New Books Published this Year

 

I've been a busy writer this year and the books I've published are:

A Time Traveler's Companion

This book is available as an eBook and audiobook. The audiobook is available in two parts.

I will be publishing the paperback next year and hopefully it will be with IngramSparks.

Next is: The Maze from Hell: A Backrooms Tale

This book has more eBook downloads and a few paperback books have been sold. You can find this book on Amazon and audiobook is available on GooglePlay.

Incidentally, this book was going to be published on IngramSparks for a more broader distribution unfortunately, I published the paperback first on Amazon, so meta sees it as a conflict for a some reason.

Next is : Author's Notes: Personal Notes Based on the Author's Books

This book is a novelette (short story) It is based on the notes I wrote regarding books I've published so far. Does not include Through the Eyes of a Sign Twirler.

Next is: Through the Eyes of a Sign Twirler

I recently published this eBook on GooglePlay books and AppleBooks. I have no intentions of publishing this book on Amazon. I will make it into an audiobook in the coming months.

The books that are in the Editor's hands are:

The Path Less Taken: The Phoenix Files vol. 2

Midnight & Black Dove

Both Books will be published at the end of the year or in the beginning of next year

Thank you for visiting this blog, i appreciate it and please do leave a comment in the comment box.

Through the Eyes of a Sign Twirler

A Time Traveler's Companion

(18 & over)

The Maze From Hell: A Backrooms Tale

(18 & over)

CG Heandez Blog

What’s Going on with the Backrooms?

 

I have an artist account on Redbubble where I upload random images that I’ve created myself. Yesterday an email was sent to me by Redbubble stating they took down two images that are related to the Backrooms. 

WTF! Those images are not in anyway related to the Backrooms movie. 

Technically, those images are from one of my books that are loosely related to the Backrooms, published in 2023, before the movie came out. 

So what's really going on? Can A24 copyright the word: Backrooms?

No, the word "backrooms" itself is not copyrighted. You cannot copyright individual words, titles, or general concepts and the core concept and aesthetic of the Backrooms (endless, empty, yellow-wallpapered rooms) are largely considered public domain and cannot be copyrighted.

The original premise of "clipping out of reality" into a labyrinth of empty office spaces originated from an anonymous post on 4chan. Because it was an anonymous, uncredited post, the foundational concept itself is in the public domain.

The Wikis: Community-built Backrooms lore (such as specific "Levels," "Entities," and stories) hosted on major platforms like the Backrooms Wiki is typically released under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA) license. This means you can use or build upon the lore, as long as you credit the original creators and share your work under the same license.

Specific Original Works: While anyone can make a Backrooms story, specific creative expressions are legally protected. For example, the visual style, specific characters, and lore created by Kane Parsons for his The Backrooms movie and found-footage series are protected.

(Yes, that’s true but other people create various literature, videos, and images related to the Backrooms lore. Is that now off limits?)

The base concept of the Backrooms and everything said in the 4chan post falls into public domain as it was anonymous, and no one can claim it with proofs.

 So, there you have it, once again, I am writing this so everyone who had something taken down recently on a social media platform-for using the word, Backrooms, can see that using the Backrooms in your literature or anywhere else should NOT be illegal.

I'm not sure if I will confront Redbubble about what happened. Both images are mine, but they weren't exactly high-quality. Either way, it's concerning because thousands of other authors have written books using some elements pulled from the backrooms lore. Artwork, media creators, should be pissed off too. 

The Backrooms Creator?

Backrooms: A Concerning Situation

My Website

My Interpretation of the Backrooms

 

In my book, Lost in the Backrooms: The Phoenix Files volume 1, Jane and MK embark on a mission to find a missing girl trapped in the mysterious Backrooms. While they are unaware of the true nature of this strange place, Jane has learned a bit about its origins. Years earlier, scientists aimed to create a safe haven for the homeless and those facing financial hardships. They developed a quantum replicator of sorts that manipulates its surrounding area. A device capable of rapidly duplicating spaces, they tested it in a vast warehouse. Initially, the device functioned perfectly, generating a series of rooms and corridors adorned in soothing shades of yellow and white, complete with ordinary beige carpeting.

