a new night
The room, her room, beneath The Atrium, was modest, measuring twelve feet by eighteen feet. The block walls were painted in a dark gray hue, while the floor boasted modern ceramic wood tiling. A mid-century queen bed stood centered on the far wall, flanked by matching art deco bedside tables. The bedding, crafted from silky Egyptian cotton, mirrored the color of orange autumn leaves. Adjacent to the bed, a simple mid-century secretary desk and chair adorned one wall, its desk neatly folded down and stacked with paper, envelopes, and fine fountain pens. On the opposite wall, a long workbench was covered with bolts and folds of fine fabrics, housing a sewing machine and flanked by matching dress mannequins. Opposite the bed, a large mid-century Asian wardrobe completed the ensemble. Music started to play from the Bluetooth speaker on the desk, Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 72 No. 1, as Autumn rose from her day-sleep, ready to begin another night of her undeath. Gracefully, she dressed from ...