First Man-Eater
A man-eater does not include animals that scavenge the corpses, but an animal that hunts and views humans as a direct food source.
Australopithecus are known as the forebears of humanity, and it is believed that a form of Australopithecine led to our genus Homo. In 1924, a skull of a 3-year-old Australopithecus dating around 3.3 million years was discovered. It was given the name Taung Child.
The skull was fractured and showed evidence of being consumed; the culprit is believed to be the African hawk-eagle. The Taung Child shows us the oldest known evidence of a man-eater.
May 1st 1932
Edward Pierce stepped out of his car with his rifle and walked to meet his partner. Edward was a tall man, 191 cm, large Canadian, bushy beard, white hair, and an impressive physique. Edward had been hunting ever since he was 12, first with his father, now on his own. The man has an obsession with man-eaters and wants to kill the deadliest the earth has to offer.
However, despite his many successes, he has always been in the shadow of an Anglo-Indian hunter and naturalist, Jim Corbett. Whenever asked how he felt about Corbett, Edward would leave the room. In his journal, he wrote, "Jim is a lousy, pathetic old man. He is overrated, his hunts amateurish, and his facial hair pales in comparison to mine."
Meanwhile, Jim Corbett spoke about Edward, saying, "He is a strong man and a great hunter. I simply wish he would open his heart, move, and appreciate nature, rather than just focus on man-eaters."
Jim Corbett has been regarded as a legend in the flesh ever since 1907 when he killed the Champwat tiger, which ate 436 people, the highest recorded body count of any man-eater. Since then, he killed many more man-eating tigers and leopards. The three deadliest man-eaters that ever existed were killed by Corbett. Pierce knew that one way to beat Corbett was to kill a man-eater that had a meaner streak. But in order for that to be done, he needed to be at the right place at the right time. In a world so large that was wishful thinking.
However, Edward Pierce had another way to beat him: film. Film started in the late 19th century and amazed people of all ages. To see people on a screen was magic come to life. Silent cinema dominated.
As the years went by, it started with a mere train being recorded, and now massive-scale historical dramas were being made, and gold was given to the best pictures. However, something even more had happened in recent years: sound.
The first film to have dialogue was "The Jazz Singer" in 1927, and with it, a new revolution in cinema. Although it was believed that this trend would end quickly, with silent comedian Charlie Chaplin saying in 1928, "Moving pictures need sound as much as Beethoven needs lyrics," and would later add, "I'll give talkies three years, that's it."
However, silent films vanished overnight, especially with the massive hits of Universal's Frankenstein and Dracula. Silent films were quickly seen as outdated. It was so much so that Charlie Chaplin's crowning achievement, what many consider one of the best movies ever made, "City Lights," was denied an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture for the sole reason of being a silent film.
Edward Pierce needed a camera and sound, as then everyone could see how great and skilled a hunter he was. If any hiccups happened, they would be on the cutting room floor. It didn't matter if he didn't kill a man-eater deadlier than the Champwat tiger; the pictures would speak for themselves.
While Jim Corbett only had photos and eyewitness accounts, Edward Pierce would have the whole deal shown in detail. Moreover, a documentary-style film hunting real game had never been accomplished before.
The majority of animals filmed were everyday animals, and the deadly animals were filmed in zoos; no one even attempted to shoot a picture while hunting a man-eater in its own domain.
Even more so, Edward was old at 48, but Corbett was nearing 57; Jim was still hunting, but it was clear he was past his prime. Edward knew that if the footage turned out well, everyone would regard Jim Corbett as a has-been.
Edward finally met with his camera and sound operator, John Novak, a New Yorker, 26 years old, who had a degree in biology and zoology and was an amateur boxer and wrestler. He was well-built, with gentlemanly combed black hair, and gorgeous green eyes that all the girls adored.
He smiled at Edward and extended his arm, "It's an honor to meet you, sir. Words can't describe how honored I am."
"Likewise, son," Edward smiled and shook his hand. His grip was firm and strong; the handshake lasted a few seconds longer, making Novak uncomfortable. Edward looked at Novaks hand and then bit it.
Novak gasped, "What are you doing!?"
Edward slapped Novak's shoulder, "Oh, relax, child. This was your initiation, a badge of courage, if you will. Now, come on, follow me."
Many thoughts raced through Novak's head, none good ones.
Tiger
Novak set up the camera and the sound equipment. It was hard to do both, but he got a lot of practice beforehand. In fact, he had been practicing for 2 months before he met Edward. Novak's goal is to see these animals up close in their natural habitat, to feel the danger and not the safety of the zoo.
Edward and Novak sat down, and across from them was the village elder. They were in Bengal. The men were inside the home of the elder, a mere candle light was there.
The village elder spoke in whispers, "So you wish to see...it?"
Edward nodded, Novak glanced at him, and then back to the elder. The atmosphere made him uneasy. Edward spoke, "Tell me where the beast is." The elder was quiet before quietly saying, "There are few things you should know about this...tiger," he said the word with disdain.
The elder looked down and slowly up towards the two men in front, "This...'animal' has been seen walking near the village and marking its scent. I've been in the jungle and I've witnessed its...sadistic behavior."
This puzzled Novak. Never had he heard an animal be called sadistic. The elder spoke, "If you decide to hunt this creature, you must pray to whatever god you worship as only he can save you from this vile beast."
"I have experience with tigers."
The elder shook his head as he looked at Edward, "Not like this one. The bengal tiger is another breed of tigers. It is not to be played with. If you injure a tiger and fail to kill it, you must leave the continent right away. There was once a hunter like you that came here, he shot a tigress and stole part of her kill. He thought the tiger was too injured to survive so the following day he returned home and saw his wife and child laying in front of him, dead. They were eaten. They were just laying there lifeless in front of the door and next to them, the same tigress."
