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lawyer。　Then　both　of　them　ganged　up　on　old　Archer　Houghton；　which　is　the　county　
coroner；　and　got　him　to　change　the　verdict　to　accidental　death。　Heart　attack。　
Now　ole　Archer's　driving　a　Chrysler。　I　don't　begrudge　him。　A　man's　got　to　take　
it　where　he　finds　it；　especially　when　he　starts　gettin　along　in　years。〃　
　　Out　came　the　bandanna。　Honk。　Peek。　Out　of　sight。　
　　〃So　what　happens？　About　a　week　later　this　stupid　cunt　of　a　chambermaid；　
Delores　Vickery　by　name；　she　gives　out　with　a　helluva　shriek　while　she's　makin　
up　the　room　where　those　two　stayed；　and　she　faints　dead　away。　When　she　es　to　
she　says　she　seen　the　dead　woman　in　the　bathroom；　layin　naked　in　the　tub。　'Her　
face　was　all　purple　an　puffy。'　she　says；　'an　she　was　grinnin　at　me。'　So　Ullman　
gave　her　two　weeks'　worth　of　walking　papers　and　told　her　to　get　lost。　I　figure　
there's　maybe　forty…fifty　people　died　in　this　hotel　since　my　grandfather　opened　
it　for　business　in　1910。〃　
　　He　looked　shrewdly　at　Jack。　
　　〃You　know　how　most　of　em　go？　Heart　attack　or　stroke；　while　they're　bangin　the　
lady　they're　with。　That's　what　these　resorts　get　a　lot　of；　old　types　that　want　
one　last　fling。　They　e　up　here　to　the　mountains　to　pretend　they're　twenty　
again。　Sometimes　somethin　gives；　and　not　all　the　guys　who　ran　this　place　was　as　
good　as　Ullman　is　at　keepin　it　out　of　the　papers。　So　the　Overlook's　got　a　
reputation；　yeah。　I'll　bet　the　fuckin　Biltmore　in　New　York　City　has　got　a　
reputation；　if　you　ask　the　right　people。〃　
　　〃But　no　ghosts？〃　
　　〃Mr。　Torrance；　I've　worked　here　all　my　life。　I　played　here　when　I　was　a　kid　no　
older'n　your　boy　in　that　wallet　snapshot　you　showed　me。　I　never　seen　a　ghost　
yet。　You　want　to　e　out　back　with　me；　I'll　show　you　the　equipment　shed。〃　
　　〃Fine。〃　
　　As　Watson　reached　up　to　turn　off　the　light；　Jack　said；　〃There　sure　are　a　lot　
of　papers　down　here。〃　
　　〃Oh；　you're　not　kiddin。　Seems　like　they　go　back　a　thousand　years。　Newspapers　
and　old　invoices　and　bills　of　lading　and　Christ　knows　what　else。　My　dad　used　to　
keep　up　with　them　pretty　good　when　we　had　the　old　wood…burning　furnace；　but　now　
they've　got　all　out　of　hand。　Some　year　I　got　to　get　a　boy　to　haul　them　down　to　
Sidewinder　and　burn　em。　If　Ullman　will　stand　the　expense。　I　guess　he　will　if　I　
holler　‘rat'　loud　enough。〃　
　　〃Then　there　are　rats？〃　
　　〃Yeah；　I　guess　there's　some。　I　got　the　traps　and　the　poison　Mr。　Ullman　wants　
you　to　use　up　in　the　attic　and　down　here。　You　keep　a　good　eye　on　your　boy；　Mr。　
Torrance。　You　wouldn't　want　nothing　to　happen　to　him。〃　
　　〃No；　I　sure　wouldn't。〃　ing　from　Watson　the　advice　didn't　sting。　
　　They　went　to　the　stairs　and　paused　there　for　a　moment　while　Watson　blew　his　
nose　again。　
　　〃You'll　find　all　the　tools　you　need　out　there　and　some　you　don't；　I　guess。　And　


　
　
there's　the　shingles。　Did　Ullman　tell　you　about　that？〃　
　　〃Yes；　he　wants　part　of　the　west　roof　reshingled。〃　
　　〃Hell　get　all　the　for…free　out　of　you　that　he　can；　the　fat　little　prick；　and　
then　whine　around　in　the　spring　about　how　you　didn't　do　the　job　half　right。　I　
