David Wilson

==Description==
David Wilson, or "Dave" as he's referred to by most wanderers, is a human. Reports from a few eyewitnesses describe him as having a gash in his sweater, a beard that was always wet, and standing at 6'3". He has earned the nickname “The Traveller” for traveling to at least 10 levels. He is expected to go to level 9 or 5 next. A small video camera was recovered in level 55. Here is the transcript-
“Have you ever had an experience you can never forget? I’m Dave, and I’m lost. In case I don’t make it, I want to share my story with you.
   
   When I regained consciousness, I was in an unfamiliar place; The walls were covered in some tacky wallpaper that looked like it was ripped straight out of the sixties, curling at the edges as it led up to the white dropdown ceiling. The fluorescent lights above gave off a constant, annoying hum. “Oh, my head…” I complained, the headache setting in. 
   I think I’m going insane. I thought, I don’t know how I got here, but this place is maddening… who built this weird basement and where is the hole I fell through!? My beard felt…wet. Why? I stared at the floor and realized that the carpet was soaked with who knows what. It looked murky and dark, so I didn’t try drinking it. I looked at the wall nearest to me and saw the same substance messily splattered into letters, words. It was a message… “You have ended up in the Backrooms,” It read. “where it's nothing but the stink of old moist carpet, the madness of mono-yellow, the endless background noise of fluorescent lights at maximum hum-buzz, and approximately infinite square miles of randomly segmented rooms to be trapped in.
God save you if you hear something wandering around nearby, because it sure has heck heard you.” 
   
I pondered what this meant. Maybe it’s a prank? Of course! “Hey guys, you can come on out now…” I yelled. “..Hello?? Dayna? Rob??” I called out. “…Anyone.?” I jumped as a slam in the next room answered me. 
I remembered I had my brother’s old camera and whipped it out. “Show yourself!” I commanded. I moved into the next room. An inconspicuous bottle sat in the center of the damp carpet.  A…thing, or entity, was beginning to writhe out of the bottle. A person in a yellow hazmat suit rushed over, grabbed the bottle, and shoved it back in before it could break out. 
    “Sorry. The Howler was a little slippery today.” The guy said.
    “Howler??” I repeated, confused.
    “Oh. That’s one, actually.” He pointed to the bottle. “They’re very 
     aggressive.”
    “Who are you?” I asked.
    “I’m Carl, an M.E.G. Wanderer/Discoverer. l usually travel with two other 
     guys, but the entities got ‘em.” 
    “Thanks. I’m Dave.” I nodded to him. “Is the bottle secure, or…”
    “Naw, we should run.” He says, sprinting out of the room.
     I heard glass hitting the floor as we rounded the corner. How is he so calm? I wondered. Then the Howler, a mess of twisted black vines, almost 10 feet tall, appeared in front of us. We screeched to a halt and went the other way. It started to give chase. We dashed around a corner, down two halls, took five lefts, running aimlessly without a plan. We took another right and froze; A dead end.Trapped. I slowly looked over my shoulder, and to my dismay, the entity was right behind me. My foot caught on something and I began to fall. My arms flailed around, trying to grab something to regain balance, and found Carl’s arm. As we fell, I spotted something…
“Hey, this is where we were earlier! I found the bottl-”  I only ended up taking him down with me, tumbling to the ground.
My face felt rug burned as I peeled it off the sickening carpet, a neon-yellow-blue swirl of colors. I heard a familiar voice; “Oh, you’re awake.” I looked up to see Carl sitting next to me.
“Ugh, my head… how long was I out?” 
“You’ve been out for at least an hour. Though, time does get a bit 
wonky here.” 
“Ugh, my head.. How far did I fall?” 
“Like, maybe 40 feet.” He hands me some Crackers. “Here.”
“Thanks, but where are we?” I looked around. We seemed to be in…          
“An office?”
“That’s somewhat correct, but we’re not out of the backrooms yet; If we 
were in the real world, you would have been seriously injured from that 
fall. This is Level 4, a safe level.”
“How many levels are there?” I asked.
“We’ve found about 945 so far, but we’re discovering new ones every 
day.” He answered. 
I got up and observed the area. “We should scavenge for supplies.” 
Frustratingly, we couldn’t find anything. While searching the contents of a cubicle, I started to tear it apart. Then I heard Carl’s concerned voice, “Hey, hey- You cool, man?” I turn to face him. “You’re being a bit…aggressive.” He said.
I sigh. “Yeah, it’s just, I wasn’t prepared for this. One moment I’m at my brother’s party, saying that I’ll be at his dorm for dinner, then I’m trapped in a different dimension!” I sat in a chair, causing it to make a loud ‘SCreech’ sound. 
“Shh! Look, I’m sorry you’re upset, but it’s not safe to be that loud.” 
“I thought you said this is a safe level?”
“It is. Well, mostly. I’m just saying we should be careful, you might 
trigger the event.” 
“What event?” I questioned.
I waited for his reply, and decided to ask again. “Carl? I want to know 
what might happen to us.”
