| Lyrics to Hotel California by The Eagles The wind blew through Dana�s curly brown hair as she sped down the desert highway. What a pity to be leaving California so soon, she really liked it here. But, sometimes, you just have to do what has to be done. Sometimes you have to part with the things you love the most. What a shame, Cali was so nice� A glance at the clock revealed the time to be 11:30. Almost midnight, and she�d barely even noticed. That�s what you get for having a lot on your mind, huh? That�s what happens when you get distracted. After seeing the time, Dana became aware of how fatigued she was. She hadn�t slept since last night, and she�d been up at six this morning. She was running on about four hours sleep, which was actually more than she�d been getting these past few weeks. Sleep just wasn�t an option anymore. Driving tired wasn�t smart; she knew that. But what are the chances of finding a motel this late at night and in the middle of NOWHERE? She wondered. As if someone had heard her, a light appeared down the road from her. She continued until she reached a neon sign reading A hotel? Out here? Hmmm�must just be dumb luck. Dana reasoned. With how tired she was any place would do, even if it were one of those sleazy places with the magic finger beds. As she pulled into the parking lot, her jaw dropped in awe at the sight of the hotel. It was huge and looked years older than it was supposed to be. It was a huge adobe mansion, Spanish style leaking from every crevice. The Spanish moss clinging to the walls gave it a certain ambience, a feeling lacking in so many places Dana had seen. She pulled her bag from the trunk and trudged towards the front door. She moved to open it, when it opened itself. Dana gasped as a face met her. The face was gorgeous, like some kind of classic film star, framed by long, silky, black hair. The face smiled at her in a way that Dana couldn�t decide is she liked or not. The other woman raised her candle towards Dana�s face. �Oh, it�s you,� she smiled. �Well, come on in.� As she stepped across the threshold, Dana suddenly heard what sounded like a huge bell ringing. She jumped in surprise. �Oh, that�s just the bell on the old mission,� the other girl informed her. �It doesn�t ring that often anymore, but tonight�s important�� She turned and led Dana to the front desk. �Just sign in and we�ll get you a lovely room for the night.� Dana picked up the pen on the desk and signed her name in the book, then checked her watch and wrote the time, 11:47. �How much do you charge for the night?� Dana asked the girl. �Oh, don�t worry, you�ll have enough. We don�t ask for payment until you�re ready to leave.� �That�s�nice.� �You�ll be fine Dana, don�t worry.� �Wait, how�d you know my name?� Dana turned on the girl with fear in her eyes. �I saw you write it, silly,� the girl twirled around, her black skirt billowing around her. �I saw you write your name, and you don�t know mine yet. Guess it!� �What?� �Guess my name! Come on guess it. I�ll bet you can.� �I don�t know your name�.� �I�ll bet you do!� �No, I don�t, and I�m really not in the mood for games right now. I�m tired.� �But it�s so early. It�s not even midnight yet. And I won�t show you your room until you guess.� �Fine, your name is�Princess.� �Ohhhhh, I knew you�d guess it!� The black haired girl screeched as she threw her arms around Dana. �I knew you�d guess right, I just knew it.� She laughed. �I�m Princess.� Dana pushed Princess off, not amused. �I guessed your name, can I see my room?� �Of course, follow me,� Princess began walking up the stairs, and then turned and gestured with her finger. �Oh, and welcome to the Hotel California. Such a lovely place, such a lovely face.� Dana recognized the lyrics. �The Eagles, right?� she asked as she followed Princess up the stairs. �What�oh yes, the eagles fly around and around. We don�t have them in here we only have guests. And we have so many guests tonight. You�re the third person who�s checked in this evening. We�re busy.� Princess began walking down the corridor. �You don�t get much business around here I guess.� �Oh, no, we�re almost always close to full, but most people stay for a long time. We don�t usually have three new arrivals in one night.� �Well, I guess that�s good for the owners.� �Oh, that�s right!� Princess suddenly stopped and laughed. �He�ll want to meet you tonight. In his room. It�s downstairs.� �Oh�well, I�m not sure�� �Oh, it�s not for anything like that. He wants you to come down for dinner with the rest of the guests. It�s the feast, that�s why it�s a special night.� Princess began walking again, finally stopping when she reached the last door in the hallway. �I�m afraid we�re a bit short on rooms, so you�ll have to share with one of our regulars. I�m sure they�ll be no problems.� She opened the door and ushered Dana in. �The feast begins half an hour before sunrise. Make sure you�re there.� She set down her candle on the dressing table, then smiled one last time at Dana. After that, Princess left. Dana closed the door and exhaled loudly. �Wow, desert weather must fry the brain.� �So you�ve met Princess, huh?� the southern drawl asked from the darkness. �Oh, I�m sorry,� Dana called back. �I�m Dana.� A man of around 25 stepped into the candlelight. �Nick, a pleasure to meet you,� he extended his hand. A smile crossed his face, framed by strands of his dirty blonde hair, cut short in the back but left a bit longer in front, leaving a layer to cup his face. �Likewise. I�m Dana,� she replied, extending her hand and expecting him to shake it. Instead, he turned it so the palm was facing down, and then kissed the back of her hand. �No, trust me, the pleasure is all mine.� Nick replied before releasing her hand, gazing at her with intense green eyes. �What brings you to the Hotel California?� �Extreme fatigue.� Dana paced towards the bed, and then fell forward onto it. �Long day?� �Long week, long month, long everything,� Dana responded, exasperated. �My life is so horribly repetitive it�s sickening.� �What do you do?� Nick asked, leaning against the wall next to the window, the moonlight illuminating one half of his face, accentuating the stubble on his chin. �That�s just it, I don�t really do anything. My job seems to consist of going to work and signing papers all day. It�s not exactly what I dreamed of as a girl.� �Well, what did you dream of?� Dana rolled over onto her back. �Well, I guess I had the same dream that every little girl did. I dreamed that someday, someone would find me and tell me I was actually a lost princess, and they�d take me away to a world where I�d never have any worries, or cares or anything.� She stopped, blushing as she realized she�d just said this to a complete stranger. �And then I grew up.� �Growing up is hard on a person,� Nick sighed as he turned towards the window. �It�s so hard, some people choose not to do it. Like Princess, you know? I�m not sure if that�s really the solution. But, I guess it was for her. She�s apparently very happy in her dementia. It�s like that song, I think it�s one by the Eagles, �Her mind is Tiffany twisted�?� �Quite appropriately the song is �Hotel California�,� Dana responded, and then paused. �I was thinking of that song earlier, something she said to me.� ��Such a lovely place, such a lovely face�?� �Yes, that was it.� ��Living it up at the Hotel California. Anytime of year, you can find us here,�� Nick turned back to Dana. �I�d better leave you alone. You need sleep.� �Where are you going?� �To the courtyard. It�s a lovely night. I think the rest of them are already out there.� �The rest of who?� �The other regulars,� Nick smiled at Dana as he opened the door. �I�ll see you later.� He smiled at her as he left the room. As soon as the door was shut again, Dana settled herself into a comfortable position and drifted off to sleep. |
| Hotel California Est. 1959 |