Tender is the Flesh

A disturbing scene unfolds as the narrator, whose identity remains unknown, describes her fascination with inflicting cruelty on cockroaches and a fellow inmate. She details various methods of torture and death, setting a tone of psychological and physical violence. The narrator writes in secret, using a quill and ink stored in her cell, hiding her writings close to her body. She mentions the previous inhabitants of the House of the Sacred Sisterhood, suggesting they were religious figures who lived austerely. The arrival of a mysterious figure referred to as 'He' and the Superior Sister hints at a significant change in the community's structure and beliefs.

In the Chapel of Ascension, a ritualistic gathering takes place where three Minor Saints are brought to the altar. The atmosphere is mystical, with the chapel filled with light and translucent gems. However, the serene scene is marred by the sight of blood trickling from one of the Minor Saints' faces, revealing the imperfect execution of their preparation. The Superior Sister and 'He' oversee the ceremony, emphasizing themes of purification and the rejection of the past. The narrator reflects on the nature of the Chosen and the Enlightened, highlighting their roles and the reverence they command.

The chapter concludes with the narrator's personal experiences and fears, including her role in cleaning the blood from the chapel floor and her encounter with a Full Aura. She describes the dangers of the outside world, particularly the haze that threatens their community, and the sacrifices they must make to survive. The narrative underscores the strict hierarchy and the severe punishments for disobedience, creating a tense and oppressive atmosphere.

Marcos, the protagonist, is haunted by the grim reality of his job at a human processing plant. His internal monologue lists the stark and brutal terms associated with his work: carcass, cut in half, stunner, slaughter line, spray wash. These words are visceral reminders of the daily horror he faces, a task that has become his life since the outbreak of the GGB virus, which made animal meat toxic to humans.

The transition to cannibalism was swift and ruthless, and while many have normalized it, Marcos struggles with the moral and emotional weight. He recalls the initial chaos and fear when the virus was announced, the mass hysteria, and the societal breakdown. The government and media have sanitized the process, using euphemisms like 'Transition' and 'special meat' to mask the true nature of what is happening. Marcos feels the heat of the night and the suffocating reality of his existence, exacerbated by the absence of his wife, who has left him.

Reflecting on his past, Marcos remembers his early days at the Cypress Processing Plant, where he learned the trade from his father. A particularly vivid memory is the incident where he was bitten by a pig, a moment that marked his transition from the boss’s son to a respected member of the team. However, the world he knew no longer exists, and the current reality is far more terrifying. He remembers the violent purges of animals and the gradual acceptance of human meat, driven by economic and social pressures. The chapter delves into the broader societal implications, including the persecution of marginalized groups and the government’s role in legalizing and regulating the new meat industry.

Marcos’s thoughts are interrupted by the persistent heat and his own physical discomfort. He showers, trying to wash away the memories, but they persist. He considers the theories that some have proposed, such as the idea that the virus was engineered to control overpopulation. His father’s warnings about resource scarcity and societal collapse echo in his mind, adding to his sense of dread. Despite the attempts to normalize the new order, Marcos remains deeply troubled by the moral and ethical implications of his work, a burden he carries alone in his empty home.

Marcos drives along a desolate road to the HIFU Tannery, the emptiness of the landscape mirroring the oppressive nature of his job. His phone rings, and he answers a call from his mother-in-law, who updates him on Cecilia’s condition, indicating that she is not ready to return home yet. This news adds to his growing sense of unease.

Upon arriving at the tannery, the overwhelming smell of chemicals and the silent, methodical work of the employees greet him. Señor Urami, the Japanese owner, greets him with a rehearsed speech about the quality and challenges of human skin. Señor Urami shows Marcos a folder containing samples of different skins, emphasizing the importance of proper handling to avoid defects. Marcos is disturbed by the clinical and detached manner in which Señor Urami discusses the flaying process, feeling a growing sense of revulsion and helplessness.

Señor Urami continues to detail the technical aspects of skin processing, from the calibration of flaying machines to the hydration of the lots. Marcos listens in silence, internally struggling with the moral implications of his work. Señor Urami’s obsession with perfection and his eerie demeanor add to Marcos’s discomfort. Before leaving, Señor Urami insists on black skins, and Marcos lies about the availability. Outside, an employee confides in Marcos about Señor Urami’s rumored atrocities, further deepening Marcos’s sense of dread and complicity.

Marcos leaves the tannery, feeling a mix of relief and guilt. He reflects on the reasons he continues in this line of work: his expertise, financial necessity, and his father’s health. Despite the psychological toll, he acknowledges that sometimes one must bear the weight of the world. The chapter ends with Marcos questioning his choices, yet finding no easy escape from his current reality.

Marcos visits the Tod Voldelig breeding center to finalize a meat purchase, reflecting on the decline in quality from Guerrero Iraola. Before entering, he calls his father’s nursing home, where Nélida, the caretaker, reassures him about his father’s condition, though her tone hints at underlying fatigue. Marcos contemplates visiting his sister but decides against it, feeling a mix of guilt and reluctance.

Marcos wakes up early, his mind heavy with the moral weight of his job. He visits the butcher shops, a routine task that underscores his internal struggle. Later, he enters a room containing a cot adorned with a drawing of a bear and a duck hugging, surrounded by peaceful imagery. The cot, once his and then his son’s, now stands as a painful reminder of a simpler time, its sweet, innocent decorations replaced by more neutral designs. Marcos is torn between the need to destroy the cot before his wife returns and his inability to let go of the past.

As he drinks mate, a truck’s horn startles him, causing him to drop the cup and burn himself. He approaches the window and sees a Tod Voldelig truck, a surprise given the isolation of his house and the absence of any warning sounds. The silence of the area, once punctuated by barking dogs, now seems oppressive and complete. A man calls out to him, announcing a gift from El Gringo. Without hesitation, Marcos signs for the envelope and is then presented with a female FGP, a valuable commodity in the current world.

Shocked and repulsed, Marcos orders the man to take the female back, despite the significant value of such a gift. The man, confused and hesitant, explains that returning the female could cost him his job. The tension escalates as the man tightens the rope around the female’s neck, and Marcos refuses to take it. The man eventually throws the rope to the ground, gets back into the truck, and drives away, leaving Marcos alone with his conflicted emotions and the looming presence of the FGP.

Furious after receiving a call from El Gringo, Marcos is sent a female FGP as a gift. El Gringo emphasizes her pure genes and the special treatment she has received, including an almond-based diet for over a year. Despite Marcos’s protests, El Gringo suggests that the female can be slaughtered or sold, offering to send men to handle the slaughter the next day. Marcos, determined to manage the situation himself, hangs up the phone in anger.

Checking the time, Marcos realizes it’s late. He goes outside to untie the female from the tree where she was left. Distressed, the female trembles and urinates as Marcos approaches her. He gently removes the rope from her neck, noting that she doesn’t know she can remove it herself. Leading her to the barn, he ties her to the door of an old, rusted truck. Inside the house, Marcos searches for something to feed the female, finding only limited options in his fridge. He prepares a bowl of water and cold rice, bringing them to the barn before locking the door and leaving.

The chapter highlights Marcos’s internal conflict and the moral burden he carries. His reluctant compassion and the makeshift care he provides underscore the harsh realities of his life and the world he inhabits. The chapter ends with Marcos alone, grappling with the ethical dilemmas of his existence and the unexpected gift that complicates his already troubled life.