Nothing about it looks like what the Backrooms appear--presently. The construction of the rooms was still taking place within the warehouse, but one night, the device unexpectedly malfunctioned—possibly due to sabotage. As everyone slept, it activated on its own, alerting the scientists just a little too late. They watched in horror as a message flashed on the large screen: “The bridge has broken, merging is infinite.” A doorway began to materialize in an untouched section of the warehouse, accompanied by a low rumble that escalated, leading the staff to fear an imminent explosion. Efforts to evacuate the residents were frantic, but not everyone managed to escape the chaos that ensued. Some remained trapped.

The device burst open a dimensional doorway and started to suck in everything around it, like a wormhole. When everything settled, which took months, some of the scientists returned--orders from government. They found the main entrance to the warehouse lobby as it was before, but something was different.

 As they explored, they stepped into a bizarre mazelike structure. The warehouse ceiling was replaced with a more office-like design featuring fluorescent lights, transforming the space into a bizarre, non-Euclidean maze. Intrigued by this new dimension, the team decided it was worth exploring further, leading to the recruitment of additional scientists to investigate the mysterious world they believed had been generated by the device.

The device didn’t actually create the liminal purgatory of the non-Euclidean dimension; it merely opened a portal to it. A unique crystal was integral to the device's function, enabling it to connect with the Backroom's realm.

In Volume 5 of the Phoenix Files, MK accidentally finds herself back in the Backrooms, where her biological father resides. He was one of the scientists who didn’t escape before the dimension merged. If you’ve read the first volume, you’ll recognize this storyline. Volume 5 will delve deeper into this plot, and it will be the final time the Backrooms are referenced in any of my books.

By the way, I am working on making Lost in the Backrooms a visual novel, with the help of someone I know who knows how to make one.

Let’s move onto, The Maze from Hell: A Backrooms Tale. The main characters enter the Backrooms by accident; they have no knowledge of the history of the place. Aleena desperately seeks a way out but bumps into Eli, a rich man who has a shady history. In the book, both characters find themselves in a small colony, but as they became a part of the community, the colony started to disappear. The Backrooms energy had pulled the town into its dimension and set it in the wheat fields level, now it is disappearing, so Aleena sees the problem and decides to make that trek back to the front rooms. Eli follows her and by chance they end up together again, navigating through the non-Euclidean maze. They finally find a door that leads them to the front rooms but there’s something different. It is not the reality they came from. And this is where I decided to add that twist into the narrative.

The Backrooms is an intriguing concept that can be explored in various forms of media, such as stories, videos, and films, since it isn't protected by copyright. Those familiar with the Backrooms often have their own unique interpretations of what it entails and how it functions. In my books, I've shared my perspective on the nature of the Backrooms and the mechanics of its non-Euclidean dimension.

NOTE: A24 has the copyright to their movie, but not the actual word, The Backrooms since the word and the concept of the Backrooms is an internet creepy pasta and it's origin is unknown. Thousands of people have created videos, literature and other media involving the Backrooms. If A24 suddenly started asking social media platforms to remove everything related to the backrooms, they would be alienating half of the Backrooms fans. The fans are what made the whole concept popular!

A New Excerpt from: The Stranger Things: Paranormal, Supernatural & Unusual Phenomenon

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Ask The Author: Q & A's

 

These are questions from random people who have read some of my books.

Q: In your book, The Maze from Hell, can you give me more background info on Syra and Kyle? It doesn’t appear that you wrote about their life before the Backrooms.

A: You’re right. This is their background:

Kyle, a divorcee, is five years younger than Syra, and is a father to three kids—two daughters and a son. While working the night shift at Walmart, he accidentally found himself in the Backrooms. How it happened was, during a break, he stepped into the restroom, and when he emerged, he was met with a disorienting yellow maze instead of the familiar store.

Turning around, he realized the door he exited had vanished. Navigating through level 0 like many before him, he made his way to other levels until he encountered one of the colonies and decided to stay.

Syra was a married woman with a loving family. Her children were already adults when she mysteriously vanished. The details of how she found herself in the Backrooms are hazy, as her experiences there have clouded her memories of the events leading up to her arrival. Initially, she faced the same challenges as others in that non-Euclidean dimension, but eventually, she reached the Raiders colony and met Kyle. Accepting that returning home was no longer an option, Syra and Kyle formed a bond, navigating their new reality together while learning from the people around them.

