Американские боги

           Oneofthemwasstaringdirectlyathim.Oneofthemappearedtobeasleep.Thewomanwhowasstaringathimbegantosmile,ahugesmilethatseemedtosplitherfacelengthwise,asmilethatcrossedfromeartoear.Thensheraisedafingerandtouchedittoherneck,andranitgentlyfromonesideofhernecktotheother.

           Thatwaswhathethoughthesaw,allinamoment,inthatemptyroom,whichcontained,hesawatasecondglance,nothingmorethanoldrottingfurnitureandfly-spottedprintsanddryrot.Therewasnobodythereatall.

           Herubbedhiseyes.

           TownwalkedbacktothebrownFordExplorerandclimbedin.Hetossedthestickontothewhiteleatherofthepassengerseat.Heturnedthekeyintheignition.Thedashboardclocksaid6:37A.M.Townfrowned,andcheckedhiswristwatch,whichblinkedthatitwas13:58.

           Great,hethought.Iwaseitheruponthattreeforeighthours,orforminusaminute.Thatwaswhathethought,butwhathebelievedwasthatbothtimepieceshad,coincidentally,beguntomisbehave.

           Onthetree,Shadow’sbodybegantobleed.Thewoundwasinhisside.Thebloodthatcamefromitwasslowandthickandmolasses-black.

           Hedidnotmove.Ifhewassleeping,hedidnotwake.

           CloudscoveredthetopofLookoutMountain.

           Eastersatsomedistanceawayfromthecrowdatthebottomofthemountain,watchingthedawnoverthehillstotheeast.