Американские боги
Chapter 9
Ihavemyself,don’tI?"
Itseemedasifeverythingwasholdingitsbreath—notjustShadow,butthewholeworldundertheearth,everyworm,everycrevice,everycavern,holdingitsbreath.
"Ioffermyself,"hesaid.
Theresponsewasimmediate.TherocksandtheearththathadsurroundedhimbegantopushdownonShadow,squeezedhimsohardthatthelastounceofairinhislungswascrushedoutofhim.Thepressurebecamepain,pushinghimoneveryside,andhefelthewasbeingmashed,afernbecomingcoal.Hereachedthezenithofpainandhungthere,cresting,knowingthathecouldtakenomore,thatnoonecouldtakemorethanthis,andatthatmomentthespasmeasedandShadowcouldbreatheagain.Thelightabovehimhadgrownlarger.
Hewasbeingpushedtowardthesurface.
Asthenextearth-spasmhit,Shadowtriedtoridewithit.Thistimehefelthimselfbeingpushedupward,thepressureoftheearthpushinghimout,expellinghim,pushinghimclosertothelight.Andthenamomentforabreath.
Thespasmstookhimandrockedhim,eachharder,eachmorepainfulthantheonebeforeit.
Herolledandwrithedthroughtheearth,andnowhisfacewaspushedagainsttheopening,agapintherockscarcelylargerthanthespanofhishand,throughwhichamutedgraylightcame,andair,blessedair.