Q: Was Mr. Smith, in your book, A Time Traveler’s Companion, have other companions not mentioned in your book?

A: Yes, but they were short lived. After Melanie left but before he met Remi, he had a brief encounter with a woman from the day spa where he first took Remi. Following that, there was Ella, whom I mentioned in the book, along with a few others. However, it was Remi who truly captured his heart and became his long-term companion until her passing. Later, during his fifth incarnation, he took Ryla as a companion, however she referred to him as uncle because of their history. No intimate encounters between them. When Ryla dies, years later, he continues his journeys with new companions.

Q: You mentioned that A Time Traveler’s Companion is loosely inspired by a fanfiction you wrote. Does it follow the original story?

A: Well, it’s a bit of both. While some elements from the fanfiction remain, many aspects have been altered. Given that it’s a Doctor Who fanfic, I made several changes during the writing process, which unexpectedly led to the novel exceeding 500 pages. I believe the story stands apart from the fanfiction, and I appreciate you taking the time to read my book.

 

Q: In your book Flare, you mentioned that Cher knows Jane’s parents. Can you elaborate?

A: They were quite close, as Cher often assisted the Hunters, the organization to which Jane’s parents belonged. Their friendship deepened over the years, and Cher was present when Jane was born. However, after Jane’s parents passed away, Cher couldn’t take her in due to her nature as an energy vampire.

Cher is an enigmatic individual and remains so throughout the Phoenix Files book series. She will appear in one of the volumes from the series, assisting Jane on one of the assignments.

Thank you for visiting this blog and if you have any questions regarding my books, please feel free to ask.

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CG Heandez

Cecile Garcia

KO-Fi

NEW ENTRY

The Backrooms: How Does it Work?

 

In my recent book, The Maze from Hell: A Backrooms Tale, when one person escapes, another must fill their void. Aleena and Eli finally find their way out, but they discover that their destination is not what they had anticipated. 

Aleena's sister recalls how they kept in touch for a whole year after she left for Europe with her boyfriend. However, she then reveals to Aleena that her messages suddenly stopped coming. 

When Aleena and Eli entered an alternate reality, it’s likely that their counterparts inadvertently found their way into the Backrooms. Interestingly, Eli and Aleena were strangers in that world, and Eli didn’t even exist there, which brings the focus back to Aleena, who did have a double in that reality. 

Eli was merely an accidental crossover, an extra soul who wandered in. I think of the Backrooms as being quite like the Land of the Lost. 

How, you ask? Well, think back to the 1970s when you might have caught the show as a child. 

In "Land of the Lost," one of the characters, Enik, explains that for someone to escape the Land of the Lost, an equal number of newcomers must enter. 

Could there be a similar concept in the Backrooms? It seems that Aleena had a double who likely stumbled into the Backrooms while Aleena made her exit. 

This concept is quite intriguing, and other writers can definitely incorporate it into their own stories. It's important to note that the Backrooms are not subject to copyright and are free for anyone to use.

NOTE: A24 has the copyright to their movie, but not the actual word, The Backrooms since the word and the concept of the Backrooms is an internet creepy pasta and it's origin is unknown. Thousands of people have created videos, literature and other media involving the Backrooms. If A24 suddenly started asking social media platforms to remove everything related to the backrooms, they would be alienating half of the Backrooms fans. The fans are what made the whole concept popular!

The Maze from Hell: A Backrooms Tale

Author's Linktree

My Amazon Author Pages (Books For Sale)

 

Books I've written under these two pseudonym

Cecile Garcia

CG Heandez

A Time Traveler's Companion will be published in a few weeks as an eBook and later as a paperback. Meanwhile it is available as audiobooks-vol.1 & 2 on GooglePlay.

Cecile Garcia

CG Heandez

End of the Year Entry

Lost in the Backrooms: Chapter 3 The Site (excerpt)

 

Chapter 3: The Site (an excerpt)

When they walked in, Jane looked around. The house has an open floor plan so the kitchen can be seen from the Livingroom. The house is quite spacey and luxurious. There is no furniture in the Livingroom, except two chairs and a corner table set neatly at one corner of the room. A security guard was posted outside to keep curious people away and a cop car parked by the driveway as well. Two of the men in the suits looked at Jane and MK.

