"Just what do you boys think you're doing here?" the witch demanded as she walked in the door.
The boys stopped in their tracks so fast they even startled Damon. John was really scared and dropped his bag of loot! Fortunately he managed to hang onto Damon's heavy bird cage.
"Chris, she's found us, let's get out of here. I've heard she can--"
"Oh, grow up, John," Chris cut in. He looked back and put on his most threatening persona for the witch. "Here's the deal, granny, we're takin' it all, and ya better not try to stop us." He showed off his muscles. "We ain't gonna take no for an answer, ya hear?"
The witch immediately changed her tune and put on her best frightened-old-lady act.
"Oh, dear, my cottage, raided by such strong young men! Please don't hurt me, you can take everything. I beg you, just leave my precious pet Demona, she's my only companion, I don't need anything else. Please, take whatever else you want, I promise I won't say a word to a living soul!"
Chris stood tall and intimidating, let the witch grovel innocently for a few seconds, and turned the John.
"You heard her, John," he said, trying to sound like reasonable one. "Put down the bird and let's go. She won't say anything. We'll see to that, won't we?"
John looked up startled, still not sure what to think of the so-called witch and all the rumors he'd heard.
"Uh... yeah, yeah you're right Chris. You can have the bird, lady. You won't see us again if you only keep your big trap shut."
They scurried there way out of the cabin with their bags, and Damon was once again left alone with the witch. The witch got back up on her feet and cackled her blood-curdling witch's laughter into the cool evening air.
"Ha ha ha! Such childish mortal fools! What else do I need when I have a goose who lays golden eggs? And what will they need of my other treasures when the sun rises tomorrow? Hahahahahah!"
She held up a couple of hairs she had swiped from the boys without their knowing, and she reached into her faded gown and pulled out a little book of magic that grew into a big book of magic before her eyes. She opened to a page and set the hairs down on it, and recited a lengthy incantation while the ancient text began to glow.
Damon wouldn't see it from his cage inside the cottage, but that very evening, before they even reached their hide-out, Chris and John were going to start to change...