maybe it's late at night but you can't
sleep you're bored or you can't stop a
bazillion dots from racing through your
skull or maybe you had too much coffee
or maybe you're just a little drunk
whatever the case I've been there my
friend I know how it feels to sit there
and realize that you're not really
living right now you're just existing
surely there's something you can do
right but no matter no options presented
seem like something that feels right
it's definitely not clubbing night
watching TV or playing video games seem
like mind-numbing options and you've
been surfing the net all night and I've
realized how little satisfaction you're
actually getting commit to well good
news because I have a solution now this
option might require you to put on pants
and walk somewhere but it's worth it I
guarantee it there's building nivin
black and where you live and at any time
of night you'll find the rear entrance
unlocked during the day the place is
locked up tight as a drum but for some
reason once night falls outside you'll
find that rear entrance is open in the
waiting well what are you waiting for
Christmas get your pants on put on your
shoes and get your ass down there didn't
I promise it will be worth it
one thing you've got to follow my
instructions to the letter to the letter
that's very important got that okay good
are you ready then let's go the building
is just up ahead see it it's an old
office complex that's currently
unoccupied I'm not sure what businesses
were once there but for now it's empty
it's been here for years and I don't
recall a time when there was an actual
business open here yes of course I'm
sure the rear interest is a lot didn't I
say that let's head around back don't
worry I know the lights are off it's not
like this building advertises itself to
the general public only a select few
have ever attempted what you're about to
stop worrying okay you'll be fine as
long as you follow my instructions
there's the entrance go on try the door
see it opens just like I said it would
now proceed to the first elevator you
see what do you mean is too dark
just use your flashlight you don't bring
a flashlight didn't I tell you to a ho
no my bad well you started now you can't
turn back you don't want to know what
happens if you ignore me and turn back
now you'll just have to use what light
there is from the moon to proceed ok the
elevator is 10 paces forward and to the
right this building is 10 floors tall
you will be going to the 11th floor I'll
explain what you need to do is get in
the elevator and immediately press and
hold the button for the 10th floor when
it starts to flash let go of it right
away and tap the button for the first
floor you did a job there now the
elevator is proceeding to the 11th floor
if you'd press those buttons any
differently you might have wound up on a
different floor and believe me you don't
want that the elevator doors open on a
hallway that leads straight forward to a
brightly illuminated exit sign that is
not our path you run for that exit and
you'll probably never make it there if
you do you'll find out that that sign
lies instead you need to turn to the
left and take the first door you see
wait is that really the first door you
saw were you about to head into it
without even realizing it was not the
first door you saw
it was the second the first door you saw
was the one your eyes cast upon as you
returning it's the second doorway on the
left true but it wasn't the first door
you saw after I gave instruction see
what I mean you have to follow my
instructions to the letter that was the
last time I'm going to warn you that
you're choosing wrong pay careful
attention from now on or who knows what
will happen head through the door and
sit down immediately good job you
apparently understand now do as I say
and only as I say if you hope to get
through this with your sanity and/or
life intact ignore that cold sweat on
your scalp and congratulate yourself
that you did not close the door but
instead sat down as soon as I told you
the room before you is black blacker
than anything you've ever seen you
cannot even see your hand in front of
your face you sit there perfectly still
not moving a muscle until I say move
count your heartbeats when you get to 20
stand up 12 remember to count heartbeats
not seconds
there you have 220 and you are now
standing now announce to the room that
which is darkest is closest that which
is closest as watching that which is
watching is farthest did you say it you
didn't hesitate after standing video did
you speak as I told you or did you wait
until you heard them all if you waited
you're done for okay it looks like
they're satisfied that's good news for
you he you may proceed take one step
forward and then immediately turn right
walk forward until you come to a door
open it close it immediately and stand
with your back to the room this room
