Американские боги

           Avoicecamefromoneofthreewarrior-womenwhocomprisedtheMorrigan,standingsoclosetogetherintheshadowsthattheyhadbecomeanarrangementofblue-tattooedlimbsanddanglingcrow’swings.Shesaid,"Itdoesn’tmatterwhetherthisisagoodtimeorabadtime.Thisisthetime.Theyhavebeenkillingus.Theywillcontinuetokillus,whetherwefightornot.Perhapswewilltriumph.Perhapswewilldie.Bettertodietogether,ontheattack,likegods,thantodiefleeingandsingly,likeratsinacellar."

           Anothermurmur,thistimeoneofdeepagreement.Shehadsaiditforallofthem.Nowwasthetime.

           "Thefirstheadismine,"saidaverytallChineseman,witharopeoftinyskullsaroundhisneck.Hebegantowalk,slowlyandintently,upthemountain,shoulderingastaffwithacurvedbladeattheendofit,likeasilvermoon.

           EvenNothingcannotlastforever.

           Hemighthavebeenthere,beenNowhere,fortenminutesorfortenthousandyears.Itmadenodifference.Timewasanideaforwhichhenolongerhadanyneed.

           Hecouldnolongerrememberhisrealname.Hefeltemptyandcleansed,inthatplacethatwasnotaplace.

           Hewaswithoutform,andvoid.

           Hewasnothing.

           Andintothatnothingavoicesaid,"Ho-hoka,cousin.Wegottotalk.