sk.theshining-第101部分

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nutes；　as　the　few　lights　of　Sidewinder　dwindled　away　and　disappeared　in　the　rearview；　the　urge　to　turn　around　and　go　back　was　almost　insurmountable。　He　reflected　that　for　all　of　Durkin's　concern　for　Jack　Torrance's　boy；　he　had　not　offered　to　take　the　other　snowmobile　and　e　with　him。
　　（That　place　has　got　a　bad　reputation　around　here。）　Clenching　his　teeth；　he　turned　the　throttle　higher　and　watched　the　needle　on　the　speedometer　climb　past　forty　and　settle　at　forty…five。　He　seemed　to　be　going　horribly　fast　and　yet　he　was　afraid　it　wasn't　fast　enough。　At　this　speed　it　would　take　him　almost　an　hour　to　get　to　the　Overlook。　But　at　a　higher　speed　he　might　not　get　there　at　all。
　　He　kept　his　eyes　glued　to　the　passing　guardrails　and　the　dime…sized　reflectors　mounted　on　top　of　each　one。　Many　of　them　were　buried　under　drifts。　Twice　he　saw　curve　signs　dangerously　late　and　felt　the　snowmobile　riding　up　the　drifts　that　masked　the　dropoff　before　turning　back　onto　where　the　road　was　in　the　summertime。　The　odometer　counted　off　the　miles　at　a　maddeningly　slow　clip…five；　ten；　finally　fifteen。　Even　behind　the　knitted　ski　mask　his　face　was　beginning　to　stiffen　up　and　his　legs　were　growing　numb。
　　（Guess　I'd　give　a　hundred　bucks　for　a　pair　of　ski　pants。）　As　each　mile　turned　over；　his　terror　grew…as　if　the　place　had　a　poison　atmosphere　that　thickened　as　you　neared　it。　Had　it　ever　been　like　this　before？
　　He　had　never　really　liked　the　Overlook；　and　there　had　been　others　who　shared　his　feeling；　but　it　had　never　been　like　this。
　　He　could　feel　the　voice　that　had　almost　wrecked　him　outside　of　Sidewinder　still　trying　to　get　in；　to　get　past　his　defenses　to　the　soft　meat　inside。　If　it　had　been　strong　twenty…five　miles　back；　how　much　stronger　would　it　be　now？　He　couldn't　keep　it　out　entirely。　Some　of　it　was　slipping　through；　flooding　his　brain　with　sinister　subliminal　images。　More　and　more　he　got　the　image　of　a　badly　hurt　woman　in　a　bathroom；　holding　her　hands　up　uselessly　to　ward　off　a　blow；　and　he　felt　more　and　more　that　the　woman　must　be…　（Jesus；　watch　out！）　The　embankment　was　looming　up　ahead　of　him　like　a　freight　train。　Wool…　gathering；　he　had　missed　a　turn　sign。　He　jerked　the　snowmobile's　steering　gear　hard　right　and　it　swung　around；　tilting　as　it　did　so。　From　underneath　came　the　harsh　grating　sound　of　the　snowtread　on　rock。　He　thought　the　snowmobile　was　going　to　dump　him；　and　it　did　totter　on　the　knife…edge　of　balance　before　half…　driving；　half…skidding　back　down　to　the　more　or　less　level　surface　of　the　snow…　buried　road。　Then　the　dropoff　was　ahead　of　him；　the　headlamp　showing　an　abrupt　end　to　the　snowcover　and　darkness　beyond　that。　He　turned　the　snowmobile　the　other　way；　a　pulse　beating　sickly　in　his　throat。
　　（Keep　it　on　the　road　Dicky　old　chum。）　He　forced　himself　to　turn　the　throttle　up　another　notch。　Now　the　speedometer　needle　was　pegged　just　below　fifty。　The　wind　howled　and　roared。　The　headlamp　probed　the　dark。
　　An　unknown　length　of　time　later；　he　came　around　a　driftbanked　curve　and　saw　a　glimmering　flash　of　light　ahead。　Just　a　glimpse；　and　then　it　was　blotted　out　by　a　rising　fold　of　land。　The　glimpse　was　so　brief　he　was　persuading　himself　it　had　been　wishful　thinking　when　another　turn　brought　it　in　view　again；　slightly　closer；　for　another　few　seconds。　There　was　no　question　of　its　reality　this　time；　he　had　seen　it　from　just　this　angle　too　many　times　before。　It　was　the　Overlook。
　　There　were　lights　on　the　first　floor　and　lobby　levels；　it　looked　like。
　　Some　of　his　terror…the　part　that　had　to　do　with　driving　off　the　road　or　wrecking　the　snowmobile　on　an　unseen　curve…melted　entirely　away。　The　snowmobile　swept　surely　into　the　first　half　of　an　S　curve　that　he　now　remembered　confidently　foot　for　foot；　and　that　was　when　the　headlamp　picked　out　the　（oh　dear　Jesus　god　what　is　it）　in　the　road　ahead　of　him。　Limned　in　stark　blacks　and　whites；　Hallorann　first　thought　it　was　some　hideously　huge　timberwolf　that　had　been　driven　down　from　the　high　country　by　the　storm。　Then；　as　he　closed　on　it；　he　recognized　it　and　horror　closed　his　throat。
