Rene sat on the edge of the buildings’ roof, looking down and the people below. In her hands, she held a white wire kanzu, koti hanger. Slowly, she wrapped her fingers around the hook part, causing the whole hanger to glow a light yellow. The red head sighed as she let go of it, returning the hanger to its natural form. Rene stood up, walked off the building, landing on her feet at the bottom without a broken bone; and walked away.

As she came down a small alley way, a shadow passed over her. Quickly, she turned; but saw nothing but the brick wall. Shrugging, she turned and continued walking. Moments later, the same shadow came. This time she was able to see the face of the man when she turned. He was tall with tan skin, black hair, and glowing red eyes. Rene’s eyes grew large, staring at him. She ran as fast as she could away from him, even though she knew that he would be much faster. Suddenly, she was stopped in her tracks when the man stood so close that their noses almost touched. The red head backed away slowly; but he continued to follow her every time she took a small step. After taking steps back, Rene found herself against the wall. Shit, she though as her body trembled with fear. The man was face to face with her, his cold hand stroking her warm face. She hissed at the touch of his hand. Quickly, the man placed his hands on her neck, ready to twist it off her tiny body, when a voice came from behind him.

“Get the hell away from her!” a voice said. Rene looked over his shoulder and saw her two friends, Maxine and Rosie. Maxine held a kuvuka, msalaba bow in her hand, ready for fire. Her face was stone like and serious. Rosie had her hands down kwa her sides, red-orange moto glowing around her balled fists. The man laughed at the two girls as he released his grip on the red heads’ throat. Rene suddenly slid down the wall, frozen in total fear as she watched the man walk nearer to her friends. The blonde still held the kuvuka, msalaba bow, preparing herself mentally to strike. Rosie began to throw small ball of fire, trying to penetrate his skin. Sadly, it did not leave a mark. The red head tried to yell to her Marafiki not to harm him; but her voice was gone from the cold clenching hands that were ‘round her neck earlier. Maxine, with one eye open for her aim, shot the man who only stood a few feet away. The man, not expecting her to shoot, fell to the ground, blood running down his chest. Rene ran towards him.

“No!” She sat beside him, lifting him into her lap. Maxine and Rosie stood still, unmoving.

“No, wewe can’t be dead. wewe just can’t!!! No, no, no Joseph don’t die on me!!!” The red head cradled him in her arms, crying out her tears.

“Rene, he tried to kill you,” Maxine spoke puzzled, “why are wewe so heartbroken he is dead?”

“Because he was just a sorcerer that messed up a spell, that’s why!” Rene shouted at them. Slowly, she took a deep breath. “I was fine before wewe came. I didn’t need your help! I was already chanting a telepathic spell as well, so that whatever he had done would reverse. But wewe had to kill him. An innocent man-“

“We didn’t know!” Maxine interrupted. “And wewe alisema nothing.”

“How could I with a half frozen throat?” Maxine looked down ashamed. Rosie stood there, moto died down ‘round her fists.

“Rene, I’m sorry,” Rosie signed with a terrible sadness on her face. Rene sighed deeply.

“Don’t worry about it.” She set down Joseph’s body and stood up. “Someone will find him in the morning. We have to go. Now,” she alisema angrily as she grabbed her hanger and stormed off into the street, the other two going the opposite direction of her. The machungwa, chungwa haired girl tapped her friend.

“We didn’t mean to do anything, did we?” Rosie signed to Maxine.

“No, we didn’t. Let’s just have Rene cool down a little. I’m sure she’ll be okay soon enough.” Rosie nodded and continued walking down the street.
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On the other pathway, Rene walked calmly down to street, her eyes darker than usual. A man crept out from behind her and grabbed her kwa the waist, holding a sharp kisu against her neck. The red head stood still, thinking of what possibilities she had of escaping whoever was behind her. For the moment, she stood still as a statue. The man behind her dug the kisu deeper in her neck, cause blood to slowly drip down her chest. Quickly, Rene grabbed the kisu and flipped the person over the front of her body, slamming him on the pavement in front of her. She forcefully took the kisu from his hand, spun it in her own hand, and held it in a fighting stance.

“Oh, the little red heads got some bite,” alisema the man. Rene gasped and backed away slightly.

“Get away from me Joker.”

“But I just want to play,” he said, his grin wide and creepy. The red head held the kisu in her hand.

“Well then, where are your toys?”

“Oh, I have my toys,” he alisema as he pulled out a gun and pointed it at Rene. Shit, she thought to herself, I hate guns. Especially when pointed at me. “Oh look! Your toy is no match for mine!” Joker laughed maniacally. Rene stood still in her fighting stance, glaring at him.

“Well, wewe know, I’ll just keep coming back. So even if wewe did, I’ll come back for wewe again, and again.” She drops the kisu and stands right in front of him. “Go ahead. Shoot me, if you’d like.” She smiles as him and whispered, “Because wewe don’t scare me anymore.”

“You’re no fun little red head, but I’ll shoot wewe anyways. That’s zaidi fun,” he alisema as he slowly pulled the trigger and shot straight through her stomach. “See wewe later,” he laughed as he walked away, leaving Rene collapsed on the ground, a small red puddle forming around her body. Painfully, she stood up and began to walk herself to a hospital, applying pressure to her wound. The red head limped, falling ever so often. A trail of blood was left behind her in specks. She continued slowly walking towards the hospital, until she could no longer move. The red head fell to the ground, curled in a ball on the ground. She heard a voice coming from behind her.

“Rene?”

“W-Who’s there?” she asked, as she was unable to turn her head around. Footsteps came closer and closer to her until she saw the person that began to pick her up. “Zack?”

“Just, be quiet sweetheart. You’ll be fine.” Her body lay very limp in his arms and he ran towards the hospital. As he entered, a nurse admitted them and sent her to the emergency room. “I’ll be here the whole time, okay babe?” he alisema as he held her hand tightly. Rene nodded and smiled weakly as they took her away from him, leaving him standing alone.
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A few hours later, Rene laid in a hospital kitanda sound asleep. Zack sat kwa her, holding her small pale hand in his, rubbing her fingers with his thumb. Slowly, Rene’s brown eyes opened and looked right at him, her mouth curving to a small smile.

“Hello sweetie,” she alisema softly to him. He smiled back to her, squeezing her hand.

“Hello.” He paused a moment. “Do wewe mind telling me what happened to wewe out there? Was it Joker? Blood River? Someone else?” The red head smiled very little.

“Spoilers,” she whispered.