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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 full consciousness came back； terror and pain with it。
Jack was trying to get up so he could finish the job。
Wendy tried to stand and found it was impossible。 Electric bolts seemed to course up and down her back at the effort。 She began to crawl along in a sidestroke motion。 Jack was crawling after her； using the roque mallet as a crutch or a cane。
She reached the er and pulled herself around it； using her hands to yank at the angle of the wall。 Her terror deepened…she would not have believed that possible； but it was。 It was a hundred times worse not to be able to see him or know how close he was getting。 She tore out fistfuls of the carpet napping pulling herself along； and she was halfway down this short hall before she noticed the bedroom door was standing wide open。
（Danny！ O Jesus） She forced herself to her knees and then clawed her way to her feet； fingers slipping over the silk wallpaper。 Her nails pulled little strips of it loose。
She ignored the pain and halfwalked； half…shambled through the doorway as Jack came around the far corner and began to lunge his way down toward the open door； leaning on the roque mallet。
She caught the edge of the dresser； held herself up against it； and grabbed the doorframe。
Jack shouted at her： 〃Don't you shut that door！ Goddam you； don't you dare shut it！〃 She slammed it closed and shot the bolt。 Her left hand pawed wildly at the junk on the dresser； knocking loose coins onto the floor where they rolled in every direction。 Her hand seized the key ring just as the mallet whistled down against the door； making it tremble in its frame。 She got the key into the lock on the second stab and twisted it to the right。 At the sound of the tumblers falling； Jack screamed。 The mallet came down against the door in a volley of booming blows that made her flinch and step back。 How could he be doing that with a knife in his back？ Where was he finding the strength？ She wanted to shriek Why aren't you dead？ at the locked door。
Instead she turned around。 She and Danny would have to go into the attached bathroom and lock that door； too； in case Jack actually could break through the bedroom door。 The thought of escaping down the dumb…waiter shaft crossed her mind in a wild burst； and then she rejected it。 Danny was small enough to fit into it； but she would be unable to control the rope pull。 He might go crashing all the way to the bottom。
The bathroom it would have to be。 And if Jack broke through into there… But she wouldn't allow herself to think of it。
〃Danny； honey； you'll have to wake up n…〃 But the bed was empty。
When he had begun to sleep more soundly； she had thrown the blankets and one of the quilts over him。 Now they were thrown back。
〃I'll get you！〃 Jack howled。 〃I'll get 。both of you！〃 Every other word was punctuated with a blow from the roque hammer； yet Wendy ignored both。 All of her attention was focused on that empty bed。
〃e out here！ Unlock this goddam door！〃
〃Danny？〃 she whispered。
Of course 。 。 。 when Jack had attacked her。 It had e through to him； as violent emotions always seemed to。 Perhaps he'd even seen the whole thing in a nightmare。 He was hiding。
She fell clumsily to her knees； enduring another bolt of pain from her swollen and bleeding leg； and looked under the bed。 Nothing there but dustballs and Jack's bedroom slippers。
Jack screamed her name； and this time when he swung the mallet； a long splinter of wood jumped from the door and clattered off the hardwood planking。
The next blow brought a sickening； splintering crack； the sound of dry kindling under a hatchet。 The bloody mallet head； now splintered and gouged in its own right； bashed through the new hole in the door； was withdrawn； and came down again； sending wooden shrapnel flying across the room。
Wendy pulled herself to her feet again using the foot of the bed； and hobbled across the room to the closet。 Her broken ribs stabbed at her； making her groan。
〃Danny？〃 She brushed the hung garments asi