He turned reluctantly back to the clock。
He had been putting it off； hoping that something would happen to help him
avoid trying to call Tony again； that a ranger would e； or a helicopter； or
the rescue team； they always came in time on his TV programs； the people were
saved。 On TV the rangers and the SWAT squad and the paramedics were a friendly
white force counterbalancing the confused evil that he perceived in the world；
when people got in trouble they were helped out of it； they were fixed up。 They
did not have to help themselves out of trouble。
（Please？）
There was no answer。
No answer； and if Tony came would it be the same nightmare？ The booming； the
coarse and petulant voice； the blueblack rug like snakes？ Redrum？
But what else？
（Please oh please）
No answer。
With a trembling sigh； he looked at the clockface。 Cogs turned and meshed with
other cogs。 The balance wheel rocked hypnotically back and forth。 And if you
held your head perfectly still； you could see the minute hand creeping
inexorably down from XII to V。 If you held your bead perfectly still you could
see that —
The clockface was gone。 In its place was a round black hole。 It led down into
forever。 It began to swell。 The clock was gone。 The room behind it。 Danny
tottered and then fell into the darkness that had been hiding behind the
clockface all along。
The small boy in the chair suddenly collapsed and lay in it at a crooked
unnatural angle； his head thrown back； his eyes staring sightlessly at the high
ballroom ceiling。
Down and down and down and down to —
— the hallway； crouched in the hallway； and he had made a wrong turn； trying
to get back to the stairs he had made a wrong turn and now AND NOW —
— he saw he was in the short dead…end corridor that led only to the
Presidential Suite and the booming sound was ing closer； the roque mallet
whistling savagely through the air； the head of it embedding itself into the
wall； cutting the silk paper； letting out small puffs of plaster dust。
（Goddammit； e out here！ Take your）
But there was another figure in the hallway。 Slouched nonchalantly against the
wall just behind him。 Like a ghost。
No； not a ghost； but all dressed in white。 Dressed in whites。
（I'll find you； you goddam little whoremastering RUNT！）
Danny cringed back from the sound。 ing up the main third…floor hall now。
Soon the owner of that voice would round the corner。
（e here！ e here； you little shit！）
The figure dressed in white straightened up a little； removed a cigarette from
the corner of his mouth； and plucked a shred of tobacco from his full lower lip。
It was Hallorann； Danny saw。 Dressed in his cook's whites instead of the blue
suit he had been wearing on closing day。
〃If there is trouble；〃 Hallorann said； 〃you give a call。 A big loud holler
like the one that knocked me back a few minutes ago。 I might hear you even way
down in Florida。 And if I do； I'll e on the run。 I'll e on the run。 I'll
e on the — 〃
（e now； then！ e now； e NOW！ Oh Dick I need you we all need）
〃 — run。 Sorry； but I got to run。 Sorry； Danny ole kid ole doc； but I got to
run。 It's sure been fun； you son of a gun； but I got to hurry； I got to run。〃
（No！）
But as he watched； Dick Hallorann turned； put his cigarette back into the
corner of his mouth； and stepped nonchalantly through the wall。
Leaving him alone。
And that was when the shadow…figure turned the corner； huge in the hallway's
gloom； only the reflected red of its eyes clear。
（There you are！ Now I've got you； you fuck！ Now I'll teach you！）
It lurched toward him in a horrible； shambling run； the roque mallet swinging
up and up and up。 Danny scrambled backward； screaming； and suddenly he was
through the wall and falling； tumbling over and over； down the hole； down the
rabbit hole and into a land full of sick wonders。
Tony was far below him； also falling。
（I can't e anymore； Danny 。。。 he won't let me near you 。。。 none of them
will let me near you 。。。 get Dick 。。 。 get Dick 。。。）
〃Tony！〃 he screamed。
But Tony was gone and suddenly he was in a dark room。 But not entirely dark。
Muted light spilling from somewhere。 It was Mommy and Daddy's bedroom。 He could
see Daddy's desk。 But the room was a dreadful shambles。 He had been in this room
before。 Mommy's record player overturned on the floor。 Her records scattered on
the rug。 The mattress half off the bed。 Pictures ripped from the walls。 His cot
lying on its side like a dead dog； the Violent Violet Volkswagen crushed to
purple shards of plastic。
The light was ing from the bathroom door； half…open。 Just beyond it a hand
dangled limply； blood dripping from the tips of the fingers。 And in the medicine
cabinet mirror； the word REDRUM flashing off and on。
Suddenly a huge clock in a glass bowl materialized in front of it。 There were
no hands or numbers on the clockface； only a date written in red： DECEMBER 2。
And then； eyes widening in horror； he saw the word REDRUM reflecting dimly from
the glass dome； now reflected twice。 And he saw that it spelled MURDER。
Danny Torrance screamed in wretched terror。 The date was gone from the
clockface。 The clockface itself was gone； replaced by a circular black hole that
swelled and swelled like a dilating iris。 It blotted out everything and he fell
forward； beginning to fall； falling； he was —
* * *
— falling off the chair。
For a moment he lay on the ballroom floor； breathing bard。
REDRUM。
MURDER。
REDRUM。
MURDER。
（The Red Death held sway over all！）
（Unmask！ Unmask！）
And behind each glittering lovely mask； the as…yet unseen face of the shape
that chased him down these dark hallways； its red eyes widening； blank and
homicidal。
Oh； he was afraid of what face might e to light when the time for unmasking
came around at last。
（DICK！）
he screamed with all his might。 His head seemed to shiver with the force of
it。
（！！！ OH DICK OH PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE E ！！！）
Above him the clock he had wound with the silver key continued to mark off the
seconds and minutes and hours。
P A R T F I V E
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Matters of
Life and Death
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
》
FLORIDA
Mrs。 Hallorann's third son； Dick； dressed in his cook's whites； a Lucky Strike
parked in the corner of his mouth； backed his reclaimed Cadillac limo out of its
space behind the One…A Wholesale Vegetable Mart and drove slowly around the
building。 Masterton； part owner now but still walking wi