Author's Note - Greetings and welcome to another chapter. As you may know, The Slayer and The Father will be solo. Please review and let me know how it goes.
Chapter 3 - Proper Maintenance
Level 2 - 'Abandoned Utility Halls'
The Doom Slayer closed in on the last Smiler with a sense of finality. He fired the microwave beam modification on the plasma gun, stunning the creature. After a few moments, It exploded into a black, dusty cloud, marking the end of the Smiler. The Slayer's mission was finally complete.
Looking around, He noticed a change in his surroundings.
Unlike the previous level, the halls in this one were noticeably more narrow and claustrophobic. Also, unlike the last level, the walls here were more withered and even seemed to have a chalky texture to them.
Lining the walls were various linings of pipe and machinery, the latter seeming dilapidated and thus nonfunctional.
Up above, on the ceiling, were irregular rows of lights. While a few or more light fixtures were in a straight line, others were in an irregular pattern, some flickering or not working entirely.
"Slayer, while chasing the entities, we have stumbled upon another level. The level we are on currently is known as Level 2, also known as 'Abandoned Utility Halls. Unfortunately, we have lost the MEG. However, we must move on and try to exit. It's important to be aware of the hallways' size as they are unsuitable for someone your size. informed The Father as he finished his observations of the surrounding level via the sensors in the praetor suit.
Nodding in acknowledgment, the slayer set down the hall in an attempt to find an exit. While walking, he became aware that the hallways were narrowing, eventually forcing him to squeeze past pipes and machinery, which was a significant inconvenience. The Father had been right. A normal person would already have considerable trouble moving around the halls. However, the Slayer was anything but normal, sporting a 6'5-hulking frame and a bulky suit to match. Regularly ripping away the machinery and pipes was necessary to fit through the level.
Fortunately to his relief, the walls become momentarily wider. Now he didn't have to rip off the objects on the walls to get by. However just as a new issue was gone another one rose.
At the end of the hall were two 'creatures' currently in an idle position.
their appearance was jarring, as they were a bundle of limbs, the limbs seeming to thrash around occasionally.
"Interesting, a pair of clumps. Their appearance is quite peculiar but I doubt there will be a limit to the peculiarity as we go further along our mission" Said the Father as he finished his observations from the suit.
Taking in this new information, The Bane of Hell dashed forward with a blur of inhuman speed. Before either of the clumps could react, the slayer was already on the first one, tearing every limb from the unfortunate abomination.
While clumps weren't particularly known for their intelligence the other clump still had enough common sense to try to scramble away from the obvious danger that was the slayer.
Unfortunately, it was all for naught when the Hellwalker, activating his doom blade, stabbed it right in the center of the amalgamation of limbs, silencing it forever.
Retracting his doom blade, The Slayer walked the tight halls again, finally coming upon a large room, giving him a break from the tight claustrophobic halls.
The first thing the Hellwandalker and the Father noticed was that the room entrance had sported the ruins of a makeshift barricade, looking as if something or multiple things smashed into it, finally causing it to break away.
Stepping deeper inside the large room they both saw what looked like the old aftermath of a shitshow.
Wooden crates were either toppled over or smashed.
Large Generators were destroyed and non-functional.
Desks with the remains of old early 2000s style computers were pulverized.
Beds and cots were torn up and broken.
Old food supplies and broken equipment were all over the floor.
and last but not least, skeletons.
There, sat in various places sat human remains, some intact, and some with bones either missing, crushed, or shattered.
in one of the hands of a skeleton, sat a book with a worn cover, paper peeling off of it.
Walking over the Slayer studied the book and opened it, after all, this book might have some explanation as to what happened here.
...
Journal entry #1
Hello. If you are currently reading this, I am most likely deceased. My name is Vincent Marks and I was an overseer for the BNTG, the Backrooms Non-Aligned Trade Group. One of the projects I oversaw was a tram system that allowed us to bring things to and from our established bases here.
When I first heard of the project I shot it down, as I thought a full-on train system in this tight space was absurd. Of course, they convinced me of the pros so I relented. After finishing the lines we started transporting various passengers and equipment. Due to the tight nature of the level, the trains would sometimes bump the walls or derail. Despite these unfortunate events, they continued to operate nevertheless.
Unfortunately, that's where shit struck the fan.
It had been two weeks since the train operation started. Everything was going smoothly and my mind was shifting about my opinion on the project. Then all of a sudden, the whole level short-circuited.
Everyone has an opinion on what caused it, from a piece of faulty equipment being plugged into the level's main power source to the power straining under the excessive energy consumption of our escapades. Whatever it was, the level was now covered in darkness.
Hours after the initial blackout chaos ensued, and people began panicking and running around like headless chickens. Because of the darkness Smilers, as well as al; kinds of other entities, started forming in large groups, attacking anyone in their line of sight. At first, we were able to hold them off, especially our more heavily armed personnel, however, we quickly got overwhelmed.
Days after everyone scattered, it was every man for himself. I was lucky to get out alive, but my wife. Oh god, my wife, her organs were being devoured by a group of hounds. I didn't have time to grieve, for I knew that I needed to get the fuck out of dodge before I ended up like her.
