House of Cali

This is a tale inspired by the song from the Eagles; Hotel California.

My dear Father,

If you would to read this, please forgive me as I have not performed what you asked of me. I find the words to explained to you is best describe if I relate my journey in words. Please do read with an open mind before you past judgment on me.

I was on my way to the House of Cali as you asked of me, but the poor sod that I named Betsy finally died down on the last step of its hoof. I had left her by the roadside to walked the past five miles in the hot sun of that day. My throat was parched and my shirt was off tied at my waist, and yet I carry the duffel bag containing the essential items of mine. I looked up and see the sun is sinking behind the high range of mountain telling me soon it would be cold. A contrast to the heat I was feeling the last two hours.

Soon I find the sight of hope was within grasp as I spied a lighting dwelling structure over the ridge on the left side of the road. I hasten my walk and dragged my legs to go there. As I approached the place, the sun was disappearing behind it lending a beautiful aura of light to the structure. Its like an inviting image of sanctuary in this hot dry place. Then I noticed more of its structure in its shadow; its a two level unit with a series of tall windows and a wide two door entrance. A sign signs with its bright lights just turned on tells me this is a place of accommodation. The words baffles me as it showed 69 but the 9 hangs lower than the six. More to it, I noticed there was an imprint of a missing number in the row. Its also a 6 and its probably got blown off. I pulled on my shirt to cover my bare chest and re-arranged my other clothings before I mount the steps.

I could hear music from inside the place. Its lyrics was inviting to me.

Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (Any time of year)
You can find it here
( Sung by the Eagles; Hotel California )

I was to knock on the door when it was opened from the inside.

"Welcome to House of Cali. We been expecting you." I was led by the person who opened the door. Its not a man, but a half look of a man and a goat with a set of horns on the forehead. I was brough to the sight of a large ballroom that is larger than the structure I saw from outside. The ballroom is filled with a number of tables filled with a feast suited for the Lords and Kings. There are assorted layout of meats and fruits, and delectable offerings plus pastries. But the ones dining on them are no Lords or Kings, but Ogres and nasty looking Elves with their deadly daggers. I also see some of Man sitting in a group at the far corner at their own table but these are mercenaries on a task. There was the crooner who sat near the door as he holds his musical instrument. He saw me coming in and he nodded to my arrival. Then he began reciting the following lines.

"Sit down, sire. Here in House of Cali, no guests are refused or without any servings. I was shown a seat at the nearest table and seated between an Ogre and the Man who wears an eye patch over his left eye. The man-creature who brought me in gestured to me the food before as it lay a goblet of wine before me.

My hunger and thirst override my reasoning as I took my share of the feast on the table. There was one guest I did not took notice earlier one; a female descent of the Man. Her small frame was shadowed by the larger creatures around us. She is dressed in the simple gown of a servant girl that I seen many in my time.

"Your name, little one?" I asked of the female and she told me her name is Tiffany. It was also then the crooner played these lyrics.

Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bends
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat.
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget
( Sung by the Eagles; Hotel California )

"These are all my friends." She point to those sitting at the long table. "They been here for some time now. Old Jake was first; he came in '69". That would be the man with the eye patch pouring the wine onto the flooring. "Old Jake never drinks anymore,. He do that to serve his dead friends who came in here with him then. They are all dead. No one leave her alive as that is the House rule. Once you have come in and feasted on the table, you are bound to stay till you die. But there is an exception. Its said that a certain person would come and he can free us. Are you that person?"

Mirrors on the ceiling,
The pink champagne on ice
And she said "We are all just prisoners here, of our own device"
And in the master's chambers,
They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives,
But they just can't kill the beast
( Sung by the Eagles; Hotel California )

The crooner could be heard as the room was silenced as they await my answer.

"I doubt so. I was asked to ............" The fights began immediately between all the diners as everyone scrambled for a weapon to use. Any pieces of cutlery that can be used soon became a deadly weapon. I was pulled away by the female to a far corner to avoid the clashes.

"Why are they fighting for? Are they not happy here?" I asked of the female.

"They are fighting as its their inherent character in them. They could not stop that urge.More to it, they could be killed so that ends their stay here." I was dismayed.

"When I came in, they were all sitting down quietly." I protested.

"It true they appeared to be friends when you walked in. Its also their nature to looked that way to the one who may come to rescue them from this hell. But you are not that person. So they resort to their real personality. They only pretend to be good so they can be redeemed from this hell hole. We all lived a fake life to get salvation. Once we achieve it, we would resort back to our old self." She end her words with a lick of the lips. I could see the fangs behind her lips.

"So you are like them. Your pretense with me was to have me for yourself." I asked of her.

"Yes, I am. Isn't that was what I told you. We are beasts beneath our looks. Are you not one?" She looked at me with her devious eyes.

"No, I have no such ambitions. I was sent here to observe all of you. It looked like your kinds are still not ready for redemption. I would leave now." I got up to leave the corner but she pulled at my hand and later clasped herself to my leg.

"Forgive us for we are not what you expect of us. You left us here to be judged on occasions which suit yours. But have you considered that if we are to be redeemed, you should be here to guide us and not let us find our own way in the dark. Even a young infant needs to be guided till it can make use of its given gifts to live independently." The vampire plea for the guests of this house. Its a noble gesture of her to do and the only time I actually see her showing it.

I looked up and see that the fighting has stopped and the creatures are all looking at me. They have the same pleading look and then was the time I felt the different feeling in my soul.

Father, we collect them here to be redeemed and yet we leave them to the place on their own, with no guidance or lessons. We merely observed and then judged on them. How can we judge when they know not why they are judged on.  They seek only their freedom again but we showed them not how the key of freedom look like.

Like the horse whom I left at the road side. I took its without considering the journey and also the condition of the creature. If I had cared about it, I would had seen that the horse would not last the journey with its weak limbs. I rode it hard as I wanted to be here on the schedule. A schedule we set by our selfish attitude without consulting the horse. We did the same to these creatures; we imposed for them to change for good but how and where to change we held back to ourselves.

Did we tell them? How would they know if we did not tell them? They could think, you may argued but if they could, they would not be collected here in the first place. We 'invited' them here for noble reasons but we left them like my horse, waiting for its death by the road side without our second thought to their final fate.

Father, I am staying on here for remainder of the journey. I would show them how redemption works from within these walls at the House of Cali. Once they have done it, I would present them for you to judged.

If there are truly redeemed, please open the door of House of Cali and give them freedom. Till then, please do not expect me to return to your side as yet. I am holding myself imprisoned to them as I also need to be redeemed like them.

I leave you these words from the crooner to tell you what it was like at the place before I arrived.

Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
"Relax, " said the night man,
"We are programmed to receive.
You can check-out any time you like,
But you can never leave! "
(Sung by the Eagles; Hotel California )

Your Fallen Son.