 “Hunters, we will give you necessary weapons that you’ll need for your mission,” the taller man said.

 “Okay,” Jane nodded. “While in the Backrooms, you will randomly find wooden box crates that might be filled with almond water and energy bars, you should

pack those in your backpacks when you can. It’s important,” the other man chimed in.

“Why?” asked MK.

 “It is believed that the almond water has healing properties,” said Father Patrick.

“How do you know this?” Jane asked.

“One of the Hunters that was sent into the Backrooms; hurt his hand pretty bad and when he drank the almond water, his wound seemed to have healed quickly.”

“What happened to the Hunter?” MK asked.

The priest hesitated, “He did not make it out but through the bodycam he wore, we got the information we needed.”

 “By the way, the bodycams might glitch and we honestly don’t know how long they will continue sending information back to the base so good luck,” one of the men in the hazmat suits chimed in.

Jane nodded, “Okay, understood.” Another man walked toward them and gave the priest a metal box, containing new weapons. He gave the Father a nod and walked away. Father Patrick set it down on the kitchen counter and keyed a combination number to open the box.

  “Here are weapons that you must carry. Our scientists created these weapons for special assignments like yours. You’ll be the first to handle them.” He handed MK and Jane a retractable silver sword, with a holster and sheath for it. He handed Jane a self-cocking tactical crossbow, and a handgun with pure silver bullets.

 “All items are Blessed. It is unknown if any of these items will be useful against the entities that reside within the Backrooms but through the experiences that other Hunters have had, some of these items do help to deter the creatures in that place.”

“So, the other hunters that went in, never returned?” asked MK. 

The priest closed the box. “We’ve sent other Hunters in the past and only one came back. He is the one who took the infamous picture and posted it anonymously online, against our wishes,” he sighed.

  “Is he still with us?” Jane asked.

  “No, he was let go, sent away for betraying confidentiality.”

Jane gave MK a look, “Well, that’s something we won’t do, we’ll keep everything confidential,” she said.

 “The Hunter’s bodycam went out after two weeks, so it did not send us video footage of the rest of his trip, only when he entered and up to the point when he went into the library.”

  “Library?” asked Jane.

  “Yes, you’ll see it if you come across it. I pray that both of you make it out,” he said with a worried tone, he gulped. MK smiled at him and gave him a hug. 

“We will, I have Jane, and I have Faith,” she said. MK watched the men in the hazmat suits going in and out of the house, then the last one brought in another box, and they begin to set up the equipment, a few feet away from the door to the storage room.

 “So, the hunters that went in had bodycams?” Jane asked.

  “All of them were equipped with bodycams, and yes, they had tracking chips too. The footage that the bodycams showed while in the Backrooms is intriguing and frightening. A Hunter engaged with an entity, used iron which fatally wounded the creature so, I imagine that some of the items you have in your backpacks will help, but it won’t work on the Hounds,” he said.

“The Hounds?” Jane asked.

 “According to the footage that one of our Hunters took, these creatures can be found in all levels of the Backrooms, they have filthy matted hair that obscures a twisted semi canine deformed face, it has human skin, but their bodies look like a jigsaw puzzle made up of human parts, formed and twisted into a monstrosity,” Father Patrick elaborated.

“When you see one, run or fight, either way those creatures will kill you. They have an insatiable hunger for human flesh. It is rumored that if they attack and bite you, you will slowly become one. Your body will reconstruct itself to adapt to the environment of the Backrooms,” one of the men in the hazmat suits informed her.

Jane sighed and looked at MK who was standing a few feet away from them watching as the men started to set up the equipment around the door. 

“So, I guess something like werewolves then.” Father Patrick nodded.

“What else should I look out for?” asked Jane. Father 

Patrick let out a sigh, “I’m not sure but you must use your instincts, and MK can guide you since she has psychic abilities. Use everything to your advantage. God did not create the Backrooms, but we can try to find the people that are lost and bring them back,” he said.

