himself often relaxed in the playroom.

"Have you brought the luggage in?" Uman looked around.

“Here,” Jack replied immediately.

“Don’t forget the work we discussed. Let’s quickly check your accommodations first before introducing the whole hotel.” Uman turned to the manager. “Take the Tarens family’s belongings upstairs.”

“Then I’ll call my family together first,” Jack said with a smile.

A spacious and bright lounge.

The departing passengers carried their suitcases and walked out of the hotel.

Mr. Ullman took Wendy and Jack on a tour.

“This is the Colorado lounge,” Mr. Uman said.

"It's so beautiful! My goodness, this place is wonderful!" Wendy exclaimed. The large sofa, the warm colors, the neat coffee table—everywhere here exuded comfort.

“Yes,” Uman replied proudly.

In the game room.

Danny was playing with darts in the game room. He threw one, and it landed just a circle away from the bullseye. A good score! He thought he could have a match with his dad after dinner.

Suddenly, an ominous premonition gripped his entire body. A strange aura surged from behind him—not the scent of a human, but the stench of rotting flesh that permeated the air and enveloped him… Five-year-old Danny didn't quite understand the meaning of "fear," but at this moment, he deeply felt the growing oppressive feeling in his chest. Something must be approaching me, he thought. But there was no sound behind him; there shouldn't be anyone. Yes, no one, nothing at all, Danny told himself. Yet the eerie aura surrounding him continued to lurk relentlessly behind him. He wanted to turn around and look; only by confirming that nothing was behind him could he escape this terrifying situation. What were Mom and Dad doing? Why weren't they with me?

"Mom..." Danny couldn't help but call out.

Just then, a sound came from behind.

Danny turned around at the sound of his voice, and terror gripped him. Standing in the doorway were the two girls he had seen in his mind before! The same hairstyle, the same clothes, both staring intently at Danny, a smile playing on their lips. Danny froze in terror, a wave of weakness washing over him, as if a force were pulling him away with the girls. The two girls, seeing Danny's terrified expression, exchanged glances, then walked away hand in hand. Those few dozen seconds felt like an entire day to Danny.

Danny stared at the door, remaining silent for a long time.

On the other side, several adults had already visited the staff lounge.

“This is the staff break room. The other rooms don’t have heating in the winter,” Uman said.

"Goodbye, Mr. Uman!" the two girls who were about to leave said goodbye to Uman.

“Goodbye, girls!” Uman replied.

“These are your rooms.” Mr. Uman had already led them into the lounge. Wendy saw that the room was pink and fully furnished, very comfortable. “Living room, bedroom, bathroom, and your son’s small bedroom,” Uman pointed to a small room next door.

Jack glanced into the small bedroom. The room was tidy, bright, and spacious, with a small single bed covered with soft, clean sheets.

“It would be perfect for a child,” Jack said to Mr. Ullman.

“Yeah,” Wendy agreed. Thank goodness, this job isn’t bad at all.

Descending the stairs from the lounge and stepping out of the hotel, the group entered the courtyard. The afternoon sun shone warmly upon them.

"When was the Overlook Hotel built?" Wendy asked.

“Construction began in 1907 and was completed in 1909. It is said that they built it on top of Native American graves and were attacked by Native Americans during construction,” Mr. Uman replied.

“This is a snowmobile. Can you both drive?” Uman pointed to a large red vehicle parked in the yard in front of the garage. The vehicle looked like a small tank, with anti-skid tracks on its wheels.

"Yes," they both said at the same time.

"Okay, basically driving a snowmobile is just like driving a car. You'll learn quickly." Snowmobiles are extremely useful here; when the snow is deep, no other vehicle can move, and only snowmobiles can get them out of the area. For the next few months, snowmobiles will be their only means of transportation.

Several people entered the workshop, where Wendy met Danny, who had just come out of the game room. Danny was a little silent, and Wendy wanted to ask him what had happened, but Mr. Ullman interrupted her. He introduced everyone to an elderly black chef named Dick Harroan, who was tall, healthy, and approachable. He was the head chef of the Overlook Hotel, and Mr. Ullman would take Wendy on a tour of the kitchen and other areas.

Wendy didn't voice Danny's question. She thought it was normal to have trouble adjusting to a new place, and she believed Danny would soon be happy again; children adapt better than adults. With that thought, Wendy simply hugged her son and led him to the kitchen, following the old chef.

This was the largest kitchen Wendy had ever seen in her life—clean, bright, and tidy. Everything was in perfect order, and every tool had its specific purpose. Wendy was mesmerized, overjoyed. For a woman skilled in housework, a beautiful kitchen was one of her lifelong dreams.

