Paradise Among Metal

Chapter 2

People began to appear among the dreary streets: colorless spirits who glared at her with pitch-black eyes, like Mara's existence was a disgrace to them all. Still, she pushed on.

Mara flew through the streets, blinded by her burning desire to escape this cold hell. She bumped into multiple people, causing them to fall to the ground and hiss a curse word at her, but Mara didn't care at all. She wouldn't care until she found a way out of Metal into Paradise.

Metal was shutting her down and driving her insane; Mara was still sane enough to think that. She had somehow fell down a rabbithole and ended up here, like a twisted version of Alice In Wonderland.

Alice In Wonderland...

Mara stopped for a moment and closed her eyes, trying to remember Alice In Wonderland. After a moment, she got an image.

For one second, the burning cold ceased, and Mara saw color in her mind. Color. At last. For one sweet, glorious second, she saw the old movie made by someone named Disney in full, flaming color. For one small, insignificant second, a heartbeat in time.

Then, the biting cold returned, and the movie faded into a black and white image, nothing more than a memory tainted by the cold Metal of this world. Either way, Mara smiled, before carrying on her mission out. She now had a relic to relish through her cold, tough journey. Things will get better, I can feel it...

She rushed on, but this time, she was something resembling sane. Mara knew she should look for color, as that would lead her out. Hopefully.

And color she found. Standing in front of her was a tall building a shade of chestnut. Color? In Metal? In fact, everything in the inside of the building was a shade of brown, like a sepia photograph.

Mara knew this was a key to Paradise. She entered the building.

A warm blast of air met her, sending the cold packing for just a moment, but it soon returned to root in her heart. The warmth was only at least a few degrees warmer than the initial Metal temperature, but still, it was something.

The sepia building was a hotel. The lobby was varying shades of terra cotta, with coffee-bean sofas and walls. Mara felt tears in her eyes. She found a little bit of color and warmth, even though it wasn't much.

A warm-looking light shone on the reception desk, where a man stood. Unlike the rest of the people that Mara had seen so far, he was sepia, and he greeted her with a kind smile.

"May I help you?" he asked in a sweet voice. It was the first time Mara had heard anyone speak in Metal, other than the hissy curses of the people in the streets.

Mara knew what she needed. She spoke aloud for the first time in Metal.

"Do you know how to get to Paradise?"

The man smiled at her, wist in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, but no one does. Once you are here, you are here, forever."

Mara stared at him, her hope fading. No way out...

"Everyone asks me that. But everyone has to stay. Eventually, you realize that there is no way out of here. Sure, there are some people who are insane enough to try and find Paradise, but most don't make it past the Perimeter." the man continued. Mara was confused.

"What is the Perimeter?" she asked. If she wanted to live in this cold land for the rest of her life, she was going to need all the information she could get.

"The land between here and Paradise. It is warmer, and color is more common there. It is really hard to reach, though."

Confidence blazed within Mara. She leaned across the counter, staring into the depths of his chestnut eyes.

"Tell me everything."

The man smiles, but it's less kind-hearted. "I already have, dear. There's not much to say about it."

"Oh." Mara's face fell. She picks at the sleeve of her hoodie, glum. The hope and confidence that had bubbled up in her was gone.

The man extended his arm and patted Mara's. "Would you like a room?" He asked.

Mara sighed, looking up at him. "Sure. I don't have any money, though."

"There is no money here," the man said, kneeling, opening a drawer and digging inside it. "Your kindness and determination is enough payment in Metal."

He withdrew a bronze key from the draw and stood up, bumping the drawer closed with his knee. He held it out to Mara.

"This is your room key. Your room is on the second floor, room 1."

"Thank you," Mara said, taking the key. It was warm, despite the fact that it was made of metal, like everything in that city. "Is there anybody else staying here? I think hotels are supposed to have more people in them."

She closed her eyes and dug through her memories. A minute later, a memory swirled through her mind. It was a melody.

"Welcome to the Hotel California,
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face."

It filled Mara with warmth, the temporary warmth of Paradise. Behind the melody, a song, she thought it was called, was a faint vision.

It was of another hotel, but this one had color. Color and people.

The song and vision disappeared just as quick as Alice In Wonderland did, leaving behind a yearning and the chill of Metal.

The man smiled with sadness at her again. "With the number of rooms, yes, I think hotels are supposed to have more people." He studied Mara with intensity. "You're the first person to come here in a long time."

Mara told the man that she was going to her room, and she climbed the staircase in the corner of the lobby. Using the elevator to go up one floor wasn't neccessary.

When she reached the next floor, a wooden door stood next to the staircase, labelled "Room 1". Mara inserted the key and twisted it. The door unlocked with a click.

The room inside was dusty and brown, like most of the hotel. It consisted of only a few things: a twin bed, pushed in the corner, a dresser and mirror, and a nightstand with a cup of tea on it. The single window was barred for some reason, and a lonely beam of sunlight streamed through it.

Mara picked up the cup of tea and sipped it. It was lukewarm, to her disappointment. She looked out the window, but all she could see was a light brown expanse. A light brown expanse of dust, accumulated on the outside of the window.

Despite the shabby hotel room and the layer of dust that covered everything, Mara felt just a bit more hopeful. She was still glum, but at least the hope was there.

She sat down on the floor and stroked the patch of sunlight, sipping her tea.

"Sunlight," Mara whispered in disbelief.

"Sunlight."

What will happen next? Stay tuned, and don't forget to comment, vote, and share! Thanks for reading!