(Images are for the reader's entertainment)

WEBSITE

BOOK

Audiobook

Path Less Taken: Excerpt from Chapter 6

 

(An excerpt from  A Path Less Taken Chapter 6 : The Overlords)

As Katy assisted the other women in carrying a basket of fresh berries to the adobe cliff dwellings, fatigue set in, prompting her to pause for a moment. She found herself reflecting on the ingenuity of the native people who constructed these homes on the mountainside, nestled within a large cave. Memories of her history class surfaced, where she learned about the Anasazi cave dwellings carved into the sandstone cliffs of Canyon de Chelly in Arizona. Yet, she noted that the village she is staying at has its own unique characteristics. She inhaled deeply and gazed up at the afternoon sky, where lavender clouds blended with shades of crimson above her. “Maybe rain,” she thought.

“You should not stop,” Luana warned. “The overlords will notice.” Katy glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of one of the enormous insects fixated on them, its multifaceted eyes glinting in the sunlight. A nervous gulp escaped her throat as she exchanged a quick nod with her companion. The group of women pressed on, their footsteps crunching against the rocky terrain as they made their way toward the canyon. The adobe village, nestled into the vibrant red cliffs of the mountain, appeared to be much farther away than Katy had initially anticipated, its unique architecture blending seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, almost as if it were a part of the mountain itself. The afternoon sun beat down relentlessly on the group as they hoisted their

baskets of berries above their heads, the heat radiating off the ground. Katy is wearing a brown weathered suede crop top, which is tied at the front and features a striking black fur trim that added a touch of flair to her look.

 Below, she has a torn, weathered brown suede miniskirt that she wouldn’t have chosen for herself, but it was the only option available when she arrived so she could blend in. In fact, it is mandatory to wear what the natives of that world wear. To complete her outfit, Luana had gifted her some black fur wristbands, which Katy wore proudly, feeling a mix of gratitude and a sense of belonging as they all worked together under the sweltering sun.

Katy was feeling utterly exhausted after a long day of picking and hauling a heavy basket filled with fruits. She finally found a moment to rest, plopping down on a large boulder and letting the basket settle at her feet. Just then, Luana appeared, her striking lavender violet eyes wide with concern.

 She approached Katy with urgency, warning her, “Please, it will see you, and you’ll end up in the oubliette again.” Her eyes hinted at the overlord. But at that moment, Katy was too drained to care about the threat of being thrown into the dark, dreaded oubliette. Her disdain for the overlords overshadowed her fear, and she simply replied, “I don’t care.” 

As Luana’s gaze shifted to an approaching insect, she quickly turned and walked away, leaving Katy to her thoughts and the weight of her fatigue. “Rise to your feet,” it ordered. Katy glared at the insect. She let out a heavy sigh and stood up. She can hear it speaking to her in her head. The overlords are telepathic, among other things.

“Who came up with the term overlords?” she silently mused, a scoff escaping her lips as she crossed her arms and fixed her gaze on the creature before her. Her eyes drifted to one of its missing legs, a remnant of an ill-fated escape attempt by a villager named Gregor. He had crafted a makeshift bat from a sturdy tree branch, concealing it cleverly until the moment he decided to flee. Unfortunately, his plan was thwarted; he was outnumbered by the insect guards, and now, he was no longer part of the tribe, the Queen took his head off and ate it. The memory of his courage hung in the air, intertwining with the palpable tension of the moment as she pondered the intricate power dynamics surrounding her.

 She envisioned a future where she would orchestrate her escape with far more cunning than he did. The uncertainty of how far she might venture before being apprehended loomed over her thoughts, a tantalizing question that remained unanswered. Suddenly, a voice broke through her reverie, sharp and commanding. “Get back in line and rejoin the others, or I will inform the Queen. You’ll find yourself in the oubliette once more, enveloped in darkness, deprived of food and water.” The voice paused, dripping with sarcasm as it added, “Surely, you remember your first experience there.” Katy gulped and gave a nod, picked up the basket and joined the other women. They made their way to the village within the canyon. 

(This is what I got so far of Chapter 6. I will complete the book sometime in 2026 and publish it.) 

