ghts and feelings； or is there more？〃
Cautiously： 〃Is there more for you？〃
〃Sometimes；〃 Hallorann said。 〃Not often。 Sometimes 。。。 sometimes there are
dreams。 Do you dream； Danny？〃
〃Sometimes；〃 Danny said； 〃I dream when I'm awake。 After Tony es。〃 His thumb
wanted to go into his mouth again。 He had never told anyone but Mommy and Daddy
about Tony。 He made his thumb…sucking hand go back into his lap。
〃Who's Tony？〃
And suddenly Danny had one of those flashes of understanding that frightened
him most of all； it was like a sudden glimpse of some inprehensible machine
that might be safe or might be deadly dangerous。 He was too young to know which。
He was too young to understand。
〃What's wrong？〃 he cried。 〃You're asking me all this because you're worried；
aren't you？ Why are you worried about me？ Why are you worried about us？〃
Hallorann put his large dark hands on the small boy's shoulders。 〃Stop；〃 he
said。 〃It's probably nothin。 But if it is somethin 。。。 well； you've got a large
thing in your head； Danny。 You'll have to do a lot of growin yet before you
catch up to it； I guess。 You got to be brave about it。〃
〃But I don't understand things！〃 Danny burst out。 〃I do but I don't！ People 。。。 they feel things and I
feel them； but I don't know what I'm feeling！〃 He
looked down at his lap wretchedly。 〃I wish I could read。 Sometimes Tony shows me
signs and I can hardly read any of them。〃
〃Who's Tony？〃 Hallorann asked again。
〃Mommy and Daddy call him my ‘invisible playmate； '〃 Danny said； reciting the
words carefully。 〃But he's really real。 At least； I think he is。 Sometimes； when
I try real hard to understand thin