The heat and curfew weigh heavily on Marcos during his meat delivery runs, especially when he visits the city and Spanel Butchers. Memories of the unethical practices in butcher shops before the Transition, such as adulterating meat to hide its rot, underscore the moral decay that once prevailed. Now, the regulated cannibalism stands in stark contrast, with Spanel Butchers evolving to cater to the new demands of special meat, offering items like packaged hands and feet, labeled with euphemisms to mask their true nature.

At Spanel Butchers, Marcos is greeted by the sterile, cold environment and the intense, almost surgical precision of Spanel’s work. Spanel, a former employee of his father’s plant, runs the shop with a chilling detachment. During their tense and unsettling conversation, Spanel’s frigid demeanor and cryptic comments about death and the inevitability of being consumed create a sense of unease. She expresses a fatalistic view of her future, believing that her body will end up on the black market, despite her wealth. Marcos, feeling the need to lighten the mood, jokes about his own deliciousness, but Spanel’s serious response highlights the gravity of their situation and the forbidden nature of their conversation.

Marcos watches El Perro, Spanel’s mute assistant, expertly butcher a half carcass, reflecting on the changes in meat cuts and the new terminology that has emerged to describe human parts. Spanel mentions the resurgence of brain consumption, despite initial health concerns, and Marcos agrees to place her order, appreciating the seriousness and concentration with which she writes it.

Marcos decides to return home rather than spend the night in the city, driven by the responsibility to care for the female FGP. He stops at a store to buy specialized feed for her and arrives home late, cursing El Gringo for the added burden. In the barn, he finds the female curled up in a fetal position, shivering despite the heat. The rice and water he had left for her are gone, and she recoils in fear when he approaches.

Marcos retrieves old blankets from the house and arranges them next to her, then refills her bowls with fresh water and food. He perches on a bale of hay, observing her drink water while avoiding his gaze. His mind wanders to the fear that defines her existence and the moral implications of raising and consuming domestic heads. He recalls a notorious case where a family was prosecuted for keeping female slaves, who were later turned into special meat, widely reported in the press as a barbaric act.

Marcos contemplates his options: selling the female, raising her, or escaping his current life. Each choice brings its own set of consequences and moral dilemmas. He thinks about the need to clean her and the broader ethical questions surrounding his actions. After closing the barn door, he heads inside to shower, still uncertain about what to do with the female and the complexities of his life.

Nélida’s call about his father’s breakdown prompts Marcos to take the day off work and visit the nursing home. He feels a sense of obligation but also reluctance, dreading the day ahead. After making necessary calls to reschedule his work, Marcos heads to the barn to check on the female FGP, who is lying on the blankets he provided. He feeds her and cleans up after her, feeling increasingly burdened by her presence. Before heading to the nursing home, Marcos detours to the abandoned zoo, a place of childhood memories and emotional significance. Overgrown and dangerous, the zoo symbolizes the loss and decay that have permeated his life. Marcos finds solace in the lion’s den, a place that once offered a fleeting sense of connection with his father. At the New Dawn Nursing Home, a nurse leads Marcos to the waiting room, where the antiseptic cleanliness and faint smell of urine and medication create an oppressive atmosphere. The facility, once a beacon of hope, now feels like a gilded cage for the elderly. Marcos reflects on his relationship with Cecilia, whom he met at the nursing home, and the impact of their child’s death on their marriage. He picks up a nursing home brochure, noting the sanitized images and the ominous mention of security, hinting at the dark reality of the black market for human meat. Nélida brings his father to the waiting room in a wheelchair. Marcos’s father is in a deteriorated state, barely able to communicate. Nélida explains that his father had an episode, eating a birthday cake and exposing himself. She suggests tying him up at night for his safety, a measure Marcos reluctantly agrees to. The chapter ends with Marcos holding his father’s hand, feeling a deep sense of loss and the weight of his responsibilities.

Marcos arrives at the isolated processing plant, surrounded by electric fencing to deter Scavengers who once broke in to access fresh meat. The plant’s white, compact, and efficient buildings offer no indication of the human slaughter that occurs within. As he approaches, he recalls the Salamone Slaughterhouse, its façade still standing with the word 'SLAUGHTERHOUSE' prominently displayed, a stark reminder of its purpose. His father had refused to renovate the Cypress Processing Plant’s façade, believing a slaughterhouse should blend into the landscape and avoid direct labeling.

Before entering the plant, Marcos exchanges a brief, formal greeting with the security guard, Oscar, who nervously waves and greets him. Marcos smokes a cigarette, taking his time to delay entering the plant. The surrounding area is barren, with only a few solitary trees and a rank creek. Finally, he enters the plant and heads straight to Krieg’s office, greeting a few employees and kissing the secretary, Mari, on the cheek. Mari offers him coffee and mentions that Krieg was getting anxious about his absence.

Krieg, a man who seems out of place and uninterested in human interaction, is on the phone when Marcos enters. Krieg’s office is designed to minimize contact with others, with an additional door leading to a private parking lot. Krieg is highly skilled in business, particularly with numbers and transactions, but he has no interest in the personal lives of his employees. Marcos reflects on his role as a respected figure, despite the personal turmoil he faces, including the loss of his child, his wife’s departure, and his father’s declining health. The chapter ends with Marcos’s internal conflict about the female in his barn, whom he is unable to kill.

Marcos returns to Krieg’s office after a brief exchange with Mari. Krieg informs him about two job applicants waiting in the reception and assigns Marcos the task of interviewing and testing them. Krieg also shares a disturbing incident involving a night guard who was caught on security footage raping and killing a female FGP, which will require a police report and compensation from the security company.

Marcos meets the two applicants, a tall man with a pregnant girlfriend and a shorter man who previously worked at a hamburger factory. He takes them on a tour of the processing plant, starting with the unloading yard where excrement is collected for manure. Marcos explains the process of unloading, weighing, and branding the head, emphasizing the importance of keeping the head calm to ensure the quality of the meat.

As they move through the facility, the taller applicant asks several questions, revealing a deeper curiosity about the operations. Marcos explains the antemortem inspection, the disposal of sick head, and the occasional arrival of dead head. He also mentions the unofficial practice of leaving some head for the Scavengers, a gesture he views as both charitable and a means of appeasement.

In the resting cage sector, Marcos points out the head selected for the game reserve and those marked for the laboratory, refusing to elaborate on the latter. He explains the different types of meat, including the high-value FGP meat, and the genetic modifications used to speed up growth. The tour concludes with a visit to the export-quality meat cages, where the taller applicant visibly pales and fidgets, hinting at the psychological toll of the job.

Continuing the tour of the processing plant, Marcos leads the two job applicants to the box sector, pausing in a lounge with a large window overlooking the desensitization room. The stark, blindingly white environment sets a clinical tone. Marcos leaves the applicants in the lounge and introduces them to Sergio, a stunner dressed in full protective gear. Sergio greets Marcos warmly, recalling their friendship and the support he provided after Marcos’s child died. Sergio explains his motivation for working as a stunner, balancing the practical and emotional aspects of the job despite its moral and psychological toll.

