Американские боги

           Thetreewaslarge;itseemedtoexistonitsownsenseofscale.Towncouldnothavesaidifitwasfiftyfeethighortwohundred.Itsbarkwasthegrayofafinesilkscarf.

           Therewasanakedmantiedtothetrunkalittlewayabovethegroundbyawebworkofropes,andtherewassomethingwrappedinasheetatthefootofthetree.Townrealizedwhatitwasashepassedit.Hepushedatthesheetwithhisfoot.Wednesday’sruinedhalf-a-facestaredoutathim.Hewouldhaveexpectedittobealivewithmaggotsandflies,butitwasuntouchedbyinsects.Itdidn’tevensmellbad.Itlookedjustasithadwhenhehadtakenittothemotel.

           Townreachedthetree.Hewalkedalittlewayaroundthethicktrunk,awayfromthesightlesseyesofthefarmhouse,thenheunzippedhisflyandpissedagainstthetrunkofthetree.Hediduphisfly.Hewalkedbackovertothehouse,foundawoodenextensionladder,carrieditbacktothetree.Heleaneditcarefullyagainstthetrunk.Thenheclimbedupit.

           Shadowhung,limply,fromtheropesthattiedhimtothetree.Townwonderedifthemanwerestillalive:hischestdidnotriseorfall.Deadoralmostdead,itdidnotmatter.

           "Hello,asshole,"Townsaid,aloud.Shadowdidnotmove.

           Townreachedthetopoftheladder,andhepulledouttheknife.HefoundasmallbranchwhichseemedtomeetMr.