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inexorably down from XII to V。 If you held your bead perfectly still you could
see that —
The clockface was gone。 In its place was a round black hole。 It led down into
forever。 It began to swell。 The clock was gone。 The room behind it。 Danny
tottered and then fell into the darkness that had been hiding behind the
clockface all along。
The small boy in the chair suddenly collapsed and lay in it at a crooked
unnatural angle； his head thrown back； his eyes staring sightlessly at the high
ballroom ceiling。
Down and down and down and down to —
— the hallway； crouched in the hallway； and he had made a wrong turn； trying
to get back to the stairs he had made a wrong turn and now AND NOW —
— he saw he was in the short dead…end corridor that led only to the
Presidential Suite and the booming sound was ing closer； the roque mallet
whistling savagely through the air； the head of it embedding itself into the
wall； cutting the silk paper； letting out small puffs of plaster dust。
（Goddammit； e out here！ Take your）
But there was another figure in the hallway。 Slouched nonchalantly against the
wall just behind him。 Like a ghost。
No； not a ghost； but all dressed in white。 Dressed in whites。
（I'll find you； you goddam little whoremastering RUNT！）
Danny cringed back from the sound。 ing up the main third…floor hall now。
Soon the owner of that voice would round the corner。
（e here！ e here； you little shit！）
The figure dressed in white straightened up a little； removed a cigarette from
the corner of his mouth； and plucked a shred of tobacco from his full lower lip。
It was Hallorann； Danny saw。 Dressed in his cook's whites instead of the blue
suit he had been wearing on closing day。
〃If there is trouble；〃 Hallorann said； 〃you give a call。 A big loud holler
like the one that knocked me back a few minutes ago。 I might hear you even way
down in Florida。 And if I do； I'll e on the run。 I'll e on the run。 I'll
e on the — 〃
（e now； then！ e now； e NOW！ Oh Dick I need you we all need）
〃 — run。 Sorry； but I got to run。 Sorry； Danny ole kid ole doc； but I got to
run。 It's sure been fun； you son of a gun； but I got to hurry； I got to run。〃
（No！）
But as he watched； Dick Hallorann turned； put his cigarette back into the
corner of his mouth； and stepped nonchalantly through the wall。
Leaving him alone。
And that was when the shadow…figure turned the corner； huge in the hallway's
gloom； only the reflected red of its eyes clear。
（There you are！ Now I've got you； you fuck！ Now I'll teach you！）
It lurched toward him in a horrible； shambling run； the roque mallet swinging
up and up and up。 Danny scrambled backward； screaming； and suddenly he was
through the wall and falling； tumbling over and over； down the hole； down the
rabbit hole and into a land full of sick wonders。
Tony was far below him； also falling。
（I can't e anymore； Danny 。。。 he won't let me near you 。。。 none of them
will let me near you 。。。 get Dick 。。 。 get Dick 。。。）
〃Tony！〃 he screamed。
But Tony was gone and suddenly he was in a dark room。 But not entirely dark。
Muted light spilling from somewhere。 It was Mommy and Daddy's bedroom。 He could
see Daddy's desk。 But the room was a dreadful shambles。 He had been in this room
before。 Mommy's record player overturned on the floor。 Her records scattered on
the rug。 The mattress half off the bed。 Pictures ripped from the walls。 His cot
lying on its side like a dead dog； the Violent Violet Volkswagen crushed to
purple shards of plastic。
The light was ing from the bathroom door； half…open。 Just beyond it a hand
dangled limply； blood dripping from the tips of the fingers。 And in the medicine
cabinet mirror； the word REDRUM flashing off and on。
Suddenly a huge clock in a glass bowl materialized in front of it。 There were
no hands or numbers on the clockface； only a date written in red： DECEMBER 2。
And then； eyes widening in horror； he saw the word REDRUM reflecting dimly from
the glass dome； now reflected twice。 And he saw that it spelled MURDER。
Danny Torrance screamed in wretched terror。 The date was gone from the
clockface。 The clockface itself was gone； replaced by a circular black hole that
swelled and swelled like a dilating iris。 It blotted out everything and he fell
forward； beginning to fall； falling； he was —
* * *
— falling off the chair。
For a moment he lay on the ballroom floor； breathing bard。
REDRUM。
MURDER。
REDRUM。
MURDER。
（The Red Death held sway over all！）
（Unmask！ Unmask！）
And behind each glittering lovely mask； the as…yet unseen face of the shape
that chased him down these dark hallways； its red eyes widening； blank and
homicidal。
Oh； he was afraid of what face might e to light when the time for unmasking
came around at last。
（DICK！）
he screamed with all his might。 His head seemed to shiver with the force of
it。
（！！！ OH DICK OH PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE E ！！！）
Above him the clock he had wound with the silver key continued to mark off the
seconds and minutes and hours。
P A R T F I V E
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Matters of
Life and Death
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
》
FLORIDA
Mrs。 Hallorann's third son； Dick； dressed in his cook's whites； a Lucky Strike
parked in the corner of his mouth； backed his reclaimed Cadillac limo out of its
space behind the One…A Wholesale Vegetable Mart and drove slowly around the
building。 Masterton； part owner now but still walking with the patented shuffle
he had adopted back before World War II； was pushing a bin of lettuces into the
high； dark building。
Hallorann pushed the button that lowered the passenger side window and
hollered： 〃Those avocadoes is too damn high； you cheapskate！〃
Masterton looked back over his shoulder； grinned widely enough to expose all
three gold teeth； and yelled back； 〃And I know exactly where you can put em； my
good buddy。〃
〃Remarks like that I keep track of； bro。〃
Masterton gave him the finger。 Hallorann returned the pliment。
〃Get your cukes； did you？〃 Masterton asked。
〃I did。〃
〃You e back early tomorrow； I gonna give you some of the nicest new
potatoes you ever seen。〃
〃I send the boy；〃 Hallorann said。 〃You in up tonight？〃
〃You supplyin the juice； bro？〃
〃That's a big ten…four。〃
〃I be there。 You keep that thing off the top end goin home； you hear me？ Every
cop between here an St。 Pete knows your name。〃
〃You know all about it； huh？〃 Hallorann asked； grinning。
〃I know more than you'll ever learn； my man。〃
〃Listen to this sassy nigger。 Would you listen？〃
〃Go on； get outta here fore I start throwin these lettuces。〃
〃Go on an throw em。 I'll take anything for free。〃
Masterton made as if to throw one。 Hallorann ducked； rolled up the window； and
drove on。 He was feeling fine。 For the last half hour or so he had been smelling
oranges； but he didn't find that queer。 For the last half hour he had been in a
fruit and vegetable market。
It was 4：30 p。m。； EST； the first day of December； Old Man Winter settling his
frostbitten rump firmly onto most of the country； but down here the men wore
open…throated shortsleeve shirts and the women were in light summer dresses and
shorts。 On top of the First Bank of Florida building； a digital thermometer
bordered with huge grapefruits was flashing 79° over and over。 Thank God for
Florida； Hallorann thought； mosquitoes and all。
In the back of the limo were two dozen avocados； a crate of cucumbers； ditto
oranges； di