Hogfather

     The snow began to settle gently on the River Ankh.

     'Still... Happy New Year, Arnold.'

     'Happy New Year, Duck Man. And your duck.'

     'What duck?'

     'Happy New Year, Henry.'

     'Happy New Year, Ron.'

     'Buggrem!'

     'And god bless us, every one,' said Arnold Sideways.

     The curtain of snow hid them from view.

     'Which god?'

     'Dunno. What've you got?'

     'Duck Man?'

     'Yes, Henry?'

     'You know that stalled ox you mentioned?'

     'Yes, Henry?'

     'How come it'd stalled? Run out of grass, or something?'

     'Ah... it was more a figure of speech, Henry.'

     'Not an ox?'

     'Not exactly. What I meant was-'

     And then there was only the snow.

     After a while, it began to melt in the sun.

THE END