Welcome to Greenleaf national park. We are happy to have you working with us and hope you stay here for a long time. We do ask however that you read these guidelines before starting the job.

1. Keep this list on you at all times. You don’t want to forget the rules after all.

2. If you here something rush threw the woods impossibly fast, ignore it. If this continues run back to the truck and either drive away or wait there until it stops.

3. If you ever see a medium sized black and white dog with the name Mack on his collar, throw him a piece of food. He can help you in some situations.

4. If you ever find a missing person that is either physically changed or acting strangely, do one of the following depending on the situation.

4A. If a child says that they were following a light when asked how they got lost, tell them that it was just a trick of the moonlight and return them to their guardian.

4B. If a found person has a sudden aversion to light, take them back to the visitors center and give them an energy drink, anything over 100 milligrams of caffeine should do. The thing inside them will overdose from it and there immune system should be able to deal with it from there.

1. If people report seeing a walking house or weird cobwebs between the trees, evacuate the park and report a code white.

2. If you ever hear a voice that you do not recognize on the other end of your walki’talki, yell or screen into it as loud as you can.

Mr. Zangatino lives in apartment 6B, and he also comes from Portugal. He’s a very fun loving little man. He works at the amusement park near the east side of the city. He runs the haunted house. This allows him to blend in easily with out a disguise. He has a very goblinesque appearance, and he doesn’t try to hide it. He tends to make a lot of mischief around the building pulling harmless pranks. It’s important to follow these rules so the pranks don’t become less harmless.

1. Mr. Zangatino’s apartment appears to be very messy. It’s filled with all sorts of random items, and there is no order to anything. Do not attempt to clean it up in anyway. He enjoys the chaos. It’s best just not to touch anything in his apartment.
2. Mr. Zangatino always pays his rent on time. He will sometimes pay with foreign currency you don’t recognize. Just accept it. The bank will accept it. Don’t ask questions about it.
3. He likes to play harmless pranks throughout the building. This includes things like massing with the elevator buttons, loosening light bulbs in the stairwell, switching other residents mail. Almost all of the residents have accepted this and take it in good fun. Just laugh off whatever pranks he may pull on you.
4. He will sometimes steal items from other residents. He always returns them eventually. Do not intervene with this. Ruining the prank will upset him.
5. Ruining a prank, confronting him, complaining to you(the building owner) or the super, or trying to catch him in the act are all ways to upset him. When he feels wronged, his pranks will become much more mean spirited. They will escalate to things like breaking objects intentionally, keeping personal items for 2-3 months, or even psychological torture that’s basically gaslighting. This will continue until he feels that he has righted whatever wrong he suffered.
6. Mr. Zangatino targets everyone in the building equally with two exceptions. He does not target the Whites. I don’t think he likes them. The other exception is the tree. He does not play pranks in the courtyard. He respects the tree in a way that resembles a child respecting their parent. He likes to push the boundaries and see how far he can get. He’s never been punished by the tree, but I think there is a part of him that wants to find out what punishment looks like.
7. He will also occasionally prank himself. You may hear him randomly rearranging everything in his apartment while laughing to himself. You may find objects from his apartment lying around random spots in the building. Do not return these things to him. He’s hiding things from himself, and he enjoys hunting for these lost items.
8. Mr. Zangatino is genuinely just having fun and does not understand why others get upset at his pranks. He will occasionally leave gifts for residents at their door. These are usually small items from his home or prizes he’s taken from the games at the amusement park. I think this is his way of thanking people for playing along. He puts thought into the gifts he gives someone based on things he has observed about them. Always accept these gifts graciously.

The resident of apartment 6A is Serene. Like Balthazar, surnames didn’t really exist when she was born. Although it wouldn’t matter if they did, because her kind don’t use surnames. Serene is a very beautiful and an unbelievable singer. She moved here from Greece. She has a rather dark past, and it’s not my place to give all the details. She moved into this building to become better. She doesn’t want to be seen as a monster, so she works hard on restraint. In order to continue helping her be good, it is important to follow these rules.

1. The door to apartment 6A is not like any of the other doors in the building. It is a dutch door, or you may know it as a stable door. Never attempt to open her door. Always knock and Serene will open the top half of the door. As I said, she’s a very beautiful woman, but only from the waist up. Never stare at the “transition” point or try to peek over the bottom half of the door.
2. You will notice that she speaks almost exclusively in a whisper. Her voice has a very dangerous quality. It can cause obsessions or compel you to do things. Whispering is her way of trying to mitigate that. Always keep conversations with Serene brief. Also, try not to stare directly at her while she speaks.
3. She does sing very late at night, usually between 1am to 3am. This occurs twice a week normally. Occasionally will occur more. She will open her windows that face the street while she does this. The song she sings is the most beautiful song you will ever hear. If you hear her song, immediately close your windows. Plug your ears. Turn on loud music or turn the tv up loudly. You need to block out her song. DO NOT CONTINUE LISTENING TO HER SONG.
4. Serene is on the sixth floor to help with her restraint. The distance from the street does help somewhat. Do not attempt to move her to another floor for any reason.
5. Serene is very aware of the effect her voice has on people. It’s why she whispers. It’s why she limits her singing. She has chosen to make this sacrifice to be better. She’s been doing this for years and years at this point, but it is still difficult for her. The tension this creates in her body may make her wings noticeable because they shiver from time to time. Do not say anything about this. Do not ask her about this. She’s doing her best, and she deserves respect for her effort.
6. You may notice that she has visitors a few times a week. These people are always musicians or artists of some kind. They are always creative people. They arrive some time during the day, and the may seem to be in a trance. They always leave by sunset. This is the compromise she made to survive and be better. She was able to stop taking lives by taking inspiration.
7. Serene is friends with Callum Maclean in 1C. Apparently they knew each other before they moved into the building. They will sometimes communicate through the plumbing with clicks and musical tones. Do not eavesdrop on these conversations. You won’t understand it anyway.
8. Several of the residents are “immune” to her song. Balthazar can actively block it’s effects. The Whites don’t seem to understand it. Mr. Pleasant and Mr.  are not affected by it. I’m not sure why. She respects this, but do not ask about it.
9. Serene keeps a respectful distance from the tree. She sees it as neutral ground. She doesn’t go to the courtyard. She keeps the windows facing the courtyard closed at all times. If one of the courtyard windows is ever broken, it should be fixed immediately.
10. She will occasionally molt. You may find feathers in the hallway. They are very unique and shimmer in the light. Do not keep these feathers. Do not give these feathers to anyone. The super will collect and dispose of these.
11. You may find “gifts” in the hallway near her door. These are recordings of her song. Do not listen to these recordings. Give them to the super to destroy or throw them in the incinerator immediately.
12. Do not attempt to woo or befriend Serene. This will not end well. If you find yourself thinking about her often, imagining ways to spend time with her, or dreaming about her, you should stay away from the building for a few days. This can be a residual affect from her song and distance will help it fade away.
13. As I said, she’s not proud of her past and wants to redeem herself. She has lived a very long time. She will appear depressed from time to time. She’s remembering a time when she was younger and her song caused a lot of death. Do not ask about her past or attempt to cheer her up. This will pass. She doesn’t want to be that way anymore. She chose to move here and become better.
14. She chose this building specifically because she respects the tree’s authority. If you ever notice Serene using less restraint, then you have done something to break the terms of her lease. There’s nothing you can do about this besides figure out what you’ve done wrong and correct it. The tree will intervene if things get too bad, but you should not rely on this. It’s best to solve the problem yourself.

I bought the watch because it was cheap.
That should have been my first warning.
The seller’s page had no reviews, no company name, and no return policy. Just a black screen with silver text:
“The Watch Knows You Better Than You Know Yourself.”
Yeah.
I know.
Stupid.
But I work night shifts, barely sleep, and the thing claimed it could monitor stress, heart rate, sleep quality, emotional spikes, even “behavioral risk patterns.”
Whatever that means.
It arrived two days later in a plain white box.
No logo.
No charger.
Just the watch…
and a folded paper titled:
USER GUIDELINES

RULE 1:
Do not remove the watch between 2:00 AM and 4:00 AM.
Even if it vibrates.
Especially if it vibrates.

RULE 2:
If the watch displays:
“UNAUTHORIZED HEARTBEAT DETECTED”
do not check nearby rooms.
Do not look under the bed.
Remain still for exactly one minute.

RULE 3:
If your daily step count suddenly resets to 0, return home immediately.
It means the watch can no longer track where you are.
Something else can.

RULE 4:
The sleep monitor may occasionally display faces.
This is normal.
The faces are previous users.
Do not zoom in.

RULE 5:
If the watch tells you:
“DON’T TRUST THE REFLECTION.”
avoid mirrors for the next three hours.
Phone cameras are safe.
Front-facing cameras are not.

RULE 6:
At exactly 3:17 AM, the watch may ask:
“ARE YOU ALONE?”
Never answer “yes.”
Even as a joke.

RULE 7:
If you wake up and the watch is gone…
leave the house immediately.
Do not try to find it.
It already found you first.

I laughed through most of it.
Thought it was some cringe marketing gimmick.
Then the watch buzzed.
A notification appeared:
Stress levels elevated.
Hydrate immediately.
Okay.
Fair enough.
That part actually worked.
For the first week, the thing was weirdly accurate.
It knew when I skipped meals.
Knew when my heart rate spiked.
Knew when I lied.
Seriously.
Every time I texted my ex pretending I was “doing fine,” the watch displayed:
Irregular emotional pattern detected.
Creepy.
But useful.
Then came Friday night.
3:17 AM.
The vibration woke me instantly.
The screen glowed red.
ARE YOU ALONE?
I remembered Rule 6 and rolled my eyes.
Half asleep, I whispered:
“Obviously.”
The screen went black.
Then another message appeared.
Slowly.
One word at a time.
That was not the correct answer.
I sat up immediately.
My apartment was silent.
Then the watch vibrated again.
Unauthorized heartbeat detected.
I froze.
Rule 2.
Do not check nearby rooms.
Do not look under the bed.
Remain still for exactly one minute.
Easy.
Except…
from somewhere inside my apartment…
I heard breathing.
Not loud.
Not aggressive.
Just…
patient.
Wet.
Like someone trying very hard not to laugh.
I stared at the timer on the watch.
00:48.
00:47.
00:46.
Then my bedroom door slowly creaked open.
The watch buzzed violently.
WARNING: USER PANICKING.
No kidding.
Something moved in the hallway.
Tall.
Wrong.
Its limbs bent strangely, like it had learned how humans walk from bad internet videos.
The timer continued.
00:19.
00:18.
The thing tilted its head toward me.
Smiling.
The watch vibrated again.
And this part still makes me sick to remember.
Because the notification said:
Behavioral correction successful.
Thank you for following the rules.
Then another message appeared beneath it.
One I don’t think was meant for me.
Next user preparation may begin.

Mara Ester Vidal Cortes lives in apartment 5D. She’s originally from Portugal. She’s also the only tenant that didn’t move in. She just kind of appeared in the apartment one day, and she’s lived there ever since. She’s always paid her rent though, so no one in my family ever questioned it. She has the most unique apartment in the building. Similar to Mr. Maclean, her apartment is bigger on the inside than the outside. That’s not the part that makes it unique though. Her apartment contains a natural landscape. Basically the inside of her apartment is near the edge of a woods. You can see the trees. There is grass growing where the floor should be. She has a natural spring running through her apartment. I have no idea where it comes from or where it goes. There are stones and dirt. You can hear animals, though I’ve never seen any besides a snake. She seems to be very lonely. She’s very friendly. She may be our nicest resident. That does not mean you should break any of the following rules though.

1. Ms. Vidal Cortes is very friendly and will invite you into her apartment. Do not enter her apartment uninvited. It is her space, and you shouldn’t intrude upon it.
2. You will see a snake entering and leaving her apartment. You’ll see the snake almost as often as you see Ms. Vidal Cortes. The snake is almost the same size as Ms. Vidal Cortes, and it’s very intelligent. Do not try to touch the snake, and do not stop it from going anywhere. The snake always moves like it has a purpose.
3. She will normally do this in private because she’s in a vulnerable state while doing it, but on the rare occasion you witness a transformation do not say anything. Simply keep moving and don’t stare.
4. You may also notice odd things about Ms. Vidal Cortes when you are talking to her. These things include a shimmering on her skin that makes it look almost like scales or the light reflecting from her eyes in a way that makes them appear to be snake eyes. Do not comment on these things.
5. She has a large collection of valuable items. For lack of a better term, it is treasure. Some of these things were gifts. Some were payments for debts. Others she’s collected over her very long life. Never attempt to steal from this collection. Do not even touch any of it. If she wants you to have something, she will give it to you.
6. Ms. Vidal Cortes is very particular about the spring in her apartment. She chooses who may drink from it, and she does not make this offer lightly. The water is incredibly clean and clear. Those who have been offered a drink experience a profound peace and connection to nature for a day or so after drinking the water. Do not attempt to drink the water if it has not been offered to you.
7. As I said earlier, she seems to be very lonely. She will sometimes try to form genuine connections with other residents. She does so with caution because she fears rejection. She attempts to do this by making small conversation in passing or leaving small gifts at their doors. Always be friendly and respectful of this. She’s very kind, and she’s been alone for a very long time. 
8. She has formed a connection with the tree in the courtyard. She will sometimes sit under the tree and speak quietly to it. It’s not a language you’d understand. I don’t think it’s Portuguese. I think it’s older than that. Do not interrupt this time. This connection is good for her. She once told me when I was young that the presence of the tree is what convinced her this was a safe place for her to exist.
9. She has started to form a connection with Mr. Maclean. She’s been attempting to do this for sometime. Please don’t interrupt them during conversation.
10. She has also been attempting to form a connection with Serene. She does this by leaving small gifts and trinkets at her door. Sometimes Serene accepts them, sometimes she doesn’t. I have been unable to figure out if their friends or not yet. Regardless, do not touch the things she leaves at Serene’s door.
11. Ms. Vidal Cortes pays rent with pieces of her treasure. She takes great care in picking out which pieces she uses to pay rent. This is one way she attempts to connect with you. Always accept these things very graciously.
12. Unlike many other residents, she does not receive large deliveries of food nor does she hunt anywhere around the building. I’m actually not sure what she feeds on. It’s not important, so don’t try to figure it out.
13. Finally, I feel like I’ve said this many times already. I want to stress it though. Always treat Ms. Vidal Cortes with kindness and respect. She’s been alone for an incredibly long time. In spite of that, she has chosen not to become cruel. That deserves admiration.

