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Terror tried to rise up and he quelled it。 He was the Secret Agent Man； and he would escape。
He began to walk out of the playground； taking the same roundabout course his father had taken on the day that the snow flew。 He concentrated on operating the snowshoes。 Slow； flat strides。 Don't lift your foot too high or you'll lose your balance。 Twist your ankle and spill the snow off the crisscrossed lacings。 It seemed so slow。 He reached the corner of the playground。 The snow was drifted high here and he was able to step over the fence。 He got halfway over and then almost fell flat when the snowshoe on his behind foot caught on one of the fence posts。 He leaned on the outside edge of gravity； pinwheeling his arms； remembering how bard it was to get up once you fell down。
From his right； that soft sound again； falling clumps of snow。 He looked over and saw the other two lions； clear of snow now down to their forepaws； side by side； about sixty paces away。 The green indentations that were their eyes were fixed on him。 The dog had turned its head。
（It only happens when you're not looking。）
〃Oh！ Hey…〃 His snowshoes had crossed and he plunged forward into the snow； arms waving uselessly。 More snow got inside his hood and down his neck and into the tops of his boots。 He struggled out of the snow and tried to get the snowshoes under him； heart hammering crazily now （Secret Agent Man remember you're the Secret Agent） and overbalanced backward。 For a moment he lay there looking at the sky； thinking it would be simpler to just give up。
Then he thought of the thing in the concrete tunnel and knew he could not。 He gained his feet and stared over at the topiary。 All three lions were bunched together now； not forty feet away。 The dog had ranged off to their left； as if to block Danny's retreat。 They were bare of snow except for powdery ruffs around their necks and muzzles。 They were all staring at him。
His breath was racing now； and the panic was like a rat behind his forehead； twisting and gnawing。 He fought the panic and he fought the snowshoes。
（Daddy's voice： No； don't fight them； doc。 Walk on them like they were your own feet。 Walk with them。） （Yes； Daddy。） He began to walk again； trying to regain the easy rhythm he had practiced with his daddy。 Little by little it began to e； but with the rhythm came an awareness of just how tired he was； how much his fear had exhausted him。 The tendons of his thighs and calves and ankles were hot and trembly。 Ahead he could see the Overlook； mockingly distant； seeming to stare at him with its many windows； as if this were some sort of contest in which it was mildly interested。
Danny looked back over his shoulder and his hurried breathing caught for a moment and then hurried on even faster。 The nearest lion was now only twenty feet behind； breasting through the snow like a dog paddling in a pond。 The two others were to its right and left； pacing it。 They were like an army platoon on patrol； the dog； still off to their left； the scout。 The closest lion had its head down。 The shoulders bunched powerfully above its neck。 The tail was up； as if in the instant before he had turned to look it had been swishing back and forth； back and forth。 He thought it looked like a great big housecat that was having a good time playing with a mouse before killing it。
（…falling…） No； if he fell he was dead。 They would never let him get up。 They would pounce。 He pinwheeled his arms madly and lunged ahead； his center of gravity dancing just beyond his nose。 He caught it and hurried on； snapping glances back over his shoulder。 The air whistled in and out of his dry throat like hot glass。
The world closed down to the dazzling snow； the green hedges； and the whispery sound of his snowshoes。 And something else。 A soft； muffled padding sound。 He tried to hurry faster and couldn't。 He was walking over the buried driveway now； a small boy with his face almost buried in the shadow of his parka hood。 The afternoon was still and bright。
When he looked back again； the point lion was only five feet behind。 It was grinning。 Its mouth was open； its haunches tensed down like a clockspring。
Behind it and the others he could see the rabbit； its head now sticking out of the snow； bright green； as if it had turned its horrid blank face to watch the end of the stalk。
Now； on the Overlook's front lawn between the circular drive and the porch； he let the panic loose and began to run clumsily in the snowshoes； not daring to look back now； tilting further and further forward； his arms out ahead of him like a blind man feeling for obstacles。 His hood fell back； revealing his plexion； paste white giving way to hectic red blotches on his cheeks； his eyes bulging with terror。 The porch was very close now。
Behind him he heard the sudden hard crunch of snow as something leaped。
He fell on the porch steps； screaming without sound； and scrambled up them on his hands and knees； snowshoes clattering and askew behind him。
There was a slashing sound in the air and sudden pain in his leg。 The ripping sound of cloth。 Something else that might have…must have…been in his mind。
Bellowing； angry roar。
Smell of blood and evergreen。
He fell full…length on the porch； sobbing hoarsely； the rich； metallic taste of copper in his mouth。 His heart was thundering in his chest。 There was a small trickle of blood ing from his nose。
He had no idea how long he lay there before the lobby doors flew open and Jack ran out； wearing just his jeans and a pair of slippers。 Wendy was behind him。
〃Danny！〃 she screamed。
〃Doc！ Danny； for Christ's sake！ What's wrong？ What happened？〃 Daddy was helping him up。 Below the knee his snowpants were ripped open。
Inside； his woollen ski sock had been ripped open and his calf had been shallowly scratched 。 。 。 as if he had tried to push his way through a closely grown evergreen hedge and the branches had clawed him。
He looked over his shoulder。 Far down the lawn； past the putting green； were a number of vague； snow…cowled humps。 The hedge animals。 Between them and the playground。 Between them and the road。
His legs gave way。 Jack caught him。 He began to cry。
》
THE LOBBY
He had told them everything except what had happened to him when the snow had blocked the end of the concrete ring。 He couldn't bring himself to repeat that。
And be didn't know the right words to express the creeping； lassitudinous sense of terror he had felt when he heard the dead aspen leaves begin to crackle furtively down there in the cold darkness。 But he told them about the soft sound of snow falling in clumps。 About the lion with its head and its bunched shoulders working its way up and out of the snow to chase him。 He even told them about how the rabbit had turned its head to watch near the end。
The three of them were in the lobby。 Jack had built a roaring blaze in the fireplace。 Danny was bundled up in a blanket on the small sofa where once； a million years ago； three nuns had sat laughing like girls while they waited for the line at the desk to thin out。 He was sipping hot noodle soup from a mug。
Wendy sat b