"ARGH!" daing ni Zack, habang tinatamasa ng katawan niya ang hagupit ng latigo na inihahataw sa kanya ni Hero. Si Hero ang kababata niya doon sa Spain.
Isang day walker vampire si Hero, pero mas gusto nitong magsilbi sa templo ng mga imortal sa Russia. Nakipagkita siya rito para matulungan siya na makalimot sa pasakit na natamo ng puso niya.
"You know, Zack? You're the crazier man I ever met! I know sometimes you're an asshole, but I didn't know that you're also an idiot!" sabi ni Hero, habang patuloy sa paghataw ng latigo nito sa likod niya.
Mamaya'y bumaling ito sa harapan niya. "What if I will hit also your manhood, Zack? So, the girls will stop wanting you. You can avoid that fucking heartbreak. And no one can hit you like this anymore."
"Fuck you! I'm not a stupid like you, Hero! Just hit my whole body! Do not touch my precious manhood or I will kill you!" asik niya.
Pinagtawanan siya nito. "I don't have idea why a vampire like you was an idiot! You are also a believer of that fucking true love! There's no true love existing in this world, Zack! Woman is just a kind of dessert that has a sweet element. But they can't ease our kind of hungriness," anito pagkuwan.
"Shut up! You never know what love is, Hero, because your heart was made of steel!"
Kumibit-balikat si Hero, saka hinataw muli ng latigo ang puson niya.
"Aghr! Aaargh!" walang puknat na daing niya.
"That's enough, Zack. I just want to remind you that I have a heart and it's not made of steel. Every human form creature or even animals was naturally born with has a soft heart. Only robots have a heart made of steel. But I didn't use my heart in nonsense idea. I have also a common sense and activated brain that can manage my whole body, not only heart can manipulate our whole system. You have to measure your emotions just to avoid heartbreaks. Heart can easily shutting down our whole system, so we need to take care of it," huling sabi ni Hero bago siya tuluyang nakalimot.
Paggising ni Zack kinabukasan ay wala na ang masakit sa katawan niya, lalung-lalo na sa loob ng kanyang puso. Bumangon siya at lumabas ng kuwarto. Namataan niya si Hero sa lobby at nagbabasa ng diyaryo, habang may sinisimsim na blood juice.
"I want to visit again in your country, Zack. I missed your resort there. Masarap ang pagkain doon," sabi ni Hero.
Matagal ding nagbakasyon sa Pilipinas si Hero, noong sagana pa ang kita ng resort niya sa Mactan. Sumama ito sa kanya para alamin ang buhay meron ang mga pinoy. Naingganyo itong pag-aralan ang wika nila, katulad niya noong unang beses niya sa bansa.
"I think you don't want to come again in my country after almost two decade. It was almost dead," aniya.
"Is it because of rabia-apocalypse? The sangre organization is there. What are they doing?"
"They do their best. Hindi lang sangre ang naroon sa Pilipinas. Nakarating na rin doon ang black ribbon organization."
Tumayo si Hero. "I guess that's not a problem."
Tinitigan niya ito ng mataman. Humakbang palapit sa kanya si Hero. "You belong to them, Zack. I want to be a part of Sangre organization, pero insecure pa rin ako kay Sandro."
Ngumisi siya. Malaki talaga ang inggit nito kay Alessandro, na minsang nakatunggali nito sa isang pagsusulit. Tinaob ni Alessandro ang husay nito sa larangan ng siyensia.
"Mabait naman si Sandro. Halimaw lang siya kapag karunungan na ang pag-uusapan. Anyway, thank you for your time to visit me here," aniya pagkuwan.
"No worries, Zack. Just call me, I'm willing to hit you anytime," anito.
