There are creatures that walk the Earth that are not like us.
Powerful. Immortal.
They are perhaps the ones who inspired the legend of the vampires.
They do not feed on humans. They feed off of one another.
They grow strong through Sharing.
In their hierarchy, three things make them powerful.
The power of the One who changed them.
The power of those they Share with.
And their age.

But these are competing factors. Young Ones are not powerful enough to initiate Change, their blood is too weak. Old Ones are too powerful, their blood is toxic. Only those who occupy the middle ground are capable of initiating Change.

So why is the world not populated by these creatures? They are predators, and their favorite prey is each other. There is nothing more pleasurable than to Share unto death. Young Ones are easily killed but it is not enjoyable. Old Ones have passed into immortality and are incapable of being killed. Again, it is those who occupy the middle ground who are the challenge.

The Change itself is torturous, and few humans survive to become Young Ones. Some do. This is their story...

Notes from author: Original story was related to women in Afghanistan and the atrocities of the Taliban regime but after events of septembre 11th before publishing, the story was changed to refer to the conflict in Rwanda.