〃Mommy！〃 Danny shrieked from somewhere。 〃Daddy； stop！ You're hurting Mommyl〃
He screamed piercingly； a high and crystal sound that she heard from far off。
Red flashes of light leaped in front of her eyes like ballet dancers。 The room
grew darker。 She saw her son clamber up on the bar and throw himself at Jack's
shoulders。 Suddenly one of the hands that had been crushing her throat was gone
as Jack cuffed Danny away with a snarl。 The boy fell back against the empty
shelves and dropped to the floor； dazed。 The hand was on her throat again。 The
red flashes began to turn black。
Danny was crying weakly。 Her chest was burning。 Jack was shouting into her
face： 〃I'll fix you！ Goddam you； I'll show you who is boss around here！ I'll
show you — 〃
But all sounds were fading down a long dark corridor。 Her struggles began to
weaken。 One of her hands fell away from his and dropped slowly until the arm was
stretched out at right angles to her body； the hand dangling limply from the
wrist like the hand of a drowning woman。
It touched a bottle — one of the straw…wrapped wine bottles that served as
decorative candleholders。
Sightlessly； with the last of her strength； she groped for the bottle's neck
and found it； feeling the greasy beads of wax against her hand。
（and U God if it slips）
She brought it up and then down； praying for aim； knowing that if it only
struck his shoulder or upper arm she was dead。
But the bottle came down squarely on Jack Torrance's head； the glass
shattering violently inside the straw。 The base of it was thick and heavy； and
it made a sound against his skull like a medicine ball dropped on a hardwood
floor。 He rocked back on his heels； his eyes rolling up in their sockets。 The
pressure on her throat loosened； then gave way entirely。 He put his hands out；
as if to steady himself； and then crashed over on his back。
Wendy drew a long； sobbing breath。 She almost fell herself； clutched the edge
of the bar； and managed to hold herself up。 Consciousness wavered in and out。
She could hear Danny crying； but she had no idea where he was。 It sounded like
crying in an echo chamber。 Dimly she saw dime…sized drops of blood falling to
the dark surface of the bar…from her nose； she thought。 She cleared her throat
and spat on the floor。 It sent a wave of agony up the column of her throat； but
the agony subsided to a steady dull press of pain。。。 just bearable。
Little by little； she managed to get control of herself。
She let go of the bar； turned around； and saw Jack lying full…length； the
shattered bottle beside him。 He looked like a felled giant。 Danny was crouched
below the lounge's cash register； both hands in his mouth； staring at his
unconscious father。
Wendy went to him unsteadily and touched his shoulder。 Danny cringed away from
her。
〃Danny； listen to me — 〃
〃No； no；〃 he muttered in a husky old man's voice。 〃Daddy hurt you 。。。 you
hurt Daddy 。。。 Daddy hurt you 。。。 I want to go to sleep。 Danny wants to go
to sleep。〃
〃Danny — 〃
〃Sleep； sleep。 Nighty…night。〃
〃No！〃
Pain ripping up her throat again。 She winced against it。 But he opened his
eyes。 They looked at her warily from bluish； shadowed sockets。
She made herself speak calmly； her eyes never leaving his。 Her voice was low
and husky； almost a whisper。 It hurt to talk。 〃Listen to me； Danny。 It wasn't
your daddy trying to hurt me。 And I didn't want to hurt him。 The hotel has
gotten into him； Danny。 The Overlook has gotten into your daddy。 Do you
understand me？〃
Some kind of knowledge came slowly back into Danny's eyes。
〃The Bad Stuff；〃 he whispered。 〃There was none of it here before； was there？〃
〃No。 The hotel put it here。 The 。。。 ' She broke off in a fit of coughing and
spat out more blood。 Her throat already felt puffed to twice its size。 〃The
hotel made him drink it。 Did you hear those people he was talking to this
morning？〃
〃Yes 。。。 the hotel people。。。〃
〃I heard them too。 And that means the hotel is getting stronger。 It wants to
hurt all of us。 But I think 。。。 I hope 。。。 that it can only do that through
your daddy。 He was the only one it could catch。 Are you understanding me； Danny？
It's desperately important that you understand。〃
〃The hotel caught Daddy。〃 He looked at Jack and groaned helplessly。
〃I know you love your daddy。 I do too。 We have to remember that the hotel is
trying to hurt him as much as it is us。〃 And she was convinced that was true。
More； she thought that Danny might be the one the hotel really wanted； the