The elder stopped and took a gulp of his drink, "The hunter managed to kill the tigress...but at the cost of his own life."
Edward nodded, "The hunter was careless, probably inexperienced. I have decades of experience."
The elder wiped the sweat off his forehead, "There's more...the Bengal tiger has been known...to imitate the voice of its victims...I saw it with my own eyes. Once a tiger killed a baby deer and imitated its voice. The adult deer came looking for it and was ambushed and killed by the tiger. But there's even more."
The elder's hands began to shake, "They have recently...learned to imitate humans."
Novak was shocked, fear struck him. He felt as if bugs were crawling inside his skin.
"Two days ago a 10-year-old boy from the village disappeared. The next day just before sunset his mother heard the boy's cries."
Novak looked over to Edward, and he saw his eyes filled with determination. He was grinning.
The following day the three of them were in the jungle. Novak was barely walking with his heavy equipment. He couldn't turn around to see what was behind him. He was vulnerable. Edward was putting a mask behind his head. This technique makes tigers second guess attacking a person because from the tiger's point of view, it thinks that its prey has already spotted it and therefore, the tiger believes it's not worth to pursue the hunt.
Ironically, tigers use the same technique as behind their ears they have two white spots that act like eyes also misleading anyone who tries to sneak behind them.
The elder said to Edward, "I'm afraid the masks are useless."
"What do you mean?" Edward raised an eyebrow.
"The tigers have caught on."
"Damn!"
Novak did nothing but stare at the two of them, sweating. Hours have passed, no sign of any tiger. Edward asked Novak to film the jungle. About 2 minutes of footage was filmed. Edward didn't want there to be too much, he intended the picture to be 90 minutes long.
The three men walked in silence before Edward spoke, "So...the boy was he a native?"
"He was," nodded the elder.
Edward said, "Oh, then who gives a shit?"
Novak's eyes widened, he hadn't anticipated that. He chose to be quiet. He picked up the pace slightly to see the elder's face. His face showed no emotion. He has been used to these insults.
They were losing daylight and decided to head back. Edward reviewed their footage, "No, no, no, this simply cannot do. We must return to black and white."
"But I think that in color, you really get the sense of the thick jungle."
"It looks like we're making a cartoon!" Edward lit his pipe and sat down, "The colors make it look like a kid drew it during math class. Staying in black and white shall do fine. After all, our project is ambitious enough."
Novak said, "Sir...while I'm grateful you've chosen me, I still believe we should add some more people for help. It's difficult on my own."
Edward waved dismissively, "Please, my dear boy, you're strong. You can handle it. After all, Jim Corbett did everything on his own. Now, I don't have 4 arms, I can't hold a camera and a rifle. That's why I need you. I don't need anyone else." He smoked from his pipe.
"Um...sir...if it's alright with you...if I ask a question?"
"Go ahead, my son."
Novak scratched his neck, "Don't you think it was insulting the way you said about that boy?"
Edward laughed, "Oh please, it truly is nothing. In British India, there are too many people, they're like ants. If 100 people died here, well, that's the equivalent to 1 person dying in Britain."
Novak felt uneasy. "Well... how about this question: don't you think we moved a bit too carelessly in the jungle? We could have been attacked by something other than a tiger."
"Oh, shut it," Edward was annoyed. "There is no such thing. Tigers are the only threat."
Novak looked at him in disbelief. "There are many things that could kill su. A black rhino perhaps. With their poor vision, they charge whenever they see movement."
Edward laughed. "It's a herbivore. They're useless creatures. There's a reason why they're prey. They're meant to be eaten. They're just meals.. Useless, pathetic. A predator that can't kill a herbivore rightfully deserves to die of starvation for being so weak. Herbivores have no use in this world other than to feed true predators,"
Novak hated every word he heard but didn't want to argue. He walked to put food on his plate. The food was delicious. The elder himself selected the food for them. In British India, foreigners often get travelers' diarrhea if they don't eat the right food.
As Novak was about to grab a plate, a strong itch stung his eye, and he dropped the plate. It made a dreadful sound
"O-oh, sorry, sir,"
Edward smiled. "Now I know how we'll find the tiger."
"How, sir?"
Edward grinned.
The following day, he instructed all the villagers to make as loud of a noise as possible right at sunset. Edward and Novak were in the jungle. "Are you getting all of this?"
"Yes, sir."
They walked carefully. Edward held his rifle firmly. Then it happened.
A loud noise.
Edward turned back. "They started too early," Novak felt stiff before Edward ran past him. "Follow me and film!" Novak struggled to turn around. Eventually, he did and ran after Edward. The camera shook, and the sound equipment nearly fell. Novak had to look down and up to make sure he didn't trip.
He heard the loud noises the villagers made more and more. He saw Edward stop. He pointed, "There, film it!" The tiger emerged from the jungle. It was muscular and big. It must have weighed 220 kilos. Edward went down to one knee. He was sweating. He took a small bottle of whiskey and drank it in one gulp.
"Listen, first point at me, then quickly at the beast," Novak nodded. Edward went into position, aimed his rifle, and fired. The bullet hit the ground near the tiger. "Damn!" The tiger was startled and backed away. But quickly, it went forward to see what was in front of it.
Edward reloaded his rifle. Novak had the camera on the tiger. As Edward aimed again for a second shot, Novak turned the camera to Edward, then back at the tiger. Edward fired again, and the bullet landed in the tiger's thigh. The animal ran. "Dammit!" Edward chased after it. The tiger went to a rocky cliff.
As they reached it, there were massive rocks everywhere. The tiger could be behind any one of them. This made Novak's stomach turn. In front of him, he saw Edward suddenly stop. "Something wrong, sir?"
No answer for a few seconds before Edward said, "Go in front. I'll have your back." Novak nodded. He walked in front, but it all felt strange for him. Why did Edward go further and further back down?
