meet me at midnight: the backrooms
what if the horrors never ceased?
It’s been a minute since we’ve talked about dangerous games to play in the dark, and it’s time once again to see if you have what it takes to survive the night.
Well, I guess I should say many nights…
You might be willing to risk your life going head-to-head with Bloody Mary or Lady Spades, but are you willing to play a life or death game that never ends?
Today, we’re talking about a more modern piece of urban folklore that we’ve touched on before.
It’s a place known as The Backrooms, and if you’re lucky enough to find it, you’d better hope you live long enough to regret it.
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the backrooms.
Would you be willing to play a game that never truly ends?
It’s a place we’ve talked about before, and a dangerous game you may have heard about in pieces.
Like most modern urban legends, The Backrooms began as a post on 4chan.
In May 2019, an anonymous user posted a photo of an empty yellow-tinged office with beige carpet and peeling wallpaper to one of 4chan’s paranormal message boards with the prompt: “post disquieting images that just feel ‘off”.
Another user left a comment on their post with what would ultimately become the foundational lore for The Backrooms:
“If you’re not careful and you noclip out of reality in the wrong areas, you’ll end up in the Backrooms, where it’s nothing but the stink of old moist carpet, the madness of mono-yellow, the endless background noise of fluorescent lights at maximum hum-buzz, and approximately six hundred million square miles of randomly segmented empty rooms to be trapped in.
God save you if you hear something wandering around nearby, because it sure as hell has heard you.”
But, before we can fully delve into the lore of The Backrooms; it’s important to understand why that picture feels off.
And the answer is that it’s because it’s a liminal space.
We discussed this phenomenon in a previous post about disappearances in national parks, but if you don’t remember, here’s a refresher:
The Oxford Dictionary defines the word liminal as occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold, which means a liminal space is a place that exists between two states or places.
This could be a doorway between two rooms or something much larger, like a platform in a public transit station.
Hallways, stairwells, bridges, parking lots, airports, train stations, hospitals, malls, and even hotels are all examples of liminal spaces.
To put it simply: it’s a place that isn’t intended for someone to remain permanently, and usually, when we are in these places, we feel an uneasiness that urges us not to linger too long.
But, why is that?
Why do you feel a sense of unease walking down an empty stairwell or through a parking garage alone?
Sure, there is something off-putting and uncanny about poorly lit, man-made structures, and there is always that innate fear that you’re not actually alone, but what if I told you, some believe there’s something more to it—that these liminal spaces are thinner than the rest of the world?
There is a school of thought that, in these spaces, the boundaries between realities or worlds become thinner, which is why places like hotels and hospitals tend to experience more paranormal activity than other spaces.
Okay, but what does this mean for The Backrooms?
Well, the lore that developed from this initial post was predicated on the idea that reality is thinner in liminal spaces, and it’s possible to slip or “noclip” through other worlds if you spend enough time in a liminal space.
Before The Backrooms became a destination people were attempting to find, the stories from those who have allegedly survived (or whose accounts survived) began in very much the same way:
A person was wandering in a space like a mall or a parking lot after hours, looking for an exit, and usually ended up getting trapped in a stairwell that seemed to go on forever and was unknowingly pulled out of this dimension.
It’s often referred to in Backrooms lore as noclipping because it mirrors something that can occur in video games.
In gaming noclipping can be one of two things: it can be a cheat code that allows players to defy the laws of the game and lets them literally move through solid objects and sometimes levels, or it’s a glitch that can sometimes occur where a player falls off the game board and ends up in a weird black space adjacent to gameplay.
(If you have ever fallen off a track in an older version of Mario Kart, you’ll know what I’m talking about. When suddenly the graphics start to glitch and your character somehow ends up falling beyond the course into the infinite dark. You probably had to reset the game to start over.)
Essentially, ending up in The Backrooms is the latter.
Think of the parking lot like a game board, and your goal is to find an exit so you can get out onto the mall, which can only be accessed on the ground level. So, you’ve parked on the fourth floor, and you’re looking for an elevator or a stairwell.
