M I L L E R

The smell of the lavender essential oil in a form of mist welcomed my morning as soon as I opened my eyes. This felt like my old home. Amoy ng bahay na araw-araw nililinis at inaasikaso ng kasambahay. Ang amoy ng fabcon ng bagong labang bedsheet, at kurtina. Ang amoy ng aircon na ka-spe-spray lang ng air freshener. 'Yung amoy malamig. Amoy malawak. Amoy malinis. That is how I felt the moment I woke up and consciously breathed the air around me.

"Mom?" I uttered as I suddenly got the urge to call her.

Ah~ This really felt like home. Kagaya noong mga panahon na malaya pa akong gawin ang lahat. Noong nakukuha ko pa ang mga gusto ko. Noong maayos pa ang buhay ko.

How... strange.
I don't really remember cleaning my place well enough to make it smell like my luxurious place before.

Hm?

Dali-dali kong binuksan ang aking mga mata. At kagaya ng inaasahan ko ay wala ako sa maliit at 3 in 1 kong boarding house. Imbes ay nasa loob ako ng malawak na puting silid na may gintong crown molding sa kisame at mamahaling mga gamit sa bahay. May lamesa at sofa na kulay berde sa tabi ng kama ko. Sa ibabaw ng lamesa ay may nakapatong na kulay beige na vase na gawa sa mamahaling proselana, at may nakalagay na kulay pink at pulang mga rosas. Mala-gatas din ang kulay puting kurtina ng malaki at mahaba na bintana. Sa haba nito ay pwede nang maging pinto ng mismong silid patungo sa labas.

Bumangon ako para makita pa ng maayos ang kabuohan ng kwarto. There's an oblong-shaped mirror on the left side wall of the room. It has white moldings and an expensive white table underneath and a chair. May pinto rin sa harap ko at isa naman sa gilid. The one in front of me has a mosaic window. Clearly, it is the comfort room. So, the other one must be the door out.

Maliban sa mga gamit na nabanggit ko ay wala ng ibang bagay pa na nasa loob ng silid. This must be a spare room. Isa pa, wala ring orasan sa paligid kaya hindi ko alam kung anong oras na. Kung sumikat na ba ang araw o madilim pa rin ba sa labas. Hindi ko rin naman matansya ang oras dahil nakababa pa ang kurtina. It seems that it is not only milk-like but also has a high quality thick cloth sanhi para hindi basta-basta na lumusot ang sikat ng araw sa labas.

Ano ba ang nangyari kahapon at nandito ako sa lugar na ito?

"What the hell," bulalas ko.

Oo nga pala. I healed Axel Wesley. I let him drink my blood pero pagkatapos nun ay wala na akong maalala

Just when I thought of leaving the room. Noong pababa na sana ako sa kama ay biglang bumukas ang pinto sa kaliwang bahagi ng silid.

"Ah, mabuti naman po at gising na po kayo," bungad sa akin ng pumasok na lalaki.

He is wearing a black long sleeves and slacks. He looks like someone who has just arrived from his office. Kulang na lang ay suit para masabing nagtatrabaho siya sa opisina.

"Where am I?" Syempre, inuna ko nang itanong ito sa kanya.

"Nasa mansyon ka ni Master," sagot nito.

Sa nakikita kong puting kulay ng buhok at asul na mga mata niya. Idagdag pa ang maputlang kulay ng kanyang balat, this person is not a Filipino. Sa palagay ko ay taga-ibang bansa siya but his Tagalog accent is too local that if I did not see his appearance I might think that he is not a foreigner.

"Master?" sabi ko, "Sinong master?"

Now that I think about it... nasaan na ba si Axel?

"Wait," kaagad kong wika kahit hindi pa man siya nakaka-sagot sa tanong ko. I got the feeling that I must ask this first. "Nung dinala niyo ako rito. I was with a man... uh, he is a few inches shorter than me with white fair skin, long lashes, and... gorgeous face ... for a man. And he got red lips, waaay too red," I paused, should I tell them it was red because he drank blood or not?

