Американские боги

           Thenhesaid,"Organizinggodsislikeherdingcatsintostraightlines.Theydon’ttakenaturallytoit."Therewasadeadness,andanexhaustion,inWednesday’svoicethatShadowhadneverheardbefore.

           "What’swrong?"

           "It’shard.It’stoofuckinghard.Idon’tknowifthisisgoingtowork.Wemightaswellcutourthroats.Justcutourownthroats."

           "Youmustn’ttalklikethat."

           "Yeah.Right."

           "Well,ifyoudocutyourthroat,"saidShadow,tryingtojollyWednesdayoutofhisdarkness,"maybeitwouldn’tevenhurt."

           "Itwouldhurt.Evenformykind,painstillhurts.Ifyoumoveandactinthematerialworld,thenthematerialworldactsonyou.Painhurts,justasgreedintoxicatesandlustburns.Wemaynotdieeasyandwesureashelldon’tdiewell,butwecandie.Ifwe’restilllovedandremembered,somethingelseawholelotlikeuscomesalongandtakesourplaceandthewholedamnthingstartsalloveragain.Andifwe’reforgotten,we’redone."

           Shadowdidnotknowwhattosay.Hesaid,"Sowhereareyoucallingfrom?"

           "Noneofyourgoddamnbusiness."

           "Areyoudrunk?"

           "Notyet.IjustkeepthinkingaboutThor.Youneverknewhim.Bigguy,likeyou.Goodhearted.Notbright,buthe’dgiveyouthegoddamnedshirtoffhisbackifyouaskedhim.Andhekilledhimself.