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Info Patterns and shapes never seen before swirl in your mind. Only one question prevails as you slowly lose options: What happened to Ellis Moorings?
Humanity is at stake, our peers are lost and soon it'll only be us. One by one we are lost, not in space, or time, but our humanity. What even makes us human? And why do we lose it? (An An Anthology Page) All An Anthology Pages:
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The Crimson Crows
Ellis Moorings was recovered from the brink of death in Sector Urban-type Halls Gamma, an instance of Level 0. Moorings was found face-down, with near fatal third-degree thermal and chemical burns across her entire body. She was covered in a blood-like substance that was still boiling by the time of discovery, with a crow atop her back. (the crow was Crying)
This is what she had to say:
Interview Conducted on 04/23/21
Interviewer: Dr. Jonathan Hensley, a professional psychiatrist, earning a doctorate in 1998 before entering the Backrooms.
Interviewee: Ellis Moorings, a professional, well renowned wanderer.
Transcriber: Pieter Truant, a former researcher, now an advisor for juniors.*
Description:
An interview conducted during the Moorings Case, to understand the events from the victims perspective. This interview was conducted shortly after Moorings returned to health. This case was instrumental to the documentation of Entity 98. This interview should be left publicly accessible at the beginning of the entity's documentation.
*Truant was at location for the duration of the interview, but transcribed the events afterwards due to the narrative sections. The narrative
sections serve the purpose of support in analyzing the events from Moorings perspective.
[Beginning of recording]
Dr. Hensley walks into the room, pulling out a chair, sitting at a desk across the room from Moorings. She coughs.
[Dr. Hensley]: How is your health, Ellis? Are you recovering well?
[Moorings]: I'm *short pause, she takes a deep breath* fine, yeah. Where's Rainelle?
[Dr. Hensley]: Who?
[Moorings]: Rainelle, my crow.
Dr. Hensley shifts in his seat.
[Moorings]: She isn't dead, *A long pause* right?
[Dr. Hensley]: I'm afraid I don't know what happened to the crow. *A short pause, Dr. Hensley collects his papers* Anyway, can you tell me what happened before you fell unconscious? From the beginning, tell me everything that is important.
Moorings sighs, heavy and obviously.
[Moorings]: I met with Mother Crow, she told me:
"This knowledge wasn't meant for you." Her bloody eyes peer into my soul. She snatches my notebook out of my hands with her claws. I finally take a good look at her. She is much bigger than any bird I've seen before, with a mix of crimson red and black radiating from her feathers.
"What do you mean?" I ask, "I found this out on my own." Of course I'm confused. The first time I've met Mother Crow and she denies me the right of knowledge. Why is it 'not meant for' me?
"You needn't keep those thoughts, young one." Mother Crow says, in an absolute but somehow comforting manner. It's like she knows exactly what to say, and how to say it. "Although it shall make sense soon, it is dangerous to make sense of it now."
I stand in silence. Through the concrete buildings on Sector Modern-type City Delta, I see the sun setting a bright crimson. Just like Mother Crow. The sky is darkening, and soon enough it'll be dangerous to stay out.
[Dr. Hensley]: Okay, can you briefly tell me what happened? I don't need your autobiography, I just need to know what happened. Cut out your narrativistic details unless they really matter.
Moorings gives Dr. Hensley a pale, annoyed stare.
[Moorings]: Sure. That's fine. *Long pause* Let's skip a bit of time. *Moorings waits for Dr. Hensley to affirm before continuing. He nods.* This was after my moping about not knowing the truth, and such. I think it got to her, that's why she let me ask questions. Since I'm skipping it, you should know it doesn't matter. On second thought, I should have started here in the first place. *She takes a deep breath, starting to calm down* Okay, off my rant. Mother Crow told me:
"You must be wondering a few things, young one." She has a motherly figure and tone, towering above me, despite being of different races. Yes, that is important, Doctor. She continues, "I will answer however is safe, as I wouldn't want any harm done to you."
I respond, saying "Okay. Well, the first thing I want to know is why you help us?"
Mother Crow's answer was "That is quite simple. Our relationship is symbiotic, mutual. You help us, and we help you. You give us sustenance and shelter, and we give you safety and companionship. Personal relationships are another matter, so let us keep it at that."
I had a question that was burning in my mind, "What are you? You as Mother Crow and as a species?"
She responds, "Dangerous question young one. I am afraid that if I tell you the full truth, bad events may happen to you."
I was confused. So I asked her, "Then, what can you tell me?"
She answered, "We are nothing more than another species. You are, we are. Simple. Though, it looks as if that did not indeed answer your question. By looking at me, you can tell that we are no ordinary crows, of course you must have guessed that much." She didn't finish her answer. I was left in the dark.
