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Danny's small hands groped at the bolt。 Wendy was too far away to help； the
issue of whether he would be locked in or free was going to be decided in two
seconds。 Danny missed his grip； found it again； and shot the bolt across just as
the latch began to jiggle madly up and down below it。 Then it stayed up and
there was a series of thuds as Jack slammed his shoulder against the door。 The
bolt； a quarter inch of steel in diameter； showed no signs of loosening。 Wendy
let her breath out slowly。
〃Let me out of here！〃 Jack raged。 〃Let me out！ Danny； doggone it； this is your
father and I want to get out！ Now do what I tell you！〃
Danny's hand moved automatically toward the bolt。 Wendy caught it and pressed
it between her breasts。
〃You mind your daddy； Danny！ You do what I say！ You do it or I'll give you a
hiding you'll never forget。 Open this door or I'll bash your fucking brains in！〃
Danny looked at her； pale as window glass。
They could hear his breath tearing in and out behind the half inch of solid
oak。
〃Wendy； you let me out！ Let me out right now！ You cheap pickle…plated cold…
cunt bitch！ You let me out！ I mean it！ Let me out of here and I'll let it go！ If
you don't； I'll mess you up！ I mean it！ I'll mess you up so bad your own mother
would pass you on the street！ Now open this door！〃
Danny moaned。 Wendy looked at him and saw he was going to faint in a moment。
〃e on； doc；〃 she said； surprised at the calmness of her own voices 〃It's
not your daddy talking； remember。 It's the hotel。〃
〃e hack here and let me out right NOW！〃 Jack screamed。 There was a
scraping； breaking sound as he attacked the inside of the door with his
fingernails。
〃It's the hotel；〃 Danny said。 〃It's the hotel。 I remember。〃 But he looked back
over his shoulder and his face was crumpled and terrified。
》
DANNY
It was three in the afternoon of a long； long day。
They were sitting on the big bed in their quarters。 Danny was turning the
purple VW model with the monster sticking out of the sun roof over and over in
his hands； pulsively。
They had heard Daddy's batterings at the door all the way across the lobby；
the batterings and his voice； hoarse and petulantly angry in a weak…king sort of
a way； vomiting promises of punishment； vomiting profanity； promising both of
them that they would live to regret betraying him after he had slaved his guts
out for them over the years。
Danny thought they would no longer be able to hear it upstairs； but the sounds
of his rage carried perfectly up the dumb…waiter shaft： Mommy's face was pale；
and there were horrible brownish bruises on her neck where Daddy had tried to。。。
He turned the model over and over in his hands； Daddy's prize for having
learned his reading lessons。
（。。。 where Daddy had tried to hug her too tight。）
Mommy put some of her music on the little record player； scratchy and full of
horns and flutes。 She smiled at him tiredly。 He tried to smile back and failed。
Even with the volume turned up loud he thought he could still hear Daddy
screaming at them and battering the pantry door like an animal in a zoo cage：
What if Daddy had to go to the bathroom？ What would he do then？
Danny began to cry。
Wendy turned the volume down on the record player at once； held him； rocked
him on her lap。
〃Danny； love； it will be all right。 It will。 If Mr。 Hallorann didn't get your
message； someone else will。 As soon as the storm is over。 No one could get up
here until then anyway。 Mr。 Hallorann or anyone else。 But when the storm is
over； everything will be fine again。 We'll leave here。 And do you know what
we'll do next spring？ The three of us？〃
Danny shook his head against her breasts。 He didn't know。 It seemed there
could never be spring again。
〃We'll go fishing。 We'll rent a boat and go fishing； just like we did last
year on Chatterton Lake。 You and me and your daddy。 And maybe you'll catch a
bass for our supper。 And maybe we won't catch anything； but we're sure to have a
good time。〃
〃I love you； Mommy；〃 he said； and hugged her。
〃Oh； Danny； I love you； too。〃
Outside； the wind whooped and screamed；
* * *
Around four…thirty； just as the daylight began to fail； the screams ceased。
They had both been dozing uneasily； Wendy still holding Danny in her arms； and
she didn't wake。 But Danny did。 Somehow the silence was worse； more ominous than
the screams and the blows against the strong pantry door。 Was Daddy asleep
again？ Or dead？ Or what？
（Did he get out？）
Fifteen minutes later the silence was broken by a hard； grating； metallic
rattle。 There was a heavy grinding； then a mechanical humming。 Wendy came awake
with a cry。
The elevator was running again。
They listened to it； wide…eyed； hugging each other。 It went from floor to
floor； the grate rattling back； the brass door slamming open。 There was
laughter； drunken shouts； occasional screams； and the sounds of breakage。
The Overlook was ing to life around them。
》
JACK
He sat on the floor of the pantry with his legs out in front of him； a box of
Triscuit crackers between them； looking at the door。 He was eating the crackers
one by one； not tasting them； only eating them because he had to eat something。
When he got out of here； he was going to need his strength。 All of it。
At this precise instant； he thought he had never felt quite so miserable in
his entire life。 His mind and body together made up a large…writ scripture of
pain。 His head ached terribly； the sick throb of a hangover。 The attendant
symptoms were there； too： his mouth tasted like a manure rake had taken a swing
through it； his ears rung； his heart had an extra…heavy； thudding beat； like a
tom…tom。 In addition； both shoulders ached fiercely from throwing himself
against the door and his throat felt raw and peeled from useless shouting。 He
had cut his right hand on the doorlatch。
And when he got out of here； he was going to kick some ass。
He munched the Triscuits one by one； refusing to give in to his wretched
stomach； which wanted to vomit up everything。 He thought of the Excedrins in his
pocket and decided to wait until his stomach had quieted a bit。 No sense
swallowing a painkiller if you were going to throw it right back up。 Have to use
your brain。 The celebrated Jack Torrance brain。 Aren't you the fellow who once
was going to live by his wits？ Jack Torrance； best…selling author。 Jack
Torrance； acclaimed playwright and winner of the New York Critics Circle Award。
John Torrance； man of letters； esteemed thinker； winner of the Pulitzer Prize at
seventy for his trenchant book of memoirs； My Life in the Twentieth Century。 All
any of that shit boiled down to was living by your wits。
Living by your wits is always knowing where the wasps are。
He put another Triscuit into his mouth and crunched it up。
What it really came down to； he supposed； was their lack of trust in him。
Their failure to believe that he knew what was best for them and how to get it。
His wife had tried to usurp him； first by fair
（sort of）
means； then by foul。 When her little hints and whining objections had been
overturned by his own well…reasoned arguments； she had turned his boy against
him； tried to kill him with a bottle； and then had locked him； of all places； in
the goddamned fucking pantry。
Still； a small interior voice nagged him。
（Yes but where did the liquor e from？ Isn't that really the central point？
You know what happens when you drink； you know it from bitter experience。 When
you drink； you lose your wits。）
He hurled the box of Triscuits across the small room。 They struck a shelf of
canned goods and fell to the floor。 He looked at the box； wiped his lips with
his hand； and then looked at his watch。 It was almost six…thirty。 He had been in
here for hours。 His wife had locked him in here and he'd been here for fucking
hours。
He could begin to sympathize with his father
The thing h