〃You're a good boy； Danny。〃
Danny gave him a faint smile。
* * *
〃I can't find a thing wrong with him；〃 Dr。 Edmonds said to the Torrances。 〃Not
physically。 Mentally； he's bright and rather too imaginative。 It happens。
Children have to grow into their imaginations like a pair of oversized shoes。
Danny's is still way too big for him。 Ever had his IQ tested？〃
〃I don't believe in them；〃 Jack said。 〃They straight…jacket the expectations
of both parents and teachers。〃
Dr。 Edmonds nodded。 〃That may be。 But if you did test him； I think you'd find
he's right off the scale for his age group。 His verbal ability； for a boy who is
five going on six； is amazing。〃
〃We don't talk down to him；〃 Jack said with a trace of pride。
〃I doubt if you've ever had to in order to make yourself understood。〃 Edmonds
paused； fiddling with a pen。 〃He went into a trance while I was with him。 At my
request。 Exactly as you described him in the bathroom last night。 All his
muscles went lax； his body slumped； his eyeballs rotated outward。 Textbook auto…
hypnosis。 I was amazed。 I still am。〃
The Torrances sat forward。 〃What happened？〃 Wendy asked tensely； and Edmonds
carefully related Danny's trance； the muttered phrase from which Edmonds had
only been able to pluck the word 〃monsters；〃 the 〃dark；〃 the 〃pounding。〃 The
aftermath of tears； near…hysteria； and nervous stomach。
〃Tony again；〃 Jack said。
〃What does it mean？〃 Wendy asked。 〃Have you any idea？〃
〃A few。 You might not like them。〃
〃Go ahead anyway；〃 Jack told him。
〃From what Danny told me； his ‘invisible friend' was truly a friend until you
folks moved out here fr