Winner of the

Put Your Spin On It

A Teen Fan Fiction Contest

 

Summer 2006

Alternate Ending of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

By Juan DeBiedma

   

 

“Congratulations, Charlie. You have won the Grand Prize.” Charlie, excited as a boy on his birthday, hugged his Grandpa Joe in happiness. “Well, Mr. Wonka? What did Charlie win?” Grandpa Joe asked. “The prize Charlie has won can only go to a boy with a pure heart, a creative mind, and outstanding bravery. And Charlie has proven to me. Charlie Bucket, I give you………this!” Willy Wonka opened his left hand to find a small, almost tiny candy wrapped in Charlie’s golden ticket. “That looks like gold!” Charlie proclaimed. “Yes, it does look priceless. What I have in my hand here is a chocolate flavored gumdrop sprinkled with seeds from a Ribbazilo deep in the Malaphizzly jungle. Inside is an amazingly sweet vanilla and orange gummy bear the size of a tip of an eraser. Once you eat it, you’ll feel happy forever, and never be depressed.” At that point, Charlie was speechless. Grandpa Joe interrupted. “Excuse me, but is that really safe for Charlie? I mean, being happy for the rest of your life sounds fantastic, but in life, sometimes you have to feel sorrow and disappointment. For example, if Charlie eats this magic gumdrop and 12 years later I die, what would it be like? Charlie Buckett, my grandson, would be happy during my funeral. Do you have any idea how wrong that would be?” Willy Wonka stood there for a moment. Charlie immediately realized what his grandpa had meant. “Mr. Bucket, I see your reason and I understand what you mean. If you don’t want Charlie to have this, I am perfectly fine with that. But what shall I do with it? This took my Oompa-Loompas months to make, I-I-I can’t just throw it out, it’d be a waste of hard work and effort.” Charlie turned to Mr. Wonka. “Well…..Why don’t you eat it, Mr. Wonka? After all, you are the greatest chocolateer of all time. I think it is your job to be happy and jolly all of the time.” Willy Wonka chuckled. “No Charlie, it is Santa Claus’ job to be happy and jolly. There is something you should know Charlie. The reason I did this entire thing-handed out five golden tickets you 5 children so that they could tour my Chocolate factory- it wasn’t just to tour the factory. I was planning to hand my factory down to one of you children. You are right, Charlie. It is my job to be happy and jolly all the time, and I am. Do you know why, Charlie?” “N-no. Why?” “Because, Charlie, ate this candy 15 years ago.” “But Mr. Wonka, why do you have to give me the factory if you are still happy?” Mr. Wonka sighed. “I’m dying, Charlie. No one can figure out what it is, so no one can cure it. Since I ate the candy, I am still happy.” Mr. Bucket looked down. “I’m sorry, Mr. Wonka. Me and Charlie are too simple and ordinary to take on this factory. If the candy is the only way we are able to run the factory, then I’m afraid we have to decline. We can’t do this, you see.” “Yes, of course. I hope you enjoyed the tour. Please take these Willy Wonka bars as a souvenir.” He handed Charlie and Grandpa Joe 2 large Wonka Bars. Willy Wonka turned around and opened a door. “I appreciated having you here Charlie. Take these stairs to go to the exit.” Charlie and Grandpa Joe looked at Willy Wonka, nodded their heads, and reluctantly left.

Some say Willy Wonka is dead, and some say he is still alive. The Chocolate Factory still stands, unoccupied. Charlie, who is now an adult, remembers the adventure he had in the factory. He has held on to the magic gumdrop to this day. One day, as he was walking home, he stepped onto a bridge. Out of his pocket, he took the magical gumdrop, still golden and shining. “I’ll always remember.” He tossed the candy into the stream below him. As it floated away, Charlie stared at it for a brief moment, then walked away.

The End