Urban Legends of Los Diablos (Patreon)

The Tunnels Beneath.

Rejected article found on freelance journalist Karen Baxter's computer, post disappearance.  Notes included in [brackets] have an unknown origin. Her editor? Some other, unknown collaborator?

While it is a fact that the tunnels of old Los Angeles still run beneath the streets of Los Diablos, some of the stories told of what happens there ventures far into the realm of the imagination. So what then are the facts of this intriguing location? [Tourism or tales, you need to decide, right now, it sounds awkward]

What most people misunderstand is that it is a single tunnel system. It is, in fact, a hodge-podge of passages from different times and built for different purposes. The first popular use of the service tunnels for something other than their intended purpose came during prohibition. The town's nightlife left the dimly lit streets and moved underground, but the party never stopped. As street congestion increased, other tunnels were dug for transport, both pedestrian and traffic. They were used to safely transport criminals and cash between banks and other institutions since they were considered safer than the streets. [Did they transport the criminals to the bank? Clarity for fuck's sake]

For the same reason, they proved to be useful places for mobsters to stash their hapless victims, dead or alive. The Pacific Electric subway extended the network further and served as an air-raid shelter during the war. While the expansion of the network halted after the San Fernando earthquake in 1971, it remained a vital part of the Los Angeles transportation network right up until the Big One.

Now, the less official parts of the tunnel network are where things start getting interesting. While never confirmed, it is assumed that the Air Force had a substantial presence underground. There are rumors of tunnels connecting Fort MacArthur with Inglewood, deep underground bases, and hidden facilities. Some claim that the Air Force still has a foothold here, operating in the shadows of Los Diablos, in breach of the Free Territories protocol. While interesting and a source of conspiracy theories, we will now leave the realm of facts and figures and venture deep into the imagination. [I wouldn't bring up the military, that never ends well. Also, an awkward transition, are you sure you need this introduction? Your heart's not in it.]

As you might imagine, the tunnel systems suffered no less from the Big One than the city above ground. It is no longer a disjointed, if cohesive, whole. Instead, it is a fractured labyrinth, broken by collapses and new connections. Post-disaster, survivors used the upper tunnels as protection against the elements only to be trapped as aftershocks collapsed the entrances. Today, many of the more well-known tunnels have stories of the trapped dead, ghosts tapping on the walls, trying to free themselves. More sinister tales have them lure trespassers to their demise, enticing them to go deeper and deeper until the roof or floor collapses, and the maze gains a new victim. There is hardly an accessible opening without one of those legends attached, and the homeless who are dwelling there take great care not to venture too deep, even on the coldest nights. [Now you're getting somewhere.]

In the plethora of urban legends and ghost stories, there are two that stand out. I will retell both briefly, not trying to capture the full experience but focusing on the facts. [Facts again. What's your target audience? The people that believe don't need facts, and the others won't believe them. You just sound unsure]

The first, often referred to as "The Bad Place", or "The Dark", is infuriatingly vague on details. However, I find it interesting that it has clearly left a mark on the people claiming to have been there despite this lack of substance. Unlike many other urban legends, this is a story often told by someone who actually experienced it, not a friend of a friend. The teller, often a tramp or urban explorer, tells of heading down an innocent-looking tunnel. Sometimes for shelter, sometimes for fun. As they walk, a feeling of absolute dread comes over them. They generally can't pinpoint the source of their unease. Many of the usual signifiers of spooky stories are lacking. There are no strange sounds, the light levels have not changed, and they don't feel watched. The change is described as sudden, and if several people were present, it happened to the whole party. The people telling the story immediately turned and ran, but there was no sign of anything chasing them. The closest thing to an actual threat I have recorded was people pointing out that "the darkness felt wrong". [Still think you should have gone with the faceless girl; that's got more substance. Just because you experienced something doesn't make it interesting to others.]

The second one has all the details the first one lacks, and they are generally consistent between tellings. I have chosen to call it "Chains", since that is the common denominator. This story is widely spread in the urban mapping/explorer community while not being present among the homeless. This, as well as the details, points to a single point of origin within this community, though it could be argued that the homeless rarely venture deep enough to encounter this place. The story starts in different ways, but they all merge as the teller describes entering a tunnel described as being "natural" and not man-made. Sometimes it is a crack into the earth; at other times, it intersects a tunnel broken by the quake. Once inside this natural cave, the descent gets steeper. Often climbing gear is used. The air is described as fresh, and the teller is often excited, expecting a new connection to the surface. Instead, they find what is described as "the room".