After doing a lap, you see an exit sign and find a stairwell. It’s only four flights, so why not take the stairs? So, you start going down, and after a couple of minutes, you realize you’ve gone down way more than four flights of stairs.
So, you start going back up, but none of the doors work, and you notice the stairwell looks different. The lighting is a little off, and when you peer over the railing, you can’t see the top or bottom; it seems to go on and on forever.
It happens in those moments when we aren’t quite paying attention, and our brains are on autopilot. You weren’t thinking about counting the flights of stairs because you expected to end up on the ground floor, and it was in that moment that you slipped off the game board.
Ok, so you’ve noclipped through this liminal space--are you stuck in an endless stairwell forever?
Possibly, though according to the lore, should you not just give up, you will likely find your way eventually into The Backrooms--or at least the first level of The Backrooms.
See, the thing is, The Backrooms contain what appear to be multiple potentially connected dimensions. And unfortunately, the only way to hopefully make it out again is try to make it through the various levels.
The original Backrooms lore contains approximately one thousand levels (ongoing fan fiction from non-purists goes up to ten thousand or more levels), so we’re just going to talk about some highlights.
Should you noclip, you’ll potentially end up in what is referred to as “Level 0” and find a space similar to the photo posted on 4chan. It will be a vacant yellow retail space with the occasional flickering fluorescent light and damp beige carpet.
According to explorers, this is perhaps the safest level, though, while it might potentially be devoid of otherworldly creatures; it’s not exactly safe.
Those who have survived Level 0 report that the space is constantly shifting. Doors and stairs appear as quickly as they disappear. Some have reported hearing voices from empty rooms, chittering in the walls, and humming from the lights, becoming almost deafening.
There is no easy way to get out of Level 0. The only way to make it out is to repeat the process of how you made it there in the first place and essentially noclip again.
Now, it’s possible to end up back in the real world, but most likely, if you’re able to slip through another liminal space, you’re going to end up in Level 1, which means you’ve unfortunately made your way into the true Backrooms and will find yourself in a seemingly endless series of abandoned industrial tunnels.
Now, most levels have exits. Some lead to the next level, while others might take you back to a different level--sometimes even back to Level 0.
Some levels, like Level 0, are mostly safe. If you see something or someone that looks “human,” you should probably gtfo, but, in general, these are places you can remain in safely as long as you keep it moving.
Other areas contain Backroom entities of various threat levels. Some want to wear your skin like a costume and suck the marrow from your bones, while others can be potentially useful in exchange for something. However, it is important to note that pretty much everything wants to kill you or keep you there, so it’s always good to tread carefully.
Level 1, though generally bleak, is an area where people can linger or even try to camp out for a time in abandoned utility closets. You just have to be cool with the occasional complete blackout that happens when the creatures of Level 1 decide it’s time to hunt for supper.
Personally, I’m not a fan of trying to fend off a giant, flesh-eating ball of limbs in the dark, but to each their own.
If you choose to try make it to Level 2, there’s no easy path forward.
You’ll have to brave blackouts, parasitic fungus monsters trying to take over your body, and creatures that want to wear your skin like a dress, and hope that eventually you wander far enough that you’ll transition into Level 2.
You’ll know you’re heading in the right direction if you begin to see more and more pipes and dials on the walls around you.
Level 2 is not so dissimilar to Level 1. You’ll encounter a lot of the same entities, but it won’t be quite so easy to escape or move about. You see, unlike Level 1, where you are free to roam, blackouts are occasional, and you can easily access small rooms for safety; Level 2 is an endless series of utility halls with no escape.
And for extra kicks, some areas are in a permanent state of darkness, so you could spend miles wandering in the dark, never knowing what might be waiting up ahead.
The only way to leave this level is to try your best to find an unlocked door that will potentially take you to Level 3 or 4, though supposedly some doors can lead to more advanced levels.
Level 3 is similar to Level 0; it’s a series of seemingly endless interconnected electrical tunnels and rooms you’ll need to wander through to survive.
