Part 3

She walked into a cozy, dim hotel lobby and the door closed behind her. Sebastian stood outside in the snow. She opened the door.

“My apologies, sir. Please, come in.”

“Thank you,” said Sebastian and walked in.

The black polished marble walls and floors gleamed under dusky electric lanterns. The concierge behind the counter sat with his arms folded on his chest and his eyes closed. The sign read No Vacancy. Akari leaned into the door to leave when Sebastian rang the desk bell, awakening the man.

“Sorry, sir. No vacancy.” The man nodded to the sign without moving. “Snow. Many people,” he said firmly.

“That’s why we are here,” Sebastian said and tapped his index finger hard on the counter three times. “Snow,” said Sebastian and pointed outside in the same firm manner. “You can’t leave us outside.” Sebastian tapped his index finger three times on the counter the second time. The gesture consumed the light around them. “Look,” he stepped back and opened his arms showing his dirty wet coat. “We are having a very bad night. Help us,” Sebastian tapped his index finger three times on the counter the third time. Akari and the concierge exchanged glances. Sebastian was being rude.

“Please, Sebastian. Let’s go,” said Akari and reached for his sleeve.

Sebastian raised his hand, and she suddenly felt enveloped by a cocoon where time seemed to have stopped. She couldn’t move or breathe. She watched the concierge’s fingers move fast over the keyboard. Sebastian paid, the clerk handed him a key card. Sebastian raised his hand again and time resumed.

She approached the desk. The now-pale clerk’s eyes rolled back, and drooling, he stood in a trance. “Thank you, sir,” he grumbled.

“Thank you, Ms.” The clerk bowed mindlessly and placed himself back on the chair like an enchanted automaton.

“Thank you,” said Sebastian and looked at Akari. “Unfortunately, there is only one pod available. Please. It’s for you. Here is the key.”

She took the yellow key card and looked at it. She was scared and he knew she was scared.

“It’s just a trick.” He smiled. “It’s a form of hypnosis – mesmerism if you like.”

Akari didn’t understand. He repeated the word in Japanese.

“I don’t believe you.” She frowned.

“That’s okay. It’s not for everyone to believe. It’s an illusion. Like this.” He took off his glasses. He lifted them to her face, smiled, and put his fingers through the rims where the lenses were meant to be, and he jiggled his fingers like tentacles toward her face. “Everything is an illusion. I don’t wear glasses. I just liked the frames.”

Surprised, she grabbed the glasses. Bewondered first, she put her fingers through the rims, and then burst laughing when she realized the lenses were simply missing. She smacked his arm. They laughed. With her hand still on his arm their eyes met again, and only then she realized how gorgeous the man in front of her was. The most inconceivable beauty: the brightest blue eyes and strong eyebrows, high cheeks, and full lips, all framed within a firm jawline, the palest porcelain skin, and black hair falling over his forehead and eyes. Like a black wolf turned man. Their faces came so close she felt her own breath bouncing off his cold face. His eyes enveloped her and moved through her. With the last remnants of her will, she extracted herself and, holding his hand, led them toward the pods.

They grabbed towels, honey-coloured robes, and yellow toiletries, and then walked into the warm, narrow corridor of the beehive with black walls and two levels of yellow hexagonal openings closed over by doors of yellow, translucent, frosted plastic. The people in the pods slept.