"You're doing what?!" The hotel owner said, slamming his fist down onto the table. Mara grabbed her water glass to stop it from falling off the table.
"We're going to Paradise," Emerson replied, running his fingers through his hair. It was a frequent habit of his. "No matter if you like it or not."
"It's impossible! You'll never get there! No one ever has gotten there!"
"You don't know that," Mara said, "Maybe someone has made it and the reason no one knows is because they're there and they don't want to come back."
The hotel owner opened his mouth to reply.
"You just don't have much hope that someone's made it," Mara continued, glaring into the hotel owner's eyes. "You're afraid to hope, aren't you? You're afraid that your spirits will be crushed if you find out you can't leave."
The hotel owner shut his mouth.
Jacob smirked, his mouth full of cardboard waffles, the staple breakfast food of Metal City.
"You got him, Mara."
The hotel owner studied his plate of cardboard waffles, at loss for words. Mara and the two boys watched him, waiting for him to say something.
After a moment, he lifted his head, pushing his glasses up his nose.
"Alright, Mara, I am afraid. I am afraid of getting my hopes up. But it's not just that." He took a deep breath. "I'm afraid of loneliness. I've seen the loneliness and despair of the people here. When I arrived here, I promised myself to be above those soulless people. I promised myself to be a good person, despite my flaws. As soon as I promised myself that, I looked down and noticed that I was made of shades of brown, rather than the black and white tones of the typical Metal person. Ever since, I've built this hotel, trying to offer a place for the ones who haven't given in to the eternal gloom of Metal. It's reassuring how people come by, even though this is the land of the damned. Only people who have at least a scrap of hope come by, since they're the only ones here that can see some color. Everytime someone comes, I always hope that they stay to keep me company."
The hotel owner sighed. For a moment, he seemed to lose his color.
"But they always leave me, looking for Paradise."
The three teenagers were silent. The hotel owner looked so sad, staring down into his water glass and cardboard waffles.
Mara reached out and patted the hotel owner's back, feeling awkward.
"I'm sorry."
The man sighed, looking up at her.
"It's alright. I'll get over it eventually. I know everyone will leave, eventually. Nothing's permanent, except for our damnation, it seems."
"Hey," Jacob began, sipping his water. "I know this is kind of cliché and all of that, but I promise to you that if we make it to Paradise, we'll come back. We'll come back and take you to Paradise to us." He cast a sideways glance at Emerson and Mara. "Right, guys?"
"Right." Mara said, nodding. Emerson also gave a small nod, touching his hair.
The hotel owner perked up.
"Really? You'll come back for me?"
"Who wouldn't come back for you?" Emerson replied. "You're the kindest dude in this entire city. You deserve Paradise."
The hotel owner sprang out of his chair, smiling.
"Thank you! Oh my gosh!"
For a moment, he seemed to glow with color and...life. He went around the table, shaking the teenagers' hands with enthusiasm.
"I hope to make it up to you one day!" The hotel owner said, beaming.
His joyful demeanor slipped away, and his smile faded. The sorrow in his eyes returned.
"However...you all probably won't make it past the Perimeter."
"What is the Perimeter anyways?" Mara asked. "I've heard about it. What exactly is it?"
"It's the place between Paradise and Metal," the hotel owner explained. "There's a bit more color there, it's a bit warmer, and the people are much nicer. There's also a town of lost souls who got lost on their way to Paradise, and there's also a large hospital. You can't miss it." His brow furrowed. "Stay away from that hospital. It's evil. The people there...some of the most evil people in this dimension."
"Dimension?" Mara asked.
"It's complicated," Jacob replied. "You wouldn't understand unless you can fully remember Paradise."
"But I'm pretty sure he doesn't remember Paradise!" Mara said, pointing to the hotel owner.
The hotel owner shrugged. "I remember more that the average Metal person."
"So, we said we were going to leave after breakfast, and we all appear to be done," Emerson said, gesturing to everyone's empty plates.
"I'll clean up, since I'm the host." The hotel man piled up everyone's plates and water glasses and carried them to the kitchen.
He returned with three black-and-white drawstring backpacks. He held them out to the three teenagers.
"Here, some supplies for the road, since I don't know if you all will be going through the city or country. I've included a water bottle, which you can refill anywhere since dirty water doesn't affect us, a few Meals Of Misery, enough to last a week, a map of Metal, some extra clothes, a journal and pen, since you never know when you'll need it, some gold coins for bartering, a knife for self-defense and many other purposes, and a toiletry kit."
"Thank you," Mara said, slipping it on her back. It was lighter than it sounded, given all the things the hotel owner said he put in there.
"Thank you, sir, for your hospitality. See you later." Jacob said, bowing and heading towards the front door. Mara and Emerson followed.
"Wait!"
The trio turned around.
"Don't go out the front door! In some places, it's bad luck to leave someplace out the front door for a long time. Some say if you do, you never return."
The hotel owner was gesturing like a madman. It seemed like he believed in that superstition.
"And?" Jacob said, raising an eyebrow.
"Everyone else who left for Paradise went through the front door." The hotel owner extended his hand towards the back of the hotel. "I'll show you the back door."
They followed the man to the back of the hotel, where a simple door stood. Through a window, Mara could see a gray cobblestone pathway that wound its way through a garden of asphodel. The city rose around it.
The hotel owner opened the door, and Emerson and Jacob left the hotel after thanking him and saying goodbye.
Mara turned to the hotel owner, halfway out the door.
"Thank you for letting us stay. It was a pleasure to meet you."
"Anytime," the hotel owner said with a smile. Mara could see tears in his eyes.
"What's your name?"
"Call me Errid."
Errid waved his hand towards Emerson and Jacob, who were halfway down the path.
"Now go, hopeful children. Go!"
Mara shook his hand and sprinted down the path towards the two boys retreating in the distance. The freezing wind whipped her long locks around her, and she shivered.
Dang. I forgot how cold it was out here, without any color.
She managed to catch up to Jacob and Emerson, panting.
"What took you so long?" Emerson asked, looking at her with curiosity.
"His name's Errid," Mara replied.
"That didn't answer my que-"
"Look!" Jacob interrupted, pointing to a space between a building. "The sky's blue!"
The three teenagers flew down the path at breakneck speed, towards the sliver of blue sky in front of them.
Where will the color blue lead them? Stay tuned! Comments, votes, and shares are appreciated. Thanks for reading!