But it’s not quite as safe.
Should you make it to Level 3, terrifying monsters might be the least of your worries. The endless electrical plant you’re trapped in is in a perpetual state of malfunctioning. Some halls and rooms are filled with hot steam, while others are dripping with toxic sludge and parasitic mold, both of which can slowly kill you.
No one is quite sure how expansive Level 3 is, but some report that it’s possible to spend days or weeks wandering through the stifling, humid space. But, if you’re lucky, you’ll eventually stumble upon an elevator that takes you to the far safer Level 4.
Level 4 is an endless, empty office space, not dissimilar to Level 0. There are few entities here, so your flesh is safe, and save for the lack of anything to sit on, it’s not a terrible place to be.
It’s not particularly hard to escape this level, but you’ll need to keep your eye on the prize. Exits will appear with some frequency, but if you happen to look away, they’ll vanish as quickly as they appeared.
But, hey, at least they have vending machines on this level. Hopefully, you brought change, and those Doritos you’ve been eyeing are actually Doritos…
Level 5, one of the more well-known levels, is a seemingly endless 1930’s hotel with plush furniture, lights, soft beds, and smooth jazz playing throughout the halls. It’s probably jarring, given what you’ve experienced so far, seeing a place that feels so inviting, but there’s something off about the place.
A lot of people describe their experience in the hotel as similar to Level 0.
Occasionally, the lights will become too bright and loud, scratching and strange muffled laughter will be heard coming from the walls, and despite relatively few entities, people often feel like they are being watched.
The hotel consists of seemingly endless floors of rooms, a boiler room, and an empty ballroom. Some say there is a lobby area, but no one can ever recall what it looks like or how they got there.
Now, it is possible to enter Level 6 through the boiler room, but it’s generally ill-advised. The boiler room itself is a hot, humid, steam-filled maze of pipes that’s difficult to navigate, and Level 6 is one of those places people tend to avoid.
No one is quite sure what it is exactly, since the entire level is bathed in a pitch-black darkness that no light source or sound can permeate. Should you go there, you’ll have to use your hands to feel your way through the endless rooms and halls in the hopes of finding a staircase that descends into Level 7.
Those who have made it through Level 6 reported that they began to see and hear things in the dark, deafening silence. Others reported feeling as though they were being watched or followed.
Now, you certainly could brave the dark and dabble with the possibility of going mad in endless silence, or you could take the easier route out of Level 5 and find a lone dark wooden door that will take you to Level 9.
Oh, and before I forget…
There is supposedly a hotel manager on the property, who, on occasion, has been known to invite travelers into his office. Though he might seem like a gentleman, he’s one of the most dangerous Backroom entities. If you see a shadow out of the corner of your eye, it’s probably already too late.
You’ve been chosen by the manager, and your stay is about to be extended indefinitely.
Level 9 is an infinite abandoned suburb frozen in an endless night.
Should you make it this far, you’ll find a seemingly endless series of identical cul-de-sacs in Level 9. All of the abandoned homes are fully furnished, but none of the lights or appliances will work. While the street lights may occasionally flicker, Level 9 seems to be an area completely devoid of electricity.
While this level is giving aesthetic vibes, it’s an extremely dangerous level. Dangerous entities from other levels have been known to wander in, but the denizens of this level are the ones you truly need to fear.
The streets of this level are crawling with large floating eyeballs known as the “Neighborhood Watch”. These entities patrol the streets for any sign of life and burn all living creatures to dust.
And then there’s “The Mangled”.
No one knows exactly what this entity is or what happens after it finds its victims, but reports indicate it appears to be a gigantic mindflayer-esque creature that sucks its victims into the sky.
I wish I could tell you how to avoid it, but if the streetlights begin to glow a strange orange light and the fog starts to creep in…it’s unfortunately already too late.
Now, you can attempt to hide in the many empty homes within the level, but beware what you take; some objects make it much easier for creatures on this level to find you.
The only way to make it out of this level alive is to wander.
