Human eating tribes almost caught us

Image by: Thomas Baker

The campfire crackled merrily, casting flickering shadows on the faces huddled around it. Tito, her normally vibrant spirit dimmed by exhaustion, recounted the day's hike with a tremor in her voice. Her wildlife club, a motley crew of Nairobi teens with a shared passion for nature, had ventured deeper into the Kenyan forest than they'd ever been before. The thrill of discovery, the symphony of unseen creatures, it had all been eclipsed by a bone-deep terror that still clung to them like a shroud.

"We were heading back," Tito started, her gaze darting nervously into the dense darkness beyond the firelight. "Just past that ancient baobab tree, the one with the hollowed-out trunk." A collective shiver ran through the group. The baobab, older than time itself, held an unsettling presence, its gnarled branches clawing at the twilight sky.

"Suddenly," Tito continued, her voice barely a whisper, "we heard this drumming. Deep, rhythmic, like a primal heartbeat echoing through the trees." The image sent shivers down spines. The forest, usually alive with the nocturnal chorus of insects and birds, had fallen into an unnatural silence.

"We quickened our pace, a knot of unease tightening in our stomachs. Then, we saw them." Her voice cracked. "Figures emerged from the undergrowth, cloaked in what looked like animal skins. Their faces were painted with a grotesque mix of ochre and charcoal, their eyes glowing with an eerie light reflected from the dying embers of the day."

A gasp escaped Vanessa, the resident skeptic, even she couldn't deny the tremor in Tito's voice. The others, wide-eyed and pale, leaned in, desperate for the rest of the story.

"They chanted in a language I didn't recognize, a guttural rasp that sent chills down my spine. We turned to run, but they were faster. They moved with an inhuman grace, silent and terrifying. We scattered, crashing through the undergrowth, the drumming growing louder with every panicked breath."

Tito choked back a sob. "I don't know how, but I lost the others. I could hear their terrified screams echoing through the trees, swallowed by the darkness. I ran blindly, the figures gaining on me, their guttural chanting turning into a bloodcurdling chorus."

She fell silent, tears glistening in the firelight. The others didn't dare breathe. The forest seemed to press in closer, the rustling leaves taking on a sinister quality.

"Then, just as I thought they were about to catch me," Tito whispered, her voice barely audible, "I stumbled upon this clearing. I collapsed, gasping for breath, praying they wouldn't find me."

A heavy silence descended upon the group. The fire sputtered, casting grotesque shadows that danced menacingly on the surrounding trees. The forest, once a haven of exploration, now felt like a malevolent entity, its secrets as dark and unknowable as the figures that chased them.

Sleep, a much-needed solace, evaded them that night. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig sent their hearts hammering against their ribs. The chilling confession hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the unseen dangers that lurked in the heart of the Kenyan wilderness. The wildlife club's camaraderie, once a source of strength, now felt fragile, threatened by the shadows that danced at the edge of their campfire. Their hike, meant to be a celebration of nature, had become a chilling descent into the darkness that lay hidden beneath the lush canopy.