WELCOME BACK: LEVEL OBSERVED WITHIN THE BACKROOMS, HENCEFORTH REFERENCED TO AS LEVEL 33 N. THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER ALONG WITH JJ HAS BEEN OBSERVED WITHIN THIS LEVEL FOLLOWING CLIMBING OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING STAIRCASE FOUND IN PREVIOUS LEVEL.
LEVEL STRUCTURE MAINLY CONSISTS OF NUMEROUS APARTMENT BUILDING CORRIDORS, INFINITELY LINKED THROUGH ENTRANCES AND STAIRCASES. DOORS WITHIN THE ENTRANCE THAT SEEMINGLY LEAD TO LIVING ROOMS ARE INSTEAD CONNECTED TO A NEW CORRIDOR. THIS COMBINED WITH THE EXTERIOR REMAINING UNCHANGED THROUGHOUT HAS OFTEN LED TO THE BELIEF THIS LEVEL ACTS AS AN INFINITE LOOP. WINDOW VIEW OBSERVED WITHIN CORRIDORS SUGGEST THIS LEVEL IS TEMPORALLY FIXED AT A BRIGHT-CYCLE'S END. WHILE ENTRANCE TEMPERATURES ARE KEPT AT A COMFORTABLE LEVELS, CORRIDOR TEMPERATURES ARE USUALLY NEAR FREEZING.
going from a humid summer night to this is real jarring. wish i had a jacket.
FURTHER INFORMATION ON CORRIDOR AND ENTRANCE STRUCTURES IS DOCUMENTED BELOW.
CORRIDOR: CONSISTS OF PAINTED WHITE WALLS AND CEILINGS, GRIMY FLOORS, AND STAIRS VERTICALLY CONNECTING INDIVIDUAL FLOORS. SEVERAL GRAY DOORS OPPOSITE OF THE WINDOW AND BOTH ENDS OF THE CORRIDOR ARE OBSERVED, THE FORMER RENDERED UNABLE TO BE ENTERED. SMALL HOLES INSTALLED ON EACH DOOR ALLOWS FOR LIMITED OBSERVATION OF THE RESPECTIVE ROOMS BEYOND.
weird. it's supposed to be the other way around. it's supposed to let you see whoever it is that's ringing your door. i wonder if peepholes here work both ways, then?
THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER ALONG WITH JJ ARE OBSERVED TO APPROACH THE DOOR LOCATED AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE CORRIDOR. WASTE-DISPOSAL CONTAINER AND TWO PLASTIC HALF-DOMES ARE PRESENT NEAR THIS DOOR. CONTAINER IS OBSERVED TO HOLD ONLY MULTIPLE CANS, ALL FILLED ONLY PARTIALLY WITH COFFEE. SURFACES OF PLASTIC HALF-DOMES ARE COVERED WITH VARIOUS WATER DROPLETS, AND THEIR HANDLES ARE REPORTED TO FEEL SLIGHTLY DAMP.
the dampness is probably 'cuz of sweat. was it raining earlier? or, actually: was there someone here?
JJ IS OBSERVED TO OPEN THE DOOR, STEPPING INTO THE ENTRANCE STRUCTURE. THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS OBSERVED TO FOLLOW.
i'm home, auntie-
JJ IS OBSERVED TO VERBALLY COMMUNICATE A GREETING UPON STEPPING INTO THE ENTRANCE. IT IS UNKNOWN WHO THIS GREETING IS DIRECTED TO, BESIDES THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER. IN ADDITION, JJ APPEARS TO BE EQUALLY AS CONFUSED AS THE CURRENT ROTWATCHER, AS EVIDENCED BY THE WAY THEY CUT THEIR SUDDEN VOCALIZATION.
y-yeah, uh- that came out of nowhere. i don't know why i said that.
