〃That one says SLOWER VEHICLES USE RIGHT LANE。 That means us。〃
〃The bug will make it；〃 Danny said。
〃Please； God；〃 Mommy said； and crossed her fingers。 Danny looked down at her
open…toed sandals and saw that she had crossed her toes as well。 He giggled。 She
smiled back； but he knew that she was still worried。
The road wound up and up in a series of slow S curves； and Jack dropped the
bug's stick shift from fourth gear to third； then into second。 The bug wheezed
and protested； and Wendy's eye fixed on the speedometer needle； which sank from
forty to thirty to twenty； where it hovered reluctantly。
〃The fuel pump。。。〃 she began timidly。
〃The fuel pump will go another three miles；〃 Jack said shortly。
The rock wall fell away on their right； disclosing a slash valley that seemed
to go down forever； lined a dark green with Rocky Mountain pine and spruce。 The
pines fell away to gray cliffs of rock that dropped for hundreds of feet before
smoothing out。 She saw a waterfall spilling over one of them； the early
afternoon sun sparkling in it like a golden fish snared in a blue net。 They were
beautiful mountains but they were hard。 She did not think they would forgive
many mistakes。 An unhappy foreboding rose in her throat。 Further west in the
Sierra Nevada the Donner Party had bee snowbound and had resorted to
cannibalism to stay alive。 The mountains did not forgive many mistakes。
With a punch of the clutch and a jerk； Jack shifted down to first gear and
they labored upward； the bug's engine thumping gamely。
〃You know；〃 she said； 〃I don't think we've seen five cars since we came
through Sidewinder。 And one of them was the hotel limousine。〃
Jack nodded。 〃It goes right to Stapleton Airport in Denver。 There's already
some icy patches up beyond the hotel； Watson says； and they're forecasting more
snow for tomorrow up higher。 Anybody going through the mountains now wants to be
on one of the main roads； just in case。 That goddam Ullman better still be up
there。 I guess he will be。〃
〃You're sure the larder is fully stocked？〃 she asked； still thinking of the
Donners。
〃He said so。 He wanted Hallorann to go over it with you。 Hallorann's the
cook。〃
〃Oh；〃 she said faintly； looking at the speedometer。 It had dropped from
fifteen to ten miles an hour。
〃There's the top；〃 Jack said； pointing three hundred yards ahead。 〃There's a
scenic turnout and you can see the Overlook from there。 I'm going to pull off
the road and give the bug a chance to rest。〃 He craned over his shoulder at
Danny； who was sitting on a pile of blankets。 〃What do you think； doc？ We might
see some deer。 Or caribou。〃
〃Sure； Dad。〃
The VW labored up and up。 The speedometer dropped to just above the five…mile…
an…hour hashmark and was beginning to hitch when Jack pulled off the road
（〃What's that sign； Mommy？〃 〃SCENIC TURNOUT；〃 she read dutifully。）
and stepped on the emergency brake and let the VW run in neutral。
〃e on；〃 he said； and got out。
They walked to the guardrail together。
〃That's it；〃 Jack said； and pointed at eleven o'clock。
For Wendy； it was discovering truth in a cliché： her breath was taken away。
For a moment she was unable to breathe at all； the view had knocked the wind
from her。 They were standing near the top of one peak。 Across from them — who
knew how far？ — an even taller mountain reared into the sky； its jagged tip only
a silhouette that was now nimbused by the sun； which was beginning its decline。
The whole valley floor was spread out below them； the slopes that they had
climbed in the laboring bug falling away with such dizzying suddenness that she
knew to look down there for too long would bring on nausea and eventual
vomiting。 The imagination seemed to spring to full life in the clear air； beyond
the rein of reason； and to look was to helplessly see one's self plunging down
and down and down； sky and slopes changing places in slow cartwheels； the scream
drifting from your mouth like a lazy balloon as your hair and your dress
billowed out 。。。
She jerked her gaze away from the drop almost by force and followed Jack's
finger。 She could see the highway clinging to the side of this cathedral spire；
switching back on itself but always tending northwest； still climbing but at a
more gentle angle。 Further up； seemingly set directly into the slope itself； she
saw the grimly clinging pines give way to a wide square of green lawn and
standing in the middle of it； overlooking all this； the hotel。 The Overlook。
Seeing it； she found breath and voice again。
〃Oh； Jack； it's gorgeous！〃
〃Yes； it is；〃 he said。 〃Ullman says he thinks it's the single most beautiful
location in America。 I don't care much for him； but I think he might be 。。。
Danny！ Danny； are you all right？〃
She looked around for him and her sudden fear for him blotted out everything
else； stupendous or not。 She darted toward him。 He was holding onto the
guardrail and looking up at the hotel； his face a pasty gray color。 His eyes had
the blank look of someone on the verge of fainting。
She knelt beside him and put steadying hands on his shoulders。 〃Danny；
what's — 〃
Jack was beside her。 〃You okay； doc？〃 He gave Danny a brisk little shake and
his eyes cleared。
〃I'm okay； Daddy。 I'm fine。〃
〃What was it； Danny？〃 she asked。 〃Were you dizzy； honey？〃
〃No； I was just 。。。 thinking。 I'm sorry。 I didn't mean to scare you。〃 He
looked at his parents； kneeling in front of him； and offered them a small
puzzled smile。 〃Maybe it was the sun。 The sun got in my eyes。〃