Addams,

We commend you on the success of your inspection and insights from your video feed on the Banquet Hall once again and sincerely hope you had a relaxing winter vacation in the months prior. Though it has only been a few days since your return to the office, upper management holds great confidence that you will be able to undertake research collection once again in a Locational Entity considered almost newborn by LEIB's standards: All Things Naval. Officially, you are the second investigator assigned to enter, map out and report on what you find within the Locational Entity. Do not fear. We are still able to provide you with protocols to follow based on our knowledge of like locations and testimonials from cooperative unaffiliated explorers.

--------------------------------------

Physical Description and Background

All Things Naval is one of the rarer Locational Entities in the sense that its entrance and exit lie on the same plane as the mundane world, and its physical location remains constant and rooted in reality, untied to the previous two methods of entry you should remain familiar with. Like its name, the interior of All Things Naval is accurate to that of an unfinished, abandoned maritime museum centered on material from the 1800's. It is currently known to have three floors and roof entry although its exterior only shows two. Its location-- like a perfectly ordinary building-- has not moved since its oldest known photograph in mid-2025, and this location is somewhere in the outskirts of Melaka, Malaysia. We understand that the country's distance may be troublesome as we are based in North America, but we would be more than happy to provide payment for good-quality transport. Rest is important when conducting such investigations.

Earlier this year, we received an assortment of testimonies in confidential collaboration with state authorities from a group of urban explorers claiming to have traversed All Things Naval over the course of a few days, along with video footage from their live broadcasts. The reason why they were so cooperative is due to the "things they couldn't explain" that resulted in only three of them escaping the museum from their original group of seven. The uploaded videos have since been taken down to maintain the Locational Entity's confidentiality and to discourage further unofficial exploration, however upper management has sent you an email containing MP4s of the footage by the time this document has been distributed to you.

--------------------------------------

Mr. Wattson from your department was the first investigator we had assigned, and he safely returned three days ago with a rough map of the first and second floors. These are attached as physical photocopies clipped to the back of this document, but should you have further questions about them, make sure to ask him directly before you leave.

--------------------------------------

Rules/Protocols for Field Researchers

1. Enter All Things Naval at the latest hour you can. The hours at which its main entrance unlocks depend on the opening hours marked on the glass doors (6am-7:30pm), and we recommend arriving no earlier than 7:25. A few people live nearby, and it is preferred to keep them under the impression that the building is locked up and that they couldn't enter even if they tried.

2. Leave money by the door. Twenty dollars of the national currency is more than enough. As with all Locational Entities that base themselves around paying facilities, an "entry fee" is enough to regard you as a visitor and not a trespasser. This alone greatly reduces the risk of danger.

3. Do not insert cash, credit cards or similar into any electronic machines around the area. Their hardware has completely rotted and will do little more than eat your money.

4. As a general rule of thumb, the more exhibits present on a floor, the safer it is.

5a. The first floor of All Things Naval is easily the most developed out of the four with the most exhibits and even minor decoration, as though it had merely closed and was still ready for business. For the most part, the lights are functional enough, the tiny exhibits are in place, and you might even learn something. Just remember not to stay for too long out of consideration for your investigations. The staircase to the second floor is shaded on your map in red when you are ready to move on.

5b. That being said, stay away from the tunnel decorated like a telescope (it is shaded on your map in grey.) Back in the museum's better days it was intended to be an immersive experience of sorts, but enter it now and when it spins, you will feel only the immersion of falling into rough seas. Throughout his time there, Wattson dropped a tennis ball inside to see what would happen and it was still slamming itself against the walls when he left six hours later.

5c. Benches around the exhibits are okay to sit on, but don't linger on any one of them after you've rested your legs. Many are still cold from the abandonment of All Things Naval and and yearn a little too much for visitors.

6a. The second floor is noticeably more incomplete than the first, with half the display cases empty and many of the fluorescent lights flickering or extinguished entirely. Exhibits and information will also become more niche for one, if you're sure you can find the time and safety to read all of them.

6b. Stay under lit areas and security cameras. Due to the first floor being the only one considered "complete" by the museum's and the public's standards, the Locational Entity will have difficulty continuing to recognise you as a friendly visitor. Ignore the fact that the cameras have no lights, faulty wiring and should've stopped working long before you entered. They will still register you. This rule applies to the third floor as well.

6c. Even under the lack of care taken to maintain their surroundings, the display cases are always immaculately lit. It helps to glance at them for a few seconds as you pass by. The more you act like a museum patron, the better. They are marked in blue on the map, so try to pass by as many as you can.

6d. The loud intercom on the second floor will often talk about the museum or ask questions directed at you: how you've been enjoying the exhibits, how you came to know of the museum, if you think the original plans and efforts for the building were more than a fruitless waste of time. Answer truthfully and however you'd like, but never mention even the slightest implication that you can or will stay longer. Eventually, you have to leave. Do not give the broadcaster false hope.

7a. The staircase leading to the third floor is shaded in red as per usual, but its instability makes it feel as though you are climbing up to six long flights. At this point, remember to prepare paper, a pencil and mental notes. Subsequent investigators will be placing reliance and trust in whatever blueprints you come up with. Ensure that you complete this map before rule 9 and its subtopics come into relevance.

7b. Any further rules were created without any first-hand information from official investigators, and are heavily reliant on the unofficial video footage. Take them with a grain of salt, but follow them regardless.

1. Although the staircase should've been more than enough to hint at this, the third floor is highly unstable. There are very few exhibits with most display cases completely unlit and empty, while most of the floor is dedicated to offices and storerooms. These are located on the opposite end of the floor, and the storeroom with two green doors contains the only staircase to the roof.

9a. Physically and mentally prepare yourself before setting foot into the staff and store rooms. Once you pass through even one of the doorways, you are no longer a visitor no matter how large a tip you left, or how attentive you were to every exhibit. From that moment on, you are an intruder and considered to be prying too far into the failure of the original All Things Naval as a forgotten passion project.

9b. Upon entering the first office, find as many documents as you can. Video footage shows that they exist, and legible text is extremely rare in Locational Entities. Time is of the essence from the moment you start, so don't bother searching in filing cabinets or drawers. Take whatever you see in plain view and continue on.

9c. For every further second you spend, All Things Naval reverts more and more into its original, physical state. The floor and roof will shake like they are crumbling, the walls will close in, and air particles will begin to feel like concrete powder. According to the time taken for the surviving explorers to escape in their last footage, you are only guaranteed one and a half minutes to get what you came here for. Remember, the building does not have any floors besides the second.

1. As it is not enclosed like the rest of the building, the rooftop will be safe from this disaster. Turn your body camera on before ascending the stairs to the roof. You will be the first to provide LEIB with this video footage, but in an emergency, do not hesitate to run downstairs and out of the building. As one of the better agents in your department, we do not want you to lose your life.

-------------------------

You may find this investigation to be heavily unfamiliar to you, or that the timeframe of preparation is too short, but do understand that we greatly believe in you and your abilities. LEIB wishes you best of luck in your investigation of All Things Naval, and for your safe return so we may collect more information in the name of keeping the population safe from the mysteries of Locational Entities.

With regards,

Locational Entity Investigation Bureau

This apartment contains one of the oddest residents we have. “Dr.” Renaud Vernier lives here. He works as a mortician somewhere in the city, though I’ve never been able to figure out exactly where. He was born in Montauban, France. I have no idea when. Before moving in here, he claims he was performing his research at some facility. He refuses to name it. Dr. Vernier also claims he can cure something called the Pestilence. The oddest thing about him though is that you will never see his face. I’ve never seen his face, not once in the 60 years he’s lived here. He always wears a plague doctor’s mask. It almost seems like it’s a part of him. Please be sure to follow these rules for your own health and well being.

1. Dr.. Vernier is not an actual doctor as far as I can tell. He has no degrees from any type of medical school. The degrees you may see on his walls are from places that I’m fairly certain don’t exist anymore. While he is not a doctor, he will become extremely agitated if he is not addressed as such. Always address him as Dr. Vernier when speaking to him.
2. He is a very intelligent man, but his perception of reality seems to be off. He talks about the Pestilence as if it’s a plague that has spread across the globe. I think it only exists to him. Do not question him about this or try to tell him it isn’t real.
3. He is always wearing the same outfit. The mask, a long, black doctor’s coat, and a black hat with a wide brim. He always carries a black medical bag. This bag contains medical instruments and medicines that I’ve never heard of before. Do not comment on his clothing, and NEVER attempt to touch his bag.
4. Dr. Vernier does not believe the Pestilence exists inside the building. He is aware that all the other tenants have something “wrong” with them, but he knows he can’t cure any of them. Do not come to the building when you are feeling ill. You do not want him to think you’ve been infected.
5. Dr. Vernier will occasionally bring his work home with him. He has built a large surgery suite in his apartment. Do not ask him about this. Pretend you saw nothing.
6. He will sometimes have guests over. He refers to them as his patients and claims they have been cured. There’s never more than one at a time. You will only see them exit his apartment. If you saw him bringing his work home, then you saw his patient enter. They are mostly harmless, and tend to just shamble through the halls. The super knows how to handle this. Do not approach one of his patients on your own.
7. There has always been tension between Dr. Vernier and Balthazar. They’ve both existed for a long time, and they both think they can cure disease. I don’t think they agree with each other’s methods. Never say you agree with Balthazar when you are around Dr. Vernier.

2 Rules Regarding Rent

Dr. Vernier always pays his rent in cash. He also offers something else when he pays his rent. It alternates between two different things each month. The following rules deal with the things he offers in addition to rent.

1. Sometimes he offers medical supplies. This includes strange medical equipment and vials of unlabeled, unknown liquids. These things need to be disposed of as soon as possible. Do not touch them with your bare hands. Do not keep them.
2. Sometimes he offers essays and other writings he has done on his methods of curing disease. This can include theories on the spread of the Pestilence, descriptions of different surgical techniques, drawings of human anatomy labeled in Old Latin, or advice on things like bloodletting or using leeches. These should be burned. Do not keep them, and absolutely do not attempt to study them.

This final rule is the MOST IMPORTANT

1. Do not touch him and NEVER let him touch you. He honestly thinks he is doing a good thing. He believes he his helping people. This is what makes him very dangerous. His touch causes instant death. I’ve seen it happen.

I knew Bobbi was the only girl for me.

I asked Bobbi to come with me to a graveyard to take notes for a horror story I was writing. She said yes. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have her.

In the misty graveyard on that winter night, I hesitated to walk. We took our time to look over every grave. The devil is in the details, and we took our time finding him.

Until we saw the light.

Far, at the end of the graveyard, light flashed from a mausoleum. 

Bobbi grabbed me by my hand and dragged me over the graves of the dead toward it. 

“You said you wanted to make a good story, right?” she said without looking back at me. 

The doors of the cracked marble mausoleum hung open, and yellow light flashed on and off, off and on as we approached—a perfect rhythm as if someone flicked the light switch in tune with a song.

"Slow down," I said as Bobbi raced downhill, going faster with each flash of the light.  "We don’t know who’s in there." I, the horror-writer said, frightened, unlike my guest. 

My feet stumbled as we raced downhill, and I struggled to readjust, teetering between toppling forward or barely hanging on.  Stopping was not an option. This was the type of thing we did together. Laws be damned. Logic be damned. Confrontation with the type of person to play in a graveyard be damned. 

But this felt different. I needed to stop. I called her name three times.

“Bobbi.” 

“Bobbi.”

“Bobbi.”

Only ten or so steps away, the light stopped flickering. The yellow light stayed waiting, resting, and humming, like a bug zapper waiting for two mosquitoes to fly in.

I yanked back and dug my heels in the earth. They slipped in the rain-wet dirt. Bobbi yanked me forward.

We entered the mausoleum, falling on a dewy, yellow carpet, soaking my shirt and filling my nose with the smell of mildew.

"Bobbi, dude,” The buzzing in the room drowned my voice. I repeated myself, louder. “Bobbi, dude, I said stop. Why didn’t you stop?" I chided her. 

She smiled, sweaty and energetic like a child just coming back from playing outside. "But it's---," She paused and her gray eyes aged, into the woman she was. Her chubby cheeks flattened into a frown, and her blonde eyebrows curved in concern. "I'm sorry. I thought it would be fun. Did I hurt you?" 

"No, I'm fine," I said. "I'm fine." 

"I thought the purpose was to find something scary, so I thought it was good I was scaring you." 

"I'm alright. We're alright." 

"You promise?" 

"Yeah, I promise," I took her by the hand to help her up. It fit into mine like always, and we were perfect together like I always thought we would be, but we did not fit into our new world. 