My Goodreads

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Update on Audiobooks

 

 I've just released two new audiobooks on Google Play: A Time Traveler's Companion, Vol. 1 and 2. However, I haven't published the full-length novel yet. The book will be available as an eBook and paperback on Amazon KDP in the near future. Please visit link below to view details. Trigger warnings: Adult content--18 & over.

Lost in the Backrooms: The Phoenix Files vol.1 is seeing a surge in downloads on both GooglePlay and Amazon, largely due to its appeal among readers who are drawn to supernatural and paranormal tales with a creepypasta twist. A thank you to the readers who find my book interesting enough to read. 

Recommended age: 14 & over)

Having just finished the audio version of A Time Traveler's Companion, I'm now shifting my focus to A Path Less Taken: The Phoenix Files vol. 2. I'm aiming to release this book in the Fall of 2026, but if I wrap it up sooner, I'll definitely get it out earlier. Please visit links to my books. thank you.

A Time Traveler's Companion

Lost in the Backrooms(Audiobook)

Lost in the Backrooms

Goodreads

Lost in the Backrooms: Chapter 9 Through the Fields and Home

 

(An excerpt from Chapter 9, Lost in the Backrooms: The Phoenix Files vol. 1)

“There’s nothing out of the ordinary here, just an old, abandoned house,” Jane said. They went downstairs and saw a door in the kitchen that they hadn’t seen before. Jane opened it.

  “It looks like a basement,” MK noted. They hesitated and she took out a flashlight before they descended. The basement is filled with cobwebs and dust everywhere; the walls are made of old bricks which are decaying and breaking apart, the room smells like death. “Ugh, this place smells so bad,” said MK, covering her nose with her hand. Jane did the same.

“No telling if there’s black mold here or anything thing else that can kill us by inhaling the air,” said Jane. The basement had one small window, covered with soot and cobwebs. MK noticed a white door on the other side of the room.

“Well, what do you think?”

“I guess we should go in,” Jane carefully opened the door and walked through. They were back in the yellow maze of the Backrooms once again.

“Oh no,” MK said, feeling disheartened but there is a hint of hope in her, “Jane, I believe that we will find our way out this time, I’m certain,” she said, optimistically but Jane is losing hope. MK’s abilities have increased, and now she will be able to guide them through. They continued their journey, their hair disheveled, cascading loosely down their shoulders, no longer in a ponytail; rips on their clothes with blood stains from the creatures they had slain, and a strange cough suddenly started to plague them. They both drank some almond water, and it temporarily tamed their cough. 

“Why are we coughing?” MK wondered aloud. “We didn’t have this issue when we first entered the Backrooms. It feels like it kicked in after we left that last area we were in,” MK continued, trying to piece together what might have triggered it.

“I think it’s the exposure to this other dimension, or maybe the basement of that house.” MK took a deep breath and coughed.

“Maybe we should’ve been wearing masks all the time,” Jane remarked.

 MK stopped, “I sense something coming.” They brandished their weapons, Jane aimed her pistol, ready for anything that might attack them, while MK raised her sword. 

Around the corner emerged a creature with insect-like limbs, its torso had four arms with two fingered claws. “What the Hell is that?” Jane exclaimed. The head of the creature has two almond shaped eyes on each side, white in color with a red rim around the iris, its mouth has sharp jagged teeth, but as it screeched, strange foot long tentacles emerged from the mouth. “It started out human,” said MK, staring at the eldritch abomination.

“Can you communicate with it?” MK tried but the creature was unreachable. She can see darkness and pain. It desires flesh, human flesh. MK gulped, “We are food,” she said. As it approached, it lunged at them. Jane shot several rounds into its head, bringing it down. MK took her sword and sliced the legs off.  

“Give it mercy, may it rest in peace,” said Jane, delivering the final blow, blood gushed around the body. As it died, MK saw flashes of who he once was. She gasped, “He was a Hunter, one of us.”

“Oh no,” said Jane, a dismal look shadowed her face as she stared at the creature.

She sighed, “I wonder who he was?”

“I think his name was Micah?”

“I’ll inform Father Patrick when we get back, if we get back.” Her faith is faltering; her patience is wearing thin. The maddening buzz of the fluorescent lights lingers above them. They no longer have their earplugs, because they lost them. They both said a silent prayer for their fallen comrade.