[Dr. Hensley]: This is all fun and games, but can you get to the part where you were nearly dead? I hesitate to say I have all day for this.
Once again, Moorings gives Dr. Hensley an annoyed, pale stare. There is silence for a moment.
[Dr. Hensley]: How far back are we, anyways?
[Moorings]: A few months.
Dr. Hensley looks at Moorings, half in shock, half in disgust.
[Dr. Hensley]: And why in God's name did you start that far back?
[Moorings]: You said to go back to whatever was important. Even so, you are being quite unprofessional, if I might add.
Dr. Hensley ignores the comment.
[Dr. Hensley]: Well, how do we even know your memory of these events are accurate?
[Moorings]: It is.
[Dr. Hensley]: How is it so?
[Moorings]: It is.
[Dr. Hensley]: Okay, whatever, get to the part that actually matters. The whole thing that got you in this state.
[Moorings]: Want to know what happened?
[Dr. Hensley]: No no, go ahead, keep rambling on about nothing at all. *Short pause* Yes. Yes! What did you even think?
[Moorings]: I learned the forbidden knowledge.
[Dr. Hensley]: Excuse me?
My notebook contains ungodly scribbles and notes in the perfect order and places to come together to form a piece of knowledge. A piece of writing? Art? One of those. Looking at it makes your eyes spiral forever into the depths of hell and back. A hypnosis. Mother Crow was right. I haven't prepared for the truth.
As soon as my pen struck down that final line, it felt like my eyes started bleeding. Of course they didn't, but it sure as hell felt like it. Some hallucination that was. At that point, I ripped my notebook in half and set it on fire. The only way to fix it.
After that, Rainelle guided me to some faraway place. Away from the city, away from anything and everything. As we always did, we danced away our fears, twisting and turning through the halls. My mind was spinning, just like my surroundings.
I felt some horrible burning sensation on my back, like something was eating away my clothes then the skin underneath. I quickly blacked out.
[Dr. Hensley]: Now it seems like you are rushing this to spite me.
Moorings doesn't respond.
[Dr. Hensley]: You are, aren't you?
[Moorings]: Yeah, well, what did you expect? I'll act as immature as you.
Dr. Hensley takes a deep breath. He ignores the comment.
[Dr. Hensley]: Who do you think did that to you? An entity? A criminal?
[Moorings]: It was Rainelle.
Moorings exits her seat, and stumbles out of the room. Dr. Hensley is left exasperated.
[End of recording]
Hey, Pieter here. (please don't remove this, I'm begging you) I think it's important to say to you future researchers that somehow, both Dr. Hensley and Moorings were acting strangely unprofessional. From both sides. Dr. Hensley is, at this time, one of our best physiatrists, and Moorings is currently the most respected wanderer. Something is horribly wrong with this situation. I can't even say if it's under our control or not. Thank you for your time, Pieter.
Official M.E.G. Notice
Due to the contents of this page, further reading is not advised. Though reading this page will not harm you in any way, further research on this entity will inevitably lead to death, or near-fatal injuries, with life-long impacts. We have lost many influential individuals due to this. Many unexplained deaths and injuries are believed to be caused by this. Do not be the next victim.
On behalf of the M.E.G. Safety Team - Dr. Ian Kettler, 08/1/21
Report on Ellis Moorings 04/02/21
Dr. Ian Kettler
A foreign substance was found inside Moorings' bloodstream during the analysis conducted on her blood. This substance seems to have some key similarities to alcohol molecules, though none that have been known before. The properties and significance of this substance are currently unknown.
This substance was found on the skin of Moorings mixed with many others, especially where the skin was burned. Specifically, where the skin was discolored or charred. This substance was less prominent on blisters, and red and swelling skin. The reasons behind this are unknown, but this connects these two events together.
Whatever caused the burns spread this substance. However, this substance itself did not cause the burns. The substance is not volatile. The significance of these facts are currently unknown. As further research continues, answers will become prevalent.
A little crow, with eyes glowing a brilliant red.
There are two things I need to do. Go to Mother Crow, and dissect a crow. To be honest I've never dissected anything before, but there are so many unknowns, and well, what can I really do? I haven't done any research in years, all I do is teach Juniors. Why was I put up for this task in the first place? God knows, not me. But that's fine, let's start with what I need to know. Maybe a dissection was jumping the gun, but asking Mother Crow is reasonable.
This is what I need to know:
- What happened to Ellis Moorings and Dr. Jonathan Hensley? They were acting very unprofessional. Well, that's an understatement.
- What makes that knowledge so dangerous? Why did Moorings go crazy, or something?
- What do the Crimson Crows actually do? Seriously. They seem like a little more than just regular crows, after all.
- Figure out the behavior of the Crimson Crows, and especially, Mother Crow.
- Even if it's the last thing I do, write down the "forbidden knowledge", whatever that is.
