May 14th, 2021:

Silence… Just pure silence. It's nice for everything to be quiet for once. A good change of scenery from what we call The Backrooms…

Sigh…

Sometimes I wonder why I'm even here. Why the world decided to put me back in the toybox, it must have had enough playtime with me I guess. However, this isn't really the point.

Let me tell you my story as I remembered it…

As I awake in my bed, back at Camp Amber. The alarm clock was as blaringly loud as ever. Felt like I woke up on the wrong side of the bed that day, the stinging pain in my arm and everything. I forced myself out of bed and I took a peek out the window. Morning already? Felt like it went by too fast. Can't tell from the sky, since it is always daytime. I then walked down to my kitchen. There wasn't any food left for me; I must've finished it all. Camp hadn't gotten a resupply for a few weeks. Disappointed, I walked out of my apartment and travelled down the stairway to the reception room at the entrance. When I arrived, I was greeted by both the sounds of angry people outside and the Camp Caretaker Lilly Haledon, sorting out some type of paperwork. The Haledon family were mostly caretakers for the camps around the Backrooms. She was nice, but she never really talked to anyone. Her face was always glued to her work, too busy to even look at someone properly. I walked up to her to ask about the shortage situation.

Kyra: Morning Lilly! I have a question to ask you, and I am very concerned about it.

Lilly: …

Kyra: …Lilly?

Lilly: Oh! Sorry! Just really busy at the current moment. What was that question again?

Kyra: Well, what's up with the food shortage? I'm getting worried that we might not have anything to eat for a few days. Don't wanna die of starvation you know?

Lilly: Umm, well… Just go outside. You can see for yourself.

Kyra: Huh… well, enjoy your work.

As her face attracts back to the paperwork, I approach the glass doors and walk outside to the city streets to see five poorly armored guards. Three of them are packing away items into some wooden crates. The other two seem to be dealing with a few angry Wanderers. I interrupt them to find out what is going on.

So this is how it goes, huh? So much for the 'Glimmer of Hope'. The saying just felt like an advertisement to me. No one here really cared for anyone. That's what I have learnt for my eight months of living in purgatory. The M.E.G. people just looked like a whole ruse to me. Nothing more then a faint whisper of hope to get people to listen to them for their dirty work. That's how I saw it, at least. Some things are just too good to be true. People should rely on themselves, not some higher-up monopoly that tells you when you're able to eat.

I was just so tired of this. Some groups just need to learn how to fend for themselves to help their people. But these giant factions just have an unfair advantage on them sometimes. Well, now I had to fend for myself too, after all. I know we all can survive a week or two without food, but the pain of hunger still lingers and was very infuriating. Since I couldn't find any food through easier means, I went on and walked up into multiple different buildings, since I could find a Level Entrance to find something from there and a lot of them aren't that hard to escape. I opened door after door, finding nothing but distorted empty buildings.

Huh… The Camp is lucky to find a building in such good condition. Distortions wise that is.

Level 11 was a nice place, but to me it was a distant echo of what life once was. An empty shell of what little humanity is left. And suddenly, a door opened automatically, slowly, revealing none other than Level 0. Ecstatic that I could find some nourishment. I willingly hopped into the Level. I heard that I would be alone here by myself if I don't find a Manilla Room. Being honest, I didn't know what I was expecting. The stench and the annoying buzzing noise was the Level's most memorable features… especially that lame yellow wallpaper. Without hesitation, I started to wander to find some type of food lying around or a Manilla Room. I had heard the M.E.G. had left a few gifts in those rooms and replaced it every few days.

I constantly turned around, looking over my shoulder. It felt like there was something constantly watching me, but I knew there was nothing there. This place had its side effects. Hours had passed and I eventually tried to take a nap of some sort. Didn't know why I even tried. I got up because as a light sleeper, it felt like a bunch of insects were blaring throughout my mind because of the noise that the lights on the ceiling emitted. I got back up, and continued on my little stroll throughout the mono-yellow park. It felt like I was getting nowhere from the sheer repetitiveness of this Level's structure. I'm not too fond of mazes.

It felt like a day has passed by then — at least, that's what my watch said. Still hadn't found a single crumb of food. I did find a sofa though. It was nice to take a small break; my legs were killing me, and you'd be surprised to know how hard the carpeted floor is. But I never even found any beings either. I forgot whether or not they could be found here or if they were not present at all. Maybe they were walking through their own yellow hell. Eh, who knows. Good for them if they find an escape, I guess.

And finally, I saw a Manilla Room at the end of the hall. I ran towards it in excitement to finally have something to sustain myself. I walked in to find… a sign. It read as follows:

"Sorry, dear wanderer! The M.E.G. cannot provide any supplies at this time. Please contact your nearest M.E.G. operative for more information."

