Американские боги

           "There’llbeapolicecar,"Ibisadded.

           Shadowwentoutbackandgotthehearse.Mr.JacquelandMr.Ibishadeachmadeapoint,individually,ofexplainingthat,really,thehearseshouldonlybeusedforfunerals,andtheyhadavanthattheyusedtocollectbodies,butthevanwasbeingrepaired,hadbeenforthreeweeksnow,andcouldhebeverycarefulwiththehearse?Shadowdrovecarefullydownthestreet.Thesnowplowshadcleanedtheroadsbynow,buthewascomfortabledrivingslowly.Itseemedrighttogoslowinahearse,althoughhecouldbarelyrememberthelasttimehehadseenahearseonthestreets.DeathhadvanishedfromthestreetsofAmerica,thoughtShadow;nowithappenedinhospitalroomsandinambulances.Wemustnotstartletheliving,thoughtShadow.Mr.Ibishadtoldhimthattheymovethedeadaboutinsomehospitalsonthelowerlevelofapparentlyemptycoveredgurneys,thedeceasedtravelingtheirownpathsintheirowncoveredways.

           Adarkbluepolicecruiserwasparkedonasidestreet,andShadowpulledupthehearsebehindit.Thereweretwocopsinsidethecruiser,drinkingtheircoffeefromthermostops.Theyhadtheenginerunningtokeepwarm.Shadowtappedonthesidewindow.

           "Yeah?"

           "I’mfromthefuneralhome,"saidShadow.

           "We’rewaitingforthemedicalexaminer,"saidthecop.Shadowwonderedifitwasthesamemanwhohadspokentohimunderthebridge.