Novak looked over his shoulder, seeing Edward continuing to go down. He looked in front of him and saw the tiger. It roared and charged at him.
Novak nearly dropped the camera. He screamed before a shot was heard.
Edward shot the tiger, killing it instantly. Novak turned his camera to the animal and filmed it. For some reason, his initial fear turned to sadness.
After getting all the angles, he put the camera down and checked the tiger. It was in fine health, no deformities or injuries. Tigers that hunt and eat people are those that are injured and become incapable of hunting their usual prey.
Novak stroked the fur and looked a tthe tigers stripes. There is no two tigers that have the same stripes much similar how no human shares the same fingerprints. Novak felt excitment the fear of before gone he wanted more of this adventure.
Edward called for the villagers, and they brought the tiger back for everyone to see. Novak continued filming, and pictures were being taken. Edward took off his white shirt. "Give me a black one to hide the sweat." He posed for the photo of the killed beast.
Once night fell he reviewed the footage and was pleased. "Prepare yourself, Corbett. You're going to be number 2 soon," he grinned and clenched his fists as he repeatedly watched the shooting of the tiger.
Great White
Before 1916, scientists said that sharks were incapable of harming a human. They said that a shark didn't have the bite to break human bones. They also cited how the shark's skeleton, made of cartilage, was weak and didn't have the strength necessary to attack a human. They also said how the taste of human meat was appalling to them. Some scientists even went into the water with sharks and hit them with an oar. The sharks backed away and therefore the scientists proved that the sharks were scared of people.
In 1916, when many thought that a shark was killing beachgoers in Jersey Shore, scientists quickly said that it was a fairy tale and as absurd as a house cat going on a human killing spree. But when a great white was captured, they sliced its stomach and revealed that it was filled with nothing but human bones.
This horrified many people and everything we knew about sharks had been turned upside down. It is rumored that this shark ate 5-10 people, maybe even more. More alarmingly, a few years later, a Homo sapiens skeleton dating back 125 thousand years ago was found with a shattered neck and a shark tooth in it.
Sharks rarely see humans as a food source. What made this shark specifically target humans is still unknown.
Edward Pierce and John Novak were on a plane heading to Australia. Their guide was an Aboriginal man of the land. He had long brown hair in dreadlocks, wore sunglasses, and a hat. He kept his face hidden and talked only when necessary. Novak knew that this man had seen his fair share of deadly animals. Edward kept talking of his old hunting stories, which passed the time. Once they arrived in Australia, they went to the nearest bar and drank. Afterwards, Novak filmed the scenery and soon, with their guide, they boarded a ship in search of a great white shark. Novak was amazed by the blue waters and how the yellow sun shined on them. He thought it was as if a Van Gogh painting came to life. He could spend hours filming it, but Edward was adamant that the scenery should only occupy 2 minutes of footage per hunt. Edward chopped off some tuna, threw chunks of flesh into the ocean, took a massive hook, put a large fish on it, and casted the line. As they waited, Edward said, "You see that over there?" He pointed. Novak squinted his eyes, "Ah yes, I see it." "Those are box jellyfish, nasty things. They are probably the most venomous creatures in the ocean. This is what Australia is. No wonder why it was a prison state, and in my mind, it should remain that way. But I tell you, nothing is worse than that damn stone fish," the Aboriginal guide glanced at Edward, "You know, son, it reminds me of a good memory. It was quite funny, actually," he chuckled. Novak asked, "What was it?" "You wouldn't get it," the Aboriginal heard it all and turned away. Out of nowhere, the line began to move. Edward pulled it with his strength. He knew it right away, "This isn't a shark, but it's massive. Might be a grouper." He pulled more, then the fish drastically went down. For a second, Edward thought he lost it, but then he felt in control again. The fish reached the surface easily. Novak was amazed, "Jesus Lord, look at the size of that head." As the head hit the floor, Novak saw the body. It was missing. He felt sick, only the head remained. Edward grinned and looked at the ocean, "So, you're here." He took a bigger hook, larger bait, and poured 4 liters of blood into the ocean, "I will get you, you nasty man-eater."
He cast his line.
Novak cleared his throat, "If I may sir, great whites aren't really man eaters."
Edward was shocked, "What the hell are you talking about!?"
"They simply aren't man-eaters, sir. You see, sharks rarely attack humans. Out of 80 yearly attacks, at most, there are 5 casualties. Shark attacks occur because they misread us as seals or sea turtles, or are just curious."
Edward was even more annoyed, "Curious!? Predators aren't curious, they're killing machines!"
"They're animals, sir, and doing what comes natural. You know, sir, sharks have no hands so they get by with their mouths. It's simply how it is. Now, I'm not denying them as an apex predator, they're monsters, yes, but not as much as we make them out to be. They have killed people, but we've been killing 1 million sharks a year. Out of 530 shark species, only 3 pose a threat to humans. But none see us as a direct food source. More often than not, sharks would not be interested. It's just that we focus on the few times they did attack and over-exaggerate."
Edward was fuming, "You know the saying, 'You injure one of us, we will kill one hundred of you; you kill one of us, we will kill one thousand of you'?"
"But sir-"
"Shut it! It's that mentality that made us the most dominant species of all time! So keep your mouth shut and film!"
Novak submitted.
The line moved, something took the bait. Edward fought withall his strenght for an excruciating 2 hours, so much so that film was running out and Novak had to put in another one.
Finally, he saw it.
It was a great white near the boat. It was 5.8 meters long, black eyes, its teeth visible, rows and rows of shark teeth. Novak was amazed; he had only ever seen pictures of sharks once they were caught, never saw one in its own habitat.
Edward tied the shark's tail with a rope, took a knife, and said, "It's just you and me."
Novak was confused, "What do you m-" Edward jumped into the water,
"SIR, SIR!"
