“Wow?! This is a hotel?!” Mayang exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with wonder.
“That’s what the sign says, isn’t it?” Joenathan replied.
“Wow, this building is incredible! I wonder how much a room here costs per night?”
“We probably can’t afford it. We’d better find some small lodging instead,” Joe replied.
“Come on, let’s go inside! I want to see what it’s like,” Mayang said, pulling Joenathan’s hand as she led him into the hotel.
The hotel lobby was incredibly spacious and magnificent, unlike anything in any modern city in the world.
“Joe, is all of this covered in pure gold?” Mayang asked.
A woman in a gold-yellow uniform approached Mayang and Joenathan.
“How may I help you?” she asked in a soft voice.
“Oh, y-yes. My friend and I are looking for lodging, but it seems we don’t have enough money to stay here overnight. We’ll be going,” Mayang replied honestly.
“You can stay here for free,” the woman said, stopping Mayang in her tracks.
“What did you say? For free?” Mayang’s eyes widened in shock.
“Yes. Come with me,” the woman said, walking toward the reception desk to get their room key.
They walked down a hallway illuminated by intensely bright golden-yellow lights, heading toward the elevator at the end.
Mayang and Joenathan were ushered into the elevator. The woman pressed the button for five, which meant their room was on the fifth floor.
When they arrived, the elevator chimed loudly, the sound echoing throughout the hall. It was as if there were no other guests besides the two of them.
“Why is it so quiet here?” Mayang asked, gathering her courage.
“They’re all asleep. It’s already late at night,” the woman replied amiably, a faint smile spreading across her face.
“This is your room. Please get some rest. There are drinks over there that you can have, but you may only drink the plain water,” she said.
“Wow! Is this a room or a palace? It’s so luxurious!” Mayang exclaimed in awe at the room where she would be staying.
“Please get some rest. I’ll be going downstairs. One more thing: tomorrow morning, after you hear the large bell ring three times, you must leave this place,” she warned them.
“Why?” Mayang asked curiously.
“Because you didn’t pay, so don’t let them kick you out of here,” she said with a playful smile, laughing at Mayang.
“Hehehe, right. Free lodging. Thank you so much,” Mayang said.
“You’re welcome. I’ll be going now.”
“Hey, wait! What’s your name?” Mayang asked.
“My name is Yanah,” she replied with a sweet smile. “Remember, when the bell rings three times, you have to leave,” she reminded them once more.
Mayang nodded confidently, certain that she would leave when she heard the bell.
Mayang threw her whole body onto the king-size bed, which she thought was luxurious—though there was still a presidential suite whose grandeur she couldn’t even imagine.
“Joe, if it’s like this, I’m going to love it here. I’d be totally fine living here forever,” she muttered, lying flat on her back.
“Don’t say ridiculous things. It’s taboo to say stuff like that in a random place,” Joenathan said, still feeling uneasy.
He remembered perfectly that during the week he had been assigned to work there, there hadn’t been any buildings at all on the coffee plantation.
“Joe, I’m going to sleep now, okay?”
“Yeah, go to sleep,” Joenathan replied.
Joenathan looked toward the balcony and slowly walked over to the long curtains. He began to open them and look outside.
It was never truly night there. Even the moon and stars were invisible from below because of the glare from the golden lights.
“I got here around ten tonight. The hotel employee also said it was the middle of the night. But the sky looks like twilight.” Joenathan felt that something was strange.