按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 across the floor to the boiler； which glowed a dull red halfway up
its long tubular body。 It was huffing and rattling and hissing off plumes of
steam in a hundred directions； like a monster calliope。 The pressure needle
stood at the far end of the dial。
〃No； it won't be allowed！〃 the manager/caretaker cried。
It laid its Jack Torrance hands on the valve； unmindful of the burning smell
which arose or the searing of the flesh as the red…hot wheel sank in； as if into
a mudrut。
The wheel gave； and with a triumphant scream； the thing spun it wide open。 A
giant roar of escaping steam bellowed out of the boiler； a dozen dragons hissing
in concert。 But before the steam obscured the pressure needle entirely； the
needle had visibly begun to swing back。
〃I WIN！〃 it cried。 It capered obscenely in the hot； rising mist； waving its
flaming hands over its head。 〃NOT TOO LATE！ I WIN！ NOT TOO LATE！ NOT TOO LATE！
NOT — 〃
Words turned into a shriek of triumph； and the shriek was swallowed in a
shattering roar as the Overlook's boiler exploded。
* * *
Hallorann burst out through the double doors and carried the two of them
through the trench in the big snowdrift on the porch。 He saw the hedge animals
clearly； more clearly than before； and even as he realized his worst fears were
true； that they were between the porch and the snowmobile； the hotel exploded。
It seemed to him that it happened all at once； although later he knew that
couldn't have been the way it happened。
There was a flat explosion； a sound that seemed to exist on one low all…
pervasive note
（WHUMMMMMMMMM — ）
and then there was a blast of warm air at their backs that seemed to push
gently at them。 They were thrown from the porch on its breath； the three of
them； and a confused thought
（this is what superman must feel like）
slipped through Hallorann's mind as they flew through the air。 He lost his
hold on them and then he struck the snow in a soft billow。 It was down his shirt
and up his nose and he was dimly aware that it felt good on his hurt cheek。
Then he struggled to the top of it； for that moment not thinking about the
hedge animals； or Wendy Torrance； or even the boy。 He rolled over on his back so
he could watch it die。
* * *
The Overlook's windows shattered。 In the ballroom； the dome over the
mantelpiece clock cracked； split in two pieces； and fell to the floor。 The clock
stopped ticking： cogs and gears and balance wheel all became motionless。 There
was a whispered； sighing noise； and a great billow of dust。 In 217 the bathtub
suddenly split in two； letting out a small flood of greenish； noxious…smelling
water。 In the Presidential Suite the wallpaper suddenly burst into flames。 The
batwing doors of the Colorado Lounge suddenly snapped their hinges and fell to
the dining room floor。 Beyond the basement arch； the great piles and stacks of
old papers caught fire and went up with a blowtorch hiss。 Boiling water rolled
over the flames but did not quench them。 Like burning autumn leaves below a
wasps' nest； they whirled and blackened。 The furnace exploded； shattering the
basement's roofbeams； sending them crashing down like the bones of a dinosaur。
The gasjet which had fed the furnace； unstoppered now； rose up in a bellowing
pylon of flame through the riven floor of the lobby。 The carpeting on the stair
risers caught； racing up to the first…floor level as if to tell dreadful good
news。 A fusillade of explosions ripped the place。 The chandelier in the dining
room； a two…hundred…pound crystal bomb； fell with a splintering crash； knocking
tables every which way。 Flame belched out of the Overlook's five chimneys at the
breaking clouds。
（No！ Mustn't！ Mustn't！ MUSTN'T！）
It shrieked； it shrieked but now it was voiceless and it was only screaming
panic and doom and damnation in its own ear； dissolving； losing thought and
will； the webbing falling apart； searching； not finding； going out； going out
to； fleeing； going out to emptiness； notness； crumbling。
The party was over。
》
EXIT
The roar shook the whole facade of the hotel。 Glass belched out onto the snow
and twinkled there like jagged diamonds。 The hedge dog； which had been