Edward landed on top of the shark and repeatedly stabbed it in the back. The shark thrashed and tried to bite him, but with its tail tied, it struggled.
"SIR, STOP THIS MADNESS!" Novak was freaking out. Edward yelled to him, "Shut up and film me!" Novak ran to the Aboriginal tour guide, "Please help us!"
"I'm on my way."
Novak went back to Edward; he saw blood, blood, and more blood fill the water. Edward was screaming and stabbing the shark viciously. Novak screamed and cried at this insanity. He turned around to the Aboriginal and was punched in the face and thrown overboard by him.
The man then cut the rope around the shark and drove the boat slightly away. Novak swam up, his mouth full of seawater. He coughed and spat it out. He saw Edward and the shark; the shark escaped his grasp. On the boat, he saw their former tour guide. Novak screamed, "What are you doing!?"
The man said, "Ask Edward over there."
Edward gritted his teeth, "You think I'm afraid?! I'll kill the shark, then you!"
The Aboriginalist yelled, "Years ago, Edward came here and asked for my father's help in tracking saltwater crocodiles and ignored everything my father said. So, as expected, Edward got lost. He was lost on an island and was useless; he was facing dehydration and starvation until my father found him and rescued him. Then, Edward, you son of a-"
He stopped, closed his eyes, looked away, holding back tears. Then he opened them, the tears streaming down his cheeks as he looked at Edward with malice, "My father rescued him, and Edward did nothing but insult him. Once my father said how pathetic he was and rightfully so, Edward here, pushed my father, and he landed on a stonefish. Poison ran through his bloodstream; he felt it right away. And Edward? He laughed! He laughed at my dying father, refusing to help; he simply laughed!"
Novak looked in horror; he didn't know how to respond, while Edward scoffed, "You're an inferior being, you deserved worse." The man was seething, but he held back his rage. Then the shark came.
It went straight for Novak. Novak knew the best way to avoid the shark was to remain still; that way, the shark would think that he was a predator as well and avoid him. But that was easier said than done, seeing the jaws, how it swam with ease. Novak thrashed around the water and screamed. Fear took over.
The shark went for him, "NO, NO, PLEASE GOD!" Novak got a mouth full of salt; for a second, he thought he tasted his own blood. But it wasn't his own blood; the shark bumped into him and moved on to Edward. Edward took his knife and was prepared to strike. The shark bumped him and went past him. It began to circle the both of them.
The shark was toying with them.
The Aboriginalist was impatient; he circled around the two but in doing so, was driving the shark away. As he was passing, he got near the two men. Edward grabbed on and started to climb the boat. The man knew his mistake; he went to Edward, but Edward grabbed him by the hair, headbutted him, and tossed him into the sea.
"Swim on, come on!" he yelled to Novak. Novak swam like he never swam before and managed to reach Edward's hand. Edward sped up on the boat, leaving the Aboriginalist alone with the shark.
Novak knelt down and started to cry. Edward went to the camera, "Please, please," and saw the condition.
Silence.
Novak wiped his tears, sniffed and hiccuped, "How is it?"
Silence then, "Fucking amazing! Oh dear lord, this is the greatest footage ever." Edward giggled like a small child.
Polar Bear
Polar bears are the only true carnivorous bears and one of the few animals that see humans as a direct food source. Attacks are rare due to the proximity it lives from humans, but it is stated that even a fully armed man has little chance of surviving an encounter. When food is scarce, polar bears start to target humans.
The bear species was first discovered in 1594 in 1595 two sailors in the russian acrtic on a expedition were killed and eaten by a polar bear.Polar bears are the largest land carnivore and are even known for killing beluga whales that reach the size of 5 meters and can weigh over a ton.
Edward and Novak flew in a plane on their way to Greenland. Novak was nervous even before they entered the plane; the events in Australia haunted him and his thoughts raced with the worst-case scenario. Is Edward Pierce a maniac? Many claimed he was. Novak was drawn to people who take risks as he always played it safe, but wanted to go beyond that.
However, Edward Pierce may be too much of a maniac, much more so than what his critics claimed. Novak looked at Pierce, who was sitting next to him, smoking his pipe. Novak asked him, "So...sir...when you said to the Aboriginal man that he was an inferior being...did you mean this?"
Edward smoked his pipe and looked over to Novak, "Son, have you ever heard of eugenics?"
"Yes sir, but..."
"No 'buts,' shut it and listen," Edward said in an authoritative voice.
Eugenics advocates for selective breeding to improve the human population by favoring those deemed to have desirable traits. Proponents of eugenics often believe that by encouraging individuals with "superior" genetic qualities to reproduce and discouraging those with "inferior" qualities, the human race can be improved over generations.
Pierce said, "Those that remained in Africa are primitive and dumb and that's exactly why the whole continent was enslaved, and of course, everyone else who's not British is simply inferior. We Brits ruled the world for centuries with pure strength, and now there are these demands for human rights, help for the poor, aid for the disabled, help for ethnic minorities...fuck your human rights. Case in point, they let women vote and they banned alcohol. Oh, you poor American bastards. You see, none of them should be given any power, and weaklings don't deserve to be born; they're just mouths to feed that only take and give nothing."
Rage was boiling inside Novak; he despised eugenics. However, eugenics in 1932 was a scientific fact yet to be disproved. Novak tried to remain calm and said, "To me, eugenics has no basis in science."
"What!?" Edward clenched his fist, seething.
"Think about it, sir. I hate black people is not a scientific fact; it's an opinion. That's what eugenics is—an opinion that has somehow become science."
"Shut up, brat! How many scientists have proven eugenics? Even H.G. Wells has said it's a fact!"
Novak scoffed, "Oh, please. That old geezer hasn't written anything readable in decades."
