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d the edge of the grounds。 He curled his fingers through the links and looked through； the sun crosshatching shadow…lines on his face like a man behind bars。 He recognized the similarity himself and he shook the chain link； put a harried expression on his face； and whispered： 〃Lemme outta here！ Lemme outta here！〃 But for the third time； not funny。 It was time to get back to work。
That was when he heard the sound behind him。
He turned around quickly； frowning； embarrassed； wondering if someone had seen him fooling around down here in kiddie country。 His eyes ticked off the slides； the opposing angles of the seesaws； the swings in which only the wind sat。
Beyond all that to the gate and the low fence that divided the playground from the lawn and the topiary…the lions gathered protectively around the path； the rabbit bent over as if to crop grass； the buffalo ready to charge； the crouching dog。 Beyond them； the putting green and the hotel itself。 From here he could even see the raised lip of the roque court on the Overlook's western side。
Everything was just as it had been。 So why had the flesh of his face and hands begun to creep； and why bad the hair along the back of his neck begun to stand up； as if the flesh back there had suddenly tightened？
He squinted up at the hotel again； but that was no answer。 It simply stood there； its windows dark； a tiny thread of smoke curling from the chimney； ing from the banked fire in the lobby。
（Buster； you better get going or they're going to e back and wonder if you were doing anything all the while。） Sure； get going。 Because the snow was ing and he had to get the damn hedges trimmed。 It was part of the agreement。 Besides； they wouldn't dare （Who wouldn't？ What wouldn't？ Dare do what？） He began to walk back toward the hedge…clipper at the foot of the big kids' slide； and the sound of his feet crunching on the crushed stone seemed abnormally loud。 Now the flesh on his testicles had begun to creep too； and his buttocks felt hard and heavy； like stone。
（Jesus； what is this？） He stopped by the hedge…clipper； but made no move to pick it up。 Yes； there was something different。 In the topiary。 And it was so simple； so easy to see； that he just wasn't picking it up。 e on； he scolded himself； you just trimmed the fucking rabbit； so what's the （that's it） His breath stopped in his throat。
The rabbit was down on all fours； cropping grass。 Its belly was against the ground。 But not ten minutes ago it had been up on its hind legs； of course it had been； he had trimmed its ears 。 。 。 and its belly。
His eyes darted to the dog。 When he had e down the path it had been sitting up； as if begging for a sweet。 Now it was crouched； head tilted； the clipped wedge of mouth seeming to snarl silently。 And the lions… （oh no； baby； oh no； uh…uh； no way） the lions were closer to the path。 The two on his right had subtly changed positions； had drawn closer together。 The tail of the one on the left now almost jutted out over the path。 When he had e past them and through the gate； that lion had been on the right and he was quite sure its tail had been curled around it。
They were no longer protecting the path； they were blocking it。
Jack put his hand suddenly over his eyes and then took it away。 The picture didn't change。 A soft sigh； too quiet to be a groan； escaped him。 In his drinking days he had always been afraid of something like this happening。 But when you were a heavy drinker you called it the DTs…good old Ray Milland in Lost Weekend； seeing the bugs ing out of the walls。
What did you call it when you were cold sober？
The question was meant to be rhetorical； but his mind answered it （you call it insanity） nevertheless。
Staring at the hedge animals； he realized something had changed while he had his hand over his eyes。 The dog had moved closer。 No longer crouching； it seemed to be in a running posture； haunches flexed； one front leg forward； the other back。 The hedge mouth yawned wider； the pruned sticks looked sharp and vicious。
And now he fancied he could see faint eye indentations in the greenery as well。
Looking at him。
Why do they have to be trimmed？ he thought hysterically。 They're perfect。
Another soft sound。 He involuntarily backed up a step when he looked at the lions。 One of the two on the right seemed to have drawn slightly ahead of the other。 Its head was lowered。 One paw had stolen almost all the way to the low fence。 Dear God； what next？
