an　guarantee　you　you'll　spend　the

night　sleeping　on　your　belly；〃　Jack　warned。

Nothing。

〃Break　it；〃　she　said；　and　suddenly　it　was　hard　to　talk。　〃Quick。〃

He　raised　one　foot　and　brought　it　down　hard　against　the　door　to　the　right　of

the　knob。　The　lock　was　a　poor　thing；　it　gave　immediately　and　the　door　shuddered

open；　banging　the　tiled　bathroom　wall　and　rebounding　halfway。

〃Danny！〃　she　screamed。

The　water　was　running　full　force　in　the　basin。　Beside　it；　a　tube　of　Crest　with

the　cap　off。　Danny　was　sitting　on　the　rim　of　the　bathtub　across　the　room；　his

toothbrush　clasped　limply　in　his　left　hand；　a　thin　foam　of　toothpaste　around　his

mouth。　He　was　staring；　trancelike；　into　the　mirror　on　the　front　of　the　medicine

cabinet　above　the　washbasin。　The　expression　on　his　face　was　one　of　drugged

horror；　and　her　first　thought　was　that　he　was　having　some　sort　of　epileptic

seizure；　that　he　might　have　swallowed　his　tongue。

〃Danny！〃

Danny　didn't　answer。　Guttural　sounds　came　from　his　throat。

Then　she　was　pushed　aside　so　hard　that　she　crashed　into　the　towel　rack；　and

Jack　was　kneeling　in　front　of　the　boy。

〃Danny；〃　he　said。　〃Danny；　Danny！〃　He　snapped　his　fingers　in　front　of　Danny's

blank　eyes。

〃Ah…sure；〃　Danny　said。　〃Tournament　play。　Stroke。　Nurrrrr　。。。〃

〃Danny　—　〃

〃Roque！〃　Danny　said；　his　voice　suddenly　deep；　almost　manlike。　〃Roque。　Stroke。

The　roque　mallet　。。。　has　two　sides。　Gaaaaaa　—　〃

〃Oh　Jack　my　God　what's　wrong　with　him？〃

Jack　grabbed　the　boy's　elbows　and　shook　him　hard。　Danny's　head　rolled　limply

backward　and　then　snapped　forward　like　a　balloon　on　a　stick。

〃Roque。　Stroke。　Redrum。〃

Jack　shook