Американские боги

           AfteralmostanhourofdrivingthroughtownswithnameslikeBlackEarth,theyturneddownanarrowdriveway,pastseveralenormous,snow-dustedflowerpotsentwinedwithlizard-likedragons.Thetree-linedparkinglotwasalmostempty.

           "They’llbeclosingsoon,"saidWednesday.

           "Sowhatisthisplace?"askedShadow,astheywalkedthroughtheparkinglottowardalow,unimpressivewoodenbuilding.

           "Thisisaroadsideattraction,"saidWednesday."Oneofthefinest.Whichmeansitisaplaceofpower."

           "Comeagain?"

           "It’sperfectlysimple,"saidWednesday."Inothercountries,overtheyears,peoplerecognizedtheplacesofpower.Sometimesitwouldbeanaturalformation,sometimesitwouldjustbeaplacethatwas,somehow,special.Theyknewthatsomethingimportantwashappeningthere,thattherewassomefocusingpoint,somechannel,somewindowtotheImmanent.Andsotheywouldbuildtemples,orcathedrals,orerectstonecircles,or…well,yougettheidea."

           "TherearechurchesallacrosstheStates,though,"saidShadow.

           "Ineverytown.Sometimesoneveryblock.Andaboutassignificant,inthiscontext,asdentists’offices.