The sharp…faced woman turned her sour； unbelieving expression on him and then
went back to her book。
He had spent the night at the airport； going from counter to counter — United；
American； TWA； Continental； Braniff — haunting the ticket clerks。 Sometime after
midnight； drinking his eighth or ninth cup of coffee in the canteen； he had
decided he was being an asshole to have taken this whole thing on his own
shoulders。 There were authorities。 He had gone down to the nearest bank of
telephones； and after talking to three different operators； he had gotten the
emergency number of the Rocky Mountain National Park Authority。
The man who answered the telephone sounded utterly worn out。 Hallorann had
given a false name and said there was trouble at the Overlook Hotel； west of
Sidewinder。 Bad trouble。
He was put on hold。
The ranger （Hallorann assumed he was a ranger） came back on in about five
minutes。
〃They've got a CB；〃 the ranger said。
〃Sure they've got a CB；〃 Hallorann said。
〃We haven't had a Mayday call from them。〃
〃Man； that don't matter。 They — 〃
〃Exactly what kind of trouble are they in； Mr。 Hall？〃
〃Well； there's a family。 The caretaker and his family。 I think maybe he's gone
a little nuts； you know。 I think maybe he might hurt his wife and his little
boy。〃
〃May I ask how you've e by this information； sir？〃
Hallorann closed his eyes。 〃What's your name； fellow？〃
〃Tom Staunton； sir。〃
〃Well； Tom； I know。 Now I'll be just as straight with you as I can be。 There's
bad trouble up there。 Maybe killin bad； do you dig what I'm sayin？〃
〃Mr。 Hall； I really have to know how you — 〃
〃Look；〃 Hallorann had said。 〃I'm telling you I know。 A few years back there
was a fellow up there name of Grady。 He killed his wife and his two daughters
and then pulled the string on himself。 I'm telling you it's going to happen
again if you guys don't haul your asses out there and stop it！〃
〃Mr。 Hall； you're not calling from Colorado。〃
〃No。 But what difference — 〃
〃If you're not in Colorado； you're not in CB range of the Overlook Hotel。 If
you're not in CB range you can't possibly have been in contact with the； uh 。。。〃
Faint rattle of papers。 〃The Torrance family。 While I had you on hold I tried
to telephone。 It's out； which is nothing unusual。 There are still twenty…five
miles of aboveground telephone lines between the hotel and the Sidewinder
switching station。 My conclusion is that you must be some sort of crank。〃
〃Oh man； you stupid 。。。〃 But his despair was too great to find a noun to go
with the adjective。 Suddenly； illumination。 〃Call them！〃 he cried。
〃Sir？〃
〃You got the CB； they got the CB。 So call them！ Call them and ask them what's
up！〃
There was a brief silence； and the humming of long…distance wires。
〃You tried that too； didn't you？〃 Hallorann asked。 〃That's why you had me on
hold so long。 You tried the phone and then you tried the CB and you didn't get
nothing but you don't think nothing's wrong 。。。 what are you guys doing up
there？ Sitting on your asses and playing gin rummy？〃
〃No； we are not；〃 Staunton said angrily。 Hallorann was relieved at the sound
of anger in the voice。 For the first time he felt he was speaking to a man and
not to a recording。 〃I'm the only man here； sir。 Every other ranger in the park；
plus game wardens； plus volunteers； are up in Hasty Notch； risking their lives
because three stupid assholes with six months' experience decided to try the
north face of King's Ram。 They're stuck halfway up there and maybe they'll get
down and maybe they won't。 There are two choppers up there and the men who are
flying them are risking their lives because it's night here and it's starting to
snow。 So if you're still having trouble putting it all together； I'll give you a
hand with it。 Number one； I don't have anybody to send to the Overlook。 Number
two； the Overlook isn't a priority here — what happens in the park is a priority。
Number three； by daybreak neither one of those choppers will be able to fly
because it's going to snow like crazy； according to the National Weather
Service。 Do you understand the situation？〃
〃Yeah；〃 Hallorann had said softly。 〃I understand。〃
〃Now my guess as to why I couldn't raise them on the CB is very simple。 I
don't know what time it is where you are； but out here it's nine…thirty。 I think
they may have turned it off and gone to bed。 Now if you — 〃
〃Good luck with your climbers； man；〃 Hallorann said。 〃But I want you to know
that they are not the only ones who are stuck up high because they didn't know
what they were getting into。〃
He had hung up the phone。
* * *
At 7：20 A。M。 the TWA 747 backed lumberingly out of its stall； turned； and
rolled out toward the runway。 Hallorann let out a long； soundless exhale。
Carlton Vecker； wherever you are； eat your heart out。
Flight 196 parted pany with the ground at 7：28； and at 7：31； as it gained
altitude； the thought…pistol went off in Dick Hallorann's head again。 His
shoulders hunched uselessly against the smell of oranges and then jerked
spasmodically。 His forehead wrinkled； his mouth drew down in a grimace of pain。
（！！！ DICK PLEASE E QUICK WE'RE IN BAD
TROUBLE DICK WE NEED）
And that was all。 It was suddenly gone。 No fading out this time。 The
munication had been chopped off cleanly； as if with a knife。 It scared him。
His hands； still clutching the seat rests； had gone almost white。 His mouth was
dry。 Something had happened to the boy。 He was sure of it。 If anyone had hurt
that little child —
〃Do you always react so violently to takeoffs？〃
He looked around。 It was the woman in the horn…rimmed glasses。
〃It wasn't that；〃 Hallorann said。 〃I've got a steel plate in my head。 From
Korea。 Every now and then it gives me a twinge。 Vibrates； don't you know。
Scrambles the signal。〃
〃Is that so？〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
〃It is the line soldier who ultimately pays for any foreign intervention；〃 the
sharp…faced woman said grimly。
〃Is that so？〃
〃It is。 This country must swear off its dirty little wars。 The CIA has been at
the root of every dirty little war America has fought in this century。 The CIA
and dollar diplomacy。〃
She opened her book and began to read。 The No SMOKING sign went off。 Hallorann
watched the receding land and wondered if the boy was all right。 He had
developed an affectionate feeling for that boy； although his folks hadn't seemed
all that much。
He hoped to God they were watching out for Danny。
》
DRINKS ON THE HOUSE
Jack stood in the dining room just outside the batwing doors leading into the
Colorado Lounge； his head cocked； listening。 He was smiling faintly。
Around him； he could hear the Overlook Hotel ing to life。
It was hard to say just how he knew； but he guessed it wasn't greatly
different from the perceptions Danny had from time to time 。。。 like father；
like son。 Wasn't that how it was popularly expressed？
It wasn't a perception of sight or sound； although it was very near to those
things； separated from those senses by the filmiest of perceptual curtains。 It
was as if another Overlook now lay scant inches beyond this one； separated from
the real world （if there is such a thing as a 〃real world；〃 Jack thought） but
gradually ing into balance with it。 He was reminded of the 3…D movies he'd
seen as a kid。 If you looked at the screen without the special glasses； you saw
a double image — the sort of thing he was feeling now。 But when you put the
glasses on； it made sense。
All the hotel's eras were together now； all but this current one； the Torrance
Era。 And this would be together with the rest very soon now。 That was good。 That
was very good。
He could almost hear the self…important ding！ding！ of the silver…plated bell
on the registration desk； summoning bellboys to the front as men in the
fashionable flannels of the 1920s checked in and men in fashionable 1940s
double…brea