NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: My home.
As he fell onto the wet cold carpets of level 0, He began walking around. The world was strange for him, the frontrooms didn't seem really that interesting, the only thing that could push him to go back there is hope for something interesting. But right now he had no reason to go back right away. As he began wandering around, he couldn't help, but see how beautiful, the absolute chaos of level 0 is. He seemed happy there... Even calling it his home. But his home has a lot of rooms... too many. He smiled maniacally as he enjoyed the thought, the sound and the sight he had. He was a child. Renewed joy.
As he continued wandering around the scenery began feeling a little boring, but isn't it the fun of the backrooms. When you get bored of something you can just move. He simply looked at a wall for a second as it changed colors into a darker variation of the wallpaper. He stepped forward as he appeared on level 1. Now the fun begins, He said as he began walking aimlessly, until he came across a hound. Which simply stood there. It didn't move toward him or try to harm him. "Where is the fun in surviving so easily?" He asked as the hound simply walked to him and sat down in front of him. It was adorable to him, what people found terrifying, he found cute. He reached his hand as he gently pet the hound as it walked away, seeing him happy. He looked around as he spotted a crate which seemed to appear out of nowhere. He walked to it with a curious expression, as it opened itself for him. Revealing a few bottles of almond water and some clothes.
He grabbed onto one of the bottles and drank it whole. He felt slightly dehydrated before he drank it. And it tasted nice, maybe slightly sweet, he couldn't tell if his tongue was lying to him or not, but why should he care. He took the clothes and decided to try them on, they weren't this stylish, but he liked them, a shirt with the words "Acquire", waves and palms from neon lines. He enjoyed wearing it, it was soft and slightly bigger for his size, but it added on for more comfort. He grabbed another bottle of almond water as he continued walking on, he didn't know for where exactly, but somewhere nonetheless. He thought to himself what was so beautiful about the backrooms, without his memories, the only thing that came to mind was, beautiful places, but if he was his old self, he would probably say the way that the life threatening situations invoke the instincts for survival. Where no rules apply, only life or death.
After a while of walking around he finally reached a place which let him transition to level 2, as he walked in the darkness, the heat began rising as he was in a long hall with pipes along the wall. He was walking with an empty mind and not a single concern, as when he encountered a smiler it simply smiled at him. So he simply walked past it and waved at it goodbye, all the entities seemed to have become more friendly to him. He walked and walked as the environment continued being... the same... It was getting boring, where did all the fun go?
He wished that there was something fun, or at least exciting. As he wished for that there was a hound that begun chasing after him. He was happy about it, but wondered if he had control over entities as well. So he simply changed his thought to make them friendly again, as it simply stopped and sat down before him.
Even though he enjoyed it when hounds were this friendly. He was getting tired, he wanted to take a rest, but knew that he can't take it here, he would be in the way, and he might burn himself. So he continued walking as the hound was walking with him. To make him feel even more protected and safe.
As they continued walking he begun seeing written messages on the wall that said "level 4 ->". Perhaps this hound would be his friend, on his journey. He looks at the signs as he walks past them and points at them to entertain his mind while he was there. As he entered the door, it lead him to level 4 and the hound which was behind him followed after him. He wasn't sure if it had a mind on its own or needed commands to do something. His home was weird to some degree, he wasn't so sure over many of the things happening there, but he didn't question it. If it happens, it happens.
The bizarre, repeating landscape of the backrooms, was repeating, only levels with less content in the form of distance, and big levels with variations of places, buildings. The peacefulness of his thoughts that were dragging him forward, made him feel a slight chill inside of his chest. Walking around with his dog, not only in the physical world, but also in his mental one. The hound only following him in the physical.
As they continued walking through out the level, he came across a few wanderers, which seemed scared of the hound and had their weapons drawn, but he just ignored them and they continued walking. He let the hound go in front of him so he can react if the people attacked it. But they didn't so it was safe.
After a while they came across a staircase, which they took as they climbed to level 5. There was muffled jazz music in the background, it was better than the sound of nothing, buzzing lights or anything else they have heard so far.
