The Graveyard Hotel

It was only my second day here and the Amulet Rosette had already proved to be better than any luxury hotel I could have ever imagined.

Adjacent from the fountain I had passed on my arrival, there was an outdoor floral garden that felt like a secret oasis. Peaceful and tranquil. There was a path made from smooth cobblestone that went around the perimeter of the hotel. Each stone was as unique as the people who stayed here. When I felt that I had explored every part of the Amulet Rosette, there was yet another part to be explored.

There were no restrictions on where invitees were allowed to roam on hotel grounds. In fact, we were encouraged to explore and use the hotel as though it were our own.

People strolled through the halls at all hours of the night. On my own strolls down the halls, I saw people lounging and conversing in the grand ballroom. I saw people as far as the furthest ends of the floral garden among the roses and calla lilies and every flower you could imagine in a garden.

And yet I never saw anyone walk past the front gates. The only one who ever crossed through them was Corvus. And it was when he brought them in. Never to leave.

When I tried to peer beyond the iron gates, I could only see the edge of the dirt road. Anything beyond that was always shrouded in a dense fog. The same fog I saw on the carriage ride here. But unlike the fog I witnessed then, this fog never cleared. No matter the time of day, there was always a thickly dense fog that kept whatever lay beyond the gates of the Amulet Rosette perfectly hidden.

After an almost entire afternoon exploring outside from the floral garden to the hotel's furthest edges, I made my way back inside.

Hermes stood at the entrance to the lobby and politely nodded at me. "Good evening, Hazel. I do hope you will join the others for a feast this evening in our grand ball room."

I paused in my tracks, instantly intrigued. A grand complementary dinner at a luxury hotel sounded beyond amazing! "What time?"

A calm shone in Hermes eyes. "There is no time, Hazel. You will just know."

I made my way back to my room thinking of the sorts of foods they might serve at this dinner.

I sat in my room and waited. Waiting for a dinner in which no time was given felt strange. The only specific time that ever existed was the mention of the chauffeur, Corvus's arrival.

My eyes moved across the room, from one side of the wall to the other and to the dresser. I never understood why there was a dresser if we weren't allowed to bring our possessions with us.

There was no clock to be found. I closed my eyes and listened carefully but couldn't hear even the slightest sound of the ticking hands of a clock. I paused in deep reflection as I swore never seeing one clock in the entirety of this hotel. Not even in the lobby.

It was almost as if time at the Amulet Rosette didn't exist. But how could a hotel function without time?

My attention moved back to the dresser. I never opened its drawers since my arrival but now I was curious. I walked over and pulled open one of the drawers expecting to see an unimpressive empty drawer.

Instead, my eyes widened in wonder. There, neatly folded in the drawer was a sleek emerald green dress. Underneath that was another dress. This one a dark purple. I pulled it out of the dresser without so much as a second thought. It was absolute gorgeous! But what was it doing here? Had the previous guest left it behind? But if no one ever left the Amulet Rosette, how was that possible? What was even more impossible was that these dresses and every attire I found in the drawers felt perfect for me.

Well so far that is. I just needed to try them on. Oh it would be a dream if they did fit! I could pick one to wear to the dinner!

I slipped the emerald green dress on first. The fabric felt pleasant against my skin just meeting my knees. I looked around for a mirror but just like the clock I searched for, I couldn't find any.

How was a hotel without mirrors possible?

My thoughts were interrupted by a multitude of footsteps as they calmly moved down the hall in the direction of the lobby.

Still wearing the green dress, I peeked my head out the doorway as people walked by. They moved in such a way that I knew they were all on their way to the same place.

Hermes reassuring words resurfaced.

You will just know.

They all had to be going to the dinner.

I began to make my way down the hall moving along with the crowd. My gaze wandered ahead and I saw a familiar face.

Clarissa.

I picked up my pace so that I was walking next to her.

"Are you going to the dinner too?" I asked despite the obvious.

Clarissa startled slightly at my sudden appearance but immediately smiled. "I should probably enjoy this dinner as much as I can and indulge. Who knows how long I'll stay here," Clarissa smiled. "For all I know, I could be going home tomorrow."

I didn't reply. The way she was so confident that she was leaving the hotel any day made me uneasy. Hadn't she ever noticed that no one ever left?