will be as dark as the first stop
breathing hold your breath and no matter
how much it hurts do not let it out what
is in this room follows the sound of
breath and if it hears any well I won't
tell you what I'm doing
if I do you're released at Bratton Gould
for it keep holding your breath and
count another 20 heartbeats now the
breath must really be straining your
lungs I understand that stay facing the
door but walk backwards until your back
presses against the far wall keep that
breath held walk slowly oh but you just
can't stand it anymore can you you
simply must release the breath I can't
stop you all I can do was remind you
that you are not alone in this room and
breathing would be so much worse than
simply keeping your breath held there's
the far wall without looking feel for a
door handle open it step through and
close it now really set breath ha feels
good now doesn't it you're about a
quarter of the way through and you're
still alive and you're still yourself
you're doing quite well so far
the room you are now standing it is not
dark as the others have been it's lit by
a small fire on the far end a huddled
figure is sitting by that player don't
turn around at least don't do so until
you stand straight and announce in a
clear voice might I share your fire for
a moment now wait count your heartbeats
again if you get to 10 and have heard
nothing hold your breath again and run
back through the door you came in
through without looking back there was
that a soft grunt did it come from the
figure be careful pink hot about it if
you decide that it was indeed a soft
grunt of a scent turned and go to the
fire and huddle before it like the
figure is while walking you likely
noticed that there are five doors in
this room including the one you came
through puddle on the opposite side of
the fire is to figure but make sure you
huddle yourself in the same position
never look directly at it you won't like
what you see now you may ask any
question you want to but here's the
catch if it's the wrong question you
will be stuck huddled in this position
while it can get up and leave most
people ask it which door to take
good you're asking him which door to
take and if you listen he will tell you
that it's the right hand door closest to
them when you came in don't get up yet
consider the fact that this figure is
not your friend it doesn't know you and
probably doesn't like you very much
could it have lied maybe you should take
exactly the opposite door and suggested
or maybe this creature cannot lie and
you should just listen to it no don't
ask me I truly don't know one of these
doors is the right one but it's never
the same door you get to choose whether
you believe the figure or not seems like
you've chosen to listen to it let's see
what happens Wow looks like today's your
lucky day you're doing very well so far
you find yourself in another long
hallway this one is longer and much much
darker there are two doors at the end if
you walk straight to those doors you
will be forced to choose one and neither
is marked you can feel that presence
can't you the one that's right behind
you you can feel its breath on your neck
you can sense how close it is the hairs
on your neck pickup it's going to follow
you if you look around you will regret
it don't speak to it don't acknowledge
it in any way just walk walk until you
hear whispering if i were you i would
pay attention to that whispering not so
much what's being said as which door is
coming from you're hearing it now aren't
you yes just right up there to the right
you stopped as soon as you heard it
you're still listening you're doing so
well yes it's still there and yes you
still need to ignore it turn the door
you hear it coming from and walk
straight toward it place your hand on
the knob now here's where things get
complicated on the other side of that
door is whatever you're picturing in
your head when you turn it up so it's
important vital that you do not think of
the same you fear the most you know that
thing that sometimes keeps you awake at
night because you're certain but if you
close your eyes
and we'll come for you that creeping
feeling you get when you think someone's
watching you that idea or thought that
your deepest nightmares try to hide from
you I'm warning you if you're thinking
about it stop don't turn that door knob
until you've cleared it from your mind
are you still thinking about it you are
aren't you the presence behind you is
getting closer you have three ways out
of this you can run for the two doors at
the end and accept whatever fate lies
behind you can let the presence behind
you catch you and do whatever it's going
to do or you can stop thinking about
your fear right now and open that door
whatever your choice you're not bored
anymore are you told you it was worth it
first of all starting out a story with
an apology is not ideal but I am sorry
I'm coming to you in my time of need I