IT IS POSSIBLE A PREVIOUSLY UNDOCUMENTED EXTERNAL INFLUENCE IS AFFECTING JJ AT THIS TIME, IN RELATION TO THEIR OUTBURST. THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS OBSERVED TO INQUIRE ON ANY ADDITIONAL EFFECTS JJ IS FEELING AT THE MOMENT.
i don't- i feel fine, okay? i don't feel anything else, i feel normal. just, just continue talking, okay?
JJ HAS CLAIMED TO HAVE NO ADDITIONAL EFFECTS. THEREFORE, THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS OBSERVED TO RESUME USUAL DOCUMENTATION.
ENTRANCE: CONSISTS OF WALLS AND CEILINGS OF BEIGE COLORING, WITH WOODEN PLANKS COVERING THE FLOOR. DOOR TO THE LEFT IS OBSERVED TO LEAD TO A CLOSET, CONTAINING A VARIETY OF ITEMS IN FRESH CONDITION, SUCH AS SUITS, CONTAINERS OF OLD PAPERS, TISSUES AND TOILETRY PAPERS.
STORAGE FOR SHOES IS LOCATED TO THE RIGHT IN THE FOREGROUND, AND ON FIRST ENCOUNTER, IT IS OBSERVED TO CONTAIN FOUR PAIRS OF STANDARD BRIGHT-FEMALE SHOES, THREE PAIRS OF STANDARD BRIGHT-MALE SHOES, AND TWO PAIRS OF BRIGHT-CHILD SHOES. TWO EXTRA PAIRS OF LEATHER-MADE SHOES ARE ALSO PRESENT, WITH ONE PAIR BELONGING TO A BRIGHT-MALE AND THE OTHER BELONGING TO A FEMALE BRIGHT-CHILD. SIZE AND APPEARANCES VARY BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL ENTRANCE INSTANCES, AND OFTENTIMES AT LEAST ONE PAIR IS OBSERVED TO FIT A WANDERER'S FOOT PERFECTLY.
unfortunately, i think the only shoes that would fit on me are the high heels.
to which i say: i'll stick with my shoes, thanks. high heels aren't fun to wear.
JJ IS OBSERVED TO REJECT A HEELED PAIR OF BRIGHT-FEMALE SHOES DUE TO BEING UNCOMFORTABLE TO WEAR. IT IS POSSIBLE UNCOMFORTABLE SENSATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH WEARING HEELED SHOES WILL DIMINISH UPON REPEATED AND PROLONGED USE.
you're making it sound like you want me to try them on.
THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS OBSERVED TO HAVE NO PREFERENCE REGARDING JJ'S FOOTWEAR. CHOICE OF CHANGING JJ'S FOOTWEAR ULTIMATELY LIES WITHIN JJ THEMSELF.
hm. also, you missed a pair of shoes here. kind of smells, too.
PAIR OF BLACK SHOES IS OBSERVED TO BE PLACED ON THE ENTRANCE FOREGROUND, ARRANGED IN A NEAT POSITION. A FAINT AROMA OF SWEAT CAN BE DETECTED, SUGGESTING AN ENTITY HAD RECENTLY BEEN WEARING THEM. IT IS CURRENTLY UNKNOWN IF ANY ENTITIES ARE PRESENT WITHIN THIS LEVEL.
SIDE DOOR CLOSEST TO ENTRANCE END OPENS TO A BATHROOM. A FUNCTIONING BRIGHT-WESTERN TOILET CAN BE OBSERVED INSIDE, ALONG WITH SEVERAL TOILETRY ROLLS, SLIPPERS WITH FLORAL DESIGNS, AND A LAVENDER-SCENTED AIR FRESHENER. A SLIGHT DAMPNESS CAN BE FELT WITHIN THIS ROOM, AND A LACK OF NOTABLE ITEM ORGANIZATION GIVES OFF AN OVERALL COUSINLY TOUCH.
