a gent of good intent who's content to be ( OPEN )

[checkingin]

Who: Everyone!
Where: The initial arrival rooms, the main lobby, all over the place.
When: March 3rd
What: Welcome, newbies.

ARRIVAL.

you wake up when you hit the floor in a dark room, and the air is knocked out of your lungs. the carpet is threadbare, worn with use, kind of dusty. and you're not the first person to endure this crash landing. nor will you be the last.

once your vision rights itself, you can see the well-lit hallway through the doorjam straight ahead of you. not to say there’s monsters in the shadows, but something propels you towards that door and out into the bright hallway beyond.

and once outside your room, you can hear it: the steady thrum of rain outside.

MAIN LOBBY.

there's a staircase at the end of the lengthy hallway you tumble out of. grab your suitcase and follow the dull green exit signs on the ceiling until you reach the disappointingly bland stairs that lead you down to the ornate old fashion hotel lobby.

to your left is a warmly crackling fireplace, to your right is a lobby desk. straight ahead are three large sets of doors, though only one of them is open to the public. and outside the few (curtained, permanently dark) windows is the continually steady hiss of rain. once you leave the hallway you wake up in, you won't be able to return.

welcome to the hotel.

FRONT DESK.

though there is a bell and a plaque designating the desk to be the main desk, the customer service desk, there are currently no staff members behind it. none shall answer your calls, either.

terribly sorry for the inconvenience.

SCREENING ROOM.

on a long pull-down screen, a silent version of the phantom carriage will be playing on loop. at the back of the room, between the neat rows of fold out chairs, mounted on a wobbly table is the old-timey projector, and mounted on the walls are some rather old speakers that warble out "terrifying" old music.

along the curtained windows is another long table, with a large bowl of popcorn and a large hot drink dispenser full of hot water, but without any tea or hot chocolate packets around.

OTHER.

the ballroom is currently closed, and the grand doors locked.

there is no main door leading to the outside, good luck trying to find one.

the doors to the courtyard and breakfast hall are unlocked, but looks like you've missed the morning meal. sucks for you.

ROOMS.

you've a room key with your assigned room number on it. all the new guest residences will be located on floors three and four. while there is an open elevator in the main lobby, and the buttons light up inside, the doors will not close. all in all, you'll be better off taking the stairs.

while they're the same stairs you undoubtedly came down to get to the lobby, the door to the endless hall everyone woke up in will not reappear between the main floor and the subsequent residential halls.

there are twenty rooms per floor. feel free to get to know your surroundings; or your neighbors as they trickle in around you.

EXISTING GUESTS.

it's late when the newcomers arrive, there's a good chance you'd been about to go to sleep (or just waking up, who knows, your mom's not here to tell you when to go to bed or get up). but if you're paying attention, you might hear the hustle and bustle in the lobby below; or maybe you're just drawn there because your gut told you to go join the commotion. whatever the case may be, go mingle!

Comments

[lifewithoutrest]

[A nod.] That seems to be standard.

It's going to take a while for that to fully heal. I want to take it easy for a few weeks at least. [She doesn't tell him he's lucky, even if he is. It's something she doesn't think he wants to hear.] I think it should be safe enough. You've lost a lot of blood; I imagine you're exhausted.

I'll want to keep an eye on that, make certain it doesn't get infected.

[She'll be quite insistent about that.]

Let's get you settled. You need to rest.

[ingrantitude]

You ever think about what it means to be immortal? Or to think you are, then somebody comes along and stabs you in the back...

[His eyes are wet but he's not crying (no, not that he'll admit not that anyone can see).

Even if it's true.]

I had a woman with me. She's...she's not here?

[lifewithoutrest]

I think about it far more often than I would like. It isn't as wonderful as some might think.

[It's a soft admission, and she isn't quite sure why she answers so honestly. She isn't immortal, but in some ways she might as well be, and the question is unexpected coming from this man, a stranger she'd found bleeding on a staircase.

A part of her wants to ask who stabbed him in the back, but the more sensible side of her knows it's probably not in his best interest. What he needs currently is rest.]

I'm afraid I wouldn't know. If she didn't arrive with you, it's possible she came with the first group of arrivals, but I'd have to know who I'm looking for.

[ingrantitude]

No.

[There's real terror in his voice for half a heartbeat.] I hurt her and she hurt me. We're done.

[He laughs sadly before trying to climb to his feet.] I just wanted to help her, I did, it's only fair. Only fair...

[It'll just devolve into mumbling from there]

[lifewithoutrest]

[Well, it seems she has her answer.]

All right.

[She reaches for his arm, her touch light, and if he insists on trying to stand anyway, she'll help support him. Fortunately, she's somewhat stronger than she looks.]

We don't have to find her. But you need to be careful.