Chapter 30: Charlie's Chocolate Factory

Author's Note: Nearly two years. 53k words. Thirty chapters. Yup, you guessed it- the finale of What Could Have Been is finally here! In fact, today is a special day for this story. Today, in October 2018, I published the first chapter of this story, and off it went from there. I thank each and every person that has read, reviewed, favorited, followed, or even shared this story. Thank you all at FF dot net for the encouragement and support. And now, for the last time- let me respond to your reviews.

SuperSentai199, the final chapter is here! :)

emeraldphan, I've often wondered why that scene was left out of the 1971 film as well. I have always preferred the scene in the 2005 movie where it is actually showing the children, as in the book, rather than just mentioning them.

mattTheWriter072, here it is! I hope that you'll enjoy it! And thanks so much for the compliments.

Sonny April, the finale is finally here. At last, you'll see what I meant by the ending being different. Enjoy!

And now, with all the reviews responded to, enjoy the finale of What Could Have Been, everyone. :D

"Well, Charlie," said Mr. Wonka as the Great Glass Wonkavator floated around inside the clouds, "what did you think of my factory?"

"Oh, I think it's the most wonderful place in the whole world!" Charlie exclaimed with glee.

"I am very pleased to hear you say that…" said Mr. Wonka, then he paused for a dramatic effect. "Because you see, my dear boy, I have decided to make you a present of the whole place."

Charlie and Grandpa Joe were so shocked that they could only gape at Mr. Wonka.

"I'm giving it to you!" Mr. Willy Wonka said happily. ""That's all right, isn't it?"

"You're not serious?" gasped Grandpa Joe.

"I am deadly serious, sir..." said Mr. Wonka. "Listen, I'm an old man. I can't go on for ever. I've got no children...no family...So who's going to run this factory when I retire? Someone's got to keep it going. I can't abandon the Oompa-Loompas. So who do I choose? Not a grown-up! A grown-up won't listen to me! He'll want to do things his own way, not mine. I decided long ago that I have to choose a child...to whom I can tell all my most precious candy-making secrets...while I'm still alive."

"So that's why you sent out the Golden Tickets!" cried Charlie Bucket.

"Exactly!" responded Mr. Wonka.

Everyone looked outside of the Great Glass Wonkavator, and they saw a great big stork flying past it. In its beak, the stork had a napkin, and a baby was inside it. The stork flew serenely past it, then completely disappeared. Everyone turned their heads, following the bird in complete silence, all of them stunned.

"Always a lovely sight, isn't it?..." said Mr. Wonka casually, acting as if nothing had happened. "Now then! We must go at once and fetch the rest of your family! They can all live in the factory! They can help to run it until Charlie is old enough to do it alone. Where do you live?"

"Just near the factory…" Charlie told him. "If you could go a bit lower, I'll show you."

With that, Mr. Wonka manipulated the lever once again, and the Great Glass Wonkavator dropped out of the sky and hovered over his town.

"There it is!" Charlie pointed. "That little cottage all by itself in the field! Can you see it?"

"I see it," Mr. Wonka answered.

"Mr. Wonka, sir…" Grandpa Joe began, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Yes?" the chocolatier enquired.

"I'm very much afraid that I won't be able to come along to the factory," he responded.

"What's this?" Mr. Wonka said, shocked.

"Oh Grandpa, you must!" Charlie cried.

"I can't possibly leave Grandma Josephine," Grandpa Joe said, turning to Mr. Wonka. "She's bedridden, you see...So are the other two, old Grandpa George and Grandma Georgina."

"Bring the bed," remarked Mr. Wonka.

"Impossible to get it out of the house," said Grandpa Joe.

"My dear fellow!" exclaimed Mr. Wonka excitedly. "Nothing is impossible! Just leave it to me!"

The Great Glass Wonkavator was now hovering one-hundred feet above the roof of their cottage.

"What are you going to do?" Charlie asked fearfully.

"I'm going right on in to fetch them out!" Mr. Wonka exclaimed.

"How?" asked Grandpa Joe curiously.

"Through the roof!" laughed Mr. Wonka, manipulating the lever.

"No!" screamed Charlie Bucket.

"Stop!" screamed Grandpa Joe.

But it was too late, for right after they saw this, the Great Glass Wonkavator shot vertically downwards, straight through the roof of their cottage. Bricks and tiles flew through the air.

Crash!

Bang!

Wallop!

The Great Glass Wonkavator came plunging down through the ceiling, sending dust and rubble everywhere. Screaming and yelling began to ensue. All of the bedridden grandparents hid under their sheets, and Mr. and Mrs. Bucket, who were sitting at a table, jumped out of the way just in time as the contraption crushed it to the floor.

As the dust settled, the screams began to die down. The three bedridden grandparents poked their heads out from under the sheets, and finally, Mr. Wonka, Charlie Bucket, and Grandpa Joe stepped out of the Wonkavator.

