Backpacker

The Backpacker is a scary story about a young man who goes traveling in a remote region of China and encounters a danger he never expected.

There was a 21-year old man loved to travel to exotic countries. After a while, he grew bored of the usual holiday destinations and wanted a trip that would be more exciting.

His plan was to backpack around South-East Asia for a few months. He thought that it would be a great experience to feel the freedom of traveling through remote areas, crossing mountains and meeting random people along the way.

His first destination was China. When his plane landed in Beijing, the only luggage he had was the small backpack he was carrying. However, the young man didn’t want to stay for very long in the hustle and bustle of a huge Chinese city. He was eager to explore the hills and valleys of the vast country.

The young man had an idea that he was sure would turn his little backpacking trip into a much more interesting adventure. He decided to randomly hop on a bus without having any idea where it was going. Not knowing the destination made it feel like he was taking a mystery tour around China. Every time the bus reached the end of the line, he would hop off and randomly catch another bus, never knowing or caring where it would take him.

After a few weeks, he found himself traveling around some of the most remote regions in China. It was an area that tourists seldom visited. The man was delighted to be passing through all the tiny villages and having the opportunity to see how the rural Chinese people really lived.

One day, he found himself traveling on yet another bus, passing through yet another remote area. When they set out, the bus was empty, but after six stops, a large crowd of people got on and it was filled to capacity.

After a while, he noticed that the other passengers kept looking at him strangely. The young man also thought it was odd that they chose to stand instead of sitting down in the vacant seat next to him.

At the next stop, a beautiful Chinese woman boarded the bus. She looked around and when she saw the young backpacker, her eyes suddenly grew wide with shock. When she hurried down the aisle and sat down beside him, he was a bit surprised too.

Suddenlt, the woman nudged him and whispered, “Do you know where you are going?”

“I have no idea,” replied the man with a smile. “I’m just backpacking around the country. I got on this bus without looking at the destination.”

“Well, I must warn you that you are in grave danger,” she said.

“Why?” asked the man.

“The next stop is the end of the line,” said the woman. “It is a small village that has an awful reputation. The people who live there prey on Western tourists who become lost. They are cannibals.”

The man couldn’t believe what she was saying. At first, he thought she must be joking, but when he looked at her face, he could not even detect the smallest hint of a smile.

“Surely you can’t be serious,” he said.

“What I am telling you is the truth,” replied the woman. “If you are wise, you will take heed of what I tell you. Everyone in this area has heard the horrible tales of what goes on in this village. In my language, it is called The Man-Eating Village.”

The woman’s words shocked the young backpacker to his very core. He found himself lost for words.

“If you don’t believe me, just look around,” she continued. “Almost all of the passengers on this bus are from that village.”

The young man looked up and realized that all of the other passengers were staring at him hungrily and licking their lips.

“When the bus reaches the end of the line, you will be on their territory,” said the woman. “No one will be able to save you. They will take hold of you and eat you alive.”

The backpacker broke out into a cold sweat. He could see the murderous look in the eyes of the slavering Chinese villagers. He had to escape before the bus reached the village.

Just then, he felt the bus begin to slow down as it ascended a steep mountain road.

“This is our chance,” said the woman. “Let’s go.”

She grabbed him by the hand and they ran down the aisle to the back of the bus before the other passengers had a chance to react. The woman pulled the handle of the emergency exit and then jumped out. The backpacker was right behind her and leaped through the narrow opening.

He crashed onto the dirt road, then rolled over and picked himself up. He saw the woman jump across a ditch and run off. He followed her, running as fast as he could.

They escaped into the mountains as the angry yells of the other passengers echoed behind them. The man fled for his life, scrambling up the steep mountain slope, desperate to evade the hungry cannibals who were pursuing him.

Eventually, the Chinese villagers gave up the chase and returned to the bus. The man was exhausted but he was overjoyed that he had managed to escape their ravenous clutches. As he lay on a large rock, trying to catch his breath, he heard the woman laughing softly to herself.

“Now I can eat alone,” she said.