AN- Lolwhatisthis? I'm not dead? Wahoo~
Ok. Before you read this, know that this is indeed a real game. People have been reported to be severely injured...or die from playing this wrong. I've never played and I don't recommend you do either. I'm a very strong believer in things like this...
Sixteen: Hide and Seek Alone
If it finds you, it gets to keep your body
"So have you guys heard of the new game going around?" I paused mid-sip of my applejuice and instead directed my attention to the speaker. My friend Miku looked a bit excited as she asked this question, anxiously twirling her teal hair around one of her fingers.
"What game?" Len asked. There he goes again, falling right into her trap. Miku was into all that supernatural stuff. Everyweek she would end up telling us ghost stories that she swore to be true wether they happened to her or not. Lately she'd been on the topic of ouji boards... I didn't really believe in that sort of thing, but that doesn't mean I'm dumb enough to try it. Len however...well...he's a scardy cat.
"The Hide and Seek Alone game." Miku replied, "Apparently one of the kids here tried it and ended up in the hospital." She told us this gossip with a troubling glee to her voice. I looked around the cafeteria of our school at all the other students. Someone here, huh?
"H-how do you play the Hide and Seek Alone game? I've never heard of it." Oh, Len...learn not to ask.
"Well I did some research on it yesterday and found all the instructions for it. They're all really specific..." As she spoke, Miku pulled out a piece of paper and slapped it down on the table. I skimmed over the steps, surprised that the instructions were so long...and a tad complicated.
You need:
- A doll with legs. Not a human doll, since there's a great possibilty that the spirit will not leave the doll. Don't use a doll that you like because of the same reason. The doll will be a place for the spirit to come.
- Rice. The spirit that eats this offering is said to grow stronger.
- Red thread. This later symbolizes blood and acts as a restraint.
- Something from your body. It's usually fingernails, but some use their own blood, skin, hair, etc. It becomes a curse if you use someone else's body parts.
- Weapon. Something to stab the doll so that you can anger it. Real knives are dangerous, so most people use pencil or needle.
- Salt/Saltwater or alcohol. Without this, the game won't end. The material is used to get rid of the spirit.
- Safety place. You NEED a safe sanctuary, somewhere preferably with lots of crosses, god statues, etc.
- A name. Giving the spirit a name is the most powerful thing a human can give to the spirit. Names give spirits great power.
Method:
the doll and replace the foam/stuffing with rice.
2. Place something from your body into the doll.
3. Wrap the doll with a red thread as if to hinder(stop) the doll.
4. In a bathroom, pour water onto a large washbasin and find a place to hide.
5. Place a cup of salt water in the place before starting the game.
To play:
Start at 3 AM, since that is the time where spirits are the most free to move.
Give the doll a name (for example: Bob).
When the clock strikes 3, close your eyes and say, "First tagger is (doll name)! First tagger is (doll name)! First tagger is (doll name)!"
When talking to the doll, you MUST talk sternly.
Now go to the bathroom and place the doll in the washbasin.
Turn off all lights.
Close your eyes and count to 10, get your prepared weapon and go to the bathroom.
Go to the doll in the washbasin and say
"I found you (doll name)!"
And stab the doll.
After that, close your eyes again and say
"Now (doll name) is it! Now (doll name) is it! Now (doll name) is it!"
Place the weapon next to the doll and go to your hiding (safety) place. You MUST lock the door.
Also, lock all windows and doors.
Place the salt water in your mouth. DO NOT SPIT IT OUT. The salt water will protect you from the spirit.
To end the game:
When you want to end the game, take leftover salt water or alcohol and find the doll.
The doll may not be in the bathroom. (There are instances of the doll being outside).
When you find the doll, spit out the salt water and spray the leftover.
Close your eyes and shout
"I win! I win! I win!"
The doll will give up.
It is advised to burn the doll after the game.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
-You MUST play this game alone. If more than one person does this at the same time, there's a great chance that someone will be possessed.
- Do NOT go outside the house.
- Keep the game under 2 hours. After this time, the spirit will be too strong to remove.