Sergio demonstrates his role by stunning a young female FGP in the desensitization room. He calmly places a shackle around her neck, soothes her, and delivers a swift, precise strike to her forehead, rendering her unconscious. The body is then processed and moved to another room. The taller applicant, visibly shaken, struggles to compose himself, while the shorter applicant shows an unsettling eagerness, peppering Sergio with detailed questions about the process. Sergio explains the importance of precision in stunning and the differences between using a club and a captive bolt pistol, noting that the club is reserved for experienced stunners.

The chapter delves into the psychological states of the applicants, with the taller man appearing distressed and the shorter man displaying an unsettling eagerness. Sergio’s matter-of-fact explanation that the females do not scream because they lack vocal cords adds to the eerie and dehumanizing atmosphere of the plant. Marcos reflects on the shorter applicant’s potential instability and the dangers of someone with such intense desires to kill. The chapter concludes with a sense of foreboding about the new hires and the ongoing moral and emotional struggles Marcos faces in his job.

Leading the two job applicants through the processing plant, Marcos sternly informs them that they cannot enter the actual slaughter area due to attire regulations. He suspects the shorter man might be a fake applicant, seeking to witness the killings for personal satisfaction. The group walks through a hallway with a wide window overlooking the slitting room, where the stark contrast between the apparent cleanliness and the tons of blood splattered everywhere is jarring.

Inside the slitting room, workers dressed in white process the heads, with three bodies hanging facedown. One has already had its throat slit, and the other two await their turn, including the female Sergio stunned earlier. The worker slits the next head’s throat, and the blood flows into the trough. The shorter applicant inquires about the use of the blood, and the taller applicant, who has some background knowledge from his father, explains that cow blood was used for fertilizer. Marcos adds that human blood has other uses, though he does not specify what they are. The shorter applicant makes a flippant comment about blood sausage, which Marcos ignores.

Suddenly, the female Sergio stunned begins to move violently, freeing herself from the straps and falling to the floor. She trembles and tries to stand, but the worker, noticing her, indifferently shoots her with a captive bolt pistol and hangs her back up. The shorter applicant watches with a smirk, while the taller applicant is visibly distressed, covering his mouth. Marcos knocks on the window to alert the worker, who realizes his mistake and knows it could cost him his job. Marcos reprimands the worker, emphasizing that the meat will taste bad due to the female’s fear, and temporarily moves him to the offal room.

The taller applicant, deeply affected by the scene, crouches down and puts his head between his hands, needing a moment to recover. Marcos pats him on the back, offering support. The shorter applicant remains fascinated, continuing to watch the process. The taller man eventually stands up, pale and sweating, but composed enough to resume watching. They observe the female’s bloodless body being moved along the rail and into a scalding tank, where other corpses float in boiling water. The taller applicant asks about the risk of water contamination, and Marcos explains the plant’s plans to invest in a spray-scalding system. The chapter ends with the dehairing process, which still affects Marcos, as the bodies spin at high speed, performing a strange and cryptic dance.

Marcos guides the two job applicants through the offal room, detailing how the processing plant minimizes waste. The shorter applicant pauses to watch a worker using a blowtorch on the scalded corpses, preparing them for gutting. As they move through the cutting room, they observe the precise dissection of the female head stunned by Sergio, including the removal of her eyes, tongue, ears, and brain, each placed on labeled trays.

The taller applicant asks about the use of heads, and Marcos explains that they are sent to provinces for traditional cooking methods. The taller applicant shares his experience with such dishes, while the shorter applicant remains captivated by the process. They continue to watch as the female’s hands and feet are cleaned and stored, and her arms and legs are prepared for sale to butchers. Marcos emphasizes the importance of hygiene during the meticulous inspection and cleaning procedures.

The tour progresses to the offal room, where they witness the intricate process of cleaning and grading the internal organs. Workers clean the intestines, scrape away mesenteric fat, and inspect the stomachs and other organs. Marcos reflects on the psychological toll of the work, pondering what the workers think about as they handle these organs. He contemplates the normalization of such tasks and the personal pain he carries, particularly the loss of his child, which he feels is a crucial part of his resilience.

Marcos’s thoughts turn to the financial and emotional burdens of his job, including the need to pay for his father’s nursing home and the number of heads that must be processed to sustain his life. The chapter concludes with a poignant reflection on the transformation of pain and the moral complexities of his existence, highlighting the dehumanizing nature of the work and the personal sacrifices involved.

Marcos continues the tour of the processing plant with the two job applicants, explaining the final stages of the slaughter process. They stop by a room where the carcasses are divided into parts, observing two men with chain saws cutting the bodies in half. The men are dressed in regulation attire with helmets and black plastic boots, and plastic visors cover their faces. One of the saw operators, Pedro Manzanillo, looks at Marcos but doesn’t acknowledge his presence. Manzanillo is always on edge when Marcos is around, and Marcos tries to avoid crossing paths with him.

Marcos explains the subsequent steps in the process, including washing, inspecting, sealing, weighing, and placing the carcasses in the cooling chamber to ensure they remain cold. The shorter applicant asks about the effect of cold on the meat’s tenderness, and Marcos explains the chemical processes involved, using terms like lactic acid, myosin, ATP, glycogen, and enzymes. The man nods as if he understands. Marcos then tells the applicants that their job is done when the different parts of the product are transported to their respective destinations, eager to end the tour and go for a cigarette.

Reflecting on Manzanillo’s past, Marcos recalls his former partner, Ency, who was well-read and often captivated his coworkers with book plots during breaks. However, Ency began to change, becoming quieter and more withdrawn. He lost weight, had bags under his eyes, and started to hesitate before cutting the carcasses. Eventually, Ency snapped, taking a chain saw to the resting cages and threatening workers to free the head. He was knocked unconscious, and the head that escaped was quickly recaptured. Marcos had to fire Ency and arrange psychological care, but Ency later shot himself, and his family had to leave the neighborhood. Manzanillo now looks at Marcos with genuine hatred, which Marcos respects, as it gives him strength to go on.

The shorter applicant, who has been quietly watching the bodies being cut in two, is smiling. Marcos notices he is hiding a phone under his jacket and realizes he has been filming. He grabs the phone, throws it to the floor, and breaks it. He then forcefully grabs the man by the arm and threatens to send his contact information and photo to all the processing plants he knows, warning him never to come back. The man turns around, shows no surprise or embarrassment, and brazenly smiles at Marcos.

Marcos escorts the two job applicants to the exit, concluding their tour of the processing plant. Before they leave, he calls the head of security to report the shorter applicant's inappropriate behavior, specifically his secret filming, and requests that he be removed. The security guard assures Marcos that the issue will be addressed, and Marcos notes the necessity of discussing the matter with Krieg, as outsourcing security personnel has become increasingly problematic.

The shorter applicant, now solemn and unsmiling, does not resist when the security guard arrives to take him away. Marcos shakes hands with the taller applicant, telling him, 'You’ll be hearing from us.' The taller man, visibly shaken by the day’s events, thanks Marcos without much enthusiasm. Marcos reflects on the typical reaction of job candidates, acknowledging that anyone in their right mind would be reluctant to take on such a job.

Marcos’s decision to address the security issue with Krieg underscores his concern for the plant’s integrity and the need for reliable staff. The chapter ends with a sense of foreboding, as Marcos contemplates the ongoing challenges and moral dilemmas of his role in the processing plant.