approaching Danny and his mother； recoiled away from it； its green and shadow…
marbled ears flattening； its tail ing down between its legs as its haunches
flattened abjectly。 In his head； Hallorann heard it whine fearfully； and mixed
with that sound was the fearful； confused yowling of the big cats。 He struggled
to his feet to go to the other two and help them； and as he did so he saw
something more nightmarish than all the rest： the hedge rabbit； still coated
with snow； was battering itself crazily at the chainlink fence at the far end of
the playground； and the steel mesh was jingling with a kind of nightmare music；
like a spectral zither。 Even from here he could hear the sounds of the close…set
twigs and branches which made up its body cracking and crunching like breaking
bones。
〃Dick！ Dick！〃 Danny cried out。 He was trying to support his mother； help her
over to the snowmobile。 The clothes he had carried out for the two of them were
scattered between where they had fallen and where they now stood。 Hallorann was
suddenly aware that the woman was in her nightclothes； Danny jacketless； and it
was no more than ten above zero。
（my gad she's in her bare feet）
He struggled back through the snow； picking up her coat； her boots； Danny's
coat； odd gloves。 Then he ran back to them； plunging hip…deep in the snow from
time to time； having to flounder his way out。
Wendy was horribly pale； the side of her neck coated with blood； blood that
was now freezing。
〃I can't；〃 she muttered。 She was no more than semiconscious。 〃No； I 。。。
can't。 Sorry。〃
Danny looked up at Hallorann pleadingly。
〃Gonna be okay；〃 Hallorann said； and gripped her again。 〃e on。〃
The three of them made it to where the snowmobile had slewed around and
stalled out。 Hallorann sat the woman down on the passenger seat and put her coat
on。 He lifted her feet up — they were very cold but not frozen yet — and rubbed
them briskly with Danny's jacket before putting on her boots。 Wendy's face was
alabaster pale； her eyes halflidded and dazed； but she had begun to shiver。
Hallorann thought that was a good sign。
Behind them； a series of three explosions rocked the hotel。 Orange flashes lit
the snow。
Danny put his mouth close to Hallorann's ear and screamed something。
〃What？〃
〃I said do you need that？〃
The boy was pointing at the red gascan that leaned at an angle in the snow。
〃I guess we do。〃
He picked it up and sloshed it。 Still gas in there； he couldn't tell how much。
He attached the can to the back of the snowmobile； fumbling the job several
times before getting it right because his fingers were going numb。 For the first
time he became aware that he'd lost Howard Cottrell's mittens。
（i get out of this i gonna have my sister knit you a dozen pair； howie）
〃Get on！〃 Hallorann shouted at the boy。
Danny shrank back。 〃We'll freeze！〃
〃We have to go around to the equipment shed！ There's stuff in there 。。。
blankets 。。。 stuff like that。 Get on behind your mother！〃
Danny got on； and Hallorann twisted his head so he could shout into Wendy's
face。
〃Missus Torrance！ Hold onto me！ You understand？ Hold on！〃
She put her arms around him and rested her cheek against his back。 Hallorann
started the snowmobile and turned the throttle delicately so they would start up
without a jerk。 The woman had the weakest sort of grip on him； and if she
shifted backward； her weight would tumble both her and the boy off。
They began to move。 He brought the snowmobile around in a circle and then they
were traveling west parallel to the hotel。 Hallorann cut in more to circle
around behind it to the equipment shed。
They had a momentarily clear view into the Overlook's lobby。 The gasflame
ing up through the shattered floor was like a giant birthday candle； fierce
yellow at its heart and blue around its flickering edges。 In that moment it
seemed only to be lighting； not destroying。 They could see the registration desk
with its silver bell； the credit card decals； the old…fashioned； scrolled cash
register； the small figured throw rugs； the highbacked chairs； horsehair
hassocks。 Danny could see the small sofa by the fireplace where the three nuns
had sat on the day they had e up — closing day。 But this was the real closing