"This is the kitchen?" Wendy's voice trembled.

“Yes,” the old chef replied with pride. “Danny, do you like it? Is it big enough for you?” the old chef joked. To anyone, it was a perfectly adequate kitchen. He had worked here his whole life, and it was his pride.

“That’s enough, this is the biggest kitchen I’ve ever seen,” Danny replied earnestly.

“This hotel is like a giant maze. It looks like I’ll be leaving breadcrumbs along the way every time I come here,” Wendy joked.

The old chef laughed: "Don't be defeated by it. It's big, but it's just a kitchen, and there are many things you may not use."

"If I were to use it, I wouldn't even know how," Wendy said.

"The only certainty is that you don't need to worry about food; there's enough to last a whole year, and the menu won't repeat. This is the large icehouse we're going into." The old chef opened a door, and the mother and son followed him into the icehouse. "The meat is all frozen here,"

There are 15 ribs, 30 hamburger patties, 12 turkeys, 40 chickens, 50 premium steaks, 2 dozen pork, and 20 lamb legs. Do you like lamb, Doctor? The old chef asked Danny quite naturally.

"No," Danny answered honestly.

The veteran chef was surprised: "You don't like it? Then what's your favorite food?"

"Fries and ketchup." Thinking of those two things, Danny couldn't help but swallow hard. When would dinner be served? He was hungry again.

The old chef laughed: "We can figure out a way to solve this, Doctor." The old chef led the mother and son out of the icehouse. "Come out, watch your step."

"How did you know we called him 'Doctor'?" Wendy asked the chef curiously as soon as they stepped out of the icehouse.

"What?"

“You called him ‘Doctor’ twice just now,” Wendy said.

"Yeah?"

"Yes, we sometimes call him 'Doctor,' like in the Bunny Bunny cartoon, but how did you know that?"

"I think... I've heard you call him that before," the old chef said with a smile.

“Maybe I can’t remember, maybe I’ve been calling him that ever since I was with you.” Wendy really couldn’t remember. Arriving at this hotel, joy and novelty overwhelmed her. The 28-year-old Wendy became like a child, jumping and playing, overjoyed.

“He looks like the Doctor, doesn’t he?” the cook teased Danny, mimicking the comical tone and expressions of a cartoon character. “Doctor, what’s up?” Danny laughed; this was the only moment he felt warmth since arriving at the hotel.

"This is the storage room." The old chef opened another door and led the mother and son into a large storage room. Wendy was so surprised that she almost cried out. This was a housewife's paradise. With this storage room, she could cook all sorts of delicious dishes for her family!

The old chef noticed Wendy's happiness; yes, this was yet another place that made him proud. He smiled and introduced it to Wendy: "This is where you find canned goods. Canned food, fruit, vegetables, canned fish, meat, hot and cold cereal, corn chips, cream puffs, rice..."

However, as Danny listened to the old chef's incessant talking, he felt an indescribable sensation, as if something was touching the depths of his soul hidden beneath the surface, an irresistible gaze. It was the feeling he usually got when Tony was about to tell him something, but now… the feeling was different. Danny didn't know why, but his eyes couldn't leave the old chef for even a moment.

"...Oatmeal, flour, barley, a dozen cans of brown sugar syrup, 60 boxes of milk powder..." The old chef continued to introduce the ingredients to Wendy, but then turned to look at Danny. In that brief glance, Danny heard another voice say to him, "Would you like some ice cream?"

"Cookies, egg rolls, and seven other flavors: dried peach, almond, raisin, plum... If you want to be happy, just eat normally." The old chef finally finished his introduction and led them out of the storeroom. Wendy was so happy she was about to jump for joy, completely oblivious to Danny's astonished expression. Danny stared blankly at the old chef, who showed no sign of surprise.

By this time, Mr. Ullman and Jack had arrived and met at the entrance of the storeroom.

"How are you?" Uman asked. Actually, he didn't need to ask; he could see that the woman's face was full of joy.

“Very good,” the old chef replied.

“Could I borrow Mrs. Tarrance for a moment? We need to go to the basement, we’ll be right up,” Mr. Ullman said to the old cook.

“No problem, I’ll go get some ice cream.” The old chef turned to Danny: “Do you like ice cream?”

“Yes,” Danny answered honestly.

“I knew it,” the old chef said, seeking the opinion of Danny’s guardian. “Should I give him some ice cream?”

“Okay.” “No problem.” The parents replied immediately.

"Do you want some ice cream?" Wendy asked Danny.

"think."

“Okay.” Wendy and Jack followed Uman toward the basement.

The old chef pulled Danny up: "What flavor do you like?"

"chocolate."