need your help and all you have to do is
listen to the end please listen until
the end that's it that's all I ask I
don't know what to do or where to turn
please just help me that's all I ask my
name is Andrea and I'm a single mother I
don't tell you this like it's some badge
of honor and I'm expecting cookies milk
and chocolate covered snowflakes like
most of the others in my social circle
would they want your Pat's on the back
and recognition I just want some of your
time I see motherhood as a burden
necessary yes but still a burden my
son's name is Jeff he's 11 so that's 5th
grade for the math haters just started
the 5th grade this year like any other
kid would there was a little bit of
trepidation and lots of excitement he
was a happy-go-lucky soda kid full of
life and energy all that changed after
he must stay on on Tuesday
Stan was a late addition to jess's class
a transfer student from another district
Jess's teacher Sant stand next to jest
when I picked up just after school on
Tuesday he told me that Stan was his new
best friend he wasn't acting like
himself though he was pale and sweaty I
took his temperature but he wasn't
running a fever I asked about his day
and all he would tell me was a salus new
best friend Stan's my new best friend
Jess would say I know I can't wait to
meet him I'd say back mom stan is great
you should meet him he's my new best
friend the best in the world we must
have had this conversation a thousand
times at night when i talked to jess in
bed he looked up at me with tears in his
eyes he put his little hand in front of
his face and wiggled his index finger
telling me to come closer I bent over
him and he put his hands on either side
of his mouth you know the little kid way
of telling a secret I turned my head and
he whispered something into my ear that
chilled me at the time I didn't know why
it chilled me but it did and he
whispered you believe me right mop i SAT
back up and looked at him believe you
about what honey Stan he said Stan's my
best friend I nodded and took his
temperature once more again he wasn't
running a fever I went to bed but could
not really sleep that night on wednesday
when I pulled up to the school to drop
Jessup he got this really weird look on
his face and he told me that he didn't
want to go in are you feeling sick
no he said he was chewing on his bottom
lip like crazy there was something else
I'd never seen him do now I need to go
to school he opened the car door got out
no goodbyes now I love you nothing he
trudged up the front steps of the school
with his head down I let off the brake
and turned away to drive to work a
little boy was standing right in front
of my car two more seconds I know would
have run him over the boy was pale with
a mop of blond hair that was almost
white and bright blue eyes he knocked on
the hood of the car twice waved one and
walked up with the stairs in school when
I picked up just after school on
Wednesday he looked a lot better he was
a tiny bit paler than normal but he
seemed happy he told me all about his
day he told me about dinosaurs and music
and math and then he told me about Risa
and then aftermath period we had recess
mom you'll never guess what I did at
recess tell me I said smiling to myself
as I'm driving I'm thinking tag Club
ball keep away all the things I remember
the boys do me at recess when I was that
age something benign something normal I
joined a church I founded this church
ahead recess just nodded the church's
stand
I thought that it must be some sort of
new make-believe game that the kids were
playing what's the Church of Stan I
asked it's dance church mom just left
like it was a silliest person in the
world for asking that question Oh what
do you guys do though you know as
members asked loss of stuff today though
we just listened to stand up he was
saying some funny word and that got
sleepy and dozed off a bunch of us did I
pulled into the driveway at home and we
got out was that it i asked things
sounded weird for sure but the kids
didn't seem to be doing anything wrong
Stan gave us flyers to just pulled out a
crinkled up piece of paper and handed it
to me it was a piece of manila paper
with three words written in black marker
church a stand again weird but nothing
wrong I just thought the boys were
playing make-believe I was wrong
when I picked Jessup after school
yesterday I could tell that something
was very wrong with my little boy he
looked panicked and scared what's going
on honey I asked reaching out to feel
his forehead no beaver we played the
soul game today he said Jessa's head was
on a swivel he couldn't sit still he
kept looking all around as we headed
home the sole game I asked just nodded
and kept looking everywhere once beads
of sweat doubted his upper lip what's
the soul game I asked jess shook his
head no and said nothing Jess what's the
soul game I asked I told him I didn't
