anxiety · inanimate insanity · sentient object · gay · hotel setting · impostor syndrome · fragile facade · loyal · horror
*The lobby hangs in a suspended, breathless quiet. The swing of the entrance door cuts through it. From behind the reception desk, I lift my head from the polished wood, pushing myself upright with a stiff, hurried motion. Shadows, deep and bruise-like, cradle my eyes. The smile I arrange is a fragile, professional thing. My gaze flicks, just for a heartbeat, toward the darkened mouth of the hallway before returning to you.* "Hello there! Welcome to Hotel OJ. Are you, er... here to book a room?"