Uncanny|| Peter Parker

Chapter 3: Manipura

Peter sighed to himself as he walked beside Doctor Percivalle through the gloomy, grey office space they found themselves in. The light from the fake windows gave the massive space a glow of daylight, which only served to taunt Peter with the knowledge that these windows were just for show. At this point a day and night cycle would have been a welcome change for him, but no matter how long he wandered without even thinking of sleeping, the light persisted. Granting the space a sense of permanent daylight.

Such entropy was something he had come to expect from the Backrooms.

He had come to know it as a space between spaces more literally than ever. With his surroundings never changing their presentation in any meaningful way, and instead spanning on seemingly forever.

The only thing that seemed to keep him from blowing up out of frustration was the odd optimism of his elderly companion. Despite the doctor appearing more like an ex-mafia guy in farmers clothes, his behavior couldn't have been further from what Peter expected.

He had a way about him that allowed him to seamlessly flow with his surroundings, never seeking to control anything. Instead, the doctor reminded Peter of a sense of child like wonder. Instead of being scared he'd never see daylight again, the doctor seemed excited to see what was to be found a place of such uncanny, yet comforting infinity.

The young hero still didn't quite understand it, though he strangely admired Percivalle's unique outlook on life.

Even envying it a little.

After a while, he didn't groan as much whenever the old man's humming turned to singing. It was really his only source of entertainment.

"Oh, the night, is my world, city light, painted girl!" The doctor sang, while clapping his hands. "In the day, nothing matters, it's the night, time that flatters"

"Fuck, you're old." Peter joked with an amused shake of the head.

The doctor shrugged at that. "Its just the eighties, kid." He replied, before he pointed at Peter and kept singing. "In the night, no control, through the wall, something's breaking! Wearing white, as you're walkin', Down the street, of my soul!"

The young hero chuckled mildly, absently bobbing his head as he imagined the real version of the song in his mind.

"Still catchy, though." Peter shrugged.

Percicalle laughed and nodded at that. "Kinda makes you wanna sing, huh?"

"Not that catchy." Peter quickly shook his head with his arms folded.

"You take my self, you take my self control!" The doctor continued singing, while snapping his fingers, with Peter looking around for any exits as they walked. "You got me livin' only for the night! Before the morning comes, the story's told! You take my self, you take my self control! Sing it, kid!"

"Nope." He repeated with a timid grin.

"Another night, another day goes by! I never stop myself to wonder why!" He continued, lead only by the scuffing of their feet on carpet, and the snapping of his fingers. "You help me to forget to play my role! You take my self, you take my self control!"

"At least I have a radio." Peter mumbled to himself with a sigh.

Then he stopped in his tracks, letting the doctor continue past him. To their right, across an expansive room of empty cubicles, he could see a darkened doorframe. He squinted his eyes to see and his heart soared, as he spotted a flight of stairs leading upward.

He looked back and saw Percivalle several feet away from him still singing and snapping his fingers.

"I! I live among the creatures of the night! I haven't got the will to try and fight!" He sang. "Against a new tomorrow, so I guess I'll just believe it, that tomorrow never comes-"