“Okay..” He waited a few moments before speaking. “There is an event that has a 21% chance of occurring when someone is too loud. This would cause level 4 to flood with ball pit balls, suffocating anyone in it.” 
“Don’t worry though, because I have the broken bottle from earlier to defend ourselves.”
“There’s WHAT?!” I yelled in response. “I could die here! Why are you so calm?!?” I practically screamed.
A rumble shook the ground and everything on it, including us, knocking over a few cubicles. Then.. I felt something hit my foot; A small, plastic green ball had rolled into view. As I kicked it away, I heard a rushing sound, like a million feet pounding. Before I knew it, I was off the ground and trying to keep up with Carl as we ran from an unseen danger.
“There’s no more time, we have to get out of here!” He yelled, the      rumbling growing louder with every second. 
“Why?? What are we running from?” I asked, panting.
“Look!!”
Behind us, I saw a cascade of colored spheres approaching rapidly. When I looked back to Carl, he was gone. I tripped again and was overtaken by the vibrant wave. My head poked out for a fleeting moment to catch a glance of Carl for the last time, struggling in the waves. Then my head went under again. My vision faded to black as it rushed over me. I was sinking, down deeper and deeper into the darkness. 
As I opened my eyes, I felt the ball pit wave recede.                                  I painstakingly got up again, gasping for breath, and found that I was in an entirely different place. Then I realized Carl wasn’t with me anymore; I was alone. I’m in a…parking garage? It looks endless, he could’ve ended up anywhere.. I thought as I wandered around. My stomach grumbled, demanding food. I reached into my pocket to grab the crackers. They were gone too. I sighed and kept walking.
About 60 yards away was a solitary car. When I approached it, the headlights turned on. Whoever, no, whatever was in there floored the gas. I leapt out of the way, almost falling over as it zoomed past and slammed into a pillar. Whew… I felt relief for a moment, but my headache intensified right after- Is it bleeding? I wondered. My arm hurts, too. Bruised, I got up and inspected the wreck. I was pretty desperate, so I popped the trunk open. Inside, I found two cartons of something labeled “almond water”, whatever that is. Too bad I don’t have anyone to ask now. I drank one to ease my throat. There was also a small box of food and a… shotgun!? This will come in handy, I thought as I hefted the weapon.
 After a little more walking around, I noticed a white door. Keeping my new items close, I cautiously peered at it. I stood there a few moments, debating whether I should go in, and then waited a few more moments until I made my decision. As soon as I pulled it open, my eyes widened at the sight and my stomach felt sick. I crumbled to my knees as the putrid odor filled my nose. Looks like Carl didn’t make it, I thought as I turned away. I look back to the door, I still have to check for supplies. I searched his pockets and discovered a green fanny pack. I slid it on and opened it. Just as I finished stuffing my things in, the lights flickered. 
 I gazed around, my heart pumping rapidly. The lights flickered once more before finally giving out. I dashed back to the car, as gleaming, toothy grins filled the darkness. I’m dead, I’m dead, I’m dead- I thought over and over.
I hopped in, shutting the door behind me and squeezing to the bottom.. 
Just then, I fell through.
    Again?! I felt my face heat up with frustration. I was tempted to just curl up in a ball and wait for this nightmare to end. I think I’m going insane, I thought for the second time. Then I came to my senses and realized how real and urgent my situation was. I got up, brushing myself off. I need to escape. “I’ll do whatever it takes..” I muttered to myself.
 I began to step forward, but then splashed?- I blinked a few times, glancing around; I was in a white, marble complex with the only other color being the blueish clear of the water. It looked like each room was a pool. The Poolrooms, I thought and chuckled. I ran around, splashing in the water. I look at myself, I’m completely soaked. Then, I heard a grumble behind me. 
It’s another Howler, but this one looks…different. 
It was wearing an M.E.G mask… Just like Carl’s.  
It pointed at the mask, then the vines parted to reveal…a very familiar bottle.
    “Wait- Carl? Is that…you?” It tilted its head, seeming to nod. I heard a horrible gurgling, then a distorted version of what barely resembled Carl’s voice. It was as if he was struggling to speak. “Run. I’m not in co-” He stopped mid-sentence in a jerky motion. It then howled and lunged at me. I dodged the attack, keeping myself away from its claws. Once there was some good distance between us, I paused. I dug in my pocket and retrieved the shotgun, turning to face the entity. “Sorry Carl…” I aimed and pulled the trigger. BANG! The force of the shot flung me backward into a wall, causing me to pass out.
I woke up in… a really creepy birthday-themed room. It was complete with a full package of balloons, a cake, streamers, funky patterns, and the howler I shot. I looked down at the shattered bottle, remembering what had happened. I pulled the cloth off of a table and placed it over what was once a person. It’s the least I can do, I thought sadly. Then, my attention shifted to that cake- I’m tempted to eat it, I thought, but I don't have any utensils.. I’m not a pig. But the cake was so enticing, I eventually gave in. I’m so hungry!
