Американские боги

           ’It’sreallymatter-of-fact,youknow?"

           "Sotherearestorieswithgodsinthem.Whatareyoutryingtosay?Thattheseguyshadhallucinations?"

           "No,"saidShadow."That’snotit."

           Shechewedahangnail."Ireadsomebookaboutbrains,"shesaid."Myroommatehaditandshekeptwavingitaround.Itwaslike,howfivethousandyearsagothelobesofthebrainfusedandbeforethatpeoplethoughtwhentherightlobeofthebrainsaidanythingitwasthevoiceofsomegodtellingthemwhattodo.It’sjustbrains."

           "Ilikemytheorybetter,"saidShadow.

           "What’syourtheory?"

           "Thatbackthenpeopleusedtorunintothegodsfromtimetotime."

           "Oh."Silence:onlytherattlingofthecar,theroaroftheengine,thegrowlingofthemuffler—whichdidnotsoundhealthy.Then,"Doyouthinkthey’restillthere?"

           "Where?"

           "Greece.Egypt.Theislands.Thoseplaces.Doyouthinkifyouwalkedwherethosepeoplewalkedyou’dseethegods?"

           "Maybe.ButIdon’tthinkpeople’dknowthatwaswhatthey’dseen."

           "Ibetit’slikespacealiens,"shesaid."Thesedays,peopleseespacealiens.Backthentheysawgods.Maybethespacealienscomefromtherightsideofthebrain."

           "Idon’tthinkthegodsevergaverectalprobes,"saidShadow.