Американские боги
Chapter 3
Nexttothatwerethreewomen,eachcarvedfromthesamegraniteboulder,joinedatthewaist:theirfaceshadanunfinished,hastylooktothem,althoughtheirbr**stsandgenitaliahadbeencarvedwithelaboratecare;andtherewasaflightlessbirdwhichShadowdidnotrecognize,twicehisheight,withabeaklikeavulture’s,butwithhumanarms:andon,andon.
Thevoicespokeoncemore,asifitwereaddressingaclass,saying,"Thesearethegodswhohavepassedoutofmemory.Eventheirnamesarelost.Thepeoplewhoworshipedthemareasforgottenastheirgods.Theirtotemsarelongsincebrokenandcastdown.Theirlastpriestsdiedwithoutpassingontheirsecrets.
"Godsdie.Andwhentheytrulydietheyareunmournedandunremembered.Ideasaremoredifficulttokillthanpeople,buttheycanbekilled,intheend."
Therewasawhisperingnoisethatbeganthentorunthroughthehall,alowsusurrusthatcausedShadow,inhisdream,toexperienceachillingandinexplicablefear.Anall-engulfingpanictookhim,thereinthehallsofthegodswhoseveryexistencehadbeenforgotten-octopus-facedgodsandgodswhowereonlymummifiedhandsorfallingrocksorforestfires...
Shadowwokewithhisheartjackhammeringinhischest,hisforeheadclammy,entirelyawake.Therednumeralsonthebedsideclocktoldhimthetimewas1:03A.M.ThelightoftheMotelAmericasignoutsideshonethroughhisbedroomwindow.Disoriented,Shadowgotupandwalkedintothetinymotelbathroom.Hepissedwithoutturningonthelights,andreturnedtothebedroom.
