Американские боги

           Halfamilliondollars’worthofbooks."

           Garyflashedhimagrin,loweredhisvoiceandsaid,"Thatwasjustinthestoragelockertheyfound.TheyneverfoundthegarageinSanClementewiththereallygoodstuffinit."

           Garyhaddiedinprison,whenwhattheinfirmaryhadtoldhimwasjustamalingering,feeling-lousykindofdayturnedouttobearupturedappendix.Now,hereintheLakesidelibrary,ShadowfoundhimselfthinkingaboutagarageinSanClementewithboxafterboxofrare,strangeandbeautifulbooksinitrottingaway,allofthembrowningandwiltingandbeingeatenbymoldandinsectsinthedarkness,waitingforsomeonewhowouldnevercometosetthemfree.

           NativeAmericanBeliefsandTraditionswasonasingleshelfinonecastle-liketurret.Shadowpulleddownsomebooksandsatinthewindowseat.Inseveralminuteshehadlearnedthatthunderbirdsweremythicalgiganticbirdswholivedonmountaintops,whobroughtthelightningandwhoflappedtheirwingstomakethethunder.Thereweresometribes,heread,whobelievedthatthethunderbirdshadmadetheworld.Anotherhalf-hour’sreadingdidnotturnupanythingmore,andhecouldfindnomentionofeaglestonesanywhereinthebooks’indexes.Shadowwasputtingthelastofthebooksbackontheshelfwhenhebecameawareofsomebodystaringathim.Someonesmallandgravewaspeekingathimfromaroundtheheavyshelves.Asheturnedtolook,thefacevanished.