have to。 Remember；〃 the announcer added jocularly； 〃that's how the Donners got
into trouble。 They just weren't as close to the nearest Seven…Eleven as they
thought。〃
A Clairol mercial came on； and Wendy reached down and snapped the radio
off。 〃You mind？〃
〃Huh…uh； that's okay。〃 He glanced out at the sky； which was bright blue。
〃Guess Daddy picked just the right day to trim those hedge animals； didn't he？〃
〃I guess he did；〃 Wendy said。
〃Sure doesn't look much like snow； though；〃 Danny added hopefully。
〃Getting cold feet？〃 Wendy asked。 She was still thinking about that crack the
disc jockey had made about the Donner Party。
〃Nah； I guess not。〃
Well； she thought； this is the time。 If you're going to bring it up； do it now
or forever hold your peace。
〃Danny；〃 she said； making her voice as casual as possible； 〃would you be
happier if we went away from the Overlook？ If we didn't stay the winter？〃
Danny looked down at his hands。 〃I guess so；〃 he said。 〃Yeah。 But it's Daddy's
job。〃
〃Sometimes；〃 she said carefully； 〃I get the idea that Daddy might be happier
away from the Overlook； too。〃 They passed a sign which read SIDEWINDER 18 mi。
and then she took the truck cautiously around a hairpin and shifted up into
second。 She took no chances on these downgrades； they scared her silly。
〃Do you really think so？〃 Danny asked。 He looked at her with interest for a
moment and then shook his head。 〃No； I don't think so。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because he's worried about us；〃 Danny said； choosing his words carefully。 It
was hard to explain； he understood so little of it himself。 He found himself
harking back to an incident he had told Mr。 Hallorann about； the big kid looking
at department store TV sets and wanting to steal one。 That had been distressing；
but at least it had been clear what was going on； even to Danny； then little
more than an infant。 But grownups were always in a turmoil； every possible
action muddied over by thoughts of the consequences； by self…doubt； by
selfimage； by feelings of love and responsibility。 Every possible choice seemed
to have drawbacks； and sometimes he didn't understand why the drawbacks were
drawbacks。 It was very hard。
〃He thinks 。。。〃 Danny began again； and then looked at his mother quickly。
She was watching the road； not looking at him； and he felt he could go on。
〃He thinks maybe we'll be lonely。 And then he thinks that he likes it here and
it's a good place for us。 He loves us and doesn't want us to be lonely 。。。 or
sad 。。。 but he thinks even if we are； it might be okay in the LONGRUN。 Do you
know LONGRUN？〃
She nodded。 〃Yes； dear。 I do。〃
〃He's worried that if we left he couldn't get another job。 That we'd have to
beg； or something。〃
〃Is that all？〃
〃No； but the rest is all mixed up。 Because he's different now。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； almost sighing。 The grade eased a little and she shifted
cautiously back to third gear。
〃I'm not making this up； Mommy。 Honest to God。〃
〃I know that；〃 she said； and smiled。 〃Did Tony tell you？〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃I just know。 That doctor didn't believe in Tony； did he？〃
〃Never mind that doctor；〃 she said。 〃I believe in Tony。 I don't know what he
is or who he is； if he's a part of you that's special or if he es from 。。。
somewhere outside； but I do believe in him； Danny。 And if you 。。。 he 。。。
think we should go； we will。 The two of us will go and be together with Daddy
again in the spring。〃
He looked at her with sharp hope。 〃Where？ A motel？〃
〃Hon； we couldn't afford a motel。 It would have to be at my mother's。〃
The hope in Danny's face died out。 〃I know — 〃 he said； and stopped。
〃What？〃
〃Nothing；〃 he muttered。
She shifted back to second as the grade steepened again。 〃No； doc； please
don't say that。 This talk is something we should have had weeks ago； I think。 So
please。 What is it you know？ I won't be mad。 I can't be mad； because this is too
important。 Talk straight to me。〃
〃I know how you feel about her；〃 Danny said； and sighed。
〃How do I feel？〃
〃Bad；〃 Danny said； and then rhyming； singsong； frightening her： 〃Bad。 Sad。
Mad。 It's like she wasn't your mommy at all。 Like she wanted to eat you。〃 He
looked at her； frightened。 〃And I don't like it there。 She's always thinking
about how she would be better for me than you。 And how she could get me away
from you。 Mommy； I don't want to go there。 I'd rather be at the Overlook than
there。〃
