The Summers in Penomeco II - The Flesh Eater

Penomeco had been hugely recognized for the immeasurable beauty the town has to offer. From the turquoise water of the warm sea, the fear-inducing cliffs, and the green pastures and forests that seem to reflect the rays of the sun making it dazzle.

It had been once crowned as the most beautiful tourist destination in the country. The town, despite its small size, had everything amazing to offer. However, like everything else, beauty fades and the greed of man took advantage of the once beautiful place. The town was barren and was left to heal on its own, with time.

The townspeople have not lost hope. That one day, Penomeco will be back to its glorious era. A time where the streets were flooded with people, businesses were booming and the smiles on their faces were unwavering.

As tourists slowly and surely decreased in number, tour companies slowly fade into the background. One remained strong and unaffected, but instead of offering the same tour packages, they have continuously developed and seek new places to explore around the little town. As the travel agency continued to grow, the others closed down. Being the only own left, it was then given the name of Penomeco Travel Agency.

Months passed by and the agency continued to grow, new tours were being organized and more places were developed. The town was again starting to shine in the spotlight it once stood on. The demand grew again, and more people were trying to book a spot at the Penomeco Travel Agency tours.

It was a chilly night when two young men found themselves stuck in the little town. They were just trying to pass by and get to the next town for their early flight when an unforeseen tragedy befell the town. The bridge connecting Penomeco to the next town was badly damaged. The strong current of the river made it impossible to cross and they had no choice but to rebook their flight.

"What do you mean?! We need to get back home by tomorrow. We cannot spend another single day in this godforsaken place!" exclaimed a young guy as he slowly massage his sweat-covered forehead. He was like a cutout figure of a model for a fitness magazine. He was fit and his arms were bulging with muscles. His hair was styled perfectly, and it was the color of the dark night sky.

The other man with him who was obviously younger was just watching him from the sideline. The car has suddenly got stuffy and the warmth from the now pissed man was becoming hot, almost as if the other can feel the change in his temperature.

"Ron, you need to relax. Just think of it as an extension to this perfect vacation." calmly said by the other man positioned at the passenger seat. His hair was messy and it was bronze in color, his eyes were unfocused as if nervously waiting for something to happen. Compared to Ron he was very skinny and his collar bones were protruding in a weird angle.

Ron dropped the call and went outside the car as he slammed the door. The other simply shrugged and followed him outside with a deep sigh.

"You know I have to be back to my wife by tomorrow morning. You know how she is, Jaime. She'll have my head." Ron said as he puffed out another cloud of smoke. It was strangely dark and the streets were barely lighted. The moonlight was illuminating his perfect features - from the sharpness of his jaw, the pink plump lips, his strong and warm eyes, and his well-defined muscles. Jaime fell silent as he could not help but admire the man in front of him. Ron simply ignored him and signaled for him to follow.

The streets were cold and quiet. Despite the fact that Penomeco has been steadily gaining popularity, people wanted to enjoy its natural aspect and the nightlife was nonexistent. Lamp posts were scattered throughout the small city but only a few worked and a number of them already have a loose bulb that won't stop from flickering. Jaime quietly followed as he hug his lithe body, trying to retain whatever heat his body can produce.

He was surprised when Ron suddenly stopped walking. He slowly massaged his nose as it made quite an impact when he hit his face onto the latter's broad back. "They still seem open, maybe we can stay here and get some rest for tonight," said Ron. The guy seem to have relaxed and the scowl on his face was replaced by a look of disappointment.

Fortunately for them, there was still a room with twin beds available. The room itself was simple, there were two single beds and a lamp desk on both ends. It was fairly small, even the washroom was outside the room as it was shared with the rest of the tenants staying on that floor. There was a pot on the end adjacent to the door, the plant was long forgotten and it was dead and dry. A small CRT TV was elevated through a simple wooden plank.

