Hide and seek Alone

Last summer, when Caitlin was 13, she and her friends were looking for something fun to do. After brainstorming a bit, someone suggested the "one-man hide-and-seek" challenge. Caitlin hesitated—she’d heard of the game before and knew it could be dangerous. But since everyone else was on board, she reluctantly agreed.

That night, at 8 PM, they met at a park and made their way to an abandoned house nearby. The house had been empty for years, with peeling wallpaper and shards of glass and wood scattered across the floor. It had a heavy, eerie atmosphere, and Caitlin was sure her friends could feel it too, even though they were all trying to act brave. They stopped in what seemed to be the living room, where one of Caitlin’s friends pulled out a backpack filled with supplies: nail clippers, red thread, a needle, uncooked rice, salt, water, a bucket, and—of course—a doll.

The doll gave Caitlin chills. It looked like a baby, but its missing eye made it unsettling.

The group started preparing the game. First, they cut open the doll and filled it with rice—an ingredient believed to attract spirits in many Asian cultures. Then, each person clipped a fingernail and placed it inside the doll. This step was meant to bind them to the spirit. After sewing it back up with red thread, symbolizing blood vessels, they filled the bucket with water and submerged the doll. They all turned around and counted to ten before taking turns stabbing the doll with scissors, repeating, “I found you, Charlotte. You're it,” three times.

By giving the doll a name, they unknowingly strengthened the spirit. With that, the game began. The group scattered in different directions. Caitlin and one friend ran upstairs and hid in a closet, where they waited in silence for what seemed like hours. At first, it felt like the whole thing was just a joke, but then they heard footsteps coming up the stairs—soft at first, then louder and closer. Along with the steps came a strange metallic scraping sound. The noise stopped right outside the closet.

Terrified, Caitlin and her friend stifled their breathing. Suddenly, Caitlin felt a sharp pain in her foot. She screamed, pulling her foot back, only to see a pair of scissors moving back and forth under the door. They froze in fear, unsure of what was happening.

Did that really just happen? Was that really Charlotte—or was it one of their friends playing a prank?

When they finally got the courage to open the door, no one was there. Too scared to investigate further, they ran out of the house and back to the park, where the rest of their friends were waiting.

But when did they get there? Had they managed to escape before Caitlin and her friend?

“We heard footsteps coming from the house, so we jumped out the window and ran here,” they explained. “We've been here the whole time. You weren’t pranked?”

Caitlin and her friend explained what had just happened, and the group was left in shock. They were relieved to be outside the house, thinking they were safe. But little did they know, they had made a critical mistake.

You see, there’s a rule they forgot to follow. The only way to properly end the game is by pouring saltwater on the doll when it finds you. But Caitlin and her friends had run out of the house before they could do that.

Now, Charlotte—the spirit—still believes the game is ongoing. And one day, she's going to find them.

If you’re thinking of trying this game, I strongly advise against it. But if you’ve already played, let me know what happened in the comments. Just remember, if you're summoning spirits and don’t fully understand what you're doing, you could invite something very dangerous into your life.