fa　by　the　fireplace　where　the　three　nuns

had　sat　on　the　day　they　had　e　up　—　closing　day。　But　this　was　the　real　closing

day。

Then　the　drift　on　the　porch　blotted　the　view　out。　A　moment　later　they　were

skirting　the　west　side　of　the　hotel。　It　was　still　light　enough　to　see　without

the　snowmobile's　headlight。　Both　upper　stories　were　flaming　now；　and　pennants　of

flame　shot　out　the　windows。　The　gleaming　white　paint　had　begun　to　blacken　and

peel。　The　shutters　which　had　covered　the　Presidential　Suite's　picture　window　—

shutters　Jack　had　carefully　fastened　as　per　instructions　in　mid…October　—　now　hung

in　flaming　brands；　exposing　the　wide　and　shattered　darkness　behind　them；　like　a

toothless　mouth　yawing　in　a　final；　silent　deathrattle。

Wendy　had　pressed　her　face　against　Hallorann's　back　to　cut　out　the　wind；　and

Danny　had　likewise　pressed　his　face　against　his　mother's　back；　and　so　it　was

only　Hallorann　who　saw　the　final　thing；　and　he　never　spoke　of　it。　From　the

window　of　the　Presidential　Suite　he　thought　he　saw　a　huge　dark　shape　issue；

blotting　out　the　snowfield　behind　it。　For　a　moment　it　assumed　the　shape　of　a

huge；　obscene　manta；　and　then　the　wind　seemed　to　catch　it；　to　tear　it　and　shred

it　like　old　dark　paper。　It　fragmented；　was　caught　in　a　whirling　eddy　of　smoke；

and　a　moment　later　it　was　gone　as　if　it　had　never　been。　But　in　those　few　seconds

as　it　whirled　blackly；　dancing　like　negative　motes　of　light；　he　remembered

something　from　his　childhood　。。。　fifty　years　ago；　or　more。　He　and　his　brother

had　e　upon　a　huge　nest　of　ground　wasps　just　north　of　their　farm。　It　had　been

tucked　into　a　hollow　between　the　earth　and　an　old　lightning…b