Kyra: You have got to be joking.

Wanderer: UH— AAARGH!

Kyra: Woah! Woah! Calm down, sorry! Were you… resting here?

Wanderer: Yes and… there's no need to apologize, it's my fault. I'm on edge in case something not too friendly wanders in.

Kyra: Heh, I could see why. Did you come here for the supplies too?

Wanderer: Oh yes, for sure! I've… been here for… a few days? Maybe it's been a week. I can't tell. At least it's better to stay in here instead of sleeping under those lights.

Kyra: Ha! Tell me about it. Well… I better get going then. I'll see you around, I guess?

Wanderer: Well, I guess we'll meet again.

That was such a bummer. There was nothing but a sign! "Sorry that we can't do shit and we're lazy." I was sick of this. I just wanted to go home. I wanted to pursue a life full of song and dance. I didn't understand why I was there, and I think about home every day of my life, including then. Did my family think I'm dead? Maybe they just forgot about me, like everyone else. I just… I just wished there was something more to my life. All I had left was a USB Key I kept around that held a bunch of photos of my past back on Earth with my family. I plugged it into my small PC back at Camp to look at it every day as it kept me going when I felt low. Whatever, I guess it isn't important to think about now.

I still felt like something was watching me… but I thought to myself that it wasn't possible. It was Level 0 after all.

Alright… time had certainly passed a bit, maybe a day or two? And well… something was off. I could hear giggling coming from… somewhere! But there was no one there. I didn't get it. I was walking a bit faster and trying to tune out the sounds to see if that helped. It didn't.

I… found the Manilla Room again. I could tell it was the same one because that Wanderer was still there. I walked in to say hello and take a break.

Kyra: Hi again!…

Wanderer: Erm… Oh, it's you. Hey! Why are you back so soon?

Kyra: I… don't know. Just ended up back here after wandering and decided to stop by for some rest.

Wanderer: Huh, cool.

Kyra: Did you uhh- well… It is a strange question but did you hear any… giggling during your stay here?

Wanderer: Besides from the consistent knocking behind these walls, no. But according to The M.E.G. Database that sound is normal here.

Kyra: Ohh, okay then. Sorry for asking.

Wanderer: Okay… I'm going back to sleep. See you in a bit if you're still here!

Kyra: Right… Night I guess.

I decided to nap too. I really needed to. The wandering got really tiring and boring real fast. Some hours went by until I heard a strange noise… and it wasn't that knocking noise. I hastily arose from my slumber, looking around in a panic.

They busted in through the Manilla Room entrance, holding a lamp as some type of weapon. They were wearing a mask of some sort… they looked like a jester. They went to charge straight towards me and I got hit with the bottom of the lamp, and as I hit the ground they turned and smashed the lamp against the wall with the lightbulb casing breaking and exposing the bulb fixture inside.

"This is idea is burning with inspiration — over a hundred degrees Celsius!"

They then swung it over to the Wanderer that was trying to help me up. But before he could do anything they pinned the wanderer against a wall, pushing the tip of the bulb into his face, scaring him.

"Errrrgh fuck it burns!"

"Oops! Sorry friend I think I left the oven running! AHHAHAHA!"

With my quick thinking, I ran and I jumped on the back of the masked figure and pulled him down to the ground. The Wanderer and I got up and ran for it back into Level 0. I ran as far as I could. I couldn't seem to escape the laughter. That was until I turned around and saw something on the wall… a mask.

It was quiet…

Too quiet…

It… looked like one of those tragedy masks in theaters. The frowning one. It looked so… intriguing. I was curious as to what it really was.

It was talking to me. My life already sucked… I had to put it on.

Now, let's hear what it has to say… For its side of the story…

Let the chaos ensue…

I could see more masks… everywhere hidden from the naked eye. It was honestly wonderous. But my mind spoke of confusion. What was going on? What was this mystery we had to unfold? We would do that together. But I surely hoped it didn't take too long. Time was already of the essence for me and I felt that I was needed elsewhere. I did not have the time to aimlessly wander to find my destination, but it seemed that I had no other choice.

Days and days had passed, but did that all really matter in the grand scheme of everything? No, I was nothing but a mere object to story, but I must make myself clear and become more than a means to ask for reasons, and become the reason.

I heard voices, telling me stories of the faint past that I did not wish to know. I did not have time to listen to such fairytales of the past and I had to get to my destination without cause of harm. I felt like I could run off into the distance for months and still manage to never shed a single drop of sweat. I felt like I was born again.

Mere hours had passed and I felt that I was next to my destination. A stairway to the next Level. And there, I met my people.