Американские боги
Chapter 8
TheonlyphotographofShadowasakidthatLaurahadlikedenoughtoframeshowedaseriouschildwithunrulyhairanddarkeyesstandingbesideatable,ladenhighwithcakesandcookies.ShadowthoughtthepicturemighthavebeentakenatanembassyChristmasparty,ashehadbeendressedinabowtieandhisbestclothes,asonemightdressadoll.Hewaslookingsolemnlyoutattheadultworldthatsurroundedhim.
Theyhadmovedtoomuch,hismotherandShadow,firstaroundEurope,fromembassytoembassy,wherehismotherhadworkedasacommunicatorintheForeignService,transcribingandsendingclassifiedtelegramsacrosstheworld,andthen,whenhewaseightyearsold,backtotheU.S.,wherehismother,nowtoosporadicallysicktoholddownasteadyjob,hadmovedfromcitytocityrestlesslyspendingayearhereorayearthere,tempingwhenshewaswellenough.TheyneverspentlongenoughinanyplaceforShadowtomakefriends,tofeelathome,torelax.AndShadowhadbeenasmallchild…
Hehadgrownsofast.Inthespringofhisthirteenthyearthelocalkidshadbeenpickingonhim,goadinghimintofightstheyknewtheycouldnotfailtowinandafterwhichShadowwouldrun,angryandoftenweeping,totheboys’roomtowashthemudorthebloodfromhisfacebeforeanyonecouldseeit.Thencamesummer,along,magical,thirteenthsummer,whichhespentkeepingoutofthewayofthebiggerkids,swimminginthelocalpool,readinglibrarybooksatpoolside.Atthestartofthesummerhecouldbarelyswim.