　　Not　a　wolf　but　a　lion。　A　hedge　lion。
　　Its　features　were　a　mask　of　black　shadow　and　powdered　snow；　its　haunches　wound　tight　to　spring。　And　it　did　spring；　snow　billowing　around　its　pistoning　rear　legs　in　a　silent　burst　of　crystal　glitter。
　　Hallorann　screamed　and　twisted　the　handlebars　hard　right；　ducking　low　at　the　same　time。　Scratching；　ripping　pain　scrawled　itself　across　his　face；　his　neck；　his　shoulders。　The　ski　mask　was　torn　open　down　the　back。　He　was　hurled　from　the　snowmobile。　He　hit　the　snow；　plowed　through　it；　rolled　over。
　　He　could　feel　it　ing　for　him。　In　his　nostrils　there　was　a　bitter　smell　of　green　leaves　and　holly。　A　huge　hedge　paw　batted　him　in　the　small　of　the　back　and　he　flew　ten　feet　through　the　air；　splayed　out　like　a　rag　doll。　He　saw　the　snowmobile；　riderless；　strike　the　embankment　and　rear　up；　its　headlamp　searching　the　sky。　It　fell　over　with　a　thump　and　stalled。
　　Then　the　hedge　lion　was　on　him。　There　was　a　crackling；　rustling　sound。
　　Something　raked　across　the　front　of　the　parka；　shredding　it。　It　might　have　been　stiff　twigs；　but　Hallorann　knew　it　was　claws。
　　〃You're　not　there！〃　Hallorann　screamed　at　the　circling；　snarling　hedge　lion。
　　〃You're　not　there　at　all！〃　He　struggled　to　his　feet　and　made　it　halfway　to　the　snowmobile　before　the　lion　lunged；　batting　him　across　the　head　with　a　needle…　tipped　paw。　Hallorann　saw　silent；　exploding　lights。
　　〃Not　there；〃　he　said　again；　but　it　was　a　fading　mutter。　His　knees　unhinged　and　dropped　him　into　the　snow。　He　crawled　for　the　snowmobile；　the　right　side　of　his　face　a　scarf　of　blood。　The　lion　struck　him　again；　rolling　him　onto　his　back　like　a　turtle。　It　roared　playfully。
　　Hallorann　struggled　to　reach　the　snowmobile。　What　he　needed　was　there。　And　then　the　lion　was　on　him　again；　ripping　and　clawing。
　　　
　　　》
　　WENDY　AND　JACK
　　
　　Wendy　risked　another　glance　over　her　shoulder。　Jack　was　on　the　sixth　riser；　clinging　to　the　banister　much　as　she　was　doing　herself。　He　was　still　grinning；　and　dark　blood　oozed　slowly　through　the　grin　and　slipped　down　the　line　of　his　jaw。　He　bared　his　teeth　at　her。
　　〃I'm　going　to　bash　your　brains　in。　Bash　them　right　to　fuck　in。〃　He　struggled　up　another　riser。
　　Panic　spurred　her；　and　the　ache　in　her　side　diminished　a　little。　She　pulled　herself　up　as　fast　as　she　could　regardless　of　the　pain；　yanking　convulsively　at　the　banister。　She　reached　the　top　and　threw　a　glance　behind　her。
　　He　seemed　to　be　gaining　strength　rather　than　losing　it。　He　was　only　four　risers　from　the　top；　measuring　the　distance　with　the　rogue　mallet　in　his　left　hand　as　he　pulled　himself　up　with　his　right。
　　〃Right　behind　you；〃　he　panted　through　his　bloody　grin；　as　if　reading　her　mind。
　　〃Right　behind　you　now；　bitch。　With　your　medicine。〃　She　fled　stumblingly　down　the　main　corridor；　hands　pressed　to　her　side。
　　The　door　to　one　of　the　rooms　jerked　open　and　a　man　with　a　green　ghoulmask　on　popped　out。　〃Great　party；　isn't　it？〃　He　screamed　into　her　face；　and　pulled　the　waxed　string　of　a　party…favor。　There　was　an　echoing　bang　and　suddenly　crepe　streamers　were　drifting　all　around　her。　The　man　in　the　ghoulmask　cackled　and　slammed　back　into　his　room。　She　fell　forward　onto　the　carpet；　full…length。　Her　right　side　seemed　to　explode　with　pain；　and　she　fought　off　the　blackness　of　unconsciousness　desperately。　Dimly　she　could　hear　the　elevator　running　again；　and　beneath　her　splayed　fingers　she　could　see　that　the　carpet　pattern　appeared　to　move；　swaying　and　twining　sinuously。
　　The　mallet　slammed　down　behind　her　and　she　threw　herself　forward；　sobbing。
　　Over　her　shoulder　she　saw　Jack　stumble　forward；　overbalance；　and　bring　the　mallet　down　just　before　he　crashed　to　the　carpet；　expelling　a　bright　splash　of　blood　onto　the　nap。
　　The　mallet　head　struck　her　squarely　between　the　shoulder　blades　and　for　a　moment　the　agony　was　so　great　that　she　could　only　writhe；　hands　opening　and　clenching。　Something　inside　her　had　snapped…she　had　heard　it　clearly；　and　for　a　few　moments　she　was　aware　only　in　a　muted；　muffled　way；　as　if　she　were　merely　observing　these　things　through　a　cloudy　wrapping　of　gauze。
　　Then　f