 “Let’s keep moving,” said Jane, with a sigh. They came across a hallway, with many doors on each side. They tried to open several doors but to no avail. The last door at the end is white with gold hinges and a doorknob. They looked at each other, MK gave Jane a nod. Jane cautiously opened the door. They found themselves in an abandoned house with graffiti all around the walls, the sound of birds chirping signaled that their ordeal was over. They smiled and hugged each other, overwhelmed by the feeling of triumph and elation. Tears of joy ran down their cheeks. Jane kissed MK on her lips, she blushed.

 “Oh my God, we’re home,” Jane said, overjoyed. As they emerged out of the front door of the abandoned house, they stood looking down at the neighborhood street and noticed overgrown weeds and cracked asphalt. Several homes were incomplete; the others are in disarray and decaying from abandonment and neglect. “I wonder if this was one of those communities that were abandoned and never completed because of the housing crisis,” said MK. Jane nodded and looked around, “I think it’s noon. I don’t know where we are.” 

(Images are for the readers entertainment, enjoy)

Chapter 3 Excerpt

Amazon

Audiobook

YOUTUBE

Lost in the Backrooms: Excerpt from Chapter 4

 

(An excerpt from Lost in the Backrooms: The Phoenix Files vol. 1, Chapter 4)

An energy burst swooped through Jane and MK as they fell onto the dingy yellow carpeted floor. Jane quickly jumped up onto her feet, grabbed her crossbow from the backpack and held it tightly in her hands as she looked around vigilantly. MK stood up, “Damn that was a drop,” she said, feeling a bit dizzy. “Shh, keep your voice to a whisper, remember that even though it seems like this place is empty, it’s not.”

 “Okay,” MK mouthed. The sound of the florescent lights sounded above like bees in a hive.

 “They are kinda loud but not that bad,” MK pointed at them, Jane nodded.

  “Father Patrick gave me these,” Jane handed MK earplugs.

 “This will muffle out the buzzing a bit. They are comfy but useful and they are also ear-coms,” said Jane. They both put earplugs in their ears. “I don’t hear the buzzing as much now, though I’m sure it will get louder as we move onward.” MK tested the ear-coms by tapping on the bud of the device.

 “Can you hear me?” Jane nodded then took out the tracker that Father Patrick gave her. The tracker is the size of a flip-phone from the 2000’s. It has a silver cross embedded at the center. “Nothing,” Jane whispered. “The girl would’ve popped up on the tracker if she was close, but nothing yet.”

A worried look shadowed her face. “Don’t worry Jane, we’ll find her and maybe some of the others that may have disappeared.” 

“Maybe but our first priority is Talia, that’s who we are here for.” They proceeded onward, stopping to look around, taking in the sights. MK gulped, “So, I wonder if they can see us through the bodycam?” asked MK.

 “I think, but not sure. They can see what we can see but he didn’t say anything about the bodycams receiving sound. I believe that it does but for how long the devices will work, I don’t know,” said Jane as she looked around at the grotesque yellow wallpaper, dingy carpet and the florescent lights that flicker above.

 “There’s a smell here,” MK noted.

 “Yeah, I noticed it too,” Jane responded. They walked on for what seemed like hours.

“Maybe we should rest,” MK suggested. Jane saw a dirty brown couch and a table, just sitting there in the middle of a room. “What the Hell?” she mouthed. She pointed at the couch; MK looked.

They walked over to it and Jane inspected the room. “It seems okay, other than the couch being dirty and smelly,” she said as her nose wrinkled in disgust. She sat down, resting her backpack next to her feet and setting the crossbow down on the table. MK set her backpack down too. They sat in silence for a moment, listening. They are not sure if they will come across any of the infamous creatures of the Backrooms, but they have remained conscientious of their surroundings. Jane opened her backpack and took out a water bottle, MK did the same. They took out energy bars and started eating.

“They could’ve given us sandwiches, but they chose energy bars. Guess they are trying to get us used to them. I wonder how long we’ve been here. It doesn’t seem like we’ve been here long,” said MK and took a sip from her water bottle.