There are two main options: you can attempt to wander off the beaten path into fields when you come across them, or you can follow street signs with an arrow.
Wandering into fields is the only way to make it to Level 10, but not all fields will take you there. Most fields will transport you right back to the beginning of Level 9, and you’ll need to retrace your steps to try your luck in a different field.
If you follow the arrow signs, you’ll eventually make it to Level 11, but those who have attempted this method claim the exit will only appear once you’ve walked somewhere between 100 and 200 miles.
Now, we don’t have time to go through every single level of The Backrooms; we’d literally be here all day.
But I can share a few of my favorites.
Level 69 can be accessed by sitting in the driver’s seat of any of the abandoned cars found in Level 3. Sitting in these cars will cause the individual to lose consciousness and wake up inside the same car in Level 69.
This level is a long, lonesome highway surrounded by perpetual dense fog, and the only way out is to keep driving. You won’t want to get out of your car, though, it’s the only thing keeping you safe from the entities that linger in the fog.
Exits will appear as tunnels perpendicular to the road. If you’re lucky enough to spot one, you’ll need to keep driving for 17 hours until the car begins to break down. Once the car begins to go on the fritz, get out immediately and make your way through the tunnel on foot.
Do not attempt to keep driving or you’ll end up stuck inside a flaming death trap, and do not walk back the way you came. Keep following the tunnel until you finally see a light and find yourself in Level 11, a seemingly endless abandoned city.
Now, this level doesn’t sound hard per se, but that’s assuming the car you wake up in is functional. There are reports of people waking up in cars that had fallen in ditches or even cars that were upside down on the road.
If you can’t use your car, you’ll need to go find another on foot.
Just be careful…that car was the only thing keeping you safe.
Level 151 is a large Tudor-style home, which, upon closer inspection, is actually a life-size dollhouse filled with plastic lights and accessories, as well as human-sized porcelain dolls.
During the day, the house will remain quiet. Most rooms will be inaccessible, and the dolls will be seemingly lifeless during the day.
Once night comes, the lights will go on, the doors will unlock, and the dolls will be active. It’s not terribly hard to find the exits in the dollhouse, but they are only accessible at night when the dolls are awake. And unfortunately, the dolls would prefer if their new toys never left.
Level 315 involves storytelling and a dangerous game. You might survive, but you’ll have to pay close attention.
If you make it to Level 315, you’ll find yourself inside a seemingly endless, dark forest with only a small beacon of light in the distance to guide you.
You’ll have to screw your courage to the sticking place and traverse the dark, desolate woods and keep your eyes fixed on the light. There will be things to tempt you along the way, treats and tricks designed to lure you off the path, but stay strong.
Eventually, you’ll begin to make out a campsite up ahead.
(Oh, also, don’t look back…or look up…some people say it’s rather unsettling to realize you’re inside a dark void that’s slowly devouring everything.)
You might be confused when you reach the glowing campfire because those closest to you from the real world (or “Frontrooms”) will all be sitting around the campsite. They might not notice your arrival or acknowledge your presence, but your loved ones will go around the circle sharing their fondest memories of you.
You might begin to feel nostalgic for home, and you may even begin to tune their stories out, since they never seem to stop sharing fond memories, but you’ll need to stay vigilant and pay attention.
There’s only one way to make it out alive from Level 315, so you’ll need to listen closely, because one of those stories isn’t going to be about you.
One of those stories is going to tell you what’s about to befall you, and it might be your only chance of surviving.
You’ll hear one of four stories:
The Midnight Jogger: a story about a person who finds themselves on a completely abandoned road at night. They wander for a while and realize there is no one else; they are completely alone in the world. As they start to panic, they hear the faintest sound of footsteps far back in the direction they came. Despite any trepidation they might feel, they decide to retrace their steps and see who else is out there. Unfortunately, what initially appears to be a jogger in the night turns out to be a humanoid monster attempting to chase down and strangle the individual.
