CHAPTER TWs: BLOOD/GORE

With Kel and Hero...

Ding.

"Hero! You're here!" Kel says in relief.

"I couldn't let you go here alone, especially since Aubrey said this level could be dangerous!" Hero says back to Kel.

"All of the Backrooms could be dangerous!"

"Fair enough, but we should get out of here as soon as possible!"

"C'mon, it won't hurt to explore a little, now will it?"

"...fine. But be careful, okay? We can't die here."

The two brothers look at their surroundings. Several long tables are in front, with a kitchen off to the side and a giant stage-like structure near the back. Next to the elevator, there was a janitor's closet with a wooden door. The closet reeked of mold and dead bugs.

They went to the kitchen first, looking to see if they could find anything edible.

Kel found a bottle of soda which had never been opened.

"Wait." Hero said. "It might be a trick. Keep it, but don't drink it."

Kel, although extremely thirsty, complied and put the soda in the crate on his back. Once he looked up, he saw what looked like a pair of crimson eyes staring at him in the dark.

"Hero? What's that?" Kel asked, lightly gesturing to the eyes he had seen.

"If I had to guess, it's an entity. We should probably stay away from it, though. And be careful. If it starts coming towards you, run." Hero replied.

With everyone else...

"It's been a while, are you sure they're okay?" Mari asked worriedly.

"I'm sure they'll be okay." A different voice said.

"Who's there?!" Mari asked, startled.

Behind the group was a tall, skinny man, who's hair made it look like he had just gotten out of bed. He wore a large vest with two pens his pocket. He carried a clipboard.

"Oh, silly me." the man said. "I must have forgot to introduce myself. My name is Chuck. I'm a scientist at the M.E.G."

"M.E.G.? What's that?" Basil asked.

"The largest research group in the Backrooms." Chuck responded. "I was chosen to monitor the elevators that your friends went into today."

"Will they be okay?"

"They should be. If not, we can send in a rescue patrol to try and get them. There's only two of these here elevators, and they need to be monitored closely."

"Where did the elevator even take them?" Sunny asked.

"An anomalous level. It's named 'Barnaby Bun's Fun Emporium'."

Back with Kel and Hero...

"I think we should go now. We've explored enough." Kel said, his voice shaking slightly.

"Agreed. Now, how exactly do we exit?" Hero said.

"I don't know. The list of exits is on Aubrey's phone, which is, well, with Aubrey. And Aubrey's not here right now."

"Then just look for something that looks exit-y."

So they searched, all while trying to not get killed by the entity, which, still remained in the place from which Kel first saw it.

Suddenly, Kel snapped his fingers. "What if we go back to the elevator?"

"Kel, you're a genius!" Hero responded.

So the two brothers walked back to the elevator and pressed the button, which promptly glowed a pale yellow.

Ding.

Click.

"Hey, why won't the doors open?" Kel complained.

"Maybe it's an error? We should wait it out. Go the janitor's closet." Hero suggested.

"No! It stinks in there!"

"Which would you rather lose? A few nose hairs or your life?!"

"You're the worst when you're right."

They walked over to the nearby janitor's closet and closed the wooden door, which creaked as it closed.

"How long do you think we'll have to wait here? And plus, everyone else is probably worried about us!" Kel said.

"They are worried. But we will get out." Hero said reassuringly.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

"What was that?" Kel whispered.

"It doesn't matter. Be quiet and whatever it is will go away." Hero whispered back.

Suddenly, the door cracked ever so slightly. The whole room shook. Neither Kel nor Hero dared to say a thing as the door kept breaking more and more. It was only seconds before the door was completely gone, showering the two with woodchips, which promptly left small cuts on their skin.

The figure was leporidae-like, and Kel and Hero instantly recognized the figure from the logo on the elevator. It didn't speak, and neither did the brothers.

It used it's large hand to pick up Kel and used the other hand to cut open his side. Blood came out of the wound, slowly but surely, and Kel had to fight back a scream. Tears streamed down his face as he prepared to embrace himself for what was to come.

Hero stood up. The entity was much taller than him, but maybe he could think of a way to snatch Kel. Thinking of an idea, he took out the mop from the janitor's closet. He tossed it upwards, towards the hand that held Kel.

"WATCH OUT!!" Hero warned just as the mop hit the entity's hand.

Realizing what he had to do, Kel reached up and grabbed the mop. Reluctantly, he pushed himself downward and landed face first on the checkered floor.

Hero picked up Kel, much to the entity's dismay.

The entity roared. Hero only had seconds to decide what to do. Kel was bleeding in his arms, crying softly, and the entity looked ready to kill.

Suddenly, the elevator turned back on.

Ding.

~~~~~
WHERE IS EVERYONE AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER?

Mari: Level 4

Sunny: Level 4

Basil: Level 4

Kel: Barnaby Bun's Fun Emporium

Hero: Barnaby Bun's Fun Emporium

Aubrey: Level 4