Backrooms Zookeeper: Backrooms

By Michael Schuerman and Fandom Books

"The Zookeeper of the Backrooms" is a tale that delves into this surreal and haunting environment, chronicling the journey of Lilly, an ordinary individual who finds herself thrust into an extraordinary and terrifying reality. Lilly's story is one of survival, transformation, and the blurred lines between keeper and captive, predator and prey.

This book is a compilation of Lilly's journal entries, a firsthand account of her experiences in the backrooms. From her initial shock and disorientation to her gradual acceptance of her role as the zookeeper of this bizarre realm, Lilly's words paint a vivid picture of a world that is both nightmarish and fascinating.

Her journey is not just a physical one through the ever-changing corridors of the backrooms, but also a psychological odyssey. It is a story of resilience in the face of unimaginable horrors, of the human spirit grappling with the surreal and the unknown. Lilly's transformation, her interactions with the lost souls and monstrous entities of the backrooms, and her struggle with her own sense of self are at the heart of this narrative.

As you turn these pages, prepare to step into a world that is as compelling as it is unsettling. "The Zookeeper of the Backrooms" is more than just a tale of survival in a supernatural realm; it is an exploration of the depths of fear, the resilience of the human psyche, and the mysteries that lurk just beyond the corner of our eyes.

Welcome to the backrooms, where the walls whisper, the shadows hold secrets, and the role of the zookeeper is both a curse and a salvation. Lilly's journey awaits.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fandom Books
• Release date: Nov 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223862109

Book preview

Entry 1: The First Day

It's strange how life can turn on a dime, leading you down paths you never thought you'd tread. Until today, my world was the streets – a harsh, unforgiving place where each day was a battle for survival. Being homeless, every moment was about finding the next meal, a safe place to sleep. But today, something peculiar happened, something that has potentially altered the course of my life.

This morning, as I was rummaging through my few belongings, my old, battered phone buzzed with a text message. It was odd because hardly anyone texts me, let alone knows my number. The message was an advertisement for a job, a position as a zookeeper at a private zoo. What made it even more bizarre was that it claimed to be from someone named Sam. I racked my brain trying to remember a Sam in my life, but no face or memory came to mind. The number was unfamiliar, adding to the mystery.

The text read: Hey Lilly! Exciting opportunity for a dedicated individual to join our team as a zookeeper. Immediate start required. Contact us if interested. - Sam

Underneath was an address, one I didn't recognize, located in a part of the city I had never ventured to. The whole thing screamed of being too good to be true, yet there was a part of me, a desperate, hopeful part, that wanted to believe it was real. What did I have to lose anyway?

I spent the better part of the day debating with myself. The rational part of my mind warned me of the dangers of following such a dubious lead, but the other part, the part tired of hunger and cold, dreamt of a warm place to sleep and a steady job. In the end, the latter won.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the concrete jungle I called home, I made my way to the address. Each step felt heavy with both trepidation and a weird sense of anticipation. The streets grew less familiar, and the buildings taller and more imposing.

Finally, I arrived at the location specified in the text. It was an unremarkable building, sandwiched between two larger structures. No sign indicated it was a zoo, which added to my growing sense of unease. I stood there for a moment, contemplating my next move.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to go through with it. I approached the door and hesitated for a brief moment before pushing it open. What lay beyond that door, I could never have imagined. It was the beginning of a journey into a world beyond my wildest dreams and darkest nightmares.

This is where my story takes a turn into the unknown, where my life as I knew it ends, and a new, bizarre chapter begins. I don't know what awaits me, but I am stepping into this new role with a mixture of fear and curiosity. If you find this journal, know that it is the account of my journey into the backrooms, a place where reality warps and the unexpected is the norm.

The corridors stretched before me, endless and unnerving, their walls stained with a yellow coating that spoke of ageless neglect. The buzzing of the yellow lights sent a maddening pain into my head. I remember pausing at the threshold, a tremor of apprehension coursing through me, a silent voice in my head screaming to turn back. But the lure of the unknown, the promise of a job at a zoo, a place where life teemed and blossomed, propelled me forward.

As I ventured deeper, the reality of my situation began to dawn on me. This was no ordinary zoo. The air was thick, charged with an energy that felt almost alive, pulsating with a rhythm that echoed the beating of a fearful heart. The walls, with their peeling paint and dampness, seemed to close in around me, whispering secrets in a language I couldn't understand. But amidst their indecipherable murmurs, one thing became clear – they knew my name.

Lilly, they whispered, a chorus of voices, some deep and others eerily childlike, all intoning my name with a familiarity that chilled my bones. I tried to convince myself it was just the echo of my own thoughts, a trick of the mind spurred by the isolation and the eerie ambiance. Yet, the whispers continued, relentless, as if the very walls breathed with a life of their own.

I turned to sprint out but the door that I came through was no longer there, just a long empty hallway, the longer I stood there the louder the lights buzzed until I had to move, the buzzing pushed me deeper and deep into the endless maze of hallways and empty rooms, for what seemed to be hours I stumbled upon a door with the label of Zookeeper.

The buzzing of the light faded back to normal and I was finally able to think for myself.

The room that greeted me was stark and barren, not at all what I expected a zookeeper's office to look like. It was small, with bare walls and a single, dimly lit bulb hanging from the ceiling. The air was stale, thick with a sense of neglect. There was a desk in one corner, old and worn, with scattered papers and a few tattered books on animal care. It seemed out of place, like a forgotten relic from another world.

What caught my attention, however, was the mattress lying on the floor. It was thin and looked hardly comfortable, but compared to the cold, hard concrete of the streets, it was a luxury. Next to the mattress was a small table with a lamp and a notepad, presumably for me to record my observations and duties.

I approached the desk, running my fingers over the rough surface. The papers were cryptic, filled with notes about different creatures and their care – creatures I had never heard of, with names that sounded like they belonged in a fantasy novel. It dawned on me that this job was far from ordinary.

Sitting down on the mattress, I took in the starkness of my new 'office.' It was clear that this place was not just a job location but also my living quarters. The reality of my situation began to sink in – I was no longer just homeless; I was a zookeeper in a place that defied all logic and reason.

As I sat there, the silence of the room was almost oppressive. It felt like I was in a world far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city streets I was used to. There was a sense of isolation, of being cut off from everything and everyone.

Yet, there was also a feeling of purpose, a sense that despite the strangeness of it all, I was here for a reason. The text message, the journey to this place, the room – it all felt like pieces of a puzzle coming together.

This journal would be my companion, a record of my experiences in this bizarre role. It would be a testament to whatever lay ahead, to the challenges and wonders