Top 5 Scary Halloween Games & Rituals You'd Have to Be Crazy to Try
Scary Games Not to Play on Halloween
There are a lot of so-called “games” that people have
played in order to experience a ghost, spirit, or even the devil himself.
Halloween is probably the best time (or the worst, depending on how you look at
it) for any of these games.
Some say these games do nothing more than work up an
active imagination; others say they’ve had devastating effects. Some people
claim to have been scared so badly that they were never the same again. Others
claim they’re haunted horribly for years after trying one of these games or
that they’ve been possessed. Rare stories say people who have played these
games have disappeared, died, or committed suicide.
I’m going to tell you about them because they can make
for fun Halloween reading and discussions—but, I warn you, don’t play
them! And if against all common sense you do, please do your research
for proper precautions—this is not to be considered an instructional guide
here, and I deliberately leave out steps because I don’t want you to know how
to actually play.Without further ado, here are the top 10 scariest Halloween
games anyone could ever play.
The Ouija Board
Marcelo
Braga, CC BY 2.0 via Flickr
10. The Ouija Board or Spirit Board
The Ouija or spirit board is basically a tool for spirit
communications. The spirit uses you—your eyes and your body—as a vessel to move
the planchette around on top of a board during a séance to spell out words and
answer questions. Think of it as old-fashioned, cross-dimensional text
messaging. Only instead of with your friend, you’re exchanging messages from
beyond (cue sudden lightning bolt and ominous orchestra flourish).
Some people will tell you that the board is just a toy.
Well, Parker Brothers did make it into a game, but they didn’t invent the
concept. Techniques similar to this board have been used for ages to
communicate with spirits.
It seems everybody and his mother has an Ouija board
story to tell. Some people experience nothing at all. Many people will attest
to odd happenings, such as knocks, scratches, falling or flying objects, or odd
messages. Some people have complained of spirits following them or haunting
them after using the Ouija board—a danger mostly faced by those using it improperly.
Mocking spirits, asking when you or someone else will die, or inviting spirits
to show or “prove” themselves are said to be the worst mistakes a person can
make.
If you’re familiar with the movie The Exorcist,
you may or may not know it was based on an actual possession case of a little
boy who “played” with the Ouija board. I don’t know about that, but I can
attest to one thing from personal experience: pissed-off spirits are not above
chucking both the board and planchette at your head.
The Triple Mirror Game
9. The Triple Mirror Game
A psychic friend of mine first showed me this game long
ago. In folklore through the ages, thresholds and mirrors were believed to form
windows into the spirit world when they were used together.
To play this game, a person first needs to protect
themselves by spiritually cleansing the room and putting a line of salt across
all thresholds and windowsills. The person then lights a white candle in the
room and sets it on the threshold to attract the spirits in the building.
Spirits are apparently mega-curious about white candles for some reason, kind
of like the way a laser pen used on the wall attracts cats.
You’re supposed to arrange three mirrors in the room so
that you bounce the reflection of the door from one to the other. It is said
that if you gaze into the third mirror, you can see the spirits that might be
hanging around the home.
Not sure why someone would want to know that. For me,
there are three things I don’t want to know: how many bugs are in the walls,
how many germs are on my body, and how many ghosts are hanging around my house.
8. Charlotte’s Mirror
Also called “Charlotte’s Web”, after the popular
children’s book, this game is supposed to be about conjuring a little girl
spirit named Charlotte. According to those who’ve played it, when Charlotte is
good, she’s very good; but when she’s bad, she’s freaking terrifying.
Two players are supposed to summon Charlotte in a dark
room with a large mirror. They’re supposed to present an offering to Charlotte,
such as a girl’s toy. If Charlotte deems you offering worthy, she’ll answer
questions for you until you want to wrap things up. At that point, the two
players must dismiss Charlotte in unison.
There are a few catches to this game. The first is that
if Charlotte doesn’t like your offering, she’ll be pretty pissed at you; she’ll
screw with your head and scare the bejeezus out of you. Another thing is that
Charlotte really hates fires—so don’t dare light a candle or have an open
flame, or she’ll come at you and make you sorry you did. Charlotte also hates
pedophiles, so if you have any dirty little skeletons in your closet—well,
better safe than sorry. Stay away from this little ghostly girl.
The Midnight Man
7. The Midnight Game
Promptly at midnight, players follow instructions to
summon the Midnight Man. It’s not a very complicated ritual, nor does it
require any elaborate stuff, but it involves knocking that must occur on the
stroke of midnight or it won’t work.
Once the Midnight Man is summoned, game on. There’s
nothing else you can do but ride it out until 3:33 AM, when the Midnight Man
will leave. Lore says that ancient Pagans used this ritual to punish criminals
or test bravery.
Players will each have a candle, lighter and canister of
salt. You’re supposed to keep walking and moving around throughout the house in
the dark—no other lights or it won’t work. If you feel a cold spot or if your
candle flickers, the Midnight Man is said to be near you. If your candle goes
out, you have 10 seconds to re-light it or secure yourself in a circle of salt
to protect yourself. If you didn’t get your candle going, you must sit in the
salt circle until he leaves.
If you fail at the candle and salt circle, the Midnight
Man “wins” the game; he will haunt you with hallucinations of your worst fears.
Chills and cold spots are quite common during this
“game.” Some people hear banging, scratches, and whispers or report things
falling (like pictures falling off the wall or things getting knocked off tables).
Some have seen full-blown apparitions of the Midnight Man, who is a shadowy
figure.
If you taunt the Midnight Man during the game, you will
suffer from nightmares about your worst fears for a while. He doesn’t like
being provoked.
Not good.
Pixabay
6. The Thumb Game
This is a game that comes from Japan for a group of three
or more players. Apparently, if you "win" this game, you get a wish
granted. On the flip side, if you lose, you could become a homicidal ghost
trapped on another plane. Damn, there's always a catch, isn't there?
There's a story behind this game. A 20-year-old woman was
murdered and dismembered in a villa. Police rounded up all of her body parts,
except for one: they could not find her left thumb. Charming.
To play the game, the players sit in a circle. Each
player grabs the thumb of the person to their right (so you are holding their
left thumb). Everyone closes their eyes—and must keep them closed for the whole
game. Seriously, no peeking.
Players imagine the villa very vividly. There is a
Japanese chant that transports the group to the villa where they much search
for the thumb. If you feel any taps on your shoulder at any time, ignore
it—whatever you do, don't turn around! There is a single candle in the room. If
you blow it out, it will transport you back to your own dimension.
Now, if you find the thumb, blow out the candle, and you
win—your wish is granted. Shiny! If you don't find the thumb, you can simply go
back, and you're no worse for wear.
However, many dangers abound. If someone lets go of your
thumb, you lose your digit. If you open your eyes, if you turn around when you
feel a tap, or if you let the candle go out on its own, you will be killed, and
your spirit will be bound to the villa where you will tap and kill other
players for eternity.
Conjuring ghosts? Really?
Pixabay
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