from his brow。
〃Because Uncle Al got you the job。 And I couldn't figure out how it was good
for you here and bad for you here at the same time。 It was 。。。〃 He looked at
them for help。 He did not have the necessary word。
〃A dilemma？〃 Wendy asked gently。 〃When neither choice seems any good？〃
〃Yes； that。〃 He nodded； relieved。
Wendy said： 〃The day that you trimmed the hedges； Danny and I had a talk in
the truck。 The day the first real snow came。 Remember？〃
Jack nodded。 The day he had trimmed the hedges was very clear in his mind。
Wendy sighed。 〃I guess we didn't talk enough。 Did we； doc？〃
Danny； the picture of woe； shook his head。
〃Exactly what did you talk about？〃 Jack asked。 〃I'm not sure how much I like
my wife and son — 〃
〃 — discussing how much they love you？〃
〃Whatever it was； I don't understand it。 I feel like I came into a movie just
after the intermission。〃
〃We were discussing you；〃 Wendy said quietly。 〃And maybe we didn't say it all
in words； but we both knew。 Me because I'm your wife and Danny because he 。。。
just understands things。〃
Jack was silent。
〃Danny said it just right。 The place seemed good for you。 You were away from
all the pressures that made you so unhappy at Stovington。 You were your own
boss； working with your hands so you could save your brain — all of your brain —
for your evenings writing。 Then 。。。 I don't know just when 。。。 the place
began to seem bad for you。 Spending all that time down in the cellar； sifting
through those old papers； all that old history。 Talking in your sleep — 〃
〃In my sleep？〃 Jack asked。 His face wore a cautious； startled expression。 〃I
talk in my sleep？〃
〃Most of it is slurry。 Once I got up to use the bathroom and you were saying；
'To hell with it； bring in the slots at least； no one will know； no one will
ever know。' Another time you woke me right up； practically yelling； ‘Unmask；
unmask； unmask。〃'
〃Jesus Christ；〃 he said； and rubbed a hand over his face。 He looked ill。
〃All your old drinking habits； too。 Chewing Excedrin。 Wiping your mouth all
the time。 Cranky in the morning。 And you haven't been able to finish the play
yet； have you？〃
〃No。 Not yet； but it's only a matter of time。 I've been thinking about
something else 。。。 a new project — 〃
〃This hotel。 The project Al Shockley called you about。 The one he wanted you
to drop。〃
〃How do you know about that？〃 Jack barked。 〃Were you listening in？ You — 〃
〃No；〃 she said。 〃I couldn't have listened in if I'd wanted to； and you'd know
that if you were thinking straight。 Danny and I were downstairs that night。 The
switchboard is shut down。 Our phone upstairs was the only one in the hotel that
was working； because it's patched directly into the outside line。 You told me so
yourself。〃
〃Then how could you know what Al told me？〃
〃Danny told me。 Danny knew。 The same way he sometimes knows when things are
misplaced； or when people are thinking about divorce。〃
〃The doctor said — 〃
She shook her head impatiently。 〃The doctor was full of shit and we both know
it。 We've known it all the time。 Remember when Danny said he wanted to see the
firetrucks？ That was no hunch。 He was just a baby。 He knows things。 And now I'm
afraid 。。。〃 She looked at the bruises on Danny's neck。
〃Did you really know Uncle Al had called me； Danny？〃
Danny nodded。 〃He was really mad； Daddy。 Because you called Mr。 Ullman and Mr。
Ullman called him。 Uncle Al didn't want you to write anything about the hotel。〃
〃Jesus；〃 Jack said again。 〃The bruises； Danny。 Who tried to strangle you？〃
Danny's face went dark。 〃Her；〃 he said。 〃The woman in that room。 In 217。 The
dead lady。〃 His lips began to tremble again； and he seized the teacup and drank。
Jack and Wendy exchanged a scared look over his bowed head。
〃Do you know anything about this？〃 he asked her。
She shook her head。 〃Not about this； no。〃
〃Danny？〃 He raised the boy's frightened face。 〃Try； son。 We're right here。〃
〃I knew it was bad here；〃 Danny said in a low voice。 〃Ever since we were in
Boulder。 Because Tony gave me dreams about it。〃
〃What dreams？〃
〃I can't remember everything。 He showed me the Overlook at night； with a skull
and crossbones on the front。 And there was pounding。 Something 。。。 I don't
remember what 。 。chasing after me。 A monster。 Tony showed me about redrum。〃
〃What's that； doc？〃 Wendy asked。
He shook his head。 〃I don't know。〃
〃Rum； like yo…ho…ho and a bottle of rum？〃 Jack asked。
Danny shook his head again。 〃I don't know。 Then we got here； and Mr。 Hallorann
talked to me in his car。 Because he has the shine； too。〃
〃Shine？〃
〃It's 。。。〃 Danny made a sweeping； all…enpassing gesture with his hands。
〃It's being able to understand things。 To know things。 Sometimes you see things。
Like me knowing Uncle Al called。 And Mr。 Hallorann knowing you call me doc。 Mr。
Hallorann； he was peeling potatoes in the Army when he knew his brother got
killed in a train crash。 And when he called home it was true。〃
〃Holy God；〃 Jack whispered。 〃You're not making this up； are you； Dan？〃
Danny shook his head violently。 〃No； I swear to God。〃 Then； with a touch of
pride he added： 〃Mr。 Hallorann said I had the best shine of anyone he ever met。
We could talk back and forth to each other without hardly opening our mouths。〃
His parents looked at each other again； frankly stunned。
〃Mr。 Hallorann got me alone because he was worried；〃 Danny went on。 〃He said
this was a bad place for people who shine。 He said he'd seen things。 I saw
something； too； Right after I talked to him。 When Mr。 Ullman was taking us
around。〃
〃What was it？〃 Jack asked。
〃In the Presidential Sweet。 On the wall by the door going into the bedroom。 A
whole lot of blood and some other stuff。 Gushy stuff。 I think 。。。 that the
gushy stuff must have been brains。〃
〃Oh my God；〃 Jack said。
Wendy was now very pale； her lips nearly gray。
〃This place；〃 Jack said。 〃Some pretty bad types owned it awhile back。
Organization people from Las Vegas。〃
〃Crooks？〃 Danny asked。
〃Yeah； crooks。〃 He looked at Wendy。 〃In 1966 a big…time hood named Vito
Gienelli got killed up there； along with his two bodyguards。 There was a picture
in the newspaper。 Danny just described the picture。〃
〃Mr。 Hallorann said he saw some other stuff；〃 Danny told them。 〃Once about the
playground。 And once it was something bad in that room。 217。 A maid saw it and
lost her job because she talked about it。 So Mr。 Hallorann went up and he saw it
too。 But he didn't talk about it because he didn't want to lose his job。 Except
he told me never to go in there。 But I did。 Because I believed him when he said
the things you saw here couldn't hurt you。〃 This last was nearly whispered in a
low； husky voice； and Danny touched the puffed circle of bruises on his neck。
〃What about the playground？〃 Jack asked in a strange； casual voice。
〃I don't know。 The playground； he said。 And the hedge animals。〃
Jack jumped a little； and Wendy looked at him curiously。
〃Have you seen anything down there； Jack