October 17th assignment

Lisbon hostel (based on real hostel, The Indepedente, I stayed in):

Smell: booze, kitchen food (it's above a restaurant bar), shampoo and soap (showers are shared).
Touch: firm bed, high backed chair.
Sight: beds stacked three high, high windows, view from the balcony (front dorms), travel trunks used as decor, hardwood floors, iron railings, white walls, tall balcony windows. red paneled foyer walls, white and black tiled floor.
Taste: orange juice, ham and artisan bread, cocoa or coffee, cereal and milk. Sushi a few doors down, pastries nearby.
Sound: loud bar chatter, loud door shutting, beep of the electronic key.
Pretty thing: a note.

I choose this hostel because it's the first time João has been in Portugal and first impressions are important. It's preceded by his arrival on the plane and the task of getting from the airport to the hostel. He'll be in Lisboa for a three or four days.

Home is a hostel

...finally. The hostel loomed in front of him. High ceilings and old travel trunks for decor. Red panels on the walls. He got in line at the front desk.

— Do you speak English? — João was hoping...

— Yes — Aurelie smiled — Do you have a reservation?

Up two flights of stairs... huffing... lots of stairs. His backpack suddenly seemed heavy. An electronic key softly beeped to gain entry to the dormitories.

— Your bed is number 6. Up there. You can use this locker for your things.

— And if I fall, I just spread my wings and fly?

— Only if you're a vampire. — Aurelie laughed. — Breakfast is at 8. If you have questions I'll be at the desk.

João looked up at his bed, looked at the press-board steps. He put his backpack in the locker. Remembered the four digit code he had set. Felt the rough tumbles.

Then he climbed. Not so bad he thought and the mattress seemed firm but soft. The railing seemed sturdy; he wasn't a big person. The smell of clean linens made him smile. He loved that smell. Reminded him of home.

He found that the high windows lead to a balcony. Wrought iron kept anyone from falling. Then he noticed that there were two sets of windows. One outer set with glass; the inner ones were wood painted white. No drapes. So different from home.

He spent the rest of the day thinking how things were so familiar and so different. At least there were no surprises in the toilet and bath rooms.

He went down to the communal kitchen. Laundry was drying on a rack. A twentyish man was drinking vino verde with sushi. He found out that there was a sushi shop nearby. The odor of grapes, of fish, soap and ...coffee. A young woman he'd find out later was from Germany spoke.

— Yes, there's coffee on the counter, just heat up some water.

João was tired from the flight. What time was it? Only 7 and nowhere near dark. He'd heard that Lisbon partied after dark. There was loud chatter from the streets. More chatter when he went down to the bar and sat in a high backed chair. He wasn't old enough to buy his own drink back home. He ordered a dark red wine. Slowly sipped. The smells from the kitchen enticed him. Something with pork in it he guessed. He usually guessed right. And well cooked. He knew when something was raw.

In a few minutes he'd get up and go out for sushi, wander the cobbled streets, go out and look out over the city, lit with the night. In the morning he'd have ham-and-cheese on a thick slice of bread he'd never seen before. And coffee.

But for this moment, the wine coursed through his veins like blood and he was content to listen to music as the day receded, as he surrounded himself with new smells and thoughts.

He was startled when a waiter came by, grinned, handed him a note.

It was a drawing of a small black bat... grinning. It was signed, Aurelie.


Saturday, Oct. 17
*Bullet* Required: Contest Round 3: Setting Description ▼

Describe a setting in words. Use all five senses and make your reader experience the setting as if he or she were there. Add the description to your setting database (if applicable.)

*Submit your ITEM or ENTRY number by 1200 noon WDC time on Sunday, Oct.18 to compete. WDC time is New York City time and can be found at the top of this IM Console . If you miss this deadline or choose not to compete, you may still post your assignment completion for the grand prize per the standard Prep guidelines.