After some time wandering with a group, we found a heavily barricaded room, which I'm guessing was a settlement set up by a small group. They allowed us in and tended to our wounds, giving us food. I'm forever grateful to them.
Unlike the rest of the level, this room was well-lit up, with industrial lights hooked up to large generators. They also had a good amount of weaponry and smiler repellent, hopefully enough to keep those smiling fucks away.
I don't know if we will be rescued, but I hope we are soon, I don't wanna leave my son Jenkins an orphan.
...
As the Slayer finished reading the first entry, he had mixed emotions. This level had more surprises than it let on.
"Interesting. It was my thought at first that levels were unable to be unchanged. Unfortunately, I have been proven wrong. It is also unfortunate what has transpired here. That being said, the person who wrote the journal mentioned a name, Jenkins. could this be the same Agent we met just a few hours prior?" Pondered the father out loud.
With a shrug, The Bane Of Hell turned to the next entry
...
Journal entry #2
It's been over a week. Our supplies are dwindling and entity attacks are getting more frequent. A few days ago a small group armed with pistols and simple metal pipes went on an excursion to find more supplies. Only one of them came back. While he did have multiple backpacks full of food and medical equipment he unfortunately also had severe wounds. We tried everything we could to save him but he unfortunately didn't make it.
I don't know if I'm getting out of here alive. Every night I struggle to fall asleep. I find myself chugging more almond water than usual. I can feel my sanity slipping, but I must hold on. I can't lose my sanity like this. If I do, then I'm as good as a wretch.
Speaking of wretches, a few people in here succumb to transformation. We didn't want them to suffer, so we gave them a quick death. Rather be dead than wandering these halls as an ugly ass monster.
I hope I make it through this as bleak as it may seem. The only thing keeping me sane is the thoughts of my son, Jenkins, though that's a whole other can of worms.
If I ever make it out alive and back to him, how am I supposed to tell him about his mother? How do you explain to your son about how his mother was eaten alive?
Well, it doesn't matter anyway matter. if I make it out alive then I'll have to tell him eventually. Until then I have to hold out. For Jenkins.
...
Around 30 or so minutes have passed since the slayer picked up the book. He flipped through the pages, reading the entries left by the long-deceased wanderer. Each page became more and more unhinged with each page. After a while, he flipped to what was presumed to be the final entry. Out of all of them, this one was the most ominous and foreboding.
...
Journal entry #43
I'm so sorry Jenkins. I'm not going to make it. I can feel myself turning into one of those fucking things. Even worse. the entities have come in full force now. The last of the survivors are struggling to hold them off. I can't believe it. I'm going to die here. Either that or I turn into an ungodly creature. One thing for certain, I'm not gonna be around soon.
I'm so sorry that you're gonna grow up without parents. I feel like such a fucking failure as a father. I'm not even strong enough to live for my son. What kind of fucking father am I.
I'm going to be honest. I'm scared to die. I'm just not ready to go. I still have a whole life ahead of me and yet we're all about to get fucking torn to shreds by these goddamn monsters.
I'm terrified. Shitting my pants. We are trying to fight back but the barrier is almost broken. We are currently closed in like fucking sitting ducks. The screeches are deafening and driving me insane. Several people have turned into wretches, causing us to stick pikes in their fucking heads. Everything's going to shit.
I'm sitting against a wall, sobbing like a child. We're not making it out alive. Those screams and screeches are deafening now.
...
The Slayer turned the page, continuing to read the frantic writing.
...
Oh shit. They've broken through. They're fucking killing everyone. I'm currently backed against a wall writing this. They are tearing everyone apart, literally. If you are reading this. This is good-
...
The words ended abruptly, most likely due to the writer being attacked before finishing their thoughts. Any normal person would have been extremely unnerved by the ominous writing, but the Slayer.
The slayer had seen many passages like this. Left behind by those no longer living. From when he was first just a normal marine on his mars. To the most recent invasion that he halted. From humans and his argenta brethren alike. That didn't mean he still hadn't felt bad about them.
"It is unfortunate what happened here. However, we must move on to locate another Meg base. I also advise taking the as the journal is a possibility this person could be connected to one of those agents we have seen."
The Hellwalker nodded in agreement and stored the book in his hammerspace backpack.
As he was about to walk out the exit to the room he spotted a group of 5 smilers, each standing in the way of the exit, darkening the space with their forms. Their eyes stared at the slayer with unbridled hunger.
Finally, after a few agonizing long minutes, the entities pounced, not knowing that they signed their death certificate.
They never saw him taking out a weapon, or drawing it. All that they each saw before dying, was a bright blue beam. The beam wrapped around them, frying every fiber of their being before succumbing to a violent, explosive death.
After disposing of the smilers, the slayer looked around the room once more taking in the saddening sight.
After this, he sprinted down the hallway, coming upon an interesting unlocked door.
Authors Notes - Sorry this took so long. My grandma just died and life has been hard since then. Haven't had the motivation of writing. The next chapter will probably be taking a break from The Slayer and focusing more on the MEG operatives.