unfortunate named Delbert Grady。 He moved into the quarters you and your wife
and son will be sharing。 He had a wife and two daughters。 I had reservations；
the main ones being the harshness of the winter season and the fact that the
Gradys would be cut off from the outside world for five to six months。〃
〃But that's not really true； is it？ There are telephones here； and probably a
citizen's band radio as well。 And the Rocky Mountain National Park is within
helicopter range and surely a piece of ground that big must have a chopper or
two。〃
〃I wouldn't know about that；〃 Ullman said。 〃The hotel does have a two…way
radio that Mr。 Watson will show you； along with a list of the correct
frequencies to broadcast on if you need help。 The telephone lines between here
and Sidewinder are still aboveground； and they go down almost every winter at
some point or other and are apt to stay down for three weeks to a month and a
half。 There is a snowmobile in the equipment shed also。〃
〃Then the place really isn't cut off。〃
Mr。 Ullman looked pained。 〃Suppose your son or your wife tripped on the stairs
and fractured his or her skull； Mr。 Torrance。 Would you think the place was cut
off then？〃
Jack saw the point。 A snowmobile running at top speed could get you down to
Sidewinder in an hour and a half 。。。 maybe。 A helicopter from the Parks Rescue
Service could get up here in three hours 。。。 under optimum conditions。 In a
blizzard it would never even be able to lift off and you couldn't hope to run a
snowmobile at top speed； even if you dared take a seriously injured person out
into temperatures that might be twenty…five below…or forty…five below； if you
added in the wind chill factor。
〃In the case of Grady；〃 Ullman said； 〃I reasoned much as Mr。 Shockley seems to
have done in your case。 Solitude can be damaging in itself。 Better for the man
to have his family with him。 If there was trouble； I thought； the odds were very
high that it would be something less urgent than a fractured skull or an
accident with one of the power tools or some sort of convulsion。 A serious case
of the flu； pneumonia； a broken arm； even appendicitis。 Any of those things
would have left enough time。
〃I suspect that what happened came as a result of too much cheap whiskey； of
which Grady had laid in a generous supply； unbeknownst to me； and a curious
condition which the old…timers call cabin fever。 Do you know the term？〃 Ullman
offered a patronizing little smile； ready to explain as soon as Jack admitted
his ignorance； and Jack was happy to respond quickly and crisply。
〃It's a slang term for the claustrophobic reaction that can occur when people
are shut in together over long periods of time。 The feeling of claustrophobia is
externalized as dislike for the people you happen to be shut in with。 In extreme
cases it can result in hallucinations and violence — murder has been done over
such minor things as a burned meal or an argument about whose turn it is to do
the dishes。〃
Ullman looked rather nonplussed； which did Jack a world of good。 He decided to
press a little further； but silently promised Wendy he would stay cool。
〃I suspect you did make a mistake at that。 Did he hurt them？〃
〃He killed them； Mr。 Torrance； and then mitted suicide。 He murdered the
little girls with a hatchet； his wife with a shotgun； and himself the same way。
His leg was broken。 Undoubtedly so drunk he fell downstairs。〃
Ullman spread his hands and looked at Jack self…righteously。
〃Was he a high school graduate？〃
〃As a matter of fact； he wasn't；〃 Ullman said a little stiffly。 〃I thought a；
shall we say； less imaginative individual would be less susceptible to the
rigors； the loneliness — 〃
〃That was your mistake；〃 Jack said。 〃A stupid man is more prone to cabin fever
just as he's more prone to shoot someone over a card game or mit a spur…of…
the…moment robbery。 He gets bored。 When the snow es； there's nothing to do
but watch TV or play solitaire and cheat when he can't get all the aces out。
Nothing to do but bitch at his wife and nag at the kids and drink。 It gets hard
to sleep because there's nothing to hear。 So he drinks himself to sleep and
wakes up with a hangover。 He gets edgy。 And maybe the telephone goes out and the
TV aerial blows down and there's nothing to do but think and cheat at solitaire
and get edgier and edgier。 Finally。。。 boom； boom； boom。〃
〃Whereas a more educated man； such as yourself？〃
〃My wife and I both like to read。 I have a play to work on； as Al Shockley
probably told you。 Danny has his puzzles； his coloring books； and his crystal
radio。 I plan to teach him to read； and I also want to teach him to snowshoe。
Wendy would like to learn how； too。 Oh yes； I think we can keep busy and out of
each other's hair if the TV goes on the fritz。〃 He paused。 〃And Al was telling
the truth when he told you I no longer drink。 I did once； and it got to be
serious。 But I haven't had so much as a glass of beer in the last fourteen
months。 I don't intend to bring any alcohol up here； and I don't think there
will be an opportunity to get arty after the snow flies。〃
〃In that you would be quite correct；〃 Ullman said。 〃But as long as the three
of you are up here； the potential for problems is multiplied。 I have told Mr。
Shockley this； and he told me he would take the responsibility。 Now I've told
you； and apparently you are also willing to take the responsibility — 〃
〃I am。〃
〃All right。 I'll accept that； since I have little choice。 But I would still
rather have an unattached college boy taking a year off。 Well； perhaps you'll
do。 Now I'll turn you over to Mr。 Watson； who will take you through the basement
and around the grounds。 Unless you have further questions？〃
〃No。 None at all。〃
Ullman stood。 〃I hope there are no hard feelings； Mr。 Torrance。 There is
nothing personal in the things I have said to you。 I only want what's best for
the Overlook。 It is a great hotel。 I want it to stay that way。〃
〃No。 No hard feelings。〃 Jack flashed the PR grin again； but he was glad Ullman
didn't offer to shake hands。 There were hard feelings。 All kinds of them。
》
BOULDER
She looked out the kitchen window and saw him just sitting there on the curb；
not playing with his trucks or the wagon or even the balsa glider that had
pleased him so much all the last week since Jack had brought it home。 He was
just sitting there； watching for their shopworn VW； his elbows planted on his
thighs and his chin propped in his hands； a five…year…old kid waiting for his
daddy。
Wendy suddenly felt bad； almost crying bad。
She hung the dish towel over the bar by the sink and went downstairs；
buttoning the top two buttons of her house dress。 Jack and his pride！ Hey no；
Al； I don't need an advance。 I'm okay for a while。 The hallway walls were gouged
and marked with crayons； grease pencil； spray paint。 The stairs were steep and
splintery。 The whole building smelled of sour age； and what sort of place was
this for Danny after the small neat brick house i