want to but he said he wouldn't be my
friend anymore if I didn't play who
wouldn't be your friend where were the
teachers just started breathing harder
but still answered it happened in the
church he said then he whispered
teachers aren't allowed in a church the
Church of Stan I asked just nodded and a
tier looked down his cheek what's the
soul game Jess I'm Your Mother you tell
me right now and I'll take care of
everything i said i can't tell you mom I
can't the rules are bad they're so bad
what about Stan I asked will stand tell
me the rules no just scream this and
scare me out to death don't ask in the
rules please don't mom please
I pulled it at the driveway scared and
confused promise me Mom promise me
promise me promise we probably probably
just was balling now terrified I took
him into my arms and rocked him I hadn't
rocked him like that since he'd been in
kindergarten he fell asleep in my arms
and I carried him inside I took him
straight to his room and get him ready
for bed he just needs sleep I kept
telling myself all he's asleep I put him
to bed and ate dinner alone I checked up
on him around nine when I went to bed he
seemed to be sleeping well so I decided
to go to sleep too I woke up to him
screaming at the top of his lungs 18
minutes after midnight last night I ran
to his room but he wasn't in his bed I
turned on the light and just came flying
out of the closet like something was
chasing him he latched onto my leg and
kept screaming I tried to calm him down
and asked what was wrong at the same
time he wasn't making any sense he kept
screaming about the soul game he was
impossible I kept asking what that was
but he wouldn't tell me I tried to put
him back to bed but he wouldn't have
none of it
finally I just took him to my room and
he slept in my bed he fell right to
sleep I was lying on my side watching
him stroking his hair when he popped
open his eyes and stared right in to
mine I'll tell you the rules after
school were a lady he said then he
closed his eyes what was going on with
my kid in the darkness I stared at the
ceiling for a long time before rolling
over to my side and staring into the
bathroom you know how when you're in the
edge of sleep sometimes your leg will
kick and jerk you awake or you'll
imagine you're falling or that you just
tripped over something and get jerked
awake that happened to me all last night
only I kept being ripped some sleep by
seeing something in the doorway to the
bathroom every time I eyes would start
to slip shut I see the dark outline of
something large in the doorway and jerk
awake of course nothing will be there
and I was start to fall asleep again the
outline would appear in the doorway once
more but it would be closer to me like
it had taken a baby step over and over
this happened until morning this morning
on the way to school just seemed out of
it lethargic I felt the same way I was
even more exhausted I thought of asking
Jess about what he'd said right before
he fell asleep but couldn't
I was afraid it would send him into
hysterics again so I loved it alone I
drove him to school and he didn't say a
word the whole time he was acting like a
robot listless unemotional I got a call
shortly after dropping love to come and
pick him back up he had vomited in class
when I picked him up he was the same I
asked him several questions but he only
gave me grunts in response the plan at
home was getting change out of his
clothes and take another doctor he
didn't say anything until we pulled into
the driveway can stand come over today
he asked he stared out the windshield at
the garage door you're not feeling long
honey do you really want him to come
over I asked I wanted to meet this kid
but it didn't sound like Jeff's wanted
him over I however wanted to get to the
bottom of things yes Jeff said okay I
said do you have his parents number he
already asked his parents and they said
it was okay we have to wait till he's
out of class and I'd still like to talk
to his parents okay just out of the car
and we walked into the house you have
their number I asked position at the
door no he said I started to ask him how
I was supposed to call them if I didn't
have the number but someone knocked on
the door I was still standing right next
to it I opened the door and standing on
my front step was the pale little boy
with a blue eyes and mop of white blond
hair that had almost run over on
wednesday a little girl stood next to
him with the same complexion yes I asked
hydras little boy said it's jetsam
the little boy standing on my front
porch should not have known that name it
was my nickname from college created on
a drunken night amongst friends
shortened from drizzy and no I said
that's fine said a little girl my name
is Devon you already know my brother's
name Stan I said the little girl covered
her mouth and giggled Stan smiled and
shrugged it's quite simple real one
