moment and then hurried on even faster。 The nearest lion was now only twenty
feet behind； breasting through the snow like a dog paddling in a pond。 The two
others were to its right and left； pacing it。 They were like an army platoon on
patrol； the dog； still off to their left； the scout。 The closest lion had its
head down。 The shoulders bunched powerfully above its neck。 The tail was up； as
if in the instant before he had turned to look it had been swishing back and
forth； back and forth。 He thought it looked like a great big housecat that was
having a good time playing with a mouse before killing it。
（ — falling — ）
No； if he fell he was dead。 They would never let him get up。 They would
pounce。 He pinwheeled his arms madly and lunged ahead； his center of gravity
dancing just beyond his nose。 He caught it and hurried on； snapping glances back
over his shoulder。 The air whistled in and out of his dry throat like hot glass。
The world closed down to the dazzling snow； the green hedges； and the whispery
sound of his snowshoes。 And something else。 A soft； muffled padding sound。 He
tried to hurry faster and couldn't。 He was walking over the buried driveway now；
a small boy with his face almost buried in the shadow of his parka hood。 The
afternoon was still and bright。
When he looked back again； the point lion was only five feet behind。 It was
grinning。 Its mouth was open； its haunches tensed down like a clockspring。
Behind it and the others he could see the rabbit； its head now sticking out of
the snow； bright green； as if it had turned its horrid blank face to watch the
end of the stalk。
Now； on the Overlook's front lawn between the circular drive and the porch； he
let the panic loose and began to run clumsily in the snowshoes； not daring to
look back now； tilting further and further forward； his arms out ahead of him
like a blind man feeling for obstacles。 His hood fell back； revealing his
plexion； paste white giving way to hectic red blotches on his cheeks； his
eyes bulging with terror。 The porch was very close now。
Behind him he heard the sudden hard crunch of snow as something leaped。
He fell on the porch steps； screaming without sound； and scrambled up them on
his hands and knees； snowshoes clattering and askew behind him。
There was a slashing sound in the air and sudden pain in his leg。 The ripping
sound of cloth。 Something else that might have — must have — been in his mind。
Bellowing； angry roar。
Smell of blood and evergreen。
He fell full…length on the porch； sobbing hoarsely； the rich； metallic taste
of copper in his mouth。 His heart was thundering in his chest。 There was a small
trickle of blood ing from his nose。
He had no idea how long he lay there before the lobby doors flew open and Jack
ran out； wearing just his jeans and a pair of slippers。 Wendy was behind him。
〃Danny！〃 she screamed。
〃Doc！ Danny； for Christ's sake！ What's wrong？ What happened？〃
Daddy was helping him up。 Below the knee his snowpants were ripped open。
Inside； his woollen ski sock had been ripped open and his calf had been
shallowly scratched 。。。 as if he had tried to push his way through a closely
grown evergreen hedge and the branches had clawed him。
He looked over his shoulder。 Far down the lawn； past the putting green； were a
number of vague； snow…cowled humps。 The hedge animals。 Between them and the
playground。 Between them and the road。
His legs gave way。 Jack caught him。 He began to cry。
》
THE LOBBY
He had told them everything except what had happened to him when the snow had
blocked the end of the concrete ring。 He couldn't bring himself to repeat that。
And he didn't know the right words to express the creeping； lassitudinous sense
of terror he had felt when he heard the dead aspen leaves begin to crackle
furtively down there in the cold darkness。 But he told them about the soft sound
of snow falling in clumps。 About the lion with its head and its bunched
shoulders working its way up and out of the snow to chase him。 He even told them
about how the rabbit had turned its head to watch near the end。
The three of them were in the lobby。 Jack had built a roaring blaze in the
fireplace。 Danny was bundled up in a blanket on the small sofa where once； a
million years ago； three nuns had sat laughing like girls while they waited for
the line at the desk to thin out。 He was sipping hot noodle soup from a mug。
Wendy sat beside him； stroking his hair。 Jack had sat on the floor； his face
seeming to grow more and more still； more and more set as Danny told his story。
Twice he pulled his handkerchief out of his back pocket and rubbed his
sorelooking lips with it。
〃Then they chased me；〃 he finished。 Jack got up and went over to the window；
his back to them。 He looked at his mommy。 〃They chased me all the way up to the
porch。〃 He was struggling to keep his voice calm； because if he stayed calm
maybe they would believe him。 Mr。 Stenger hadn't stayed calm。 He had started to
cry and hadn't been able to stop SO THE MEN IN THE WHITE COATS had e to take
him away because if you couldn't stop crying it meant you had LOST YOUR MARBLES
and when would you be back？ NO ONE KNOWS。 His parka and snowpants and the
clotted snowshoes lay on the rug just inside the big double doors。
（I won't cry I won't let myself cry）
And he thought he could do that； but he couldn't stop shaking。 He looked into
the fire and waited for Daddy to say something。 High yellow flames danced on the
dark stone hearth。 A pine…knot exploded with a bang and sparks rushed up the
flue。
〃Danny； e over here。〃 Jack turned around。 His face still had that pinched；
deathly look。 Danny didn't like to look at it。
〃Jack — 〃
〃I just want the boy over here for a minute。〃
Danny slipped off the sofa and came over beside his daddy。
〃Good boy。 Now what do you see？〃
Danny had known what he would see even before he got to the window。 Below the
clutter of boot tracks； sled tracks； and snowshoe tracks that marked their usual
exercise area； the snowfield that covered the Overlook's lawns sloped down to
the topiary and the playground beyond。 It was marred by two sets of tracks； one
of them in a straight line from the porch to the playground； the other a long；
looping line ing back up。
〃Only my tracks； Daddy。 But — 〃
〃What about the hedges； Danny？〃
Danny's lips began to tremble。 He was going to cry。 What if he couldn't stop？
（i won't cry I Won't Cry Won't Won't WON'T）
〃All covered with snow；〃 he whispered。 〃But； Daddy — 〃
〃What？ I couldn't hear you！〃
〃Jack； you're cross…examining him！ Can't you see he's upset； he's — 〃
〃Shut up！ Well； Danny？〃
〃They scratched me； Daddy。 My leg — 〃
〃You must have cut your leg on the crust of the snow。〃
Then Wendy was between them； her face pale and angry。 〃What are you trying to
make him do？〃 she asked him。 〃Confess to murder？ What's wrong with you？〃
The strangeness in his eyes seemed to break then。 〃I'm trying to help him find
the difference bet