The Backrooms

Kel hates his job.

But the understanding and empathetic smile on his face said otherwise. He had practiced this face hundreds of times. Eyes wide, eyebrows furrowed in concern, cheeks puffed, and the cherry on top: a small but knowing smile.

It wasn't working.

The middle-aged mother continued to yell at him. Her reddened face was so close to Kel's that he could probably guess what she had eaten last night. And all the while, her kid kept throwing a tantrum in the middle of the store.

keep working

"I'm sorry, ma'am," he tried to explain again, "If the item hasn't been verified, I'm not allowed to sell it to you."

"This is ridiculous! Why would you even display candy if it's not for sale!" She said as she shook the bag of Reese’s in front of his face.

Kel so badly wanted to shout back at her and explain how stuff just randomly no-clips onto their displays. But of course, that wasn’t an option unless he wanted to be fired and lose his home.

"Ugh, we are never coming back here! Let's go, Sam." And with that, the woman and her child stormed out of the store. None of this was surprising. It went about the same as it always goes. Someone finds an invalid item, complains, makes a scene, and then leaves.

Kel will be home soon. So for now, he'll keep working. The long hours don’t matter. The stress doesn’t matter. As long as his daughter has a safe home.

for her

Neon lights… Colorful stores, and of course, that absolutely gorgeous water feature.

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Akari could hardly believe her own eyes. Level 122, she finally made it! She could be the first completionist to successfully complete tgochi.exe’s 'Shoplifter' achievement.

3 almost 4 months of random noclipping in as many different retail stores and malls as she could think of. But her frustration, relief, whatever this feeling was, didn't matter. The goal was clear: find the Janitor and steal something from him. Unfortunately, the achievement hint didn't really explain where to find the Janitor. So she walked into the nearest store, hoping to get some help.

The nearest store just so happened to be selling game consoles. But what appeared strange was the way the consoles were being displayed. Each product was placed in a cubby, with its release date right above it. But the strangest part was that there were no consoles dated past 2006.

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As strange as this store was, Akari couldn't let herself be distracted by some silly sidequest. The 'Shoplifter' achievement required her to steal a personal item from the janitor. Not “a” janitor but “the” janitor? Why would a massive mall only need one janitor? She tried to find the level's entry on the GPD, but the only entry available was extremely bare-bones. Akari sighs, realizing that she'll actually have to talk to the employees.

Looking around, she actually couldn't see many people inside the electronics store, just a few customers who were minding there business. There was no choice but to start walking around. What she didn’t realize was that the store was significantly larger than it appeared on the outside. And its confusing, near maze-like layout didn't help either.

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Eventually, Akari found someone who appeared to be an employee, standing next to a display of various 90s electronic devices. Strangely, it appeared as if flowers were growing inside the displays, some even growing directly from the technology itself.

But as strange as it was, it was also kind of beautiful, in a harmonic sort of way.

*Snip*

Oh…

Stay focused on the objective, just ask what you need to and get out.

“Um…excuse me?”

He spun around to face her while flashing a clearly forced smile. His nametag read: “John”.

“Oh, hi, miss. How can I help you?”

“Hi, it’s my first time on this level, and I was just wondering who exactly the janitor is and where I could meet him?”

“The Janitor? He’s not really seeing people at this moment, could you come back another tim-”

“I actually have to deliver some important news to him about some trademark issues. If I don't see him today, it could lead to legal trouble.”

“Whoa, ok. Truthfully, I don't know where exactly to find him, but I have heard that if you follow the neon lights, it'll take you to his office.”

“Ok, um, thank you.”

Akari wasn't really sure what that meant, but it was at least a good starting point, so she began to find her way out. Compared to before, finding the exit was relatively easy. Once she was back in the mall hallway, she began to follow the neon lining on the walls and walkway. She wasn't even paying much attention to her surroundings; her attention was wholly focused on the neon lining. Until at one point it just… ended.

