Cancer, Cancer, Cancer... by Na’Chyna Rogers

“You may be a traitor, but at least you speak the truth.” Duran’s snickering voice floats toward them, and they both spin around quickly.

Puck stands beside his brother, looking quite disappointed.

“I knew you were partial to the humans, but not this partial.” He loads his thick arrow into his large bow, and Duran holds his sharp spear tightly. Ben gently takes Zanna’s arm, resting his hand on his gun.

“Please, both of you, stand down!” Zanna holds her thin arm in front of her, tree roots expanding across the ground toward the two male faeries.

“We don’t take orders from you, Malum!” As Duran shouts Zanna’s Latin name, she quickly waves her hand toward Ben. A wave of thick bark and roots creates a shield for him, wrapping around his body tightly.

“No, Zanna!” Ben yells, beating his fists against the tree that now surrounds him. “Please, no! Let me help you! I can fight!”

Zanna slowly turns around toward the two faeries standing before her. “I cannot allow you to be injured, Ben,” she whispers quietly, the grass and slight breeze taking her words straight to him. “I wouldn’t be able to go on without you.”

He is silent as he stops resisting her protection, and Zanna coils her fists.

“Traitor!” Puck yells, releasing an arrow toward Benjamin. Zanna scowls and whips her hand through the air, a steady line of water slicing the arrow in half. The liquid falls back to the ground, splashing loudly. Zanna slowly looks up at them, seeing a slight change in their confidence.

She smiles. “All humans must die!” Puck releases another arrow aimed at Zanna. She gently raises her hand, and a thin vine catches the arrow inches before it hits her face.

“At this rate, you’ll simply run out of weapons.” Zanna’s voice is hushed as she stares at them, loving the slight fear that crosses their features. Duran inches backward, but his brother persists.

Each arrow that launches toward her perfectly shreds before it gets close. Zanna quickly grows tired of the fight, and she feels Ben fidgeting in his protective barrier.

The female faerie slowly raises her hand, taking dew and rain water left from the storm into the air around her. The water creates a small sphere in her hand, and she catches the men staring at it.

She slowly smiles as it moves forward, bobbing up and down in the air. The men watch silently, afraid to move. She looks up at Puck and flicks her fingers toward him.

The sphere of water turns into large spikes as it flies toward him. The water cuts straight through his throat and face, and the ground swallows him whole. Duran stares at the empty spot where his brother once stood, and he slowly looks over at Zanna.

“Too far,” he states, his jaw clenching tightly. “You’ve taken our plan too far.” Zanna steps forward as Duran begins to sink into the ground. He doesn’t fight against it, and it slowly stops at his neck. He breathes harshly, staring up at the dark faerie in front of him. “We were here to kill him. Nothing else.”

“I didn’t forget.” Zanna kneels down and runs her hand through his tussled blonde hair, and he shakes himself away. “I just changed up the plans a bit.” Duran is silent, and Zanna smiles.

“I’ll take the humans apart from the inside out. Simple, yes?” She asks, and Duran takes a deep breath as the earth crawls up his face. “I thought so, too.”

He disappears, and Zanna turns toward Ben. She quickly rakes dirt down her arms and face to signify a brawl, then she slowly waves her hand over her shield. It crumples away, and Ben comes out running.

“Zanna!” He calls for her as she collapses into his strong arms. She cries heavily, holding tightly to him and hiding her face in his shoulder.

Ben quickly looks around, but the threat is gone. “It’s okay now, Zanna.” He whispers, running his hand through her long hair.

Zanna slowly smiles as she pushes her head into his shoulder. “Everything is going to be okay, I promise.”

“You may be a traitor, but at least you speak the truth.”