Marcos steps outside for a cigarette, his mind heavy with the day’s events, before heading to Krieg’s office to deliver the reports. His phone rings, and he answers, expecting a call from his mother-in-law, Graciela. Instead, it’s Cecilia, who has not contacted him since she left to stay with her mother. Her voice is haggard, and she admits she is not well, stating she needs more time alone. Deeply affected, Marcos offers to visit her, but she declines, saying she needs solitude. The conversation is strained, and Marcos mentions that he, too, lost their child, which causes Cecilia to cry silently. She covers the screen and whispers, ‘I can’t take any more.’ Graciela takes the phone, apologizing for Cecilia’s state and assuring Marcos that Cecilia will get better. After hanging up, Marcos remains in the rest area, watching the treetops move in the wind. He reflects on the medical treatments and the emotional journey they endured, from the initial hope and injections to the crushing disappointment of failed fertility treatments and the eventual loss of their child. The memory of Cecilia’s face when she received the low anti-Mullerian hormone test results haunts him, as does the relentless pressure and financial strain of their efforts. Marcos’s thoughts are a mix of past pain and present despair. He recalls the moments of laughter and love, the times they dreamed of their children’s features, and the endless cycle of treatments, debts, and heartbreak. The chapter ends with Marcos’s profound realization that Cecilia will never fully recover, that the pieces of her are irreparably broken. This realization stands in stark contrast to the sterile, efficient world of the processing plant, underscoring the personal and emotional toll of his life.

Marcos returns home late, disoriented and in pain after a vivid and disturbing dream. He finds the female FGP curled up and sleeping in the barn. Quietly, he changes her water and food, and she wakes up in fear at the sound of the metal bowl. Overwhelmed by the memories, Marcos decides to destroy his son’s cot, a painful reminder of a happier time. He leaves the barn door open as he heads to the yard with the ax and kerosene. The female follows him, but the rope stops her at the entrance.

Standing next to the cot under the star-filled night, Marcos feels the weight of the sky pressing down on him. He goes inside to drink whiskey, then returns to the cot. With no tears, he begins to break it apart with the ax, thinking of his son Leo’s tiny feet. He douses the cot in kerosene and sets it on fire, watching the hand-painted drawings burn and disappear. The female watches him, seemingly fascinated by the fire.

Marcos considers destroying the female as well, thinking she is a problem and that he can do whatever he wants with her. He raises the ax but then cuts the rope, allowing her to move freely. Lying down in the grass, he no longer cares whether the female escapes or if Cecilia will ever return. The sky above him feels like a vast, frozen ocean, and the moon seems like a strange god. Marcos falls asleep in the grass, the embers of the cot burning out.

Marcos wakes up in the grass, disoriented and in pain, after a vivid and disturbing dream. The dream involves his father, a wolf eating his son, and Spanel, who stuns him with a club. The dream leaves him with a deep sense of instability and fear. As he looks around, the ashes of his son’s cot and the female FGP lying peacefully nearby catch his eye. Her brand is visible on her forehead, and he is surprised that she has not escaped. Intrigued by her beauty, he recognizes that her appearance will not change her ultimate fate. Feeling a strange excitement from the closeness to the female, Marcos quickly gets up and takes her back to the barn.

After showering and dressing, Marcos drives to the city, despite it being his day off. He goes directly to Spanel Butchers, arriving early and finding Spanel in the back room, cutting a fresh arm. The atmosphere is tense and charged, with blood dripping from the table and pooling on the floor. Driven by a mix of rage and desire, Marcos forcefully kisses Spanel and begins a violent and passionate encounter. El Perro, Spanel’s assistant, watches through the window, visibly angry and desperate. The encounter with Spanel is intense and dominated by Marcos’s need to dominate and break her. Initially resistant, Spanel eventually succumbs to his advances, and the scene is punctuated by her anguished scream. Afterward, Spanel sits naked, smoking, and smiling, while El Perro remains outside the door. Marcos leaves without saying goodbye, leaving Spanel and El Perro in the aftermath of the encounter.

Driving through the city, Marcos receives a call from his sister, Marisa, inviting him to lunch. Despite it being his day off, he agrees, partly to avoid returning to the barn and the female FGP. At Marisa’s house, the atmosphere is tense and filled with unspoken resentment. Marisa, concerned about his health, insists that his decision to stop eating meat is for health reasons, though Marcos admits to himself that it stems from the trauma of losing his son.

Marisa’s insincere affection and her preoccupation with trivialities, such as his lack of an umbrella, highlight the strained relationship between them. Marcos feels a deep disconnect from his sister and her superficial concerns, particularly her belief in the necessity of umbrellas to protect against bird droppings, which he dismisses as a government conspiracy.

The conversation shifts to Marisa’s children, whom Marcos views as strangers. Marisa boasts about their expensive air umbrellas and a virtual pet game, but Marcos remains disinterested. He notices a new door in the kitchen, which he realizes is a cold room for raising heads, suggesting that Marisa is considering entering the human meat industry. The chapter ends with the arrival of Marisa’s children, setting the stage for further tension and discomfort.

Still reeling from the tense lunch invitation, Marcos arrives at Marisa’s house, where the atmosphere is thick with unspoken resentment. The twins, Estebancito and Maru, barely speak and communicate in whispers, creating an ominous and uncomfortable presence. Marisa insists on calling them 'the kids,' while Marcos views them as a strange, unified entity. Their secret language and synchronized actions make Marcos feel like an outsider.

During the meal, Marisa serves cold, flavorless food to Marcos, while the twins savor their special kidneys and other meats. The twins’ curiosity and playful remarks about guessing what Marcos tastes like escalate the tension. Marisa reacts furiously, stabbing a knife into the table and running to the bathroom, only to return and apologize awkwardly. Marcos, feeling the need to end the visit, makes a sarcastic remark about the taste of the twins, which amuses them but leaves Marisa speechless.

The conversation shifts to the processing plant, and Marisa asks if the plant sells heads to individual households. Marcos evades the question and decides to end the visit, mentioning their father’s recent episode to subtly rebuke Marisa. He points out that the twins have not visited their grandfather, causing Marisa to defend their busy schedules and the curfew. The twins, sensing the opportunity, insist on visiting their grandfather, which Marisa reluctantly agrees to.

Marcos leaves the house, taking the umbrella Marisa offers and immediately discarding it in a trash can. As he drives away, he reflects on the twins’ behavior and the possibility of their tasting exactly as he predicted. The chapter ends with Marisa watching him leave, her head lowered in resignation.

Still reeling from the tense lunch with his sister Marisa, Marcos drives to the abandoned zoo to collect himself. The zoo, once a vibrant place of childhood memories, is now overgrown and desolate, with broken cages and signs, and graffiti covering the walls. Marcos walks through the ruins, reflecting on the zoo’s decline and the loss of its animals, which mirrors the broader decay in his life.

Marcos explores various areas of the zoo, including the lion’s den and the aviary, where he finds a large, broken glass cupola depicting Icarus flying close to the sun. He lies down on the bridge, contemplating the beauty and fragility of the scene, and wishes he could share this moment with his son, Leo. The memory of Leo’s death and the funeral, where Marcos felt emotionally distant and unable to cry, resurfaces, intensifying his sense of loss and isolation.