But when she looked around, she couldn't see anything that even looked like an office. Did she miss something? Absentmindedly, Akari laid her hand on the neon strip, and immediately, a searing hot pain shot through her hand. The pain was so severe that it felt like it had done real damage to her.

That's when Akari finally noticed something strange.

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It was pulsing.

The outer casing seemed to be expanding and contracting rhythmically. Almost like it was pumping the plasma into the wall.

Into the wall…

The neon strip went into the wall! Akari rushed down the hallway, and sure enough, when she turned the corner, the neon tubes had reappeared, giving her a new path to follow.

This is gonna be more complicated than I thought.

Running.

Cas was frantically running away from something. An entity?
They were running through some kind of dingy, old hospital. Each footstep slightly squelched on the soft, damp carpet.
That thing was still behind them. They could tell from the unnatural pitter-patter echoing through the tight corridors.

“You can’t just choose to be like this.” It whispered.

The voice sounded like it was right in their ear, but when Cas turned their head, they didn't see anything.

Keep Running.

It was really all they could do. Sprinting through every beige corridor, desperately trying to get away from that thing.

“Why can’t you just be a normal kid?”

Mom?

Cas woke up immediately.

Calm down. You’re not on that level anymore.

Trying to ground themselves back in reality, they took a look around.

See? No need to worry.

Looking around, everything seemed to be ok. No security guards or even regular people had found Cas’s resting place. Sure, sleeping on a metal bench in an empty part of the mall was uncomfortable and lonely, but it was better than the nonsense they had to face on other levels. At least here, Cas wasn't constantly close to death.

*Gwrrr*

Well, unless they starved to death. In all fairness, it is really hard to ration out food when you don’t know when your next meal will be. And let's just say that granola bars and almond water weren't exactly filling. Cas could still taste some of the peanut butter and chocolate from the granola bars they ate yesterday. They still had half of it saved, but maybe it’d be better to look for some more food.

In the few months that they were staying here, they’d already looted the nearby vending machines. So it seemed the only option was to try the food court again.

By now, the way to the food court was burned into Cas’s memory. They could easily make their way through the unused department store, past the cosmetics shops, and down the escalator to the more populated and maintained area of the mall.

Not very busy today. Perfect.

Cas walked up towards one of the fast food stalls where a “Server” entity was working.

“Heeyyy Fri!”

“Oh, brother. Is it that time of week already?”

“Oh, c’mon, I know you love to see me coming.”

“Are you sure you’re not confusing me for a different server?”

“Girl, I could spot you a mile away.”

“Oh fo’ real?”

“Fo’ real fo’ real.”

“…Even on Wednesday?”

“Ok, we don’t need to bring THAT up.”

Fri giggles to herself as Cas blushes slightly. But the moment was only fleeting.

*Gwrrr*

“Cas… You know I can’t give you any more free food.”

“I know, I know. And I don’t want to get you in trouble or anything. I just- I mean, I have some almond waters, could I trade those?”

…

“*sigh*, listen, it’s ok. Just meet me by the staircase in an hour.”

“Thank you, Fri.”

From there, Cas slunk away. It was embarrassing always having to ask others for help, but they just didn’t know what else they could possibly do. Something needed to change; they couldn't just keep relying on others forever. Especially not if it puts Fri’s job in jeopardy.

There were some flyers advertising work for the B.N.T.G. on level 196. The pay wasn't the greatest, and the job would be more dangerous than just staying here, but maybe it was worth it? Or perhaps they could begin working at Polden Point? The pay and safety would be better, but the only open position was for technicians. Theoretically, they could just lie about their qualifications.

…Yeah, maybe not.

Cas walked up towards the staircase about an hour later. It was the nice secluded one they always met up at. It wasn't so out of the way that the two of them looked suspicious hanging around it, but it was just far enough from the more active areas that they could have some semblance of privacy. Fri was sitting on the nearby bench, already waiting.

“Hey Fri,” Cas said as they waved.

“Hey, Cas. Look, obviously I don't want you to starve or anything, but I-”

“Don’t worry, I totally understand. I really appreciate all you’ve done for me in the first place.”

