Babbling Point

trese: The Choir Story by Budjette Tan Art by Elbert Or Hank had tended the bar of The Diabolical long enough to know that the one who just entered was another troubled soul. The typical patron of The Diabolical were the goth-girls and the vampire wanna-bes who dressed in leather and velvet despite the tropical weather of Manila. There were also the 24-hour party people, who danced to the ever-escalating electronic beats in the clubs next door, but who slipped into The Diabolical because their beer was cheaper. So, when the man in the denim jacket entered place and didn’t fit into the usual profile, Hank knew this was someone in a bad need of a drink. The man unbuttoned his jacket as he took three steps down to the main floor of the club. Before he could even reach the bar, Hank had already prepared a shot glass, poured the tequila and set the salt and lemon on a little plate. He then reached into the cooler, past the sea of ice cubes for a bottle of San Mig Light. The man sat on the ...

. One Last Drink at the Diabolical by Budjette Tan Alexandra Trese held the hot mug of coffee in her hands as she looked out the one-way mirror. From the her private room on the second level of the club, she could see everything that was happening in The Diabolical. It was a Saturday night and the party people kept streaming in and out of the club's ten-foot double doors. After she inherited the restaurant from her father, she decided to convert it into a club. The place now looked like a crumbling chapel that was constructed during the 1800s. She renovated it to keep up with the times, to make more money, and more importantly to create a neutral place; for not only did she inherit her father's friends, she also acquired her father's enemies. She took a sip from the dark brew and looked at the right side of the club where she saw Hank Sparrow, the bartender, who kept the drinks flowing. Hanging out at the bar, getting free drinks from Hank while flirting with the girls, wer...