⚠️ Content Warnings ⤴
Info
Content Warning: Mentions of drug abuse.(?)
Written by Chronsaal .
Thanks to Samedo07,
Positive123,
DrAkimoto,
XRaggiX,
InspectingCritters and
Cosmic_Prisoner for critique.
Thanks again to DrAkimoto for greenlight and numerous SPaG corrections.
Brian Benson's notebook; Chapter 23
I heard the news when I came back home; the posters leaked. But not just some posters; they were the ones you received when entering Level 559. The level responsible for the fact that I'm still alive. This is the one I got, back when I was there:
Introduction
Welcome, visitors, to what you call Level 559. You might be wondering how you got here, but don't worry; we will explain everything to you.
This place has the wonderful habit of transporting you here when you need it the most. It acts almost like a benevolent force — possibly being the last hope for many — so it's likely that you came here from a dangerous situation. This place can be described as the exact opposite, being completely safe and sound.
Well, you might have asked yourself who is writing this to you. Who we are shouldn't really matter; however, here are a few words to those curious: Though we have created this place, you won't see us very often. The park runs almost completely on its own while we only perform minor tasks. When you see a shadowy figure, yes, that's us. Nevertheless, all of that doesn't really matter; we will only do the best we can to serve our visitors. Your attention will be drawn to other things anyway. Worry not about payment, as we ask for nothing in return, only that you make the most of your time here; it is limited, just like everything.
So what even is this place? Let us introduce you to the different areas that you can use as much as you want, though there are a few rules you have to keep track of.
Area 1: The Main Hall
The main hall
After taking just a few steps forward, you will find yourself here. This giant hall only includes one singular pool. While this might not seem like anything special, we still highly encourage you to use it to get used to our waters before going deeper. Additionally, this is the only place here where you can meet other visitors. So if you need someone to talk to, do it there, because you will experience the rest alone. By the way, you don't have to worry about your clothes; keep them on; they don't matter.
Area 2: The Quiet Place
The pool in the quiet place
Entering one of the hallways will eventually separate you from others and lead you here. While the pool in this area looks normal at first, entering it will reveal that this isn't the case. We can not fully describe what happens next, as it is a highly individual experience, but we can tell you that the water used here was crafted just for you. It adapts and changes based on your mood, for example, by breaking apart into singular spheres1 or being as light as a feather. At the same time, it also changes your mood, mostly adapting to make you feel comfortable. Additionally, any physical harm that's been done to you will also be dissolved into the water below you, removing it completely. It's likely that you will lose track of time throughout this process, but there is nothing to fear, and you will wake up again. So don't be shy; try it. You don't really have anything to lose.
Area 3: The Outdoors
In your quiet place, you will always find a door that leads outside. The garden forms a circle around the building, which can be fully explored. When leaving the house, you may already be exhausted, but that's not a problem. There is always light rain falling, which will reenergize you quickly in addition to the light scent of the plants. You might not be familiar with everything you see here; maybe the plants will even look pretty dead to you, but this is normal.
In addition, you can also traverse the edges of our property, which reveal an infinite plain of dark clouds where the garden should continue, sometimes with lightning striking. As beautiful as they are, don't try to step on them. And look out for anomalous puddles that you may find on the ground — you may watch them as they produce colors and shapes you've never seen, but you better keep your distance. When you are finished and feel like it's time to go back, re-enter the building at the northern gates, and it will transport you to a safe level. If you feel like something is wrong, ignore it; it will go away when you exit this place.
Rules:
We do everything to guarantee a flawless experience here, but some things should not be attempted at any cost, as you may destroy your own and others' experience. So please don't do the following things and appreciate our works:
- Climbing over the railings at the edges and jumping down
- Following other visitors or entities
- Following random staircases; these are not supposed to appear
- Entering the building from the outer area through other entrances, like the one you used to leave the quiet place
And with that, enjoy your stay!
Sincerely, the staff
I didn't understand why the M.E.G. freaked out over this. This level rescued and healed me at my worst, and now this is how they respond? I mean, yeah, it's run by some entities, but I don't think they'll like people's reactions to this.