day。
Then the drift on the porch blotted the view out。 A moment later they were
skirting the west side of the hotel。 It was still light enough to see without
the snowmobile's headlight。 Both upper stories were flaming now； and pennants of
flame shot out the windows。 The gleaming white paint had begun to blacken and
peel。 The shutters which had covered the Presidential Suite's picture window —
shutters Jack had carefully fastened as per instructions in mid…October — now hung
in flaming brands； exposing the wide and shattered darkness behind them； like a
toothless mouth yawing in a final； silent deathrattle。
Wendy had pressed her face against Hallorann's back to cut out the wind； and
Danny had likewise pressed his face against his mother's back； and so it was
only Hallorann who saw the final thing； and he never spoke of it。 From the
window of the Presidential Suite he thought he saw a huge dark shape issue；
blotting out the snowfield behind it。 For a moment it assumed the shape of a
huge； obscene manta； and then the wind seemed to catch it； to tear it and shred
it like old dark paper。 It fragmented； was caught in a whirling eddy of smoke；
and a moment later it was gone as if it had never been。 But in those few seconds
as it whirled blackly； dancing like negative motes of light； he remembered
something from his childhood 。。。 fifty years ago； or more。 He and his brother
had e upon a huge nest of ground wasps just north of their farm。 It had been
tucked into a hollow between the earth and an old lightning…blasted tree。 His
brother had had a big old niggerchaser in the band of his hat； saved all the way
from the Fourth of July。 He had lighted it and tossed it at the nest。 It had
exploded with a loud bang； and an angry； rising hum — almost a low shriek — had
risen from the blasted nest。 They had run away as if demons had been at their
beels。 In a way； Hallorann supposed that demons had been。 And looking back over
his shoulder； as he was now； he had on that day seen a large dark cloud of
hornets rising in the hot air； swirling together； breaking apart； looking for
whatever enemy had done this to their home so that they — the single group
intelligence — could sting it to death。
Then the thing in the sky was gone and it might only have been smoke or a
great flapping swatch of wallpaper after all； and there was only the Overlook； a
flaming pyre in the roaring throat of the night。
* * *
There was a key to the equipment shed's padlock on his key ring； but Hallorann
saw there would be no need to use it。
The door was ajar； the padlock hanging open on its hasp。
〃I can't go in there；〃 Danny whispered。
〃That's okay。 You stay with your mom。 There used to be a pile of old
horseblankets。 Probably all moth…eaten by now； but better than freezin to death。
Missus Torrance； you still with us？〃
〃I don't know；〃 the wan voice answered。 〃I think so。〃
〃Good。 I'll be just a second。〃
〃e back as quick as you can；〃 Danny whispered。 〃Please。〃
Hallorann nodded。 He had trained the headlamp on the door and now he
floundered through the snow； casting a long shadow in front of himself。 He
pushed the equipment shed door open and stepped in。 The horseblankets were still
in the corner； by the roque set。 He picked up four of them — they smelled musty and
old and the moths certainly had been having a free lunch — and then he paused。
One of the rogue mallets was gone。
（Was that what he hit me with？）
Well； it didn't matter what he'd been hit with； did it？ Still； his fingers
went to the side of his face and began to explore the huge lump there。 Six
hundred dollars' worth of dental work undone at a single blow。 And after all
（maybe he didn't hit me with one of those。 Maybe one got lost。 Or stolen。 Or
took for a souvenir。 After all）
it didn't really matter。 No one was going to be playing rogue here next
summer。 Or any summer in the foreseeable future。
No； it didn't really matter； except that looking at the racked mallets with
the single missing member had a kind of fascination。 He found himself thinking
of the hard wooden whack！ of the mallet head striking the round wooden ball。 A
nice summery sound。 Watching it skitter across the
（bone。 blood。）
gravel。 It conjure