Hotel Candelabra: Chapters Nine and Ten
Two chapters today! Watch for new chapters every Monday and Friday!
Ending of Chapter Eight:
Alden’s voice broke through my wandering thoughts. “I didn’t mention that the rooms hold clues. The clues for this floor are in the tins. No one has been able to open them, but we are hopeful you can.”
I started to reach for the large Nabisco tin when Alden’s stopped my hand. “Not now, we still have one more floor to see. You can come back tomorrow. This is where you should begin.”
And with that, Alden turned and walked back to the elevator and my feet carefully followed his footsteps. As the elevator door closed, I looked for the pew, but it seemed to have vanished.
Day Two: Chapter Nine
Leaving thoughts of the vanishing pew behind, I listened as the elevator creaked to the next floor. I wondered why I had never noticed how loud the creaking was on previous rides. This time, I prepared myself to have no expectations except the table and the candelabra. My only hope was that the upper floor would be less chaotic.
It seemed to take unusually long for the elevator to reach the upper floor. Alden took advantage of the opportunity to return to his chatty self.
“I imagine you are more than a little confused by now.”
I nodded in agreement.
“You will probably need to return to The Flame and rest after we see this floor.”
I wondered if that meant the next floor would be as unnerving as the last or if I was simply tired. I realized it was likely lunchtime. My stomach rumbled in agreement. Maybe lunch and a nap would be on the agenda.
Alden was still talking, and I realized I was not paying attention. Picking up his words midstream, I heard him mention how 69—it seemed they were all identified by their numbers—had needed a long nap after her tour. At least we were on the same page.
Considering the names of the others, I asked, “Is my name 70 here? Is that what everyone will call me?”
Alden smiled. “You are really catching onto all this very quickly. You should be proud of yourself.”
I felt oddly proud of myself for making sense of things that made no sense. Suddenly, the elevator lurched to a stop and the door began to open—more slowly this time, or maybe it was my impatience to see what this room held. When the room came into full view, my hope that it would be less chaotic was fulfilled, but not in a good way.
Day Two: Chapter Ten
“Where is the table?!” I exclaimed. “Why can’t anything be normal?”
My voice echoed in the completely empty room. Well, not completely empty. The candelabra was there but was apparently floating in the air over an invisible table.
I watched as Alden stepped out of the elevator onto an invisible floor. Fully expecting him to vanish through the fog that hovered where the floor should be, I was surprised when he walked to the invisible table, sat down on an invisible chair, and motioned for me to follow.
Could this get any stranger?
I considered staying in the elevator and going back to The Flame but noticed the flickering candles on the candelabra and thought better of it. I carefully put one foot outside the elevator without fully committing. It appeared that I wouldn’t be walking on anything solid, but that I could float-step to the table. Was that a thing?
As I took another step, I saw Alden pat something invisible next to him and headed toward that destination, which I assumed would be an invisible chair. Sitting was even more frightening than walking. It occurred to me how much we trust that floors and chairs will hold us. Again, it was more of a float-sit, much like float-walking.
It felt much like Alice when she said that things just kept getting “curiouser and curiouser.”
As if reading my mind, Alden asked, “Do you feel like Alice when she fell down the rabbit hole?”
All I could do was nod yes.
He smiled and continued. “Everything is still here but you can't see it until you sit on the couch." As he said this, a bright blue couch materialized on the other side of the room.
This time he chucked before continuing, "I figured it would feel more comfortable to sit at the table since that was something you expected. Once you have adjusted a bit, I will lead you to the couch.”
Alden gave me a minute to adjust and then got up and float-walked to the couch. Following him across the invisible floor, I closed my eyes, and float-sat on the invisible couch. I was afraid to open them to look around the room.
Alden outright laughed this time before saying, “You need to open your eyes.”
I laughed in return and responded, “Do I have to?”
“Well,” he said, “the candles are burning.”
He was not wrong. Against my will, I opened my eyes.