“You know… you’re not supposed to thank me until after I give your food.”

Cas’s face lit up, clearly glad to hear that.

“But I thought-”

“It’s ok. I’m on break. I don’t think he gets a say in what I do with my free time.”

“Who's he?”

“Oh, the Janitor, he’s like, everyone’s boss, I guess?”

“Ohhh, I see.”

“So, I guess just promise you won't tell him what I’m about to do,” Fri said as she pulled a neatly wrapped burger out of her apron pocket.

The delicious aroma wafted towards Cas, making sure they knew this was fresh. And of course, food smells 10x better when you haven't eaten a hot meal in days. The burger had a sticky note on it, but Fri was purposefully angling it away from Cas’s line of sight.

Although Cas couldn't see Fri’s face,¹ they could still feel the kindness and care that was put into it.

“Fri… you’re too nice to me. I wish I could pay you back somehow.”

“You can pay me back by staying alive,” Fri said playfully, while giving Cas a light punch on their arm.

“Heh, I’ll try,” Cas said as they reached out to grab the burger.

The burger wasn’t very big, so there wasn't enough room for both of their hands to hold onto it. And so, for a brief moment, the two touched hands. But only for an instant. Almost immediately after, Fri’s presence was gone. The feel of her hands, the weight she applied to the burger, all of it gone, as her clothes fell onto the bench below.

Cas had gotten so used to the sight of the floating restaurant uniform that it was extremely off-putting to see it just… sitting there. Lying completely still on the bench, almost seeming to stare back at them.

“F-Fri?”

“…”

In disbelief, Cas reached their arm out to where Fri had just been. Searching for someone who no longer exists. There was no one there. Hands trembling, Cas looked down at the burger they were still holding. The one Fri had been holding just a second ago.

”Always face life head-on, you’re stronger than you know.”

No. Nononononono…

It was as if, everything was falling

Apart.

Together. All at once.

Shaking.

Weeping.

Alone on a bench.

A stapler?

Eh sure. There's no way anyone would be mad enough about a stolen stapler to pursue her, right?

Stealing from the Janitor was surprisingly easy. Ok, well, she couldn’t say that just yet, but so far, the mission was pretty simple. The Janitor’s office was entirely empty, along with the hallways and waiting areas leading to it.

Yet strangely, Akari’s confidence only seemed to wane the closer she got to her goal. The chances of this going so smoothly had to be like only 4% or something.

She quietly exited the room, stapler in hand, and began following the neon lights out. Except… it appeared as if the path back had changed? These hallways were definitely different than before. At least she thought so?

Where is it taking me?

She would soon have her answer as she turned the corner and saw what lay waiting at the end of the hall. The neon lining she was following was no longer alone; several others had joined it, and all of them converged on the door at the end of the hall. Each of them traveling into a hole in the far wall and presumably into the room behind the door.

It looked dangerous and off limits, which is all she needed to know. But when she turned around to try to leave, she was only met with a dead end. The way she had come from had somehow disappeared, and the only way out seemed to be through that door.

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At first, Akari wasn't really sure what she was looking at. The contrast between the bright neon lights and the dark room made it hard for her eyes to adjust.

The room was much larger than she had expected, with multiple winding halls wrapping in on themselves. As she was wandering around the room, she began to hear what sounded like someone crying. By continuing to follow the neon lining, she eventually found the source of the sound. A person was sitting with their head down on a counter. And in front of them lay some kind of large machine with a massive screen. All of the neon tubes fed into one side of the machine and appeared to be pumped out of the other side like a giant mechanical heart.

At that moment, the teen seemed to notice her presence.

“Oh gosh, sorry.” They said while wiping their eyes.

“No, don’t apologize. It's my fault for just… walking in. Are you ok? What’s wrong?”

“It’s just, I-, I lost someone close to me today, and I thought that maybe… I don't know, maybe I could bring her back.”

Akari looked back at the screen. ‘Entity S-22c Status: Terminated.’