"Sir?" ani ng lalaki nung tumigil ako.

"Red lips... and jet black hair. May nakita ka bang ganun?" dugtong ko.

I decided to not tell him about the blood thing.

Napakamot siya ng ulo habang naiilang na ngumiti sa akin. "Pasensya na pero hindi po ako pamilyar sa tinutukoy niyo."

"What?"

Magsasalita na ulit sana siya nang bumukas ulit ang pinto ng kwarto at iniluwa ang isa na namang lalaki.

"Kristoff!" tawag nito.

"Ah, Sir! Pasensya na po... uh, gising na po ang bisita ni Master!" aligaga na sagot ng lalaki.

"So this is what took you so long."

"Pasensya na po, nagtatanong pa po kasi si Sir Miller."

Huh? He knows my name

Tumungo sa akin ang mga tingin ng kararating lang na lalaki. Hindi katulad ng isa ay mas matanda ang itsura nito at may normal na kulay ng balat. But he has white streak of hair in his head which is considerably normal for a person who is in their 50s. He has the complete black suit of a butler.

"If you have questions you can ask me about it. For now, Kristoff, change your appearance and get a drink for our guest."

Yumuko ang lalaking nagngangalan na Kristoff bago lumabas ng silid.

"I'm sorry about him. He is a young vampire so he cannot control his appearance properly. He is still practicing."

"What's going on?" tanong ko ng hindi nag-iisip. Ang biglaan na pagdating ng lalaki ay mas nagpalito lang ng sitwasyon ko ngayon.

"It seems that you don't remember anything."

"Hindi. May naaalala ako pero konti lang. But, what happened after I let Axel drink my blood... I don't know anymore."

Tumikhim ang lalaki. Bumukas ulit ang pinto at pumasok si Kristoff na may dalang pitsel. Hindi na siya nagsalita at iniwan ito sa bedside table. Umalis siya kaagad at nakayuko na isinara ang pinto. Now that I got to look at him closer, his eyes don't have the blue color anymore, this time they're brown.

"So, where were we... oh! About what happened to the Master. Thank you for allowing the Master to drink your blood. If you ever had it later, his situation might get worse."

"What's happening to him? This is not the first time I saw him in that near death door state," I asked him with curiosity and confusion.

"Mn... I wish I could quench your curiosity, dear human sir. But the Master doesn't wish you to get involved in this situation," limitado nitong sagot.

"Is Axel Wesley your master?"

Tumango siya at inabot ang baso ng tubig sa akin.

"Then can you at least tell me what happened yesterday? He was surely in much critical state," sabi ko bilang pagtatangka na magkaroon ng kahit konting kaalaman man lang sa papasukin kong mundo.

"Master has poison in his body. How it happened is a thing I cannot tell you. But with poison in his body his regeneration ability declines so his wounds that are severe cannot heal as fast as they should be. He almost lost a lot of blood and was in danger. But thanks to your kindness, he was saved."

Poison?
So, Axel knew it was poison. He knew that he was in danger but he chose to stop himself from biting me.

Biting me?

Nang maalala ko ang pagkagat ni Axel sa akin ay dali-dali kong tiningnan ang braso ko. The guy must have noticed my sudden confusion. Maayos at makinis pa rin kasi ang braso ko na sigurado ako na dapat ay may malalim nang sugat dapat ngayon sanhi ng kagat ni Axel.

"I mended your wounds. It was so deep that it took hours before returning back to normal," sabi ng lalaki.

Anong klaseng gamot naman kaya ang mayroon sila rito para gumaling ng tuluyan ang sugat ko sa loob ng isang gabi lang?

"Did you also bring me here?"

"No, Sir. It was the Master who brought you here. After regaining his consciousness and you losing yours from the sudden consumption of blood, the Master had decided to let us mend to your frail body."

"Are you also a vampire?"

Malumanay na yumuko ang lalaki bilang tugon. "Is there anything you wanted to know, sir?" tanong niya.