And how does one find, let alone talk to, Mother Crow? I've been wandering around Sector Modern-type City Delta, just like Moorings did, but nothing has come up. I'm starting to think this is impossible, that all of this is pointless. Well, I guess it goes to show, finding a needle in an infinite haystack is pretty hard.
What answers will I get from Mother Crow anyways? Maybe why that knowledge is so dangerous, maybe even what happened to those two.
I need to know.
What happened to Ellis Moorings and Dr. Jonathan Hensley
Written and researched by Pieter Truant
On the day of the interview, Moorings was taken from the emergency center (located in Sector Modern-type Garage Alpha) to the site of the interview. The doctors, led by Dr. Ian Kettler, oversaw her recovery and deemed Moorings fit for the transportation. According to a first-hand account from her escort, Louise Brand, Moorings was crying. This is starkly different from her recorded behavioral patterns. This left Brand wondering, what happened to Moorings? Was it simply trauma from her injury?
Contrasting that, Dr. Hensley was allegedly researching what had happened to Moorings all night prior to the interview, and therefore had a lack of sleep. This could potentially explain his unprofessional behavior, if it were that he could provide proof of his research. He did not. Additionally to said fact, and according to many accounts, Dr. Hensley was a husband and a father.
Dr. Hensley's daughter was the same age as Moorings. She left his household to go to college, as all do. This was a part of life. One day, Dr. Hensley's daughter visited him. It had been a year since they last saw each other. Unfortunately, that was the last time Dr. Hensley saw his daughter.
Those who know Dr. Hensley well put forward that his daughter may look similar to Moorings. Dr. Hensley neither confirms nor denies this. Even if this was so, that does not excuse, nor fully explain, the behavior of Dr. Hensley.
Following the interview, Moorings was returned to the emergency center, after Dr. Hensley deemed her "mentally unwell". Brand escorted Moorings back to the emergency center. She was crying the entire way there.
Brand asked Moorings, "What's wrong?"
Moorings responded. "Where's Rainelle?"
After many weeks of searching, I have found Mother Crow. All it took was me to whole-heartedly call her name. I can't say that wasn't embarrassing but I was out of ideas. My heart is racing. Something I haven't particularly felt in a while. A deep stricken sense of fear. Maybe anxiety at the fact that I might finally get some answers? Or worse, I might only have more questions after. Mother Crow looms over me, not because she's perched up on an elevated surface, she's just that large. I ask her, "What happened to Ellis Moorings and Dr. Jonathan Hensley?"
"(Those who do not act on their own, cannot act on their own)" She answers.
"Do they not act on their own?"
"They act over many things in their lives, but what do we really act? Do we even make our own decisions?" She speaks with grandeur and mighty philosophy, "Are we not but creations of our environments? Who is really in control here?"
"Who?" I ask, dumbfounded.
"Well, young one." She pauses, not to think, but for effect, "it's not us."
"Is this all just fate, then?"
"That is for you to decide."
"Does anything even matter? If it's not our control, then why even try?"
"You are quite sorely mistaken, I am afraid." She responds, "having the illusion of control is the best fallacy of all, is it not?"
"So, let's just stay in that fallacy, no? Giving up wouldn't be our choice anyway. It's not even possible."
"Correct, young one." She says, pleased at my understanding.
"Thank you for your time." I say, "But before I take my leave, can I ask you one thing?"
"Of course."
What happened to Ellis Moorings and Dr. Jonathan Hensley
(Cont.)
It has come to my understanding that Moorings and Dr. Hensley were never in full control. If you look at Moorings, the thought becomes clear. Leading up to the incident, according to Moorings' account, she was behaving very strangely, to say the least. This is after she learned the forbidden knowledge, though, I suspect that it happened much before then. Following the incident, we see two things: one, Moorings was behaving in a manner that was unlike herself.
Ellis Moorings is a well-renowned wanderer, one that sticks out of the many professional wanderers. She is respected for her courage and bravery, willing to put herself in harm's way to save another's life. She is studied for her skills of walking the unthinkable, and remembering the impossible. That is, seeing the Backrooms.
Two, Moorings was calling out to a figure never recorded, a crow named Rainelle. Due to her popularity, it is unheard of for her to utter a word we've never heard before, let alone a specific name of somethingone within the Backrooms. At this point, there is no logical conclusion to come up with using evidence. We are stuck, there is no reason for either of them to have acted as such, and it may just be a coincidence.
But if we put fact away for conjecture:
This was Rainelle's, no, Mother Crow's doing. That's the only logical conclusion to come up with, even without prominent use of evidence. Nothing seems to fit the puzzle pieces together better than that.
Maybe it was because of Mooring's health? That can't be true, her doctors said she was completely fine.
