After saving Abra and reuniting her with her parents, Danny felt life finally returning to a steady rhythm, much like it had been before. The chaos seemed to subside, yet the lingering shadows of his visit to the godforsaken Overlook Hotel crept into his nights, reviving old nightmares. A part of him couldn’t shake the thought that Abra was partly to blame for dragging him into the ordeal. She had, after all, almost gotten him killed. So when her godmother, Nicole, suggested a trip to Canada for the winter, Abra saw it as an opportunity—not just for herself, but for Uncle Dan.

Her parents were planning a holiday in the Bahamas, and Abra didn’t want Dan to spend Christmas alone. Though reluctant at first, he eventually agreed. Together, they made the long drive up to a cozy cabin Nicole owned in the snowy wilderness of Canada. Over the following days, Danny found himself settling into the calm of the place, more at ease than he had been in years. He even got along well with Nicole.

On the fifth night, Abra had gone to bed early, leaving just Danny and Nicole awake. The quiet crackle of the fireplace filled the cabin as she poured herself a glass of wine and offered him one.

“I don’t drink,” Danny said, his voice steady but firm as he raised a hand in polite refusal. “I quit five years ago.”