Demona's Handiwork

"Merry Chrissmass, G'liath."

Goliath glanced down at the package the girl had given him and smiled. "Thank you, Beathag."

"Och, it's only a small thing," Beathag blushed brightly, "g'on n' open it, will ye?"

Goliath took off the wrapping and glanced inside the box to see a jar of jalapeño's inside. "Well," Goliath held it up to get a better look, "how did you know?"

"Detective Maza mentioned somethin'," Beathag replied, "I thought it'd be a nice gift fer ya."

"How thoughtful," Goliath smiled, patting the girl's shoulder, "once again, thank you."

Beathag was in her glory. "May I see the egg, please?"

"Of course you may." Goliath said setting down the jar of jalapeño's and moving toward the new 'rookery'.

Goliath pulled back a red curtain and showed Beathag the egg. Upon seeing it, Beathag's eyes welled up and she hugged the egg tightly. "I promised t'protect ya," she said to the egg, "sorry I 'aven't been around."

Kissing the speckled egg, Beathag then stood up and wiped her eyes, then turned back to Goliath. "Where is everyone?"

"Well, Hudson is watch TV with Bronx, and Brooklyn and Lexington are out flying around the town," Goliath explained, "but Broadway and Angela are cooking desserts for Christmas."

"I can't wait fer Chrissmas day!" Beathag said excitedly. "Perhaps, tomorrow the egg'll hatch!"

"Perhaps," Goliath chuckled, "perhaps."

"G'liath?"

"Yes."

Beathag leaned in close. "I believe I've been doin' somethin' that MacBeth wouldn't like…"

"What's that, child?"

"Well you see," Beathag replied, "I know of Demona. I've come to know her well."

"Demona?" Goliath growled, then grasped the girl by her shoulders. "You're to have nothing to do with Demona, do you understand?"

Beathag became nervous. "You won't tell will you?"

Goliath softened and shook his head. "Break all ties with this Demona. Nothing good will come of it."

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"The time to strike is now!"

Iseabail stared at Demona and took a deep breath, putting her hand at her side as her cigarette smoked. "I want to hear no more of this," she demanded, "I want nothin' ta do with yer antics. I've seen the error of m'bitterness."

"What?" Demona shrieked. "You stupid human, you're backing out at the last minute because of your conscience?"

"MacBeth has been good to me, as he weren't to m'forefathers, I believe that his kindness makes up fer tha'." Iseabail retorted blowing out a drag from a cigarette. "An' the girl, she's innocent in all this and you're just corruptin' her."

Suddenly Demona lashed out and caught Iseabail around the neck and threw her against the back door, making Iseabail drop her cigarette. "You'll go along with things as planned," Demona growled, tightening her grip, "or else."

The sound of a car coming alerted Demona and she released Iseabail, who gasped for air. "Now go in there and make do." Demona commanded before flying off.

Iseabail felt her neck and breathed a sigh of relief when Demona was gone. The snow fell evenly all around as Iseabail took a few more minutes to gain her bearings, then pulled up her turtleneck sweater and brushed through her long, dark hair. Iseabail then went inside, through the darkened kitchen, and greeted MacBeth and Beathag with a smile. "Home so soon?"

"What were ye doin' outside, Iseabail?" MacBeth asked unknowingly.

"Och, my vice," Iseabail produced a pack of cigarettes, then looked harshly over at Beathag, "don't you go 'round doing such things, lass, or I'll have yer neck."

MacBeth chuckled as Beathag looked confused. "Upstairs, lass," MacBeth ordered, "or ye'll get nothin' fer Christmas."

At that Beathag rushed up the steps and slammed her door shut. Iseabail then turned to her employer. "Think she still believes in Santa?"

"I'd like t'hope so," MacBeth sighed, "tellin' her all them stories fer nothin'? Come along, then, I've done some last minute shoppin' and need some help."

Iseabail followed MacBeth outside as Beathag threw open her window. "Demona!" She called softly. "Demona, are ye there?"

When no answer came Beathag began to shut the window. "Now you wouldn't give up on me, would you?"

Beathag reopened the window and allowed Demona to come in. "G'liath says I'm to 'ave nothin' to do with ye."

"I thought we agreed we would tell no one of these visits, Beathag," Demona said between gritted teeth, "didn't we?"

"Yer nothin' but bad," Beathag shot back, "G'liath told me so."

"Goliath knows nothing!" Demona's eyes glowed red as she approached the girl and Beathag began to back away. "What of all the tales I've told you? You trust MacBeth over me?"

"I trust G'liath." Beathag retorted. "Now get out you demon!"

Demona lunged for the girl, but missed…

"Mr. McDuff," Iseabail said as she helped him wrap the presents for Beathag, "I believe I should tell ye somethin' 'fore it comes to fruition."

MacBeth bit off a piece of tape and then proudly looked at the mess he made of the present. "Aye, lass?"

"I'm afraid I made a deal with the devil," Iseabail set down the present she was working on, "and 'er names Demona."

"Demona?" MacBeth asked aloud, in complete shock, then he stood up. "You were too good to be true, I should have known! All the credentials—"

"Made up," Iseabail replied, "I wanted revenge sir, but I've seen the error of my ways. You threw out my forefathers for makin' deals with Demona, leaving them out of a job and their family's starvin'. I know everythin' about you and about Beatrix…Beathag. I wired your house, I wired your jackets, Demona knows all. But now I understand everythin'."

"Out of my house!"

"Beatrix could be in danger," Iseabail stood up, "she could be in danger this minute!"

Beathag gasped as she lay on the floor, dazed from throwing herself against her dresser to miss Demona's leap. Demona took no moment to realize her mistake and rose in an instant, going for the girl again. Beathag got to her feet, prepared to fight Demona off just as the door was thrown open and MacBeth leapt on Demona. The two wrestled each other for a few minutes before Demona finally leapt from the window.

MacBeth made sure the gargoyle was gone before rushing to Beathag. "Are ye all right, lass?" He queried, feeling Beathag for any wounds and then taking her face in his hands. "What were ye thinkin'?"

"She's not like Seona at all," Beathag shouted furiously, "she's evil!"

"My poor lass," MacBeth held the girl tightly, "she tricked ye, just like she tricked Iseabail…Iseabail, she could be in danger."

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Iseabail wiped away her tears as she drove along the road to find a place to stay for the night. She would miss life at McDuff's mansion, even that wretched girl. McDuff had given her everything and she had handed it all away to Demona. "Foolish, Iseabail," she said to herself, "yer foolish, lass."

Suddenly the car was hit from outside and Iseabail swerved off the road into a ditch. Iseabail had no time to recover from hitting her head on the wheel when her door opened and two claws reached in for her. Iseabail screamed, but it was no use.