Maybe it was due to multiple all-nighters for Dr. Hensley? That can't be the case, as he claimed to only have stayed up the night leading up to the interview.
Maybe it was the forbidden knowledge? There are two things wrong with that: one, why would knowing something make someone act as such? How would Moorings attain that knowledge and not us first? These two improbabilities make it unrealistic.
We can continue on, like this, but it would be a waste of ink. It can be said for certain that all lines of thought inevitably close, but for one:
It was the Crimson Crows.
It cries bloody tears, of which are a poison.
Before we get into why I think it was the Crimson Crows, it would probably be easier to just explain what they are. I really, really can't be bothered to provide all my sources of evidence, but let's just say that a few things happened while I was searching for Mother Crow, and she sure as hell told me some information. I know my higher-ups will kill me for this, and my brain is screaming at me, so I'll collect the entirety of my evidence later. For now, I'll include what evidence matters for the sake of understanding. As the Juniors say, "just trust me bro." Forgive me, but I've had many long months, it's hard to breathe, and I really need to catch up on sleep.
Description
Entity 98, the Crimson Crows, are an entity that can rationally be considered a type of corvid. While they share many similarities to American crows, they cannot be considered as such. This distinction between "animals" and "entities" becomes more prevalent the more we research about this topic. The main visible distinction between this line, in the case of Crimson Crows, is the eyes. The eyes glow a constant shade of crimson, hence the name of the entity, and secrete a blood-like substance.
Those, though, are the end of the visual differences, everything else is something that cannot simply be perceived by your eyes. There are two main things that make the Crimson Crows difficult to work with, the contents of their blood, and the substance secreted from their feathers. Of course, you might not notice this at first, if at all. That is what makes this particularly tricky.
At first, the blood-like substance that is secreted out of the tear ducts of the Crimson Crows may seem like blood. It is not, and has a distinct but subtle difference, as does everything about this entity. (Attached will be specific methods of experimentation.) It was found that on the surface of the skin, the blood looks normal. Chemically, parts of this blood can seep through the skin, into one's bloodstream. What seeps into the bloodstream is similar to that of alcohol, but considerably less volatile, and it evaporates the blood. The strange part is that it evaporates everything in the blood, not simply just the liquids. It does this quite slowly, but it leaves one's body working overtime to increase the amount of blood. What is concerning is when this happens in the brain.
Okay, that's all I have for now, folks! Thank you for your time, is what I'd say if this godforsaken mystery was solved. It feels like I'm in a book, taking over the main character's position. I'm no Sherlock, but I was a researcher. To find out what I have so far, well, I did some experimentation. We'll go into detail later, but put it in your mind that the blood-like substance does some weird things to your brain. It makes you do some weird things, or well, the not-doing of certain things.
What happened to Ellis Moorings and Dr. Jonathan Hensley
(Cont.)
The substance that is secreted from the Crimson Crows' tear ducts has strange effects on the brain. Namely, some non-vital components become harder to function. This could explain Moorings' case, as we know for a fact that she was in physical contact with a Crimson Crow, being Rainelle.
What is strange, though, is how Dr. Hensley was affected by the Crimson Crows. This was not considered when given the previous possibilities, though it only makes each one exponentially less likely. Still, it being the Crimson Crows' doing is the only reason that has a non-zero probability of being true.
Though only from observation, it seems as though one higher level effect is the difficulty to stay in a professional form, or more accurately the loss of higher level focus. This is from a shift in how the chemicals in their brains function, inhabiting certain emotions and heightening others. Namely, a decrease in high-intensity emotions like hate, anger, and happiness, and an increase in anxiety. Though these emotions are not necessarily measurable, they are in fact observable.
Now, you can paint a picture of the reason why Moorings and Dr. Hensley were affected by the Crimson Crows. The troubling part is, there are no specific details of how either of them were affected. This also does not answer what actually happened to Moorings.
[end]
Yeah, okay, I know. You are probably pretty mad at me for skipping a whole section of this story but all this writing is tiring. If I'm being honest I'm just kind of anxious to get this finished. What I will do, though, is give a summary of what happened. That's the least I can do, and the most I will do.
So, where did we leave off? Oh yeah, the whole thing with Mother Crow. She gave me surface level information that I needed to know about their biology, and habitats. She talked about some of their behaviors and culture, obviously taking pride in it, but denying it whenever I asked. It was quite amusing, actually, seeing her grandeur falter at that simple comment. That might be an exaggeration, though. Anyways, the important part is that Mother Crow gave me the permission to dissect a crow under a few conditions: one, to not hunt for them, only dissecting ones that have naturally died. Two, to always respect the Crimson Crows. Three, to be extremely careful as dissecting a Crimson Crow could lead to my own death. Fairly reasonable, I'd say. That last condition is more of a warning than a condition.
