Американские боги

           Shadowworriedaboutthewholee-ticketbusiness.HeknewhehadaticketforaflightonFriday,buthedidn’tknowifitwouldworktoday.AnythingelectronicseemedfundamentallymagicaltoShadow,andliabletoevaporateatanymoment.

           Still,hehadhiswallet,backinhispossessionforthefirsttimeinthreeyears,containingseveralexpiredcreditcardsandoneVisacard,which,hewaspleasantlysurprisedtodiscover,didn’texpireuntiltheendofJanuary.Hehadareservationnumber.And,herealized,hehadthecertaintythatoncehegothomeeverythingwould,somehow,beokay.Laurawouldbefineagain.Maybeitwassomekindofscamtospringhimafewdaysearly.Orperhapsitwasasimplemix-up:someotherLauraMoon’sbodyhadbeendraggedfromthehighwaywreckage.

           Lightningflickeredoutsidetheairport,throughthewindows-walls.Shadowrealizedhewasholdinghisbreath,waitingforsomething.Adistantboomofthunder.Heexhaled.

           Atiredwhitewomanstaredathimfrombehindthecounter.

           "Hello,"saidShadow.You’rethefirststrangewomanI’vespokento,intheflesh,inthreeyears."I’vegotane-ticketnumber.IwassupposedtobetravelingonFridaybutIhavetogotoday.Therewasadeathinmyfamily."

           "Mm.I’msorrytohearthat."Shetappedatthekeyboard,staredatthescreen,tappedagain."Noproblem.I’veputyouonthethree-thirty.Itmaybedelayedbecauseofthestorm,sokeepaneyeonthescreens.Checkinganybaggage?"

           Heheldupashoulderbag."Idon’tneedtocheckthis,doI?"

           "No,"shesaid."It’sfine.