voice； deep and steady； sometimes quirking up with amusement or deepening even
more with anger or just staying steady because he was thinking。 Thinking of。
Thinking about。 Thinking 。。
（thinking）
Danny sighed quietly and his body slumped on the curb as if all the muscles
had gone out of it。 He was fully conscious； he saw the street and the girl and
boy walking up the sidewalk on the other side； holding hands because they were
（？in love？）
so happy about the day and themselves together in the day。 He saw autumn
leaves blowing along the gutter； yellow cartwheels of irregular shape。 He saw
the house they were passing and noticed how the roof was covered with
（shingles。 i guess it'll be no problem if the flashing's ok yeah that'll be
all right。 that watson。 christ what a character。 wish there was a place for him
in 〃THE PLAY。 〃 i'll end up with the whole fucking human race in it if i don't
watch out。 yeah。 shingles。 are there nails out there？ oh shit forgot to ask him
well they're simple to get。 sidewinder hardware store。 wasps。 they're nesting
this time of year。 i might want to get one of those bug bombs in case they're
there when i rip up the old shingles。 new shingles。 old）
shingles。 So that's what he was thinking about。 He had gotten the job and was
thinking about shingles。 Danny didn't know who Watson was； but everything else
seemed clear enough。 And he might get to see a wasps' nest。 Just as sure as his
name was
〃Danny 。。。 Dannee 。。。〃
He looked up and there was Tony； far up the street； standing by a stop sign
and waving。 Danny； as always； felt a warm burst of pleasure at seeing his old
friend； but this time he seemed to feel a prick of fear； too； as if Tony had
e with some darkness hidden behind his back。 A jar…of wasps which when
released would sting deeply。
But there was no question of not going。
He slumped further down on the curb； his hands sliding laxly from his thighs
and dangling below the fork of his crotch。 His chin sank onto his chest。 Then
there was a dim； painless tug as part of him got up and ran after Tony into
funneling darkness。
〃Dannee — 〃
Now the darkness was shot with swirling whiteness。 A coughing； whooping sound
and bending； tortured shadows that resolved themselves into fir trees at night；
being pushed by a screaming gale。 Snow swirled and danced。 Snow everywhere。
〃Too deep；〃 Tony said from the darkness； and there was a sadness in his voice
that terrified Danny。 〃Too deep to get out。〃
Another shape； looming； rearing。 Huge and rectangular。 A sloping roof。
Whiteness that was blurred in the stormy darkness。 Many windows。 A long building
with a shingled roof。 Some of the shingles were greener； newer。 His daddy put
them on。 With nails from the Sidewinder hardware store。 Now the snow was
covering the shingles。 It was covering everything。
A green witchlight glowed into being on the front of the building； flickered；
and became a giant； grinning skull over two crossed bones：
〃Poison；〃 Tony said from the floating darkness。 〃Poison。〃
Other signs flickered past his eyes； some in green letters； some of them on
boards stuck at leaning angles into the snowdrifts。 NO SWIMMING。 DANGER！ LIVE
WIRES。 THIS PROPERTY CONDEMNED。 HIGH VOLTAGE。 THIRD RAIL。 DANGER OF
DEATH。 KEEP
OFF。 KEEP OUT。 NO TRESPASSING。 VIOLATORS WILL BE SHOT ON SIGHT。 He
understood
none of them pletely — he couldn't read！ — but got a sense of all； and a dreamy
terror floated into the dark hollows of his body like light brown spores that
would die in sunlight。
They faded。 Now he was in a room filled with strange furniture； a room that
was dark。 Snow spattered against the windows like thrown sand。 His mouth was
dry； his eyes like hot marbles； his heart triphammering in his chest。 Outside
there was a hollow booming noise； like a dreadful door being thrown wide。
Footfalls。 Across the room was a mirror； and deep down in its silver bubble a
single word appeared in green fire and that word was： REDRUM。
The room faded。 Another room。 He knew
（would know）
this one。 An overturned chair。 A broken window with snow swirling in； already
it had frosted the edge of the rug。 The drapes had been pulled free and hung on
their broken rod at an angle。 A low cabinet lying on its face。
More hollow booming noises； steady； rhythmic； horrible。 Smashing glass。
Approaching destruction。 A hoarse voice； the voice of a madman； made the more
terrible by its familiarity：
e out！ Came out； you little shit！ Take your medicine！
Crash。 Crash。 Crash。 Splintering wood。 A bellow of rage and satisfaction。
REDRUM。 ing。
Drifting across the room。 Pictures torn off the walls。 A record player
（？Mommy's record player？）
overturned on the floor。 Her records； Grieg； Handel； the Beatles； Art
Garfunkel； Bach； Liszt； thrown everywhere。 Broken into jagged black pie wedges。
A shaft of light ing from another room； the bathroom； harsh white light and a
word flickering on and off in the medicine cabinet mirror like a red eye；
REDRUM； REDRUM； REDRUM —
〃No；〃 he whispered。 〃No； Tony please — 〃
And； dangling over the white porcelain lip of the bathtub； a hand。 Limp。 A
slow trickle of blood （REDRUM） trickling down one of the fingers； the third；
dripping onto the tile from the carefully shaped nail —
No oh no oh no —
（oh please； Tony； you're scaring me）
REDRUM REDRUM REDRUM
（stop it； Tony； stop it）
Fading。
In the darkness the booming noises grew louder； louder still； echoing；
everywhere； all around。
And now he was crouched in a dark hallway； crouched on a blue rug with a riot
of twisting black shapes woven into its pile； listening to the booming noises
approach； and now a Shape turned the corner and began to e toward him；
lurching； smelling of blood and doom。 It had a mallet in one hand and it was
swinging it （REDRUM） from side to side in vicious arcs； slamming it into the
walls； cutting the silk wallpaper and knocking out ghostly bursts of
plasterdust：
e on and take your medicine！ Take it like a man！
The Shape advancing on him； reeking of that sweet…sour odor； gigantic； the
mallet head cutting across the air with a wicked hissing whisper； then the great
hollow boom as it crashed into the wall； sending the dust out in a puff you
could smell； dry and itchy。 Tiny red eyes glowed in the dark。 The monster was
upon him； it had discovered him； cowering here with a blank wall at his back。
And the trapdoor in the ceiling was locked。
Darkness。 Drifting。
〃Tony； please take me back； please； please — 〃
And he was back； sitting on the curb of Arapahoe Street； his shirt sticking
damply to his back； his body bathed in sweat。 In his ears he could still hear
that huge； contrapuntal booming sound and smell his own urine as he voided
himself in the extremity of his terror。 He could see that limp hand dangling
over the edge of the tub with blood running down one finger； the third； and that
inexplicable word so much more horrible than any of the others： REDRUM。
And now sunshine。 Real things。 Except f