please 。。。〃
From overhead； the restless booming sounds of the mallet as Jack Torrance
looked for his son。
* * *
Danny stood with his back against the door； looking at the right angle where
the hallways joined。 The steady； irregular booming sound of the mallet against
the walls grew louder。 The thing that was after him screamed and howled and
cursed。 Dream and reality had joined together without a seam。
It came around the corner。
In a way； what Danny felt was relief。 It was not his father。 The mask of face
and body had been ripped and shredded and made into a bad joke。 It was not his
daddy； not this Saturday Night Shock Show horror with its rolling eyes and
hunched and hulking shoulders and blood…drenched shirt。 It was not his daddy。
〃Now； by God；〃 it breathed。 It wiped its lips with a shaking hand。 〃Now you'll
find out who is the boss around here。 You'll see。 It's not you they want。 It's
me。 Me。 Me！〃
It slashed out with the scarred hammer； its double head now shapeless and
splintered with countless impacts。 It struck the wall； cutting a circle in the
silk paper。 Plaster dust puffed out。 It began to grin。
〃Let's see you pull any of your fancy tricks now；〃 it muttered。 〃I wasn't born
yesterday； you know。 Didn't just fall off the hay truck； by God。 I'm going to do
my fatherly duty by you； boy。〃
Danny said： 〃You're not my daddy。〃
It stopped。 For a moment it actually looked uncertain； as if not sure who or
what it was。 Then it began to walk again。 The hammer whistled out； struck a door
panel and made it boom hollowly。
〃You're a liar；〃 it said。 〃Who else would I be？ I have the two birthmarks； I
have the cupped navel； even the pecker； my boy。 Ask your mother。〃
〃You're a mask；〃 Danny said。 〃Just a false face。 The only reason the hotel
needs to use you is that you aren't as dead as the others。 But when it's done
with you； you won't be anything at all。 You don't scare me。〃
〃I'll scare you！〃 it howled。 The mallet whistled fiercely down； smashing into
the rug between Danny's feet。 Danny didn't flinch。 〃You lied about me！ You
connived with her！ You plotted against me！ And you cheated！ You copied that
final exam！〃 The eyes glared out at him from beneath the furred brows。 There was
an expression of lunatic cunning in them。 〃I'll find it； too。 It's down in the
basement somewhere。 I'll find it。 They promised me I could look all I want。〃 It
raised the mallet again。
〃Yes； they promise；〃 Danny said； 〃but they lie。〃 The mallet hesitated at the
top of its swing。
* * *
Hallorann had begun to e around； but Wendy had stopped patting his cheeks。
A moment ago the words You cheated！ You copied that final exam！ had floated down
through the elevator shaft； dim； barely audible over the wind。 From somewhere
deep in the west wing。 She was nearly convinced they were on the third floor and
that Jack — whatever had taken possession of Jack — had found Danny。 There was
nothing she or Hallorann could do now。
〃Oh doc；〃 she murmured。 Tears blurred her eyes。
〃Son of a bitch broke my jaw；〃 Hallorann muttered thickly； 〃and my head 。。。〃
He worked to sit up。 His right eye was purpling rapidly and swelling shut。
Still； he saw Wendy。
〃Missus Torrance — 〃
〃Shhhh；〃 she said。
〃Where is the boy； Missus Torrance？〃
〃On the third floor；〃 she said。 〃With his father。〃
* * *
〃They lie；〃 Danny said again。 Something had gone through his mind； flashing
like a meteor； too quick； too bright to catch and hold。 Only the tail of the
thought remained。
（it's down in the basement somewhere）
（you will remember what your father forgot）
〃You 。。。 you shouldn't speak that way to your father；〃 it said hoarsely。 The
mallet trembled； came down。 〃You'll only make things worse for yourself。 Your。。。
your punishment。 Worse。〃 It staggered drunkenly and stared at him with
maudlin selfpity that began to turn to hate。 The mallet began to rise again。
〃You're not my daddy；〃 Danny told it again。 〃And if there's a little bit of my
daddy left inside you； he knows they lie here。 Everything is a lie and a cheat。
Like the loaded dice my daddy got for my Christmas stocking last Christmas； like
the presents they put in the store windows and my daddy says there's nothing in
them； no presents； they're just empty boxes。 Just for show； my daddy says。
You're it； not my daddy。 You're the hotel。 And when you get what you want； you
won't give my daddy anything because you're selfish。 And my daddy knows that。
You had to make him drink the Bad Stuff。 That's the only way you could get him；
you lying false face。〃
〃Liar！ Liar！〃 The words came in a thin shriek。 The mallet wavered wildly in
the air。
〃Go on and hit me。 But you'll never get what you want from me。〃
The face in front of him changed。 It was hard to say how； there was no melting
or merging of the features。 The body trembled slightly； and then the bloody