told　him　once　right　to　his　face；　I　said　。。。〃　
　　Watson's　words　faded　away　to　a　forting　drone　as　they　mounted　the　stairs。　
Jack　Torrance　looked　back　over　his　shoulder　once　into　the　impenetrable；　musty…　
smelling　darkness　and　thought　that　if　there　was　ever　a　place　that　should　have　
ghosts；　this　was　it。　He　thought　of　Grady；　locked　in　by　the　soft；　implacable　
snow；　going　quietly　berserk　and　mitting　his　atrocity。　Did　they　scream？　he　
wondered。　Poor　Grady；　feeling　it　close　in　on　him　more　every　day；　and　knowing　at　
last　that　for　him　spring　would　never　e。　He　shouldn't　have　been　here。　And　he　
shouldn't　have　lost　his　temper。　
　　As　he　followed　Watson　through　the　door；　the　words　echoed　back　to　him　like　a　
knell；　acpanied　by　a　sharp　snap…like　a　breaking　pencil　lead。　Dear　God；　he　
could　use　a　drink。　Or　a　thousand　of　them。　
　
　
　
　
》　
　
　
SHADOWLAND　
　
　
　　Danny　weakened　and　went　up　for　his　milk　and　cookies　at　quarter　past　four。　He　
gobbled　them　while　looking　out　the　window；　then　went　in　to　kiss　his　mother；　who　
was　lying　down。　She　suggested　that　he　stay　in　and　watch　〃Sesame　Street〃　—　the　
time　would　pass　faster　—　but　he　shook　his　head　firmly　and　went　back　to　his　place　
on　the　curb。　
　　Now　it　was　five　o'clock；　and　although　he　didn't　have　a　watch　and　couldn't　tell　
time　too　well　yet　anyway；　he　was　aware　of　passing　time　by　the　lengthening　of　the　
shadows；　and　by　the　golden　cast　that　now　tinged　the　afternoon　light。　
　　Turning　the　glider　over　in　his　hands；　he　sang　under　his　breath：　〃Skip　to　m　
Lou；　n　I　don't　care　。。。　skip　to　m　Lou；　n　I　don't　care　。。。　my　master's　gone　
away　。。。　Lou；　Lou；　skip　to　In　Lou。。。〃　
　　They　had　sung　that　song　all　together　at　the　Jack　and　Jill　Nursery　School　he　
had　gone　to　back　in　Stovington。　He　didn't　go　to　nursery　school　out　here　because　
Daddy　couldn't　afford　to　send　him　anymore。　He　knew　his　mother　and　father　worried　
about　that；　worried　that　it　was　adding　to　his　loneliness　（and　even　more　deeply；　
unspoken　between　them；　that　Danny　blamed　them）；　but　he　didn't　really　want　to　go　
to　that　old　Jack　and　Jill　anymore。　It　was　for　babies。　He　wasn't　quite　a　big　kid　
yet；　but　he　wasn't　a　baby　anymore。　Big　kids　went　to　the　big　school　and　got　a　hot　
lunch。　First　grade。　Next　year。　This　year　was　someplace　between　being　a　baby　and　
a　real　kid。　It　was　all　right。　He　did　miss　Scott　and　Andy…mostly　Scott…but　it　was　
still　all　right。　It　seemed　best　to　wait　alone　for　whatever　might　happen　next。　


　
　
　　He　understood　a　great　many　things　about　his　parents；　and　he　knew　that　many　
times　they　didn't　like　his　understandings　and　many　other　times　refused　to　
believe　them。　But　someday　they　would　have　to　believe。　He　was　content　to　wait。　
　　It　was　too　bad　they　couldn't　believe　more；　though；　especially　at　times　like　
now。　Mommy　was　lying　on　her　bed　in　the　apartment；　just　about　crying　she　was　so　
worried　about　Daddy。　Some　of　the　things　she　was　worried　about　were　too　grown…up　
for　Danny　to　understand…vague　things　that　had　to　do　with　security；　with　Daddy's　
selfimage　feelings　of　guilt　and　anger　and　the　fear　of　what　was　to　bee　of　