"Shut it! You're still a child, not knowing how to wipe your nose. You know nothing of the world, so don't you educate me on matters you don't know, son. I'll show you what superiority is once I kill that polar bear!"
Once they landed, they went to a museum exhibition which showed several polar bear paintings, taxonomy, and a skeleton. A copy of one painting that potrays one fmaous theory on the disappearance of the HMS Terror that the crew was killed and eaten by polar bears. The 1864 painting by Edwin Henry Landseer portrays the hypothetical aftermath.
Novak admired the size of the bear skeleton the most and felt so small compared to the bear's size; its teeth were nasty, but one thing bothered Novak. The description of the bear stated that it was a killing machine that only desired food and is incapable of anything else.
He hated how animals were treated like this because he knew that polar bears were doing what they had to do to survive. They were far from mindless killers; they're caring parents and gentle with their mates. They are dangerous animals but far from mindless monsters. 'Why were people so adamant to believe one thing and never try to see it from a different angle?' he thought to himself.
Edward paid no attention to the exhibition; he simply ate the sweets on the table with his bare hands. He ate greedily. Novak was disgusted by this behavior. "How can someone eat like this in public?" he said to himself.
"Edward, you old bull," a man with a small mustache approached. "It's been how many years, Edward?"
Pierce turned to him. "Don't refer to me as an inferior being; it's insulting."
"Oh then how about old lion?"
Edward swallowed his food and smiled. "Ah, much better." He took one more bite and said, "Come here, son, there's a tissue in my left pocket. Give it to me so I can shake this man's hand."
Novak went to his pocket and yelped. He looked down and saw his fingers in between a mouse trap. Edward and the man laughed. People were staring at them. Novak was angry and embarrassed. "This is really unprofessional of you."
Edward turned to the man. "You see, these kids these days can't take a joke."
"Indeed, my good sir, please allow me to give you a tissue."
"Oh, no need, just go to my right pocket, there's one."
The man went to put his hand in the right pocket and yelped; his fingers were in between a mousetrap.
Edward laughed.
The man, however, was not laughing. "What is this, Edward!?"
"What now, you can't take a joke? Quit whining and give me a tissue to wipe my hands."
"I will do no such thing."
"How do you expect me to shake your hand when mine are like this?"
"I won't shake your hand regardless of how clean it was."
Edward grabbed the tablecloth; all the sweets fell on the floor. He wiped his mouth on the cloth and wiped his hands. "Good night, sir!" he said and walked away.
They stayed at the place of a native of the land. Novak filmed the surroundings and did an interview with the man about his culture and polar bears.
"Do they come here often?" Novak asked.
"It's been many decades since an attack, but they do come, especially at night. They're sneaky for their size, and once you've spotted a polar bear, that's when you know you're being hunted. A bear can sense you from kilometers away. It didn't run into you; it was searching for you."
Novak showed all the footage of the interview and the culture of the natives to Edward, who did not care. Edward was cleaning his rifle; he took out a necklace with a polar bear's claw. "This my father gave to me when he passed. He said the polar bear hunt was the only time he ever got scared. I never killed a polar bear before, so in completing this, I'll make my old man proud," he grinned and stroked his rifle.
At nightfall, they had dinner with the native man's family; they ate whale meat. The following morning, they rode on dog sleds. The sun was shining brightly, but despite this, it was freezing.
Once they reached their destination, they worked fast; they weren't going to sit around for long. The native man smashed a hole through the ice and with Edward, they put a long hook deep into the water, an entire kilometer deep until it touched the bottom.
Novak filmed the barren landscape. Afterwards, they departed.
They returned to the same location 12 hours later, and on the hook, there was something heavy. Novak placed down the camera, and all three men pulled the line.It was a massive stuggled that lasted several minutes.
They caught a Greenland shark 6.8 meters in length and weighing over a ton. The shark was dead. They made the hole bigger to squeeze the shark onto land. For the first time in years, the muscles in Novak's arms hurt; the shark was so heavy.
Edward and the native began to cut open the shark. Blood dripped, and they took out the organs, the heart, the intestines, and the stomach contents and threw them across the snow, then waited for a polar bear to pick up the scent.
It was silent, and they had eyes everywhere.
"Look!"
The native pointed in the distance; a massive male polar bear was walking towards them. Edward took his rifle. "Come here," he said quietly, grinning. Edward started to film the bear.
"There!"
The native man yelled. Novak turned around, and behind them, there was a mother bear with two cubs.
"There!"
On the left side, two more bears; on their right side, one more, their plan worked too well.
"We must leave," the native said, shaking. It was not from the cold; it was from fear. Instinctively, Novak packed the camera. If the native was this scared, he knew it was time to go.
"Get back here!" yelled Edward.
"Sir, it's too dangerous," Novak cried.
"I came here to get a bear, and my god, I will!" Edward started to move towards the large male.
"Stop this foolishness and let's go!" the native yelled; he was already on the dog sleds. Novak filmed but was shaking. "God, why am I doing this? Drop it and run, let this fool do his thing. Stop it, Novak. Why are you not running?" his mind said one thing; his body did the other.
The bear charged at Edward. He pointed his gun and fired. He hit the bear's shoulder, but it only enraged it further. He fired again, hitting the other shoulder. The bear roared and ran faster. Edward was reloading, and the bear got on its hind feet and struck with its paw.
Edward stared in horror, frozen in place; he felt weak. He understood the fear that his father felt; he would be joining him soon.
The bear struck, and blood covered the snow.
Edward felt nothing.
In front of him. The native went between him and the bear. Edward pulled his gun and shot the bear directly in the heart, killing it.
Novak was in horror; he got it all filmed. "God, what have I done?"
He went over to the native; he was covered in blood, and sunlight hit his lifeless blue eyes.
