SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY:
Class unknown
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A recovered photograph of one of the more stable sections of Level 289. Photographer was never seen again after capturing this image.
Level 289 is the 290th positive level of the Backrooms. It remains one of the least understood levels, primarily due to its anomalous nature and the frequent disappearances of wanderers who enter.
Description
Level 289 is an extensive, seemingly infinite network of sterile hallways with white-tiled walls and smooth, polished floors. The ceilings are composed of white acoustic tiles, occasionally missing, revealing an abyss above. The lighting varies, but flickering fluorescent fixtures are common. The only persistent illumination comes from sporadic red exit signs that flicker, offering no discernible pattern or direction.
The atmospheric composition is 79.2% nitrogen, 19.3% oxygen, 1.5% unidentified trace gases. The temperature averages at 18.7°C (65.7°F), though fluctuations have been recorded in unexplored regions. The level has earned its moniker, "The Unexplainable", due to a phenomenon where wanderers vanish without a trace. These disappearances are not tied to any discernible cause; those affected are simply observed walking ahead before ceasing to exist. Their ultimate fate remains unknown, but occasional muffled echoes of distressed voices have been reported beneath the floor.
Underneath the floor, attempts to investigate have uncovered voids of utter darkness. Several drones sent into these openings have failed to return any readable data. Supplies are rarely found, save for scattered, inexplicably fresh food rations with no clear source. Consuming them has yielded no observable side effects.
Entities
Level 289 is inhabited by multiple known entities, including Facelings, Dullers, Smilers, and an unusual abundance of Crunches. Male Facelings appear in tattered business suits, often seen aimlessly wandering the halls. Female Facelings wear pale hospital gowns and exhibit erratic, unpredictable movement. These Facelings do not appear hostile but will become fixated on wanderers, observing them intently before vanishing when unobserved.
Dullers and Smilers manifest primarily in the darker sections of Level 289. Crunches proliferate in sections where the geometry of the hallways appears unstable.
One unidentified entity has been reported—a towering, emaciated humanoid with elongated limbs and a featureless face. Witness accounts describe it moving without sound, occasionally materializing through walls or ceilings. Those who have encountered it describe an overwhelming sense of dread.
Recovered Diary Note:
"I see it. I hear it. I don't know what it wants, but I know it knows me. It's tall, too tall. Its face—there is no face. It reached for me, but when I blinked, it was gone. I'm leaving, I swear I am. But the halls keep shifting. The exit signs flicker, and I don't think they lead anywhere. I don't want to go missing like the others. No, no, no. It's still here. Watching. Waiting. I don't want to disappear…"
Colonies and Outposts
There are no known colonies or outposts on Level 289. The level's instability, combined with frequent disappearances, has made long-term habitation impossible. However, signs of human presence—abandoned backpacks, broken radios, and partially written notes—suggest previous attempts at settlement that ultimately failed.
Entrances and Exits
Entrances
One may enter Level 289 from Level 288 by locating a rusted hatch. An alternative method exists in Level -33.1, where stepping through a flickering red door may transport wanderers here, though this occurrence is exceedingly rare. Lastly, Level 950 contains an elevator labeled "STAFF ONLY", which, when malfunctioning, may lead directly to Level 289.
Exits
No-clipping through the tiled walls has been confirmed to transport wanderers to Level 1, though success rates vary. Another method involves following a long, unusually well-lit corridor until a door marked "AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL" is reached; opening it leads to Level 103. A third exit involves locating an area where the floor is entirely composed of cracked concrete—remaining still for several minutes will result in a shift to Level 170. Finally, a rare exit exists in the form of a department store appearing within Level 289's hallways; those who enter through its glass doors may find themselves in Level 290.
Addendum
A partially damaged audio log was recovered from Level 289 in 2021. The recording, belonging to a wanderer named Daniel R., was found near a collapsed floor section. His fate remains unknown.
Okay… okay, I need to stay calm. These halls don't make sense. I swear I just passed that exit sign five minutes ago, but now it's gone. The walls… they shift when I don't look. There's something behind me, but I don't dare turn around. It's watching. I can feel it. The Facelings won't talk, they just… stare. One of them pointed at the floor, and now I hear whispers underneath. It's not my imagination, it's real. I heard my own voice calling from below. That’s not possible, right?
The red lights—they flicker too fast now. I keep seeing things in the flashes. I think the halls are looping, but then I see something different just ahead. I don't know which way is real. I tried marking a path, but my marks keep vanishing. It's like the level is fighting me. It wants me to disappear. Oh god, what if I already have?