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In the kitchen a sudden chill permeated the heat and the steam； making Amanda shiver； she crossed to the window； which was ajar to clear the air； and closed it。 Maybe she was catching something。
The Yattering watched her back as she busied herself about the kitchen； enjoying the domesticity for a day。 Amanda felt the stare quite clearly。 She turned round。 Nobody； nothing。 She continued to wash the Brussels sprouts； cutting into one with a worm curled in the middle。 She drowned it。
The Choir sang on。
In the lounge； Jack was laughing with Gina about something。
Then； a noise。 A rattling at first； followed by a beating of somebody's fists against a door。 Amanda dropped the knife into the bowl of sprouts； and turned from the sink； following the sound。 It was getting louder all the time。 Like something locked in one of the cupboards； desperate to escape。 A cat caught in the box； or a…Bird。
It was ing from the oven。
Amanda's stomach turned； as she began to imagine the worst。
Had she locked something in the oven when she'd put in the turkey？ She called for her father； as she snatched up the oven cloth and stepped towards the cooker； which was rocking with the panic of its prisoner。 She had visions of a basted cat leaping out at her； its fur burned off； its flesh half…cooked。
Jack was at the kitchen door。
〃There's something in the oven；〃 she said to him； as though he needed telling。 The cooker was in a frenzy； its thrashing contents had all but beaten off the door。
He took the oven cloth from her。 This is a new one； he thought。 You're better than I judged you to be。 This is clever。 This is original。
Gina was in the kitchen now。
〃What's cooking？〃 she quipped。
But the joke was lost as the cooker began to dance； and the pans of boiling water were twitched off the burners on to the floor。 Scalding water seared Jack's leg。 He yelled； stumbling back into Gina； before diving at the cooker with a yell that wouldn't have shamed a Samurai。
The oven handle was slippery with heat and grease； but he seized it and flung the door down。
A wave of steam and blistering heat rolled out of the oven； smelling of succulent turkey…fat。 But the bird inside had apparently no intentions of being eaten。 It was flinging itself from side to side on the roasting tray； tossing gouts of gravy in all directions。 Its crisp brown wings pitifully flailed and flapped； its legs beat a tattoo on the roof of the oven。
Then it seemed to sense the open door。 Its wings stretched themselves out to either side of its stuffed bulk and it half hopped； half fell on to the oven door； in a mockery of its living self。 Headless； oozing stuffing and onions； it flopped around as though nobody had told the damn thing it was dead； while the fat still bubbled on its bacon…strewn back。
Amanda screamed。
Jack dived for the door as the bird lurched into the air； blind but vengeful。 What it intended to do once it reached its three cowering victims was never discovered。 Gina dragged Amanda into the hallway with her father in hot pursuit； and the door was slammed closed as the blind bird flung itself against the panelling； beating on it with all its strength。 Gravy seeped through the gap at the bottom of the door； dark and fatty。
The door had no lock； but Jack reasoned that the bird was not capable of turning the handle。 As he backed away； breathless； he cursed his confidence。 The opposition had more up its sleeve than he'd guessed。
Amanda was leaning against the wall sobbing； her face stained with splotches of turkey grease。 All she seemed able to do was deny what she'd seen； shaking her head and repeating the word 〃no〃 like a talisman against the ridiculous horror that was still throwing itself against the door。 Jack escorted her through to the lounge。 The radio was still crooning carols which blotted out the din of the bird； but their promises of goodwill seemed small fort。
Gina poured a hefty brandy for her sister and sat beside her on the sofa； plying her with spirits and reassurance in about equal measure。 They made little impression on Amanda。
〃What was that？〃 Gina asked her father； in a tone that demanded an answer。
〃I don't know what it was；〃 Jack replied。
〃Mass hysteria？〃 Gina's displeasure was plain。 Her father had a secret： he knew what was going on in the house； but he was refusing to cough up for some reason。
〃What do I call： the police or an exorcist？〃
〃Neither。〃
〃For God's sake…〃
