ONE
The desert road stretched ahead under the dying light, the wind slipping through the Cadillac windows. The sun had just set, and we were still on the road, heading for Los Angeles, California for our first performance. It was our first time on the open road, just us, four friends in a Cadillac full of old guitars and an eager heart to perform in a big city.
“Hey Leon, whatchu lookin’ at?”
“Nothin’, just wonderin’ when we’re gonna get to LA” I said and turn to look at Mickey.
Mickey, the guy who started it all… “Fame and glory’s waitin’ for us out west, man!” Yeah, right, by the time we’re making, I don’t think fame and glory will sit tight and wait for us in LA.
“But we ain’t gettin’ nowhere by the way Dave is drivin’” said Jimmy, who seemed to have read my mind.
Then I turned to Dave and said “Yeah, Dave, what’s with the speedin’? We ain’t makin’ it to LA before sunset anyway.”
The drive should’ve been simple enough — west through Arizona and straight on toward California. But Dave insisted on navigating with his father’s old road map to guide us all the way to Los Angeles. And after a few hours of twist and turns – not to mention going all the way to the Mexican border – did Dave finally gave up and agreed to get a new map at the nearest gas station.
But hey, at least we’re still in one piece and heading at the right direction… I hope.
“Hey you know what guys, it’s getting pretty late, maybe we should stop at the nearest motel and continue the next day” Mickey finally said. “Besides, our performance is tomorrow night… right?” he nudged me with a look that was seeking my assurance. He probably wasn’t even sure what time it is let alone knowing what time our performance is supposed to be.
Without thinking I said “Y-yeah…”
How on earth are we going to find a motel in the middle of the Arizona desert? I can’t see anything but darkness and the vague visibility of the moon hiding behind the clouds, which was unusual since we were in the middle of the desert.
And it was then that the cool wind that blew my hair through the open back-seat window started to carry a soft, unfamiliar fragrance. It was warm and it felt like the air was rising through my nostrils into my lungs. It felt comforting after a day’s travel with very little stops. Moreover, we were rushing all the time since we left our homes in New Mexico.
Then, far ahead on the highway, I saw a thin glow wavering in the dark. It looked like as if it was fading as we drew closer to it. What could it be? I wondered. A motel in the middle of the desert? Last I checked, the map showed a clear path through the desert with the next stop at Kingman from our last stop at Flagstaff, still within the Arizona desert.
We were travelling through I-40, a major west-east interstate highway. There was nothing out there except desert and darkness stretching forever. Am I hallucinating? A mirage in the distance?
In a cold desert night like this? No way! But…
“Hey, you guys see that? Could be motel up ahead” said Jimmy as he pointed towards the direction where the light came from.
“What? Where?” responded Dave who was on the wheel. He seemed startled. That idiot was probably dozing off behind the wheel.
Mickey then gave him a slap behind his head and said “You idiot! Are your eyes even open? Wake up man! And watch your speed!”
“Hey I’m drivin’ here!” yelled Dave across his shoulder. “Don’t distract the driver, man!”
Even at a moment like this and he still is fooling around… That guy is never serious in anything!
“Slow down, man!” I yelled. “We may miss the turn into that motel, or whatever that is…”
I was feeling a bit relief, but at the same time something about the place unsettled me. The question “Why is there a motel in the middle of the desert?” lingers around my mind. This was my first time… Our first time in this highway. So maybe there’re some things about the desert we have not learnt or read about. Could there really be a motel in the middle of the desert. Honestly, I hope there is. I’m starving as hell and am in dire need to stretch my limbs! This Cadillac seemed to have shrunk since we left for LA.
As we drew closer to the light, the very sight of that light made my head felt suddenly heavy, and the road beginning to swim before my eyes. Feeling a bit dizzy but I still had to stay up. Besides I have to watch the road, or Dave might really miss the turn.