“An entity created by the Janitor…” Akari pondered softly.

“Well, um, y-yeah. We kind of became friends, but the Janitor… ‘terminated’ her.”

“That’s terrible. You should do something about this.”

“But what can I even do? He’s in control of everything here.”

“No one should have that much power, especially not if they’re so cruel. What if you just kill him?”

“I- what?”

“Just look at the screen, this isn't the only Server he’s killed. Who knows how many more people he’s hurt? The only way to avenge all of them is for someone to deliver justice to him.”

“I know, but I don't know if I could do that.”

“It doesn't have to be you, but someone has to do it eventually. You’ll never be able to let go of your grief if you don’t get closure. And I’m sure you’re stronger than you think you are.”

“Thanks.”

"No problem! Um, by the way, do you know the way out of here?"

"Yeah, the exit door is right over there."

"Oh, haha, guess I missed that."

An escalator led straight from the Administrative Center to the Janitor’s current location. It was incredibly convenient for Cas. That machine contained a comprehensive file on everything anyone would ever want to know about the Janitor.

None of the information was redacted or even just password-protected, making it very easy to find everything Cas needed. The Janitor’s hubris would be his downfall.

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The 4th floor had a totally different atmosphere from the others below it. Instead of stark white walls and bright lights, this floor was dimmer, with the only lighting coming from the purple neon lights hanging above. The entire place felt more private, exclusive, and, to a certain extent, luxurious.

The Teaching Studio was just off to the side with large glass doors and a rose gold ornate trimming. As Cas entered, they were expecting to see the Janitor, but instead, the room was relatively empty.

Well, aside from the child sitting at a counter facing a wall. She had headphones on and was writing something on a notepad. Did the Janitor Kidnap her?

Cas began walking towards her and calling out, but she didn't seem to notice.

“Alright Zoe, have you finished-”

The Janitor walked in from a connecting side hallway. He was holding a sketchbook and a pack of colored pencils.

“Oh. Hello there. Cas was it?”

Cas nodded tentatively.

“H-How”

“How do I know your name? Well, obviously, the servers told me. Or, more accurately, one specific server. What did you call him? Fri? That’s a cute name for a fast food worker.” He said as an unnaturally wide and sadistic smile spread across his face. His completely dead and emotionless eyes stared into Cas’s soul. “It's such a shame some entities don’t know how to follow directions. Even after being given multiple warnings. Luckily, no one will miss-”

Before they even fully understood what they were doing, Cas pulled out the half-eaten granola bar and threw it at the Janitor. They were aiming for the middle of his face, but the bar ended up hitting his left eye.

“Aggh! Ow.” He cried out in pain as his eye forcefully shut.

The reaction began almost immediately. His eye began to swell, and his skin broke out into hives. The sight made Cas very uncomfortable, so they shut their eyes. However, just the sound was enough to figure out what was going on. Tongue swelling, trouble breathing, wheezing, dizziness, low blood pressure, and an eventual collapse on the floor.

Cas opened their eyes, and sure enough, the Janitor was lying unconscious, right in front of them. The plan was to drag his body somewhere to hide it, but they couldn't because there was an audience.

The little girl, Zoe, had turned around and removed her headphones at some point.

She was completely silent for a few moments, but it didn't last long. Eventually, she erupted into tears. Her wailing was exceptionally loud. That wasn’t good.

“Shh Shh, hey, hey, it’s ok, don’t cry.”

“But-but.”

“Hey, look here, I have… a cheeseburger!” That got her attention quickly, and she seemed to calm down.

“Hmmm, do you have candy?”

“No, but I know where we could go get some.”

“Really? Yay! Just promise we’ll be back by 9 for dinner. My papa gets lonely without me.”

Papa? This poor child must have been trapped here for so long that she thought the Janitor was her dad!

“Of course, don’t worry about it.”

They rushed out of the room so quickly that Zoe didn't even remember to take the drawing she was working on with her.

But it's ok because she could come back later and get it.

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