Американские боги
Chapter 9
Sixinchestonighttheysaid,buttheyjustmakeitup,theymakeuptheweatherandnobodyevercallsthemonit…
Andthenthebrakesofthebuswerehissingandthedriverwasshouting"Lakeside!"andthedoorsclunkedopen.Shadowfollowedthegirlsoutintothefloodlitparkinglotofavideostoreandtanningsalonthatfunctioned,Shadowguessed,asLakeside’sGreyhoundstation.Theairwasdreadfullycold,butitwasafreshcold.Itwokehimup.Hestaredatthelightsofthetowntothesouthandthewest,andthepaleexpanseofafrozenlaketotheeast.Thegirlswerestandinginthelot,stampingandblowingontheirhandsdramatically.Oneofthem,theyoungerone,snuckalookatShadow,smiledawkwardlywhensherealizedthathehadseenherdoso.
"MerryChristmas,"saidShadow.Itseemedlikeasafethingtosay.
"Yeah,"saidtheothergirl,perhapsayearorsoolderthanthefirst,"merryChristmastoyoutoo."Shehadcarrotyredhairandasnubnosecoveredwithahundredthousandfreckles.
"Nicetownyougothere,"saidShadow.
"Welikeit,"saidtheyoungerone.Shewastheonewholikedanimals.ShegaveShadowashygrin,revealingbluerubber-bandbracesstretchingacrossherfrontteeth."Youlooklikesomebody,"shetoldhim,gravely."Areyousomebody’sbrotherorsomebody’ssonorsomething?"
"Youaresuchaspaz,Alison,"saidherfriend.
