Американские боги

           Severallocalmenandwomencamewalkingoverthemeadows,theirbodiesmovinginunfamiliarways:theirvoices,whentheyspoke,werethevoicesoftheloawhorodethem:atall,blackmanspokeinthevoiceofPapaLegbawhoopensthegates;whileBaronSamedi,thevoudonlordofdeath,hadtakenoverthebodyofateenageGothgirlfromChattanooga,possiblybecauseshepossessedherownblacksilktophat,whichsatonherdarkhairatajauntyangle.Shespokeinthebaron’sowndeepvoice,smokedacigarofenormoussize,andcommandedthreeoftheGédé,theLoaofthedead.TheGédéinhabitedthebodiesofthreemiddle-agedbrothers.Theycarriedshotgunsandtoldcontinualjokesofsuchastoundingfilthinessthatonlytheywerewillingtolaughatthem,whichtheydid,raucouslyandrepeatedly.

           TwoagelessChickamaugawomen,inoil-stainedbluejeansandbatteredleatherjackets,walkedaround,watchingthepeopleandthepreparationsforbattle.Sometimestheypointedandlaughed;theydidnotintendtotakepartinthecomingconflict.Themoonswelledandroseintheeast,adayawayfromfull.Itseemedhalfasbigastheskyasitrose,adeepreddish-orange,immediatelyabovethehills.Asitcrossedtheskyitseemedtoshrinkandpaleuntilithunghighintheskylikealantern.

           Thereweresomanyofthemwaitingthere,inthemoonlight,atthefootofLookoutMountain.

           Laurawasthirsty.