Американские боги
Chapter 7
MorningfoundShadowbackontheroad,drivingthroughagentlyundulatingbrownlandscapeofwintergrassandleaflesstrees.Thelastofthesnowhadvanished.Hefilledupthetankofthepieceofshitinatownwhichwashometotherunner-upoftheStateWomen’sUnder-16sthree-hundred-meterdash,and,hopingthatthedirtwasn’tallthatwasholdingittogether,heranthecarthroughthegasstationcarwash,andwassurprisedtodiscoverthatthecarwas,whenclean,againstallreason,white,andprettymuchfreeofrust.Hedroveon.
Theskywasimpossiblyblue,andwhiteindustrialsmokerisingfromfactorychimneyswasfrozeninthesky,likeaphotograph.Ahawklauncheditselffromadeadtreeandflewtowardhim,wingsstrobinginthesunlightlikeaseriesofstop-motionphotographs.
AtsomepointhefoundhimselfheadingintoEastSt.Louis.Heattemptedtoavoiditandinsteadfoundhimselfdrivingthroughwhatappearedtobeared-lightdistrictinanindustrialpark.Eighteen-wheelersandhugerigswereparkedoutsidebuildingsthatlookedliketemporarywarehouses,thatclaimedtobe24HOURNITECLUBsand,inonecase,THEBESTPEAPSHOWINTOWN.Shadowshookhishead,anddroveon.Laurahadlovedtodance,clothedornaked(and,onseveralmemorableevenings,movingfromonestatetotheother),andhehadlovedtowatchher.
LunchwasasandwichandacanofCokeinatowncalledRedBud.