Mukhang tama nga ako ng hinala. This place is a vampire's den at si Axel Wesley ang master nila. Are they all pure vampires? Or they were once human? Gusto kong magtanong pa pero alam ko na kagaya nung nauna ay hindi ito sasagutin ng lalaki since they don't want me to get deeply involved in their society.

"Wala na—" huminto ako nang may maalala, "Ah, oo nga pala, where is your master?"

"The Master is in his chambers. If you wish to see him, I may guide you there."

Oh. It is an unexpected response. Akala ko ay hindi niya ako sasagutin at lalo nang hindi papayagan na makita ang master niya.

"Okay," tugon ko na handa nang bumaba sa kama.

If there's something I want to know more, I must talk to Axel directly.

Malawak na hallway ang nadatnan ko paglabas ng kwarto. May tatlong pinto na sumunod sa pinto ng pinanggalingan kong kwarto. The walls are painted with white and gold colors. Mataas din ang kisame at lahat ng pinto ay may parehong disenyo ng rosas at gintong doorknob. Kulang na lang ay may plaka ng mga room number sa mga pinto para pagkamalan na hotel rooms kaysa mga silid sa bahay.

Paglabas namin sa hallway ay lumiko kami sa kanan. Tumingala ako dahil sa mamahaling chandelier na nasa kisame nila.

"Woah," I quietly uttered when I saw the wide entrance area and the tall entrance door. At kagaya ng nauna kong nakita ay kulay puti rin ang kulay ng pintura nila dito na may iilang bulaklak sa mga gilid bilang palamuti.

I'm not sure, but maybe because of the white paint, the place feels infinite... and sad. As if it is a chamber from another dimension.

"Here, sir," tawag sa akin ng lalaki.

"Yes," I quickly replied.

Hindi ko namalayan na naiiwan na ako ng lalaki at nasa ikatlong baitang na pala siya.

So, Axel's room is on the second floor.

Noong nasa taas na kami ay kaagad na bumungad sa amin ang double door na silid. Unlike the other doors it has a baby pink color and there is no rose design carved on them. Instead, it's a plain one with a few straight moldings in the corner.

Unang lumapit ang matanda sa pinto at inilapat ang kanyang kamay roon. He closed his eyes and silently stayed that way for a few seconds bago sinabi sa akin na, "The Master is still asleep. If you promise to be quiet, I will allow you inside."

Again, this is unexpected. How can they allow me, a stranger and a human, inside their master's room?

"O-Okay," tugon ko.

Yumuko lang siya at inabot ang kamay niya sa akin. I hesitantly and confusedly gave him my hand then in a split second we were inside a room that is double the size of the room where I was and much more lifeless.

"Did we just teleport inside?"

The man nodded. "It's easier than opening a large door."

Well, may point naman talaga siya.

Pagkatapos nun ay naglaho na rin siya at iniwan na akong mag-isa.

Sa hindi kalayuan ay makikita ang kaisa-isang malaking bagay sa maluwang na silid na ito. A giant bed with silk and nets decorated above it. Ito 'yung mga higaan na makikita sa mga mansyon ng mayayaman sa Europe na may kisame at kulambo na nakasabit.

"Woah, his wealth is on another level," mahina kong sabi sa sarili.

Wala man masyadong laman, the room emanates a luxury. I know because I've been living the same before.

Nagpatuloy lang ako sa paglalakad patungo sa kama ni Axel habang nililibot ng tingin ang silid niyang tila puting kulungan dahil sa konting gamit. May single-seated na pulang sofa sa kanang gilid ng kama. May malaking porselanang paso rin sa left corner ng silid na may mga puti at pulang rosas na nakalagay. May life size na salamin naman sa tabi nito na tila ba nakadikit sa pader at iisang lamesa sa tabi ng sofa.

How lonely.
The almost empty room feels lonely.

Umupo ako sa sofa. Medyo may kalayuan ito mula sa kama pero sapat na rin para makita ng malinaw ang mukha ng taong nahihimbing dito.