Американские боги

           Thesnowserased,slowly,andwerecompletelygonebythefollowingmorningwhenthebusreachedKentucky.WinterwasalreadyoverinKentucky,andspringwasonitsway.Shadowbegantowonderifthereweresomekindofequationtoexplainit—perhapseveryfiftymileshedrovesouthhewasdrivingadayintothefuture.

           Hewouldhavementionedhisideatohispassengers,butMr.Nancywasasleepinthepassengerseatinthefront,whileCzernobogsnoredunceasinglyintheback.

           Timeseemedaflexibleconstructatthatmoment,anillusionhewasimaginingashedrove.Hefoundhimselfbecomingpainfullyawareofbirdsandanimals:hesawthecrowsonthesideoftheroad,orinthebus’spath,pickingatroadkill;flightsofbirdswheeledacrosstheskiesinpatternsthatalmostmadesense;catsstaredatthemfromfrontlawnsandfence-posts.

           Czernobogsnortedandwoke,sittingupslowly."Idreamedastrangedream,"hesaid."IdreamedthatIamtrulyBielebog.Thatforevertheworldimaginesthattherearetwoofus,thelightgodandthedark,butthatnowwearebothold,Ifinditwasonlymeallthetime,givingthemgifts,takingmygiftsaway."HebrokethefilterfromaLuckyStrike,putitbetweenhislipsandlititwithhislighter.

           Shadowwounddownhiswindow.

           "Aren’tyouworriedaboutlungcancer?"hesaid.

           "Iamcancer,"saidCzernobog."Idonotfrightenmyself.