Американские боги

           Therewereheadlightsbehindthem,underamileback."Areyousureaboutthis?"heasked.

           Wednesdaysnorted."Sureaseggsiseggs,"hesaid."Astheturkey-farmersaidwhenhehatchedhisfirstturtle.Ah,success!"andfromthebottomofapocketheproducedasmallpieceofwhitechalk.Hestartedtoscratchwiththechalkonthedashboardofthecamper,makingmarksasifheweresolvinganalgebraicpuzzle—orperhaps,Shadowthought,asifhewereahobo,scratchinglongmessagestotheotherhobosinhobocode—baddoghere,dangeroustown,nicewoman,softjailinwhichtoovernight…

           "Okay,"saidWednesday."Nowincreaseyourspeedtothirty.Anddon’tslowdownfromthat."

           Oneofthecarsbehindthemturnedonitslightsandsirenandacceleratedtowardthem."Donotslowdown,"repeatedWednesday."Theyjustwantustoslowbeforewegettotheroadblock."Scratch.Scratch.Scratch.

           Theycrestedthehill.Theroadblockwaslessthanaquarterofamileaway.Twelvecarsarrangedacrosstheroad,andonthesideoftheroad,policecars,andseveralbigblackSUVs.

           "There,"saidWednesday,andheputhischalkaway.ThedashboardoftheWinnebagowasnowcoveredwithrune-likescratchings.

           Thecarwiththesirenwasjustbehindthem.Ithadslowedtotheirspeed,andanamplifiedvoicewasshouting,"Pullover!"ShadowlookedatWednesday.

           "Turnright,"saidWednesday.