第18部分(第1/7 页)

duskily　down　into　the　darkly　pooled　firs　below　the　timberline。

Jack　and　Wendy　were　so　absorbed　in　the　view　that　they　didn't　look　down　at

Danny；　who　was　staring　not　out　the　window　but　at　the　red…and…white…striped　silk

wallpaper　to　the　left；　where　a　door　opened　into　an　interior　bedroom。　And　his

gasp；　which　had　been　mingled　with　theirs；　had　nothing　to　do　with　beauty。

Great　splashes　of　dried　blood；　flecked　with　tiny　bits　of　grayish…white　tissue；

clotted　the　wallpaper。　It　made　Danny　feel　sick。　It　was　like　a　crazy　picture

drawn　in　blood；　a　surrealistic　etching　of　a　man's　face　drawn　back　in　terror　and

pain；　the　mouth　yawning　and　half　the　head　pulverized　—

（So　if　you　should　see　something　。。。　just　look　the　other　way　and　when　you

look　back；　it'll　be　gone。　Are　you　diggin　me？）

He　deliberately　looked　out　the　window；　being　careful　to　show　no　expression　on

his　face；　and　when　his　mommy's　hand　closed　over　his　own　he　took　it；　being

careful　not　to　squeeze　it　or　give　her　a　signal　of　any　kind。

The　manager　was　saying　something　to　his　daddy　about　making　sure　to　shutter

that　big　window　so　a　strong　wind　wouldn't　blow　it　in。　Jack　was　nodding。　Danny

looked　cautiously　back　at　the　wall。　The　big　dried　bloodstain　was　gone。　Those

little　gray…white　flecks　that　had　been　scattered　all　through　it；　they　were　gone；

too。

Then　Ullman　was　leading　them　out。　Mommy　asked　him　if　he　thought　the　mountains

were　pretty。　Danny　said　he　did；　although　he　didn't　really　care　for　the

mountains；　one　way　or　the　other。　As　Ullman　was　closing　the　door　behind　them；

Danny　looked　back　over　his　shoulder。　The　bloodstain　had　returned；　only　now　it

was　fresh。　It　was　running。