The first time he had been out in the back yard and nothing much had happened。
Just Tony beckoning and then darkness and a few minutes later he had e back
to real things with a few vague fragments of memory； like a jumbled dream。 The
second time； two weeks ago； had been more interesting。 Tony； beckoning； calling
from four yards over： 〃Danny 。。。 e see 。。。〃 It seemed that he was getting
up； then falling into a deep hole； like Alice into Wonderland。 Then he had been
in the basement of the apartment house and Tony had been beside him； pointing
into the shadows at the trunk his daddy carried all his important papers in；
especially 〃THE PLAY。〃
〃See？〃 Tony had said in his distant； musical voice。 〃It's under the… stairs。
Right under the stairs。 The movers put it right 。。。 under。。。 the stairs。〃
Danny had stepped forward to look more closely at this marvel and then he was
falling again； this time out of the back…yard swing； where he had been sitting
all along。 He had gotten the wind knocked out of himself； too。
Three or four days later his daddy had been stomping around； telling Mommy
furiously that he had been all over the goddam basement and the trunk wasn't
there and he was going to sue the goddam movers who had left it somewhere
between Vermont and Colorado。 How was he supposed to be able to finish 〃THE
PLAY〃 if things like this kept cropping up？
Danny said； 〃No； Daddy。 It's under the stairs。 The movers put it right under
the stairs。〃
Daddy had given him a strange look and had gone down to see。 The trunk had
been there； just where Tony had shown him。 Daddy had taken him aside； had sat
him on his lap； and had asked Danny who let him down cellar。 Had it been Tom
from upstairs？ The cellar was dangerous； Daddy said。 That was why the landlord
kept it locked。 If someone was leaving it unlocked； Daddy wanted to know。 He was
glad to have his papers and his 〃PLAY〃 but it wouldn't be worth it to him； he
said； if Danny fell down the stairs and broke his 。。。 his leg。 Danny told his
father earnestly that he hadn't been down in the cellar。 That door was always
locked。 And Mommy agreed。 Danny never went down in the back hall； she said；
because it was damp and dark and spidery。 And he didn't tell lies。
〃Then how did you know； doc？〃 Daddy asked。
〃Tony showed me。〃
His mother and father had exchanged a look over his head。 This had happened
before； from time to time。 Because it was frightening； they swept it quickly
from their minds。 But he knew they worried about Tony； Mommy especially； and he
was careful about thinking the way that could make Tony e where she might
see。 But now he thought she was lying down； not moving about in the kitchen yet；
and so he concentrated hard to see if he could understand what Daddy was
thinking about。
His brow furrowed and his slightly grimy hands clenched into tight fists on
his jeans。 He did not close his eyes…that wasn't necessary…but he squinched them
down to slits and imagined Daddy's voice； Jack's voice； John Daniel Torrance's
voice； deep and steady； sometimes quirking up with amusement or deepening even
more with anger or just staying steady because he was thinking。 Thinking of。
Thinking about。 Thinking 。。
（thinking）
Danny sighed quietly and his body slumped on the curb as if all the muscles
had gone out of it。 He was fully conscious； he saw the street and the girl and
boy walking up the sidewalk on the other side； holding hands because they were
（？in love？）
so happy about the day and themselves together in the day。 He saw autumn
leaves blowing along the gutter； yellow cartwheels of irregular shape。 He saw
the house they were passing and noticed how the roof was covered with
（shingles。 i guess it'll be no problem if the flashing's ok yeah that'll be
all right。 that watson。 christ what a character。 wish there was a place for him
in 〃THE PLAY。 〃 i'll end up with the whole fucking human race in it if i don't
watch out。 yeah。 shingles。 are there nails out there？ oh shit forgot to ask him
well they're simple to get。 sidewinder hardware store。 wasps。 they're nesting
this time of year。 i might want to get one of those bug bombs in case they're
there when i rip up the old shingles。 new shingles。 old）
shingles。 So that's what he was thinking about。 He had gotten the job and was
thinking about shingles。 Danny didn't know who Watson was； but everything else
seemed clear enough。 And he might get to see a wasps' nest。 Just as sure as his
name was
〃Danny 。。。 Dannee 。。。〃
He looked up and there was Tony； far up the street； standing by a stop sign
and waving。 Danny； as always； felt a warm burst of pleasure at seeing his old
friend； but this time he seemed to feel a prick of fear； too； as if Tony had
e with some darkness hidden behind his back。 A jar…of wasps which when
released would sting deeply。
But there was no question of not going。
He slumped further down on the curb； his hands sliding laxly from his thighs
