her cut fingers。 〃It's the boiler； isn't it？〃
〃Yes； ma'am。 Danny says it's going to explode。〃
〃Good。〃 The word was uttered with dead finality。 〃I don't know if I can get
down those stairs again。 My ribs 。。。 he broke my ribs。 And something in my
back。 It hurts。〃
〃You'll make it；〃 Hallorann said。 〃We'll all make it。〃 But suddenly he
remembered the hedge animals； and wondered what they would do if they were
guarding the way out。。
Then Danny was ing back。 He had Wendy's boots and coat and gloves； also his
own coat and gloves。
〃Danny；〃 she said。 〃Your boots。〃
〃It's too late；〃 he said。 His eyes stared at them with a desperate kind of
madness。 He looked at Dick and suddenly Hallorann's mind was fixed with an image
of a clock under a glass dome； the clock in the ballroom that had been donated
by a Swiss diplomat in 1949。 The hands of the clock were standing at a minute to
midnight。
〃Oh my God；〃 Hallorann said。 〃Oh my dear God。〃
He clapped an arm around Wendy and picked her up。 He clapped his other arm
around Danny。 He ran for the stairs。
Wendy shrieked in pain as he squeezed the bad ribs； as something in her back
ground together； but Hallorann did not slow。 He plunged down the stairs with
them in his arms。 One eye wide and desperate； the other puffed shut to a slit。
He looked like a one…eyed pirate abducting hostages to be ransomed later。
Suddenly the shine was on him； and he understood what Danny had meant when he
said it was too late。 He could feel the explosion getting ready to rumble up
from the basement and tear the guts out of this horrid place。
He ran faster； bolting headlong across the lobby toward the double doors。
* * *
It hurried across the basement and into the feeble yellow glow of the furnace
room's only light。 It was slobbering with fear。 It had been so close； so close
to having the boy and the boy's remarkable power。 It could not lose now。 It must
not happen。 It would dump the boiler and then chastise the boy harshly。
〃Mustn't happen！〃 it cried。 〃Oh no； mustn't happen！〃
It stumbled across the floor to the boiler； which glowed a dull red halfway up
its long tubular body。 It was huffing and rattling and hissing off plumes of
steam in a hundred directions； like a monster calliope。 The pressure needle
stood at the far end of the dial。
〃No； it won't be allowed！〃 the manager/caretaker cried。
It laid its Jack Torrance hands on the valve； unmindful of the burning smell
which arose or the searing of the flesh as the red…hot wheel sank in； as if into
a mudrut。
The wheel gave； and with a triumphant scream； the thing spun it wide open。 A
giant roar of escaping steam bellowed out of the boiler； a dozen dragons hissing
in concert。 But before the steam obscured the pressure needle entirely； the
needle had visibly begun to swing back。
〃I WIN！〃 it cried。 It capered obscenely in the hot； rising mist； waving its
flaming hands over its head。 〃NOT TOO LATE！ I WIN！ NOT TOO LATE！ NOT TOO LATE！
NOT — 〃
Words turned into a shriek of triumph； and the shriek was swallowed in a
shattering roar as the Overlook's boiler exploded。
* * *
Hallorann burst out through the double doors and carried the two of them
through the trench in the big snowdrift on the porch。 He saw the hedge animals
clearly； more clearly than before； and even as he realized his worst fears were
true； that they were between the porch and the snowmobile； the hotel exploded。
It seemed to him that it happened all at once； although later he knew that
couldn't have been the way it happened。
There was a flat explosion； a sound that seemed to exist on one low all…
pervasive note
（WHUMMMMMMMMM — ）
and then there was a blast of warm air at their backs that seemed to push
gently at them。 They were thrown from the porch on its breath； the three of
them； and a confused thought
（this is what superman must feel like）
slipped through Hallorann's mind as they flew through the air。 He lost his
hold on them and then he struck the snow in a soft billow。 It was down his shirt
and up his nose and he was dimly aware that it felt good on his hurt cheek。
Then he struggled to the top of it； for that moment not thinking about the
hedge animals； or Wendy Torrance； or even the boy。 He rolled over on his back so
he could watch it die。
* * *
The Overlook's windows shattered。 In the ballroom； the dome over the
mantelpiece clock cracked； split in two pieces； and fell to the floor。 The clock
stopped ticking： cogs and gears and balance wheel all became motionless。 There
was a whispered； sighing noise； and a great billow of dust。 In 217 the bathtub
suddenly split in two； letting out a small flood of greenish； noxious…smelling
water。 In the Presidential Suite the wallpaper suddenly burst into flames。 The
batwing doors of the Colorado Lounge suddenly snapped their hinges and fell to
the dining room floor。 Beyond the basement arch； the great piles and stacks of
old papers caught fire and went up with a blowtorch hiss。 Boiling water rolled
over the flames but did not quench them。 Like burning autumn leaves below a
wasps' nest； they whirled and blackened。 The furnace exploded； shattering the
basement's roofbeams； sending them crashing down like the bones of a dinosaur。
The gasjet which had fed the furnace； unstoppered now； rose up in a bellowing
pylon of flame through the riven floor of the lobby。 The carpeting on the stair
risers caught； racing up to the first…floor level as if to tell dreadful good
news。 A fusillade of explosions ripped the place。 The chandelier in the dining
room； a two…hundred…pound crystal bomb； fell with a splintering crash； knocking
tables every which way。 Flame belched out of the Overlook's five chimneys at the
breaking clouds。
（No！ Mustn't！ Mustn't！ MUSTN'T！）
It shrieked； it shrieked but now it was voiceless and it was only screaming
panic and doom and damnation in its own ear； dissolving； losing thought and
will； the webbing falling apart； searching； not finding； going out； going out
to； fleeing； going out to emptiness； notness； crumbling。
The party was over。
》
EXIT
The roar shook the whole facade of the hotel。 Glass belched out onto the snow
and twinkled there like jagged diamonds。 The hedge dog； which had been
approaching Danny and his mother； recoiled away from it； its green and shadow…
marbled ears flattening； its tail ing down between its legs as its haunches
flattened abjectly。 In his head； Hallorann heard it whine fearfully； and mixed
with that sound was the fearful； confused yowling of the big cats。 He struggled
to his feet to go to the other two and help them； and as he did so he saw
something more nightmarish than all the rest： the hedge rabbit； still coated
with snow； was battering itself crazily at the chainlink fence at the far end of
the playground； and the steel mesh was jingling with a kind of nightmare music；