really be able to tell。
Leaning against the wall； she made her way up to the corner of the short
hallway。 She was about to turn the corner when the scream froze her； floating
down the stairwell and the elevator shaft：
〃Danny！ e here； you pup！ e here and take it like a man！〃
Jack。 On the second or third floor。 Looking for Danny。
She got around the corner； stumbled； almost fell。 Her breath caught in her
throat。 Something
（someone？）
huddled against the wall about a quarter of the way down from the stairwell。
She began to hurry faster； wincing every time her weight came down on her hurt
leg。 It was a man； she saw； and as she drew closer； she understood the meaning
of that buzzing motor。
It was Mr。 Hallorann。 He had e after all。
She eased to her knees beside him； offering up an incoherent prayer that he
was not dead。 His nose was bleeding； and a terrible gout of blood had spilled
out of his mouth。 The side of his face was a puffed purple bruise。 But he was
breathing； thank God for that。 It was ing in long； harsh draws that shook his
whole frame。
Looking at him more closely； Wendy's eyes widened。 One arm of the parka he was
wearing was blackened and singed。 One side of it had been ripped open。 There was
blood in his hair and a shallow but ugly scratch down the back of his neck。
（My God； what's happened to him？）
〃Danny！〃 the hoarse； petulant voice roared from above them。 〃Get out here；
goddammit！〃
There was no time to wonder about it now。 She began to shake him； her face
twisting at the flare of agony in her ribs。 Her side felt hot and massive and
swollen。
（What if they're poking my lung whenever I move？）
There was no help for that； either。 If Jack found Danny； he would kill him；
beat him to death with that mallet as he had tried to do to her。
So she shook Hallorann； and then began to slap the unbruised side of his face
lightly。
〃Wake up；〃 she said。 〃Mr。 Hallorann； you've got to wake up。 Please 。。。
please 。。。〃
From overhead； the restless booming sounds of the mallet as Jack Torrance
looked for his son。
* * *
Danny stood with his back against the door； looking at the right angle where
the hallways joined。 The steady； irregular booming sound of the mallet against
the walls grew louder。 The thing that was after him screamed and howled and
cursed。 Dream and reality had joined together without a seam。
It came around the corner。
In a way； what Danny felt was relief。 It was not his father。 The mask of face
and body had been ripped and shredded and made into a bad joke。 It was not his
daddy； not this Saturday Night Shock Show horror with its rolling eyes and
hunched and hulking shoulders and blood…drenched shirt。 It was not his daddy。
〃Now； by God；〃 it breathed。 It wiped its lips with a shaking hand。 〃Now you'll
find out who is the boss around here。 You'll see。 It's not you they want。 It's
me。 Me。 Me！〃
It slashed out with the scarred hammer； its double head now shapeless and
splintered with countless impacts。 It struck the wall； cutting a circle in the
silk paper。 Plaster dust puffed out。 It began to grin。
〃Let's see you pull any of your fancy tricks now；〃 it muttered。 〃I wasn't born
yesterday； you know。 Didn't just fall off the hay truck； by God。 I'm going to do
my fatherly duty by you； boy。〃
Danny said： 〃You're not my daddy。〃
It stopped。 For a moment it actually looked uncertain； as if not sure who or
what it was。 Then it began to walk again。 The hammer whistled out； struck a door
panel and made it boom hollowly。
〃You're a liar；〃 it said。 〃Who else would I be？ I have the two birthmarks； I
have the cupped navel； even the pecker； my boy。 Ask your mother。〃
〃You're a mask；〃 Danny said。 〃Just a false face。 The only reason the hotel
needs to use you is that you aren't as dead as the others。 But when it's done
with you； you won't be anything at all。 You don't scare me。〃
〃I'll scare you！〃 it howled。 The mallet whistled fiercely down； smashing into
the rug between Danny's feet。 Danny didn't flinch。 〃You lied about me！ You
connived with her！ You plotted against me！ And you cheated！ You copied that
final exam！〃 The eyes glared out at him from beneath the furred brows。 There was
an expression of lunatic cunning in them。 〃I'll find it； too。 It's down in the
basement somewhere。 I'll find it。 They promised me I could look all I want。〃 It
raised the mallet again。
〃Yes； they promise；〃 Danny said； 〃but they lie。〃 The mallet hesitated at the
top of its swing。
* * *
Hallorann had begun to e around； but Wendy had stopped patting his cheeks。
A moment ago the words You cheated！ You copied that final exam！ had floated down
through the elevator shaft； dim； barely audible over the wind。 From somewhere
deep in the west wing。 She was nearly convinced they were on the third floor and
that Jack — whatever had taken possession of Jack — had found Danny。 There was
nothing she or Hallorann could do now。
〃Oh doc；〃 she murmured。 Tears blurred her eyes。
〃Son of a bitch broke my jaw；〃 Hallorann muttered thickly； 〃and my head 。。。〃
He worked to sit up。 His right eye was purpling rapidly and swelling shut。
Still； he saw Wendy。
〃Missus Torrance — 〃
〃Shhhh；〃 she said。
〃Where is the boy； Missus Torrance？〃
〃On the third floor；〃 she said。 〃With his father。〃
* * *
〃They lie；〃 Danny said again。 Something had gone through his mind； flashing
like a meteor； too quick； too bright to catch and hold。 Only the tail of the
thought remained。
（it's down in the basement somewhere）
（you will remember what your father forgot）
〃You 。。。 you shouldn't speak that way to your father；〃 it said hoarsely。 The
mallet trembled； came down。 〃You'll only make things worse for yourself。 Your。。。
your punishment。 Worse。〃 It staggered drunkenly and stared at him with
maudlin selfpity that began to turn to hate。 The mallet began to rise again。
〃You're not my daddy；〃 Danny told it again。 〃And if there's a little bit of my
daddy left inside you； he knows they lie here。 Everything is a lie and a cheat。
Like the loaded dice my daddy got for my Christmas stocking last Christmas； like
the presents they put in the store windows and my daddy says there's nothing in
them； no presents； they're just empty boxes。 Just for show； my daddy says。
You're it； not my daddy。 You're the hotel。 And when you get what you want； you
won't give my daddy anything because you're selfish。 And my daddy knows that。
You had to make him drink the Bad Stuff。 That's the only way you could get him；
you lying false face。〃
〃Liar！ Liar！〃 The words came in a thin shriek。 The mallet wavered wildly in
the air。
〃Go on and hit me。 But you'll never get what you want from me。〃
The face in front of him changed。 It was hard to say how； there was no melting
or merging of the features。 The body trembled slightly； and then the bloody
hands opened like broken claws。 The mallet fell from them and thump