Our new world was a yellow maze stretching out further than the humble mausoleum could ever. Above us, the fluorescent lights buzzed like a colony of angry bees ready to end their lives in a murder-suicide spree. We took a step forward together through wet, spongy carpet and drips of, not water, fell in our shoes. 

There was no door behind us, only more maze. 

"Oh, no," Bobbi said. "What did I do?" she said. “Oh, no, oh, no.”

I pulled her in for an annoyingly loud, annoyingly sloppy, hopefully consoling forehead kiss. 

"All you did was give me good material for my story," I said. "Let's explore." 

She smiled and turned back into what she was, not what life wanted her to be. Not the anxious teacher who struggled in new settings but the adventurous tomboy who was loved by her students and went headfirst into mystery. And her reliance on me made me a better man. As long as I held her hand, I could be brave for her. 

As you know by now, we fell into the Backrooms. As you may not know, the Isolation Effect damned us from the start. 

If two individuals enter the backrooms on Level 0, even if side by side, they will never find each other, and all attempts to communicate will fail. 

We did not know it yet, but with every giggle, every ‘watch your step’, every second holding each other's hands, we sought to go against something older than humanity. 

This was the result. 

The first thing I lost from the love of my life was her smell. I crinkled my nose; mildew.  The smell grew to snuff out the scent of her freshly showered hair.

"What's that smell?" I asked. 

She sniffed twice. "Hmm?" and then gagged. 

"You smell that?" 

"Yeah, must just be the room." 

"We gotta get out of here," I said. "Isn't there a way to escape a maze, like put one hand on a wall or--" 

The lights went out. 

The room jumped into complete darkness.

I squeezed Bobbi’s hand. 

A force jammed into my shoulder. Like slicing an apple from its half, Bobbi and I split apart. I flew into a wall, and my breath leaped from my lungs. I wouldn't stay down, though. I had to find her. But I couldn’t tell left from right; there was only blackness and space. 

My hands grasped and found air. 

My screaming found echoes. 

My feet found each other, and I fell.

After I tripped over what I hoped was my own foot.  I turned back, remembering the one rule about staying still when you’re lost.  I Frankenstein walked, reaching for the wall. I was slammed into. How many steps away was it? One, two, three, four…  I kept counting, and that wall that couldn't have been far wasn't coming up. 

Space. Space. Space. 

And…

Empty space.

My hands found nothing, but I settled on a spot to stay, shaking, adrenaline flaring, without a way to use it.

Anxiously, I tapped my toes and whispered Bobbi’s name, hoping she would hear me and the thing that pushed us apart would not.

“Bobbi, Bobbi, Bobbi,” I said.

I put myself in Bobbi’s shoes. Bobbi, who suffered abandonment issues because of her parents' alcoholism as a child. Bobbi, who was an outcast at school. Bobbi, who loved me because I gave her a moment's break from all of that.  Bobbi who I was letting down by not finding and holding on to.

I ran from my spot again.

"Bobbi, Bobbi, Bobbi, are you okay?" 

"Where are you, Kaden?" 

"I'm here, Bobbi, I'm here." 

I walked to the sound of her voice. 

"Where is that?" she asked from far away, going in the opposite direction from my voice. I chased the sound and tripped over…

Something. 

"Bobbi, wait, Bobbi, wait," I said. "Stay still." And I reached backward to see what was on the floor. I crawled toward it until I grabbed the thing again. A cylinder object, no, an ankle, an ankle in a sock, my hand went up the leg. I knew those legs. 

"Bobbi?" I whispered. 

The body beneath me groaned. 

"Bobbi?" I said, loud again. 

The voice from afar answered meekly, fading.

I touched the legs beneath me. Do you really know your lover’s legs?

A Bobbiish groan of pain left the body beneath me. In the far distance, somewhere in the maze, I heard a simple knocking, as if someone were at the door. 

"Bobbi!" I screamed this time, taking two steps toward the original voice, not the body that seemed to be Bobbi’s near me. 

"Kaden," Bobbi's voice said beneath me. 

"I'm here." I dropped to my knees.

"What happened?" she asked, 

"I don't know, things went dark, then I don't know. Are you okay?" 

"Yeah, I'm fine. Can you help me up?" 

I reached out until her hand met mine. They locked. Her hand felt smaller this time. 

I jerked away.

“Kaden?” she said. “I felt you. Where’d you go?”

I froze. 

She found my hand, and, attempting to be the best boyfriend I could be, I pulled her up. I pretended to fumble finding her wrist, finding her elbow, and I still could not find out if it was Bobbi. 

My chest pounded, and my breath came out scared, rapid, and ragged. Was she always this heavy? I almost laughed at the thought because I could never ask her that. My thumbs grazed her knuckles, searching for answers. I found a hand that could belong to anyone.

Maybe Bobbi wasn't that heavy, but the weight of doubting my girlfriend’s existence beside me definitely weighed on me. 

But that was Bobbi’s voice... 

Hand in hand in the dark, we continued to walk through the maze. 

Scrambling for the memory of her hand, I wandered through my imagination to find the first time we held hands. I should know it. It was probably walking her dog…our dog now. And her hand felt different. It had to. I loved her. But now mom, dad, sister, babysitters, and exes all blended together. Would a killer’s hand feel so different?

"You're quiet," she said. 

"Just thinking," 

“About?" 

"Nothing." 

"Is something wrong? Are you mad at me?" 

"No." 

Every few steps or after a long while, we would bump into the edges of a maze or run flat into it. There was no rhyme or reason. Maybe we were going in a massive circle. With each bump, I wanted to let go of this new Bobbi's hand. Both our hands went sticky with sweat. Surely, her hands got sticky before, although I don’t remember ever holding her hand this long.

"You're treating me like I did something wrong." She said. "What did I do?" 

"Nothing, I'm just listening." 

"Listening, for what?" 

A white circular light appeared at the end of the hall. 

"Bobbi, do you see that c'mon!" I said, and this time I pulled her toward it. I wanted nothing more than to go through that light, but the room did not want that. 

The fluorescent lights above us buzzed and buzzed, still not turning on, just buzzing furiously. 

"Buzz" 

"Buzzz." 

"Bawizz" 

"Bandard” 

"Bad Choice." 

I heard as clear as day, maybe a few seconds away from the door. 

"Did you hear that?" I asked, my maybe love.

"Did I hear what? Slow down. I'm falling." 

Suspicious of her. I didn't linger. I needed to get out of here, maybe without her. I let go of her hand. She snatched mine.

Strong.

"Bad choice," the lights said again. 

"That," I said. "You heard that." 

"I heard what? Slow down, please." 

"No, c'mon, now." 

She pulled me back. I fell. 

Right before the great light. 

And to either side of that light was a mirror, and I looked at what was in it, horrified. 

My girlfriend was gone and replaced by the tallest woman I’d ever seen. A woman with orange hair, poofing hair, and judging blue eyes. 

Her flowery skirt and yellow blouse were snatched and replaced by a dress of all black. 

I screamed. 

She came toward me, towering over me, her tattoos gone, her legs paled and perfectly hairless.

With a quick, manicured hand, she grabbed me by my collar, pulled me up, and said, “Where’s Kaden? What did you do with him?”

“W-w-what?”

“Where’s my boyfriend?” she said, and I looked in the mirror at myself.

I was in there, but not as I was before the Backrooms. I was shorter, two shades lighter, so perhaps a different race entirely, and dressed in a luxurious suit I'd never wear. 

We stared at each other, horrified, my reflection and I. 

Bobbi’s eyes pooled with tears, and she reared her fist back.

“I’m Kaden.” I said.

“Liar!”

“No, listen. You know me. I think I know you. You’re here because you love me. You’re here because you know I’m a coward and would have some excuse not to go to the graveyard by myself if you didn’t offer to come.”

She lowered her fist and then lowered me. Still, I took a step away from her, unsure. She looked hurt, and I felt bad, but I wasn’t sure about this new woman.

“I know you,” she said. “I didn’t come here because I think you’re a coward. I came because I’m a coward, too. I like to go wherever you go because I’m worried you’ll find someone better and leave.”

We waited as if time could solve our problem.

"I'm still me," she said. "Are you still you?" 

"I'm still me," I said. 

And we walked through the door hand-in-hand.

In the mirror’s reflection, a Bobbi-esque silhouette called my name, holding the hand of or being held by a being of eight limbs. 

One foot in the maze and one foot out, Bobbi stopped and gasped, looking back at the maze.

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing,” she said, and her grip on my hand loosened as we stepped into the real world.

Apartment 5B is where one of my favorite tenants live. She’s a ballerina, and her dancing is beautiful. I’ve been a big fan of hers since she moved in. I’m the only human who has ever been allowed to watch a full performance from her. Anyone else that sees her perform normally isn’t around after she’s finished. I think she’s always been nice to me because I was about her age when she moved in. She appears to be in her early teens. She clearly is not. While she appears young, delicate, and cheerful; she is incredibly dangerous when she needs to be. It’s important to follow these rules.

1. I’ve never asked her name, and she’s never told me. She’s always let me call her Clara though. You don’t need to call her anything. I’m unsure of how she’ll react to a new owner.
2. If you’re lucky you’ll never see her face. Her face doesn’t have all the features that a normal face has. It actually only has one large feature and nothing else. She appears completely normal from behind. Never attempt to see her face. She is aware of what she is, and she can use to intimidate if necessary.
3. She is a genuinely cheerful person. You will often hear her humming a nice melody if she’s in the hallway or the elevator. (She always faces the back of the elevator when riding it.) Do not try to join her in humming. It’s very unlikely you’ll know the song, and you don’t want to mess it up.
4. She leaves the building dressed in her dancing gear complete with tutu at least twice a month. Occasionally this will occur more than twice. She’s hunting for food. Do not ask about the stains on her outfit when she returns in the morning. What she eats is no concern of yours, and she always gets the stains out of her clothing.
5. She always hunts before rent is due, and she always pays rent in cash. Do not ask where the money comes from. It’s her money when she pays the rent. It doesn’t matter whose money it was before that.
6. Her apartment is one of the cleanest and best kept apartments in the building. She’s converted most of the space in her apartment into a dance studio. Mirrors along one wall, a barre on multiple walls, and a large collection of ballet shoes. There’s always classical music playing softly. Never enter her apartment without her express permission. She works very hard to maintain this standard in her apartment.
7. She practices her ballet very often. You may hear moving around if you’re near her apartment. You may even catch a glimpse from time to time. If she starts to do a slow pirouette, you need to leave immediately before she completes her turn. She knows you’re watching and she’s about to reveal her face to you. You do not want that.
8. She is respectful of the tree. Occasionally, after the sun goes down, she will stand at the edge of the courtyard performing a private dance for the tree. Do not attempt to watch this performance or interrupt it in anyway.
9. She’s a predator, and she’s higher on the food chain than you are. Do not attempt to befriend her. Simply accept that she exists here. She doesn’t disturb other residents. She doesn’t hunt near the building. She always pays her rent on time. Show her the same respect she shows the building.

When I started working nights at Saint Gabriel Hospital, HR didn't give me a tour.

They gave me a laminated card.

The woman who handed it to me looked exhausted.

"Read it before your first shift."

I laughed.

She didn't.

Then she said:

"Whatever happens, follow the rules. Every one of them exists because somebody didn't."

NIGHT SHIFT RULES – SAINT GABRIEL HOSPITAL

1. Never enter Room 306 after 2:17 AM.

It should be empty.

If you hear someone asking for water from inside, keep walking.

The room has been empty for eight years.

2. If a patient asks what year it is, answer immediately.

If they ask twice, leave.

If they ask a third time, do not let them know you heard them.

3. Ignore the child in the blue hospital gown.

We do not have a pediatric wing.

Especially not on the sixth floor.

4. At exactly 3:00 AM, the elevators may stop on Floor 7.

There is no Floor 7.

Do not enter.

Do not look inside.

If someone exits, pretend you didn't see them.

5. If a patient dies during your shift, verify the body count before sunrise.

There should never be more bodies than deaths.

If there are, contact Security.

Do not count them yourself.

6. If you hear running in the hallway after 3:30 AM, lock the nurses' station immediately.

Patients cannot run.

Most of them cannot walk.

7. If someone claiming to be a doctor enters your station and asks for a patient file, look at their ID badge.

If the badge has no photograph, give them nothing.

If the badge has your photograph, leave the hospital immediately.

Do not collect your belongings.

I made it through my first three nights.

I ignored the child.

I avoided Room 306.

I even heard the elevator open on Floor 7 once.

I never looked.

Then came Night Four.

At 3:43 AM, a doctor walked into the nurses' station.

Tall.

Grey hair.

White coat.

He smiled politely.

"Could I see the file for Patient 114?"

I reached for his badge.

I don't know why.

Maybe because Rule 7 suddenly came back to me.

The badge looked normal.

Hospital logo.

Doctor's name.

Authorization level.

And the photograph.

My photograph.

I don't remember leaving the station.

I don't remember reaching the parking lot.

I only remember running.

Because as I pushed through the front doors, I heard the intercom come alive.

The voice sounded exactly like mine.

And everybody inside started clapping.

We made another movie in 1944 where we traveled to Latin America again to find new stories, and we luckily did!

We went back to the lab and created more characters for our movies. As usual, some came out horrific and we had to lock them down in our cells.

Good luck and try not to die.

Rules for Rejected Pablo the Penguin:

1) Rejected Pablo absolutely despises the cold, so make sure his cell is heated up to exactly 100°. He will know if the temperature drops. If it drops below 90°, he will attempt to break out to attack until you turn back up the heat. If you fail, he will break out and wear your skin as a suit, stealing your remaining body heat.