Continuing his exploration, Marcos reaches the serpentarium, a dark and narrow space with broken terrariums. He finds a poignant and skillfully drawn mask with a poem etched beside it, reflecting the deep psychological and moral turmoil of the times. As he reads the graffiti, he hears a faint cry and discovers four scrawny, frightened puppies hidden in one of the terrariums. Moved by their vulnerability, Marcos gently pets and comforts them, experiencing a rare moment of connection and tenderness amidst the desolation.

Marcos’s interaction with the puppies brings a mix of laughter and silent tears, a rare display of emotion for him. The chapter ends with Marcos holding the puppy, a poignant moment that contrasts sharply with the harsh realities of his life and the world he inhabits, highlighting his inner struggle and the humanity he still retains.

Still reeling from the emotional weight of his visit to the abandoned zoo, Marcos finds solace in the serpentarium, where he discovers four playful puppies. He names them Jagger, Watts, Richards, and Wood, and their presence brings a rare moment of joy and tenderness, reminiscent of his own dogs, Pugliese and Koko, whom he had to euthanize during the GGB virus outbreak. Reflecting on the decision, Marcos considers it a mercy to spare them from potential suffering and the widespread use of injections to prevent pet pain at the time.

Suddenly, the puppies become alert, and Marcos realizes they have a mother. Two dogs appear on the other side of the glass, growling and baring their fangs. Marcos quickly reacts, dragging himself to the door and locking it to protect the puppies. He faces a dilemma: if he leaves the door locked, the puppies will die, but if he opens it, the dogs will attack him. He decides to cover the puppies with his shirt and kick open the door to the adjoining terrarium, ensuring it is open for the puppies to escape.

Marcos carefully exits through the broken glass, avoiding noise to prevent the dogs from attacking. He runs to his car, pursued by a pack of six dogs. Once in his car, he watches the dogs, recognizing their beauty and the raw, hungry fury in their eyes. He feels a deep sense of loss, unable to help or care for the puppies and the pack of dogs. The chapter ends with Marcos driving away, mentally saying goodbye to Jagger, Watts, Richards, and Wood.

Still reeling from the encounter with the puppies, Marcos returns home, missing the days when Koko and Pugliese would greet him. He reflects on how Koko found and cared for the malnourished Pugliese, forming a strong bond. The sky darkens with black clouds, but Marcos is oblivious until he realizes a storm is approaching. He heads to the barn to clean the female FGP, who is curled up and asleep.

Marcos gathers supplies to clean the female, including a bucket, soap, a rag, and an old comb left by Cecilia. The rain starts pouring as he walks to the barn, and he feels a deep connection to the wet earth and the memory of Pugliese playing in the rain. He gently wakes the female, who is terrified by the rain, and reassures her. He begins to wash her, moving slowly and carefully to avoid frightening her.

As he cleans her, Marcos becomes increasingly tender and attentive, noticing her physical features and the marks of her past suffering. He is moved by her fragility and the scent of jasmine that emanates from her. In a moment of vulnerability, he hugs her, and she remains still, looking at him with green eyes. Marcos, trembling, removes his jeans and stands naked, his breath quickening. Despite knowing the act is forbidden, he proceeds to kiss the brand on her forehead and stroke her neck, feeling a deep, conflicting emotion.

The chapter ends with Marcos hugging the female as the rain continues to pour, his actions driven by a mix of compassion and a forbidden desire. The scene highlights the moral and emotional turmoil he faces, as well as the dehumanizing nature of his job and the world he inhabits.

Covered in sweat despite the cool spring weather, Marcos stumbles to the kitchen for water. He turns on the TV, flipping through channels until he lands on an old news segment. The segment shows people vandalizing animal sculptures, such as the Wall Street Bull, and discusses similar incidents in museums, including the destruction of artworks like Klee’s Cat and Bird and Goya’s Cats Fighting. Marcos reflects on the experts’ indignation and the societal regression these acts represent. He turns off the TV, the images lingering in his mind, and thinks about the increasing presence of the Church of the Immolation, whose members disrupt the slaughterhouse’s operations.

Unable to sleep, Marcos contemplates the tasks ahead, including visits to the game reserve and the laboratory. His work has suffered, though Krieg hasn’t confronted him about it. He tries to calm himself by counting his breaths but is startled when he feels something touch him. Opening his eyes, he sees Jasmine, the female FGP, who has joined him on the sofa. He hugs her, calling her by name, and unties her, allowing her to move freely.

Jasmine, eight months pregnant, has grown accustomed to the house and its amenities. Initially terrified of the TV, she now finds the images fascinating. Marcos recounts how he patiently taught her to wear clothes, which she initially resisted by ripping and urinating on them. Over time, she understood their protective function and learned to dress herself. Jasmine points to the TV and laughs, and Marcos joins in, feeling her infectious joy. He runs his hand over her belly, noting her pregnancy, and the chapter ends with a sense of tenderness and connection between them.

Marcos starts his day by sharing mate with Jasmine, the female FGP he keeps at home. He reflects on how he gradually taught her to understand and use fire, a skill she once feared. After a final kiss, he locks her in the house and heads to the plant. On the way, his phone rings; it's Cecilia, who has been contacting him more frequently. Her calls make him anxious, especially since he cannot reveal the truth about Jasmine. He hurries to the plant, where Mari informs him that Krieg is dealing with a delegation from the Church of the Immolation.

In the meeting room, Marcos encounters a group of ten church members dressed in white tunics with shaved heads, led by a man in a red tunic. The spiritual master, Gastón Schafe, a seventy-year-old man, recites the church’s creed, emphasizing the belief that humans are the root of all evil and that their bodies should be used to feed others. Marcos ensures the necessary paperwork is in order, including a notarized document authorizing Gastón Schafe’s body for consumption. He recalls a previous incident where a young woman from the church panicked during her sacrifice, causing Mari to react strongly against the church’s practices.

The chapter delves into the history of the Church of the Immolation, detailing their fight for legal recognition and the government’s eventual agreement to legitimize their practices in exchange for tax breaks. Marcos explains that the meat from the sacrifices is given to the Scavengers, marginalized individuals who eagerly await the fresh meat. He prepares Gastón Schafe for the sacrifice, giving him a glass of water laced with a tranquilizer to ensure a calmer reaction. Marcos remembers the tragic fate of Claudia Ramos, a young woman who panicked and was killed by the Scavengers, leading him to start using tranquilizers.

Gastón Schafe, now slightly sedated, is guided through the plant to the box sector, where Sergio, the stunner, prepares to stun him. Despite his initial composure, Gastón Schafe trembles and is blindfolded. Sergio carefully shackles him and delivers a precise blow, rendering him unconscious. Two workers carry Gastón Schafe to the Scavenger sector, where he is quickly dismembered and consumed by the Scavengers. The chapter ends with Marcos reflecting on the need to increase the tranquilizer dosage to prevent future incidents.

Exhausted from a long day at the plant, Marcos returns home and heads straight for the shower to avoid Jasmine’s immediate affection. Jasmine greets him with a warm hug, and for a moment, he forgets the day’s events, including Gastón Schafe’s sacrifice and the paperwork with Mari. The room where Jasmine stays is meticulously arranged to ensure her safety, with mattresses on the floor and no furniture that could harm her. Since learning of her pregnancy, Marcos has taken extensive precautions, adapting the room to protect both Jasmine and the unborn child.

