Bloodthirsty: Somaliland

Nura

My name is Nura. I was born in a time when the world was young and wild, when humans lived in harmony with nature and hunted for their food. I belonged to a tribe that roamed the lands of Somaliland, near the coast of the Red Sea. We were a peaceful people, but we also knew how to defend ourselves from predators and enemies. One night, as I was returning from a hunting trip with my brother, we were attacked by a creature that looked like a man, but had fangs and claws. It was fast and strong, and it tore my brother apart before I could react. I tried to fight back, but it was too late. It bit me on the neck and drank my blood, then left me to die. I don't know how long I lay there, bleeding and in pain. I thought I was going to join my brother in the afterlife, but something kept me alive. Something dark and cold that filled my veins and changed me. I felt a hunger that was not like any hunger I had ever felt before. A hunger for blood. I crawled to the nearest village, hoping to find help, but instead I found prey. I killed everyone I saw, men, women, children, even animals. I drank their blood until I was satisfied, then moved on to the next village. I didn't care who they were or what they had done. I only cared about feeding. I soon realized that I was not the only one of my kind. There were others like me, roaming the world and hunting for blood. Some of them tried to befriend me, but I rejected them. I didn't want to be part of their society or follow their rules. I wanted to be free and alone. I also realized that I was not aging like normal humans. I stayed young and beautiful, while everyone around me grew old and died. I saw civilizations rise and fall, wars and plagues, inventions and discoveries. I saw the world change in ways that I could not understand or appreciate. I traveled across continents and oceans, looking for new places and new experiences. But nothing satisfied me. Nothing made me happy. Nothing made me feel alive. I came to Hargeisa in the present day, hoping to find some peace and quiet in this small city. But even here, I can't escape the noise and chaos of the modern world. Cars and planes, phones and computers, lights and sounds. Everything is too fast and too loud for me. I live in a small apartment, away from the crowds and the sun. I only go out at night, when the streets are empty and dark. I feed on the homeless and the criminals, trying not to attract attention or cause trouble. But sometimes, I wonder if this is really living. Sometimes, I wonder if there is more to life than this. Sometimes, I wonder if there is a way to end this curse.