Hotel Millennium

Zayden

There was way too much white in here. The medical room they had discovered on their way was a torrent of tube lights, sophisticated tools, tablets, medicines, and packages. A lot of packages. Zayden could practically feel the plastic all over his body—or maybe he was just itchy because of his filthy clothes? Fortunately for him, Juliette appeared to be well-versed in the use of the majority of the machinery present. She was aware of the proper tonics and their recommended dosages. Zayden could hear her muttering about some side effects and how it was always best to be cautious with these things as she poured a dark brown liquid into a beaker. He had made the mistake of asking her why she was mixing chemicals when they already had so many medicines; in response, she simply lectured him on the fact that they were not synthetic chemicals and that herbal medicine is always the most effective option.

He sighed as he tried to ignore her technical argument and resumed scanning his surroundings. The room did not fit in with the overall atmosphere of the hotel. It was not golden. It was not decorated with cream-colored flowers. It didn't have the smell of new fabric and scented candles. Even the room where he awoke was accented with copper-yellow, despite the fact that it was all shades of purple with mahogany furniture. He hadn't had the time to properly examine the room yet, but in his short time there, he had noticed its finery and the huge stacks of notepads, canvases, and chart papers. He had not paid much attention to the paintings and sketches that adorned one corner of the room because the entire hotel was decorated with such paintings, but his room was more artsy than regal in design. Was art just the theme of each room? He didn't think so. Why would the rooms be any different in a setting where dining tables, chairs, cushions, doors, windows, and curtains all followed a specific theme? He was curious if Juliette and the dark-haired maniac had similar rooms as well. 

"Juliette?" He called out, fiddling with a roll of bandages in his finger. "What kind of room did you wake up in?"

"Why do you ask?" She didn't turn to look at him. Her entire attention was focused on the medicine cabinet next to her and the fluids in her hand.

"No reason." Zayden shrugged.

"Well, if I remember correctly, then it was sky blue, I think." A faint smile bloomed on her lips as she told him the color. "The white and blue reminded me of the clouds, the clear skies, and..." She bit her bottom lip nervously, "Hope."

Zayden gave her another look before discarding the roll wrapped around his fingers. Her beautiful blonde hair dangled in her face, causing her to sigh and repeatedly push it behind her ear. He noticed a few creases on her flawless brow as she worked on a tonic. Her blue eyes didn't budge from their position as she worked. "I got these clothes from the wardrobe there, actually." She spoke abruptly, causing Zayden to blink and redirect his attention. "And... I do remember skylights and a balcony. And I definitely remember the swing."

"Wow." Zayden responded, but it was not because of the facilities in her room, but because of how she discussed it. She was in complete awe of that place. And, while the unrecognition bit him, Zayden had not despised his room either. It had been a blend of art and structure, which could have easily passed for an art studio had it not been for the fine furniture and computers. The most magnificent part of the—

"Wait a minute!" Zayden exclaimed as he shakily got off the bed, making him wince, "Why is it that we have different rooms?"

"Oh, for God's sake, Zayden, enough with the rooms!" Juliette scoffed, "Why does it matter so much to you?"

"Because, Juliette, there is a chance we would have loved those details had we known more about ourselves. You said it yourself—you're fond of that place. And I feel that—that maybe I don't hate mine either." Juliette simply looked at him incredulously after hearing that. She emptied the contents of the beaker she was using and began preparing another one for Zayden. "I know I don't sound like I'm in my right mind, but let's face it, we don't even have our minds to begin with."

"Okay." Juliette sighed, "Okay. I'll take you up on that theory. Since you don't believe that there is a possibility we simply like the decorations there, you're saying that those rooms have been designed for us?"

"Maybe." Zayden felt embarrassed. However much he thought about it, he knew he would never like Juliette's room the way she does. Yes, the skylight, the balcony, and the swing are all fine, but they didn't speak to him the way that his did. He could practically feel the brilliant pop of colors come to life around him there. Even if the place smelt like fresh paint, it was easier to breathe. He refused to believe that her fascination with clouds and his with paint were mere coincidences.

"Can you hear yourself, Zayden?" Juliette scowled, "You're insane."

"How do you justify the wardrobe there, Juliette?" Zayden questioned, "It just happened to have clothes that would fit you? Did mine just happen to have clothes that would fit me?"

She stopped stirring as the realization dawned on her. Zayden's eyes gleamed with triumph. "They have been prepared for us." She spoke almost to herself.

"How do you know they didn't belong to us in the first place?" Zayden countered,

"Do you think we lived in this place?"

Even though everything added up, he knew the answer to her question was not rational. "No. I don't think I've ever been here. In my whole life."

She nodded. Juliette finally set the stirrer aside and urged him to drink from the beaker. The drink smelled so bad, Zayden would have puked right there had he not been warned. He reluctantly held the beaker in his hands and made a disgusted face before swallowing its contents. Then she bandaged his forehead, hands, and leg wounds and repeated the process for herself. She reached for a dull white tote bag and filled it with all kinds of medicinal supplies, including bandages, her leftover herbal tonic, some pills, and a pink syrup.

"Are we planning to leave the hotel?" Zayden asked her, pointing at the tote bag, "Because we can come back here, you know."

"No, it's not that." She pursed her lips. "I wanted to have these handy, just in case—just in case we come across him again."

Zayden already knew who "him" was for. She was talking about the uncontrollable beast up in the billiards room. Zayden knew secondhand how he was feeling. He understood why that guy had suddenly attacked him. However, he might not make it through this—whatever it was—because of his rage. In all honesty, Zayden was not sure he would make it out of this either, but he was prepared to comply and go to any lengths in order to escape. The other guy wasn't even willing to try. For such people, violence is the answer to every problem. Perhaps Zayden made a mistake in judgment. Perhaps it will take him a day or two to realize what is happening and change his mind. But at that moment, all Zayden could see was red when he thought of him.

"Look, I know what you are thinking." Juliette let out a long breath, rubbing a hand through her hair. "He's unbelievably churlish, and I don't think he'll even accept my help if I offer it, but we are the only ones who can understand how he feels, and I can't go on if I let him bleed to death."

Zayden began to respect Juliette for her generosity. First, she had assisted him in tending to his injuries, despite his never having requested it. And now, she was willing to help someone who had been nothing but disrespectful to her. His gaze swept over her skylit eyes and sunshine hair again, giving her a tiny smile. "Come on, we have more rooms to sweep through." Zayden scrambled out of bed and pointed towards the door. "We've already wasted too much time here. We've still got to test my room theory. Maybe along the way we'll find someone else in this place. And maybe you'll get to play nurse if we find him."

Juliette rolled her eyes as she walked towards the door. "I don't play nurse. I am a doctor."

"Oh, yeah?" Zayden smirked, "How do you know?"

"I must have been, since I am such an expert at healing. All nurses do is put patients to sleep and get them water to drink. You're not asleep. And as far as I am concerned, I didn't give you any water." She pouted gleefully and strode away.

If you think that, then you are definitely not a doctor. He couldn't bring himself to add the obvious there... because that was the first time he had genuinely seen her smile.