them…but　the　two　main　things　on　her　mind　right　now　were　that　Daddy　had　had　a　
breakdown　in　the　mountains　（then　why　doesn't　he　call？）　or　that　Daddy　had　gone　
off　to　do　the　Bad　Thing。　Danny　knew　perfectly　well　what　the　Bad　Thing　was　since　
Scotty　Aaronson；　who　was　six　months　older；　had　explained　it　to　him。　Scotty　knew　
because　his　daddy　did　the　Bad　Thing；　too。　Once；　Scotty　told　him；　his　daddy　had　
punched　his　mom　right　in　the　eye　and　knocked　her　down。　Finally；　Scotty's　dad　and　
mom　had　gotten　a　DIVORCE　over　the　Bad　Thing；　and　when　Danny　had　known　him；　
Scotty　lived　with　his　mother　and　only　saw　his　daddy　on　weekends。　The　greatest　
terror　of　Danny's　life　was　DIVORCE；　a　word　that　always　appeared　in　his　mind　as　a　
sign　painted　in　red　letters　which　were　covered　with　hissing；　poisonous　snakes。　
In　DIVORCE；　your　parents　no　longer　lived　together。　They　had　a　tug　of　war　over　
you　in　a　court　（tennis　court？　badminton　court？　Danny　wasn't　sure　which　or　if　it　
was　some　other；　but　Mommy　and　Daddy　had　played　both　tennis　and　badminton　at　
Stovington；　so　he　assumed　it　could　be　either）　and　you　had　to　go　with　one　of　them　
and　you　practically　never　saw　the　other　one；　and　the　one　you　were　with　could　
marry　somebody　you　didn't　even　know　if　the　urge　came　on　them。　The　most　
terrifying　thing　about　DIVORCE　was　that　he　had　sensed　the　word…or　concept；　or　
whatever　it　was　that　came　to　him　in　his　understandings…floating　around　in　his　
own　parents'　heads；　sometimes　diffuse　and　relatively　distant；　sometimes　as　thick　
and　obscuring　and　frightening　as　thunderheads。　It　had　been　that　way　after　Daddy　
punished　him　for　messing　the　papers　up　in　his　study　and　the　doctor　had　to　put　
his　arm　in　a　cast。　That　memory　was　already　faded；　but　the　memory　of　the　DIVORCE　
thoughts　was　clear　and　terrifying。　It　had　mostly　been　around　his　mommy　that　
time；　and　he　had　been　in　constant　terror　that　she　would　pluck　the　word　from　her　
brain　and　drag　it　out　of　her　mouth；　making　it　real。　DIVORCE。　It　was　a　constant　
undercurrent　in　their　thoughts；　one　of　the　few　he　could　always　pick　up；　like　the　
beat　of　simple　music。　But　like　a　beat；　the　central　thought　formed　only　the　spine　
of　more　plex　thoughts；　thoughts　he　could　not　as　yet　even　begin　to　interpret。　
They　came　to　him　only　as　colors　and　moods。　Mommy's　DIVORCE　thoughts　centered　
around　what　Daddy　had　done　to　his　arm；　and　what　had　happened　at　Stovington　when　
Daddy　lost　his　job。　That　boy。　That　George　Hatfield　who　got　pissed　off　at　Daddy　
and　put　the　holes　in　their　bug's　feet。　Daddy's　DIVORCE　thoughts　were　more　
plex；　colored　dark　violet　and　shot　through　with　frightening　veins　of　pure　
black。　He　seemed　to　think　they　would　be　better　off　if　he　left。　That　things　would　
stop　hurting。　His　daddy　hurt　almost　all　the　time；　mostly　about　the　Bad　Thing。　
Danny　could　almost　always　pick　that　up　too：　Daddy's　constant　craving　to　go　into　
a　dark　place　and　watch　a　color　TV　and　eat　peanuts　out　of　a　bowl　and　do　the　Bad　
Thing　until　his　brain　would　be　quiet　and　leave　him　alone。　
