ripping along and hit them。 Danny himself was more sanguine； if Daddy thought
the bug would make this one last trip； then probably it would。
〃We're just about there；〃 Jack said。
Wendy brushed her hair back from her temples。 〃Thank God。〃
She was sitting in the right…hand bucket； a Victoria Holt paperback open but
face down in her lap。 She was wearing her blue dress； the one Danny thought was
her prettiest。 It had a sailor collar and made her look very young； like a girl
just getting ready to graduate from high school。 Daddy kept putting his hand
high up on her leg and she kept laughing and brushing it off； saying Get away；
fly。
Danny was impressed with the mountains。 One day Daddy had taken them up in the
ones near Boulder； the ones they called the Flatirons； but these were much
bigger； and on the tallest of them you could see a fine dusting of snow； which
Daddy said was often there year…round。
And they were actually in the mountains； no goofing around。 Sheer rock faces
rose all around them； so high you could barely see their tops even by craning
your neck out the window。 When they left Boulder； the temperature had been in
the high seventies。 Now； just after noon； the air up here felt crisp and cold
like November back in Vermont and Daddy had the heater going 。。。 not that it
worked all that well。 They had passed several signs that said FALLING ROCK ZONE
（Mommy read each one to him）； and although Danny had waited anxiously to see
some rock fall； none had。 At least not yet。
Half an hour ago they had passed another sign that Daddy said was very
important。 This sign said ENTERING SIDEWINDER PASS； and Daddy said that sign was
as far as the snowplows went in the wintertime。 After that the road got too
steep。 In the winter the road was closed from the little town of Sidewinder；
which they had gone through just before they got to that sign； all the way to
Buckland； Utah。
Now they were passing another sign。
〃What's that one； Mom？〃
〃That one says SLOWER VEHICLES USE RIGHT LANE。 That means us。〃
〃The bug will make it；〃 Danny said。
〃Please； God；〃 Mommy said； and crossed her fingers。 Danny looked down at her
open…toed sandals and saw that she had crossed her toes as well。 He giggled。 She
smiled back； but he knew that she was still worried。
The road wound up and up in a series of slow S curves； and Jack dropped the
bug's stick shift from fourth gear to third； then into second。 The bug wheezed
and protested； and Wendy's eye fixed on the speedometer needle； which sank from
forty to thirty to twenty； where it hovered reluctantly。
〃The fuel pump。。。〃 she began timidly。
〃The fuel pump will go another three miles；〃 Jack said shortly。
The rock wall fell away on their right； disclosing a slash valley that seemed
to go down forever； lined a dark green with Rocky Mountain pine and spruce。 The
pines fell away to gray cliffs of rock that dropped for hundreds of feet before
smoothing out。 She saw a waterfall spilling over one of them； the early
afternoon sun sparkling in it like a golden fish snared in a blue net。 They were
beautiful mountains but they were hard。 She did not think they would forgive
many mistakes。 An unhappy foreboding rose in her throat。 Further west in the
Sierra Nevada the Donner Party had bee snowbound and had resorted to
cannibalism to stay alive。 The mountains did not forgive many mistakes。
With a punch of the clutch and a jerk； Jack shifted down to first gear and
they labored upward； the bug's engine thumping gamely。
〃You know；〃 she said； 〃I don't think we've seen five cars since we came
through Sidewinder。 And one of them was the hotel limousine。〃
Jack nodded。 〃It goes right to Stapleton Airport in Denver。 There's already
some icy patches up beyond the hotel； Watson says； and they're forecasting more
snow for tomorrow up higher。 Anybody going through the mountains now wants to be
on one of the main roads； just in case。 That goddam Ullman better still be up
there。 I guess he will be。〃
〃You're sure the larder is fully stocked？〃 she asked； still thinking of the
Donners。
〃He said so。 He wanted Hallorann to go over it with you。 Hallorann's the
cook。〃
〃Oh；〃 she said faintly； looking at the speedometer。 It had dropped from
fifteen to ten miles an hour。
〃There's the top；〃 Jack said； pointing three hundred yards ahead。 〃There's a
scenic turnout and you can see the Overlook from there。 I'm going to pull off
the road and give the bug a chance to rest。〃 He craned over his shoulder at
Danny； who was sitting on a pile of blankets。 〃What do you think； doc？ We might
see some deer。 Or caribou。〃
〃Sure； Dad。〃
The VW labored up and up。 The speedometer dropped to just above the five…mile…
an…hour hashmark and was beginning to hitch when Jack pulled off the road
（〃What's that sign； Mommy？〃 〃SCENIC TURNOUT；〃 she read dutifully。）
and stepped on the emergency brake and let the VW run in neutral。
〃e on；〃 he said； and got out。
They walked to the guardrail together。
〃That's it；〃 Jack said； and pointed at eleven o'clock。
For Wendy； it was discovering truth in a cliché： her breath was taken away。
For a moment she was unable to breathe at all； the view had knocked the wind
from her。 They were standing near the top of one peak。 Across from them — who
knew how far？ — an even taller mountain reared into the sky； its jagged tip only
a silhouette that was now nimbused by the sun； which was beginning its decline。
The whole valley floor was spread out below them； the slopes that they had
climbed in the laboring bug falling away with such dizzying suddenness that she
knew to look down there for too long would bring on nausea and eventual
vomiting。 The imagination seemed to spring to full life in the clear air； beyond
the rein of reason； and to look was to helplessly see one's self plunging down
and down and down； sky and slopes changing places in slow cartwheels； the scream
drifting from your mouth like a lazy balloon as your hair and your dress
billowed out 。。。
She jerked her gaze away from the drop almost by force and followed Jack's
finger。 She could see the highway clinging to the side of this cathedral spire；
switching back on itself but always tending northwest； still climbing but at a
more gentle angle。 Further up； seemingly set directly into the slope itself； she
saw the grimly clinging pines give way to a wide square of green lawn and
standing in the middle of it； overlooking all this； the hotel。 The Overlook。
Seeing it； she found breath and voice again。
〃Oh； Jack； it's gorgeous！〃
〃Yes； it is；〃 he said。 〃Ullman says he thinks it's the single most beautiful
location in America。 I don't care much for him； but I think he might be 。。。
Danny！ Danny； are you all right？〃
She looked around for him and her sudden fear for him blotted out everything
else； stupendous or not。 She darted toward him。 He was holding onto the
guardrail and looking up at the hotel； his face a pasty gray color。 His eyes had
the blank look of someone on the verge of fainting。
She knelt beside him an