Favorite horrific diversion story

The kid that fell into the well in The Stand. Gut punch. I’ve gotten back into The Tommyknockers and this really got me. Hilly doing his magic show telling his little brother, who was sobbing, “Smile Godammit..” and how David smiled through his terror and how distorted that smile was on his terrified 4 year old face. He really tortures them, doesn’t he?