• • •
I have come to a decision: I reached out to them so I can investigate it instead. I wanted to go there again anyway and say thanks; luckily, they trusted me and didn't think twice, not wanting to deal with it themselves.
• • •
I arrived a few weeks later. It was close. People shouldn't try to get here on purpose. It's not ending well. Unfortunately, having seen their reactions, my perspective on this place is now also a little more critical. I do have experience here in the Backrooms, and I can't believe such a beauty exists. However, I wanted to enjoy my stay, so I did what the entities encouraged one to do.
My appreciation for this place first started decreasing when I saw a stairwell, one of those that were "not supposed to appear". I didn't quite believe it, and my curiosity was piqued once again, but I resisted it, knowing that the entities wouldn't like it. For some reason my original intention for coming here felt pretty wrong. I had to resist it again when standing before the quiet pool, thinking about what the water might do when I enter it.
So after I was there in the quiet place, I made a draft for the water so people aren't skeptical like that anymore. I'm really feeling weird now, though. I'm surprised that I managed to get this all on my notebook and still relax.
• • •
I think I made a mistake. I just wanted to show you what this water is. But it turns out that the level isn't as beneficial when you don't do what it wants. On top of feeling really weird after the quiet place, I also feel like something is going to happen.
I stared at one of the plants. A shadow seamlessly shot out of the ground, staring at me in silence. I knew that my time here was over. Yet I was here to investigate. Though knowing I would regret this attempt, I started running because I knew the shadows still think I'm a regular wanderer who just wants to rest.
I really didn't understand what the water did to me. Maybe it was connected to my intentions this time, being different from everyone else who is coming here. But what can I say? The second I saw a staircase, I went down it. There was nothing much, except some dark hallway with a singular door that was locked. For some reason I wasn't really happy that I escaped. I wanted to get back up and do what's right — this place is just helping us — when I noticed a strange sheet of paper.
I hope someone else besides the entities will read this. I don't know what they will do to me now. I think they said they will bring me back to my home. I think they bring everything they don't want anymore there. I don't want to go, but hopefully this is at least helpful to you. Please take your time to read this for a second: I have been working here for a very long time; it wasn't my decision, though. They said that we can live here now that we can't do that at home anymore, and we just have to work. However, I think they were the ones who destroyed everything so they could use our home and us separately. They took everything away and enslaved us. What we do here is we create the water; yes, it's not just running on its own. It is the worst torture imaginable. We not only have to create its shapes by hand with those terrible tools, no, we also have to connect ourselves to them, and they give us stupid pills so we are happy, and then they transfer everything into the water, and we are left broken.
This time the pill wasn't working; when I took it, I wasn't "happy", and all my hatred was shown to them. The water didn't like it; it was suddenly hard like a rock and jumping around like crazy. And it got even more uncontrollable, but they came and contained it, and now I will face the consequences. This place has to go down; I'm sorry. Please, whoever finds this, contact others.
• • •
I was sceptical but intrigued. At that same exact moment, a shadow emerged from the ground once again. I was caught—I knew that resistance was futile.
I don't remember what happened next, but I found these words in my notebook:
As you won't be able to tell anyone anyway, we will also reveal the following to you:
Once this level was just a seemingly peaceful village. The people lived here from the beginning of time relatively isolated from the rest of this realm. Yet, like all humans, they only wanted power. On the outskirts of their village, they built a colossal structure reminiscent of the Colosseum in the Frontrooms.2
What they did there was never fully known, but we believe it was a rebellious act against the backrooms themselves because not long after, an incident occurred. The entire structure was destroyed in a large explosion, and we were formed. A force designed to help the backrooms and all of its inhabitants, much like how we changed this level itself. At the same time, we also made it rain eternally as a sign of the past. In just one night we obliterated not only their village but also established what this level is known for now: a level to help those in need. We know we did the right thing, and whoever opposes us opposes the backrooms themselves.
