Американские боги

           Severalofthesailorslookedlikeherownpeople,likethemenwhohadmarchedhertothecoast.Themenandthewomenandthechildrenwereseparated,forcedintodifferentareasontheslavedeck.Thereweretoomanyslavesfortheshiptoholdeasily,soanotherdozenmenwerechaineduponthedeckintheopen,beneaththeplaceswherethecrewwouldslingtheirhammocks.

           Wututuwasputinwiththechildren,notwiththewomen;andshewasnotchained,merelylockedin.Agasu,herbrother,wasforcedinwiththemen,inchains,packedlikeherrings.Itstankunderthatdeck,althoughthecrewhadscrubbeditdownsincetheirlastcargo.Itwasastinkthathadenteredthewood:thesmelloffearandbileanddiarrheaanddeath,offeverandmadnessandhate.Wututusatinthehotholdwiththeotherchildren.Shecouldfeelthechildrenoneachsideofhersweating.Awavetumbledasmallboyintoher,hard,andheapologizedinatonguethatWututudidnotrecognize.Shetriedtosmileathiminthesemi-darkness.Theshipsetsail.Nowitrodeheavyinthewater.

           Wututuwonderedabouttheplacethewhitemencamefrom(althoughnoneofthemweretrulywhite:sea-burnedandsunburnedtheywere,andtheirskinsweredark).