"Welcome to my humble hotel!" A voice was heard echoing throughout the main hall. He turned toward the voice and saw a man with a fancy suit and a squid head. As he looked at it, the man walked to him and shook his hand enthusiastically. "If you want we can move to my office, for a little chit-chat." The man said as he let go of his hand. The child nodded, even though not so childish looking. The man seemed so friendly, but he could feel something inside him saying that he could be in danger. As the man lead the way to his office, he knew that the child felt unease. "Please don't fear me... I mean you no harm... What could I do to put you at ease. I simply wish to be an ally, perhaps a friend to you." The man said with a calm voice.
The child thought for a bit, until he decided to believe him. "Alright then." He said as he smiled and walked with him around the hotel until they reached the man's office. Once there, the hound that was following him sat beside the door. And the man sat behind his desk as the jazz went on. Now at ease around the man he sat opposite of him. "There you go... No need to be fearful over me. Also one more thing..." He said as he pulled out a bottle of some type of alcohol and two small crystal cups. He began pouring from the bottle with the alcohol in the cups and handed one to him. "Welcome to the family!" The man said as he downed his shot. "Appreciated!" The child said as he downed his shot also. "Now... Let's talk about what I had intended... You have a trick up your sleeve?" The man asked as he leaned slightly onto his desk. He felt that the child's power was having effect on him, but it didn't change him much, he could feel a strange friendly sensation wash over him. The child on the other hand, Though back onto being welcomed in the family. And didn't know what exactly it meant. "I see you also have questions. Well ask away!"
Without hesitation the kid spoke up "What did you mean when you welcomed me to the 'Family'?"
"Well, if that is your question I will summarize the answer, We are the so called 'entities' of this collection of levels called 'The backrooms'. I can feel your power trying to alter me, just because I am a part of the backrooms. And this means that either you are a person with a special power, or you are an entity with powers." The man replied, his words full of confidence, just to put the boy at ease and give him the truth.
"Well..." The child didn't know what to say, and the man didn't do anything to prevent his questions of drowning him. "Perhaps this was a little too much information for such a small moment, why not go for a walk with me in my beautiful hotel. Perhaps this will clear your mind?"
With that the boy nodded as he didn't know on how to process the information he was given, he was unsure of what he was. And it gave him a stroke while he was trying to make a conclusion out of this. The man didn't try to make a deal as he would usually do when meeting people in person, because he wasn't going to mentally torture the kid who was now infused with the backrooms in some way... To him, the child didn't seem like a business partner, but a friend or perhaps a nephew of sort.
He thought and thought about what his truth about the facts would be, and then he just accept that he might be an entity or a person, Something at all. Either ways he exists. As the acceptance came in so did the peace as he seemed calm, while they walked around slowly. "Well... Guess I am something." He said not giving a clear answer to himself. The man gave him a side eye and smiled the best he can underneath the tentacles. "Yes you are...". The kid chuckled slightly, he seemed happy they were both happy. They walked for a bit after this and reached the main hall, which had a door that was leading to the boiler room. From all of the experience the Gentleman of level 5, he knew where the boiling room could lead. "If you wish, I can send you off?" The man asked as he looked at him. "Ok, thank you." The child replied happily. "Where exactly do you wish to go?" The man asked as he recalled over all the times people have left his level in many ways. "I don't know..." The child said as he looked down, wondering where he should go else, but nothing came to mind.
"Well then... How about you take a room, you can rest up, until you know where you wish to go. Free of charge." The man said as he put one of his hands on the kids shoulder. In response the child smiled thankfully and looked at him straight in the eyes, This was a great friendship he made.
"Well then, follow me, I will show you where it is." The man said as he let go of his shoulder and put his hands behind his back as he began walking toward one of the hallways, with doors on each side and numbers, a lot of them. After a bit of walking, they reached the room that was ready for him.
"Here you go my friend. Enjoy your stay." The man said as he opened the door for him and made a gesture with his free hand, presenting the room which was fully furnished. "Thank you!" The child said as he entered the room, at that time the hound he had earlier appeared from behind them and entered the room with him. "Of course... Have a great one." The gentleman said as he closed the door and went to do his thing.
As he laid down on the bed and looked at the ceiling he thought about where to go, is it another level or further into the levels of the backrooms.