Американские боги
Chapter 1
It’slikewhentheygoriding,whenNorthAmericagoesskiddingintoSouthAmerica,youdon’twanttobeinthemiddle.Youdigme?"
"Notevenalittle."
Onebrowneyeclosedinaslowwink."Hell,don’tsayIdidn’twarnyou,"saidSamFetisher,andhespoonedatremblinglumpoforangeJell-Ointohismouth.
"Iwon’t."
Shadowspentthenighthalf-awake,driftinginandoutofsleep,listeningtohisnewcellmategruntandsnoreinthebunkbelowhim.Severalcellsawayamanwhinedandhowledandsobbedlikeananimal,andfromtimetotimesomeonewouldscreamathimtoshutthef**kup.Shadowtriednottohear.Helettheemptyminuteswashoverhim,lonelyandslow.
Twodaystogo.Forty-eighthours,startingwithoatmealandprisoncoffee,andaguardnamedWilsonwhotappedShadowharderthanhehadtoontheshoulderandsaid,"Shadow?Thisway."
Shadowcheckedhisconscience.Itwasquiet,whichdidnot,hehadobserved,inaprison,meanthathewasnotindeepshit.Thetwomenwalkedmoreorlesssidebyside,feetechoingonmetalandconcrete.
Shadowtastedfearinthebackofhisthroat,bitterasoldcoffee.Thebadthingwashappening...
Therewasavoiceinthebackofhisheadwhisperingthattheyweregoingtoslapanotheryearontohissentence,drophimintosolitary,cutoffhishands,cutoffhishead.Hetoldhimselfhewasbeingstupid,buthisheartwaspoundingfittoburstoutofhischest.
"Idon’tgetyou,Shadow,"saidWilson,astheywalked.
"What’snottoget,sir?"
"You.You’retoof**kingquiet.Toopolite.