Edward grabbed Novak and dragged him to the dog sleds; the dogs were barking as the other bears were eating the Greenland shark and fighting for the food. One bear began to charge them; Edward fired but missed. The bear swung it's paw at them. However, they managed to escape in time.
Novak's face was expressionless for days. The following day, many of the villagers came and picked up the body of the bear and the native. A funeral was held. Novak felt ashamed to be there; the native's children cried and screamed the entire time, their mother desperately trying to comfort them. Edward looked down, the cap on his head covering his eyes. Novak saw Edward's hands shaking.
Pirhana
They flew to the United States to meet with a producer in Hollywood, a friend of Edward, Marty Friedman. Novak was just barely getting back to his senses. He hoped that it will all end.
Marty reviewed the footage and loved it. He called in for a narrator and a veteran editor. Novak felt at ease. Then Edward said, "We still got some more man-eaters to catch; this is about half the film." Novak's heart sank, 'God, when will it end?'
He had filled up regrets of a lifetime, but if he left now it would mean losing lots of money. He was still paying off his student loans, and the money would take care of his debts; he had to bear it a little longer.
Marty led them to his office; he and Edward smoked long and thick cigars. Edward said, "So Marty, you got any alcohol in here?"
Marty looked offended, "This is America, Pierce, this is no land of drunks. Do you think I'm a drunk? You're goddamn right!"
He went to his drawer and brought three bottles of white wine and said, "I'll stop drinking when the scumbag politicians stop drinking." He laughed. He poured everyone wine.
Novak said, "No, thank you, I don't drink." The two stared at him like disappointed teachers. Edward said, "You see what I'm dealing with here?"
Marty sat down, "Unbelievable! This is all the government's fault. They don't take eugenics seriously; they're raising a generation of inferiorities. Their stupidity will doom our species!" He slammed his fist on the table.
Marty Friedman was a strong believer in eugenics. Novak had read some of his work on the topic. He was ready to debate him. As soon as he opened his mouth, Edward said, "Go bring some beer, give me a cappuccino, and there's a pudding waiting for me."
"Sir…you're going to consume all that at once?"
"Stop overanalyzing like a scientist and bring me my pudding!" Edward spoke in an authoritative voice. Novak had no choice but to obey.
"You know, Edward, I think we're gonna have a smash hit. Just bring me some more of this adventurous footage, and we might even beat Ben-Hur as the highest grossing film ever. Nothing like this has been done." He laughed and puffed his cigar.
Novak returned and brought everything Edward desired. "So Sir Friedman, tell me, what are your reasons for thinking eugenics is good?"
Marty was taken aback, "It's simple…people who are inferior should not waste our oxygen."
"And who are these inferior people?"
Marty paused, "Those savages for one."
"And who are these savages?"
Marty started to sweat, "Dammit, you know, people with disabilities. If they breed, then the whole of humanity will become useless!"
"And your evidence for this is?"
Marty paused. Novak continued, "In all of your works, you never mentioned a single source and you yourself never delved into science."
Marty puffed his cigar slowly, "I don't have to. Go to any scientist and they'll tell you."
"But not a single scientist has said anything concrete. There is zero evidence to support it; no basis in science. It is all simply an opinion claimed as science."
"Edward, help me shut this brat!"
"AGH!" Edward flipped the plate and the pudding covered the table, "Look what you did!" He yelled at Novak, "I can't eat in peace!" He stormed away.
"S-see! You're a menace!" Marty puffed his cigar and followed Edward.
The following day, they were off to Brazil in search of another man-eater, the piranha. Scientists are conflicted about this fish. Half claim it is a vicious killing machine that needs to consume flesh at all times to live. Flesh to a piranha is what air is to us.
However, others say that the piranha is more prey than predator. A raging debate still continues.
Edward Pierce unquestionably thinks that a red-bellied piranha is a man-eater, while John Novak believes that the answer lies somewhere in the middle.
On the plane, the two men were silent. Novak was reading a newspaper while Edward stared through the window. "You okay, sir?"
"Hm, yes, why wouldn't I be?" Edward smoked from his pipe.
"It's just that you've been staring at the window since we got on."
"And why wouldn't I? It's fascinating to see the landscape."
"But, sir, the majority of it is the blue ocean."
"I do not care, it is beautiful."
Novak didn't pry further, a smile crept on his lips. There was some softness inside Edward Pierce.
Novak felt a bump on the plane. "Everything alright, sir?" he asked the pilot.
"Yes, senor, I just-" The plane shook, they started to go drastically down. "Hold on!" yelled the pilot. Novak was panicking, he never dreamed of a plane crash, not even in his wildest dreams. He looked over at Edward.
"Hold the camera, fool!" he yelled.
Novak was shocked; Edward was merely annoyed at the whole situation. The plane was going lower and lower, the trees were scratching it, and in a blink of an eye, they went to the right and down, green jungle for one second, and blackness the next.
Novak slowly opened his eyes, his head went up frantically. It was dark, but he saw a light, and next to him, he felt the camera. He took it, then felt a pain in his lungs as if rocks went inside of him. He coughed, then took a breath. His nostrils were filled with the smell of gasoline. He quickly crawled outside; it got tighter and tighter, he thought he was going to get stuck...he crawled further and he couldn't no more he really was stuck.
"No, no!"
Then an arm grabbed him, it was the pilot and Edward. They pulled him out. Novak's feet landed on the water knee-deep. If it wasn't for the river and the trees, they would have died.
They walked away from the plane crash, the pilot pointed in front. "There's a village that's an 8-minute walk from here." Edward grabbed the camera and checked it. "Please, please," he looked for the footage, prayed that it was alright. Novak went behind his shoulder, trying to get a look. "Sir.."
Edward said. "Yes, yes, oh god, it's perfect, still!"
Relief was what Novak felt; the stones inside his lungs had vanished. They luckily only suffered a few cuts and bruises.
