Американские боги
Chapter 7
Inthelateafternoonthesunbegantolower,gildingtheworldinelf-light,athickwarmcustardylightthatmadetheworldfeelunearthlyandmorethanreal,anditwasinthislightthatShadowpassedthesigntellinghimhewasNowEnteringHistoricalCairo.Hedroveunderabridgeandfoundhimselfinasmallporttown.TheimposingstructureoftheCairocourthouseandtheevenmoreimposingcustomshouselookedlikeenormousfreshlybakedcookiesinthesyrupygoldofthelightattheendoftheday.
Heparkedhiscarinasidestreetandwalkedtotheembankmentattheedgeofariver,unsurewhetherhewasgazingattheOhioortheMississippi.Asmallbrowncatnosedandsprangamongthetrashcansatthebackofabuilding,andthelightmadeeventhegarbagemagical.
Aloneseagullwasglidingalongtheriver’sedge,flippingawingtocorrectitselfasitwent.
Shadowrealizedthathewasnotalone.Asmallgirl,wearingoldtennisshoesonherfeetandaman’sgraywoolensweaterasadress,wasstandingonthesidewalk,tenfeetawayfromhim,staringathimwiththesombergravityofasix-year-old.Herhairwasblack,andstraight,andlong;herskinwasasbrownastheriver.
Hegrinnedather.Shestaredbackathim,defiantly.
Therewasasquealandayowlfromthewaterfront,andthelittlebrowncatshotawayfromaspilledgarbagecan,pursuedbyalong-muzzledblackdog.Thecatscurriedunderacar.
