按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Oh please stop pulling me！〃 he screamed at them； and there was such agony in his voice that they both let go of him； and then the tears had to e and he collapsed； weeping； between the sofa and the window； his parents staring at him helplessly； the way children might stare at a toy broken in a furious tussle over to whom it belonged。 In the fireplace another pine…knot exploded like a hand grenade； making them all jump。
* * *
Wendy gave him baby aspirin and Jack slipped him； unprotesting； between the sheets of his cot。 He was asleep in no time with his thumb in his mouth。
〃I don't like that；〃 she said。 〃It's a regression。〃 Jack didn't reply。
She looked at him softly； without anger； without a smile； either。 〃You want me to apologize for calling you a bastard？ All right； I apologize。 I'm sorry。 You still shouldn't have hit him。
〃I know；〃 he muttered。 〃I know that。 I don't know what the hell came over me。〃
〃You promised you'd never hit him again。〃 He looked at her furiously； and then the fury collapsed。 Suddenly； with pity and horror； she saw what Jack would look like as an old man。 She had never seen him look that way before。
（？what way？） Defeated； she answered herself。 He looks beaten。
He said： 〃I always thought I could keep my promises。〃 She went to him and put her hands on his arm。 〃All right； it's over。 And when the ranger es to check us； we'll tell him we all want to go down。 All right？〃
〃All right；〃 Jack said； and at that moment； at least； he meant it。 The same way he had always meant it on those mornings after； looking at his pale and haggard face in the bathroom mirror。 I'm going to stop； going to cut it off flat。 But morning gave way to afternoon； and in the afternoons he felt a little better。 And afternoon gave way to night。 As some great twentieth…century thinker had said； night must fall。
He found himself wishing that Wendy would ask him about the hedges； would ask him what Danny meant； when he said You know because you saw… If she did； he would tell her everything。 Everything。 The hedges； the woman in the room； even about the fire hose that seemed to have switched positions。 But where did confession stop？ Could he tell her he'd thrown the magneto away； that they could all be down in Sidewinder right now if he hadn't done that？
What she said was； 〃Do you want tea？〃
〃Yes。 A cup of tea would be good。〃 She went to the door and paused there； rubbing her forearms through her sweater。 〃It's my fault as much as yours；〃 she said。 〃What were we doing while he was going through that 。 。 。 dream； or whatever it was？〃
〃Wendy…〃
〃We were sleeping；〃 she said。 〃Sleeping like a couple of teenage kids with their itch nicely scratched。〃
〃Stop it；〃 he said。 〃It's over。〃
〃No；〃 Wendy answered； and gave him a strange； restless smile。 〃It's not over。〃 She went out to make tea； leaving him to keep watch over their son。
》
THE ELEVATOR
Jack awoke from a thin and uneasy sleep where huge and ill…defined shapes chased him through endless snowfields to what he first thought was another dream： darkness； and in it； a sudden mechanical jumble of noises…clicks and clanks； hummings； rattlings； snaps and whooshes。
Then Wendy sat up beside him and he knew it was no dream。
〃What's that？〃 Her hand； cold marble； gripped his wrist。 He restrained an urge to shake it off…how in the hell was he supposed to know what it was？ The illuminated clock on his nightstand said it was five minutes to twelve。
The humming sound again。 Loud and steady； varying the slightest bit。 Followed by a clank as the humming ceased。 A rattling bang。 A thump。 Then the humming resumed。
It was the elevator。
Danny was sitting up。 〃Daddy？ Daddy？〃 His voice was sleepy and scared。
〃Right here； doc；〃 Jack said。 〃e on over and jump in。 Your mom's awake； too。〃 The bedclothes rustled as Danny got on the bed between them。 〃It's the elevator；〃 he whispered。
〃That's right；〃 Jack said。 〃Just the elevator。〃
〃What do you mean； just？〃 Wendy demanded。 There was an ice…skim of hysteria on her voice。 〃It's the middle of the night。 Who's running it？〃 Hummmmmmm。 Click/clank。 Above them now。 The rattle of the gate accordioning back； the bump of the doors opening and closing。 Then the hum of the motor and the cables again。
Danny began to whimper。
Jack swung his feet out of bed and onto the floor。 〃It's probably a short。
I'll check。〃
〃Don't you dare go out of this room！〃
〃Don't be stupid；〃 he said； pulling on his robe。 〃It's my job。〃 She was out of bed herself a moment later； pulling Danny with her。