The house, once a place of broken words and accumulated sadness, has transformed since Jasmine’s arrival. It is now filled with her wild smell and her bright, silent laughter. Marcos goes into the room that was once Leo’s, which he has repainted white and furnished with handmade items to avoid arousing suspicion. He enjoys imagining the color he will paint the cot, deciding he will wait until the baby is born to make that choice. For the first few months, the baby will sleep by his side in a temporary cot, allowing him to monitor its breathing closely. Jasmine often accompanies him to the baby’s room, and he prefers her constant presence.

Marcos has installed locks on all the drawers in the house to prevent accidents. One day, he returned to find Jasmine had taken out all the knives and cut her hand, though it was only a superficial wound. After treating her and cleaning up, he bought her crayons and paper to keep her occupied. He also installed cameras connected to his phone so he can monitor her activities while he is at the plant. Jasmine spends her days watching television, sleeping, drawing, and sometimes staring at a fixed point, as if deep in thought.

Marcos visits Urlet, a wealthy and eccentric client, who is discussing the thrill of eating live flesh. Urlet describes the experience as a complex and precious organism expiring and becoming part of the consumer, an indissoluble union that fascinates him. Sitting in a dark wood armchair, surrounded by hunting trophies, Urlet drinks wine from an antique chalice, his long, neat nails creating a hypnotic and primitive aura.

In the dimly lit office, filled with old books and framed photographs of pre-Transition African hunts, Marcos struggles to gauge Urlet’s age, noting his vitality and timeless appearance. Urlet speaks in a measured, precise manner, addressing Marcos formally as 'cavaler.' Despite the formalities, Marcos feels a deep sense of disgust and discomfort, especially when Urlet’s nails graze his hand.

Urlet’s conversation turns to his preference for impregnated females, which are more expensive but offer a unique experience. He also mentions an innovative program where indebted celebrities can settle their debts by participating in a hunt at his game reserve. If they survive, their debts are canceled. Urlet sees this as a reflection of human complexity and the normalization of primitive acts.

Marcos, still troubled by the moral implications, follows Urlet to a large window overlooking the game reserve. Hunters are taking photos with their trophies, including an impregnated female and a famous rock star who has fallen into debt. The game reserve’s packaging service ensures the hunters can take their kills home, highlighting the grotesque commercialization of human hunting.

The chapter ends with Marcos feeling a magnetic and repulsive pull towards Urlet, despite his desire to return home to Jasmine. He watches as the hunters weigh and prepare their prey, with the rock star being the most valuable catch.

Leaving Urlet’s dark, candle-lit office, Marcos steps outside, only to be intercepted by Guerrero Iraola, a former supplier to the Krieg Processing Plant. Known for his large breeding center and dubious practices, Guerrero Iraola insists that Marcos join him and the other hunters for lunch. Despite his reluctance, Marcos is coerced into compliance, and Urlet’s assistants quickly prepare a place for him at the table. The hunters, now dressed in formal attire, gather in the dining room, where the table is set with elaborate dinnerware and candelabras.

During the meal, the conversation turns to the Lulú cabaret, a seedy club involved in human trafficking where clients can pay to eat the women they’ve slept with. Guerrero Iraola brags about a young virgin he paid ‘billions’ for, describing in graphic detail how he raped and then had her slaughtered. The hunters laugh and celebrate, but Marcos is deeply disturbed by the conversation. He tries to eat the candied vegetables, avoiding the ‘fresh fingers’ served as a starter. Urlet, noticing Marcos’s discomfort, reminds him to respect the ‘sacrifice’ being served.

The main course includes various parts of Ulises Vox, the rock star who participated in the hunt to settle his debts. Guerrero Iraola is served Ulises Vox’s penis, which he claims is an aphrodisiac. The hunters joke and laugh, but Marcos remains silent, thinking of Jasmine. The conversation shifts to the hunting of Ulises Vox, and Guerrero Iraola threatens the hunter, Lisandrito, to leave the next celebrity for him. The chapter ends with Marcos feeling a deep sense of disgust and a desperate desire to return home to Jasmine.

Still reeling from the disturbing lunch with Guerrero Iraola and the hunters, Marcos drives home, knowing he will be late. As he passes the abandoned zoo, he avoids stopping, haunted by memories of his last visit. On that visit, he discovered the puppies in the serpentarium, only to find a group of teenagers torturing them.

The teenagers had broken the glass and were using sticks to throw and beat the puppies. Marcos watched in horror as they killed three of the puppies, including one named Jagger, who managed to bite the hand of a teenager. This act of defiance initially amused the teenagers, but it soon turned to fear as they believed Jagger had infected them with the GGB virus.

One of the teenagers argued that the virus was a government lie, used to control overpopulation, poverty, and crime. They discussed a banned movie they had seen on the dark web, where people unknowingly ate each other. The teenager holding Jagger, now fearful and resentful, threw the puppy hard against the wall, leaving him alive but severely injured. Unable to watch any longer, Marcos left, feeling a mix of rage and helplessness.

Marcos reflects on his time at the Office of the Undersecretary for the Control of Domestic Head, where he drafted regulations before leaving due to low pay and his father’s declining health. Inspectors from the office occasionally visit his house to check on Jasmine, who was initially just a number in a registry and a problem. During the first visit, a young inspector suggested selling her, as she is an FGP and valuable, but Marcos was undecided.

El Gordo Pineda, Marcos’s former colleague, later called to inform him that future inspections would only require his signature. Marcos recalls a past case where a woman’s husband was keeping a female in a wooden box under the bed and engaging in illegal activities with her, leading to the husband’s execution and the female’s confiscation. The regulations strictly prohibit sexual activity with domestic head, and such acts are punishable by death.

A car horn awakens Marcos, and he finds an inspector at his door, insisting on seeing Jasmine. He tries to stall by offering mate and discussing El Gordo Pineda, but the inspector reveals that Pineda no longer works in the department. Marcos, fearing for Jasmine’s and his unborn child’s safety, calls El Gordo, who confirms that future inspections will indeed only require a signature. The inspector, now visibly suspicious, signs the form and leaves, but not before delivering a veiled threat.

Marcos reflects on the inspector’s honesty and his own past idealism, realizing that he has broken the very laws he once helped create. The chapter ends with Marcos feeling a mix of relief and guilt, aware that he can no longer rely on his former connections for protection.

After the inspector's car passes the gate, Marcos returns to his room and unties Jasmine, the female FGP he keeps at home. He hugs her tightly, placing his hand on her belly, finding solace in her presence despite the inspector's veiled threat. Marcos cries a little, and although Jasmine does not fully understand the depth of his emotions, she responds with a gentle touch to his face. This tender interaction highlights the deep bond that has formed between them, a rare moment of vulnerability and emotion for Marcos.

The chapter captures a moment of intimacy and mutual care, contrasting sharply with the harsh realities of Marcos's job and the world they inhabit. It underscores the emotional and psychological toll of Marcos's life, revealing the humanity he still retains. In a dehumanizing world, his connection with Jasmine provides a glimmer of hope and a reason to hold onto his humanity.