〃There's nothing going on； Gina。 Really。〃 Her father turned from the window and looked at her。 His eyes spoke what his mouth refused to say； that this was war。
Jack was afraid。
The house was suddenly a prison。 The game was suddenly lethal。 The enemy； instead of playing foolish games； meant harm； real harm to them all。
In the kitchen the turkey had at last conceded defeat。 The carols on the radio had withered into a sermon on God's benedictions。
What had been sweet was sour and dangerous。 He looked across the room at Amanda and Gina。 Both for their own reasons； were trembling。 Polo wanted to tell them； wanted to explain what was going on。 But the thing must be there； he knew； gloating。
He was wrong。 The Yattering had retired to the attic； well…satisfied with its endeavours。 The bird； it felt； had been a stroke of genius。 Now it could rest a while： recuperate。 Let the enemy's nerves tatter themselves in anticipation。 Then； in its own good time； it would deliver the coup de grace。
Idly； it wondered if any of the inspectors had seen his work with the turkey。 Maybe they would be impressed enough by the Yattering's originality to improve its job prospects。 Surely it hadn't gone through all those years of training simply to chase half…witted imbeciles like Polo。 There must be something more challenging available than that。 It felt victory in its invisible bones： and it was a good feeling。
The pursuit of Polo would surely gain momentum now。 His daughters would convince him （if he wasn't now quite convinced） that there was something terrible afoot。 He would crack。 He would crumble。 Maybe he'd go classically mad： tear out his hair； rip off his clothes； smear himself with his own excrement。
Oh yes； victory was close。 And wouldn't his masters be loving then？ Wouldn't it be showered with praise； and power？
One more manifestation was all that was required。 One final； inspired intervention； and Polo would be so much blubbering flesh。
Tired； but confident； the Yattering descended into the lounge。
Amanda was lying full…length on the sofa； asleep。 She was obviously dreaming about the turkey。 Her eyes rolled beneath her gossamer lids； her lower lip trembled。 Gina sat beside the radio； which was silenced now。 She had a book open on her lap； but she wasn't reading it。
The gherkin importer wasn't in the room。 Wasn't that his footstep on the stair？ Yes； he was going upstairs to relieve his brandy…full bladder。
Ideal timing。
The Yattering crossed the room。 In her sleep Amanda dreamt something dark flitting across her vision； something malign； something that tasted bitter in her mouth。
Gina looked up from her book。
The silver balls on the tree were rocking； gently。 Not just the balls。 The tinsel and the branches too。
In fact； the tree。 The whole tree was rocking as though someone had just seized hold of it。
Gina had a very bad feeling about this。 She stood up。 The book slid to the floor。
The tree began to spin。
〃Christ；〃 she said。 〃Jesus Christ。〃 Amanda slept on。
The tree picked up momentum。
Gina walked as steadily as she could across to the sofa and tried to shake her sister awake。 Amanda； locked in her dreams； resisted for a moment。
〃Father；〃 said Gina。 Her voice was strong； and carried through into the hall。 It also woke Amanda。
Downstairs； Polo heard a noise like a whining dog。 No； like two whining dogs。 As he ran down the stairs； the duet became a trio。 He burst into the lounge half expecting all the hosts of Hell to be in there； dog…headed； dancing on his beauties。
But no。 It was the Christmas tree that was whining； whining like a pack of dogs； as it spun and spun。
The lights had long since been pulled from their sockets。 The air stank of singed plastic and pine…sap。 The tree itself was spinning like a top； flinging decorations and presents off its tortured branches with the largesse of a mad king。
Jack tore his eyes from the spectacle of the tree and found Gina and Amanda crouching； terrified； behind the sofa。
〃Get out of here；〃 he yelled。
Even as he spoke the television sat up impertinently on one leg and began to spin like the tree； gathering momentum quickly。 The clock on the mantelpiece joined the pirouetting。 The pokers beside the fire。 The cushions。 The ornaments。 Each object added its own singular note to the orchestration of whines which were building up； second by second； to a deafening pitch。 The air began to brim with the smell of burning wood； as friction heated the spinning tops to flash…point。 Smoke swirled across the room。
Gina had Amanda by the arm； and was dragging her towards the door； shielding her face against the hail of pine n