Американские боги
Chapter 1
Numbly,hepackeduphispossessions,gavemostofthemaway.HeleftbehindLowKey’sHerodotusandthebookofcointricks,and,withamomentarypang,heabandonedtheblankmetaldisksbehadsmuggledoutoftheworkshop,whichhadservedhimforcoins.Therewouldbecoins,realcoins,ontheoutside.Heshaved.Hedressedincivilianclothes.Hewalkedthroughdoorafterdoor,knowingthathewouldneverwalkbackthroughthemagain,feelingemptyinside.
Therainhadstartedtogustfromthegraysky,afreezingrain.PelletsoficestungShadow’sface,whiletherainsoakedthethinovercoatandtheywalkedtowardtheyellowex-schoolbusthatwouldtakethemtothenearestcity.
Bythetimetheygottothebustheyweresoaked.Eightofthemwereleaving.Fifteenhundredstillinside.Shadowsatonthebusandshivereduntiltheheatersstartedworking,wonderingwhathewasdoing,wherehewouldgonow.
Ghostimagesfilledhishead,unbidden.Inhisimaginationhewasleavinganotherprison,longago.
Hehadbeenimprisonedinalightlessroomforfartoolong:hisbeardwaswildandhishairwasatangle.Theguardshadwalkedhimdownagraystonestairwayandoutintoaplazafilledwithbrightlycoloredthings,withpeopleandwithobjects.Itwasamarketdayandhewasdazzledbythenoiseandthecolor,squintingatthesunlightthatfilledthesquare,smellingthesalt-wetairandallthegoodthingsofthemarket,andonhisleftthesunglitteredfromthewater...
Thebusshudderedtoahaltataredlight.
