Американские боги

           LowKey,whowasagrifterfromMinnesota,smiledhisscarredsmile."Yeah,"hesaid."That’strue.It’sevenbetterwhenyou’vebeensentencedtodeath.That’swhenyourememberthejokesabouttheguyswhokickedtheirbootsoffasthenooseflippedaroundtheirnecks,becausetheirfriendsalwaystoldthemthey’ddiewiththeirbootson."

           "Isthatajoke?"askedShadow.

           "Damnright.Gallowshumor.Bestkindthereis."

           "Whendidtheylasthangamaninthisstate?"askedShadow.

           "HowthehellshouldIknow?"Lyesmithkepthisorange-blondhairprettymuchshaved.Youcouldseethelinesofhisskull."Tellyouwhat,though.Thiscountrystartedgoingtohellwhentheystoppedhangingfolks.Nogallowsdirt.Nogallowsdeals."

           Shadowshrugged.Hecouldseenothingromanticinadeathsentence.

           Ifyoudidn’thaveadeathsentence,hedecided,thenprisonwas,atbest,onlyatemporaryreprievefromlife,fortworeasons.First,lifecreepsbackintoprison.Therearealwaysplacestogofurtherdown.Lifegoeson.Andsecond,ifyoujusthanginthere,somedaythey’regoingtohavetoletyouout.

           InthebeginningitwastoofarawayforShadowtofocuson.Thenitbecameadistantbeamofhope,andhelearnedhowtotellhimself"thistooshallpass"whentheprisonshitwentdown,asprisonshitalwaysdid.Onedaythemagicdoorwouldopenandhe’dwalkthroughit.