Американские боги

           "Now,asallofyouwillhavehadreasonaplentytodiscoverforyourselves,therearenewgodsgrowinginAmerica,clingingtogrowingknotsofbelief:godsofcredit-cardandfreeway,ofinternetandtelephone,ofradioandhospitalandtelevision,godsofplasticandofbeeperandofneon.Proudgods,fatandfoolishcreatures,puffedupwiththeirownnewnessandimportance.

           "Theyareawareofus,andtheyfearus,andtheyhateus,"saidOdin."Youarefoolingyourselvesifyoubelieveotherwise.Theywilldestroyus,iftheycan.Itistimeforustobandtogether.Itistimeforustoact."

           Theoldwomanintheredsaristeppedintothefirelight.Onherforeheadwasasmalldarkbluejewel.Shesaid,"Youcalledushereforthisnonsense?"Andthenshesnorted,asnortofmingledamusementandirritation.

           Wednesday’sbrowslowered."Icalledyouhere,yes.Butthisissense,Mama-ji,notnonsense.Evenachildcouldseethat."

           "SoIamachild,amI?"Shewaggedafingerathim."IwasoldinKalighatbeforeyouweredreamedof,youfoolishman.Iamachild?ThenIamachild,forthereisnothinginyourfoolishtalktosee."

           Again,amomentofdouble-vision:Shadowsawtheoldwoman,herdarkfacepinchedwithageanddisapproval,butbehindherhesawsomethinghuge,anakedwomanwithskinasblackasanewleatherjacket,andlipsandtonguethebrightredofarterialblood.