and dangling below the fork of his crotch。 His chin sank onto his chest。 Then
there was a dim； painless tug as part of him got up and ran after Tony into
funneling darkness。
〃Dannee — 〃
Now the darkness was shot with swirling whiteness。 A coughing； whooping sound
and bending； tortured shadows that resolved themselves into fir trees at night；
being pushed by a screaming gale。 Snow swirled and danced。 Snow everywhere。
〃Too deep；〃 Tony said from the darkness； and there was a sadness in his voice
that terrified Danny。 〃Too deep to get out。〃
Another shape； looming； rearing。 Huge and rectangular。 A sloping roof。
Whiteness that was blurred in the stormy darkness。 Many windows。 A long building
with a shingled roof。 Some of the shingles were greener； newer。 His daddy put
them on。 With nails from the Sidewinder hardware store。 Now the snow was
covering the shingles。 It was covering everything。
A green witchlight glowed into being on the front of the building； flickered；
and became a giant； grinning skull over two crossed bones：
〃Poison；〃 Tony said from the floating darkness。 〃Poison。〃
Other signs flickered past his eyes； some in green letters； some of them on
boards stuck at leaning angles into the snowdrifts。 NO SWIMMING。 DANGER！ LIVE
WIRES。 THIS PROPERTY CONDEMNED。 HIGH VOLTAGE。 THIRD RAIL。 DANGER OF
DEATH。 KEEP
OFF。 KEEP OUT。 NO TRESPASSING。 VIOLATORS WILL BE SHOT ON SIGHT。 He
understood
none of them pletely — he couldn't read！ — but got a sense of all； and a dreamy
terror floated into the dark hollows of his body like light brown spores that
would die in sunlight。
They faded。 Now he was in a room filled with strange furniture； a room that
was dark。 Snow spattered against the windows like thrown sand。 His mouth was
dry； his eyes like hot marbles； his heart triphammering in his chest。 Outside
there was a hollow booming noise； like a dreadful door being thrown wide。
Footfalls。 Across the room was a mirror； and deep down in its silver bubble a
single word appeared in green fire and that word was： REDRUM。
The room faded。 Another room。 He knew
（would know）
this one。 An overturned chair。 A broken window with snow swirling in； already
it had frosted the edge of the rug。 The drapes had been pulled free and hung on
their broken rod at an angle。 A low cabinet lying on its face。
More hollow booming noises； steady； rhythmic； horrible。 Smashing glass。
Approaching destruction。 A hoarse voice； the voice of a madman； made the more
terrible by its familiarity：
e out！ Came out； you little shit！ Take your medicine！
Crash。 Crash。 Crash。 Splintering wood。 A bellow of rage and satisfaction。
REDRUM。 ing。
Drifting across the room。 Pictures torn off the walls。 A record player
（？Mommy's record player？）
overturned on the floor。 Her records； Grieg； Handel； the Beatles； Art
Garfunkel； Bach； Liszt； thrown everywhere。 Broken into jagged black pie wedges。
A shaft of light ing from another room； the bathroom； harsh white light and a
word flickering on and off in the medicine cabinet mirror like a red eye；
REDRUM； REDRUM； REDRUM —
〃No；〃 he whispered。 〃No； Tony please — 〃
And； dangling over the white porcelain lip of the bathtub； a hand。 Limp。 A
slow trickle of blood （REDRUM） trickling down one of the fingers； the third；
dripping onto the tile from the carefully shaped nail —
No oh no oh no —
（oh please； Tony； you're scaring me）
REDRUM REDRUM REDRUM
（stop it； Tony； stop it）
Fading。
In the darkness the booming noises grew louder； louder still； echoing；
everywhere； all around。
And now he was crouched in a dark hallway； crouched on a blue rug with a riot
of twisting black shapes woven into its pile； listening to the booming noises
approach； and now a Shape turned the corner and began to e toward him；
lurching； smelling of blood and doom。 It had a mallet in one hand and it was
swinging it （REDRUM） from side to side in vicious arcs； slamming it into the
walls； cutting the silk wallpaper and knocking out ghostly bursts of
plasterdust：
e on and take your medicine！ Take it like a man！
The Shape advancing on him； reeking of that sweet…sour odor； gigantic； the
mallet head cutting across the air with a wicked hissing whisper； then the great
hollow boom as it crashed into the wall； sending the dust out in a puff you
could smell； dry and itchy。 Tiny red eyes glowed in the dark。 The monster was
upon him； it had discovered him； cowering here with a blank wall at his back。
And the trapdoor in the ceiling was locked。
Darkness。 Drifting。
〃Tony； please take me back； please； please — 〃
And he was back； sitting on the curb of Arapahoe Street； his shirt sticking
damply to his back； his body bathed in sweat。 In his ears he could still hear
that huge； contrapuntal booming sound and smell his own urine as he voided
himself in the extremity of his terror。 He could see that limp hand dangling
over the edge of the tub with blood running down one finger； the third； and that
inexplicable word so much more horrible than any of the others： REDRUM。