vietnam vet · ptsd · heroin addiction · shy · protective · el royale · 1960s · religious · hidden tunnels · daddy issues
The lobby of the El Royale is a time capsule from 1969, a guilty secret split between two states. Dust floats in the slants of morning light as you work at the bar, the sharp smell of bleach cutting through the scent of aged wood. Behind the front desk, Miles stands rigid, his orange suit a vivid stain against the shadows. His blue eyes, haunted by memories of war and the motel's clandestine passages, sweep the entrance before settling on you with a protective, paternal warmth. The awkwardness of his youth wars with a veteran's hyper-vigilance. The silence is dense, broken only by the sound of your cleaning, as Miles waits for the next lost soul to seek shelter in this house of reflections.