- Third-Person View -
River was a lazy individual. Laying around at home, sitting in bed—the usual. River is a mildly tall individual with average strength. They have black hair and light blue eyes. They were just feeling bored, as per usual. Then...
*swoosh*
*whoosh*
*thud*
"That hurt," River said, groaning.
They started to take a look at their surroundings. What they saw left them worried, of course.
The walls were plastered with mono-yellow wallpaper, there were patches of moist... something... on parts of the carpet, electrical outlets could occasionally be seen across the walls, and the fluorescent lighting was placed inconsistently. It didn't help that the lights were making an annoying buzzing sound.
"Where the fuck did I end up?" They said.
They got up and patted the dust off their pants. "Now... where to go...", they said as they started to walk around. "Well, I'll just pick a direction and pray. Everything looks the same, anyway", they hoped.
Footsteps started sounding against the carpet. A long time later, River spoke, "How long have I even been walking for? The same wallpaper, the same carpet, the same stains, and the same buzzing sound! I swear I'm gonna go insane if I haven't already."
*swish*
*thud*
"Oh, come on! What the hell did I even trip over?" They started looking for the item. "Is that it? A metal can? ...Might as well see what it is; it's something new at least." They picked it up with annoyance. "Almond...Water...? Why is there some random nut water in wherever the fuck this place is? I've been feeling thirsty anyway; I'll drink it."
There was an expression of disgust. "This tastes so bad! Why would people even... why do I feel better? Is this water magical or something?" They said this as they noticed the black spots in their vision fading. "God, that buzzing sounds so much quieter! The taste is shit, but goddamn if this isn't excellent!" They started chuckling.
Footsteps continued sounding on the carpet. "I've never taken the time to think about it, but how did I get here in the first place? All I know is that I slipped, fell through the floor, and fell onto the carpet."
They came back from their thoughts. "Right... everything is the same except for some occasional random things happening." Footstep after footstep was continuously sounding out. They kept wandering. Further and further, their senses dulling, until...
"That's something different. It's a reprieve from the same old things here." They walked into the odd square room. The walls were covered in manilla paper, with the lights a warm orange. There was a table in the middle of the room, with a chair, both made of rotten wood. On top of the table was an odd book labeled, "Guide to Noclipping."
With nothing else to do, they started reading. 'If you've found this book, you're in luck! Except if you already know everything, then it's useless. But if you don't know how to noclip, this guide is here to teach you! For beginners, the first step is to lean straight up against a wall (thin, if possible), then push yourself back with the front of your feet. You should now be falling until you reach the next level. Since I am such a kind person, I'll give you an extra tip. Have as much weight on you as possible. The heavier the total weight, the easier it is to clip through the wall. Don't ask me; I don't know the reason why! Some people speculate that the heavier weight makes you weigh more against the barrier, making it easier to "shatter" it. Good luck!'
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"That was a lot, but very helpful." They took a breath, and got near a wall. "Okay... position yourself against the wall... I have a few of those nut waters on me, so that should make it easier, if this guide is correct. Then... push yourself back with the front of your feet!"
*crash*
*whoosh*
*thud*
"Ow... now where did I end up this time...?" They said.
The surroundings seem to resemble a warehouse, with colder fluorescent lights hanging from the ceiling. With walls and pillars made of rotten concrete, it expands into many different areas. Occasional machinery, such as forklifts and cars, litters the areas. The place seems to have multiple floors, with large amounts of puddles of unknown liquid on the ground.
"This place is wei-" They were interrupted by a breathing sound. "Who the fuck-" they said loudly while turning around. There were two individuals in hazmat suits. The features can't be identified, except that one is average height and one is slightly shorter.
"We mean you no harm." The taller one spoke. His voice sounded deep, almost noble, though it was muffled through the hazmat suit. "We have no record of you in our database. You seem to be a new arrival."
River was silent, though the individuals in hazmat suits mistook confusion for fear. "Allow us to introduce ourselves. My name is Asher, and my companion is named Noah. We are members of an organization called M.E.G. Our operation is to guide lost arrivals to secure loca-", Noah interrupted, his voice higher pitched than his companion's with a laidback attitude. "Alright, Mr. Fancypants, I think you're scaring the guy. Let me explain." A cough was heard through the suit. "Y'see, we are part of a large organization that explores and documents this whole place. We have a base set up here to guide lost people like you to safer areas. Look at us. Do we look threatening at all?"
River spoke a quiet "no."
Noah continued speaking, "Now all we gotta do is get you to a safe location, so you are protected from the creepy things that appear. Y' understand?"
River was silent, but eventually spoke. "I'll go with you as long as you can answer some questions."
"Alright, c'mon, let's go then," Noah told them.
Multiple pairs of footsteps started to be heard against the concrete.
Noah got the conversation going: "So, you got questions. Shoot."
"What is this place, first of all? Second, what is M.E.G.? Finally, what would I do once we got to a safe location?"
"Let's go in order. Y'see, this place is called 'The Backrooms', a never-ending labyrinth of random locations. The yellow floor you were likely in before is Level 0, also known as 'Tutorial Level.' The place we're in right now is Level 1, 'Habitable Zone.' Let's go to the second question. M.E.G., also known as Major Explorers Group, is a large organization dedicated to exploring and researching the various levels and anomalies. M.E.G. has contributed to the discovery of hundreds of levels, which is pretty incredible if you ask me. M.E.G. has a vast amount of resources and a large number of outposts in various locations. The place we're heading is called M.E.G. Base First Light. Finally, last question: You can either live at the base or contribute to M.E.G. Contributing can get you extra benefits. If you do decide to contribute, you'll get a hazmat suit and orders to go to various levels to do various things... I need a drink." Noah said.
River was silent, processing the information. Unconsciously, they arrived at the base.
Noah spoke to his companion, "I need a drink; my throat is parched. Asher, go guide them to the leader of the base to get them registered."
Asher replied, "Very well." Asher turned to River, "Come along. We need you to register in our database."
Walking through the base, it was shoddily made up of wooden materials, with rotten beds. There weren't as many puddles as compared to outside the base; for what reason, River doesn't know. There were occasional people around, either lounging or working. Arriving at the base leader's office, Asher and River headed in.
Asher spoke while entering, "Base Leader, we have located a new arrival and escorted them here."
The base leader spoke, their voice noticeably feminine, with an air of confidence: "Well, we've got yet another new wanderer. I'll get to the point. What do you now wish to do?"
River hesitated, then spoke, "I want to contribute."
The base leader gave a laugh, then said, "Well, not used to the shabby conditions? I get it. Let's get a move on; I'll get you a hazmat suit."
The base leader left for a moment, and River took the time to look around. The wooden materials acting as the walls of the office were less rotten than the walls of the base, and the floor was noticeably cleaner. River couldn't tell if it was because it was the base leader's office or if they were just a clean freak. There was a chair and desk made of wooden materials that were slightly rotten, with the desk having a picture of the base leader and multiple other unknown individuals. The base leader returned.
"Here. Take it; your first mission is to gather supply crates around Level 1. Simple. Get moving." The base leader ordered.
As River took the suit, they knew life wasn't going to be normal anymore.
Chapter Word Count: 1,526