hands opened like broken claws。 The mallet fell from them and thumped to the
rug。 That was all。 But suddenly his daddy was there； looking at him in mortal
agony； and a sorrow so great that Danny's heart flamed within his chest。 The
mouth drew down in a quivering bow。
〃Doc；〃 Jack Torrance said。 〃Run away。 Quick。 And remember how much I love
you。〃
〃No；〃 Danny said。
〃Oh Danny； for God's sake — 〃
〃No；〃 Danny said。 He took one of his father's bloody hands and kissed it。
〃It's almost over。〃
* * *
Hallorann got to his feet by propping his back against the wall and pushing
himself up。 He and Wendy stared at each other like nightmare survivors from a
bombed hospital。
〃We got to get up there；〃 he said。 〃We have to help him。〃
Her haunted eyes stared into his from her chalk…pale face。 〃It's too late；〃
Wendy said。 〃Now he can only help himself。〃
A minute passed； then two。 Three。 And they heard it above them； screaming； not
in anger or triumph now； but in mortal terror。
〃Dear God；〃 Hallorann whispered。 〃What's happening？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she said。
〃Has it killed him？〃
〃I don't know。〃
The elevator clashed into life and began to descend with the screaming； raving
thing penned up inside。
* * *
Danny stood without moving。 There was no place he could run where the Overlook
was not。 He recognized it suddenly； fully； painlessly。 For the first time in his
life he had an adult thought； an adult feeling； the essence of his experience in
this bad place — a sorrowful distillation：
（Mommy and Daddy can't help me and I'm alone。）
〃Go away；〃 he said to the bloody stranger in front of him。 〃Go on。 Get out of
here。〃
It bent over； exposing the knife handle in its back。 Its hands closed around
the mallet again； but instead of aiming at Danny； it reversed the handle； aiming
the hard side of the roque mallet at its own face。
Understanding rushed through Danny。
Then the mallet began to rise and descend； destroying the last of Jack
Torrance's image。 The thing in the hall danced an eerie； shuffling polka； the
beat counterpointed by the hideous sound of the mallet head striking again and
again。 Blood splattered across the wallpaper。 Shards of bone leaped into the air
like broken piano keys。 It was impossible to say just how long it went on。 But
when it turned its attention back to Danny； his father was gone forever。 What
remained of the face became a strange； shifting posite； many faces mixed
imperfectly into one。 Danny saw the woman in 217； the dogman； the hungry boy…
thing that had been in the concrete ring。
〃Masks off； then；〃 it whispered。 〃No more interruptions。〃
The mallet rose for the final time。 A ticking sound filled Danny's ears。
〃Anything else to say？〃 it inquired。 〃Are you sure you wouldn't like to run？ A
game of tag； perhaps？ All we have is time； you know。 An eternity of time。 Or
shall we end it？ Might as well。 After all； we're missing the party。〃
It grinned with broken…toothed greed。
And it came to him。 What his father had forgotten。
Sudden triumph filled his face； the thing saw it and hesitated； puzzled。
〃The boiler！〃 Danny screamed。 〃It hasn't been dumped since this morning！ It's
going up！ It's going to explode！〃
An expression of grotesque terror and dawning realization swept across the
broken features of the thing in front of him。 The mallet dropped from its fisted
hands and bounced harmlessly on the black and blue rug。
〃The boiler！〃 it cried。 〃Oh no！ That can't be allowed！ Certainly not！ No！ You
goddamned little pup！ Certainly not！ Oh； oh； oh — 〃
〃It is！〃 Danny cried back at it fiercely。 He began to shuffle and shake his
fists at the ruined thing before him。 〃Any minute now！ I know it！ The boiler；
Daddy forgot the boiler！ And you forgot it； too！〃
〃No； oh no； it mustn't； it can't； you dirty little boy； I'll make you take
your medicine； I'll make you take every drop； oh no； oh no — 〃
It suddenly turned tail and began to shamble away。 For a moment its shadow
bobbed on the wall； waxing and waning。 It trailed cries behind itself like
wornout party streamers。
Moments later the elevator crashed into life。
Suddenly the shining was on him
（mommy mr。 hallorann dick to my friends together alive they're alive got to
get out it's going to blow going to blow sky…high）
like a fierce and glaring sunrise and he ran。 One foot kicked the bloody；
misshapen roque mallet aside。 He didn't notice。
Crying； he ran for the stairs。
They bad to get out。
》
THE EXPLOSION
Hallorann could never be sure of the progression of things after that。 He
remembered that the elevator had gone down and past them without stopping； and
something had been inside。 But he made no attempt to try to see in through the
small diamond…shaped window； because what was in there did not sound human。 A
moment later there were running footsteps on the stairs。 Wendy Torrance at fir