Pishtacos

Like Bigfoot, a pishtaco is a local legend of a creature (usually a white foreigner) who would prey on unsuspecting travelers.  Instead of sucking blood, as vampires are said to, pishtacos suck fat out of their victims and leave them for dead.  Now why would they do this, one might ask?  Apparently, the early versions of this story were targeting Spanish missionaries, who were said to use human fat to grease their church bells.  Or, they turn the fat into lovely soaps and beauty creams.

So guess what the news headline is today?  You might have even heard about it back home because to be perfectly honest, it’s the kind of sensational news that the press loves.

Police in Peru have just arrested a group trafficking in human fat.

Now you’re disgusted too.  Here’s the gross part: apparently they didn’t steal fat from cadavers, they would actually kidnap fat people specifically to kill them and harvest their fat.  Police are now investigating the disappearances of 60 potential victims.  Apparently the fat goes for $15,000 per gallon.  Now what would you do with gallons of human fat, you might ask?  Sell it to cosmetics companies.  Think about that next time you’re buying lipstick.