Американские боги

           "Ithinkthat’safairandjudicioussummaryofevents,"saidWednesday.

           "Theywillwin,"saidWhiskeyJackflatly."Theywonalready.Youlostalready.Likethewhitemanandmypeople.Theywon.Andwhentheylost,theymadetreaties.Thentheybrokethetreaties.Andtheywonagain.I’mnotfightingforanotherlostcause."

           "Andit’snouseyoulookin’atme,"saidJohnChapman,"forevenifIfoughtforyou—which’nIwon’t—I’mnousetoyou.Mangyrat-tailedbastardsjes’pickedmeoffandcleanforgotme."Hestopped.Thenhesaid,"PaulBunyan."Heshookhisheadslowlyandhesaiditagain."PaulBunyan."Shadowhadneverheardtwosuchinnocuouswordsmadetosoundsodamning.

           "PaulBunyan?"Shadowsaid."Whatdidheeverdo?"

           "Hetookupheadspace,"saidWhiskeyJack.HebummedacigarettefromWednesdayandthetwomensatandsmoked.

           "It’sliketheidiotswhofigurethathummingbirdsworryabouttheirweightortoothdecayorsomesuchnonsense,maybetheyjustwanttosparehummingbirdstheevilsofsugar,"explainedWednesday."SotheyfillthehummingbirdfeederswithfuckingNutraSweet.Thebirdscometothefeedersandtheydrinkit.Thentheydie,becausetheirfoodcontainsnocalorieseventhoughtheirlittletummiesarefull.That’sPaulBunyanforyou.NobodyevertoldPaulBunyanstories.NobodyeverbelievedinPaulBunyan.