“Snooorreeee….” It came from beside me. Mickey the fearless leader’s already sleeping from the mesmerizing sight! But Jimmy was still alert, although I can see that he is drifting in and out of consciousness. Dave on the other hand was surprisingly alert. I could not see his full face, but I could see his eyes from the rear-view mirror. They were as wide as when he would usually stare at a pretty girl.
Then my thoughts came back to my senses. I was feeling really dizzy. I really must stop for the night, wouldn’t want to sleep in the desert. Who knows what dangerous creatures lurk in the desert. Coyotes maybe, scorpions? Uuugh! Hate them!
**********
It was my last day at high school. It was my final paper for the semester. Everything seemed to be going well. The clock ticked as I watched its arms slowly move to 3pm. I looked around and everyone was still busy writing their test. There was a lady, the invigilator, sitting by the teacher’s desk. She looked awfully young for an invigilator, I thought. But she sure was pretty with her dark hair and dark-coloured clothes. Who is she anyway?
Suddenly I got a sense of dejavu. Hey, I have taken this test before, right? But something felt different. That lady there by the teacher’s desk, who is she? And why is she staring at me? She gave me a very uncomfortable feeling.
The clock struck three and the bell rang. I was ready to get off my seat, when I realized it. That everyone was motionless, everyone seemed to be stuck in the exam time. I was startled, I wanted to yell something, but nothing came out of my mouth. I looked around. I wanted to touch the nearest person next to me. But then I realized, she was right beside me. I turned to her. She was staring at me ever more intently. I turned away from her and saw that the class was now empty. I turned back to her, and she was still there. She was very tall, beautiful, yet menacing in a way that her beauty cannot seem to hide.
She held out her slender hand and grabbed my arms. Tears began to fall from her eyes, her dark hair started to turn grey and white. Then a very terrifying roar came from everywhere. Terrified, I looked around and everything vanished into dust particles, and only the two of us were left standing in the middle of the desert under the hot sun. The terrifying roar continued, and this time I saw a massive sandstorm rising and coming towards us from behind her. I tried to scream and yell, but still nothing came out of my mouth. I struggled to release myself from her grip, but my arm was held firmly in her grip.
As the storm came closer, she then started to cry and cried very hard.
“RUN!!! RUN!!! RUN LEON! RUNN!!!!! LEON RUNNN!!!! LEON!!!!”
“LEON! Leon!!!”
I opened my eyes and saw Dave’s big head in front of my face.
“Wake up man! We’re here!”
Here? Where here? I got up from the back seat and out of the car. I stretched my arms and legs which felt like it was cramped. I looked around and saw that we were in front of some old looking building, built by stone and wood. It looked like something out of those old Zorro films. A well weathered building, brown and dark in colour, filled with leaves and herbs dangling all over it. But it was huge and looked impressive, although old. Why is an old mansion doing in the middle of the desert?
“Hey guys, I got us individual rooms!” came Mickey who just walked out of the main entrance of the mansion. “And yeah, they are pretty cheap and don’t ya’ll worry, I’ve previewed the rooms and they’re actually pretty damn nice!”
“Hey hey, tell them the other thing too, man!” giggled Dave as he’s jumping around like an idiot whilst punching Mickey’s arms playfully.
“What other thing?” asked Jimmy who looked pretty disappointed at the place that we’re going to be spending the night in. “You are sure the place is not a dump like the place you threw our rock party last time?” he continued sarcastically.
“Hey hey, cut me some slack, kay? That was a long time ago, and I am more aware this time” replied Mickey. “And for your information Mister Snob, we get to choose our own lady for the night!”
“YEAH BABY!” yelled Dave as he jumped even higher, looking ever more like a dumb idiot.
Jimmy didn’t say anything.
“Okay, let’s see what…” I paused as I saw her. She stood there at the doorway into the building.
She looked awfully familiar. Like the girl in my dream earlier. But she wasn’t very tall, about my height maybe, or shorter. She had a long and straight pale golden hair that covered her chest and back partially. She wore a white silky robe that partially reflected the lights around. The beauty was familiar, but there was no sense of menace, only a certain feeling of sadness that could be felt from the aura around her. She stood there with a lit candle set on an old steel cup with unfamiliar engravings in her hands.
