Американские боги

           Butstill,itwasheavyinhishand,attheentrancetotheunderworld.

           Shetookitfromhispalmwithherslimfingers.

           "Thankyou.Itboughtyouyourlibertytwice,"shesaid."Andnowitwilllightyourwayintodarkplaces."

           Sheclosedherhandaroundthedollar,thenshereachedupandplaceditintheair,ashighasshecouldreach.Sheletgoofit.Shadowknew,then,thatthiswasanotherdream,forinsteadoffalling,thecoinfloatedupwarduntilitwasafootorsoaboveShadow’shead.Itwasnolongerasilvercoin,though.LadyLibertyandhercrownofspikesweregone.Thefacehesawonthecoinwastheindeterminatefaceofthemooninthesummersky,thefacethatwasonlyvisibleuntilyoustaredatit,whereuponitwouldbecomedarkseasandshapesonthemoon’scrateredsurface,thepatternandthefacereplacedbyshadowsofpurerandomnessandchance.

           Shadowcouldnotdecidewhetherhewaslookingatamoonthesizeofadollar,afootabovehishead;orwhetherhewaslookingatamoonthesizeofthePacificOcean,manythousandsofmilesaway.Norwhethertherewasanydifferencebetweenthetwoideas.Perhapsitwasallamatterofperspective.Perhapsitwasallamatterofpointofview.

           Helookedattheforkingpathaheadofhim.

           "WhichpathshouldItake?"heasked."Whichoneissafe?"

           "Takeone,andyoucannottaketheother,"shesaid."Butneitherpathissafe.