Американские боги

           Theyclimbedtheirownladdersnow,andtheybegantoknottheropes,intricateandelegantknots,andtheywrappedtheropesfirstaboutthetree,andthenaboutShadow.Unembarrassed,likemidwivesornursesorthosewholayoutcorpses,theyremovedhisT-shirtandbriefs,thentheyboundhim,nevertightly,butfirmlyandfinally.Hewasamazedathowcomfortablytheropesandtheknotsborehisweight.Theropeswentunderhisarms,betweenhislegs,aroundhiswaist,hisankles,hischest,bindinghimtothetree.

           Thefinalropewastied,loosely,abouthisneck.Itwasinitiallyuncomfortable,buthisweightwaswelldistributedandnoneoftheropescuthisflesh.

           Hisfeetwerefivefeetabovetheground.Thetreewasleaflessandhuge,itsbranchesblackagainstthegraysky,itsbarkasmoothsilverygray.

           Theytooktheladdersaway.Therewasamomentofpanicashedroppedafewinches,asallhisweightwastakenbytheropes.Hemadenosound.

           Hewasentirelynakedbythatpoint.

           Thewomenplacedthebody,wrappedinitsmotel-sheetshroud,atthefootofthetree,andtheylefthimthere.Theylefthimtherealone.