Американские боги

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           Sheremovedthecuffsandthehobble,lockedhimintotheholdingcell.Thesmellwasworse,nowthatthedoorwasclosed.

           Shadowsatdownontheconcretebed,slippedtheLibertydollarfromhissockandbeganmovingitfromfingertopalm,frompositiontoposition,fromhandtohand,hisonlyaimtokeepthecoinfrombeingseenbyanyonewhomightlookin.Hewaspassingthetime.Hewasnumb.HemissedWednesday,then,suddenanddeep.Hemissedtheman’sconfidence,hisattitude.Hisconviction.

           Heopenedhishand,lookeddownatLadyLiberty,asilverprofile.Heclosedhisfingersoverthecoin,heldittightly.Hewonderedifhe’dgettobeoneofthoseguyswhogotlifeforsomethingtheydidn’tdo.Ifheevenmadeitthatfar.Fromwhathe’dseenofMr.WorldandMr.Town,theywouldhavelittletroublepullinghimoutofthesystem.Perhapshe’dsufferanunfortunateaccidentonthewaytothenextholdingfacility.Hecouldbeshotwhilemakingabreakforit.Itdidnotseematallunlikely.

           Therewasastirofactivityintheroomontheothersideoftheglass.OfficerLizcamebackin.Shepressedabutton,adoorthatShadowcouldnotseeopened,andablackdeputyinabrownsheriff’suniformenteredandwalkedbrisklyovertothedesk.

           Shadowslippedthedollarcoinbackintohissock,pushingitdowntowardhisankle.

           Thenewdeputyhandedoversomepapers,Lizscannedthemandsigned.