Mere minutes after arriving to the village Edward headed towards the Amazon by boat. "Sir, please, we barely survived the crash, we rest."
"Nonsense! I'm getting that piranha." On their boat was their guide; he quietly laughed to himself.
"Something funny?" said Edward. The guide smiled. "You're wasting your time, the piranha is no threat."
"Oh, really now, huh, and you're such an expert?"
"More than you, if you were stranded here, you would starve to death, you won't be able to catch a bug," he laughed. Rage overcame Edward, and he shoved the guide to the river.
"SIR, SIR, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" cried Novak. The guide thrashed in the water and screamed. "AH, AH, HELP ME, HELP ME, THEY GOT MY LEGS, MY LEGS, I CAN'T FEEL THEM!" Edward laughed, then the guide laughed. Edward paused, eyes widened, the guide laughed, Novak stood there in confusion. The guide swam freely. "See, no threat."
Edward scoffed, he took a bait on the hook, cast the line, and within seconds, he caught a red-bellied piranha. He held it in his hands and gave the fish his thumb; the fish gave a nasty bite, blood dripped all down to the palm, and drops of blood fell to the river.
"So, what now?" asked Novak.
"I know how we'll determine whether it's a man-eater," said Edward.
They started fishing; within 30 minutes, they caught 40 piranhas. They transported them to a pool waist-deep. They let the piranhas stay there, starving them for a week.
Novak started rolling his camera. Edward said, "They're too vicious not to be man-eaters; this will prove it." He took a piece of meat the size of his hand and threw it in the pool. Novak barely managed to count to three before the piece of meat was devoured.
He got chills.
Edward then poured cow's blood in the pool; he then stripped his clothes off and was only in his swimsuit . Hepoured cow's blood all over himself, and began to move towards the pool.
"Sir, please, this is pure insanity, please, I beg of you!" pleaded Novak.
"If anything happens, just film it; I can handle myself." He went feet first at the edge of the pool; the piranhas were frantic, going wherever the blood was. Edward went knee-deep; the piranhas started to circle his legs. The first piranha that bites will initiate the attack, and others will follow.
Edward felt nervous, he took a deep breath, and left the edge of the pool and swam to the center. Novak was horrified, he felt sick, his heart on the verge of giving out, but there was a macabre feeling too...he wanted to know if the piranhas will attack and how will they kill? A horrid thought but one he couldn't get rid of easily.
Edward was at the center; he stopped swimming and was motionless. The piranhas swam near him but didn't attack. "Sir, please, I'm begging you, get out!" Edward thought that the piranhas weren't interested in biting him as unlike many other fish species, piranhas are attracted to noise; so Edward will make them interested.
He began splashing around the pool.
The horror Novak felt can't be described.
"STOP, PLEASE, STOP, YOU'LL DIE!"
Edward splashed harder and harder. The whole pool created small waves inside. Then Edward stopped. He looked up, expecting that chunks of his flesh would be torn off.
Nothing.
He remained there for a full minute, but nothing. He came out and concluded that "The piranhas have the capacity to kill people, but they only do it in extreme cases. If that was a 5-year-old child in there, they would most definitely attack. However, for them to attack a fully grown person, it requires the extreme case of that person to be severely injured and bleeding, which I was not." He then stormed off, saying, "Tch! Disappointing. We'll go look elsewhere."
"Where are we off to now?"
"Africa."
Africa
The home to the most man eaters on planet Earth is Africa. It is the last continent which contains megafauna animals that weigh more than a ton. It is the most competitive ecosystem in the world.
African wild dogs are the smallest man eaters, they almost never get tired. Their packs range between 15-40 members and they eat their prey alive. Hyenas are similar to the African wild dogs but larger and they break bones without any effort.
Lions are the most notorious man-eaters. In 1898, two male lions ate 130 rail workers in Tsavo. Leopards rarely target humans but in the case of a plague, the corpses aren't buried, just thrown away. If a leopard cub finds the corpses and eats them, it will start to associate humans as prey. On the extreme scale, a single leopard killed and ate 400 people.
Despite so many apex predators, however, one predator puts them all to shame. The Nile crocodile eats 400 people a year, but this is not an accurate estimate as the majority of deaths occur in rural areas and are unreported. Some say the average yearly death toll is in the thousands.
Edward and Novak landed in Africa. The heat was immense. They wore special safari clothes to protect themselves from bugs. Novak found them uncomfortable and Edward was embarrassed to wear something he deemed so silly. But it had to be worn as mosquitoes bite relentlessly and can spread diseases such as malaria.
They had cow meat for lunch. Edward tore the meat with his hands and downed it with wine. Afterwards, they went on a safari to scout the animals they will prepare to hunt tomorrow. This will be their final hunt as after concluding business in africa they will have all the nessecery footage and bring them back to Marty in Hollywood for the final cut.
Novak filmed the Nile, a beautiful long river with rich history. So many empires had called this river home. In the river, there were an unspeakable amount of crocodiles. Wherever you looked, they were there.
On the land, they saw a pride of lions eating a Cape buffalo and near the lions were hyenas. Edward laughed, "Look at those pathetic dogs, stupid scavengers. They don't have guts! And they think they can steal from the king of animals? Such fools they are."
Novak was infuriated, but he knew Edward won't listen. Hyenas are predators, 90 percent of their food is from their own kill. Novak himself had witnessed the truth as once he saw it with his own eyes how at night hyenas killed a buffalo, but then the lions came and fought them off. By the morning, the lions finished their feast and hyenas ate what was left. Novak stayed all night and took pictures while the morning tourists still referred to hyenas as nothing but scavengers, even denying the fact that they could kill a human.
What's more is that hyenas are closly related to cats than to dogs. Both hyenas and lions belong to the same sub order however lions are part of the feliade family and hyenas the hyaenidae family. Once the tourists were told this they scoffed at it and called it nonesense
'Why do people have such prejudice against animals?' He thought.
