Carl Mansoon is a businessman from the B.N.T.G.The Backrooms Nonaligned Trade Group is a group focused on trading goods and services. While most groups require permanent members, the transactional nature of the B.N.T.G. allows a lot of leeway and room for growth. They can also reward high-risk gambles more than other groups, since they have a fairly stable economy., but he is currently on a mission. He carefully stalks through the streets, awaiting the next silent monstrosity. He carries delicate electrical equipment from Level 3.1Level 3.1 is informally known as "Space Complex" due to it resembling a high-tech facility and containing machinery specialized for spacecraft. The sub-section is a valuable resource, but there are so many entities that any trips are extremely dangerous. Two groups, the M.E.G. and the B.N.T.G., own outposts on the sub-section, but anyone willing to retrieve materials can still be paid hefty sums., strapped to his back like a sack of potatoes. Carl didn't know what it was, but he could tell that it was expensive. Once he sold it, he and his daughter would be living like royalty.
Amanda Mansoon is sitting in the living room reading a book. She is 14 and taking a class on Backrooms Phenomena, which the book is about. It was required for her grade level, yet it wasn't particularly difficult. She missed her father. It had been 2 days since he left on a "mission", and she was starting to get worried about his safety. Regardless, she performed the duties of the night, making dinner and handwashing dishes. Her father would normally do these things.
Level 9 is informally known as "The Suburbs" due to it resembling American suburbia. While that sounds like a nice semblance of home, the level is in eternal night and is constantly patrolled for wanderers by the Neighborhood Watch, huge creatures primarily composed of eyeballs. The level is highly dangerous and it is advised to only use it as a last resort., hoping beyond belief for an exit. He was trying to be silent in the dark, but his nerves were driving him crazy. Eventually a wild Death RatDeath Rats are rats that have evolved a multitude of traits. They are a genus of several Backrooms rat creatures. They are common creatures, and quite deadly if you come unprepared. sees him and attacks. The Death Rat was nearly a meter tall, and despite what most stories say, people do not fear wild animals because of razor sharp teeth or flesh shredding claws. No, they fear wild animals because they are loud, fast, and coming right at them.Amanda sits at the dinner table watching her phone. She prepared food for 2, but her father's meal was quickly getting cold. She didn't let this bother her, though. She had a working TV and decided to rewatch old movies from her childhood. None of the movies had aged well, especially "The Mermaid of Level 7" and "A Wretch's Tale", but Amanda loved them all regardless. Even the stresses of the day melted away with the nostalgia of childhood.
Carl ran away from the Death Rat, which let out a shriek that surely attracted other entities to him. It's nothing he can't deal with… until he trips. Suddenly, he fell, and the storm drain disappeared. He hit the ground, hard. It was pitch black, and he felt the coarse grain of wood underneath him. As he flicked on his flashlight, he discovered that he was in a wooden box. Nailed shut.
He tried to push against the box. It didn't work.
He tried to carve a way out. It didn't work.
He tried to make noise and hope someone would hear him. It didn't work.
It didn't work. It didn't work. It didn't work.
This couldn't be happening. He was a father. He was on the up and up. It can't end like this, trapped in a box. It wasn't a terrifying beast or a deadly level or another devilish person, it was a panel of wood. FUCKING WOOD! This couldn't happen to someone as important as Carl Danny Mansoon, it's stupid. Beyond stupid. Unbelievably ridiculous.
After minutes of pounding against the wood, driving splinters into his skin that left blood, he did something he hasn't done since the FrontroomsThe Frontrooms is our world. It is home. Earth has food at supermarkets, Euclidean geometry, and safety. It tantilizes us from afar, memories of what we've lost. It is just out of reach, close enough to see but slightly too far to touch.. He prayed. He bargained. He promised. Anything and everything. He promised to be a better person, to do charity, to do anything. All he asked for was to not die in a fucking wooden box.
It didn't work. It didn't work. It didn't work.
Amanda found things to do. She cleaned the house a little bit. She read more from her book. She had a night snack. All of it was done with a nervous undercurrent. Her dad should be back by now. He never said how long it would take, but he never left her home alone this long. Where is he?
Amanda calmed herself. Her father would come back like he always has. He would waltz in at some ungodly hour of the night, say a few pleasantries, and then fall asleep on the couch. He's told stories of surviving horrific places and monsters, Amanda isn't going to doubt him now. He'll be fine.
Carl hyperventilated in his coffin. He's been here for hours. His daughter is waiting for him and he's stuck here. Thoughts twirl around his head about what would happen to her if he disappeared. She'd be an orphan. Alone. Afraid. He could've done more to prevent this. If only he brought a damn weapon and killed that rat. If only he was more careful. If only he kept his footing. His own thoughts torture him as he goes to sleep against the cold wood. On some level, he knew that sleeping in a place with such limited oxygen was a death sentence, but he was oh so tired. Tired and alone.
Amanda sat on her bed. She knew that something was wrong, but she couldn't place a finger on what. The house was quiet and cold. She was alone. The lack of people felt so isolating, so claustrophobic. It felt suffocating. Eventually, she went to sleep. Tomorrow, she'd have to acknowledge her father's absence, but he was going to come back. Her father would never abandon her.
This is about a box. BOX!