“I don’t know, time moves differently in this place, and we might’ve been in here for a week or more now.” At a distance they can hear indiscernible sounds that are hard to interpret. Jane stopped chewing, took out one of her earplugs and listened. Their eyes shot open. Jane gulped, “I get that whatever it is might seem distant right now, but I truly believe our paths are meant to intersect eventually,” she said and continued eating the bar. MK noticed a medium-sized clock hanging on the wall. It showed 10:10. “I wonder what time of the day it was,” she asked.

“What time of the day was what?” Jane stared at the clock. 

“I wonder what time of the day it was when the dimensions merged, and everything stopped unbeknownst to many who were working and living in the Backrooms. According to what I’ve read, the first victims of the creatures that began to filter through were the ones that were in a cafeteria,” MK said. Jane glanced at MK and took out the map from her backpack. 

“Where did you get that?” MK asked.

 “Father Patrick put it into the backpack. He wasn’t sure if it would be helpful because the map is going by the first model of the Backrooms,” she unfolded the map. “According to this, the cafeteria is another three miles away from here and in that direction is the library. However, the Backrooms tend to change.” Jane marked the spot with a marker. 

 "This place is like a maze," MK said, taking a moment to look around. "But seriously, these people seem to have had it all. I’m curious if they have showers and bathrooms too, because I haven’t spotted any yet," she remarked while sipping from her water bottle.

 "I get what you mean, but once those creatures got in, it was game over. The people in charge tried to seal off big parts of the Backrooms, but by then, it was already too late." Jane glanced at MK and asked, "Do you need to use the bathroom?"

MK replied, "Yes, but it can wait." Jane smirked and scoffed, saying, "I need to go as well." 

She then turned her attention to the map, looking for restrooms. “Hmm, it looks like there might be restrooms in that direction. We’ll head that way in a bit, but if they don’t have any, well I guess we’ll just have to

do our business at some corner. The carpet is messed up anyways and it smells like people have been urinating throughout the Backrooms,” said Jane, referring to that moldy, dreadful smell. She put the map back into her backpack.

 “This place already smells like feces,” said MK, rubbing her nose in disgust.

Jane chuckled, “I guess so. When I read the file back in the office, there was something in there about killing a creature and if you kill one, others will come, so let’s try to avoid killing anything yet, if possible.”

 MK nodded and said, “I wonder if it’s because they are connected.” Jane thought about that for a moment and said, “Maybe but nevertheless, we will have to be as quiet and vigilant as possible.” They finished eating their energy bars and saved the rest.

 “Well, we better head onward.” They picked up their backpacks and continued walking. Suddenly Jane stopped, “I think it picked up something,” she said, looking at the tracker. A red dot appeared faintly on the screen.

 “Could it be her?” asked MK, looking around, her eyes scanning the endless void of rooms, hallways, and corridors. She senses something else too. “There’s something out there and it’s not human, but I feel that it once was human.” Jane looked at her and they proceeded onward. They came across a wooden crate. “Should we attempt to look inside? Father Patrick said almond water is vital in this place,” MK mentioned. Jane nodded and they headed toward the crate, looking around cautiously. They tried to pry it open, but the lid didn’t budge. Jane opened her backpack and took out a screwdriver. 

“Guess they thought of everything,” she said, referring to the items in the backpack. The nails began to loosen. The lid fell to the carpet. They froze, afraid that the noise might attract unwanted attention. Jane looked around. MK searched through the crate.

“Oh look,” she pulled out several energy bars. “Well, I was hoping for beef jerkies or something else, but we need everything we can get,” said Jane. They packed a few Almond waters and more energy bars. “You know, our backpacks are getting a little chunky, I hope we’ll be able to move if we are attacked,” MK made a good point. 

“We can toss them on the floor if that happens. I’m not expecting to get attacked soon but I hear you.”

“I was wondering, how can one child survive in this place. If those creatures are around, wouldn’t she have already been dead?” 

Jane pondered, and replied, “True, Father Patrick did not specify how long she has been here, maybe she found a hidden room or something where she might be safe, I really don’t know. But I am sure that whatever way we find her, we must bring her home dead or alive.” MK nodded, “Let’s hope it’s not the latter.” Jane agreed. 

( Images are for the readers entertainment)

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