The room is large and square, about twenty feet across, and clearly man-made. There are no other exits; the natural tunnel/crack is the only entrance. This is something everyone points out. There is no door, and they are entering through a broken crack in the wall. The ceiling is high; most say it is out of sight in the darkness, but some claim to have spotted it with strong torches. From the ceiling, dozens of chains are dangling. The exact number varies, but all agree that they come to a stop a foot or so above the floor. At this point, the stories diverge. Some refer to searching the walls for a hidden door out, to get into what underground complex this room must be a part of but finding nothing but unbroken, stained concrete. Some mention a distant hum of fans. Some mention broken chains or manacles. Where all agree is that after a short time inside this room, the chains begin to move. First one, dangling slightly back and forth as if brushed against. Then another one, a larger swing, impossible to ignore. At this point, some mention shining flashlights towards the ceiling, trying to see what is going on. Some mention seeing a distant ceiling, but nothing else. Others a strange shadow clinging to it, and yet others something pale starting to descend. At this point, all of them turn to flee and make it to the surface to tell the tale. [We need to find that room. I believe it is real. I know you've got contacts with the explorers, can we find someone who has been there? A witness to interview? Or lead us back.]

---

Lot 16.

E-mail from John Barr to Chadwick Lansing re: Lot 16.

Mr. Lansing, I can in no way, shape, or form endorse bidding on the rights to exploit Lot 16. Not being a local resident, I am not sure if you are aware, but this site has a very bad local reputation. I am not the superstitious type; I am very well aware that the site has been deemed safe, and the location is ideal. I am also aware that many places in Los Diablos have suffered mass deaths in the past, as is the nature of this city. However, the Heartbreak incident is more recent than most, and the locals still remember. While the building partially collapsed in a military airstrike to take out the terrorists and later razed to the ground to clean up any remains of the chemical agents they used, I must inform you that it is still there.

No, I have not gone mad, and I do know that it is physically gone. We both received the pictures of the site, and I was allowed to inspect the empty slab locked away behind the fence. While doing so, I was gripped by a massive unease, which led me to research matters further. The neighboring houses were all empty, ostensibly to prepare for demolition in order to develop the whole area for a paying clientele. They showed no sign of squatting, and I noticed that the facades were strangely clean. Unwilling to let my competitors in on my disquiet, I returned later for some investigations of my own.

It turns out that people moved out shortly after the Heartbreak incident occurred, and nobody else has moved in there since. I suppose it is understandable; being next door to terrorist attacks might leave bad memories, but I sense that there is something else at work here. I encountered a local community activist who showed me photos of what the site had looked like before it was cleaned up for sale. The fence around the ruined building was covered in graffiti. No, I know what you are thinking, but it wasn't the usual collection of tags and insults. It was hundreds of silhouettes of people. All sizes. Black. No faces, as if they were all looking at the place where the building used to stand, and we saw their backs. I asked who the artist was, and the community activist replied that it was everyone. That people would find themselves waking up in the middle of the night, painting them. You could see some of them were half-finished, missing heads or arms.

I am not going to lie; the thought unnerved me enough that I asked what was painted on the other side of the fence. Had anybody drawn anything there? The look I got was one of dread. You did not go into there, and having felt the odd ambiance yesterday, I could understand why. This was all disturbing enough, but then she showed me her photos of the surrounding buildings. I made sure to get copies, and I am attaching them to this mail.

As you can see, the buildings had to be cleaned because they were also covered in graffiti. I'm not sure what to make of the eyes; I'm really not. Hundreds of them, all looking towards the center. Most were close to windows, but some were further away. Apparently, many people had fallen to their death, drawing them, and that was the main reason why people moved out. No mouths though, I don't know why that stuck with me. Or why it terrified me so.

