Американские боги

           "

           NancyturnedhisheadtoShadowandsmiled—thefirstrealsmileShadowhadseenonMr.Nancy’sfacesincehehadrescuedShadowfromtheLumberCountyJail."Mostofthisbattlewillbefoughtinaplaceyoucannotgo,andyoucannottouch."

           "Intheheartsandthemindsofthepeople,"saidCzernobog."Likeatthebigroundabout."

           "Huh?"

           "Thecarousel,"saidMr.Nancy.

           "Oh,"saidShadow."Backstage.Igotit.Likethedesertwithallthebonesinit."

           Mr.Nancyraisedhishead."Backstage.Yes.EverytimeIfigureyoudon’thaveenoughsensetobringgutstoabear,yousurpriseme.That’sright.Backstage.That’swheretherealbattlewillhappen.Everythingelsewilljustbeflashandthunder."

           "Tellmeaboutthevigil,"saidShadow.

           "Someonehastostaywiththebody.It’satradition.Oneofourpeoplewilldoit."

           "Hewantedmetodoit."

           "No,"saidCzernobog."Itwillkillyou.Bad,bad,badidea."

           "Yeah?It’llkillme?Tostaywithhisbody?"

           "It’swhathappenswhentheall-fatherdies,"saidMr.Nancy."Itwouldn’tbetrueforme.WhenIdie,Ijustwantthemtoplantmesomewherewarm.AndthenwhenprettywomenwalkovermygraveIwouldgrabtheirankles,likeinthatmovie."

           "Ineversawthatmovie,"saidCzernobog.