第27部分(第1/7 頁)

〃Try！〃

〃I　can't。〃

〃Did　Tony　e？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　did　he　show　you？〃

〃Dark。　Pounding。　I　don't　remember。〃

〃Where　were　you？〃

〃Leave　me　alone！　I　don't　remember！　Leave　me　alone！〃　He　began　to　sob　helplessly

in　fear　and　frustration。　It　was　all　gone；　dissolved　into　a　sticky　mess　like　a

wet　bundle　of　paper；　the　memory　unreadable。

Edmonds　went　to　the　water　cooler　and　got　him　a　paper　cup　of　water。　Danny　drank

it　and　Edmonds　got　him　another　one。

〃Better？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Danny；　I　don't　want　to　badger　you　。。。　tease　you　about　this；　I　mean。　But　can

you　remember　anything　about　before　Tony　came？〃

〃My　mommy；〃　Danny　said　slowly。　〃She's　worried　about　me。〃

〃Mothers　always　are；　guy。〃

〃No　。。。　she　had　a　sister　that　died　when　she　was　a　little　girl。　Aileen。　She

was　thinking　about　how　Aileen　got　hit　by　a　car　and　that　made　her　worried　about

me。　I　don't　remember　anything　else。〃

Edmonds　was　looking　at　him　sharply。　〃Just　now　she　was　thinking　that？　Out　in

the　waiting　room？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Danny；　how　would　you　know　that？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　Danny　said　wanly。　〃The　shining；　I　guess。〃

〃The　what？〃

Danny　shook　his　head　very　slowly。　〃I'm　awful　tired。　Can't　I　go　see　my　mommy

and　daddy？　I　don't　want　to　answer　any　more　questions。　I'm　tired。　And　my　stomach

hurts。〃

〃Are　you　going　to　throw　up？〃

〃No；　sir。　I　just　want　to　go　see　my　mommy　and　daddy。〃

〃Okay；　Dan。〃　Edmonds　stood　up。　〃You　go　on　out　and　see　them　for　a　minute；　then

send　them　in　so　I　can　talk　to　them。　Okay？。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃There　are　books　out　there　to　look　at。　You　like　books；　don't　you？〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　Danny　said　dutifully。