nking　。。。　behind　us；　it　will　be　just　you　and　me。〃

Danny　ran。

Behind　him；　the　thing's　temper　broke　through　the　shambling　charade　of

normality。

〃e　here；　you　little　shit！　Right　now！　〃

Down　a　long　hall；　panting　and　gasping。　Around　a　corner。　Up　a　flight　of　stairs。

And　as　he　went；　the　walls　that　had　been　so　high　and　remote　began　to　e　down；

the　rug　which　had　only　been　a　blur　beneath　his　feet　took　on　the　familiar　black

and　blue　pattern；　sinuously　woven　together；　the　doors　became　numbered　again　and

behind　them　the　parties　that　were　all　one　went　on　and　on；　populated　by

generations　of　guests。　The　air　seemed　to　be　shimmering　around　him；　the　blows　of

the　mallet　against　the　walls　echoing　and　re…echoing。　He　seemed　to　be　bursting

through　some　thin　placental　womb　from　sleep　to

*　*　*

the　rug　outside　the　Presidential　Suite　on　the　third　floor；　lying　near　him　in　a

bloody　heap　were　the　bodies　of　two　men　dressed　in　suits　and　narrow　ties。　They

had　been　taken　out　by　shotgun　blasts　and　now　they　began　to　stir　in　front　of　him

and　get　up。

He　drew　in　breath　to　scream　but　didn't。

（！！　FALSE　FACES　！！　NOT　REAL　！！）

They　faded　before　his　gaze　like　old　photographs　and　were　gone。

But　below　him；　the　faint　sound　of　the　mallet　against　the　walls　went　on　and　on；

drifting　up　through　the　elevator　shaft　and　the　stairwell。　The　controlling　force

of　the　Overlook；　in　the　shape　of　his　father；　blundering　around　on　the　first

floor。

A　door　opened　with　a　thin　screeing　sound　behind　him。

A　decayed　woman　in　a　rotten　silk　gown　pranced　out；　her　yellowed　and　splitting

fingers　dressed　with　verdigris…caked　rings。　Heavy…bodied　wasps　crawled