{Contest Entry} Strings

Part One: Seto

My eyes were dry, yet also watery when I awoke from another troubled slumber. I sighed as I picked at the corners of my eyes and rubbed them in attempt to regain my vision. More tears pricked as I caused myself pain in these vain attempts. In defeat, I rose my head up from the soft, white pillow and threw back the covers. Life was horribly lonely in this empty apartment. Not even a pet to keep me company. Pets were like gold these days. The simplest animal could ward off the Melancholy for up to a year. I envied the rich's happiness.

~~~

I gazed at my horrible reflection in the mirror. My wavy brown hair was mussed and looked unkempt although I had just spent the last thirty minutes trying to tame it. I had given up my fruitless efforts and accepted defeat with open arms. My attire was nothing to gawk about either. Just a standard gray vest and white dress shirt with black slacks, standard attire for a guy who works at the front desk of a hotel.

I did nothing important. I took the names and credit cards of all who wished to stay at the Crafter's City Hotel and charged them the respected amount of money for their stays. We mostly got the rich and privileged as customers since they could pay to enjoy themselves. On occasion, I'd see the broken couples who try desperately to regain the lost love in their relationships but ultimately fail in their quests. I've seen it all pretty much, not that there is much to see in the first place, though.

~~~

Large, shining glass walls reflected the sun back down at the groundlings who trudged about on their daily duties, eyes pointed at the ground and heads hung down. I was probably the only one who cared to look up only because I was desperate for something that could break this curse. Deep down, underneath all the bleakness of my life and how nonchalant I seemed about everything, I cared. My passion for laughter, smiling, or happiness in general was a hunger that would never be satisfied by this dreary world.

I strolled up to the automatic glass doors and walked inside the white floored and walled lobby of the hotel. Modernization was key in this world. If everything was modern, there was a chance it could bring out some other emotion in our lives besides despair and melancholy. The soft music of a piano greeted my entrance as I glanced over at Tyler, my mutual friend of the lobby. He had brown hair like me but wore thick, black framed glasses and played the piano. His only lifeline to some form of gratification was his glass piano, fine tuned and melodical, courtesy of the hotel corporation.

"Good morning, Seto," he greeted me across the small trickle of people entering and leaving the lobby, his voice reverberating through the large room.

"Morning, Tyler," I replied as I went up to my post and sat down in the chair provided for me, starting to take on the first happy, rich couple of the day.