Puntland. A harsh, yet beautiful land that although fiercely contested in the past, has emerged as the Heartland of Somalia. In the waning days of summer, as people began to disappear all over Puntland, the elders of various clans got together, and wondered what to do about it. The people of Somalia are a hardy, at times ferocious bunch, and they've never backed down from any enemy. They've repelled Arabian invasions in ancient times, and forced the American military forces to leave their soil in the 1990s. This time, the Somali people face an ancient enemy...
"The ancient enemy has returned, the blood drinkers once more walk among us," said Imam Abdullahi, a representative of the Darod clan. The tall, dark-skinned and silver-haired Somali Muslim leader stroked his goateed chin and looked at his peers. To his right sat Yassin Aden of the Hawiye clan, and Said Kader of the Gadabuursi clan. The only woman in attendance was Fatima Hassan, eldest daughter of the late Mohamed Hassan, a legendary warrior and the former leader of the Jidwaq clan.
"Twelve men and five women have gone missing from the City of Garoowe, in the Nugal province," said Fatima Hassan. Tall, chubby and dark-skinned, wearing a simple robe without bothering with a Hijab, Fatima Hassan cut an impressive figure. During the days of the American invasion of Somalia, Fatima Hassan's father had taken arms against the invaders. For this and many other reasons, the Hassan name was a respected one among all Somalis. When Somalia calls, a son or daughter of the Hassan clan always answers...
"I agree, something must be done, we must unleash Ugaarsade, the Huntress," said Yassin Aden, and he shared a meaningful look with Fatima Hassan and Imam Abdullahi. Said Kader listened attentively to his peers as they met in the secret underground chamber located below the Bin Salman Masjid. This far below ground, the quartet felt they ought to be safe from intruders, both human and otherwise. Of course, inhuman entities were forbidden from entering holy places since the days of the Prophet, peace be unto him.
"After what we've done to the Ugaarsade, the great Huntress, how dare we ask her help? She might let Somalia get overrun with blood drinkers out of sheer spite," Said Kader said bitterly. The other leaders nodded in agreement. A long time ago, when monsters rose and preyed upon the people of Somalia, the Huntress came to their aid and used her abilities to hold back the darkness. Instead of praising their heroine, the people of Somalia turned on her. Rejected by her people, the Huntress turned her back on the world.
The sun rose over the City of Galkayo, in the Mudug region of Somalia. Eight hundred thousand people call the place home. The locals are a hard-working people, and the architecture and culture reflects both Somali and Italian influences. The diversity appealed to Hawa Barre, and that's why she settled there with her girlfriend Amina Bashir. It was a good place to live, relatively peaceful when compared to the rest of Somalia, and mixture of agriculture and industry provided work and kept the locals peaceful.
Hawa Barre got up, yawned and stretched and walked to the garden located at the back of the walled villa in the Horumar sector of metropolitan Galkayo. Six feet tall, curvy and dark-skinned, with long dark hair which fell over her shoulders, Hawa wore a traditional Baati dress, sans Hijab, with blue jeans underneath, and sneakers. The downright Amazonian gal looked like she ought to be ruling the runway on modeling circuits from Africa to Europe, but the simple life appealed to her the most.
"There you are, little devils," Hawa said as she spotted Abo and Treika, the pair of Galla goats which she and Amina kept as pets. The goats came running to their mistress, and proceeded to lick her hand. Hawa patted the goats on the head, and admired their coats. She handed them a pair of carrots, and then walked away, inspecting the rest of the garden. Even though an eight-foot cement wall surrounded the property, Hawa knew that vigilance was key to survival everywhere, especially in Somalia.
The majority of the people living in the Horumar sector of metropolitan Galkayo knew about Hawa and Amina, and didn't seem to care. Sure, there was always a fool who muttered the word Qanisad, a Somali slur regarding lesbians, whenever Hawa and Amina showed each other affection in public, but most people minded their own business. In Somalia, just like everywhere else, there are lesbians, bisexual women, bisexual men and gay men. LGBT people have always existed in Africa, traditionalists and conservatives be damned. Of course, in Africa, if one is anything other than heterosexual, discretion is key to survival.
Hawa went to the well, and looked inside. The well was perhaps twenty feet deep, and nearly filled with rainwater. Hawa tossed some bread to Gao and Fidel, the pair of turtles she'd had for about a decade now. The turtles tore into the breath, and Hawa leaned against a nearby tree, watching them. Returning inside, Hawa looked for her lover Amina, and didn't find her in the bedroom or the kitchen. Hawa went to the library, which contained hundreds of books in English, French, and Italian.
"As Salaam Alaikum, beloved," Amina said, smiling at Hawa as she came into the library. Amina was seated at a corner, wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt, ankle-length blue dress, and a modest blue Hijab. In one hand she held a cup of tea, and in the other, she held a copy of Wonders Of The African World by Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates. Hawa looked at her lover, who flashed her a sexy wink. Amina pointed to the chair next to her, and after a brief hesitation, Hawa joined her.