She then noticed me looking at her and she gave a very warm smile. But I was startled and quickly turned away from her.
“So when can we go in? I need a nice cold shower” I continued, trying to hide that earlier awkwardness. But lucky for me, the guys didn’t see what just happened or they’ll start teasing me, especially Dave.
As I finished my sentence, there came the mission bell ringing from a tower standing a distance from where we were.
“That’s our cue I guess…,” said Mickey.
“Lookie there, a lady waving at us to go in!” said Dave excitedly as he pointed towards the direction where that girl was standing.
Then everyone started to move towards the entrance and I followed on. In the short corridor leading to a bigger room, there hung a wooden signboard on the wall, weathered by time which said, “Welcome To The Hotel Amarilla”. As the girl led us into the main lobby, a man in attire which seemed out of time came to greet us while the girl walked on and joined three other girls standing in the visible corner of the room waiting to be summoned.
“Senor, senor, welcome to the Hotel Amarilla!” said the gentleman. “My name is Senor Miguel; you can just call me Miguel. I’ll be your host for tonight”
Then he signalled with his hand to a mariachi band standing at another corner in the room. They were the kind of mariachi band which I have never seen before. They wore silver studded charro outfits with wide-brimmed hats, but they seemed very much out of fashion compared to the ones I’ve seen back home. And then they started playing a tune that slowly came with singing…
“Welcome to the Hotel Amarilla,
A house of candlelight,
A place of warm delight,
Many a room for the lost and weary traveller,
Not every soul will find its way back home…”
And then they continued singing softly in Spanish that lightened the atmosphere, making it seemed almost magical. We were all mesmerized and impressed, except for Jimmy. He didn’t seem very comfortable being here. I knew that Jimmy had never felt comfortable around the old desert towns and border communities out west. Although we stayed in a place with a lot of Mexicans, he never really got along with them well. It really cannot be helped because he wasn’t rooted in New Mexico. Jimmy’s family moved from Boston when he was 10. And as we were enjoying the moment, I could see that he was feeling restless, like as if there was something that he wanted to get off his chest. And somehow, I too feel that way, although in a very confused and hypnotized way.
Miguel then gave another signal to the four girls standing by the corner and they stood forward. Each dressed in different-coloured silk robes with a lit candle in their hands. All four were beautiful, but the girl whom I saw earlier, there was something about her that made me feel different about her. And even though she smiled, I can sense a certain sadness that was visible through her beautiful smile. A smile thought beautiful and mesmerising it may be, cannot hide that hint of sadness emanating from her.
“These are the girls that will accompany you tonight. You may only choose one for yourselves” said Miguel smiling and bowing low with his left arm held to the side inviting us to choose.
Both Mickey and Dave were very eager, and they were the first to step up and take their pick. After looking carefully and taking their girl, they stood aside with their arms wrapped around them. Then reluctantly Jimmy stood forward and chose one of the two remaining girls. And then stood there still was that girl whom I saw earlier. She was beautiful, but none of the guys picked her. Maybe they there was something about her that turned down their interest. Or maybe they also saw that certain sadness that was breaking her smile.
It felt like she couldn’t decide whether this place was a paradise or hell..
“The girls will show you to your room” Miguel said. “And we will have supper in a short while after” he added.
Then both Mickey and Dave were led by their girls in their arms and luggage in the other. Jimmy on the other hand had his girl take his luggage for him. I could feel that he was mistreating the girl. But before I could bother, the girl who was with me lit up a new candle and beckoned me to follow. She showed me the way to my room. As I followed with my backpack around my shoulder down the dimly lit corridor, I could still hear them singing…
“Welcome to the Hotel Amarilla,
A house of candlelight,
A place of warm delight,
Many a room for the lost and weary traveller
Not every soul will find its way back home…”
And again, I was thinking to myself… is salvation wearing the face of a warning?
