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surprise down inside; raking over old coals? He looked at his watch。 Almost half
an hour。
He let himself down to the edge of the roof; dropped one leg over; and felt
around until his foot found the top rung of the ladder just below the overhang。
He would go down to the equipment shed where he had stored the bug bomb on a
high shelf out of Dannys reach。 He would get it; e back up; and then they
would be the ones surprised。 You could be stung; but you could also sting back。
He believed that sincerely。 Two hours from now the nest would be just so much
chewed paper and Danny could have it in his room if he wanted to — Jack had had
one in his room when he was just a kid; it had always smelled faintly of
woodsmoke and gasoline。 He could have it right by the head of his bed。 It
wouldnt hurt him。
〃Im getting better。〃
The sound of his own voice; confident in the silent afternoon; reassured him
even though he hadnt meant to speak aloud。 He was getting better。 It was
possible to graduate from passive to active; to take the thing that had once
driven you nearly to madness as a neutral prize of no more than occasional
academic interest。 And if there was a place where the thing could be done; this
was surely it。
He went down the ladder to get the bug bomb。 They would pay。 They would pay
for stinging him。
》
DOWN IN THE FRONT YARD
Jack had found a huge white…painted wicker chair in the back of the equipment
shed two weeks ago; and had dragged it around to the porch over Wendys
objections that it was really the ugliest thing she had ever seen in her whole
life。 He was sitting in it now; amusing himself with a copy of E。 L。 Doctorows
Wele to Hard Times; when his wife and son rattled up the driveway in the
hotel truck。
Wendy parked it in the turn…around; raced the engine sportily; and then turned
it off。 The trucks single taillight died。 The engine rumbled grumpily with
post…ignition and finally stopped。 Jack got out of his chair and ambled down to
meet them。
〃Hi; Dad!〃 Danny called; and raced up the hill。 He had a box in one hand。
〃Look what Mommy bought me!〃
Jack picked his son up; swung him around twice; and kissed him heartily on the
mouth。
〃Jack Torrance; the Eugene ONeill of his generation; the American