The Shining Chapter 49 Summary

How It All Goes Down

Halloran. Going Up the Country

  • It's a little before 2 pm when Halloran loses control of his car.
  • The weather is horrendous and he can barely see anything. Driving up into the mountains is terrifying. The road signs are barely legible because of the snow sticking to them.
  • He feels like a coward, as he thinks about giving up on trying to help Danny.
  • Still, the urge to get up there is strong. Also, Halloran is afraid of the visions he'll have to live with if he doesn't try the best he can.
  • He hits the snow covered road again. After a time he sees a snowplow coming from the opposite direction. It looks like it might hit him.
  • By some miracle, the driver of the snowplow and Halloran manage to avoid a crash.
  • After it passes, Halloran's car goes off the road and gets stuck in the snow.
  • Luckily, the snowplow driver, Howie Cottrell, is there to help. He's parked the plow just up ahead.
  • Halloran explains his urgency to get to the Overlook. The plow driver pulls his car back on the road.
  • He tells Halloran where he can rent a snowmobile in Sidewinder from his friend Larry Durkin.
  • As Halloran gets within ten miles of Sidewinder, he receives a super intense message in his head:

    (GET OUT OF HERE YOU DIRTY N***** TURN AROUND THIS IS NONE OF YOUR BUSSINESS […] TURN AROUND OR WE WE'LL KILL YOU HANG YOU UP FROM A TREE LIMB […]) (49.66)

  • He spins out his car and it stops.
  • Whew, that could have easily killed him if he was on the wrong place on the road.
  • He's terrified about what might be happening to Danny right now.
  • He gets the car started at half past six in the afternoon, "And he [is] beginning to feel it is very late indeed" (49.74).