Стража! Стража!

           Sowhenheheardthedoorshutwhenhewasonlyhalfwaydownthedrivehesuddenlyfeltvery,veryangry,asifhehadjustbeenrobbed.

           Hestoodstillandclaspedandunclaspedhishandsinthedarkness.Hewasn’tCaptainVimesanymore,hewasCitizenVimes,whichmeantthathecoulddothingshe’donceneverdreamtofdoing.Perhapshecouldgoandsmashsomewindows.

           No,thatwouldn’tbeanygood.Hewantedmorethanthat.Togetridofthatbloodydragon,togethisjobback,togethishandsonwhoeverwasbehindallthis,toforgethimselfjustonceandhitsomeoneuntilhewasexhausted...

           Hestaredatnothing.Downbelowthecitywasamassofsmokeandsteam.Hewasn’tthinkingofthat,though.

           Hewasthinkingofarunningman.And,furtherbackinthefuddledmistsofhislife,aboyrunningtokeepup.

           Andunderhisbreathhesaid,"Anyofthemgetout?"

           SergeantColonfinishedtheproclamationandlookedaroundatthehostilecrowd.

           "Don’tblameme,"hesaid."Ijustreadthethings.Idon’twrite’em."

           "That’shumansacrifice,thatis,"saidsomeone.

           "There’snothingwrongwithhumansacrifice,"saidapriest.

           "Ah,persay,"saidthefirstspeakerquickly."Forproperreligiousreasons.Andusingcondemnedcriminalsandsoon.Butthat’sdifferentfrombungingsomeonetoadragonjustbecauseit’sfeelingpeckish."

           "That’sthespirit!"saidSergeantColon.

           "Taxesisonething,buteatingpeopleisanother."