Afterwards, I decided to have a nice and casual chat with Dr. Ian Kettler, Moorings' primary doctor during her recovery. We talked about:
"A Nice and Casual Chat" transcript
Recorded and Transcribed by Pieter Truant
07/12/21
Outside, the bustling of people, the cawing of a bird, and Truant's breath can be heard. The bells on the doors of a coffee shop ring as Truant enters. The coffee shop is located in an indiscrete instance of Level 11. The roaring of the street shifts to the chatter of the shop. The doors quietly close as Truant walks up to a table. Dr. Kettler sits there, and Pieter pulls out a chair, it scrapes across the hardwood floor, making an audible sound.
[Dr. Kettler]: You don't look well, are you okay?
[Truant]: *Truant sighs* Barely.
[Dr. Kettler]: Have you gotten enough sleep? You got some massive bags under your eyes.
[Truant]: Now that you mention it, *short pause* I don't think I've gotten any sleep in a while. I've pulled one too many all-nighters.
[Dr. Kettler]: I feel that. Try to get some rest when you can. *He sees Truants face* Being a researcher is tough.
[Truant]: You can say that again. Anyways, mind if I order a coffee?
[Dr. Kettler]: Let me pay for it. Don't worry about it, no need for any favors.
Both Truant and Dr. Kettler get up, leaving their belongings behind as they wait in line to order coffee. They resume their chat.
[Truant]: So, let's get to business. Though I don't mind a casual chat I do actually have my research to do.
[Dr. Kettler]: What do you need to know?
They reach the front of the line, and both order coffee. They wait by the counter to receive their coffee.
[Truant]: Can you give me the details of Ellis Moorings conditions? I need information regarding the state you found her in.
[Dr. Kettler]: Okay, uhm. Yeah, I expected as much. I brought a few papers with me that I thought would be helpful for you.
[Truant]: How did you-? *Short pause, cutting of sentence* Never mind that, thank you. A lot.
[Dr. Kettler]: No problem, I'd like this situation to be solved as much as the next guy.
Their order is ready, and Dr. Kettler and Truant pick up their coffee. They proceed to walk back to their table. After taking their seats, Dr. Kettler pulls out a bundle of paper.
[Dr. Kettler]: Here are all my notes I took about the, *short pause* oddities of Moorings. This includes a detailed report on the state we recovered her in, the progress of her recovery, and the state she was in during her discharge.
[Truant]: Man, there really isn't anything I can say except for "thank you."
[Dr. Kettler]: It's absolutely my pleasure, I suppose. I can't solve this on my own, so I'm relying on you Pieter. I have a feeling that there is something more sinister to this case than we first thought.
[Truant]: Thank you for your time, Dr. Kettler.
[Dr. Kettler]: No need for formalities, call me Ian.
[Truant]: Thank you, Ian. I think it's about time that I take my leave, now. See ya later.
Truant gets out of his chair, and starts walking to the door of the coffee shop.
[Dr. Kettler]: We shall we meet again.
As Truant opens the doors, the bells jingle. The chatter of talk over some coffee shifts back into the bustling of the streets. Truant sighs.
[End of recording]
These papers I received are amazing, oh my God. I tried dissecting a crow but there was a mishap and I got Ian's help. It's almost like I've never dissected a crow before. Got some horrible burns, and luckily I didn't die, but I probably destroyed thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Anyway, I can feel the cogs turning in my mind, and the puzzle pieces fitting together. Though I still have to put two and two together, I feel like I can finally get somewhere. I'll continue explaining the entity, then follow up with attached information and experimentation on how I found these details. At a certain point an article becomes redundantly long and you just want it to be over.
Description
(Cont.)
The eyes of the Crimson Crows are inherently interesting. There aren't actually any optical nerves connecting the eyes to the brain. It seems as though the "eyes" aren't eyes, but rather glands filled with blood. And just so, the tear ducts don't work in a standard fashion either. Glands produce the blood-like substance, and as it's produced, it is pushed out of the tear ducts. This gives a false sense that the Crimson Crows are crying, but instead, it is the inability to prevent the shedding of this blood-like substance.
The structure of the feathers of the Crimson Crows are quite different from a normal crow. On the outside, these differences are impossible to notice, though. The Crimson Crows have two layers of feathers, each layer producing a different strange substance. The inner layer produces a substance adjacent to the properties of crude oil, though, as per everything about the Crimson Crows, with a stark difference. This oil has extreme corrosive properties that will break down, rust, decompose, disintegrate, and corrode every material it touches, at a rapid pace. Interestingly, this process is endothermic, cooling the nearby ambient air temperature. This oil material does not evaporate, cannot be washed or cleaned, and does not dilute, with some exceptions. That being the translucent, colorless substance produced by the outer layers of feathers on the Crimson Crows. Instead of the oil corroding this substance, the substance has a chemical reaction that creates a crystalline structure, sublimating at room temperature. Traces of the oil seem to disappear afterwards.
