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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 first
shrank back against him and then began to stumble down the main corridor to the
stairs as fast as she could。
〃Danny！ Danny！ Oh； thank God！ Thank God！〃
She swept him into a hug； groaning with joy as well as her pain。
（Danny。）
Danny looked at him from his mother's arms； and Hallorann saw how the boy had
changed。 His face was pale and pinched； his eyes dark and fathomless。 He looked
as if he had lost weight。 Looking at the two of them together； Hallorann thought
it was the mother who looked younger； in spite of the terrible beating she had
taken。
（Dick — we have to go — run — the place — it's going to）
Picture of the Overlook； flames leaping out of its roof。 Bricks raining down
on the snow。 Clang of firebells 。。。 not that any fire truck would be able to
get up here much before the end of March。 Most of all what came through in
Danny's thought was a sense of urgent immediacy； a feeling that it was going to
happen at any time。
〃All right；〃 Hallorann said。 He began to move toward the two of them and at
first it was like swimming through deep water。 His sense of balance was screwed；
and the eye on the right side of his face didn't want to focus。 His jaw was
sending giant throbbing bursts of pain up to his temple and down his neck； and
his cheek felt as large as a cabbage。 But the boy's urgency had gotten him
going； and it got a little easier。
〃All right？〃 Wendy asked。 She looked from Hallorann to her son and back to
Hallorann。 〃What do you mean； all right？〃
〃We have to go；〃 Hallorann said。
〃I'm not dressed 。。。 my clothes。。。〃
Danny darted out of her arms then and raced down the corridor。 She looked
after him； and as he vanished around the corner； back at Hallorann。 〃What if he
es back？〃
〃Your husband？〃
〃He's not Jack；〃 she muttered。 〃Jack's dead。 This place killed him。 This
damned place。〃 She struck at the wall with her fist and cried out at the pain in
her cut fingers。 〃It's the boiler； isn't it？〃
〃Yes； ma'am。 Danny says it's going to explode。〃
〃Good。〃 The word was uttered with dead finality。 〃I don't know if I can get
down those stairs again。 My ribs 。。。 he broke my ribs。 And something in my
back。 It hurts。〃
〃You'll make it；〃 Hallorann said。 〃We'll all make it。〃 But suddenly he
remembered the hedge animals； and wondered what they would do if they were
guarding the way out。。
Then Danny was ing back。 He had Wendy's boots and coat and gloves； also his
own coat and gloves。
〃Danny；〃 she said。 〃Your boots。〃
〃It's too late；〃 he said。 His eyes stared at them with a desperate kind of
madness。 He looked at Dick and suddenly Hallorann's mind was fixed with an image
of a clock under a glass dome； the clock in the ballroom that had been donated
by a Swiss diplomat in 1949。 The hands of the clock were standing at a minute to
midnight。
〃Oh my God；〃 Hallorann said。 〃Oh my dear God。〃
He clapped an arm around Wendy and picked her up。 He clapped his other arm
around Danny。 He ran for the stairs。
Wendy shrieked in pain as he squeezed the bad ribs； as something in her back
ground together； but Hallorann did not slow。 He plunged down the stairs with
them in his arms。 One eye wide and desperate； the other puffed shut to a slit。
He looked like a one…eyed pirate abducting hostages to be ransomed later。
Suddenly the shine was on him； and he understood what Danny had meant when he
said it was too late。 He could feel the explosion getting ready to rumble up
from the basement and tear the guts out of this horrid place。
He ran faster； bolting headlong across the lobby toward the double doors。
* * *
It hurried across the basement and into the feeble yellow glow of the furnace
room's only light。 It was slobbering with fear。 It had been so close； so close
to having the boy and the boy's remarkable power。 It could not lose now。 It must
not happen。 It would dump the boiler and then chastise the boy harshly。
〃Mustn't happen！〃 it cried。 〃Oh no； mustn't happen！〃
It stumbled