Американские боги

           —Iain’tgotapicture,she’dsay,andhervoicewouldgetquietandfierce,andheknewthatifhekeptaskingherquestionsshewouldshout,orevenhithim,andheknewthathecouldnotstopaskingquestions,soheturnedawayandwalkedondownthetunnel.

           Thepathhefollowedtwistedandwoundandcurledbackonitself,anditputhiminmindofsnakeskinsandintestinesandofdeep,deeptreeroots.Therewasapooltohisleft;heheardthedrip,dripofwaterintoitsomewhereatthebackofthetunnel,thefallingwaterbarelyrufflingthemirroredsurfaceofthepool.Hedroppedtohiskneesanddrank,usinghishandtobringthewatertohislips.Thenhewalkedonuntilhewasstandinginthefloatingdisco-glitterpatternsofamirror-ball.Itwaslikebeingintheexactcenteroftheuniversewithallthestarsandplanetscirclinghim,andhecouldnothearanything,notthemusic,northeshoutedconversationsoverthemusic,andnowShadowwasstaringatawomanwholookedjustlikehismotherneverlookedinalltheyearsheknewher,she’slittlemorethanachild,afterall…

           Andsheisdancing.

           Shadowfoundthathewascompletelyunsurprisedwhenherecognizedthemanwhodanceswithher.Hehadnotchangedthatmuchinthirty-threeyears.

           Sheisdrunk:Shadowcouldseethatataglance.Sheisnotverydrunk,butsheisunusedtodrink,andinaweekorsoshewilltakeashiptoNorway.