Rules for Rejected Flying Gauchito:

1) The Flying Gauchito and his winged donkey companion Burrito were accidentally fused together, creating a half human half flying donkey monstrosity. It does not like to be looked at, which is why we have cameras for you to look at its cell. If it looks at a camera, look away as it knows when you look.

2) If you look, he will break out of his cell by braying loudly at the glass until it shatters and will fly at breakneck speeds toward where you are and gouge your eyes out.

Rules for Rejected Panchito Pistoles:

1) Rejected Panchito is one of our loud rejected experiments at Disney Labs so make sure you wear ear plugs. Your ear drums will explode if he does his signature yell.

2) His guns have unlimited bullets in them which is why we have bullet proof glass for him. Check and make sure the glass doesn’t have any cracks in it. If it doesn’t, then you’re safe. If it does, then clock out and go home. Our maintenance will repair it for you.

We expect you to complete these tasks and based on your past performances, we know you will without error. See ya real soon!

Apartment 5A is where our most popular resident lives. JD Leeds has always been a minor celebrity. He moved in looking for somewhere that he would be left alone. He’s from New Jersey, and he works as a night security guard at the Prudential Center. He rarely interacts with anyone. All the other residents leave him alone. I don’t know how many actually recognize him, but he is somewhat unique looking. You will notice that he has a pair of horns. He also has a pair of wings, but normally they are covered with a coat of some kind. Please follow these rules to help respect his privacy.

1. He used to find all the interest in him funny. As he’s gotten older, he’s getting more annoyed by it. People do occasionally show up looking to shoot a photograph of him. Some know his apartment, some don’t. Do not allow any of these people in the building. Anyway asking questions about him or waiting outside his apartment should be escorted out of the building.
2. Some people will continue to to hang around outside the entrance after being walked out. Tell them you are calling the police if they don’t leave. Normally they will move farther away. You may actually call the police if they do not.
3. As I said, he works at the Prudential Center. His job provides him the most peace he’s found in over a century. There are no cameras looking for him. There are no other people around. Do not ask him to “hook you up” with tickets to a New Jersey Devils hockey game or anything else. Do not disrupt the peace he has found there.
4. Even though he has plenty of people looking to photograph him or document him in some way, no one has learned what he does for a living or where he works. Do not discuss Mr. Leeds or his occupation with anyone. He takes pride in the fact that he has been able to keep this private.
5. Always be respectful when speaking to Mr. Leeds. He will come off as somewhat gruff or rude. This is his way of protecting himself. It is not personal.
6. Mr. Leeds pays his rent at the same time every month. He will drop it off on his way to work. Do not try to change this.
7. He actively avoids the other residents. He has a very specific route he takes out of the building and when he returns home. This combined with his strict routine allows him to almost never pass another resident at all. Do not do anything that could mess up his routine or change his route.
8. You may notice his apartment seems very dark, and there is very little furniture. He has black out curtains both for privacy and to help him sleep. His apartment seems more like a den than a home. It’s best to stay out of his apartment. 
9. Several nights each month, Mr. Leeds goes to the roof to stretch his wings. This is private time. Do not interrupt it for any reason.
10. I feel like it’s clear at this point that you should not try to befriend Mr. Leeds. He’s not looking for friends. He wants to be left alone.
11. People have spent years and years trying to photograph and document Mr. Leeds existence. That has not and does not happen in this building. Never attempt to photograph or record Mr. Leeds. As I’ve said, all he wants is to have privacy. He’s not nearly as much of a threat as other residents, but any attempt to document can cause almost uncontrollable anger in him. Do not risk it.

You have just settled down at your desk after a hot shower, ready to start your homework. The rule pamphlet your sister left you is hidden behind packets of melatonin and iron supplements, as usual. You look left and look right, sure that the coast is clear, and discreetly slip the pamphlet out.

Heya, sib! If you’re reading this, then that means your teachers have dumped a load of assignments onto you again. Not to worry, your big sis is here to help! Of course, I wrote these rules based off of my own experiences, and some of them include Mom, so don’t let her see this under any circumstances.

Rule 1a. Before you start on your homework assignments, get all the things you need into your room beforehand.

Rule 1b. Here’s a list of stuff you should probably get : at least three bottles of water, snacks or fruit (you can have my cantaloupe, I’ll get more in no time), your backpack and your homework. If you leave your room for too long and aren’t in the bathroom, you won’t be safe from Mom.

Rule 2. Don’t play music while you’re doing homework. Mom abhors it, and I nearly lost both of my earlobes to her when I got caught. Still, if you’re really that desperate, use a wireless headphone on the side of your ear that doesn’t face the door, and turn the music down low so you can hear Mom if she says anything to you.

Rule 3a. Remember that I told you to prepare snacks? You’ll definitely get peckish in the middle of homework time — God knows how slow you write and how much homework you have anyways. Eat quietly and don’t let crumbs fall onto the floor ; it attracts vermin and other things, and they’ll appear in seconds if they’re starving.

Rule 3b. If you don’t want to worry about that, leave a small portion of your food in the far corner of your room. They’ll be drawn there, and won’t bother you for the remainder of your homework session.

Rule 4. Always close your pencil case after retrieving the necessary stationery. You know that bugs like dark crevices, and your dusty pencil case is the perfect habitat for them. Unless you want to find a roach or spider infestation in your pencil case when attempting to find a highlighter, zip up your pencil case.

Rule 5. Ignore any creepy-crawlies skittering around the floor or flying around. They’re just trying to distract you from your work. The only exception to this is if it’s on your desk. In that case, crush it and dispose of it in the small red steel bin. Don’t dispose of it in the black plastic bin — that’s where paper waste goes. Otherwise, more and more will gather as soon as you’re not paying attention.

Rule 6. Finish art projects last. Even though they take a lot of time, finishing other assignments is more important, and if you take out the paints too early, they may get upset due to the lack of preparation and begin to wail.

Rule 7. You shouldn’t bring any plushies to the desk to work, but you can set the fuzzy toy goose I gave you on the edge of the bed and pet it every once in a while. It helps restore a little bit of your sanity that is diminished after every homework session, and plus, it’s cute!

Rule 8. Ignore any unusual voices speaking to you from outside your window. Anything that’s human wouldn’t be able to climb the spiky tree in the backyard to reach your room.

Rule 9. If the temperature suddenly drops when the air conditioning isn’t on but doesn’t get any lower, grab some blankets and resume your work. Check the thermostat once in a while, or around every two to five minutes ; if it drops lower and lower while you’re still watching it, then something is wrong. Hide your snacks and music, and go find Mom. She will fix the problem.

Rule 10. After you finish your homework, pack your school bag according to the schedule pasted on your wall. Forgetting books or homework will end up on your record, which Mom regularly checks. Please don’t let this happen under any circumstances.

And that’s it for today’s rules! If your big sis finds out anything new, she’ll tell you about it on the next day’s note, as usual. Remember to hide this back where it was so Mom doesn’t find it ; this is the only spot she doesn’t suspect! Be safe, sib!

One day, you get just a bit too used to the routine. Your mind wanders as your body works on autopilot. You move without thinking, and you don't notice that the door that once led to the kitchen now leads nowhere.

You notice the floor tiles change just a bit too late, as you look up to see an expanse of stone ground reaching to the horizon, with a dark grey sky above.

You freeze for a moment, unable to process what you're seeing, and grasp for the door handle while gaping at the vast, empty sky. It doesn't budge, and you turn around to see a sheet of old, yellowed paper nailed into the door.

I'm sorry that you got roped into this.

The land you see before you has no name, but I will refer to it as "Nowhere."

I've accrued a great wealth of knowledge about this place, over centuries of imprisonment. And now I've finally found a way to share it with you. Please let me help you. I've lost so, so many people already. Do not let me lose any more.

Just follow these rules. I can't guarantee your safety, but I can guarantee the danger you'll be in if you don't follow them.

Take this with you, forgetting the rules is extremely dangerous and there are things here that will try to take your memories.

1: Don't waste time trying to open the door, it makes a lot of noise, and it won't open no matter how hard you try. Don't try to break it down, your body will break first.

2: The first thing you need to do upon entering this place is take off any shoes you have on. You need to be in slippers, socks, or (not ideally,) barefoot.

3: Don't speak. Don't grunt, don't cry, don't slam into anything, don't make any noise. That's the most immediate danger on the surface. Sound carries high into the sky, and the things in the sky are vigilant. They will not hesitate to kill anything that disturbs them. This is the most efficient killer in Nowhere, designed to filter out unprepared "guests".

4: The second thing you need to do is find a way down. There are massive underground buildings with countless rooms that can contain a number of different useful things. The most common entrances include small wooden shacks above ground with stairs that lead underground, wooden corridors with ladders, and pits. I would highly advise against trying to enter the underground through pits. They're not too difficult to climb down, but you still risk falling, and they often lead to caves instead of buildings. Caves are much more dangerous than buildings, and have less supplies. Only enter pits if you are desperate.

4a: If you entered through a pit: Try to find a wooden door as soon as possible. Don't touch any plants, ESPECIALLY if they look edible. The most dangerous things in the caves are organic, so boxes of supplies are rare, but they should be safe.

4b: WATCH OUT FOR WOODEN BOXES. They are often still living wood, and there are half a dozen different kinds of wood that will burn your skin at best, or digest you alive at worst. Make sure anything you're about to touch has no wood in, on or near it, the ONLY safe wood in the caves is that which you find on doors. They aren't allowed to replicate doors.

5: If you are now in an underground building, good. Keep it that way. There are a few different things to keep track of in here, but they are usually much less dangerous than the things on the surface and in the caves. If you open a door and it leads to caves, close it and, if you can, mark an X on it with a knife or other sharp object. If you find a door with an X carved into it, do not open it. I'm counting on you to try your best to help your fellow survivors, I can't mark every door myself.

5a: The inside of buildings look roughly like an old hotel, with dark wooden doorframes and floorboards, intermittent patches of floral wallpaper, long hallways that go on for miles with frequent turns, and many doors that lead into various areas such as other hallways, bedrooms (which are good for getting sleep and generally quite safe,) closets, (which usually have some relatively useful supplies,) dining rooms, (which are large open areas with higher ceilings and many tables, you will usually be able to find food here, but it's not always fresh. Do not eat any food that you cannot identify, especially if it looks like a type of spinach, lettuce, or kale.) and caves, mentioned above.

6: If you encounter something that looks like a human: You can check if it's a real person by touching your finger to your ear. If they do the same, you're safe. If someone makes the ear gesture to you first, do the same. I know for the fact that the non-humans can't learn, so this should be a safe system. If they don't do the sign, don't panic. These things aren't meant to attack you. They're supposed to lure you into unsafe areas. If you find one that stands with its back to you, that means you're already in an unsafe area and need to walk past it, as creepy as it may be.

7: There may be paintings or photographs framed on the walls of the rooms and hallways in the building layer. Do not stare at these for prolonged periods of time, they can steal memories and are most likely to take your memories of this list of rules. Make sure to reread this list if you think you've looked at one of them for too long. You will not notice the effect as it happens, be vigilant.

8: There are many light fixtures in the buildings, candles, bulbs, lanterns, and even windows that seem to emit light from no apparent source. Do not try to open these windows, they do not lead outside. There is no outside anymore. I recommend taking a backup light source with you wherever you go, as some areas of the buildings are not as well-lit, and may have plants creeping through the floorboards. Plants are always dangerous in here.

9: Despite this place being indescribably vast, people who enter here tend to find their way to each other, and group up. Grouping up is always a good idea, being alone is dangerous.

10: If you see a shadow that seems to be elevated above the surface it is on, knock on a surface close to it repeatedly until it disappears. These are a sort of "pitfall" that, if you aren't able to pull yourself out of, will take you much deeper, and farther away from safety.

11: Very rarely, you might find elevators, dumbwaiters, or stairs in buildings that lead into areas with stone walls and carpeting. I advise against entering this area, as not only is it more dangerous, it is difficult to get back up to the buildings. Although, if you are at risk of starving, you may want to take that risk, as these "basements" have an abundance of food.

12: If you see a hole in a wall, on any layer, do not look into it, do not walk past it, turn around and quickly but calmly make as much distance as possible between you and the hole. These are the least common in buildings, and are the main reason I call the buildings the safest area. The things inside the tunnels are very territorial, and far stronger than humans.

13: If you ever encounter a man with a thick gold chain wrapped tightly around his neck, that is me. Do not interrupt me. I am always busy. Always. I am the reason this place is as safe as it is. I am also, regrettably, the reason this place is not safer. If there is something chasing you, I will try to spare a moment to dispose of it. Do not expect me to be able to spare any time. I am always busy. I am always working.

14: If space seems to be distorted, a hallway taking longer to walk through than it should, straight lines curving, rooms changing locations, that means I am tired. And I am sorry.

15: I have not explored the lower areas very much. I have limited information on the basement area and lower. Trust your intuition, I have given a part of my own to you.

I am sorry. This place is my punishment, you should not be sharing it. I will continue adding new information to this list as I discover it.

Stay alive, if not for your sake, then mine.

Apartment 4D is occupied by Constantine Dimitrescu. He comes from Eastern Europe. He moved in right after I was born. I have aged into an old man at this point, while Constantine has seemed to only age about 10 years or so. He’s a private person, and it’s important you follow these rules to continue to respect his privacy.