- When hiding, you MUST be silent.
- Turn off all electronics before starting.
- When running away, do NOT look back. Only look forward. And don't sleep while playing - the doll may stab you.
- When discovered by the doll, you can get a small wound or be possessed. When the doll finds you, your weapon will be around the floor or in your pocket, so you must be careful.
- After the game is over, it is important to clean up properly. Spray salt on every corner of the house, especially places where you put the doll and where you found it. Salt scares away any spirits.
"This sounds pretty messed up...You actually took the time to write out the directions?" I asked, looking up from the paper. Miku shrugged her shoulders.
"I thought it might be fun to try." She said.
"You're crazy."
"Awww, what's wrong Rin? Are you too scared to try it?"
"Not scared, just smart."
"Rinny is a chicken~!"
"I'm not chicken!"
"What's wrong, Rin? Don't think you can win at Hide and Seek?" Miku crossed her arms over her chest and smirked at me. I knew what she was doing. She was trying to get me to play so she wouldn't have to. Wanted me to be her test subject. But damnit I hate it when people challenge me. Call it pride but I always like to be the winner. Because of this...most people at my school find me a bit intimidating...even the guys. Maybe that's why no one would ask me out...?
"Rin? Are you thinking about trying it?" I turned my attention to my twin as he spoke. He had a worried look on his face..but his eyes told me he was honestly curious. He wanted me to try as well. The only difference between Len and Miku is that Len is my little brother (even though we are twins I was born first) and I tend to spoil him...
"I...I..." I paused.
Thought some more.
"Gimme the stupid directions." I grumbled, snatching up the paper.
I toyed with the stuffed Domo doll in my hands. The instructions said to use a doll you didn't really like...To be honest this wasn't even my plush. It was Len's. Our parents had given us a pair but mine got ripped apart when I accidently left it outside where the neighbors dog was lurking. Len wouldn't miss it anyway.
I couldn't believe I was going along with this stupid game. It was probably just another hoax game that became huge for a while and then died out when people realized it didn't work. Tonight I would see for myself. Mom and Dad were going to visit our grandmother and stay the night there. Len was going to stay at a friend's house. As soon as he left I would start preparing.
I carried the doll with me into the kitchen and set it on the island counter. I retreived a few cups of rice and some salt from the cuboard and set them next to it. From the hallway I could hear Len coming down the steps. I quickly hid the Domo doll beneath the counter. His brows furrowed as he entered the kitchen and saw the salt and rice. He opened his mouth to say something...but then shut it. I knew it. He was too curious to stop me.
"Taiyou coming to get you?" I asked, getting a bottle of water from the fridge. He nodded and slung his pack onto his shoulder.
"Mn. He said he'll be here soon." He mumbled before taking a seat on one of the stools. I gave him a knowing smile.
"Just hope that he doesn't catch you checking out his sister."
"Wh-what? I would never-! I mean really-! RIN!" I couldn't help but laugh. It was so easy to fluster him. He probably didn't even like Taiyou's sister but he still blushes whenever you suggest things like that. It was simply hilarious...and adorable.
"I'm sorry, LenLen~ You just look so cute when you blush~" I tugged at his cheek a little and he pouted in my direction.
"Hey...Rin?" He said this quietly.
"Hm?" He paused. Then shook his head.
"Never mind." We spent the next couple of minutes in silence until we heard the roar of an engine from outside. Before we could even get out of the kitchen there was a knock on the door. While Len gathered up the rest of his things, I answered it. When he saw me, Taiyou gave me a small nod of a greeting. He'd always been a quiet guy.
"Try not to get my brother into trouble this time, hm?" He cast his eyes to the left.
"Hey, it was his idea to go cow tipping. Not mine."
"You're such a liar," Len said as he walked past me onto the porch, "It was Tsuki's idea." When he saw him, Taiyou gave Len a small smile and scratched the back of his head.
"I guess that's true." He admitted, "Are you ready to go?"
