Американские боги

           "Thenafterhecameinsideheputthetrumpetdownbythewood-stovetothaw.Well,thefamily’reallinbedthatnightandsuddenlytheunfrozentunesstartcomingoutofthattrumpet.Scaredmygrandmothersomuchshenearlyhadkittens."

           Theafternoonwasendless,unfruitful,anddepressing.Thedaylightfadedslowly:distancescollapsedandtheworldturnedindigoandthewindblewcoldenoughtoburntheskinonyourface.Whenitwastoodarktocontinue,Mulliganradioedtothemtocallitofffortheevening,andtheywerepickedupanddrivenbacktothefirestation.

           IntheblocknexttothefirestationwastheBuckStopsHereTavern,andthatwaswheremostofthesearcherswoundup.Theywereexhaustedanddispirited,talkingtoeachotherofthebaldeaglethathadcircledthem,howcoldithadbecome,howmorethanlikelyAlisonwouldshowupinadayorso,noideaofhowmuchtroubleshe’dcausedeveryone.

           "Youshouldn’tthinkbadlyofthetownbecauseofthis,"saidBrogan."Itisagoodtown."

           "Lakeside,"saidatrimwomanwhosenameShadowhadforgotten,ifeverthey’dbeenintroduced,"isthebesttownintheNorthwoods.YouknowhowmanypeopleareunemployedinLakeside?"

           "No,"saidShadow.

           "Lessthantwenty,"shesaid."There’soverfivethousandpeopleliveinandaroundthistown.Wemaynotberich,buteveryone’sworking.