〃We'll get you up to the hotel and give you a drink of water；〃 Daddy said。
〃Okay。〃
And in the bug； which moved upward more surely on the gentler grade； he kept
looking out between them as the road unwound； affording occasional glimpses of
the Overlook Hotel； its massive bank of westward…looking windows reflecting
back the sun。 It was the place he had seen in the midst of the blizzard； the
dark and booming place where some hideously familiar figure sought him down long
corridors carpeted with jungle。 The place Tony had warned him against。 It was
here。 It was here。 Whatever Redrum was； it was here。
》
CHECKING IT OUT
Ullman was waiting for them just inside the wide； old…fashioned front doors。
He shook hands with Jack and nodded coolly at Wendy； perhaps noticing the way
heads turned when she came through into the lobby； her golden hair spilling
across the shoulders of the simple navy dress。 The hem of the dress stopped a
modest two inches above the knee； but you didn't have to see more to know they
were good legs。
Ullman seemed truly warm toward Danny only； but Wendy had experienced that
before。 Danny seemed to be a child for people who ordinarily held W。 C。 Fields'
sentiments about children。 He bent a little from the waist and offered Danny his
hand。 Danny shook it formally； without a smile。
〃My son Danny；〃 Jack said。 〃And my wife Winnifred。〃
〃I'm happy to meet you both；〃 Ullman said。 〃How old are you； Danny？〃
〃Five； sir。〃
〃Sir； yet。〃 Ullman smiled and glanced at Jack。 〃He's well mannered。〃
〃Of course he is；〃 Jack said。
〃And Mrs。 Torrance。〃 He offered the same little bow； and for a bemused instant
Wendy thought he would kiss her hand。 She half…offered it and he did take it；
but only for a moment； clasped in both of his。 His hands were small and dry and
smooth； and she guessed that he powdered them。
The lobby was a bustle of activity。 Almost every one of the old…fashioned
high…backed chairs was taken。 Bellboys shuttled in and out with suitcases and
there was a line at the desk； which was dominated by a huge brass cash register。
The BankAmericard and Master Charge decals on it seemed jarringly anachronistic。
To their right； down toward a pair of tall double doors that were pulled
closed and roped off； there was an old…fashioned fireplace now blazing with
birch logs。 Three nuns sat on a sofa that was drawn up almost to the hearth
itself。 They were talking and smiling with their bags stacked up to either side；
waiting for the check…out line to thin a little。 As Wendy watched them they
burst into a chord of tinkling； girlish laughter。 She felt a smile touch her own
lips； not one of them could be under sixty。
In the background was the constant hum of conversation； the muted ding！ of the
silver…plated bell beside the cash register as one of the two clerks on duty
struck it； the slightly impatient call of 〃Front； please！〃 It brought back
strong； warm memories of her honeymoon in New York with Jack； at the Beekman
Tower。 For the first time she let herself believe that this might be exactly
what the three of them needed： a season together away from the world； a sort of
family honeymoon。 She smiled affectionately down at Danny； who was goggling
around frankly at everything。 Another limo； as gray as a banker's vest； had
pulled up out front
〃The last day of the season；〃 Ullman was saying。 〃Closing day。 Always hectic。
I had expected you more around three； Mr。 Torrance。〃
〃I wanted to give the Volks time for a nervous breakdown if it decided to have
one；〃 Jack said。 〃It didn't。〃
〃How fortunate；〃 Ullman said。 〃I'd like to take the three of you on a tour of
the place a little later； and of course Dick Hallorann wants to show Mrs。
Torrance the Overlook's kitchen。 But I'm afraid —〃
One of the clerks came over and almost tugged his forelock。
〃Excuse me； Mr。 Ullman — 〃
〃Well？ What is it？〃
〃It's Mrs。 Brant；〃 the clerk said unfortably。 〃She refuses to pay her bill
with anything but her American Express card。 I told her we stopped taking
American Express at the end of the season last year； but she won't 。。。〃 His
eyes shifted to the Torrance family； then back to Ullman。 He shrugged。
〃I'll take care of it。〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Ullman。〃 The clerk crossed back to the desk； where a
dreadnought of a woman bundled into a long fur coat and what looked like a black
feather boa was remonstrating loudly。
〃I have been ing to the Overlook Hotel since 1955；〃 she was telling the
smiling； shrugging clerk。 〃I continued to e even after my second husband died
of a stroke on that tiresome roque court — I told him the sun was too hot that
day — and I have never 。。。 I repeat： never 。。。 paid with anything but my
American Express credit card。 Call the police if you like！ Have them drag me
away！ I will still refuse to pay with anything but my American Express credit
card。 I repeat： 。。。〃
〃Excuse me；〃 Mr。 Ullman said。
They watched him cross the lobby； touch Mrs。 Brant's elbow deferentially； and
spread his hands and nod when she turned her tirade on him。 He listened
sympathetically； nodded again； and said something in return。 Mrs。 Brant smiled
triumphantly； turned to the unhappy desk clerk； and said loudly： 〃Thank God
there is one employee of this hotel who hasn't bee an utter Philistine！〃
She allowed Ullman； who barely came to the bulky shoulder of her fur coat； to
take her arm and lead her away； presumably to his inner office。
〃Whooo！〃 We