Still reeling from the inspector's visit, Marcos decides to spend his day off with Jasmine, the female FGP he keeps at home. He prepares some sandwiches, grabs a beer, and takes water for Jasmine, along with an old radio that once played music for his dogs, Koko and Pugliese. They settle under the tree where the dogs are buried, enjoying the shade and listening to instrumental jazz, including tracks by Miles Davis, Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie.

The music fills the air, and the sky above them shimmers a vast, clear blue. The leaves of the tree barely stir, and Jasmine leans silently against Marcos’s chest. When Thelonious Monk’s music begins, Marcos stands up and gently helps Jasmine to her feet. He holds her carefully and starts to dance, swaying slowly to the music. Initially, Jasmine is uncomfortable and unsure, but she soon relaxes and smiles, allowing herself to enjoy the moment.

They continue to dance, moving slowly even though the song is fast. The afternoon passes peacefully under the tree, and Marcos imagines that Koko and Pugliese are dancing with them. This moment of tenderness and connection provides a stark contrast to the harsh and dehumanizing aspects of Marcos’s life and work, highlighting the humanity and emotional depth he still possesses.

Still reeling from the peaceful afternoon with Jasmine, Marcos is jolted back to reality by a call from Nélida. She informs him that his father is in a critical state and needs him to come to the nursing home immediately. Despite his initial reluctance, Marcos knows the severity of the situation and agrees to go. He first takes Jasmine to her room, ensuring she has enough food and water for the day, and then calls Mari to inform her that he won’t be coming to the plant. He drives to the nursing home, speeding to avoid thinking about the inevitable.

On his way, Marcos lights a cigarette but starts coughing violently, eventually pulling over to the side of the highway. He rests his head on the steering wheel, trying to regain his composure. The entrance to the abandoned zoo catches his eye, and he impulsively decides to stop. He walks to the entrance, climbs onto the lintel arch, and pushes the broken and paint-stripped sign to the ground, symbolically erasing the zoo’s name. This act seems to provide a momentary release for his pent-up emotions.

At the nursing home, Nélida greets Marcos with a hug and leads him to his father’s room. The room is well-lit and orderly, with a photo of his mother holding him as a baby on the nightstand. His father lies in bed, his hands crossed over his chest, combed hair, and perfumed—clearly deceased. Nélida explains that he died in his sleep earlier that morning. Marcos touches his father’s cold hands, feeling a sense of estrangement and a growing heaviness in his chest.

Marcos moves to the window, where he sees a hummingbird hovering at eye level. For a few moments, the bird seems to watch him, and he wishes he could touch it. He interprets the hummingbird as a symbol of his father’s spirit, a moment of beauty and connection in the midst of his loss. The stone in his chest shifts, and he finally begins to cry, a mix of grief and a sense of his father’s release from the madness of their world.

Marcos leaves his father’s room and follows Nélida to her office, where she shuffles papers and takes sips of water, visibly nervous. Surprised by her unease, Marcos asks what the problem is. Nélida explains that she had to call his sister, Marisa, as per the nursing home’s rules, despite the potential for Marisa to cause a scene. Marcos, unusually direct and aggressive, agrees to the arrangements without his usual consolation, feeling a crushing exhaustion and a heavy stone in his chest.

Nélida informs Marcos that he must sign the consent form for cremation and attend the cremation to confirm it. She also mentions that Marisa has requested a farewell service, which legally she has the right to do. Marcos, though initially resistant, agrees to let Marisa handle the service, expressing his frustration and anger. Nélida tries to console him, reminding him of the importance of family, but Marcos is impatient and distant, signing the papers without further argument. He requests that his father be cremated immediately, and Nélida, though taken aback by his abruptness, complies.

Nélida explains the changes in funeral procedures post-Transition, noting that hearses are no longer used and that a regular car will transport his father. Marcos, familiar with these changes, is unresponsive to her explanations. Nélida, realizing her insensitivity, apologizes profusely, especially after Marcos’s comment about the risks of transporting the dead. The conversation highlights the emotional and physical toll the day has taken on Marcos, and Nélida’s attempts to connect with him are met with silence. She finally leaves him in the waiting room, offering him a drink before departing.

The chapter ends with Marcos sitting in the waiting room, reflecting on the day’s events and the cumulative weight of his losses. Nélida’s concern for his well-being is clear, but Marcos remains distant and weary, his mind preoccupied with the immediate task of seeing his father cremated and the broader issues of his life and the world he inhabits.

Marcos drives home with his father’s ashes in the car, his mind numb from the quick cremation process. Despite the lack of emotion he feels, a sense of relief lingers. He is aware that his sister, Marisa, has called multiple times, likely to discuss the farewell service, but he has not answered. Knowing Marisa’s determination to adhere to social conventions, Marcos anticipates she might come to his house to retrieve the ashes.

As night falls, Marcos finds himself driving past the abandoned zoo, a place of childhood memories. Impulsively, he pulls over and carries the urn with his father’s ashes to the aviary. Lying on the hanging bridge, he reminisces about the times his father taught him about birds and the beauty of flight, even in the face of falling. The memory of his father’s voice, soft and immense, brings a sense of warmth and nostalgia.

Marcos whistles 'Summertime,' a song his father loved, and recalls the joyous moments of his parents dancing and the family whistling together. Standing up, he removes the lid of the urn and scatters his father’s ashes from the bridge, saying a heartfelt goodbye. He then collects sand from the playground, filling the urn with it, including bits of rubbish, and places a cigarette butt inside before securing the lid.

Marcos leaves the zoo, carrying the urn filled with dirty sand, a personal act of defiance against the expectations and conventions of his sister and the world he inhabits.

Still reeling from the weight of his father’s ashes in the trunk, Marcos feels a growing heaviness in his chest. His sister, Marisa, calls again, her voice tinged with urgency. Impatiently, he puts the call on speaker. Marisa demands to know why she can’t see him and inquires about his well-being after their father’s death. Marcos responds tersely, saying he is fine. Marisa informs him that she plans to hold the farewell service at her home, which she believes is the most practical option. She asks Marcos to bring the urn to her today or tomorrow, emphasizing the inconvenience of the distance. Marcos firmly refuses, telling her he will bring the urn when he is ready. Marisa protests, but Marcos cuts her off, hanging up the call abruptly. The stone in his chest grows heavier, and he feels a mix of frustration and defiance. The chapter ends with Marcos driving home, the urn still in the trunk, and the unresolved tension with Marisa lingering.

Marcos returns home late, exhausted and emotionally drained, finding Jasmine asleep. Instead of entering her room, he heads to the kitchen for a bottle of whiskey and lies down in the hammock. The night is pitch-black, and the world seems silent and lifeless. He drinks heavily and eventually falls asleep.

The next morning, Marcos wakes up with a hangover, the sun glaring at him. He sits in the grass, his head throbbing, and looks up at the incandescent blue sky. Haunted by a vivid and disturbing dream from the night before, he recalls being transported to the aviary before the Transition. The stained glass image of Icarus comes to life and falls, but the aviary is eerily empty. Birds and butterflies are suspended in mid-air, vitrified. When he touches a hummingbird and a butterfly, they shatter and turn to dust. A nightingale, which he hesitates to touch, starts to cry out in hatred. Terrified, Marcos flees the aviary and finds the zoo in darkness, populated by countless versions of himself, all silent and motionless. Interacting with one of these versions causes the others to fall dead as he speaks to them.

