Американские боги

           "

           "You’reslow,"saidLoki,"butyougetthereintheend."Andhislipstwistedintoacrookedsmileandembersdancedintheshadowsofhiseyes.

           TheysatinShadow’sroomintheabandonedmotel,sittingonthebed,atoppositeendsofthemattress.Thesoundsfromthefatkid’sroomhadprettymuchstopped.

           "Youliedtome,"saidShadow.

           "It’soneofthethingsI’mgoodat,"saidLoki."Butyouwereluckywewereinsidetogether.Youwouldneverhavesurvivedyourfirstyearwithoutme."

           "Youcouldn’thavewalkedoutifyouwanted?"

           "It’seasierjusttodothetime.Yougottounderstandthegodthing.It’snotmagic.Notexactly.It’saboutfocus.It’saboutbeingyou,buttheyouthatpeoplebelievein.It’saboutbeingtheconcentrated,magnifiedessenceofyou.It’saboutbecomingthunder,orthepowerofarunninghorse,orwisdom.Youtakeallthebelief,alltheprayers,andtheybecomeakindofcertainty,somethingthatletsyoubecomebigger,cooler,morethanhuman.Youcrystallize."Hepaused."Andthenonedaytheyforgetaboutyou,andtheydon’tbelieveinyou,andtheydon’tsacrifice,andtheydon’tcare,andthenextthingyouknowyou’rerunningathree-cardmontegameonthecornerofBroadwayandForty-third."

           "Whywereyouinmycell?"

           "Coincidence.Pureandsimple.Thatwaswheretheyputme.Youdon’tbelieveme?It’strue.