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Yet he could not equate these simple symbols with the shifting plex reality
of his mother； she satisfied his childish definition of eternity。 She had been
when he was not。 She would continue to be when he was not again。 He could accept
the possibility of his own death； he had dealt with that since the encounter in
Room 217。
But not hers。
Not Daddy's。
Not ever。
He began to struggle； and the darkness and the hallway began to waver。 Tony's
form became chimerical； indistinct。
〃Don't！〃 Tony called。 〃Don't； Danny； don't do that！〃
〃She's not going to be dead！ She's not！〃
〃Then you have to help her。 Danny 。。。 you're in a place deep down in your
own mind。 The place where I am。 I'm a part of you； Danny。〃
〃You're Tony。 You're not me。 I want my mommy * 。 。 I want my mommy。。。 〃
〃I didn't bring you here； Danny。 You brought yourself。 Because you knew。〃
〃No — 〃
〃You've always known；〃 Tony continued； and he began to walk closer。 For the
first time； Tony began to walk closer。 〃You're deep down in yourself in a place
where nothing es through。 We're alone here for a little while； Danny。 This is
an Overlook where no one can ever e。 No clocks work here。 None of the keys
fit them and they can never be wound up。 The doors have never been opened and no
one has ever stayed in the rooms。 But you can't stay long。 Because it's ing。〃
〃It 。。。〃 Danny whispered fearfully； and as he did so the irregular pounding
noise seemed to grow closer； louder。 His terror； cool and distant a moment ago；
became a more immediate thing。 Now the words could be made out。 Hoarse；
huckstering； they were uttered in a coarse imitation of his father's voice； but
it wasn't Daddy。 He knew that now。 He knew
（You brought yourself。 Because you knew。）
〃Oh Tony； is it my daddy？〃 Danny screamed。 〃Is it my daddy that's ing to
get me？〃
Tony didn't answer。 But Danny didn't need an answer。 He knew。 A long and
nightmarish masquerade party went on here； and had gone on for years。 Little by
little a force had accrued； as secret and silent as interest in a bank account。
Force； presence； shape； they were all only words and none of them mattered。 It
wore many masks； but it was all one。 Now； somewhere； it was ing for him。 It
was hiding behind Daddy's face； it was imitating Daddy's voice； it was wearing
Daddy's clothes。
But it was not his daddy。
It was not his daddy。
〃I've got to help them！〃 he cried。
And now Tony stood directly in front of him； and looking at Tony was like
looking into a magic mirror and seeing himself in ten years； the eyes widely
spaced and very dark； the chin firm； the mouth handsomely molded。 The hair was
light blond like his mother's； and yet the stamp on his features was that of his
father； as if Tony — as if the Daniel Anthony Torrance that would someday be —
was a halfling caught between father and son； a ghost of both； a fusion。
〃You have to try to help；〃 Tony said。 〃But your father。。。 he's with the
hotel now； Danny。 It's where he wants to be。 It wants you too； because it's very
greedy。〃
Tony walked past him； into the shadows；
〃Wait！〃 Danny cried。 〃What can I — 〃
〃He's close now；〃 Tony said； still walking away。 〃You'll have to run 。。。
hide 。。。 keep away from him。 Keep away。〃
〃Tony； I can'tl〃
〃But you've already started；〃 Tony said。 〃You will remember what your father
forgot。〃
He was gone。
And from somewhere near his father's voice came； coldly wheedling： 〃Danny？ You
can e out； doc。 Just a little spanking； that's all。 Take it like a man and it
will be all over。 We don't need her； doc。 Just you and me； right？ When we get
this little 。。。 spanking 。。。 behind us； it will be just you and me。〃
Danny ran。
Behind him； the thing's temper broke through the shambling charade of
normality。
〃e here； you little shit！ Right now！ 〃
Down a long hall； panting and gasping。 Around a corner。 Up a flight of stairs。
And as he went； the walls that had been so high and remote began to e down；
the rug which had only been a blur beneath his feet took on the familiar black
and blue pattern； sinuously woven together； the doors became numbered again and
behind them the parties that were all one went on and on； populated by
generations of guests。 The air seemed to be shimmering around him； the blows of
the mallet against the walls echoing and re…echoing。 He seemed to be bursting
through some thin placental womb from sleep to
* * *
the rug outside the Presidential Suite on the third floor； lying near him in a
bloody heap were the bodies of two men dressed in suits and narrow ties。 They
had been taken out by shotgun blasts and now they began to stir in front of him
and get up。
He drew in breath to scream but didn't。
（！！ FALSE FACES ！！ NOT REAL ！！）
They faded before his gaze like old photographs and were gone。
But below him； the faint sound of the mallet against the walls went on and on；
drifting up through the elevator shaft and the stairwell。 The controlling force
of the Overlook； in the shape of his father； blundering around on the first
floor。
A door opened with a thin screeing sound behind him。
A decayed woman in a rotten silk gown pranced out； her yellowed and splitting
fingers dressed with verdigris…caked rings。 Heavy…bodied wasps crawled
sluggishly over her face。
〃e in；〃 she whispered to him； grinning with black lips。 〃e in and we
will daance the taaaango 。。。〃
〃False face！〃 he hissed。 〃Not real！〃 She drew back from him in alarm； and in
the act of drawing back she faded and was gone。
〃Where are you？〃 it screamed； but the voice was still only in his head。 He
could still hear the thing that was wearing Jack's face down on the first floor
。。。 and something else。
The high； whining sound of an approaching motor。
Danny's breath stopped in his throat with a little gasp。 Was it just another
face of the hotel； another illusion？ Or was it Dick？ He wanted — wanted
desperately — to believe it was Dick； but he didn't dare take the chance。
He retreated down the main corridor； and then took one of the offshoots； his
feet whispering on the nap of the carpet。 Locked doors frowned down at him as
they had done in the dreams； the visions； only now he was in the world of real
things； where the game was played for keeps。
He turned to the right and came to a halt； his heart thudding heavily in his
chest。 Heat was blowing around his ankles。 From the registers； of course。 This
must have been Daddy's day to heat the west wing and
（You will remember what your father forgot。）
What was it？ He almost knew。 Something that might save him and Mommy？ But Tony
had said he would have to do it himself。 What was it？
He sank down against the wall； trying desperately to think。 It was so hard 。。。
the hotel kept trying to get into his head 。。。 the image of that dark and
slumped form swinging the mallet from side to side； gouging the wallpaper 。。。
sending out puffs of plaster dust。
〃Help me；〃 he muttered。 〃Tony； help me。〃
And suddenly he became aware that the hotel had grown deathly silent。 The
whining sound of the motor had stopped
（must not have been real）
and the sounds of the party had stopped and there was only the wind； howling
and whooping endlessly。
The elevator whirred into sudden life。
It was ing up。
And Danny knew who — what — was in it。
He bolted to his feet； eyes staring wildly。 Panic clutched around his heart。
Why had Tony sent him to the third floor？ He was trapped up here。 All the doors
were locked。
The attic！
There was an attic； he knew。 He had e up here with daddy the day he had
salted the rattraps around up there。 He hadn't allowed Danny to e up with him
because of the rats。 He was afraid Danny might be bitten。 But the trapdoor which
led to the attic was set into the ceiling of the last short corridor in this
wing。 There was a pole leaning against the wall。 Daddy had pushed the trapdoor
open with the pole； there had been a ratcheting whir of counterweights as the