The Backrooms is an urban legend and internet creepypasta that describes a vast, eerie, and seemingly endless maze of monotonous, yellowish rooms. This concept has gained popularity through online communities, particularly within horror and mystery genres. The Backrooms are often depicted as a place that one can accidentally "noclip" into—a reference to a game mechanic in which players pass through solid walls or boundaries—leading them into an alternate reality that resembles a deserted office building or a disorienting labyrinth.

Origins and Concept
The concept of the Backrooms began as a simple image posted on the image-sharing platform 4chan in 2019. The image depicted a bland, sterile, and poorly lit room with yellow wallpaper, old carpeting, and buzzing fluorescent lights. The text accompanying the image suggested that if someone were to accidentally "backrooms noclip" out of the real world, they might end up in the Backrooms—a seemingly infinite space where escape is nearly impossible. It was quickly adopted by internet users and expanded into a larger mythos, with various iterations and stories developing around it.

The Setting
The Backrooms are described as a vast, maze-like structure that stretches endlessly in all directions. The aesthetic is characterized by a distinct, unsettling atmosphere: the rooms are often decorated with yellowish wallpaper, beige carpeting, and the constant hum of fluorescent lights overhead. The air is said to have a stale, musty quality, and the rooms are empty, with no windows or external points of reference.

While the original concept is simple—endless, identical rooms with little to no escape—later iterations of the Backrooms lore introduce more complex and terrifying elements. Some versions describe the rooms as having a surreal or nightmarish quality, with strange entities or hostile creatures lurking in the darkness. Others suggest that the rooms are inhabited by people who are also trapped in this space, or that the environment itself is alive and constantly shifting.

The Levels
As the Backrooms mythos has evolved, the concept has expanded to include multiple "levels," each with its own unique characteristics. These levels are sometimes presented as different sections of the Backrooms, each progressively more dangerous or alien in nature. For example:

Level 0: This is the most commonly described level and is the one most closely associated with the original image. It is a sprawling network of yellow rooms, with old carpeting, buzzing lights, and an eerie, empty feeling.

Level 1: Often described as more dangerous, this level is said to contain dark hallways, flooded areas, and mechanical noises. Some versions also introduce entities or otherworldly creatures that roam these areas.

Level 2 and beyond: These levels are often depicted as even more surreal and threatening. They can feature different environmental hazards such as fire, extreme cold, or labyrinths filled with hostile entities. The deeper one goes into the Backrooms, the more bizarre and unpredictable the world becomes.

The Lore and Creatures
In addition to the environment itself, the Backrooms mythos has grown to include strange entities and creatures that are said to dwell within its endless corridors. These creatures are often described as hostile, predatory, or even otherworldly in appearance. Some examples include:

The Hounds: These creatures are often depicted as fast-moving and dangerous, hunting those who wander too far into the Backrooms.

The Facelings: These entities resemble people but have featureless faces. They are typically seen standing still or moving silently through the Backrooms.

The Smilers: These are often described as humanoid creatures with unsettling, wide smiles, lurking in the darker areas of the maze.

The presence of these entities adds to the horror and tension of the Backrooms, as they increase the danger of being trapped within this alternate reality.

The Appeal
The Backrooms concept taps into several psychological fears and anxieties, such as the fear of isolation, being lost, or the uncanny valley of an environment that feels both familiar and unnervingly strange. The idea of being trapped in an infinite, monotonous space where escape seems impossible plays on deep-seated fears of helplessness and existential dread.

Furthermore, the concept's expansion by various creators and online communities allows for a wide range of interpretations, making it a versatile and evolving piece of horror lore. Its lack of clear rules and structure invites speculation and creative storytelling, which is why it has remained a popular topic for horror enthusiasts, particularly in the form of fan fiction, video games, and online stories.

In Popular Culture
The Backrooms have inspired numerous works in various forms of media. There are video games inspired by the concept, including indie games that let players experience being trapped in the Backrooms and try to survive against the clock or hostile creatures. The idea has also been explored in YouTube videos, short stories, and other internet content, allowing the lore to grow and evolve with each retelling.

The Backrooms have also entered the world of "lost media" and alternate reality games, with some fan-made websites and media channels expanding the mythos further. The level of interactivity and the collaborative nature of the concept have made it an ongoing project for many online horror creators.

Conclusion
The Backrooms are a modern horror mythos that blends existential dread, isolation, and the uncanny into a chilling narrative. Starting as a simple image and idea, it has evolved into a complex and evolving universe with multiple levels, eerie environments, and frightening creatures. Its success lies in its ability to tap into universal fears, allowing anyone who encounters the Backrooms to imagine themselves lost in a cold, sterile, and infinite world where escape seems unattainable. The concept remains a popular subject in internet culture, inspiring a wide range of creative expressions and continuing to captivate the imagination of those fascinated by the strange and terrifying.