Liminal 3: Shattered Dimensions

The Red Balloon Man

Adaliya's heart pounded in her chest as she slowly, carefully peeked around the corner. Her eyes darted down the corridor, scanning for any sign of movement, any hint of the Bone Thief's grotesque form lurking in the shadows.

But it was gone.

The silence in the corridor felt oppressive, almost too thick. Her mind raced, trying to reconcile whether the creature had truly left or was just waiting, lurking somewhere deeper in the maze.

Adaliya pulled her head back, pressing her back against the cold, damp wall. She met the eyes of the two remaining researchers, Sarah and a man named Todd. Their faces were pale, their eyes wide with fear and exhaustion. They were waiting for her to say something—anything.

After all, she was the most experienced now.

She swallowed hard, her throat dry. Leadership wasn't something she had ever wanted, especially not in a place like this. But there was no one else. Ben was gone. The rest of the team had either fled or... worse.

"We're clear," Adaliya whispered, though her voice trembled slightly. "But we need to move quickly."

Sarah looked at her, hesitant. "Do you think it's really gone? What if it's just... waiting?"

Adaliya hesitated for a moment. "It could be. But staying here isn't going to keep us safe. We'll be sitting ducks if it comes back."

Todd shifted nervously, gripping the frayed remains of the rope in his hands. "What about the others? The team leader, the ones who ran ahead?"

Adaliya shook her head, a grim expression crossing her face. "We have no idea where they went, and we don't have time to search for them. Our best chance is finding an exit. There has to be one somewhere. This place... it can't go on forever."

It was a lie, and they all knew it. The Backrooms felt infinite, stretching out endlessly in every direction, their layout changing with each twist and turn. But it was a lie they needed to believe in right now.

Todd nodded, though his hands trembled slightly. "Okay... okay. Lead the way."

Adaliya took a deep breath, glancing once more down the hallway. The Bone Thief's grotesque face haunted her, but she couldn't let it paralyze her. She pushed herself off the wall and began moving forward, keeping low and quiet, her steps carefully measured.

Sarah and Todd followed closely behind, their footsteps barely audible on the soft, damp carpet. Every creak of the ceiling tiles above them, every distant echo, made their hearts jump. The Backrooms seemed to breathe around them, shifting, watching, waiting for its next move.

As they moved deeper into the maze, the once faint yellow glow of the lights became more sickly and distorted, casting unnatural shadows on the walls. They passed long-forgotten office furniture—flipped chairs, overturned desks—and strange, unidentifiable debris that had been left behind by those who had come before them. Adaliya couldn't help but wonder how many people had been trapped here and how many had never made it out.

After what felt like an eternity, Adaliya spotted something up ahead—a door. Not like the others they had passed, with exit signs that led only to more hallways. This one was different. It looked... real.

"Do you see that?" Adaliya whispered, her voice tight with cautious hope. Sarah and Todd glanced up, eyes widening as they saw the door too.

A surge of relief threatened to overtake her, but she forced herself to stay calm. They weren't out yet.

They crept forward, inching closer to the door. As they did, Adaliya couldn't shake the growing feeling of unease in her chest. The quiet was too perfect. Too absolute.