The hotel on 74

Chapter three part one - The lion the witch and the elevator

Kenzi pov
" psst! Kenzi? Are you awake?"

" well I am now!"
If you must know I have actually been awake for quite a while, but Ellie doesn't need to know that. We are talking in whispers as who knows what time it is. All I know is that it is dark outside. I forfeited my bed so I sleep on the ground while Ellie is in my big comfy bed.
The silence continues for a little bit before it is once again pierced by Ellie.

" I'm bored." I roll my eyes even though no one would see it, many that was for the best.
I hear the rustle of sheets as Ellie sits up and peers out the window.

" wow." My curiosity is peeked and I ask what it is she's wowing at. I get no reply so I jump up on the bed and look out the window.

" wow." What I saw was the hotel that was being built this morning. It seemed to have finished the lobby and first floor.

" that was quick." Ellie states.

" that was more then fast Ellie that was not normal and weird. Possibly magic." I hop down from the bed and check the time on my glowing bed side clock.
2:61
My eyes slide over it then snap back, I don't believe it.

" Ellie look at the time"
She turned to face me with a question on her face.
" why am I- "

" just, just look." She turns and stares at the impossible time.

" Kenzi, something weirdo going on." She reaches out and touches my arm as she says this. I ignore her and turn to walk out the door, still in my onesie.

" wait! Kenzi where are you going?" She hisses at me.

" where do you think?" I point out the window at the hotel. " the times wrong and that was built way to fast. It's got be connected somehow. And I am not letting something like this slide. I am getting to the bottom of this."

Ellie considers me for a moment before she sighs and slips out of bed.

" fine, but I'm coming with you!"
I grin and turn, walking towards the front door.

Ellie and I must look quite a site. Creeping along in the dark of very early morning, me in my blue unicorn onesie and Ellie in her pink one. It is the time when nothing stirs and all is silent and still. Everything seems to sleep yet a single light shines out of the hotel window. Out of habit I had slipped my ring on my finger, I think Ellie did the same. Both of us were bare foot and my feet were getting cold. But curiosity urged my onwards towards the tall wood door.

After what seemed like centuries of creeping forwards Ellie behind me we reached the door step of the new hotel. I studied the door. it was big and made of dark wood, above the door there was a stone carving of an open book. As I looked closer I saw things moving across the pages as if they were alive. I had to tare my eyes away from these figures and when I looked back, it was as still as stone. For that is what it was, I told myself, it was nothing but stone and your eyes playing trickles on you.

I looked back at Ellie who was staring at me strangely.
" what?" I asked in a whisper.
" no-nothing, aren't you going to open it?" She snapped out of her strange mood and became Ellie once more.
" sure, sure. I'll do it. Or should I knock first?"
" knock is the polite thing to do and knowing you you will knock." I poke out my tongue which relived some of my jingling nerves. Some, not all.

I raised my shaking hand and brought it down on the wood. Except my closed fist never reached the door. It swung in wards seemingly on it own accord. That freaked me out alright. If I wasn't scared before a sure was now.
" hello?" Ellie called from behind me. Her voice echoed into the darkness, bouncing off unseen walls.
There was a tinkle of sweet sounding bells and lights snapped on. I was looking into a seemingly normal lobby. The floor was shiny and tiled. There was a huge front desk at which no one stood. Also there were three big red lounges lining a wall. On the other stood an elevator, it was golden and seemed to draw attention. I had not realised that I was walking towards it until Ellie grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

" wait! You can't just go walking in there!" I looked at her in surprise.

" when did you become me an I became you?" Ellie grinned and let go of my arm.
" ahh, finally, I've waited a long time for you girls to show up." Ellie and me jump as we hear a voice seemingly coming from thin air. It filled the room and had a slight echo to it. The voice sounded purely magical.

" who are you!" Ellie shouted, not knowing who or what the thing was she had her hands clasped into tight fists. I followed suite.
" all will be revealed, but I do have a little surprise for you first. Both of you brought your rings a suppose?" My eyes slid down onto my ring, staring into the pink gem.

" we don't want any surprises thank you very much so we will just be-" but before Ellie could walk out the door slammed shut, the voice seemed to get darker.

" you will do as I say, this is not something you should pass up lightly. You have one minute to enter the elevator."
I turned to Ellie scared out of my wits. Her eyes were wide with shock.
" what do we do?" I hissed urgently.
" we have no choice, she might shoot us or something if we don't." I nodded the cursed my self for my stupidity at bringing us here in the first place.

" you have thirty seconds." Me and Ellie grasped each other's hands tightly and walked towards the golden doors.
" wise choice, now you must listen carefully, find the rings to discern, die and you will not return. Each other you must find if you wish to keep your mind. Choose to stay and what happens I can not say. Now quickly, you shall not be missed. Time will be paused. Enter!" As the last words bounced  around the room the elevator doors slid open and Ellie and I stepped in. The doors slid shut behind us, sealing us in.