reason it was going so far 。。。 maybe the reason it was able to go so far。 It
might even be that in some unknown fashion it was Danny's shine that was
powering it； the way a battery powers the electrical equipment in a car 。。。
the way a battery gets a car to start。 If they got out of here； the Overlook
might subside to its old semi…sentient state； able to do no more than present
penny…dreadful horror slides to the more psychically aware guests who entered
it。 Without Danny it was not much more than an amusement park haunted house；
where a guest or two might hear rappings or the phantom sounds of a masquerade
party； or see an occasional disturbing thing。 But if it absorbed Danny 。。。
Danny's shine or lifeforce or spirit 。。。 whatever you wanted to call it 。。。
into itself — what would it be then？
The thought made her cold all over。
〃I wish Daddy was all better；〃 Danny said； and the tears began to flow again。
〃Me too；〃 she said； and hugged Danny tightly。 〃And honey； that's why you've
got to help me put your daddy somewhere。 Somewhere that the hotel can't make him
hurt us and where he can't hurt himself。 Then 。。。 if your friend Dick es；
or a park ranger； we can take him away。 And I think he might be all right again。
All of us might be all right。 I think there's still a chance for that； if we're
strong and brave； like you were when you jumped on his back。 Do you understand？〃
She looked at him pleadingly and thought how strange it was； she had never seen
him when he looked so much like Jack。
〃Yes；〃 he said； and nodded。 〃I think 。。。 if we can get away from here 。。。
everything will be like it was。 Where could we put him？〃
〃The pantry。 There's food in there； and a good strong bolt on the outside。
It's warm。 And we can eat up the things from the refrigerator and the freezer。
There will be plenty for all three of us until help es。〃
〃Do we do it now？〃
〃Yes； right now。 Before he wakes up。；〃
Danny put the bargate up while she folded Jack's hands on his chest and
listened to his breathing for a moment。 It was slow but regular。 From the smell
of him she thought he must have drunk a great deal 。。。 and he was out of the
habit。 She thought it might be liquor as much as the crack on the head with the
bottle that had put him out。
She picked up his legs and began to drag him along the floor。 She had been
married to him for nearly seven years； he had lain on top of her countless
times — in the thousands — but she had never realized how heavy he was。 Her breath
whistled painfully in and out of her hurt throat。 Nevertheless； she felt better
than she had in days。 She was alive。 Having just brushed so close to death； that
was precious。 And Jack was alive； too。 By blind luck rather than plan； they had
perhaps found the only way that would bring them all safely out。
Panting harshly； she paused a moment； holding Jack's feet against her hips。
The surroundings reminded her of the old seafaring captain's cry in Treasure
Island after old blind Pew had passed him the Black Spot： he'll do em yet。
And then she remembered； unfortably； that the old seadog had dropped dead
mere seconds later。
〃Are you all right； Mommy？ Is he。。 。 is he too heavy？〃
〃I'll manage。〃 She began to drag him again。 Danny was beside Jack。 One of his
hands had fallen off his chest； and Danny replaced it gently； with love。
〃Are you sure； Mommy？〃
〃Yes。 It's the best thing； Danny。〃
〃It's like putting him in jail。〃
〃Only for awhile。〃
〃Okay； then。 Are you sure you can do it？〃
〃Yes。〃
But it was a near thing； at that。 Danny had been cradling his father's head
when they went over the doorsills； but his hands slipped in Jack's greasy hair
as they went into the kitchen。 The back of his head struck the tiles； and Jack
began to moan and stir。
〃You got to use smoke；〃 Jack muttered quickly。 〃Now run and get me that
gascan。〃
Wendy and Danny exchanged tight； fearful glances。
〃Help me；〃 she said in a low voice。
For a moment Danny stood as if paralyzed by his father's face； and then he
moved jerkily to her side and helped her hold the left leg。 They dragged him
across the kitchen floor in a nightmare kind of slow motion； the only sounds the
faint； insectile buzz of the fluorescent lights and their own labored breathing。
When they reached the pantry； Wendy put Jack's feet down and turned to fumble
with the bolt。 Danny looked down at Jack； who was lying limp and relaxed again。
The shirttail had pulled out of the back of his pants as they dragged