Американские боги

           "Helookedherupanddownwitheyesthatglimmeredliketheorangeembersofadyingfire."Iamafraidyouhavetheadvantageofme.TheycallmeMisterWorld,hereatthetopofthehill."

           "I’mShadow’swife."

           "Ofcourse.ThelovelyLaura,"hesaid."Ishouldhaverecognizedyou.Hehadseveralphotographsofyouupabovehisbed,inthecellthatonceweshared.And,ifyoudon’tmindmysayingso,youarelookinglovelierthanyouhaveanyrighttolook.Shouldn’tyoubefurtheralongonthewholeroad-to-rot-and-ruinbusinessbynow?"

           "Iwas,"shesaidsimply."Iwasmuchfurtheralong.I’mnotsurewhatchanged.IknowwhenIstartedfeelingbetter.Itwasthismorning.Thosewomen,inthefarm,theygavemewaterfromtheirwell."

           Aneyebrowraised."Urd’sWell?Surelynot."

           Shepointedtoherself.Herskinwaspale,andhereye-socketsweredark,butshewasmanifestlywhole:ifshewasindeedawalkingcorpse,shewasfreshlydead.

           "Itwon’tlast,"saidMr.World."TheNornsgaveyoualittletasteofthepast.Itwilldissolveintothepresentsoonenough,andthenthoseprettyblueeyeswillrolloutoftheirsocketsandoozedownthoseprettycheeks,whichwill,bythen,ofcourse,nolongerbesopretty.Bytheway,youhavemystick.CanIhaveit,please?"

           HepulledoutapackofLuckyStrikes,tookacigarette,lititwithadisposableblackBic.