FOLLOWING EXPLORATION OF THE BATHROOM, THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER ALONG WITH JJ ARE OBSERVED TO APPROACH THE DOOR OPPOSITE OF THE INITIAL ENTRANCE DOOR. DESPITE THIS DOOR SUPPOSEDLY LEADING TO ANOTHER CORRIDOR INSTANCE, THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS ABLE TO DETECT SOUNDS CONSISTENT WITH BRIGHT-FAMILY CHATTER OF AN ADULT BRIGHT-FEMALE AND SEVERAL BRIGHT-CHILDREN. AROMAS OF GRILLED FISH AND SOUP CAN ALSO BE SMELLED FROM WHERE THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER AND JJ ARE CURRENTLY POSITIONED. THOSE SEEMINGLY BEYOND THE DOOR APPEAR TO BE AWARE OF THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER AND JJ, AS THEY ARE OBSERVED TO EXPRESS JOY AT THEIR PRESENCE AND URGING THEM BOTH TO ENTER.
...
is that what you're hearing?
THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS OBSERVED TO REQUEST JJ TO ELABORATE.
you don't hear her? you mentioned an adult woman but- you don't hear someone older, maybe?
THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS OBSERVED TO ANSWER IN THE NEGATIVE; NO VOCALIZATIONS BELONGING TO A FEMALE BRIGHT-ELDER CAN BE HEARD BY IT. THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS OBSERVED TO REQUEST FURTHER ELABORATION OF THE VOICE'S NATURE THAT JJ IS HEARING.
it's- it's her. it's that old bag. she's welcoming me back.
and behind her is... the distant waves.
JJ REPORTS THE VOICE BEYOND THE DOOR SEEMINGLY BELONGING TO AN INDIVIDUAL KNOWN AS AUNTIE, ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE 'OLD BAG'. THIS VOICE APPEARS TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY SOUNDS GENERATED BY OCEAN WAVE MOTIONS. THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS OBSERVED TO NOT SHARE IN THIS EXPERIENCE. IT IS UNKNOWN AS TO WHY JJ IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING A UNIQUE EVENT.
THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER OBSERVES JJ STEPPING BACK FROM THE DOORWAY AND OUT OF THE ENTRANCE, RATHER THAN UTILIZING THE FORMER. THEIR FACIAL EXPRESSION SUGGESTS APPREHENSION TOWARDS THE DOORWAY, SPECIFICALLY THE NOISES THEY ARE CURRENTLY HEARING.
it- there's no way she's behind there, anyway. it'll just be that same corridor again.
s-so really, there's no point in using these doors, right? if it's going to lead to another corridor?
NO TESTIMONIES OF DOORS AT THE END OF ENTRANCE ROOMS LEADING TO AREAS DIFFERENT FROM CORRIDORS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED.
great. then let's get out of here.
THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS OBSERVED TO FOLLOW JJ AS THE LATTER EXITS THE ENTRANCE ROOM. THEY ARE OBSERVED TO TRAVEL TO THE STAIRCASE AND BEGIN UTILIZATION OF THE STRUCTURE FOR DESCENT. BESIDES ONLY SPARE GLANCES TOWARDS WINDOWS ON EACH FLOOR, THEY CONTINUE TO DESCEND THE STAIRCASE WITHOUT CEASING MOVEMENT.
no matter how far we go, the view doesn't change.
THE WINDOW VIEW IS OBSERVED TO BE UNIFORM ACROSS INDIVIDUAL FLOORS OF THIS LEVEL, REGARDLESS OF THEIR POSITION. THEREFORE, IT IS ASSUMED A GROUND FLOOR EITHER DOES NOT EXIST OR IS UNREACHABLE AT THIS TIME.
ah, but that doesn't matter, it looks like. because we're somewhere new now.
JJ, ALONG WITH THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER, HAS OBSERVED CHANGES IN THEIR SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT. BESIDES SHIFTS IN INTERIOR DESIGN, CONNECTION BETWEEN STAIRCASE AND REST OF THE FLOOR IS NOW BLOCKED BY A DEAD-METAL SHUTTER. IT IS ASSUMED LOCATIONAL EXCHANGE HAS OCCURRED, BRINGING THE SUBJECTED ROTWATCHER AND JJ TO A NEW LEVEL.