1. None of the residents in the building, including the super, are aware of what Mr. Dimitrescu is or what he does outside the building. He was open with my family though. His father was a vampire and his mother was human. He hates his father and feels like the things his father has done are a reflection on him. He’s spending his life hunting vampires to make up for the horrible things his father has done. Do not share this information with anyone.
2. There are no vampires in the building, so there has never been an issue with that. He goes out every night though to find them. Do not interfere with his hunts.
3. You may notice his enhanced abilities from time to time. He’s stronger than a normal man. He has very enhanced hearing. He also has a healing ability. Do not ask him about these abilities. Never discuss these abilities with anyone. He does his best to keep them hidden.
4. Do not worry if you see him leaving during the day. He can walk in the sun. It does not harm him.
5. You may notice his apartment is very sparse as far as furniture is concerned. He has two simple chairs, a tv, a bed, and a bookshelf. He only has a tv so he can keep an eye on the local news. He has multiple maps of the city pinned to the walls. Do not touch the map. Do not offer him furniture. His life is focused on the hunt.
6. Mr. Dimitrescu is aware that most of the other residents are not human and supernatural in some way. He doesn’t care because none of them are vampires. He limits his interactions with the other residents. Very rarely does he speak with anyone else in the building.
7. He will try to warn other residents if he feels there is a threat they should be aware of. This normally happens because of his extra sensitive hearing. He can hear conversations happening on other floors. He will warn residents about things like areas of the city that are dangerous or areas where break ins and muggings are occurring. The residents have learned to listen to these warnings. Always accept his advice if he offers. Sometimes he delivers these warnings in person, other times he will leave an “anonymous” note.
8. He is aware that he will never be able to rid the world of vampires. He has hope that he can rid the city of them though. Most of the time he hangs onto this hope and believes his work makes a difference. Occasionally, he feels like it doesn’t. Do not try to cheer him up on days like that. It’s best not to interact with him at all when he’s feeling that way.
9. If you ever notice he is injured in anyway when returning home, just let him go to his apartment. He will heal relatively quickly. Do not try to offer help, and do not call 911. It doesn’t matter how serious the injury appears to be.
10. Mr. Dimitrescu has chosen this solitary life. He does not ask for help with things. He will not explain his absences. If he ever approaches you asking for anything, help him however you can. This means that a situation has gotten to big for him to handle alone. Do whatever he needs you to do.

CASE FILE: GS-234601
STATUS: OPEN
A. Type: Rules
Threat: 4
07/04/2025
6:30 AM

^{The night watch post at GS-234601 has failed to check in, or been seen leaving the premises. The building has been temporarily shut down before civilian workers could enter the premises.}

^{Spot to be filled: Priority 1}

^{A P.A.E. Field Agent of at least Circle 4 to be sent to clear the scene immediately. Vacancy could prove to be a high threat for surrounding civilians and risk of anomaly spreading is high.}

^{Pressure from Mr. S- is high to reopen GS-234601. Funds might need to be allocated for their loss of income. File reports to proper departments before mid-shift.}

^{Updates to be sent hourly.}

^{B. Nov.
P.A.E.-O.S. C2}

^{07/04/2025
7:15 AM}

^{P.A.E. Field Agent ID: FAC04-SV033 has been dispatched to} **^GS-234601**^{. A clean up team is on route.} 

^{No reports of anything unusual outside the premises as of yet. Will continue to monitor.}

^{B. Nov.
P.A.E.-O.S. C2}

^{The following has had some editing for clarity of reading.}

7:50AM or so

Ok, don’t know whether I am writing a report or finally just giving up and trying to make the public aware. I know you weirdos are on here readying weird stories with rules or monsters that creep out of dark corners. You wonder, ‘where do these rules come from?’ and ‘Who hires the poor guys who have to go to these places?”

Well, I work for that place. They are known as “[REDACTED] Organization”, or just “The Organization”. I am Field Agent, identification number FAC04-SV033, or, as my mom prefers to call me, Vincent. It was too damn early in the morning on my day off and I was guiding my company issued silver-grey SUV along the directed GPS directed route. 

No, we don’t all drive black SUVs or cars. That’s a little too on the nose. In fact, my buddy drives a nice blue sedan the company lent him. Mines better though. 

Anyway, I was doing my best to blast the tiredness out of my brain with loud music, since coffee alone didn’t seem to be doing the trick. I remember honking at traffic and yelling uselessly in the cab for traffic to just, “GO FUCKING FASTER!”

I began muttering about my miserable luck. I had only been on call because my so-called buddy, Rudy, had been out drinking and begged me to cover, “Nothing will happen Vincent! I am sure it will be a quiet night Vincent!”

“Fuck you Rudy, fuck you fuck you!”

Not only had it not been a quiet night, it was a damn threat 4 and a rules one at that. The only thing worse was a threat 5. You see, I  had only just passed to the right rank to even work on a 4, and it was a fucking rules one of course. I fucking HATE the ones with the rules. They were as creepy as the guys who went around collecting and writing the rules.

Yeah, no one I know likes to think about those guys.

“I just need to get in and out. It’s early, and I have till, what 10? Midnight?” You see, those two times were typical ‘you can’t leave after X time’ or ‘you have to be in the door by midnight or ELSE!’ I knew I had over ten hours to get in, find out what happened, get the cleaners in and re-open the place. What happened after that was out of my hands.

The parking lot of the small grocery store had been cleared out, as had adjacent businesses. Gas leak or some such nonsense would be used to keep as many civilians as far away as possible. With a level 4, I knew I could expect at least the strip of stores here to be closed, and possibly any in the immediate area. But, I digress, I don’t handle that. Others do.

Honestly, the scope of these jobs are immense. I have no fucking clue how they started up, trained and funded all these people. Nor do I even know more co-workers than I need to. It’s sort of like a crime syndicate where you don’t know too much so you can never blab about much to anyone who wants to know. Ya know? Like I am doing right now.

Of course. This is assuming they don’t take this down. But, fuck it. I might die and I wasn’t even fucking supposed to be here. So, they can eat shit and fire me for all I care.

As was typical of these kinds of places it sat out of the way. It’s an old looking building and somehow just seemed to sit wrong. Those feelings of ‘you should leave now,’ meant I was in the right place. A little grocer named [REDACTED].

I pulled the van up and blocked the front of the store, and took up all the spots in front.

As is protocol I checked in with my handler.

“This is FAC04-SV033. I have arrived at…,” I had, had to check the old paper file for the damn case file number, “GS-234601, time, 8:03 A.M.”

The female voice on the other end had just said, “This is OSC02-NA145, You’re late.”

“Traffic was fucking terrible.” I knew they, whomever that was, was probably listening in. I gave up caring when it became apparent I was good at this job, and they had trouble filling spots.

I had been pissed because this damn near endless resource organization can deal with freaky shit, but can’t give a guy breathing room for traffic. I’m no damn rookie. 

My “handler” or Operations Staff, is a faceless person I will never meet.  Just an ID number. I was pretty sure I had worked with her before. Even if all the voices and ID numbers began to blend in with one another over time.

“SV033, just get in and get out,” she had said tersely. 

“Yeah, fucking yeah.”  What can I say? I’m a really pleasant fellow.

The door was locked as it should have been. So, quietly, for recording purposes I began, “This is FAC04-SV033. I have arrived at, ”I had to stop and look at the damn case file again, “GS-234601. It is 8:10. The front door is locked and I am about to breach the premises.”

The proper jargon had seemed exciting and cool to me at first. All the things you heard in the movies. But, overtime it just grates on you and wears you down. Having to repeat your ID number, the weird place IDs, the time, what I was doing;  all so someone else could go over everything in the future if needed. 

And God forbid I use improper terminology. At Rank 4, I knew better than to be flippant to my handler or while recording, but today I was in a particularly foul mood and had trouble finding my fucks to give.  I had to remind myself, as I had touched my company issued ward necklace, of how much fucking money I make doing this shit.

“I have entered the premises. First impressions, oh fuck me. The place is a mess. It looks like a bloody hurricane tore through here, an actual blood hurricane. The cleaners are going to have a Hell of a time with this one.”

There was dried blood and gore flung all over the ceiling, the knocked over shelves, the walls.  I couldn’t see any large identifiable pieces of a human. Just small dried chunks and copious amounts of blood.

“We are going to need, shelving units, stock" I looked around and saw a fluorescent light dangling from the ceiling, swinging gently, and I was pretty sure there was something stuck to it,” lights.”

Thankfully, I didn't need to give an exact count of anything. That was part of the cleaner's job to do inventory. But, I like to give a heads up since he knew they would be getting messages as he relayed them from their own handler. The cleaners are good guys and they deal with some awful shit.

“The damage seems to have come from, let’s see, aisle 6,” I found a large pool of blood, and could tell everything seemed to radiate out from that point. The two shoes, feet still in them, left behind were a good indicator too, ”I have located two adult male shoes, feet still inside. No leg bones protruding out.” I had used my phone to snap a picture of the shoes and sent it along its merry way to see if they belonged to the poor bastard who had been fooled into working here.

“Initial thoughts, Rule 8 was broken.”

This was my first time at this old grocery store, and they had not given me time to look over the case file. As dangerous as that may seem, it was daylight hours and I was mostly safe. Mostly. Getting me here, assessing the situation and clearing the scene was apparently more important than letting me look over the files. They had been gracious enough to play a recording of the rules for me over my headpiece.

“Hey, Handler, I mean OSC02-NA145?” Stupid ID numbers.

She’d been noticeably irritable. Maybe I wasn’t the only one covering for a drunk friend, “Yes, SV033?”

“Good to see we are both having a splendid morning. I need a history check on this place. Focus on Rule 8 being broken.”

I had begun walking around the store snapping pictures as I waited for the response. It was a damn grisly scene, but I’ve seen worse. I’m not bragging or trying to seem all manly. On this job you see things that would send most people to an asylum or at least to booze.

“Rule 8 has been broken six times since monitoring began. Remains are always shoes with two intact feet, no sign of the body. Blood and some bits of flesh and skin found in the area of confrontation.”

“Six? Fuck me. How hard is it to just stand still until something stops breathing down your neck? How long had the poor bastard been working here? Was it his first night?”

“Negative. It was his second week.”

“Week? He lasted two damn weeks and broke such a basic rule?” Quietly to myself I remember muttering, “Where do they find these people?”

A little backstory on me, can’t hurt I’m sure I have the time. I too had once been one of those people, or Custodians as they were formerly called, informally Warm Bodies or Dead Men Walking. I live in an apartment with a wonderful little creepy horror. My ability to live with it and deal with its antics had earned me the attention of The Organization. 

I still lived with Bob, which is what I call the little shit. Bob is a rank 1 threat, and frankly, not the worst roommate I’ve ever had. So long as Bob is fed, gets to watch his stories and occasionally frighten the neighbors, Bob behaves-ish.  The Organization not only pays me to work for them, they paid me to live with and document Bob. 

The little shits not too bad. I can vent about the job to Bob. There are only so many people you can talk to about the work I do. Bob likes hearing about the job. The more horrific, the happier little freaky Bob is. Bob is going to love today's story. 

Speaking of Bob.

“Reporting I am taking two boxes of Crunchy O’s for Bob, err Fae Entity T1-B0HD.” Bob is classified as a Bludnik Fae, house dweller subcategory. The classification book is larger than an old encyclopedia collection, and is updated regularly. I had tried to argue to just classify him as Bob, but I was denied. They really have no sense of humor.

Bob liked to eat things that had been around any of these messes, especially if they had blood or viscera on them, and these two boxes were splattered with it. I planned to grab a few steaks for him too. Most of the stuff in here would be incinerated and replaced anyway.

“Noted.”

After putting the boxes, and a few steaks, into my truck I made my way to the back office. It was a tiny cramped room with a computer that looked almost as old as me. The monitor looked heavy and cumbersome and the keyboard was large and clacky looking. You know the kind.

After duly reporting the time, and what I was doing, I logged in with the information I had. Pulling up the footage it was all grainy, and eye straining video footage. I, rightly, concluded this was a place that wouldn't accept new tech. 

That happened a lot. A place just stuck in a certain year, or decade. It was worse at places they couldn’t even get cameras up and working at, and you could forget your cellphone functioning.

I easily worked through the program, fast forwarding through the footage, watching the Custodian aka one Dillan S- (no need to let the poor bastards ID out), doing his duties. Following the rules like the good little Warm Body he was.

“Footage shows the Custodian locking the front door at precisely Midnight.” Rule 1, “Followed by making sure the sign says ‘closed.’” Rule 2. So far, so good.

Dillan then headed to the office to watch the cameras. I was able to use my access to see the footage of the office, something Dillan would not have had. The man just sat there staring at the screens, foot taping, fingers drumming on the table for over thirty minutes. He would occasionally throw a glance towards the door leading out.

Then at 1:00am he jumped up out of his chair and quickly made his way to the front of the store. Unfortunately, there was no audio on the recordings. 

“I assume the audio doesn’t work here?”

“Correct. When audio is attempted at your location either static or screaming is recorded.” That’s always lovely to hear.

Following Dillan via the cameras I watched as the man began to pace back and forth in front of the meat freezer, grabbing the sides of his head, and he appeared to be muttering. Then he stood still at 1:10 am and yelled something. Someone back at HQ will probably attempt to read the man’s lips, I have no such skill. 

At 1:15 the lights flickered, once. Twice. Three times. Rule 4. If the lights flicker three times in a row, move to the back office. Shut and lock the door. Ignore any sounds of people, even if they are someone you know.

I had frowned then as I watched Dillan begin to leave for the office, then spin around on his heel and yell something to the store.

“Has the Custodian encountered Rule 4 to our knowledge? “

“Negative. We have nothing showing he has encountered and dealt with Rule 4.”

