It’s been just over two years since I encountered that cannibal in a large storm drain pipe. It’s been two years and one month to be exact. The image of the man with red eyes and flesh in his teeth still haunts me to this day.
My friend Paul and I used to visit the homeless near downtown San Antonio every Friday night. While most of the city was partying or having fun, we were in the trenches ministering, praying and feeding the homeless and destitute. Our primary thing was praying with those who needed and wanted it.
When the weekly visits first started there were more of us volunteering our time. As time went on, more and more people started to drop out for various reasons. My last date was Friday January 14, 2022. I can still feel that cold winter wind cutting through my jacket and touching my bones.
That Friday night started out like many before it. I parked at Paul’s house and we carpooled to a restaurant near downtown. It was a Mexican restaurant we frequented every Friday night. I ordered tacos and Paul ordered a plate.
From the restaurant, we drove to our usual spot, a standalone parking lot near an overpass. There’s usually about a dozen homeless people that hang out under the overpass. A few of them had tents pitched with a setup that was conducive to surviving.
Paul and I approached the group of homeless people with a smile on our faces. I understood these were people that society disregarded altogether and if we didn’t do what we did, they would be completely forgotten about. We made a difference in their lives and I was proud of that.
“Hey, friends. How’s it going?” Paul asked, waving at the group.
The group stared back at Paul. Their faces had a blank expression that said they were highly uninterested in whatever we had to say or do.
“Friends?” An older gentleman appearing to be in his early sixties asked aloud. The man had a filthy pullover on with a jacket on top of it. His face was caked with a thick layer of dirt and grime, he had three teeth left, his two front ones and one on the bottom. He looked as if he’d been homeless for years.
“More like brothers in Christ.” Paul responded to the man.
“Get out of here Bible thumpers.” A woman angrily stated. She was the only woman out of the group. Her dress was weathered and tattered. She was wearing an unzipped jacket revealing her bruised chest.
Paul and I both held our hands up. We silently walked away from the group. The thing with ministering is not everyone wants to hear what you have to say. If they don’t accept it, move on.
We continued down the poorly lit street. It was an open street with no cover so we could feel the cold winter wind as it blew and cut right through my parka. At the end of the street three blocks away was a ditch with a large storm drain pipe where some of the homeless people would sleep.
We reached the ditch. The ditch was concrete and stretched on for a few miles. I was still optimistic that we’d find someone to pray with. What we found instead was someone that was pure evil to his core.
“I don’t have a good feeling on this one.” Paul attempted to tell me.
I waved off his trepidation and continued down into the ditch. The large storm drain pipe was only about twenty feet away. Paul stayed back.
When I reached the storm drain pipe, I stared down its long dark interior. I could see the silhouette of a man. He was doing something but I couldn’t tell what.
“Hello!?” I shouted into the storm drain. My voice echoing off its metallic walls.
The man remained unphased and kept fidgeting. This should’ve been my first sign to leave him be. That’s not what I did though. I stepped into the pipe and began to walk towards him.
“I’m here to help!” I announced as I continued moving deeper into the tunnel.
The man turned his head around to look at me. His eyes were dark red and appeared to be glowing in the dark. We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. The man broke eye contact and turned back around. I heard him bite into something and start chomping aggressively. He turned to face me again.
I turned around and started heading back towards the ditch. Behind me I could hear the man’s feet sliding across the damp pipe as he followed after me. I picked up my pace, as did he.
As soon as I reached the opening to the pipe, the man grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me back into it. He climbed on top of me and started growling in my face. His breath was foul and smelled rotten. Chunks of flesh were wedged in-between his sharp teeth. Each tooth in the man’s mouth was vampire like. He had a thick white beard stained with blood.
I kneed him in the groin. He fell off of me. I managed to get up and rush out of the pipe.
“Paul!” I screamed to him as I ran through the ditch towards him.
“What the hell’s got you all scared?” Paul asked.
I was too winded at the moment to answer but I did my best to catch my breath. All I could do was pant heavily.
The man came crawling out of the storm pipe. He stood in place and stared at Paul and I.
“Who the hell is that?” Paul asks.
“Some crazy fuck. Let’s leave. Now.” I tried remaining calm but it was hard to hide the fact I was terrified.
I started walking before Paul could even respond. Paul followed closely behind.
“Dude, what’s going on?” He asked again.
I continued towards the bridge. We were still three blocks away from it. I turned around and the man was running after us. Paul and I both ran. We ran like our lives depended on it, because honestly it did.
Paul tripped over a curb and fell forward. I stopped, turned around and rushed back to him. The man was closing in on us. I helped Paul to his feet and we started running again.
The car was finally in view. Only a block to go. We reached the car, hopped in, and locked the doors.
“Tell me what the hell’s goin’ on.” Paul told me.
“He was eating someone.” I answered.
Paul looked shocked and perplexed. In the rearview mirror I saw the man tackle another homeless person and start clawing at him. Paul noticed it too. He started his car and sped away.
I called the police to report what happened. When they got there the man was gone. They had searched the area but never found him. It’s a terrifying thought knowing that there’s someone out there in my city eating people.