（next it leaps over and gobbles you up like something in an evil nursery fable） It was like that game they had played when they were kids； red light。 One person was 〃it；〃 and while he turned his back and counted to ten； the other players crept forward。 When 〃it〃 got to ten； he whirled around and if he caught anyone moving； they were out of the game。 The others remained frozen in statue postures until 〃it〃 turned his back and counted again。 They got closer and closer； and at last； somewhere between five and ten； you would feel a hand on your back。 。 。
Gravel rattled on the path。
He jerked his head around to look at the dog and it was halfway down the pathway； just behind the lions now； its mouth wide and yawning。 Before； it had only been a hedge clipped in the general shape of a dog； something that lost all definition when you got up close to it。 But now Jack could see that it had been clipped to look like a German shepherd； and shepherds could be mean。 You could train shepherds to kill。
A low rustling sound。
The lion on the left had advanced all the way to the fence now； its muzzle was touching the boards。 It seemed to be grinning at him。 Jack backed up another two steps。 His head was thudding crazily and he could feel the dry rasp of his breath in his throat。 Now the buffalo had moved； circling to the right； behind and around the rabbit。 The head was lowered； the green hedge horns pointing at him。 The thing was； you couldn't watch all of them。 Not all at once。
He began to make a whining sound； unaware in his locked concentration that he was making any sound at all。 His eyes darted from one hedge creature to the next； trying to see them move。 The wind gusted； making a hungry rattling sound in the close…matted branches。 What kind of sound would there be if they got him？
But of course he knew。 A snapping； rending； breaking sound。 It would be… （no no NO NO I WILL NOT BELIEVE THIS NOT AT ALL！） He clapped his hands over his eyes； clutching at his hair； his forehead； his throbbing temples。 And he stood like that for a long time； dread building until he could stand it no longer and he pulled his hands away with a cry。
By the putting green the dog was sitting up； as if begging for a scrap。 The buffalo was gazing with disinterest back toward the roque court； as it had been when Jack had e down with the clippers。 The rabbit stood on its hind legs； ears up to catch the faintest sound； freshly clipped belly exposed。 The lions； rooted into place； stood beside the path。
He stood frozen for a long time； the harsh breath in his throat finally slowing。 He reached for his cigarettes and shook four of them out onto the gravel。 He stooped down and picked them up； groped for them； never taking his eyes from the topiary for fear the animals would begin to move again。 He picked them up； stuffed three carelessly back into the pack； and lit the fourth。 After two deep drags he dropped it and crushed it out。 He went to the hedge…clipper and picked it up。
〃I'm very tired；〃 be said； and now it seemed okay to talk out loud。 It didn't seem crazy at all。 〃I've been under a strain。 The wasps 。 。 。 the play 。 。 。 Al calling me like that。 But it's all right。〃 He began to trudge back up to the hotel。 Part of his mind tugged fretfully at him； tried to make him detour around the hedge animals； but he went directly up the gravel path； through them。 A faint breeze rattled through them； that was all。 He had imagined the whole thing。 He had had a bad scare but it was over now。
In the Overlook's kitchen he paused to take two Excedrin and then went downstairs and looked at papers until he heard the dim sound of the hotel truck rattling into the driveway。 He went up to meet them。 He felt all right。 He saw no need to mention his hallucination。 He'd had a bad scare but it was over now。
》
SNOW
It was dusk。
They stood on the porch in the fading light； Jack in the middle； his left arm around Danny's shoulders and his right arm around Wendy's waist。 Together they watched as the decision was taken out of their hands。
The sky had been pletely clouded over by two…thirty and it had begun to snow an hour later； and this time you didn't need a weatherman to tell you it was serious snow； no flurry that was going to melt or blow away when the evening wind started to whoop。 At first it had fallen in perfectly straight lines； building up a snowcover that coated everything evenly； but now； an hour after it had started； the wind had begun to blow from the northwest and the snow had begun to drift against the porch and the sides of the Overlook's driveway。
Beyond the grounds the highway had disappeared under an even blanket of white。
The hedge animal