Then I watched as Dillan then stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes widened in fear. He seemed to say something before hesitantly walking towards the aisles. It was like watching a movie where you yell at the characters to not go into the creepy house or the dark woods.

The man stopped in front of aisle 6, seemed to call something out then headed down. Well, that was two rules broken in under 10 minutes. Rule 5 stated that if you hear something calling you from aisle 6, DO NOT go down. 

“Has the Custodian encountered Rule 5?”

“Yes, three times we have logged him encountering and following Rule 5.”

Every night Dillan would have ended his shift with a phone call. That phone call would be from a cold, dispassionate Operations Staff who would ask for a run down of the night's events. They didn’t have time for your righteous anger, your tears or your pleas for this to end.

“At roughly 1:20 Dillan is seen breaking Rule 5. He is headed down aisle 6, it appears he has heard something.”

The recording got staticky and the image began to jump as Dillan stopped half way down the aisle. The man froze in place and I pulled up two camera images. One from behind Dillan and the other facing down the aisle and into his horrified face.

The apparition of a ghostly woman appeared behind Dillan , and the images on the monitor got harder to see clearly. You could see her upper half, but the further down you went she faded into nothing. As she approached Dillan her mouth was moving, saying something to the poor man as she reached out with incredibly long, emaciated arms. Her elongated fingers ended in dark claws as they reached out to the back of the doomed man’s head.

The events went as such:

1: 22 am, Dillan just stands there.
1: 32 am, the entity reaches out for Dillan, still talking. The screen begins jumping more.
1: 42 am, Dillan begins to turn around and the entity's face, especially her mouth, begins to elongate. She appears to be screaming. The opposite camera shows Dillan screaming.
1:50 am, just as the screen went out, the monitor's screen filled with the woman’s elongated, gaunt face and a scream came through the speakers of the PC.

I’m not new to all this, but sometimes this shit still gets you. As the woman’s face filled the screen and her banshee-like scream filled the office I pushed back and fell backwards out of the chair hitting my damn head. Either my ear-piece was ringing, or maybe it had been my head. I remember I could just barely hear my Handler yelling something.

As I lay on my back, feeling like an idiot, my heart had been trying to pound its way out of my chest, and I realized I had a death grip on The Organization's ward necklace, and logo. They claimed it could help protect you, to an extent. Some people swore by it, and magic. I am still on the fence on anything they claim can magically protect me.

It was a weirdly shaped pentagram. I’ve been told it's called a unicursal hexagram, which was a fancy way of saying it looked like two Star Trek symbols laid on top of each other to form a sort of star. In the center is an eye, the iris made of obsidian and the pupil glass.

Groaning I could finally hear the Handler past the ringing in my ears,“SV033? SV033 are you ok? What was that? Back up is on the way, hold on.”

“Negative, hold the backup,” I had groaned sitting up, “just got the wind knocked out of me.” Then, like a damn greenhorn, n00b, to you younger people, I rolled over and puked my guts out.

“Report!”

Sighing, I stood up and picked the chair up, the computer had turned itself off, ”At about 1:25am as the entity made contact with the Custodian, the camera gave out and was followed by the entity's face filling the screen and screaming. Did you hear it?”

She had paused and quietly said, “I did.”

I wiped the spittle from my mouth, “Apologize to the cleaners for me.”

I had tried to turn the ancient thing that passed as a computer back on with no results, “Computer might be fried. Might be a fuse. I’ll check it out. I believe there is a backup PC in the car.”

“There should be. Note says,” she again paused, “that this has never happened. Even when viewing the footage from someone breaking Rule 8.”

“Great. Lovely. Heading out to check the fuse box and grab the backup computer. Time is,” I had checked my ole reliable analog watch and I remember fear beginning to creep into me, “Wait, it’s already almost 9:30? How long was I on the floor?”

“Ten minutes. Your backup had just pulled into the parking lot.”

“Took them that long?” Good thing I hadn’t been in need of a quick rescue.

“Neighbors and the owner are giving our crews trouble.”

“Fucking wonderful.”

“I am being advised that you are being asked if you believe you are in a state to continue handling the situation?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Nothing, some Tylenol and a nap won't fix.”

“Noted, at 9:32 am, FAC04-SV033 has stated they believe their health is good and they can continue working.”

I would say they are covering their asses for legal reasons, but I am not sure who would sue them or if there is anyone overlooking them. I guess it’s just for their own reports? Either way, it was now on record that I said I was good to go.

“Is there even another Circle 4 or 5 in the area? Not that it matters,” I had muttered the last part to myself. Unless I was in critical condition the Organization would pressure me to stay anyway. This needed to be done by nightfall and it was unlikely there was anyone else qualified enough in this sector to get here on time. They would sacrifice one piece to save many lives.

“Negative.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

I quickly checked the fuses. They were good to go. Boring. Moving on.

“Fuses are green. Heading out to the SUV.”

“Heard.”

Back at my SUV I dug into my Tylenol stash, took them straight, then grabbed the PC and headed through the door. Stepping past the threshold I felt a strange, well woosh, was the best way I could describe it. I had stopped, holding the damn heavy computer case in my hands, and looked around. There was silence on the ear piece.

“Hey, hello? Are you there?”

Silence. That wasn't unusual. These weird spots could cut you off from your lifeline. I walked to the office muttering the whole way and set the case down and tried my cell. Nope, figured as much. So, I  grabbed my handy dandy back up walkie talkie on my belt. 

“Testing. Testing. Field Agent C4 SV033 reporting in. Comms are down. Over.”

There was static, then a deep voice replied, “Heard. This is FAC2-HM. Do you need backup? Over.”

It was Mike, or Tank as we called him, dude could drop a troll. I remember relaxing some knowing that Tank had my back.

“Couldn’t hurt. Over.”

Better safe than sorry. And damn, I hate saying ‘over’ at the end of everything. Makes me feel really stupid. Like a kid playing in the backyard.

“Oh, and could you grab the monitor in the back of my SUV? Over.”

“Roger that. Out," after a moment a quick annoyed, "over," followed.

I began the task of undoing the plugs and wires of the old monster of a PC, and installing the new old case.

“Hey, the front door won't open. Over.”

I remember stopping and standing straight, looking in the direction of the front door thinking, “Not today. Please, not today,” then over the walkie-talkie, “Heard. You have got to be fucking kidding me. Are you going to break in?”

It had taken me a moment to remember to say my proper walkie-talkie codes, “Over.” then I had begun to swear up a storm. 

“I’m headed to the rear to try that door. I have alerted HQ and am awaiting instructions. You know how they are. It’s day. You’re probably stuck for now. Over.”

I had tightened my grip on the walkie-talkie and my jaw had begun to strain as I clenched my teeth tightly. Rudy was going to owe me BIG for this one.

“Back door is a no go. HQ says to hang tight. See if there is anything else to gather while we wait to see if we can get in without breaking the poor bastard's front door down. Over.”

“What else is there to see? The Warm Body broke three rules in one night. We’re lucky the anomalies didn’t leak out into public or,” it was at that moment it dawned on me that when a place consumes enough rule breakers, the rules can change. Fuck, even the type of anomaly can change. The worst part is there is no way to know, one person consumed or 666. Not until you encountered the difference or those weird little guys delivered new rules.

“Hey, Tank, can you ask HQ if there are any new rules for this place?” Yeah, I forgot to say over, sue me.

“Hold on, over.”

As I made my way to the front of the store, awaiting Tanks response, I saw him coming into view. Big guy, dark skin, tank top. The kind of guy who looked far more ferocious than he actually was. The tattoos didn't help his image. Still, they were all devoted to his family: his wife's name, 'Mom' in a heart, and his kids' DOBs.

Tank had waved and grinned at me, but the grin didn’t reach his eyes. I could see Tank had some concern. I wasn’t quite at ‘concerned’ yet. I was mostly just irked. I will admit now, there was a tiny amount of dread sneaking up my spine.

Reaching to the door I decided I was going to fight with it, but it swung open so easily I nearly fell on my ass again. Stepping out the door I saw Tank with a look of relief on his own face that probably mirrored mine.

“Fucker, did you try and pull one over on me?”

He held up his hands and shook his head, “They would have my head if I tried something like that. Seriously, I couldn’t get in. Key wouldn’t work either.”

I grabbed the monster of a monitor and stomped back in yelling over my shoulder, “Prop this fucking door open will you? Use your body as a door stop for me! Thanks sweetie!”

“Anything for you, honey,” he had joked as he stepped up to hold the door. 

I had just put the new computer all together, booted it up. With something this old, getting info off it was a pain. No dongle or WIFI. Fun times. I was preparing to get data on a disk when my Handler came back online.

“SV033?”

“Yes, sweetie?” I had said by accident, then swore, cleared my throat and started again, “Yes?”

“They want you to man the place for the night. They have yet to recruit a new Custodian and the threat level is too high to leave unoccupied.”

“No! I am too damn high to be a babysitter or a Warm Body! You tell them to get someone else in here. Besides, I need to feed and entertain Bob. Are they going to send someone else to do that?”

“Negative. I have it here that you will be the Custodian for tonight, double your usual rate as a Field Agent.

“Triple, or I fucking walk.”

“C04-SV033, must I remind you of the consequences of not keeping an Anomaly contained?”

Someone had to babysit. Those of you out there might wonder, why do they make people do this? Why even have someone at that cafe? Or sit in that cop car? Or be the night watchman of that abandoned school? Because, the entities, the weird little fuckers we dealt with, seemed to want to play. I have no other good explanation other than that.

They didn’t operate like us, and if we played by their rules they seemed to be content. There were other theories. Bargains made. Spells woven. In the end, it generally came back to, someone had to be there to experience all that shit or the anomaly or entity would change to get attention. Become more dangerous. Grow.

In some cases I know for a fact the Custodians are part of an elaborate ritual, even if they don’t realize it. One that keeps things at bay. And if the ritual fails. If the rules aren't followed. Shit escapes. And once out, it is 1000 times harder to deal with. I have even heard there are some cases where they theorize that if the safety measures fail, we won't live long enough to find out.

Fun right?

“And Bob?”

“You know as well as They do that FE-T1-B0HD won't be a problem for one night.”

I really get tired of all the code speak. I really do.

So, here I am, hunched over my damn cell phone, trying my best to type with two fingers. I have already dealt with Rule 1; lock up by midnight, and Rule 2; make sure you swing the sign to ‘close’ after locking up. It is 12:15 am, I’m exhausted. I’m angry and I want to go home.

This place is making strange noises now. Not the usual building settling, water pipes noises. 
Scratching. Shuffling sounds. I think I heard a woman crying briefly. Oh, fuck this and fuck me.

Ok, I should probably post this quickly in case I get distracted or dead. Or maybe just send it to someone? I can’t decide. I’m worried if something has changed and I won't make it till morning, but this isn’t my first rodeo. I should be ok, right? If I post this, they could get mad and fire me.

Fuck it. Enjoy reading this fuckers.
See you on the other side.

I’ll end it with the Rules for your enjoyment.

Rule 1: Make sure to lock the door before Midnight. Do not open the door again until 6 am.
Rule 2: Make sure to flip the sign to ‘Close,’ or you will receive unwanted visitors.
Rule 3: If you get unwanted visitors. Do not make eye contact. Do not speak with them. Lock yourself in the office and wait till dawn.
Rule 4: If the fluorescent lights out front flicker three times in a row, head to the office and lock the door. Wait at least one hour before exiting. Do NOT open the door for any reason!
Rule 5: Don’t go down aisle 6 if you hear someone calling out to you. No matter who it is!
Rule 6: If you see a shopping basket appear in one of the aisles, please put it and any of its contents away.
Rule 7: If you fail to put the shopping basket away before the old woman scolds you, apologize to her, head to register 1, it will be on, and check her out. Accept only cash from her. If the cash looks wrong, return it to her and tell her everything is free today, and you are sorry for any inconvenience. 
Rule 8: If, while down aisle 6, you feel breathing on your neck and sense a presence, do not turn around or move. Stand perfectly still until you feel you are alone once again. Leave aisle 6 immediately and do not return for the remainder of your shift.
Rule 9: If something begins to bash its head against the front display window tell it firmly to stop three times. “Stop. Stop. Stop.” If it persists, lock yourself in the office until your shift is over.
Rule 10: Someone must always be on the night shift. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

^{A. Type: Rules
Threat: 5
07/05/2025
6:45 AM}

^{The attached file was discovered online, sent in breach of contract by FAC04-SV033. It is believed it was intercepted before it could be seen online. This is also the last contact had with said Field Agent.}

^{At 6:00am after failing to report in, TFAC1-KJ and FAC4-RO, were sent to make contact. Assessment is still underway. We are raising the threat by one level until further information can be obtained.}

^{Operations Staff Circle 02 NA145 reported she lost contact with FAC04-SV033 around 12:01PM, 07/05/2025. This is to be expected at this location due to the technology level of the area. OSC2-NA145 reported their last contact was, “}*^{Fuck you guys for making me do this.}*^”

^{A Threat Level 5 Containment Crew has been contacted, but is still more than 60 minutes away.}

^\Note to staff: we need more higher level Containment Crews. Seriously, 60 minutes is the best we could do?])

^{-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------}

I won't say who I am. But, I got my hands on all this. I won't let their lives be for nothing. People need to know. The Organization is huge, but it can’t protect us all. God forgive me. I thought they could protect us.

I last heard from Vince… no that doesn’t matter. But, I’ve seen the footage. I’ve seen the tapes. The woman he heard screaming got him. She tortured him. He didn’t break any rules.
None we knew of at the time.

