Ending of Chapter Two: Feeling an affinity with my childhood friend, Alice, who stepped through a looking glass into a world that made no sense but seemed familiar, I walked up to the door and watched it open. What I saw in the room took my breath away.
On the other side of the magically opening door, the hotel room greeted me with every detail I could ever ask for. Before I could absorb the perfectness, I saw the elderly man pick up my baggage and head back toward the door.
“Wait, where are you going with my baggage? I need that stuff!”
Shutting the door behind him, he said, “No, everything you need is in the room. You have been carrying this baggage around long enough. Your dinner is on the table by the window, and we will talk in the morning. Sleep well!”
Too tired to argue, I glanced at the small table by the window. Sure enough, dinner was waiting. and I wasn’t sure when I had last eaten. I sat down at the table, lifted the cover off the plate on the tray, and smiled at my favorite comfort food—macaroni and cheese. It wouldn’t be the first time that this meal had helped me through a difficult night. But how did the hotel know this?
Why am I thinking the hotel is a person?
As I began to eat, my eyes drifted around the room. It was certain that every detail had been carefully chosen and arranged. It was an interesting mixture of vintage memorabilia, cozy comfort, color, and charm. It was exactly what I had created for myself multiple times over the years. It was me. The room was me.
I noticed a wardrobe and dresser on the other side of the room. I understood, everything I needed was there. This room knew me perfectly and I would lack for nothing. Except understanding. Maybe the conversation in the morning would help me understand, for now, the most comfortable-looking bed in the entire world was calling me. I wasn’t sure how I could possibly sleep well after landing in a hotel and having the exit vanish, but I was certainly tired enough to do so.
Exact replicas of my favorite pajamas were in the drawer. I found everything I needed to quickly prepare for bed in the bathroom and then as I slid under the covers, I realized my phone was missing, along with my laptop. Apparently, that was part of the baggage the elderly man didn’t think I needed any longer.
I wanted to panic but couldn’t seem to muster the strength. I did miss my music though. And with that, my favorite instrumental music began to play from somewhere in the room as the lights dimmed and I fell into a deep sleep…. only to be awakened by a blinding light.