"Yup!" With that, Taiyou turned on his heel and walked back toward his car. Len began to follow and then stopped to face me.
"Hey, Rin...Just...Just be careful, okay?" Was all he said before he hopped off the porch and hurried off.
Be careful, huh?
I closed the door behind me as I entered the house. It was quiet. I was here all alone now. Chills ran up my spine as I thought about it. The doll was waiting for me where I'd left it. I put it back up on the counter... and I began.
I cut open the doll with a steak knife and took out all the stuffing to replace it with the rice. My nails were painted so I just plucked a hair out instead and mixed it in with the rice before wrapping the red thread around it. It felt weird to hold it...Felt more like a beanie baby. I filled a glass with water and mixed some of the salt into it.
I'd already filled a wash basin with water in the bathroom so I just kinda carried the doll around with me. It was only about 8 o' clock so I still had a while to go before I could start the game. I spent about an hour picking out the perfect hiding spot. The closet in mine and Len's bedroom. It had a lock and was big enough for me to sit in. I placed my glass of salt water in there. After that it was a matter of waiting. I ate dinner. Watched some TV. Did my homework. I'd almost forgotten about it by the time 3 AM rolled around. Luckily I'd set my phone's alarm to go off at 2:55 to remind me.
I turned off the TV and headed toward the bathroom, the knife I had grabbed from the kitchen gripped tightly in my hand. As I approached the door I realized I hadn't given the doll a name. I really didn't think Domo counted. The first thing that came to mind would have to do I suppose. I looked around the hallway and picked the first thing my eyes rested on. A lone sock rested on the floor. One of Len's that had fallen from his bag I supposed.
Sock-kun. Simple enough. It'll do.
When the clock on my cell phone read 3AM I held out the doll in front of me and closed my eyes.
"The first tagger is Sock! The first tagger is Sock! The first tagger is Sock!" I felt a little embarrased saying this aloud but I tried to keep my voice stern. Show Sock-kun who's boss around here. I opened the door to the bathroom and placed the doll in the water, and then switched off the lights. I walked back out into the hallway, closed my eyes and counted to ten. I exhaled a breath I didn't know I was holding when I entered the bathroom again.
"I...found you Sock!" I shouted and plunged the knife into the doll. Water around it bubbled and made swishy sounds but nothing came from the doll. Had I expected some sign of pain or discomfort from it or something?
"Now Sock is it! Now Sock is it! Now Sock is it!" I said this a little more confidently than before. It was almost like I was a child playing with another child. Mocking Sock-kun for letting me find him so easily. Perhaps it wasn't the best tone to use...but it just came out that way. I left the knife beside the wash basin and took off toward my closet. Like the instructions said, I didn't look back as I ran. It was dark in the house with all the lights off but I managed to get into my closet and lock the door without tripping over anything. A little hesitantly I took the salt water into my mouth. It tasted horrid and I was tempted to spit it out but I resisted and instead focused my attention on hearing rather than tasting.
I sat in the back corner of the closet and waited for...something, anything to happen. How much time had passed? It felt like an eternity. Maybe it was this anxiousness I felt in my stomach. Could Sock-kun really climb out of that basin? Could he really grab that knife and carry it around? I wanted to check my cellphone for the time but I remained still, afraid I would make noise.
It was lucky that I did.
Thump thump thump thump.
...Footsteps. In the hallway. I remember thinking something like "are you serious?" They didn't stop until I could hear them clearly in my room. This couldn't be happening...This couldn't be happening. But it was.
It was breathing whatever was outside my closet. I could hear it. Raspy. Deep. Desprate. From under the door I could see the lights flickering on and off. On and off. On and off. The TV I could hear going along with them. It would turn on and off. On and off. Each time it would play a different channel.
On.
"Where,"
Off. On.
"Are,"
Off. On.
"YOU!"
I could recognize the voices from some of the programs. The fact that it was their voices forming this question only made my skin crawl.
"I'll"
"Find"
"You"
This came from the radio. What had I gotten myself into? I was terrified at this point. I didn't move an inch... I couldn't move an inch. I was paralyzed. If I survived this, Miku was so going to pay. I'd tell her nothing happened so she'll try this herself.