The Daycare: a story about a person who, after surviving the cold, desolate woods, finds themselves outside of a daycare. Hoping to feel warmth and joy again, they walk inside. The daycare seems to be abandoned. It’s full of toys and bright colors, but no children or staff. So, the person decides to sit down and linger for a bit, until they realize the space is not so empty after all. Strange humanoid clowns with razor-sharp teeth appear, ready to sink their flesh into their latest victim. The person tries to make for the entrance, but finds the way they entered has disappeared. Their only choice is to run for their life, scouring the endless colorful halls and classrooms for any form of escape.
Simon’s Oasis: a story about a person who, looking for signs of life near an empty pool, wanders into a beautiful home nearby where it seems someone is throwing a birthday party for Simon. When the person hears the sound of laughter, they immediately go inside to investigate and are overjoyed to find dozens of happy children running around and celebrating. But where is Simon? Well, Simon isn’t a regular birthday boy. He’s murdered everyone at the party, and isn’t finished yet. Simon’s found a new victim, and he’s strangely strong and fast for such a young kid. He’s also got quite a sharp little knife.
Hypnagogic: a story about a person who wakes up to find themselves in a strange, sealed room. They think it must be their room, since their clothes are hanging in the closet and their knick-knacks are carefully placed about, but something feels off. Ignoring the odd feeling, they decide to spend the day watching TV, but bored with the incessant light and sound, they decide to turn the TV off. Strangely, once the power was off, the world outside grew dark too. They tried to go to bed, but quickly found themselves in a waking nightmare; body frozen and shadows forming in the corners, curling into human-like shapes. The shadows keep coming closer; there is no escape.
Once the story you are meant to hear is recounted, the fire will be extinguished, and you’ll be plunged into perpetual darkness, while your loved ones shriek and vanish into the woods.
A small glimmer of light will appear in the distance. You’ll need to make a run for it, and I mean RUN. The forest is alive now, and it doesn’t want you to go.
If you can evade its gnarled roots and razor-sharp branches for 15 minutes, you’ll make it out alive…just not to an exit.
I hope you were paying attention to the story you were told.
It’s unclear exactly how to move onto the next level once you enter each story, but you have a few clues for how to survive long enough to find out.
Don’t turn back to find the source of the footsteps behind you.
Don’t go inside the daycare, no matter how miserable you feel.
Don’t follow the sound of laughter and don’t try to find Simon.
Don’t turn off the TV.
We could literally go on forever talking about levels, but the question you really want the answer to is how do you get out of there?
Some people say it’s possible to noclip back into our reality in Level 0, but the lore indicates that once you enter The Backrooms, there’s no way out; either you learn the lay of the land and survive in one of the less dangerous levels, or you die.
Even if you make it to the supposed final level of The Backrooms, Level 999, the only exit leads right back to the very beginning: Level 0.
I suppose there are those who would do it for the thrill and the adventure. After all, it is a strange series of interconnected parallel worlds that only a few brave souls have supposedly started to discover and map.
It’s all very Star Trek, boldly go where no one has gone before, and such, but they had a ship they could return to, supplies, weapons, and the option to call for help.
Could you live the rest of your days constantly running from every horror imaginable?
Could you go for weeks or months or even years without seeing another soul?
Of course, it’s all hypothetical.
It is only an urban legend.
And yet, people do disappear sometimes with no explanation. We’ve talked before about people vanishing in the blink of an eye in national parks.
So, the next time you’re in a liminal space, make sure to keep your wits about you. You wouldn’t want to end up in an infinite cycle of terror, or maybe the cosmic horrors of other realms seem appealing in these times.
Who’s to say?
And that’s all she wrote…for now…
I hope you liked our little sojourn into the horrors of The Backrooms.
Stay cursed, friends.
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Resources:
How to ‘No-Clip’ Reality and Arrive in the Backrooms by Reece Rogers
Noclipping is No Joke: The Strange World of The Backrooms Explained by Katie Wickens
The Backrooms: How a Creepy Office Photo Became an Internet Bogeyman by Andrew Lloyd
Absolute terrifying. Thanks.