Американские боги

           "

           "Poorkid."

           MargueriteOlsenscrewedthetopbackontothegallonjug."Ihopeshe’sdead,"shesaid,matter-of-factly.

           Shadowwasshocked."Why?"

           "Becausethealternativesareworse."

           Thegoldfincheshoppedfranticallyfrombranchtobranchofthefir-tree,impatientforthepeopletobegone.Adownywoodpeckerjoinedthem.

           Youaren’tthinkingaboutAlison,thoughtShadow.You’rethinkingofyourson.You’rethinkingofSandy.

           HerememberedsomeonesayingImissSandy.Whowasthat?

           "Goodtalkingtoyou,"hesaid.

           "Yeah,"shesaid."You,too."

           Februarypassedinasuccessionofshort,graydays.Somedaysthesnowfell,mostdaysitdidn’t.Theweatherwarmedup,andonthegooddaysitgotabovefreezing.Shadowstayedinhisapartmentuntilitbegantofeellikeaprisoncell,andthen,onthedaysthatWednesdaydidnotneedhim,hebegantowalk.

           Hewouldwalkformuchoftheday,longtrudgesoutofthetown.Hewalked,alone,untilhereachedthenationalforesttothenorthandthewest,orthecornfieldsandcowpasturestothesouth.HewalkedtheLumberCountyWildernessTrail,andhewalkedalongtheoldrailroadtracks,andhewalkedthebackroads.Acoupleoftimesheevenwalkedalongthefrozenlake,fromnorthtosouth.Sometimeshe’dseelocalsorwintertouristsorjoggers,andhe’dwaveandsayhi.