Американские боги

           Hewasaloneinthedarknessoncemore,butthedarknessbecamebrighterandbrighteruntilitwasburninglikethesun.

           Andthenthepainbegan.

           Therewasawomanwhowalkedthroughameadow,andspringflowersblossomedwhereshehadpassed.Inthisplaceandatthistime,shecalledherselfEaster.

           Shepassedaplacewhere,longago,afarmhousehadstood.Eventodayseveralwallswerestillstanding,juttingoutoftheweedsandthemeadow-grasslikerottenteeth.Athinrainwasfalling.Thecloudsweredarkandlow,anditwascold.

           Alittlewaybeyondtheplacewherethefarmhousehadbeentherewasatree,ahugesilver-graytree,winter-deadtoallappearances,andleafless,andinfrontofthetree,onthegrass,werefrayedclumpsofcolorlessfabric.Thewomanstoppedatthefabric,andbentdown,andpickedupsomethingbrownish-white:itwasamuch-gnawedfragmentofbonewhichmight,once,havebeenapartofahumanskull.Shetosseditbackdownontothegrass.

           Thenshelookedatthemanonthetreeandshesmiledwryly."Theyjustaren’tasinterestingnaked,"shesaid."It’stheunwrappingthat’shalfthefun.Likewithgifts,andeggs."

           Thehawk-headedmanwhowalkedbesideherlookeddownathispenisandseemed,forthefirsttime,tobecomeawareofhisownnakedness.Hesaid,"Icanlookatthesunwithoutevenblinking."

           "That’sverycleverofyou,"Eastertoldhim,reassuringly.