and became a giant； grinning skull over two crossed bones：
〃Poison；〃 Tony said from the floating darkness。 〃Poison。〃
Other signs flickered past his eyes； some in green letters； some of them on
boards stuck at leaning angles into the snowdrifts。 NO SWIMMING。 DANGER！ LIVE
WIRES。 THIS PROPERTY CONDEMNED。 HIGH VOLTAGE。 THIRD RAIL。 DANGER OF
DEATH。 KEEP
OFF。 KEEP OUT。 NO TRESPASSING。 VIOLATORS WILL BE SHOT ON SIGHT。 He
understood
none of them pletely — he couldn't read！ — but got a sense of all； and a dreamy
terror floated into the dark hollows of his body like light brown spores that
would die in sunlight。
They faded。 Now he was in a room filled with strange furniture； a room that
was dark。 Snow spattered against the windows like thrown sand。 His mouth was
dry； his eyes like hot marbles； his heart triphammering in his chest。 Outside
there was a hollow booming noise； like a dreadful door being thrown wide。
Footfalls。 Across the room was a mirror； and deep down in its silver bubble a
single word appeared in green fire and that word was： REDRUM。
The room faded。 Another room。 He knew
（would know）
this one。 An overturned chair。 A broken window with snow swirling in； already
it had frosted the edge of the rug。 The drapes had been pulled free and hung on
their broken rod at an angle。 A low cabinet lying on its face。
More hollow booming noises； steady； rhythmic； horrible。 Smashing glass。
Approaching destruction。 A hoarse voice； the voice of a madman； made the more
terrible by its familiarity：
e out！ Came out； you little shit！ Take your medicine！
Crash。 Crash。 Crash。 Splintering wood。 A bellow of rag