I leaned over to take a bite, but then I actually caught a whiff of the cake. “Oh, gosh, It smells like rotting flesh!” I blurted, pinching my nose. I quickly backed away, and bumped into a yellow…thing? It wasn’t a howler, this thing looked much different. It sported a creepy red smile and carried a green balloon in its hand. Maybe it’s friendly? I mean, it has a smiley face. Oh, how wrong I was.. I hesitantly waved to it, and It waved back. More of them started to appear, forming a crowd around me. One stepped forward, holding out a present. I accepted it, untying the neat ribbon and peering inside. I saw more of that Almond Water stuff, and some food too. There was also more ammo for my shotgun. I felt a cozy sense of security, but that disappeared as one grabbed my left arm, squeezing HARD. I yelped in pain, grasping for the ammo as the circulation in my arm was pumping to a stop. Then I heard a loud ‘SMACK’ and its grip loosened.
I pulled away, shaking my arm to get blood flowing in it again. The other things treated the one who hurt me as if it shouldn’t have done that, like a parent correcting a child. While they were distracted, I shoved the ammo in the shotgun and hit the safety latch off, just in case. I thanked them with a nod and tried to find a way out. Then, I saw the trapdoor. As I opened it, the things beckoned me to come with them. “Sorry guys, but I gotta get out of here. My family must be worried sick.” They all just stood there, silent. Weird. “Um.. Bye!” I said, starting to climb down the ladder. However, they had other plans. The things violently grabbed me and dragged me out. “Ok, Ok! Fine! I can stay a little longer. Just- Ouch- let me go, please!” They slam the trapdoor shut and wag their fingers at me mockingly. “What do you need me for?” I ask. They beckon me again. I follow. They led me to a..pot? It’s huge, I thought. A whole person could probably fit in there! Next to it is a table full of raw ingredients, accompanied by a kitchen knife. Do they want me to cook? Well, I work at Sakura Sushi after all... I crack my neck, ready to go full Gordon Ramsey on these things. I chopped, cooked, and boiled the table’s contents over the course of three hours. When I finished, they seemed pleased. “Well, guys, I have to go now. See ya!” I started creeping to the trapdoor. 
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    I look to my fellow Partygoer and signal, “Time for the plan?”. They nod, moving to block the trapdoor. The others and I beckon the human, making sure he can’t get to the exit. As he peers into the pot, we try to push him in. He resists, kicking and squirming, “I knew you weren’t friendly!” He shouts. We screech in unison as he aims a boomstick at us.
**************************************STATIC******************************************
“This is for misleading me, thanks for the supplies.” I announced before blasting every single one of those smiley things to the high heavens, clearing a path to the trapdoor. I saluted the oncoming wave, then hopped down the hatch. I heard one scream as the metal door closed on its hand. Heh. I chuckle. I stood as I thought, ..That sounded painful. 
    I arrived in a long, red hallway, stretching into the distance. I also found some almond water on a metal operating table. I popped the cap and chugged it. I looked around, panting. Then I heard a screech, a lot of screeches, behind me. There were several different entities; Howlers, those party things, the glowing smiles, and some I hadn’t seen until then. I whipped out my shotgun and ran at them. When I fired, they all just dematerialized! I couldn’t believe how easy it was. “Ha! Looks like these idiots don't like-“ My mocking was interrupted by the sound of many, many more entities appearing. It was impossible to count, the previous amount of entities had doubled. I spun around and ran faster than I have in my entire life. I knew they were catching up, fast. Just then, I had an idea… I leveled 3 luggage carts and rolled them towards the entities, tripping half of them and slowing the rest down. 
    After running for who knows how long, I saw the door at the end and felt motivated. I ran even faster. I was almost there. When I opened the door, I couldn’t believe my eyes- It was too good to be true. Right there, just a few more steps away, was Rob’s apartment. 
   I smiled to myself, excited to finally get out of here- Then gasped as I felt a sharp stab in my back. I twisted to see what it was; A broken bottle. Not just any bottle, the bottle that contained the howler; The bottle that the vines had enveloped; The bottle that laid shattered at my feet.
“Sorry Dave.“ Carl’s garbled voice echoed through my mind, I could do nothing but watch as my only chance to get home faded away.
    When I woke up again, I couldn't move my left arm. I winced as I realized the broken glass bottle was still wedged into my back. I managed to get up and took a moment to process everything before looking around; I stood in a cream-colored drywall room, which I honestly thought was white at first, with an open door positioned in the corner, and a vent on the ceiling. I also noticed more writing on the wall. I squinted to read the words; “YOU aren’t allowed to kill them. YOU CHEATED”. 
If I’m not allowed to kill them, why was I able to get a shotgun? I thought angrily at the writing. I righted myself and crept over to the corner. A surreal landscape of rolling hills and cartoony houses laid beyond the door. As I started forward, it shut in my face. I tried the handle, but it didn’t budge. Locked.
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    “Now I sit alone, telling you this story. That brings us to- Wait, what is that?”
*S i g n a l    L o s t*
Category:Person of Interest