Something to note is that when the oil comes into contact with the blood-like substance from the tear ducts of the Crimson Crows, it creates an extremely volatile exothermic reaction, starkly different from the normal behavior of the oil. During the reaction, the blood comes to a boil, evaporating the blood, also heating the nearby ambient air temperature to over the boiling point of most common liquids. Afterwards, the traces of oil seem to disappear, similar to the reaction between the oil and the translucent substance.
Now that I've written it out, it at least seems somewhat clear what happened to Moorings. For whatever reason, Rainelle turned on Moorings, and they used their oil on Moorings. Because she was already affected by Rainelle's blood-like substance, an extreme exothermic reaction took place, burning Moorings. She likely lost consciousness due to the overload of pain, possibly combined with prior exhaustion.
Attached files:
Ellis Moorings' Condition (Recovery) 03/23/21
Dr. Ian Kettler
Moorings is on the brink of death, and we are doing everything in our power to help her survive, no matter how unlikely I think it is. All over her back were third degree burns, both thermal and chemical. We do not know how. Her clothing was burned off on the back, though it seems as if there was no actual fire. No charring on the clothing, only the skin. She seemed to have collapsed face-down soon after the initial burning took place. She was not on the ground before the burns. Her nose was broken, and strangely enough, not bleeding.
Moorings' burns are more severe on her upper-back, compared to her lower back. Notably, it seems like the liquid that caused her burns dripped down, with seen semi-distinct trails of burns, like fluid running down her back. It is slightly unclear, due to the severity of her burns, as her entire back is covered in burns, the lower-back being slightly less severe.
The signs of chemical burns are slightly separated from the thermal burns. Most likely, the chemical burns came first, then wherever the liquid landed, the delayed exothermic reaction burned Moorings. This may be why the substance found in Moorings' blood was also found where the thermal burns were, not where the chemical burns were located.
Moorings has not yet regained consciousness, and her vital signs are not looking great. All we can do is pray that she will survive, or well, that is what my team is doing. Not me, I will never believe in God even if he smites me.
Ellis Moorings' Condition (Discharge) 06/30/21
Dr. Ian Kettler
Moorings' burns have recovered faster than anticipated, but what has not recovered, and cannot be recovered, is her brain. One thing we have managed to do is remove the substance in her bloodstream that seemed to be evaporating her blood, and destroying her brain. It was difficult, to say the least. Our primary method was not exactly enjoyable. We underwent many cycles of blood transfusion, then blood withdrawal. Every time we added blood to her, we removed more. There was no other way to remove that strange substance. Trust me, we tried everything we could. It almost felt like dealing with an infection in the bloodstream, but it was no infection, and nothing worked to stop its effects, let alone spreading. Our only choice was to completely replace her blood. As of Moorings' discharge, it has seemed to work.
Moorings' brain, specifically the limbic system, is almost entirely destroyed. Most notably, most of the amygdala is missing entirely, instead being replaced with other parts of the amygdala. This is the only place where that was observed. Of observation, this does add towards the reasoning behind Dr. Hensley's decision, calling her "mentally unwell". Much of her brain, specifically what could somewhat be considered non-vital, has been destroyed. The limbic system controls much in relation to emotions and hormones. On the most basic level, Moorings has a heightened sense of anxiety, a specific kind of fear for survival, and an almost non-existent sense of happiness, and most notably, anger.
Ellis Moorings' Oddities 03/23/21 - 06/30/21
Dr. Ian Kettler
- Moorings' blood was quite literally boiling when she was recovered. It leaves me wondering how she survived in the first place, though it is my job to keep her alive, I fear that might not be possible.
- On the site of recovery, there were a few, seemingly normal black feathers. Probably from a corvid. We took them in, and nothing seems significant about them. At least not towards her injuries.
- The state of Moorings is undeniably disastrous. Her back is so damaged it's hard to even tell I am looking at someone that is even alive. Sometimes I wonder if she is dead.
- A strange substance was found in Moorings' blood when we checked it. Not only that, but she has quite low blood pressure. This substance is one we have never seen before, and is adjacent to alcohol.
- As we originally feared, the properties of the substance are strange, seemingly impossible. Yet another oddity of the Backrooms, I suppose. This substance interacts strangely with blood. For whatever reason, it not only evaporates the blood, continually eating at Moorings' blood supply, but also everything inside the blood too. No wonder why her blood pressure was so low.
- So far, Moorings seemed fine up to this point. Probably because we have forced her upon a strict rehabilitation regiment, leaving no time for complex thinking or complaining. Right now, her situation seems odd, she has recovered much faster than we anticipated.
