Американские боги

           Weretheysoshortoffoodthattheyhadtosendallthewaytoherlandforpeopletoeat?Orwasitthatshewastobeadelicacy,araretreatforapeoplewhohadeatensomanythingsthatonlyblack-skinnedfleshintheircookpotsmadetheirmouthswater?

           Ontheseconddayoutofporttheshiphitasquall,notabadone,buttheship’sdeckslurchedandtumbled,andthesmellofvomitjoinedthemixedsmellsofurineandliquidfecesandfear-sweat.Rainpoureddownontheminbucketloadsfromtheairgratingssetintheceilingoftheslavedeck.

           Aweekintothevoyage,andwelloutofsightofland,theslaveswereallowedoutofirons.Theywerewarnedthatanydisobedience,anytrouble,andtheywouldbepunishedmorethantheyhadeverimagined.

           Inthemorningthecaptiveswerefedbeansandship’sbiscuits,andamouthfuleachofvinegaredlimejuice,harshenoughthattheirfaceswouldtwist,andtheywouldcoughandsplutter,andsomeofthemwouldmoanandwailasthelimejuicewasspoonedout.Theycouldnotspititout,though:iftheywerecaughtspittingordribblingitouttheywerelashedorbeaten.

           Thenightbroughtthemsaltedbeef.Ittastedunpleasant,andtherewasarainbowsheentothegraysurfaceofthemeat.Thatwasatthestartofthevoyage.Asthevoyagecontinued,themeatgrewworse.

           Whentheycould,WututuandAgasuwouldhuddletogether,talkingoftheirmotherandtheirhomeandtheirplayfellows.