the trees beyond the hotel bent double during the night, casting a final bow before their branches split and sank into the rain softened ground. a gentle storm ensued not long after, a whispery sheet of cool water that dampened the broken stumps of the trees and murmured comforting words deep into their roots.
anahita leaned out of her open window as slivers of rainwater darted past her like arrow fish, spearing into the rough bark of the hotel walls and disappearing with a silvery pop into the lichen and moss slathered thickly across the bark.
it was her fifth day at the hotel, a heavy humid blanket that came after a tropical storm draped around her shoulders and clear blue water dripping off everything smothered underneath.
a warm gust of wind blew through her open window and anahita smiled to herself. her blue silk dress fluttered like a trapped moth around her shoulders as she ran down the worn oak stairs, to the glowing lobby heavy with saturated sunlight.
a fae stood with her back to anahita, idling twirling a finger through the air in front of her. her black hair glided like a waterfall down her narrow back, fluttering slightly like ribbons trailing after a kite. she wore a silver shirt tucked into black pants, a belt of twine looped twice around her waist.
alizeh.
the fae turned at her name, her features warped behind the whirlpool of wind she was concocting with her finger. her mouth grew into a grimace, quickly morphed into a smile as the shimmering blanket of air disappeared with a soft woosh.
anahita! she embraced her sister like a spider crawling up a branch, limbs thrown astray and her hands clasped together at the small of anahita's back.
i knew you were coming when the trees danced like they were at their last ball. anahita grinned, her features mirrored almost entirely by her sister's.
i wasn't planning on coming here, alizeh brushed back gossamery strands of her hair, her pale eyes shining under the balls of sunlight flickering inside their lamps. i'm only staying for three days.
anahita's smile thinned slightly. i do hope you'll stay a few days longer, allie. terra's here too.
i'll try to see her soon. alizeh hugged her sister again. i've booked into the tiger lily room.
you're right above me, allie. anahita grinned and pulled her sister up the oaken stairs, her luggage trailing after them on a thick cushion of air.
the tiger lily room had walls painted a mild pink, like peach soda. woodblock prints of black beetles hung framed on the walls, beetles varying in sizes dramatic enough to spot the walls. an age softened gramophone dripped sluggish jazz down the wooden table it sat on, a vase of dead lilies drooping onto the record beside it.
the bedspread was pale orange, with pink pillows piled against a cream headboard and a broad window set right above. at sunset the dying rays would flood the room through the north facing window and smear golden light over everything in the room.
i'm almost envious of your room, anahita laughed, running her palms across the mellow walls.
leave off, ana. alizeh smiled and drew the curtains away from the window with a wave of her hand. the watery morning sun inched into the room, it steeped the room in a mellow light that tasted like green tea.
i'll leave you to it, allie. anahita closed the door as her sister bent to change the record spinning slowly in its plateau.