　　But　this　afternoon　his　mother　had　no　need　to　worry　and　he　wished　he　could　go　
to　her　and　tell　her　that。　The　bug　had　not　broken　down。　Daddy　was　not　off　


　
　
somewhere　doing　the　Bad　Thing。　He　was　almost　home　now；　put…putting　along　the　
highway　between　Lyons　and　Boulder。　For　the　moment　his　daddy　wasn't　even　thinking　
about　the　Bad　Thing。　He　was　thinking　about　。。。about。。。　
　　Danny　looked　furtively　behind　him　at　the　kitchen　window。　Sometimes　thinking　
very　hard　made　something　happen　to　him。　It　made　things　—　real　things　—　go　away；　
and　then　he　saw　things　that　weren't　there。　Once；　not　long　after　they　put　the　
cast　on　his　arm；　this　had　happened　at　the　supper　table。　They　weren't　talking　
much　to　each　other　then。　But　they　were　thinking。　Oh　yes。　The　thoughts　of　DIVORCE　
hung　over　the　kitchen　table　like　a　cloud　full　of　black　rain；　pregnant；　ready　to　
burst。　It　was　so　bad　he　couldn't　eat。　The　thought　of　eating　with　all　that　black　
DIVORCE　around　made　him　want　to　throw　up。　And　because　it　had　seemed　desperately　
important；　he　had　thrown　himself　fully　into　concentration　and　something　had　
happened。　When　he　came　back　to　real　things；　he　was　lying　on　the　floor　with　beans　
and　mashed　potatoes　in　his　lap　and　his　mommy　was　holding　him　and　crying　and　
Daddy　had　been　on　the　phone。　He　had　been　frightened；　had　tried　to　explain　to　
them　that　there　was　nothing　wrong。　that　this　sometimes　happened　to　him　when　he　
concentrated　on　understanding　more　than　what　normallv　came　to　him。　He　tried　to　
explain　about　Tony；　who　they　called　his　〃invisible　playmate。〃　
　　His　father　had　said：　〃He's　having　a　Ha　Loo　Sin　Nation。　He　seems　okay；　but　I　
want　the　doctor　to　look　at　him　anyway。〃　
　　After　the　doctor　left；　Mommy　had　made　him　promise　to　never　do　that　again；　to　
never　scare　them　that　way；　and　Danny　had　agreed。　He　was　frightened　himself。　
Because　when　he　bad　concentrated　his　mind；　it　had　flown　out　to　his　daddy；　and　
for　just　a　moment；　before　Tony　had　appeared　（far　away；　as　be　always　did；　calling　
distantly）　and　the　strange　things　had　blotted　out　their　kitchen　and　the　carved　
roast　on　the　blue　plate；　for　just　a　moment　his　own　consciousness　had　plunged　
through　his　daddy's　darkness　to　an　inprehensible　word　much　more　frightening　
than　DIVORCE；　and　that　word　was　SUICIDE。　Danny　had　never　e　across　it　again　in　
his　daddy's　mind；　and　he　had　certainly　not　gone　looking　for　it。　He　didn't　care　
if　he　never　found　out　exactly　what　that　word　meant。　
　　But　he　did　like　to　concentrate；　because　sometimes　Tony　would　e。　Not　every　
time。　Sometimes　things　just　got　woozy　and　swimmy　for　a　minute　and　then　cleared　—　　
most　times；　in　fact　—　but　at　other　times　Tony　would　appear　at　the　very　limit　of　
his　vision；　calling　distantly　and　beckoning　。。。　
　　It　had　happened　twice　since　they　moved　to　Boulder；　and　he　remembered　how　
surprised　and　pleased　he　had　been　to　find　Tony　had　followed　him　all　the　way　from　
Vermont。　So　all　his　friends　hadn't　been　left　behind　after　all。　
　　The　first　time　he　had　been　out　in　the　back　yard　and　nothing　much　had　happened。　
Just　Tony　beckoning　and　then　darkness　and　a　few　minutes　l