"Son, look at this!" Edward yelled. Novak quickly brought his camera to film it. Two male lions were crossing the Nile and behind them stalked a Nile crocodile. The massive reptile sank and grabbed one of the lions by the leg. The lion began to thrash in the water, moving rapidly and clawing at the reptile, denying him a chance to do the death roll.
The other lion had reached the land. Meanwhile, all the thrashing attracted the attention of a bull hippo.
He started to charge.
The lion escaped the crocodile's grip. He reached a rock but the hippo emerged. They both roared at each other before the lion jumped back in the water. The crocodile again appeared and swam towards the lion, but the hippo started to charge the crocodile.
The reptile swam away, and the lion reached the shore.
"This is incredible!" Novak said, overcome with wonder. He wondered, did anyone record something like this before?
The hippo stopped chasing the crocodile and turned its attention towards the boat.
"Oh-oh, sir, we should leave."
Edward started the boat but it moved slowly. "Sir, we should speed up!"
"Oh, relax, that fatass will never get us," he walked towards the edge of the boat looking at the hippo chasing them. He laughed, "Look how stupid it is, ahaha."
The next thing Novak knew was that he was underwater.
Another hippo was underneath the boat and capsized it.
Novak swam up, coughed up the water. He swam frantically. The entire time he thought that a crocodile was behind him.
As he reached the beach, he ran. Only after being 100 meters away from the water did he stop running. He looked back. He saw Edward dragging himself out of the water, holding the camera. He screamed, "No, no please, please!" The camera was soaked, and all the footage they recorded in Africa was lost. Edward clenched the mud. He was crying and screaming.
At night, Novak went to bed feeling scared and weak in the legs. Edward kept copies of all their adventures; he didn't let Marty keep any of them. All the copies were on the boat, and now all their hard work, all the tragedies they endured, were lost. He drifted off to sleep, unable to bear the thought anymore.
He was awoken by screaming, went outside - it was freezing; still, at night it froze, and in the afternoon, the heat was unbearable. Novak ran and followed the sound of the voice. He saw a native man and woman tied a few meters away, their 5-year-old child forced to move forward. He saw Edward with a rifle and filming it all. "What are you doing!?"
"What I'm doing, I'm saving our ass! It won't end like this. I'll prove that I'm a better hunter than Corbett. He won't win!"
Novak was terrified. "Stop this madness. What are you even doing? How does this prove anything!?"
He saw Edward's face – he didn't recognize him anymore. It was a face not even the most bloodthirsty animals can make. "You see son, look up there. There's an African crowned eagle. It will swoop down and try to kill the boy, but I'll shoot it! It's just the start son; I'll get an entire pride of lions and kill them all In the afternoon. I'll exterminate half of Africa and we will have a film!"
Novak went to his knees and begged, "Sir, please, please stop. I'm begging you, let's just talk please."
Edward ignored him, looked at the eagle. "Come on, swoop down."
The parents cried and begged but the boy was screaming in horror. "SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU SUBHUMAN AND MARCH!" The boy was frozen in fear.
Novak was mortified. He thought that this level of cruelty was only matched by the cruelty Leopold of Belgium showed to the Congolese.
The eagle looked down and started to fly towards the boy. "YES, YES!" saliva went down Edward's face, the veins on his neck bulged, he aimed his gun. The eagle flew to another tree to its mate. Edward yelled and slammed his rifle to the ground, cursed.
Novak looked left and right and he knew what to do. He untied the parents, took the camera, and sat in the jeep. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU BRAT!?" Novak started the jeep; he knew they only had this one camera left. Edward reached the jeep just in time, grabbing Novak, putting him in a rear-naked choke.
Novak headbutted him. Novak dove fast,moving the jeep left and right, trying to get Edward to fall. Edward held on tight, after several minutes he wasn't moving, until he lunged at Novak and grabbed his face. Novak punched him, and Edward fell.
Novak stopped the jeep; he nearly hit a cape buffalo. Edward started to get up and saw that he was near a buffalo calf. A cape buffalo rammed him with its horns.
"Don't move!" Novak yelled in horror.
The buffaloes circled Edward; he then slowly got up and was gored.
Novak looked away and started to drive. His heart sank, and he heard the loud noises of the buffaloes. He slowly glanced back and saw Edward's lifeless body being flung into the air.
Animals
Novak drove his jeep, but his worry only worsened. He was lost. He had no clue where to go, and even worse, his jeep ran out of fuel.
"Dear lord, what kind of a sick joke is this!"
He searched the jeep for water or food; nothing. He exited the vehicle and fell down. Novak was in a tank top and his pajamas. There was nothing on the jeep to protect him from the cold. The heat arrived in an hour; by then, he'd be long dead. He thought of saying his final words, but what would be the point? No one would hear them, and he had nothing noteworthy to say. He closed his eyes one final time.
Novak never thought of either heaven or hell, but he felt heavy heat. He must've been in hell; he didn't question it. After all, he was guilty; he was no sweet angel. He opened his eyes and saw the fire of hell… no, it was the sun!
"How can this be? I should have frozen to death by now."
As he looked down, he saw 3 arkbarks sleeping tightly next to him. If it weren't for their warmth, he would've surely died. Up ahead, the search party saw him; he was saved.
Novak returned to his normal life. Years later, he would become an animal behaviorist. He never forgot his days with Edward Pierce and strongly advocated for people not to dominate and control nature, but to peacefully coexist with nature and understand animals.
He would write in his diary, "Do animals feel empathy, sympathy? Do they have their own language? Can they understand us sometimes? Maybe someday an invention will give us an answer. It will be many decades, perhaps many centuries, and I will be long dead by then. But I do know one thing about them, and that is that animals, like humans, are capable of both good and bad."