第53部分(第2/7 页)

The　twinkling；　half…seen　bottles　in　the　deserted　lounge。

The　radio。

The　dreams。

The　scrapbook　he　had　found　in　the　cellar。

（Medoc；　are　you　here？　I've　been　sleepwalking　again；　my　dear。。。）

He　got　up　suddenly；　thrusting　the　snowshoes　back　out　the　door。　He　was　shaking

all　over。　He　slammed　the　door　and　picked　up　the　box　with　the　battery　in　it。　It

slipped　through　his　shaking　fingers

（oh　christ　what　if　i　cracked　it）

and　thumped　over　on　its　side。　He　pulled　the　flaps　of　the　carton　open　and

yanked　the　battery　out；　heedless　of　the　acid　that　might　be　leaking　through　the

battery's　casing　if　it　had　cracked。　But　it　hadn't。　It　was　whole。　A　little　sigh

escaped　his　lips。

Cradling　it；　he　took　it　over　to　the　Skidoo　and　put　it　on　its　platform　near　the

front　of　the　engine。　He　found　a　small　adjustable　wrench　on　one　of　the　shelves

and　attached　the　battery　cables　quickly　and　with　no　trouble。　The　battery　was

live；　no　need　to　use　the　charger　on　it。　There　had　been　a　crackle　of　electricity

and　a　small　odor　of　ozone　when　he　slipped　the　positive　cable　onto　its　terminal。

The　job　done；　he　stood　away；　wiping　his　hands　nervously　on　his　faded　denim

jacket。　There。　It　should　work。　No　reason　why　not。　No　reason　at　all　except　that

it　was　part　of　the　Overlook　and　the　Overlook　really　didn't　want　them　out　of

here。　Not　at　all。　The　Overlook　was　having　one　hell　of　a　good　time。　There　was　a

little　boy　to　terrorize　a　man　and　his　woman　to　set　one　against　the　other；　and　if

it　played　its　cards　right　they　could　end　up　flitting　through　the　Overlook's

halls　like　insubstantial　shades　in　a　Shirley　Jackson　novel；　whatever　walked　in

Hill　House　walked