Американские боги

           Eitheryoudoit,oryoudie.

           Itwasawisethingtohavethought,hedecided.Hewaspleasedwithit,andrepeateditoverandoverinthebackofhishead,partmantra,partnurseryrhyme,rattlingalongtothedrumbeatofhisheart.

           It’seasy,there’satricktoit,youdoitoryoudie.

           It’seasy,there’satricktoit,youdoitoryoudie.

           It’seasy,there’satricktoit,youdoitoryoudie.

           It’seasy,there’satricktoit,youdoitoryoudie.

           Timepassed.Thechantingcontinued.Hecouldhearit.Someonewasrepeatingthewords,onlystoppingwhenShadow’smouthbegantodryout,whenhistongueturneddryandskin-likeinhismouth.Hepushedhimselfupandawayfromthetreewithhisfeet,tryingtosupporthisweightinawaythatwouldstillallowhimtofillhislungs.

           Hebreatheduntilhecouldholdhimselfupnomore,andthenhefellbackintothebonds,andhungfromthetree.

           Whenthechatteringstarted—anangry,laughingchatteringnoise—heclosedhismouth,concernedthatitwashehimselfmakingit;butthenoisecontinued.It’stheworldlaughingatme,then,thoughtShadow.Hisheadlolledtooneside.Somethingrandownthetree-trunkbesidehim,stoppingbesidehishead.Itchitteredloudlyinhisear,oneword,whichsoundedalotlike"ratatosk."Shadowtriedtorepeatit,buthistonguestucktotheroofofhismouth.