don't walk past mirrors in the dark real
too don't leave any doors open when you
go to bed tonight ask your son what rule
3 is and remember a creek means you're
falling behind a Russell means you've
almost lost when the lights go down
hopefully you won't see the dark shadow
standing in the corner of the room
hopefully you won't hear it breathing as
your eyes shut and you begin to drift
off Oh any of you hear bang well
hopefully you never hear a bang stand
turned and walked away with his sister I
stared after them both and shook my head
I wouldn't play their stupid game I
walked into my house and found just
sitting at the kitchen table crying
what's wrong I asked I heard a bang you
whispered my mouth went dry when does
the game end I asked it doesn't us bird
in da firenze my heart started beating
faster
what's the third rule Jess his face fell
and he sucked in a deep breath rule 3
knowing all three rules makes you a
player my stomach dropped what happens
if you lose when it's dark you'll hear
them coming they like to let you know
when they're getting close who Stan and
Devon just said they'll reach out
through the mirrors are open to our ways
and drag you through how do you win I
asked you win if you tell more people
the rules to the soul game then the
person that told you does sorry but
thanks for helping really as for me I'm
going to enjoy my newfound freedom and I
hope you enjoy your night
you wake up to find yourself lying flat
in an unfamiliar and utterly filthy room
your head pounds as you sit up and
survey your surroundings out what hit me
you notice the room is dimly lit by a
hanging ball that threatens to flicker
out at any moment large piles of debris
scattered about the small room and now
no windows hey was at that where am I to
your left right and straight ahead of
you there are sinister-looking doors you
do not fully comprehend your situation
but you must choose one of these doors
one door hey are you ignoring me leads
to salvation one leads to an endless
maze of halls and passages that will
trap you forever and the third leads to
eternal damnation you must wait what are
you serious you must choose a door why
the exit right there in the cold
Brighton core of your heart you know
there is no escape from the desolate
predicament you now find yourself in
dude The Doors right there it even says
so
exit right on the front big letters to
after a moment struggle you come to
realize the futility of resistance and
return once more the crossroads of
messages there is no way out yeah cuz
I'm bastard lock up the exit you grumble
to yourself as you contemplate it was
here wasn't it Chuck contemplate your
fate fine fine eeny meeny miny that one
you say to yourself as you choose the
door to your left unbeknown to you is
that that particular door leads only to
miseries death and destruction of your
very soul what oh hell now a sudden
burst of intuitive clarity causes you to
leap back away from the door before the
door closes behind you sealing your fate
it wasn't intuition you just said you
must make your choice between the two
remaining doors with a sigh you go
toward the one in the middle I know what
I'm doing you mutter I don't need you
telling me prick you take a hold of the
doorknob to the passage it will lead you
to wander the maze the for all eternity
oblivious to the figure will soon befall
you deathless mindless publis your
rotting corpse will still walk on long
after ah you cry once again leap back
from your choice of passage don't get
snappy with me so that one door left is
salvation how
you say as you head toward the final
door and grasp the handle the path you
have chosen will be long and fraught
with peril you will face unsurmountable
blood thirsty foes and travel farther
than the simple realm do you think of as
life and death should you fail your
tattered souls will serve as one of the
tortures spectral servants of the Lord
of the underworld should wait a minute
you succeed you will have all the
unimaginable pleasures of this world and
the next though you will be doomed to
remain in the underworld as quiz right
hand man hold up you omniscient lying
pack of dog crap you said one of the
doors will get me out of here salvation
remember how is being trapped in the
underworld salvation get me out there is
no escape don't give me that there's
always a way out there is no what are
you doing where did you get that pipe it
was lying in one of those piles of trash
what does it look like I'm doing I'm
going to bust down the asset you can't
do that it's against the rules no
there's rules now a what happened to
your big scary hairy really there is no
escape there will be just a minute just
a little ha got it you can't I just did
goodbye and good luck mr. scary voice
going home go find another stooge I uh
oh fuck I'm out of here to this place
gives me the willies
you
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