- Returning from her interview, we have seen that, once again, our fears were answered to be true. Something is not right, and of course, it is our job to figure out what that is. Strangely, we have been left more or less in the dark on the actual scene of Moorings' injury, and what happened to her. Why will they not tell us? Would it not be resolved faster if they told us?
- We ran Moorings through a brain MRI. As per usual, our findings are strange, to say the least. Her brain was a mess, especially the limbic system. Some parts of it were working overtime, and some portions completely destroyed. Most of the amygdala was completely missing. Not quite sure how.
- We have deemed Moorings beyond recovery. She will survive, but she will never be the same. She has since been discharged. We have done all we could, and now it is time to put our efforts into preventing this from happening again. And for whatever reason, nobody will give us any information. Why? I need to know.
Crimson Crow Dissection Video Log
Recorded and Transcribed by Pieter Truant
07/28/21
Pieter draws his hand back from the camera. The camera is viewing Pieter, along with the room he is in from the top corner, looking down. Almost like a security camera. His face is pale, and his movement is sluggish. His posture is abysmal, back hunched and barely standing. He looks tired beyond belief. Behind him is an anatomy laboratory, pristine and empty for the most part, the exception being the left corner of the room, stacked with equipment, a camera and light attached to the ceiling in the center of the room, and a cart that has a black trash bag on it. It is unclear what is in the bag. Other than that, there are a few empty, clean tables and cabinets. The laboratory is oddly empty, every surface a smooth, shiny tile, or clean, polished stainless steel.
Okay, uhm, hi. *He takes a deep, long breath* Here I have a Crimson Crow, we're gonna dissect it.
Pieter walks over to the cart with the trash bag. He opens the trash bag, and without gloves, takes out the carcass of a Crimson Crow. Pieter stumbles as he brings the carcass to a dissection table in the center of the room.
I don't really know what I'm doing.
I just hope.
This doesn't, uh. Kill me.
Pieter is breathing audibly, heaving with effort. Pieter reaches up to the ceiling and presses a button. A bright overhead light turns on, directly over the table. Pieter grabs a camera that is attached to arm, connecting it to the ceiling. Pieter presses a button on the camera, and the point of view switches to that camera. Pressing one more button, a light shines down from the camera.
Time to do the whole dissecting thing. *Pieter's voice is monotone, with a slight sarcastic enthusiasm* yeah.
Pieter is heard walking, then the clanging of equipment, in which we now see his arms. Pieter is holding a scalpel, scissors, and forceps. He sets them down, with the exception of the scalpel, next to the carcass.
Mother Crow told me to be careful. *Pieter mumbles out the following words* I don't exactly feel like dying today.
To be clear, this is my first time in a lab, let alone dissecting a dead animal.
Pieter starts by cutting the head of the carcass. An audible crunch is heard as he breaks the skull of the carcass. One of the carcass's eyes pop, splattering blood across the table, nearly landing on Pieter.
Oh God damn it.
A noise can be heard from the outside of the room. Pieter pulls out the now-popped eye of the carcass. It was already detached.
What am I even doing? I should've gotten Ian to do this.
Pieter tries to pull back the feathers on the carcass, and many translucent black crystalline structures can be seen between two layers of feathers. As Pieter runs his hands over it, they crack, and sublimate.
What the hell? What is this?
Pieter grabs one of the feathers on the carcass, and brings it off screen. Clicking noises are heard, then the point of view shifts to a microscope. There was no microscope seen in this room before. A strange tube is put in front of the microscope, filled with a dark substance. A noise is heard from the outside of the room.
Yeah I'm sending this to Ian.
The perspective shifts to see the full room. Peiter is on his phone, dialing Dr. Kettler. Peiter brings it to his ear.
Hey! Uhm, hi.
Dr. Kettler's responses are inaudible.
Yeah this is Peiter.
Hey, uhm do you mind doing something for me?
Yeah? Okay that's fine.
Pieter is pacing the room. The doors leading outside the room are dark.
Can you do a dissection for me?
A Crimson Crow.
Yeah! I got permission. There were some conditions but you don't need to worry about it.
Cool, yeah I'll do something while I wait.
Thank you so much!
Pieter puts away his phone, and goes to the carcass. He tries plucking another feather. A strange, black liquid splatters out at him.
Gah! *Incoherent screaming* wh- The hell?
Pieter's hands and arms are burning. Steam can be seen coming off of the burns. The floor is seen to be melting. The overhead camera falls down, covered in the black substance. Pieter falls to the floor, still screaming in pain. He crawls on his back away from the melted spot on the floor.
The feed cuts for a moment. Glitching with static, scratching and hissing sounds can be heard.
Oh my god are you okay? *Dr. Kettler is in shock, Pieter is sobbing* What-
The feed ends.