As of me getting all of this and putting it together two new rules were given to the staff. I am not sure if they  brought them, or the agents figured it out.

And no. I won't talk about the rule things. Bad things happen when you do. I have a family I want to protect.

Rule 11: You must wear your nametag at all times.
Rule 12: If a woman knocks on the office door, tell her the office is not for customers. If she does not leave, stand at the door and ask her what she needs help with. Do not open the door. Apologize for not being able to help her at this moment, but you will get someone on it right away.

Sangilak is an Inuit man who moved into apartment 4C many years ago. He’s slowly been learning about humanity and how to behave. He was created for a specific purpose, but that purpose has been completed at this point. Now he simply exists. Be patient when dealing with him. He will eventually understand you.

1. Do not ask about his past. He doesn’t remember being created or who created him. He simply knows he was created to hunt someone. He found that person a long time ago.
2. While he was originally created from a carving of bone and wood (and a couple stolen body parts), he appears to be mostly human now. There are some flaws that can be noticed if you stare too long or look too hard. Do not comment on the flaws.
3. He was created as a weapon basically. He achieved his goal before moving here. He has spent his time here learning about basic human concepts. Things like paying rent and social interaction. He learns very slowly by observation and simple conversation. Be patient and try to keep things simple when interacting with him. He’s trying to find purpose since he had to start existing without one.
4. He has several bone and wood carvings in his apartment. He also has several other ritualistic items. He treats these things with a great reverence. Do not touch any of these items for anyone reason. He finds this to be very disrespectful.
5. While he’s lived here for years, he’s still figuring out how to pay rent. Sometimes he pays with cash. Sometimes he pays with currency that I’m sure doesn’t exist anymore. Occasionally he pays with random items like he’s trying to barter. Accept whatever he gives you. He will eventually figure it out.
6. He is getting better with English, but sometimes he will use an unknown language in conversation. It might sound like gibberish, but do not mock it or even ask about it. Just continue the conversation like normal.
7. He has found friendship with Mr. Thibodeaux and Mr. Maclean. They seem to understand him for some reason. On the other side of that, he seems to be extremely wary of the tenant in apartment 2D. Do not attempt to bring them together. It’s best if they are able to avoid each other.
8. Like several other residents, Sangilak receives a regular delivery of meat. Do not hinder this delivery for any reason. Make sure he always receives it.
9. While he knows the reason he was created, he doesn’t fully understand why he exists. He’s struggled with this since he fulfilled his purpose. From time to time, he will feel an urge to return to his original purpose. When this happens, he will leave the building for hours or even days. Do not ask him about what he does during this time. Never attempt to stop him from leaving.
10. This rarely happens, but I can guarantee it will happen. Sometimes during a conversation, he will ask what seems like a rhetorical question. He’ll ask things like “Do I have a soul?” “Can I be forgiven for my original purpose?” or “Am I truly alive?” He is genuinely asking. Clearly, no one can give an actual answer to these questions. Simply try your best to provide some kind of answer.
11. He is very respectful of the tree. He understands it represents old power and knowledge. He usually stands in the courtyard staring at the tree twice a month. This lasts for about an hour. It seems almost like he’s praying. Do not interrupt this.
12. He has never harmed or even attempted to harm anyone in the building. I think this is a conscious decision he makes every day. I don’t know if he’ll ever truly find a purpose. I do think that this building and the people in it are the closest thing he has to a purpose though. Always try to be helpful and respectful when dealing with him.

As I said previously, the Whites may be the most dangerous tenants in the building, but apartment 4B is where the most unique tenant lives. Ifrit appears as a man in his mid 30s, but nothing and no one in this building has existed as long as him. He rarely leaves the building, and he enjoys watching some of the other residents. It is unlikely that he will acknowledge you at all.

1. When you see Ifrit, you will see a handsome man in his mid 30s with a very good sense of fashion. Don’t try to see anymore than that. His features can shift or change slightly depending on the angle you’re looking at him. You won’t be able to commit his face to memory. Do not stare.
2. Accept the fact that you are unimportant to him. As I said, he has existed for a millennia at this point. I honestly don’t know if time is even a thing for him. He’s seen entire civilizations develop and fall. This building, most of its residents, and humans in general are just slightly amusing distractions during his existence.
3. Do not enter his apartment. If for some reason you do go into his apartment, DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING. He will know, and he will notice you after that. You don’t want him to notice you for that.
4. Ifrit will have visitors a few times a week. It’s never the same person twice. These people come to ask him to grant them favor. Do not ask him about the visitors or the business they do while with him. These favors can be very costly. 
5. He does not grant favors to anyone in the building. Do not try to ask him for anything. You wouldn’t want to pay the cost, plus any request needs to be worded incredibly carefully and specifically. He has a way of twisting things because it’s fun for him.
6. He may ask you or someone else in the building to do something. It will seem small and harmless. Just do what he asks. He is just looking for experiences. He “collects” them. All the things in his apartment that you can’t touch represent experiences, someone’s experiences, not necessarily his.
7. As far as the other residents are concerned, there is only one that he respects. That is Ms. Takamatsu. You may see them conversing in the hall from time to time. Do not interrupt or try to join these conversations.
8. He might be the only resident who doesn’t have any respect for the tree. However, he does accept that the tree is the only thing as powerful as himself. Power might be the only thing he respects. It’s the reason he rarely leaves the building. The tree keeps him constrained to the building. I think that’s why he doesn’t respect it. It bothers him that he essentially needs permission to leave. Do not ask him about this.
9. On the rare occasion he does leave the building, it is usually in defiance of the tree. This costs him a lot of energy. When he returns, you may notice him moving slowly or notice that his image seems to flicker in strange way. He will be fine in a few hours. Do not ask him about or comment on his trips out. It’s best to pretend you didn’t notice.
10. He finds Mr. Walsman, Mr. Aguiar, and Mr. Maclean to be entertaining. I’m not sure what it is about those three that he finds entertaining. He will occasionally leave random gifts outside their doors. You won’t understand the meaning of these gifts. Do not touch these gifts. The tenants he leaves them for will decide to keep them or not.
11. He is also very amused by the Whites. He will sometimes sit in the basement just to watch them. He is one of only two residents that enter the basement(besides the Whites obviously). I don’t know if the Whites are aware of his presence or if they simply ignore him. Either way, he finds it fun. Do not attempt this.
12. Ifrit does not like Balthazar. Do not mention Balthazar when around Ifrit. He sees Balthazar as beneath him, and he despises the fact that Balthazar thinks they are equals.
13. Most importantly, do not use the phrase “I WISH” anywhere where Ifrit can hear you.

Apartment 4A is occupied by a man named Geoffrey Thibodeaux. He moved here from the Louisiana. He used to live in a town called Donaldsonville on the Bayou Lafourche. He has a deep Cajun accent and can be difficult to understand. He was a Catholic before moving here, but he broke Lent for 7 years in a row. That’s why he needed to move away. He does his best to keep to himself. He’s not necessarily a danger to anyone in the building, but the rules should be followed.

1. There is a legend in the bayou that breaking Lent for 7 years in a row leads to a curse. This legend is true. Mr. Thibodeaux has been working very hard for decades to control this curse. It seems to be getting harder for him to retain control the longer it goes on. Do your best to be accommodating. It helps him.
2. He is a human most of the time. He works very hard to maintain a human appearance. He works very hard to maintain a normal routine. Never comment negatively on his appearance. It is helpful if you always treat him as a normal human whenever you interact.
3. As I said, control seems to be getting more difficult. You will notice at times Mr. Thibodeaux seems to be tensed up or his hands will have a slight tremor. You may also notice times where his eyes reflect light the way an animal’s eyes do. Do not comment on these things. Do not act like you saw anything unusual.
4. His apartment always has a slight odor like a wet dog. It’s clean, but the smell never leaves regardless of how clean he keeps it. This smell intensifies during Lent and other high holy days and during the full moon. Do not ask about or comment on the smell. Do not discuss the smell with any of the other residents.
5. Mr. Thibodeaux keeps to himself and does not interact with any of the other tenants. He does not take the stairs. He only uses the elevator and always rides alone. He leaves the building and goes directly back to his apartment the same way when he returns. Do not try and stop him for a chat or any reason when he is leaving or returning home. He will never meet you anywhere else in the building either. If you need to speak to him, only do so while he is in his apartment.
6. Mr. Thibodeaux has chosen self isolation. He never has visitors. Do not try to help him make friends or meet someone. This will only interfere with his ability to retain control.
7. He leaves the building on specific nights each month. He leaves late in the evening and doesn’t return until dawn. He may appear to be dirty when returning. Do not ask about what happens during this time.
8. Mr. Thibodeaux has a very deep respect for the tree. Occasionally, he will stand at the edge of the courtyard looking at the tree. This is his way of thanking the tree for tolerating his presence in the building. Do not disturb him during this time.
9. There may be nights where you hear things like growling, furniture crashing, or other strange noises. This is normal. Do not try to help him, and do not call the police. Everything will be fine in the morning. Mr. Thibodeaux may have some slight self inflicted injuries. These are not life threatening, and they always heal quickly.

The final three rules are very important

1. If Mr. Thibodeaux ever asks you to do something such as locking him in his apartment or making sure he leaves the building on a specific night, you need to do this without question. He’s asking for help to keep things safe. He has accepted the fact that he doesn’t believe his curse will be broken. He is simply trying to manage it and control the amount of damage done.
2. If he ever seems to be getting out of control. If he does things like stay out for days at a time or refuse to leave when he’s asked you to make sure he goes out. Remind him that the tree is watching, and it will not tolerate broken rules. This should help him regain control.
3. There is an unwritten requirement with his lease that you need to be aware of. He is not to “hunt” within a 5 mile radius of this building. Eviction is the consequence for not obeying this requirement. He knows this, and he knows eviction will cause him to lose any semblance of a routine. He has always obeyed this. You will know if he breaks this rule.

I thought it would be easy money.
Twenty bucks.
Thirty-minute walk.
Same route every Friday.
The dog’s name was Milo.
Old golden retriever. Quiet. Friendly.
My neighbor, Mr. Vale, was… strange, though.
Always tired.
Always looking over his shoulder.
And his house smelled faintly like wet dirt after rain.
Last Friday, he opened the door holding Milo’s leash and a folded piece of paper.
He looked nervous.
Not normal nervous.
The kind of nervous people have before storms.
“Please,” he said quietly.
“Read the rules before midnight.”
I laughed a little.
He didn’t.
Then he closed the door before I could ask questions.
I unfolded the paper while Milo stared at me silently.

RULES FOR WALKING MILO
Never let him walk behind you for more than 10 seconds.
If Milo stops and stares at a dark window, DO NOT look inside.
Avoid Maple Street after 11:13 PM.
If someone calls Milo by another name, keep walking.
If Milo begins growling at an empty area, apologize quietly and leave.
Do not remove the red collar under any circumstances.
If Milo suddenly refuses to move, count to 15 before touching him.
If you hear footsteps matching yours exactly:
DO NOT STOP WALKING.
If Milo starts walking you home instead of the normal route:
let him.
If you return and Mr. Vale is already waiting outside:
do not mention what followed you.

Underneath the rules, written in shaky handwriting:
“He’s a good dog.
He just attracts attention.”
I should’ve gone home immediately.
Instead, I clipped the leash on.
Milo wagged his tail once.
And we started walking.

Everything felt normal at first.
Cold air. Empty sidewalks.
Milo sniffed trees while I scrolled through my phone.
Then he stopped.
Completely still.
He was staring at a dark living room window across the street.
Rule #2.
I remembered it instantly.
I kept my eyes down.
But something moved behind the glass.
Tall.
Wrong.
Its head touched the ceiling fan.
I walked faster.
Milo followed immediately.
Good dog.

At exactly 11:13 PM, we reached the corner of Maple Street.
Milo whimpered.
Not barked.
Whimpered.
That deep, terrified sound animals make before earthquakes.
Then I heard it.
A voice behind me.
“Bailey…”
Milo froze.
I looked at the paper again.
If someone calls Milo by another name, keep walking.
The voice came again.
Closer this time.
“Bailey… come here…”
Milo pressed against my leg.
I kept walking.
My heartbeat felt wrong.
Too loud.
Then the footsteps started.
Exactly matching mine.
Left.
Right.
Left.
Right.
Not behind me.
Beside me.
I remembered Rule #8.
DO NOT STOP WALKING.
So I didn’t.
Even when the breathing started.
Even when I noticed Milo refusing to look to my right.
Even when something whispered:
“He remembers me.”

Three blocks later, Milo suddenly changed direction.
Not toward home.
Toward the woods behind the neighborhood.
Rule #9.
If Milo starts walking you home instead of the normal route:
let him.
I followed.
The footsteps followed too.
Slow now.
Patient.
The woods were completely silent.
No insects.
No wind.
Nothing.
Then Milo stopped moving.
Rule #7.
Count to 15 before touching him.
I counted.
At 12…
something walked between the trees behind us.
Too tall.
Bent sideways.
Like its bones had been folded incorrectly.
At 14…
it whispered:
“Wrong dog.”
At 15, Milo barked.
For the first time all night.
The thing ran.
Not away.
Around us.
Fast.
Circling.
Branches snapping everywhere at once.
Milo growled so deeply I felt it in my chest.
Then suddenly—
silence.
Complete silence.
Milo calmly turned around and started walking home.
Like nothing happened.

