Сияние

Outside 217

           

           Theextinguisherwasthere,afiathosefoldedbackadozentimesonitself,theredtankattachedtothewall.Aboveitwasanaxinaglasscaselikeamuseumexhibit,withwhitewordsprintedonaredbackground:INCASEOFEMERGENCY,BREAKGLASS.DannycouldreadthewordEMERGENCY,whichwasalsothenameofoneofhisfavoriteTVshows,butwasunsureoftherest.Buthedidn’tlikethewaythewordwasusedinconnectionwiththatlongfiathose.EMERGENCYwas’,fire,explosions,carcrashes,hospitals,sometimesdeath.Andhedidn’tlikethewaythathosehungsoblandlyonthewall.Whenhewasalone,healwaysskitteredpasttheseextinguishersasfastashecould.Noparticularreason.Itjustfeltbettertogofast.Itfeltsafer.

           Now,heartthumpingloudlyinhischest,hecamearoundthecornerandlookeddownthehallpasttheextinguishertothestairs.Mommywasdownthere,sleeping.AndifDaddywasbackfromhiswalk,hewouldprobablybesittinginthekitchen,eatingasandwichandreadingabook.Hewouldjustwalkrightpastthatoldextinguisherandgodownstairs.

           Hestartedtowardit,movingclosertothefarwalluntilhisrightarmwasbrushingtheexpensivesilkpaper.Twentystepsaway.Fifteen.Adozen.

           Whenhewastenstepsaway,thebrassnozzlesuddenlyrolledoffthefatloopithadbeenlying

           (sleeping?)

           onandfelltothehallcarpetwithadullthump.Itlaythere,thedarkboreofitsmuzzlepointingatDanny.

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