After setting his items down atop the spacious desk near the door, Ellis pulled his heavy winter outerwear off and draped them over the leather office chair that seemed brand new. He quickly fell asleep after he laid down atop the comfortable mattress, too tired to even close the blinds that let in a harsh amount of light. He was exhausted, and the ever-present sun did not bother him too much. He was sure it would be irritating down the road, but it was somehow comforting in the present moment.

Warm. Inviting. Bright.

He wasn’t used to things being bright.

He felt as if he would drown under the weight of the duvet. The pillow was so plush that his skull sunk into it. This was a luxury he wasn’t sure he could afford, or should have been gifted. Still, he was going to indulge, at least for a few short minutes while he rested.

It was apparent, painfully so, that the young man hadn’t slept soundly in some time. Lisle watched for a few moments, contemplated if he should wake him or let him continue to sleep in peaceful bliss. It would not be hard to push introductions out to dinnertime, but the new guests would be arriving in about nineteen hours and things needed tending to.

“Ellis,” Lisle called gently, “I’m so sorry to wake you but we need to get the day started.”

Ellis blinked his eyes open, “Pardon?”

“It’s half-past eleven. I wanted to give you some time to orient yourself before lunch.”

“I didn’t mean to sleep so long.”

“It’s alright. Would you like me to show you how to use the shower? It’s a bit complicated. I assume a half hour is sufficient enough time to unpack a bit and bathe?”

Ellis nodded and wearily pushed himself up. He yawned like a small child and rubbed his eyes.  The sweater over his body looked much too large, it was a bit shocking to see how small his frame was. He was a little thing, nearly a foot shorter than the hotel manager, and quite thin. Lisle hoped that a few weeks of rest might do him some good.

“Where is… the washroom?” Ellis asked sleepily.

“Right here. It has a lovely shower-bath combo and our store has plenty of stock when it comes to bath milk and other indulgences. Come on, I’ll teach you how to use the shower and leave you to get ready,” Lisle said with a smile.

Ellis shifted the duvet off of his body and slid out of bed. He followed Lisle into the washroom and, once again, found himself unable to believe the view. It was stunning, with bundles of eucalyptus hanging from a ledge above the shower and a small crescent moon-shaped window that let in the sunlight on the wall high above the toilet. The bath was spacious and the countertop held plenty of space for toiletries. The stacks of oversized towels were tall due.

The tiles were warm beneath his feet and everything glistened. Freshly cleaned and filled with the lingering scent of cedar, it was inviting and grounding. He felt more centered, perhaps calmer, with each room he discovered.

“The shower is run by electronics, obviously. We don’t want to waste water, nor do we have excess to waste, so we have a built-in technology that will automatically heat the water to your desired temperature before turning on. It runs on a timer, but you can pick between ten, fifteen, and twenty minutes to allow yourself enough time. It’s all programmed in here, like this,” Lisle explained as he approached.

He turned on the panel and adjusted the thermostat up and down to showcase how it worked, “You’ll then get a five minute countdown timer before it turns on. The towels are all yours, each staff room has their own collection with the same color scheme as the rest of the room. Yours are these chocolate ones, just like your duvet, and Luisa does a round of staff laundry every week. If you need any toiletries—shampoo, body wash, razors, the like—you’re free to grab some from the store. If there’s a specific brand you like, you can place an order and Roland can bring it during his next trip over. We deduct it out of your end of season pay since it is a special order that requires extra time on Roland’s part. Oh, and the floor is heated both here and in the bedroom! Helps fight off the chill. Any questions?”

“No,” Ellis replied quietly.

“Wonderful. I’ll come retrieve you at noon so we can head off for lunch.”

Ellis nodded and watched Lisle leave his suite. He adjusted the shower temperature to a comfortable level and moved to his suitcase to find clean clothes to wear. He picked out his nicest pair of jeans and a formal sweater, wanting to make a good first impression. He felt that, from what he had seen, most of the staff was much older than he was. He was inexperienced and probably highly unsuited for the job. He wanted to at least look as if he were taking this seriously.

He found his toiletries in his suitcase. The bag held two bottles of shampoo—both new—and a bottle of conditioner, alongside two of his favorite bars of soap, and a brand new stick of deodorant. He packed in a panic. Not that there was much to truly pack. Still, he hoped it would be enough to last the duration of the season.

He quickly bathed and tried to figure out a way to wrangle in his hair. He didn’t have the time to cut it before he left and it was at the awkward stage of growth where it simply didn’t look right no matter what he did to it. He trimmed his scruffy face back down to a clean shave and searched his reflection for a moment.

His eyelids were an unsightly shade of purple and his lips were a bit chapped. The sweater over his frame looked a bit ill-fitting, but the massive shawl collar and deer bone buttons gave off a slight aura of professionalism. He pushed up his sleeves and buttoned himself up as a soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.

He quickly headed to the door and steeled himself before he opened it. He was greeted by Lisle’s seemingly ever-present grin. Ellis was appreciative of it. The hotel manager seemed chipper, yet level-headed. Attentive and contemplative. He wondered how long he had been in charge of the resort.

“Are you hungry?” Lisle inquired.

“Famished,” Ellis replied sheepishly as he turned away, “I… mean, yes. I could eat something small.”

Lisle shot him an inquisitive look, one exaggerated by the large lenses of his glasses, “You are more than welcome to however much food you’d like, Ellis. The restaurant is on the other end of the hotel, we’ll take the long way so you can get acquainted with everything.”

They left the 6th suite and began walking down the corridor, bypassing the final two staff rooms quickly in the process. Ellis could smell the familiar scents of cleaner and noticed the floor sparkled beneath his feet. The staff must have already been hard at work.

Continued in chapter two, part two...