Ron gave a deep sigh as soon as he returned from inspecting the washroom outside. It will be hard for him and his bulky stature to move around. Ron quickly unpacked his toiletries and a towel, thinking that he just needed a shower to cool off. Jaime's eye was fixated on him as former worked on his clothes, slowly revealing chocolate-colored skin and a tight six-pack abs. His chest was bulging with muscles and Jaime couldn't help but release a small gasp as the hot man turned around, his back muscles were ripped.

The night had been warm, even hot for Jaime as he kept turning on his bed trying to ignore the fact that Ron was sleeping just a few feet away from him. He felt himself break down in cold sweat as a million things kept rushing onto his head. Finally, he took the courage and slowly approached the sleeping man and the rest were a blur.

The bright yet gentle sunlight slowly caressed Jaime's face. He quickly rose up and felt his cheeks warm up. Feeling the empty space in the bed, he tried to reminisce what happened last night. It was still a bliss to him. He was about to go out when the door suddenly opened, revealing a shirtless Ron with only a towel covering his lower half. The former shyly made way for the taller and quickly left the room.

The whole town of Penomeco left Jaime's mouth agape. The sunlight made everything visible and he couldn't be any happier. Their hostel was just beside a clear and sparkling river. People who were half-submerged in the water were trying to catch fish at such an early morning, yet they do not forget to wave at the two surprised tourists.

The streets were buzzing with people transporting and selling merchandise, different from what they heard and read. They thought the place will be more silent and gloomy. Dozens of people seated at the sidewalk were offering fresh produce and catch, and it was lively.

They discovered a tiny restaurant at the top of a hill, it was a perfect spot to get a glimpse of the town called Penomeco. It was quite a trek but the view of the sea on one end and the grassland on the other gave them some peace of mind. The restaurant was certainly empty and they had the place all to themselves. They chose to sit outside with the grass on their feet and the sun shining brightly onto their face. The tables were covered with white linen and the chairs were metallic and painted white.

A tall man dressed in a button-up shirt and a short apron that covers his lower half approached the two and offered them each a menu. The town has been known to be self-sufficient, whatever produce they use and acquire all came from the town itself. Anything brought from outside was not allowed to preserve and prevent any cross-contamination.

"Forget about last night." Ron decided to break the silence. It has been awkward since they woke up and Jaime couldn't even lift his head. It was as if the floor, the grass, and his fingers were the best things to look at. "I.. I-m sorry, it shouldn't have happened." replied the other. Ron had to clear his throat as the waiter arrived serving them their food. They quickly ate in silence.

"Hey, you guys don't seem to be from here. Are you interested in joining a tour?" A man around his mid-forties suddenly approached them as they were waiting for the bill. Ron knows better than to entertain a stranger, they are honestly running low on cash and the last thing they need is to get scammed.

"Well, the bridge won't be fixed as soon." Jaime looked at him with pleading eyes. Ron simply rolled his eyes and nodded.

An hour later, they both arrived at the meeting place. It was a simple bus stop, void of any people. Ron was starting to get annoyed at the back of his shirt as it clings to his skin, they thought they were going to be late and left out so they started running. Calming himself, he sat and took a deep breath. The sun was shining more brightly than this morning, but the cool wind was refreshing. He closed his eyes as he enjoyed the breeze.

Jaime was able to catch up real quick and he felt a smile tug at his sleep as he admired the man sitting in front of him.

"There you are!" Jaime couldn't help but jump a little at the sudden voice that came out of nowhere. He gave him a short and firm nod as they all made their way to the man's office.

As shady as the guy looked, the office they were being directed to looked the most luxurious of all the building in Penomeco. It was a thin but tall 7 story high building that is painted with gray. The glasses looked tinted and polish, giving a refined aesthetic to the building. Just above the glass doors read "Penomeco Travel Agency".

