An encounter with a cannibal

It was late evening. I was sitting in the lounge of a hotel in an African city.

”Hey, new to this place? Would you like to see a cannibal?” asked a tall and big man from the adjacent sofa.

I had nothing specific to do and agreed curious to see something strange.

In a few minutes we drove outside the city to what seemed a wood and were face to face with a bare bodied black man with shrunken face, matted hair, unkempt beard and beads on neck seated  before a bonfire to ward off the cold. There were lines in white and orange on his face and body.

There was a look of surprise and his eyes glistened as he smiled showing his yellow teeth. He made no attempt to talk but made some gestures that I could hardly comprehend. . A shudder passed through me as he looked at me in my white skin.with interest.

I looked around for my companion. He was not seen. A lump arose in my throat  when I heard a thud. My companion had hit the black man hard on his head.

“Don’t worry” he said as he plunged his teeth with relish on the black man’s shoulder and added with a large grin”I am lucky today. Black and white would make a great combo.”

As he slowly stood up with a vicious look and blood dripping from his flesh-filled mouth, I stood still dazed like a deer caught in the headlights.