Американские боги

           Sometimeslivingpeopleburnedsteadilyinhermindlikecandlesandsometimestheyflamedliketorches.Itmadethemeasytoavoid,anditmadethemeasy,onoccasion,tofind.Shadowhadburnedsostrangely,withhisownlight,uponthattree.

           Shehadchidedhimonce,onthatdaywhentheyhadwalkedandheldhands,fornotbeingalive.Shehadhoped,perhaps,toseeasparkofrawemotion,somethingthatwouldshowherthatthemanshehadoncebeenmarriedtowasarealman,aliveone.Andshehadseennothingatall.

           Sherememberedwalkingbesidehim,wishingthathecouldunderstandwhatshewastryingtosay.

           Now,dyingonthetree,Shadowwasutterlyalive.Shehadwatchedhimasthelifehadfaded,andhehadbeenfocusedandreal.Andhehadaskedhertostaywithhim,tostaythewholenight.Hehadforgivenher…perhapshehadforgivenher.Itdidnotmatter.Hehadchanged;thatwasallsheknew.

           Shadowhadtoldhertogotothefarmhouse,thattheywouldgiveherwatertodrinkthere.Therewerenolightsburninginthefarmbuilding,andshecouldfeelnobodyathome.Buthehadtoldherthattheywouldcareforher.Shepushedagainstthedoorofthefarmhouseanditopened,rustyhingesprotestingthewholewhile.

           Somethingmovedinherleftlung,somethingthatpushedandsquirmedandmadehercough.

           Shefoundherselfinanarrowhallway,herwayalmostblockedbyatallanddustypiano.