𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧
Ever have a night out go wrong? After a disastrous evening, Julian takes a taxi ride to nowhere, and wakes up in the Afterlife. Now he has to navigate the Afterlife legal...
He has gone away to live in that bright city He's preparing me a mansion there, I know
Alaina Hanks
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Julian gives Noel a shy glance after they leave the Soulmates Tea Room, not knowing what to say about their discovery. He doesn't really feel like discussing it out in the street, so he looks at his watch instead.
"I don't think we're going to make it back to the Hall of Mirrors in time to catch the bus," he says, clearing his throat slightly. "Should we get someone to call a taxi for us?"
"Why don't we just go to my hotel, The Rose and Star?" Noel says. "It's right on the next corner, on Celestial Avenue."
"Oh, I didn't realise it was that close," Julian says. "We could have gone to yours last night, we didn't have to keep going to my hotel."
"It doesn't matter," Noel says, taking Julian's hand as they cross the square. "I'd be happy wherever you are, and your hotel's really nice, anyway."
The Rose and Star sounds like an old-fashioned English pub, and Julian is gobsmacked when they arrive at an elegant hotel with white columns out the front, and a crest over the porch decorated with a white rose and a silver star. Two doormen in smart brown velvet uniforms snap to attention and open the big glass doors for them, ushering Noel and Julian inside.
Julian's jaw drops open at the opulence of the lobby, from the marble floor with its inlaid design of a rose and a star, to the crystal chandelier with star-shaped droplets hanging from a rose decoration on the ceiling.
There is a tall, slender blond man behind the front desk, so ridiculously handsome that Julian can't decide whether he looks like a fashion model, or the kind of pop star that makes girls scream so loud they never actually hear any of his music.
"Good evening, Mr Fielding," he says with a glittering smile. "It's nice to see you back, sir."
"Hi, Bobby," says Noel, giving a friendly wave. "This is Joo'n, my um ... my mate. He's staying with me tonight."
"Welcome to The Rose and Star, Mr Pettifer," says Bobby with a bow. "We are glad to have you as a guest this evening, sir. Please, avail yourself of the facilities, and phone me at the front desk should you require anything, anything at all."
"Oh, er, thank you," says Julian, rather nonplussed.
He follows Noel to the silver lift at the side of the lobby, its doors embossed with the rose and star design.
An elderly man in a brown velvet uniform says, "Good evening, Mr Fielding and Mr Pettifer. May I take you to your floor, gentlemen?"
"Thanks, Monty," Noel says, getting into the lift. "Penthouse, please."
"The penthouse?" Julian hisses in disbelief.
"Yeah, it's not rude or anything, like the magazine," Noel says. "It just means the top floor."
