The Demons

"Beeeel-zebub! Has the devil got a sign for me, for meeee, for...meeeeee..." My voice trails off as I realise the angel has gone.

"Fuck!" I say in anguish.

"What's wrong?" Orla asks me as everyone stops singing. Just as it was getting to the really good bit.

"My plan didn't work."

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

"One caramel lattè." The waiter says handing the angel the food. I can't believe I agreed to this. She even wanted cream and a thing of cinnamon. "And there are the pancakes and toppings as requested." He continues.

"Thank you." The polite tree with wings smiles.
As the waiter leaves, she squirts neatly into a swirl on top of the coffee, and sprinkles on the cinnamon, looking from it at different views like it's a sculpture she just made. It's adorable that she takes deep consideration into the perfection of something that is about to be devoured--judging by the look on her face. I admit, I thought the toppings were for the pancakes...I don't know how humans can eat such things.
It's kind of sweet, in a way. But not as sweet as all of that. I have to turn away before I throw up. It's so sickly.

"Are you alright?" Willow gives me a concerned look.

"I just...don't like cinnamon." I mumble as a reply.

She continues to munch on her food and sip her drink. I feel like we're going to be here for hours, and for no real reason. I can't take it anymore.

"Zerrin, can you come with me? For something, just a second?" I stumble.

"Sure." She nods and we both get up to go into another room. Tibby follows, but I don't mind. This is something I need to tell all of us. Except the angel.

Zerrin gives me a knowing look. "What is it?"

"The angel."

"What about her?"

"Befriending her isn't working. We're too angelic, she'll just go back to Heaven."

"You heard about the way they have treated her and what they did to her friend Aziraphale. Why would she go back?" Tibby tries to remind me.

"That's one of my points." I say. "They killed Aziraphale and Crowley because they knew each other. Maybe they were even friends. But because they're on opposite sides, Heaven and Hell permanently killed them. If we befriend Willow, we might actually get to like her, and if she doesn't convert, then we've failed the deed and gained a reason for all of us to be discorperated."

Unfortunately, I'm starting to believe that has become true for me. She's just too likeable.
Too naive. Too cute.

"Hmm. You're right." Tibby replies.

Zerrin raises an eyebrow. "So what do we do?"

"We have to make all of her anger and upset come to the surface, then make her realise all her unhappy thoughts were created in Heaven. We also need to make sure that she doesn't become too attached to us, otherwise she'll hate us and hate Hell when she figures out we lied, and that we're actually here for her, and she'll run back to the other side."

"Right." They nod.

"So one of us has to be horrible to her and push her away, then the rest of us will console her and make her realise I was similar to the angels who were bullying her." Did I just say I? Did I really just volunteer for that?

"So you're going to do it?" Zerrin asks. "Because I...don't think the rest of us can."

"Yeah." I say after hesitation. "Yeah, I'll do it."

They breathe a sigh of relief. I can't believe I'm saying all this. I knew this deed was going to be difficult, but I didn't imagine it emotionally. This had better be worth it. Hopefully I can start to hate her. I won't fail us. I can't. Who knows what Beelzebub would do?

But now I must be unforgivable.

"Let's try and pretend that we were just having a laugh, so no one worries about why we went away, in case Willow gets suspicious. I just said something hilarious." Tibby tells us.

Zerrin laughs her head off almost-but her acting is believable. Tibby adds her chuckle in and Zerrin slightly overdoes it by punching her in the arm, then she nearly knocks me over.

The angel stands up. Uh-oh.

"What was that for? She's your friend, why would you hurt her?!" She exclaims, utterly confused. Woah. Maybe this job to upset her is going to be easier than I thought.

"It was just a joke!" Zerrin laughs before Tibby has a chance to speak as she stumbles back up. But she shrugs and gives me a look.

"Besides, what are you-our mum?" I say as a reflex.

"I'm glad you think that all mothers are angels." She replies.

It's so strange how we have such radically different views. Maybe...if I was still an angel we would have similar opinions. But that isn't something to be thinking about right now. Besides, I'm simply not holy enough.

>>>>>>>

Halfway through Bohemian Rhapsody, just after the angel speaks, I whisper in Zerrin's ear that I'm about to kick things off. I breathe deeply, jump off the stable table and down a small glass of what I thought was vodka, but it's actually just water. For effect, I take my sunglasses off. If anyone sees, who cares? I can just make them forget it happened.

"The song isn't that bad-why do you always have to be so dismissive?!" I couldn't think of a different nasty word to describe her.
"The world isn't always lights and smiles."
Was it actually water, though?
"The real world is snide and cruel,"
-It always is.
"where everyone hates you for who you are, so you change, but then you're lying to yourself.
Look around you, you stupid, naive, angel!
No-one here is your friend. So wake up!
And stop living in Heaven."

She looks at me with horror and I expect her to burst into tears. I slide my dark glasses back on and go to stand with Tibby, Orla, Naylin and Zerrin on the table.

"Eleanor, I'm sor-"

Something jolts through me. Eleanor. I haven't heard that name in centuries. I am not that person anymore.

"-DON'T call me Eleanor." I hiss.

I join my fellow demons, who all give me looks of concern. Are they concerned for me, or about me?
They continue singing to keep up the charade, and no-one looks confused, so the girls must have explained. I try not to think about what I just did and how Willow must be feeling. I know how I feel. And it's not good. Or bad. Just...numb.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The next time I turn around, I realise she has gone.

What have I done?