Everything was okay by the end. At least, I think. My hands and arms are bandaged up. Luckily it wasn't that bad, but that was quite the damage on the equipment. Ian took over at the end, finishing, or more accurately, fixing, my work. I didn't do anything. I don't really know what I expected to be honest. All the findings of the dissection should have been put in the main document, I don't really want to repeat it. I've done enough of that. I'm going to sleep.
Page 136-138 of Pieter's Notebook
With Regards to Dr. Hensley
05/14/21
What's up with Dr. Hensley? Nothing is making sense. For the record, I'm going to visit Dr. Hensley. I don't get it. First Moorings and now Dr. Hensley. What is happening to us?
Oh my God. Dr. Hensley's house is a mess. Actually what the hell, I thought I was bad off, but not anymore, apparently. I had to push the door open, behind it were stacks and stacks of paper, books, and whatever else is in this pit of garbage. Looking around, in the bathroom, there seems to be some sort of… corrosion? On the walls, floor and bathtub. It's bad enough that I can see the plumbing. One pipe has even melted, I think it's leaking still. The kitchen isn't better off either. This seems to be where the most of the garbage is. Even the sink is filled with garbage. Not even dishes. What has this man gone through?
I saw him. He's pale, and slumped on one of his many desks. He doesn't seem to be asleep, but he sure as hell isn't conscious. Oh-
* 5 lines are illegible, mostly scribbles, slightly torn*
-damn that scared the hell out of me. Damn it, my page ripped. Ah whatever. Summary of what I experienced just now (because I can't even read that):
Dr. Hensley got up, jolted, I could say. He stared at me with bloodshot eyes (still is, but he hasn't moved since). I can't tell what he's saying but he's been mumbling something. His clothes are torn, and he looks really skinny.
What the hell happened? I walked past him (he kept staring at me which is creepy as hell), and grabbed his notebook. Most of the pages are ripped up, or just soaked in ink. There were a few I could actually read though, and it looked like he was in the process of writing it. I'm just gonna slide those in my notebook so I can read it later.
That's all for now. I'm getting the hell out of here.
Attached paper(s):
There is no God, can't you see it? What hope do we even have in here? Here, here. Here. Why aren't the patterns lining up? Why don't the points connect? Nothing to pray to. Nothing. Nothing. There is no hope. Everyone will die. One by one by one. There is no God, only Mother Crow.
She helps us. They give us salvation. Do not live by yourself. Live with them. No choices, no options, freedom is a lie. The truth is we are already dead. Is this just the afterlife? Here is the afterlife. It's hard to believe, What is happening to my mind? I'm sane, I never wrote this. Who do I call out to? Is this what happened to Moorings? Am I the next victim? Yes, that must be the case. In this life, there is no God. There is no hope, but there is life. Don't be fooled, like me, to think that it's worthless. Please *The ink trails off.*
Lately it's been getting harder to breathe. Everything is getting worse and all I feel is dread. Anyways, back to the topic, I can see it. Now that all the information is here, it's clear to me. All this has always been somewhere, maybe not here, but it's just the shape that only now is becoming clear. It's not a truth, or some grand piece of information. There's no missing clue. What Ellis Moorings saw that day, the "forbidden knowledge", I can see it now too. Once every part of the Crimson Crows comes together, it reveals itself, the pattern. That's exactly why I've withheld the behaviors of the Crimson Crows, and many aspects about them. Even if the M.E.G. wants to kill me for not finishing this, that's too bad, because I'm probably dead by the time this is read for the first time.
Ian knows this. He trusts me. He can see my eyes bleeding. I can't feel it but I know they are. Ian should be putting out warnings about the Crimson Crows. I thought we could understand them. Now I know how they act, and no matter how nice they may seem, once you realize their truth nothing matters anymore. Even though I haven't died yet, I'm already dead. I'm sitting here with Ian, and I can't stop crying. I'm not sad, but my heart is racing. I was supposed to be the one to solve the Crimson Crows, and I did. I was supposed to be the one to figure out what happened to Moorings, and I did. But why did it have to be this way?
If you are reading this, don't search for the forbidden knowledge. Bathe in the ignorance you have. Do not become a soulless monster like me. Don't lose your humanity. Mother crow lied to us. I'm sorry, Cooper, but I'm going to do our dance one last time.
Complacent I stand, withering in the wind,
The crimson eyes burn as deep as the soul,
The soul that aches a shade of blood,
"No," does my heart cry as I let it in.
Complacent I stand, wistful in my dreams,
The black feathers rot away, just as I,
Watch those who plea for choice,
Not questioning them, as I let it in.
Complacent I stand, waiting to be free,
But I, the one who will not be my own,
Cannot break the chains of wound up blood,
The spider webs, they are spun as I let it in.