Wendy was shaken。 Was it that bad between her and hermother？ God； what hell
for the boy if it was and he could really read their thoughts for each other。
She suddenly felt more naked than naked； as if she had been caught in an obscene
act。
〃All right；〃 she said。 〃All right； Danny。〃
〃You're mad at me；〃 he said in a small； near…to…tears voice。
〃No； I'm not。 Really I'm not。 I'm just sort of shook up。〃 They were passing a
SIDEWINDER 15 mi。 sign； and Wendy relaxed a little。 From here on in the road was
better。
〃I want to ask you one more question； Danny。 I want you to answer it as
truthfully as you can。 Will you do that？〃
〃Yes； Mommy；〃 he said； almost whispering。
〃Has your daddy been drinking again？〃
〃No；〃 he said； and smothered the two words that rose behind his lips after
that simple negative： Not yet。
Wendy relaxed a little more。 She put a hand on Danny's jeans…clad leg and
squeezed it。 〃Your daddy has tried very hard；〃 she said softly。 〃Because he
loves us。 And we love him； don't we？〃
He nodded gravely。
Speaking almost to herself she went on： 〃He's not a perfect man； but he has
tried 。。。 Danny； he's tried so hard！ When he 。。。 stopped 。。。 he went
through a kind of hell。 He's still going through it。 I think if it hadn't been
for us； he would have just let go。 I want to do what's right。 And I don't know。
Should we go？ Stay？ It's like a choice between the fat and the fire。〃
〃I know。〃
〃Would you do something for me； doc？〃
〃What？〃
〃Try to make Tony e。 Right now。 Ask him if we're safe at the Overlook。〃
〃I already tried；〃 Danny said slowly。 〃This morning。〃
〃What happened？〃 Wendy asked。 〃What did he say？〃
〃He didn't e；〃 Danny said。 〃Tony didn't e。〃 And he suddenly burst into
tears。
〃Danny；〃 she said； alarmed。 〃Honey； don't do that。 Please 〃 The truck swerved
across the double yellow line and she pulled it back； scared。
〃Don't take me to Gramma's；〃 Danny said through his tears。 〃Please； Mommy； I
don't want to go there； I want to stay with Daddy 〃
〃All right；〃 she said softly。 〃All right； that's what we'll do。〃 She took a
Kleenex out of the pocket of her Western…style shirt and handed it to him。
〃We'll stay。 And everything will be fine。 Just fine。〃
* 〃Bad Moon Rising；〃 by J。 C。 Fogerty； （c） 1969 Jondora Music； Berkeley；
California。 Used by permission。 All rights reserved。 International copyright
secured。
》
IN THE PLAYGROUND
Jack came out onto the porch； tugging the tab of his zipper up under his chin；
blinking into the bright air。 In his left hand he was holding a battery…powered
hedge…clipper。 He tugged a fresh handkerchief out of his back pocket with his
right hand； wiped his lips with it； and tucked it away。 Snow； they had said on
the radio。 It was hard to believe； even though he could see the clouds building
up on the far horizon。
He started down the path to the topiary； switching the hedge…clipper over to
the other hand。 It wouldn't be a long job； he thought； a little touch…up would
do it。 The cold nights had surely stunted their growth。 The rabbit's ears looked
a little fuzzy； and two of the dog's legs had grown fuzzy green bonespurs； but
the lions and the buffalo looked fine。 Just a little haircut would do the trick；
and then let the snow e。
The concrete path ended as abruptly as a diving board。 He stepped off it and
walked past the drained pool to the gravel path which wound through the hedge
sculptures and into the playground itself。 He walked over to the rabbit and
pushed the button on the handle of the clippers。 It hummed into quiet life。
〃Hi； Br'er Rabbit；〃 Jack said。 〃How are you today？ A little off the top and
get some of the extra off your ears？ Fine。 Say； did you hear the one about the
traveling salesman and the old lady with a pet poodle？〃
His voice sounded unnatural and stupid in his ears； and he stopped。 It
occurred to him that he didn't care much for these hedge animals。 It had always
seemed slightly perverted to him to clip and torture a plain old hedge into
something that it wasn't。 Along one of the highways in Vermont there had been a
hedge billboard on a high slope overlooking the road； advertising some kind of
ice cream。 Making nature peddle ice cream； that was just wrong。 It was
grotesque。
（You weren't hired to philosophize； Torrance。）
Ah； that was true。 So true。 He clipped along the rabbit's ears； brushing a
small litter of sticks and twigs off onto the grass。 The hedge…clipper hummed in
that low and rather disgustingly metallic way that all battery…powered
appliances seem to have。 The sun was