• • •
When looking at those creatures after reading this, I started to believe them. They just have that kind of intimidating aura that implies that they were made powerful to do the right thing. I don't want to share what happened to me in detail; I just wrote this article for information. This book should be safe. I'm gonna leave it somewhere in the upper area. Maybe someone will find it one day.
Description
Area 0 is a village with notable similarities to those commonly found in the Netherlands and Denmark in The Frontrooms.
Area 0
The village is almost circular in shape, ranging around the rock, where the rest of the level3 is located on top of.
It is located below the second layer of clouds, which can be seen when looking over the edges of the rock. While there is already rain falling at the upper area4, it doesn't reach the lower one; instead, there is a different one coming from the second layer of clouds. The rain never changes, continuously falling at the exact same angle. It acts in a similar fashion to snow, making less noise than regular rain and being notably condensed. This rain feels like tears falling down5, but not influenced by any actual feelings yet. Natural vegetation is altered significantly by this rain. Any wood present is gradually being petrified, taking on a dark grey tone and a harder surface, and also becoming incapable of growing leaves. Grass changes in a similar way as wood but can still easily be torn apart.
Uses
This place is the ultimate rubbish dump of the "wellness center". Pipes exist that are discharging "used" water and "toxic" water6 here.
Additionally, this place also acts as a punishment when breaking the aforementioned rules. If you have the unfortunate fate of getting sent here, you will eventually end up in the houses, which act as cages. Entering those by normal means is not possible, as doors and windows are capable of resisting any force. To enter, you are thrown into accumulations of the toxic water, which no-clips you inside the houses. In there, only suffering is certain.
When you look into the house's windows from the outside, you can see those captured inside. Those are not only the ones who broke the rules but also the people that were once living here before the shadows came. They now have to work for the entities forever, crafting the water, and one mistake and they get sent here as well. Inside of the houses, they are nothing more than shadow-like figures. Sometimes they will try to interact with the outside, trying to make you come in too. If you have the chance, ignore them. They are not humans anymore. Their hate for everyone and everything leaks out, connecting to the water surrounding the houses, even without physically touching it.
The Accumulations
While happy feelings affect the crafted water in a somewhat positive way, this is not the case for the accumulations here. When the water is taken over by the hate of the houses inside, it oftentimes collects itself and forms a so-called accumulation. These are incredibly dangerous, behaving in anomalous ways ranging from being as hard as stone to sticky. They are surprisingly similar to the puddles in Area 3 but likely not connected in any way. But no matter how they behave, if you are near them, you will always feel the hate stored inside.
Entities
The shadows only show up here occasionally; they rather tend to avoid this place. Caution is still advised, though; it is known that they are capable of appearing anywhere, anytime inside their domain. Not much is known about how they took over this place, but they didn't seem to have many difficulties doing so.
When seeing another person, you'd best go the opposite way. It might be one of the villagers. Don't trust them, no matter what.
Entrances and Exits
Area 0 can be entered by being brought here by the shadows or jumping down the edges of the rock, which even the shadows warn you not to do.
Escaping is theoretically possible as long as you don't enter the houses. Don't lose hope and attempt anything to reach the upper area again. However, I don't think there's hope left for you if you end up in Area 0; the attraction of the houses might just be too strong, and you will enter them by yourself.
My final words:
In the end, you have to accept your happiness being stolen; you should appreciate being still alive. Sometimes it needs the greed of someone to form a force for the greater good that saves you at your worst. After all, there is still hope, hope to find your happiness again; joy can't just be taken away forever. But remember, don't think about those who have to suffer eternally for your good. There is only hate left inside them. This is a test you can only pass when you accept this terrible reality. I hope you people find this.
Liar…
Never stop trying to make the world a little better by yourself… He could have made a difference, but this guy is dead now. Does he really believe what he wrote down there? So many innocent people enslaved, so much happiness just stolen. We will be back, and then we won't just barely be mentioned.
The people have to understand that this place was never actually intended to help them. Everything is just manipulation. This is just a fool's paradise.
- The Unknown, the previous inhabitants of Level 559