In short, I can't recommend this project. Even if this is only collective trauma finding an outlet, I have difficulty seeing this place ever becoming desirable. In fact, I would avoid this city altogether. I am leaving for San Francisco in the morning; we can discuss things in person once I get there. There were details I was not comfortable putting in writing, and you know I am not prone to flights of fancy.

Sincerely, John Barr

---

Cryptids of the Greater Los Diablos area.

A notebook marked "projects?" found on John Doe, age early twenties.

Bigfoot: San Gabriel most suitable habitat? Still not sure what to make of the Devil's Canyon spotting. Some weird shit going on there, but it feels more human than cryptid. Won't go back alone. Or unarmed. Too many people do not want visitors. Don't want to run into someone's operation and get my head shot off by a villain or something. [carefully drawn maps of the San Gabriel Wilderness area, with possible sightings marked]

Catalina Dolphins: Spotted the dolphins, but still no pictures. Nobody wanted to go there after the close call last week. Annoying. Don't have enough money to convince them, and I can't run a boat. What was it? We sprung a leak, but the captain seemed to think it was more than that. I swear I could see lights in the ocean. The pumps took care of it, so we made it to shore, but I wish I could have inspected the hole. It smelled odd down there. What makes the dolphins bad luck? They used to help sailors, didn't they? And now everyone is terrified. The harbor is still wrecked, but are there reasons it's not being rebuilt? I'm going to need a partner if I am going to investigate further. Preferably someone with underwater experience or money to pay for it. [maps with sightings plotted]

The Gray Men: Might just be an urban legend, but worth investigating. I've visited a few afflicted areas, and they truly are creepy with the empty ruins and ash-covered ground. It's not hard to imagine zombie-like creatures living here, survivors from the Big One who just never really died. Not one lick of proof though, any spottings might as well be emaciated homeless or weird loners who prefer the isolation. The stories about faces opening up into inhuman mouths sound like an overly active imagination. [a map of various deserted small town ruins where the gray men have been spotted, mostly towards the northeast]

Firestarter: I've seen this one walking the East Fork trail. A shadowy figure in the distance, whose footsteps set the underbrush aflame. I had to retreat, of course, couldn't risk getting caught in a brushfire. I've heard some claim it might be a boost, but I'm not sure. It didn't look human, more like a massive dog or some other canine, but the legs seemed wrong. Impossible to find traces of, though; anything physical would be burnt before it could be collected. [maps of recent fires, with scribbled notes of the possible cause]

The Catastrofiend: While technically a boosted villain, many people think this creature is not human, and I can't say I blame them. There are too many strange things happening in the vicinity when it shows up. An odd stench, which some liken to rotting flesh, and others to bad engine grease and ammonia. Feeling watched, then terrified. The creature speaks, but there is nothing human about syntax or voice. Some describe it as disjointed phrases put together without rhyme or reason. So far, the lead theory is that it is demonic in nature. The ability to disappear in thin air, as well as the terrifying presence, lends credence to that. Others think it is a modded cryptid, possibly a military experiment to weaponize things already stronger than humans. I think I've watched every video of its fights available to the public, and I don't think it's of this world. The way its face works alone is too at odds with conventional biology.  [a map of known spottings of the Catastrofiend, together with dates and details.]

Runners: I've been collecting footage of this one (ones?) for a while now, and there seems to be a pattern; urban areas with security cameras. Vie put me in contact with her security guard cousin, which opened up a treasure trove of content. The shit those guys see late at night when watching the cameras is unbelievable. The question is whether they are just humans on drugs or something... else. The reflective eyes, the inhuman speed, it looks odd, but on the other hand, people do strange things doped up. Not sure if the one chasing after the car or the one running full tilt on all four disturbs me the most. Naked people aren't supposed to move like that without caring for their bodies. Not sure if I believe the one whose friend saw one of them eat a deer on the train tracks before walking back into the forest again. Human teeth and fingers don't seem capable of that, and there was no footage. Could there really be something more to this?

There are countless tales of cryptids imitating people. Could they have gone urban post-disaster? Or are these feral people? Or something else? Vie has promised to set me up with her cousin so we can investigate some of the hotspots. There seems to be a recurring pattern; perhaps human eyes can see more than the cameras can. [no maps included, last entry in the notebook]