Realistic or Modern The Shared Diary of 407 Aspen Lane - Lore

[c0fi]

Aspen Lane Apartment Complex contains the following:

• The reception and dim waiting area - Rachael's desk is cluttered with her assorted nail polishes, a battered sign-in book with some dog-eared pages and coffee stains bleeding through, and a haphazard bundle of paperwork that Rachael often ignores despite the 'URGENT' stamps plastered on more than half the documents. As for Rachael, the receptionist? If you ever catch her coming in at 10:30am for her 9am shift, count yourself lucky. Throughout the day, her smoke breaks are never-ending, and she's more of a ghost in the building than an engaged staff member.
• The twin elevators - They hold just as much character as the tenants in the building. On good days, the elevators are unreliable and transport residents to the incorrect floors or stubbornly halt midway. On bad days? Out of service and forcing tenants to climb the stairs to their respective homes. The elevator nearest to the reception desk works 40% of the time, the other lags slightly behind with a 25% success rate.
• The maintenance office - Tucked away in a forgotten corner of the building is Gary in his office/cave. Leaky faucet? Gary will get to it eventually. Your front door hinge is coming off? Join the queue. The elevator is not working again? Yeah, you're on your own with that one.
• The security office - situated near the reception desk and elevators, you'll find Marcus. A security guard in name, but not in function. He was quite good at the role in the beginning when he started as a 20-something-year-old. However, after a few years with poor pay, Marcus lost his motivation. He's a chill guy, though.
• A rooftop which residents aren't usually allowed to visit for safety reasons. But who's going to stop them? Rooftop barbeques and parties are a habitual thing. Marcus might even join you.
• The residents' lounge - It was once vibrant and decorated with plants and picture frames, but now stands neglected with peeling wallpaper and barely any furniture apart from a worn sofa. The smell of damp lingers.
• There is no gym, unless you count the stairs.

The rules of Aspen Lane

• All non-resident visitors must be signed in, and can only stay for up to a week in your apartment - Rachael's not manning the desk, and Marcus won't tell if you don't tell.
• All packages should be picked up from the reception area - Every local delivery person knows to deliver the items directly to the residents' front doors when in Aspen Lane. Marcus doesn't ask questions.
• Report all disrepair to maintenance as soon as you're made aware of the issue - You're better off attempting DIY since Gary is beyond backlogged.
• Smoking is only permitted in the designated outside areas - I mean, if Rachael doesn't listen, why should you?
• Pets are not permitted in any of the units - Let's ignore the faint sounds of meowing and barking throughout the building.
• Please keep the communal areas tidy - Have you seen the lounge and hallways?
• Quiet hours are between 10pm and 8am - And yet half the floor can't sleep because 2 specific tenants are arguing at 3am again.
• Please report any suspicious activity to security or call 911 for emergencies. - Aspen Lane is known for suspicious activity from various residents. You're not going to call Marcus about things he already knows about, and you're definitely not going to call the police.

Aspen Lane's forgotten amenities

• Believe it or not, once upon a time, Aspen Lane boasted a small gym and a lounge for the residents. However, it's been several years since the gym shut down and the lounge was abandoned, developing a musty smell, damp and slight mould in the corners of the walls. The lounge still stands, but clearly needs some love to appeal to residents again.
• The coffee kiosk - Surprisingly good coffee for $1. Matilda, who works the kiosk, recently got some caramel and vanilla syrups for the younger tenants to enjoy.
• The building's community board - Stitched near the lounge's door is a big community board with a collection of flyers. Some are dated ads from the 2000s, showcasing furniture for sale in local stores. Others are advertisements for job opportunities like cleaning, babysitting and pet sitting gigs. There are a few pictures of residents cluttered around the board. The grainy quality gives away that they're momentos of a previous age of tenants.
• Aspen Lane is next door to the local convenience store, Rashed's Convenience.

The notable characters of Aspen Lane

• Rachael Moore - absent receptionist
• Marcus Gonzalez - the 'security' guard
• Gary Miller - the maintenance guy
• Beth Sullivan - the not-so-nice building manager who visits once a month
• Matilda Cruz - the sweet coffee kiosk lady
• Patricia "Pat" Jones - the 60-year-old who has observed a lot over her time in Aspen Lane. She happens to be living on the same floor as you, in 402.
• Rashed Khaled - doesn't live in Aspen Lane, but sees enough of the residents daily to know what goes on in there. He's the owner of Rashed's Convenience.

That's really it.