The man who introduced himself as Eli guided them to a van parked right in front of the building. He collected their payments and quickly made his way inside. The van was surprisingly empty, Jaime and Ron was stuck in an uncomfortable silence. A few moments later he went out and hopped on the driver's seat. Jaime was starting to get suspicious but he was afraid to voice out his concerns as the man was already in the vehicle. He was also still hesitant to talk to Ron after what happened last night. Instead, he tried to engrave to his mind the face and stature of the man - from his unkempt mustache, horizontal slash just below his eyes and his weird limp.

"Lucky you! Seems like we have the van all to ourselves. Our agenda for today is the Mirror Lake, Fairy Prairie, lunch at the Hideout and then a walk through the famous Jura Forest." the man looked back from his seat and continued "I'll be your guide for today, Eli. I hope we get along well and please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any concerns. Mirror Lake is about an hour away, so sit back and relax as we drive through our amazing Penomeco sights and sceneries."

Ron closed his eyes and put on my earphones as he listens to music and ignored the lingering tension between him and the guy seated just beside him. They didn't even make it to Mirror Lake before he was suddenly jolted up from his sleep. There was a strong impact and he massaged his head as he slowly opened his eyes.

In front of them was another car that was going the wrong way. Eli cursed and was about to go down the vehicle when he noticed the group responsible for the head-on collision. They made their way to the van and Eli cursed under his breath. "T..those people are from the Jura Tribe. Whatever happens, stick together. T..they are man-eaters" Eli tearfully said the last part.

From hearing that, Jaime started to uncontrollably shake. There was also a hint of fear from Ron's eyes but he was confident in a fight if it comes to it.

The group that approached them was made of 5 men, all having a bronze tan and long unkempt hair. They were holding makeshift weapons from twigs and branches. Jaime was also started to tear up and asked what they're supposed to do. Eli tried to open the engine of the vehicle but to no avail. "For now, let's do what they say. At any opportunity to escape, feel free to do so."

The group just stared at them until they signaled for them to follow. A small boy around the age of 15-20 placed a blindfold on all the three men. Then guided them to their hideout. Ron could hear chattering and footsteps of more people as they entered the tribe's hideout. He could also hear Jaime's cries and plea for help which was rewarded by a quick punch to his stomach.

They were stuffed in an empty container van and were already losing hope as they sat quietly waiting for their demise. Eli suddenly came up with an idea. "Let's make a run for it." He took out a swiss army knife hidden inside his boots then quickly untied all their constraints. It proved to be a challenge but a will to survive was greater, producing in an adrenaline and he feels his body tensed and heat up.

Color came back to Jaime's eyes as his blindfold and constraints came undone. He quickly studied the surrounding but everything was hidden inside the container van where they were being kept. Ron, being the strongest and most confident of his fighting prowess, suggested to fight back as soon as the tribes come to them for whatever reason. The two nodded their heads as they were already out of options.

With luck, the tribe member who came was the young guy from earlier. His hands were full and he was carrying plates and bowls of food. Before he was able to react, Ron already had a tight grip on his neck and he dropped down without much of a fight. It was already getting dark and the place was void of people. They were in a clearing and there was a big campfire just a few meters away where a few people were enjoying their meal. The trio hid and made a quick run avoiding any scouts from the tribe.

With hearts racing, Eli confidently guided them back to Penomeco. He suggested to visit the city hall and report what happened. They did not speak of any words until they entered the old looking building.

As they stepped inside the building, Jaime could feel the sudden chill and change in temperature. There was also a weird metallic smell but he ignored it as he didn't want to be rude.

On today's headline: Penomeco, a city to avoid?

A woman in her early twenties was wearing a black blazer over a white shirt and a short dark blue skirt. She came to be known as Candy, a popular newscaster, and TV personality.

Without stuttering or breaking a sweat, she continued, "Countless tourists have been reported missing and their last destination was known to be Penomeco. A runaway resident of the town had revealed the inhumane acts that the townspeople have been doing."

She catches her breath as she turned over the mic to the boy. "Because of the lack of money and food, several residents were forced to eat.. other people. A lot of us couldn't stomach what was happening decided to hide and ran away inside the Jura forest."