"Anyone hurt?" Grandpa Joe asked.

"Mercy me!" grumbled Grandma Josephine. "I might've guessed it was you!"

"Did you bring any food?" asked Grandma Georgina.

"Mother!" exclaimed Charlie, running to his family. "Mother! Listen to what's happened! And Daddy! We're all going back to live in Mr. Wonka's factory and we're going to help him run it and he's given it all to me and…"

"Look at our house!" exclaimed poor Mr. Bucket. "It's ruined!"

"My dear sir, I'm delighted to meet you," said Mr. Wonka politely, walking forward and giving Mr. Bucket a handshake. "You mustn't worry about your house! You'll never need it again!"

"Who is this crazy man?" asked Grandma Josephine. "He could've killed us all."

"Allow me to introduce…" proclaimed Grandpa Joe, "the great Mr. Willy Wonka himself!"

Mr. Wonka began politely bowing all around.

"...And I do invite you to come with me at once, right now, to my factory where you can live in peace and comfort for evermore."

"It's true!" cried Charlie, dancing around with joy. "He really means it! And mummy, it's the most marvellous place you've ever seen! It is!"

"You mean…" questioned Mr. Bucket, looking at Mr. Wonka, "you're inviting us...every one of us…"

"Of course I am!" said Mr. Wonka.

"I can't believe it!" gasped Mrs. Bucket.

"He does!" exclaimed Charlie, still dancing. "He really does!"

"He means every word of it!" exclaimed Grandpa Joe, who was also dancing. "We're invited! I promise you!"

"Come along, then!" twirled Mr. Wonka, going by the Great Glass Wonkavator. "We can't mess about here all day! We must get going!"

He beckoned everyone, including the three bedridden grandparents, towards the Wonkavator.

"In that!" cried Grandma Georgina. "I'm not going in that murderous thing!"

"Nor me!" agreed Grandma Josephine.

"Not likely!" agreed Grandpa George.

With that, all three of them ducked back under the sheets.

"Push 'em in!" said Mr. Wonka without hesitation.

Grandpa Joe, Charlie Bucket, Mr. Bucket, and Mrs. Bucket, directed by Mr. Wonka, pushed the double-bed into the Wonkavator, despite screams of fear and protests from the other grandparents. Mr. Wonka bowed Mrs. Bucket in, followed by the others.

"Let me out!..." the three grandparents shouted. "I'm not going in this!...Get me out of here!...Help! Mercy!...We'll all be killed!"

The doors of the Wonkavator closed, and the great whooshing noise returned. Dust and debris began to scatter as the contraption started to rise off the floor of their former home.

(At this, Dahl noted that a reprise of "Up and Away" would begin to play, and start to swell as the Great Glass Wonkavator descended vertically upwards through the roof.)

Now in the sky, the Great Glass Wonkavator began to swoop and dance, and even skim the top of large, white cumulus clouds, dipping down into them, and even disappearing for a few seconds before joyously reappearing.

Charlie and Grandpa Joe started to dance in the extremely restricted space that the double-bed took up. Grandma Josephine, Grandpa George, and Grandma Georgina were looking happier.

"No more cabbage soup!" Grandpa Joe shouted happily to the other three grandparents.

"No more cabbage soup?" asked Grandma Georgina, beginning to brighten up more.

"Never again!" smiled Grandpa Joe.

Mr. Wonka began to join in with the dance, followed by Mr. and Mrs. Bucket. They signalled to the three old ones to join in.

A few seconds later, there was a dinging sound, followed by the opening of the Great Glass Wonkavator's doors. Out of the door tumbled none other than the grandparents' double-bed. It fell out of the Wonkavator, then tumbled downwards, and shattered into pieces as it hit the ground below.

(Dahl noted that the music was still playing.)

With no more bed to restrain them any longer, they began to join in the dance as well. Everyone was so happy, and danced so much, that the floor of the Great Glass Wonkavator often came to an extreme slope, but everyone continued to remain upright, vertical to the floor.

(Dahl noted that as soon as they were done dancing, the music would cut, followed by sudden silence. In the silence, the following event would occur.)

At last, the Great Glass Wonkavator swooped down out of the sky, hovering for a moment over the factory. Then, it disappeared, dropping straight down, going gently through the great big hole in the roof.

THE END

Author's Note: And that, guys and gals, is the final chapter of What Could Have Been. After nearly 2 years in development, this story has finally reached its conclusion.

So, what do you think about this new ending? Which ending in the CatCF adaptions is your favorite? As usual, feel free to review, and I'll be sure to respond to it via PM. As for Guest reviews, I assure you that I'll read each and every one of them. This story has been a nice ride (with a few bumps), but I'm glad that I wrote this novelization in the end. Be sure to stay tuned for updates to my other stories, as well as brand-new stories that are in the works at this very moment. :D

Until then, thanks for the support,

Gabe S. :)