The dream continues as Marcos runs through a forest where human body parts hang from the trees. He tries to save a baby, but it disappears or turns into black smoke. Another baby is covered in human ears, which stick to his skin and rip it when he tries to remove them. Overwhelmed by the horror, Marcos roars and cries out in a cacophony of animal sounds. When he opens his eyes, he screams, the blue sky still blinding him.

Still reeling from the previous night’s disturbing dream, Marcos prepares to leave for the Valka Laboratory. He brings Jasmine food and water, locks her in, and calls Krieg to inform him about his father’s death and his intention to visit the laboratory one last time before training someone else to take over. Krieg, understanding the gravity of the situation, agrees to the arrangement, albeit reluctantly.

At the laboratory, Marcos undergoes a series of security checks before meeting Dr. Valka, who greets him coolly and boasts about her recent prestigious award. Marcos remains indifferent, which surprises Dr. Valka, as he usually listens attentively to her monologues. Dr. Valka, oblivious to his disinterest, continues her usual tour, describing the horrific experiments conducted on the specimens. Marcos is visibly disturbed by the conditions and the cruelty of the experiments, feeling that the processing plant is more humane in comparison.

Dr. Valka shows Marcos a variety of experiments, including a heroin addict, specimens with apparatuses on their heads, and a room where a specimen’s chest is cut open to study a beating heart. Marcos’s growing sense of frustration and moral outrage becomes palpable, and he questions the point of an experiment involving sedated mothers and their infants, further frustrating Dr. Valka.

The tour continues to a room with caged animals, which Marcos suspects are a front for the laboratory’s true intentions. He questions the lack of progress in finding a cure for the GGB virus, which Dr. Valka avoids answering. In another room, strong male specimens are subjected to simulated car accidents to collect data for safer vehicle design. Marcos’s frustration deepens, and he feels no sympathy for Dr. Valka’s demands. After a confrontation with an incompetent assistant, Dr. Valka angrily dismisses Marcos, who leaves the laboratory with a sense of finality and relief.

Marcos is getting into his car when Cecilia calls, but the signal is poor, and the call cuts out. He drives for a while, then pulls over and dials her number again. Cecilia expresses her condolences about his father’s death, which Nélida informed her about. She offers to visit him, but Marcos declines, preferring to be alone. Cecilia asks if he will attend the farewell service, which Marisa is organizing. Marcos confirms that Marisa will handle it and declines Cecilia’s offer to attend. Cecilia mentions that she misses him, the first time she has said this since she left. Marcos remains silent, and Cecilia notes that he seems more distant. She suggests they talk when he is ready, and Marcos agrees to call her later. When he arrives home, he hugs Jasmine and whistles ‘Summertime’ into her ear, a song that holds personal significance for him.

Still reeling from the recent events and his sister Marisa’s incessant calls, Marcos prepares to attend the farewell service for his father. Before leaving, he showers with Jasmine to ensure she doesn’t hurt herself and sets up her room with food and water. He checks her pulse and blood pressure, reflecting on his makeshift medical setup and the lengths he has gone to care for her pregnancy. Dressed in a suit, he heads to Marisa’s house, where a crowd of guests carrying umbrellas greets him.

Upon arrival, Marisa immediately criticizes Marcos for not having an umbrella, a recurring point of contention between them. She takes the urn from him and places it in a transparent box, alongside a digital photo frame and party favors. Marcos notices that the photos have been manipulated to exclude him and his family. Feeling out of place among the guests, who discuss the dropping prices of special meat and the Indian market, he overhears a conversation about the technique of death by a thousand cuts, which Marisa claims to know about, despite her obvious lack of genuine interest or understanding.

Disgusted by the superficiality of the event and Marisa’s pretentiousness, Marcos notices a silver platter with a filleted arm in the dining room and recalls the cold room in Marisa’s house. Curious, he heads to the kitchen and finds a head without an arm in the cold room, along with a book titled 'Domestic Head: Your Guide to Death by a Thousand Cuts.' Realizing Marisa’s hypocrisy and the cruel nature of her actions, Marcos confronts her, calling her a hypocrite and accusing her of not truly caring for their father. His frustration reaches a boiling point, and he vents his anger.

Marisa, shocked and indignant, tries to stop Marcos from leaving, but he threatens to expose her neglect of their father. He grabs the urn and leaves, ignoring her pleas and the judgmental stares of the guests. As he drives away, he watches Marisa run back into the house, clutching the urn filled with dirty sand from the abandoned zoo.

Still reeling from the emotional weight of his father’s farewell service, Marcos receives a call from Mari, who urgently requests him to come to the plant due to a critical situation. Despite his desire to return home to Jasmine, who is in a delicate condition, Marcos agrees to go to the plant. As he drives, he encounters a catastrophic scene on the highway: a cage trailer has overturned, and Scavengers are brutally killing the head being transported to the processing plant.

Upon arriving at the plant, Marcos finds Mari, Krieg, and several employees witnessing the chaos. Mari informs him that the Scavengers have killed Luisito, the driver, who was trapped in the overturned truck. Krieg explains that the attack appears to have been planned, and they are concerned about future attacks. Krieg suggests calling the police, but also proposes a more drastic solution: poisoning the Scavengers with tainted meat to eliminate them.

Marcos, though internally conflicted, agrees to Krieg’s plan, suggesting they wait a few weeks until the Scavengers have consumed the stolen meat and are less suspicious. He also recommends having armed staff on duty for future truck arrivals. Krieg approves the plan, and Marcos leaves the plant, feeling a deep sense of detachment and a burning sensation in his chest, a metaphor for his growing moral and emotional turmoil.

As he drives away, Marcos sees the destroyed truck and the approaching police cars. Despite the violence and tragedy, he feels numb, unable to muster pity for the Scavengers or sorrow for Luisito’s death. The chapter ends with Marcos driving home, his mind consumed by the day’s events and the moral compromises he has made.

Rushing home from the plant, Marcos finds Jasmine in labor, showing signs of severe complications. Her nightgown is stained, and the mattress is soaked with a brownish green fluid, indicating a serious issue with the baby. Panicked, Marcos picks Jasmine up and moves her to his bed, then calls Cecilia for help, urging her to come immediately.

Cecilia arrives and is shocked to find a pregnant woman in Marcos’s bed. Despite her initial disgust and disbelief, she agrees to help when Marcos reveals that the baby is his. The labor is long and complicated, and Cecilia struggles to communicate with Jasmine, who is in pain and fear. Marcos, paralyzed by his own fear, can only repeat comforting words, unable to assist effectively.

After several hours, Cecilia manages to deliver the baby, a boy, who cries loudly. Marcos is overcome with emotion, holding his newborn son and feeling a sense of renewed hope. Cecilia, emotional and exhausted, helps clean and wrap the baby. However, Jasmine, now conscious, desperately tries to reach her son, but Marcos, determined to protect his son, drags her to the barn to slaughter her.

Cecilia, horrified, questions Marcos’s actions, but he remains resolute, explaining that Jasmine had the ‘human look of a domesticated animal.’ The chapter ends with Marcos dragging Jasmine’s body to the barn, leaving Cecilia to care for the newborn, and a sense of finality and moral ambiguity.