〃We'll go； too。〃
〃Wendy…〃
〃What's wrong？〃 Danny asked somberly。 〃What's wrong； Daddy？〃 Instead of answering he turned away； his face angry and set。 He belted his robe around him at the door； opened it； and stepped out into the dark hall。
Wendy hesitated for a moment； and it was actually Danny who began to move first。 She caught up quickly； and they went out together。
Jack hadn't bothered with the lights。 She fumbled for the switch that lit the four spaced overheads in the hallway that led to the main corridor。 Up ahead； Jack was already turning the corner。 This time Danny found the switchplate and flicked all three switches up。 The hallway leading down to the stairs and the elevator shaft came alight。
Jack was standing at the elevator station； which was flanked by benches and cigarette urns。 He was standing motionless in front of the closed elevator door。
In his faded tartan bathrobe and brown leather slippers with the rundown heels； his hair all in sleep corkscrews and Alfalfa cowlicks； he looked to her like an absurd twentieth…century Hamlet； an indecisive figure so mesmerized by onrushing tragedy that he was helpless to divert its course or alter it in any way。
（jesus stop thinking so crazy…） Danny's hand bad tightened painfully on her own。 He was looking up at her intently； his face strained and anxious。 He had been catching the drift of her thoughts； she realized。 Just bow much or how little of them he was getting was impossible to say； but she flushed； feeling much the same as if he had caught her in a masturbatory act。
〃e on；〃 she said； and they went down the hall to Jack。
The hummings and clankings and thumpings were louder here； terrifying in a disconnected； benumbed way。 Jack was staring at the closed door with feverish intensity。 Through the diamond…shaped window in the center of the elevator door she thought she could make out the cables； thrumming slightly。 The elevator clanked to a stop below them； at lobby level。 They beard the doors thump open。
And 。 。 。
（party） Why had she thought party？ The word had simply jumped into her head for no reason at all。 The silence in the Overlook was plete and intense except for the weird noises ing up the elevator shaft。
（must have been quite a party） （？？？WHAT PARTY？？？） For just a moment her mind had filled with an image so real that it seemed to be a memory 。 。 。 not just any memory but one of those you treasure； one of those you keep for very special occasions and rarely mention aloud。 Lights 。 。 。
hundreds； maybe thousands of them。 Lights and colors； the pop of champagne corks； a forty…piece orchestra playing Glenn Miller's 〃In the Mood。〃 But Glenn Miller had gone down in his bomber before she was born； how could she have a memory of Glenn Miller？
She looked down at Danny and saw his head had cocked to one side； as if he was hearing something she couldn't hear。 His face was very pale。
Thump。
The door had slid shut down there。 A humming whine as the elevator began to rise。 She saw the engine housing on top of the car first through the diamond… shaped window； then the interior of the car； seen through the further diamond shapes made by the brass gate。 Warm yellow light from the car's overhead。 It was empty。 The car was empty。 It was empty but （on the night of the party they must have crowded in by the dozens； crowded the car way beyond its safety limit but of course it had been new then and all of them wearing masks） （？？？？WHAT MASKS？？？？） The car stopped above them； on the third floor。 She looked at Danny。 His face was all eyes。 His mouth was pressed into a frightened； bloodless slit。 Above them； the brass gate rattled back。 The elevator door thumped open； it thumped open because it was time； the time had e； it was time to say （Goodnight 。 。 。 goodnight 。 。 。 yes； it was lovely 。 。 。 no； i really can't stay for the unmasking 。 。 。 early to bed； early to rise 。 。 。 oh； was that Sheila？ 。 。 。 the monk？ 。 。 。 isn't that witty； Sheila ing as a monk？ 。 。 。
yes； goodnight 。 。 。 good） Thump。
Gears clashed。 The motor engaged。 The car began to whine back down。
〃Jack；〃 she whispered。 〃What is it？ What's wrong with it？〃
〃A short circuit；〃 he said。 His face was like wood。 〃I told you； it was a short circuit。〃
〃I keep hearing voices in my head！〃 she cried。 〃What is it？ What's wrong？ I feel like I'm going crazy！〃
〃What voices？〃 He looked at her with deadly blandness。
She turned to Danny。 〃Did you…？〃 Danny nodded slowly。 〃Yes。 And music。 Like from a long time ago。 In my head。〃 The elev