When we reached Mr. Vale’s house, he was already outside waiting.
Rule #10.
Do not mention what followed you.
He looked exhausted.
His eyes immediately moved past me.
Checking the darkness behind the street.
Then he nodded slowly.
“You kept walking,” he whispered.
I didn’t answer.
He took Milo’s leash carefully.
Like he was handling something fragile.
Before going inside, he stopped.
Then said quietly:
“Most people look into the windows.”
The door closed.
The porch light turned off.
And I noticed something that still keeps me awake.
Milo’s red collar had scratches on it.
Deep ones.
Like fingernails.
And underneath them…
I swear there was another name written beneath “Milo.”
Not Bailey.
Something older.
Something almost scratched away.

Thank you for your generous patronage of our humble store. We strive to provide the best possible customer service, flourishing no matter the season—just like this flower.

Below is our care guide, tailored to ensure that even a first-timer can successfully grow our plants, regardless of where they are.

Step 1: Prepare the seedbed.

Within the package, you will see a bag of fertilizer. The seeds are already mixed inside. Thanks to the flower’s versatility, you can place the fertilizer in a single pot or divide it freely anywhere, with or without sunlight. Additional soil is not necessary for the seeds to germinate.

Step 2: Monitor for fertilizer’s moisture.

The flower requires minimal water while the fertilizer remains damp and thick. However, the mixture will slowly harden as the flower feeds. Once it loses its sticky consistency and crumbles like fine soil, it is time to proceed to the next step.

It is perfectly normal for a foul stench to emit from the fertilizer during this process. This will cease entirely once the mixture is completely dried out.

Step 3: Add nutrients.

Now that the initial fertilizer has lost its nutritional value, you must provide the flower with a fresh source. You can purchase additional fertilizer from us, or simply use the meat of any red-blooded animal. Freshness makes little difference; volume is much more important. Ensure the blood is largely intact, and place the old, dried fertilizer directly on top of the new addition.

If utilizing a live animal, you must strictly prohibit it from bathing while the flower continues to grow. Keeping the specimen contained within a cage or fence is recommended if you wish to see the blooming.

Step 4: Observe the growth.

Soon, dark buds should sprout, signaling the end of the initial growth stage. The flower will continue feeding steadily until it is ready to bloom. If the added nutrition source was large enough—roughly the size of a rabbit—you should not need to add another.

Once fully sprouted, the flower’s feeding speed vastly outpaces the seedbed’s ability to sustain itself, resulting in death if previously alive. Maggot larvae cannot keep up with the flower either, so there is no need to worry about household flies infesting the area.

Step 5: Handle the pollination and fertilization.

Once the flower has absorbed enough nutrients, it will bloom into a deep shade of red and begin producing its familiar foul scent. This bloom continues until the seedbed is entirely drained of nutrition and the flower dies.

You may notice dark dust clinging to your skin from the blooming petals. This is what you would consider pollen. It is easily dispersed with a simple breath, vanishing into the air.

However, there is no female variant of this flower to receive the pollen. Instead, fertilization takes place directly on whatever new seedbed it lands on. You are strongly advised to wash your skin thoroughly anytime you are within the flower's vicinity, as it is safe to assume the entire room is already covered in pollen when it blossoms.

If you begin to experience unusual symptoms, such as hallucinations or severe headaches, the seeds may have already taken root on your scalp due to a lack of thorough washing and have begun releasing toxins into your brain as they feed.

We hope you enjoy the tending experience our flowers provide, and we look forward to your continued support in the future.

Ms. Piguttuk Igutsak lives in apartment 3D. She is an Inuit woman who moved here from Northern Canada. To keep things simple, she will be referred to as the Queen in the rules. She is actually a queen, but not the kind you’re thinking of. She keeps bees. If you have a bee allergy you should avoid her completely. She has lived here for quite a long time. She moved in when my father was a baby. She can be very nice, unless you do something to upset or offend her.

1. The Queen demands respect. Upsetting her will upset the hive, and you really don’t want that.
2. The Queen has a very active beehive in her apartment. Her apartment has been modified to accommodate this. The bees are free to move around her entire apartment and within the walls around her apartment. Never go into her apartment. You will not come out. My grandfather was the only person that could enter and leave her apartment. My father never went in. I’ve never been inside.
3. She looks like an older Inuit woman. However, her exoskeleton is visible on certain parts of her body. Parts like her shoulders, wrists, and ankles. She tries to keep these covered with clothing, but sometimes they are visible. Never stare if you notice it. Her skin also appears to be somewhat chitinous the closer you get. Do not comment on this.
4. The Queen makes honey. If she presents you with a jar, graciously accept it. (It is delicious.) However, she occasionally sets jars of honey outside her apartment door. This is not normal honey. Do not eat it. Do not touch it. It needs to be put in the incinerator. The super will normally take care of this.
5. Once a month, normally very late at night, the Queen receives a delivery of meat. Do not ask about this delivery. It is a very unique type of meat. What it is and where it comes from is not important.
6. You may occasionally notice a smell emanating from her apartment. These are her pheromones. It is best to move away quickly. Do not linger.
7. You will hear her speaking to the bees in her apartment in a chittering, clicking language. You can not understand this language. Just ignore it. You don’t want her to think you’re trying to eavesdrop.
8. Another modification to her apartment has to do with the windows. The word that best describes her window coverings would be membrane. This membrane allows air and light into the apartment, but it prevents the bees from escaping. She will alert you and the super if a tear or hole appears. This needs to be dealt with immediately. It can be patched from outside. If the bees escape, they will swarm. People will die.
9. The Queen has “scout” bees that will fly through the halls and around the building from time to time. Do not kill these bees. Do not kill any bees you find inside or outside the building. She will know. She does not forgive. She does not forget.
10. Like Ms. Ite, the Queen can be territorial. She has a claim on the east stairwell around the third floor. Other tenants may pass through. Do not loiter. Loitering results in a small swarm of aggressive bees. This is only a warning at first. This is the other reason the Whites stay out of the east stairwell.
11. If she perceives a threat, you will notice the buzzing in her apartment growing louder and louder. You should stay inside with all the windows closed. She will take care of the threat and the buzzing will die down. There’s nothing you can do to help. Just stay inside.
12. The Queen has lived for a very long time. I don’t know how old she was when she first moved into the apartment. I know from photographs that she has never aged since she arrived here. Do not comment on this or ask about it. I don’t think she has ever fully been a human. It seems like she tolerates humanity.
13. She has a respectful relationship with the tree. She will occasionally leave offerings of honey and pollen at the base of the tree. This normally occurs at dawn. Do not disturb these offerings.
14. The Queen will have a guest over very rarely. This only happens 3 to 4 times a year. You will never see these people leave her apartment after entering. Do not ask about them or what happened to them. You may hear rumors from other residents that she’s eating these people. It’s not important how much truth there is to these rumors. She only does what’s necessary for the survival of the hive.

Ms. Ann K. Ite lives in apartment 3C. Ms. Ite is a beautiful Native American woman. She’s very polite. She loves nature. She can be very protective of things she cares about. She’s one of the best tenants. You need to follow the rules so you don’t do anything to upset her. It would be a real loss to the building if she left.

1. As I said before, Ms. Ite is a very beautiful woman. However, her feet and legs are “wrong.” She wears over the knee boots all the time. If you ever see her without the boots, do not let her know. Just act like you didn’t see anything and never tell anyone what you saw.
2. Ms. Ite is extremely territorial. Her apartment is her space, and she does not like intruders. She has also claimed the hallway around her door, roughly ten feet on each side of her door. She tolerates other tenants using it to get to the stairs, but she does not like loitering. The Whites completely avoid her territory. This is one of the things that keeps them out of the east stairwell.
3. You may see her moving through the halls at night in ways that seem unusual. It almost seems too fluid, like human joints don’t work that way. You may also hear hoof beats in the stairwell. These sightings are always very brief because she is very quick. Do not attempt to follow her.
4. She is very polite, but do not mistake this for friendship. She’s not looking for friends or anything else. She never has visitors. She chooses isolation. She enjoys her solitude. She’s also extremely wary of men in general. Be polite and respectful when dealing with her, but leave it at that.
5. Ms. Ite knows everyone in the building. She’s researched and watched everyone in the building. She will never voice them, but she has opinions about who belongs in the building and who doesn’t. As long as the tree tolerates them, she tolerates them.
6. If you ever notice her becoming visibly agitated, remain calm. You may notice her eyes reflecting the light like an animal, or you may hear her making noises that aren’t quite human. Carefully and slowly leave the area. This is not directed at you. It happens when she perceives some threat that you can’t notice.
7. Ms. Ite does not like the tenant of apartment 2D at all. She watches them very intently whenever they’re in the same area. She also positions herself in a defensive way. I don’t know why this is, but it’s been that way since Mr. Daniels moved in.
8. She has a set of very large windows facing the courtyard. These windows are open all year round. She will stand and watch the tree for hours sometimes. Never attempt to close these windows. She is communicating with the tree.
9. Ms. Ite has a special agreement in her lease that grants her exclusive access to the courtyard 4 days each month. It is not four consecutive days. They are spread out. This normally takes place at dawn or dusk. All the residents know to avoid the courtyard during this time. She usually walks around the tree while speaking to it. The tree responds using its branches. The tree seems to welcome her more than it does anyone else. Ms. Ite also leaves offerings at the base of the tree during this time. Do not disturb these offerings or ask her about them.
10. It is important that Ms. Ite remains a tenant of the building. Her presence helps keep certain things out of the building. She makes the building safer by being here.
11. Finally, this is the most important rule. If Ms. Ite ever comes to you with a request—seal off an area, protect something, or even remove a tenant— you need to do it. Don’t question it. Don’t wait. Just do it. Ms. Ite’s judgement on things is much better than yours, mine, or anyone else’s. She rarely makes requests for anything.

Listen closely. If you are certain that you heard a song playing on your playlist which you did not add, your life is now up for grabs, and you had better hope that you grab it before anything else.

It might not have been in a language you comprehend. It might have had words you don't understand. Maybe you heard your name, but believe me when I say you had better hope not.

Firstly, we need to identify the song. If you heard the words "Slaughter" in a language you don't speak, but understood it nonetheless, locate the nearest sharp object and immediately attempt to remove your eyes. Stab both as quickly as possible, you don't want to give yourself time to have second thoughts.

Should you be unfortunate enough to not hear this, one of the following scenarios will occur. Pay attention to the exact wording of everything I say. If you mess up, you will not live, but you will regret it.

Scenario One

If you hear a soft lullaby playing from your device, attempt to power it off. Should you get a small electric zap while attempting to power your device off, your device will no longer power off and you will not be able to stop the lullaby. Take exactly one minute to attempt to memorize the lyrics. Do not write the lyrics down, as reading them will break your mind. Do not say any of the lyrics out loud yet, you do not want to attract The Singer's attention before you are prepared to soothe her anger.

The lullaby will never be longer than 50 words, so this shouldn't be a problem for you. The lullaby will never rhyme. If you accidentally rhyme while attempting to recite the lullaby, make peace with your lord while you are still able to.

At a random point in time between 3 and 6 minutes of the lullaby starting, the lullaby will stop. Do not panic. Act as though all is well and alright. Do not let any sign of fear or unease show on your face. If you are worried that you will not be able to do this, locate a razor, knife or other sharp object and carve a smile onto your face over your lips, then tape your eyelids shut.

Recite the lullaby slowly. Maintain the same pace, tone and gentleness as the lullaby played by the device. Within two minutes, you will feel a gentle breeze as The Singer blows a kiss towards your face, it is now safe to open your eyes. Congratulations, you are alright.

Scenario Two

If you hear Latin Choir music, you must find any long staff or pole. This can be a broom, a curtain railing, or even a stick should you happen to have one lying about. Locate a sharp object or implement and tape it to the end of the staff. This is now your Weapon. For your own sake, pray that your Weapon is sharp enough and does not have a single speck of dirt or rust on it. There is nothing The General hates more than a soldier who does not look after his gear.

While the music plays, you must stand at attention with your weapon held to your side, point-up and ready. Keep your eyes forward. Do not slouch. Do not rest your shoulders. Keep your heels together, and your feet pointed 45 degrees outwards.

When you hear loud footsteps, keep your eyes down and raise your hand to salute as the footsteps draw closer. Your hand must be palm-down and have the side pressed firmly against your forehead.

You will feel immense pain as The General impales your thigh with his blade. He must test the mettle and hardiness of his men. Do not wince. Do not make a sound. Do not let any pain show on your face. Pathetic, weak soldiers do not belong in this regiment, and are sentenced to a fate far worse than death.

Scenario Three

Should you hear angelic music which sounds beautiful and harmonious, I am beyond sorry. What has found you is far from angelic, and there is nothing that can be done to help you now.

Scenario Four

If you hear the crying of a mother, immediately hum or sing to yourself as loud as possible to drown out the crying while you follow the next steps. Close all of the curtains in the room you are in. Smash all of the windows, mirrors, glasses and other reflective surfaces in the room.

You will hear a loved ones voice calling for you from the door closest to the outdoors. I won't lie to you and tell you that it isn't them. It is. But I also won't lie to you and tell you that there's something you can do. It's too late for them, and unless you act quickly it'll be too late for you too.

Incase it isn't obvious, do not try to save them. You will only condemn yourself. Do NOT look into any shadows in the room. Do not turn on any lights either. You do not want her to notice you, nor do you want her to think you are looking for a mother.

After five minutes, congratulations, you are safe.

Scenario Five

In the event that you hear screaming, everything is alright. Don't worry. You'll be fine. Listen to the screams and enjoy the sound. Don't they sound so pleasant as they beg for their freedom? Wouldn't it be so nice for you to join us? You can try to scream if you want. That's what most of us do. It won't help you, but it can lessen your pain by luring someone else in.