Американские боги

           Tobechasingafterthesweetflesh,withoutrealizingthatitissimplyaprettycoverforthebones.Wormfood.Atnight,you’rerubbingyourselfagainstwormfood.Nooffensemeant."

           ShadowhadneverseenWednesdayquitesoexpansive.Hisnewboss,hedecided,wentthroughphasesofextroversionfollowedbyperiodsofintensequiet."Soyouaren’tAmerican?"askedShadow.

           "Nobody’sAmerican,"saidWednesday."Notoriginally.That’smypoint."Hecheckedhiswatch."Westillhaveseveralhourstokillbeforethebanksclose.GoodjoblastnightwithCzernobog,bytheway.Iwouldhaveclosedhimoncomingeventually,butyouenlistedhimmorewholeheartedlythaneverIcouldhave.""Onlybecausehegetstokillmeafterward."

           "Notnecessarily.Asyouyourselfsowiselypointedout,he’sold,andthekillingstrokemightmerelyleaveyou,well,paralyzedforlife,say.Ahopelessinvalid.Soyouhavemuchtolookforwardto,shouldMisterCzernobogsurvivethecomingdifficulties."

           "Andthereissomequestionaboutthis?"saidShadow,echoingWednesday’smanner,thenhatinghimselfforit.

           "Fuckyes,"saidWednesday.Hepulledupintheparkinglotofabank."This,"hesaid,"isthebankIshallberobbing.Theydon’tcloseforanotherfewhours.Let’sgoinandsayhello."

           HegesturedtoShadow.Reluctantly,ShadowgotoutofthecarandfollowedWednesdayin.