"I guess"
"Not here."
And just like that it went quiet. The lights were left on but I couldn't hear the TV or radio anymore. I let out a shallow breath. The salt water had numbed my mouth by this point and it felt strange. I wanted to spit it out badly but now that I knew I wasn't fucking around here...it was the only thing that hid me from...Sock-kun. I wished I'd placed a couple of diety statues in here...
BZZZZZZZZ BZZZZZZZ BZZZZZZZZ
Shit! My cellphone! I quickly set it on silent but it was too late. The chills returned.
"I"
"Know"
"You're"
"In"
"Here."
Nononononononononono please! I looked down at my cell phone.
Fucking Miku.
"Hey, Rinny~ Did you try the Hide and Seek game?"
Oh she was so dead.
"WHERE?"
Considering the hope that I won't be killed before her. I had stabbed Sock-kun with a knife thinking that it wouldn't be turned against me...Now I was wishing I'd stabbed him with a mechanical pencil or something more simple. I could hear it rumaging through my room. Knocking on all the walls until it eventually got to my closet door.
"Are"
"You"
"In"
"Here?"
The television sentanced as it pounded on the door. The door knob shook violently along with the door. I was too scared for words. Here I was, sitting in my closet, mouth full of salt water and shaking like I was a phone set on vibrate. I wanted to faint. I wanted to throw up. Both of these things I couldn't do if I wanted to live.
After what seemed like an eternity, the knocking moved along the wall. The TV and lights were going crazy...like me. Then it hit me. I could end this. I just needed to find Sock-kun and spit this horrible water onto him. And now was my only chance.
Quick as lightning I stood up and unlocked the door, dashing past the flickering lights and TV. From behind me I could hear it.
"Found"
"You."
"Come"
"Back."
HELL NO.
Sock-kun wasn't in the wash basin. He was in the middle of the hallway, soaked. The knife was right beside him. This made my blood run cold. I spit the water onto him and poured the leftovers as well.
"I WIN! I WIN! I WIN!" I shouted.
Silence. The lights were on. The presence I felt was gone but I still wasn't comfortable. I picked up Sock-kun and carried him into the kitchen. I took a popcorn box and emptied out all the packages and replaced them with a lot of salt. I stuffed Sock-kun into the box and shook it to cleanse him. I grabbed some of the duck tape from the storage drawer next to the fridge and wrapped up the box several times. When I was done I took the rest of the salt and sprayed it around the hallway and in the bathroom. This should get rid of the spirit... To be safe I sprayed some in my room and closet too. I also retrieved my cell phone.
I took Sock-kun in the box outside along with a lighter and some gasoline Dad kept in the shed. We'd already built a fire pit from times during the winter when the family would hang out in the backyard and roast stuff over a fire. I knew how to light it and everything.
As I watched the small box burn and fall apart, I called Len's phone. I don't even know why I thought he'd be awake. But he still answered.
"Rin?"
"Len...come home please." The way the words left my mouth, they sounded pretty calm. But to him...
"Rin? Are you ok? What's wrong?"
I touched my face and pulled back to look at my fingers. I was crying. I was still too terrified to realize that I was terrified. It was more than crying. I was actually sobbing. Hysterically.
"Just please come home..." I didn't want to say anything about Sock-kun...Not yet. Not until I wasn't alone.
"O-of course Rin. I'll be there as soon as I can! Do you want me to stay on the phone with you?"
"No...It's fine. Just get here quickly." With that we said our goodbyes. I wiped my eyes on the back of my sleeve and then tossed some more gasoline onto the fire. I needed to make sure Sock-kun was all burnt up. I supposed I should reply to Miku's text. I would tell her I tried it and nothing happened at all. She wouldn't believe me. Not until she tried it herself. It may sound a little mean, but Miku knew what she was doing.
I took out my cell phone again but this time I looked at the digital clock. It was 3:06.
All of this had happened in less than 10 minutes.