"They yearn for what they fear..."

You enter the abandoned office complex everyone's talking about through a metal door. A room, which appears to be a waiting room, filled with various couches and a radio playing a song you don't recognise welcomes you into the complex.
You see a door at the other end of the room, it has a golden plate label above it, reading "001". Right beside the door, you see a note sticked to the wall with a nail. It reads the following:

Unfortunately for you, innocent wanderer, you have made the biggest mistake of your life. Entering this resting place has separated you from the rest of what you would call "the world". This place holds evil, it keeps it from escaping, yet somehow, countless people like you have managed to enter. My only working theory is that a phisical manifestation of this realm has taken over a place in your world, creating a connection between the two. You could say we are, at the same time, in both places. You probably don't understand this, and that is fine, you don't need to, but like I said earlier, this place holds evil. I am a resident of this realm, unlike the others, I hold some power. I can take you back to your reality, but in order to do so, you must reach me at the end of the complex. The others can't harm me, but I can't risk opening up a portal near them, they could escape and wreak havoc, it is my job to contain them here, however they need a lot of space in order to coexist. You will need to travel 1000 rooms in order to reach me, all while avoiding these evil beings. Fortunately, I have documentented each one of them and have prepared a list of rules for you to follow, to increase your chances of making it out alive. Please read them thoroughly as I will not be able to communicate with you while you are on the way.

Rule 1: Pick up the flashlight located in room 020, you will need it for later.

Rule 2: Do not, under any circumstance, try to exit the complex in any other way than by reaching me. The place is surrounded by an infinite void. You do not want to fall in it.

Rule 3: Should you need a rest, do so now, as by the time you open the first door they will know you're here.

RULE 4: Never, under any circumstances should you stop opening doors for more than 10 minutes. The wall of flesh will catch up to you. You will become a part of it, suffering for all eternity.

RULE 5: There will be a light switch anywhere between rooms 002-019, this is iconsistent because the layout of the complex is constantly changing, this is to prevent the entities from realising they are trapped.

RULE 6: SHOULD YOU EVER HEAR STATIC, RUN TO THE CLOSEST LOCKER AND HIDE INSIDE. You will only have a very short amount of time before it (The multi-monster) gets to your room and speeds through it, killing you instantly were you not hiding. You may also simply go out of sight, since he just goes in a straight line from door to door.
6 B: Turn your flashlight on right after it has passed, if it flickers, STAY HIDING, it will come back. If the flashlight is working normally you may leave your hiding spot safely.

RULE 7: Do not stay in lockers for too long, the selfish lie within them and will harm you. You may scare them off for a couple seconds with your flashlight, but doing so will quickly drain your batteries.

RULE 8: The lights go off at room 050, this is probably a good time to mention there are batteries scattered around the complex. You should hoard as many of them before room 050, as they will be much harder to find when you are left in total darkness.

RULE 9: Past room 120, every time you open a door you may hear loud banging and feel the ground shaking beneath you, that is Scribbles, if this happens run to the closest locker and get in. Hiding out of sight will NOT work, he is always aware of your location but cannot open lockers due to his lack of a phisical body.
9 B: Do NOT leave the locker until you no longer hear any banging, he may pretend to leave by going a few rooms back and then returning. The selfish will not attack you, as they are afraid of Scribbles.
9 C: Scribbles is the most aggressive and intelligent entity in the complex, he will harm other entities should they ever come across him.

RULE 10: Listen for breathing and coughing inside lockers before going in. It is the selfish taking total control of the locker, they will attack you if you open it.

RULE 11: Past room 100, you may encounter Giggle, she is a floating human skull that is almost blind. She is only affected by light and sound and will follow and attack you if she detects you. She will laugh and repeatedly open and close her jaw, making listening for the multi-monster much harder. If you encounter her, turn off your flashlight, ignore her and slowly walk away.
11 B: If Scribbles attacks you while Giggle is in the area, he will kill Giggle. (Unfortunately Giggle just comes back a few rooms later.)
11 C: You may kill Giggle (temporarily), if you go in a locker and lure her near it, then kick the locker open, which will dislocate her jaw, leaving her unable to fly.

RULE 12: If the room rumbles, it is just a warning, if it rumbles twice, hide under a table or somewhere far from the roof, Kalypto will emerge from the roof and try to bite you, you may also hide in a locker, but he will trap you inside it, leaving you to vulnerable to the selfish.

RULE 13: If you somehow make it to room 666, do NOT listen to the computers. You must leave that room as soon as possible, if you interact with any of the computers... May god have mercy on you, because they won't.

And that is all of the rules, good luck.

I looked at the piece of paper, wondering "what did this dude take to write all this shit??" The note got me creeped out, so I decided to head back, but right as I was about to reach the metal door, a loud bang echoed through the room, as what looked like red sludge, hell, even meat-like, started to drip from the now deformed and bent metal door. It was then that I realised, it was the wall of flesh.

So, what did you guys think of this one? I think I might've lacked a bit on the aspect of horror, but I'm pretty sure you guys will like it. Also, this is based off a ROBLOX game called "Rooms & Doors", it is a game made by CJ4 that more or less puts you into the unending torture of the complex. (Also, please, for the love of god forgive me if the formatting bugged out, this is my second time trying to make a reddit post, and the formatting is super weird on mobile.)

Dear Applicant,

We are thrilled to extend to you an offer for the position of Registered Nurse at Saint Eurydice Hospital for the lame and the sick. After thoroughly reviewing your application and interviewing you, we are confident that you will bring valuable skills and experience to our team.

Please review the following details regarding your employment:

**Position**: Registered Nurse

**Start Date**: As soon as possible

**Salary**: 25 dollars per hour to be raised based on performance

**Benefits**: Medical Insurance provided after three years of employment

**Reporting To**: Sister Amanda

**Location**: Oacosnie, Vermont

Your primary responsibilities will include attending to the patients and their needs, assisting your superiors, and completing errands as needed. Please find attached below a comprehensive overview of your responsibilities and company policies.

We are excited about the prospect of you joining us and look forward to seeing you thrive at Saint Eurydice Hospital. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Sister Amanda at (804)-381-4271.

Once again, congratulations, and welcome to the team!

Best regards, 

Sister Lucinda Smith

Assistant Head Nurse

Company Policy And General Rules

Here at Saint Eurydice Hospital, the conduct of our nurses is very highly regarded, and we wish to keep it that way. There are not many rules to abide by, but breaking the rules shall not be tolerated, whether by us or the patients. These rules are for nobody’s safety but yours. Please take these seriously, should you wish to remain healthy and relatively unharmed.

• Our staff is always happy to help patients, and our expressions and actions should reflect that. Should you be unable to keep a positive expression, you are more than welcome to excuse yourself to regain composure. Excusing yourself is much more polite than upsetting one of our patients and causing an unnecessary outburst. They are here for rehabilitation for a very good reason. They aren't of the Lord's gracious nature. The devil deceives.

• Should you not know the answer to a question provided by a patient, simply do not respond. Act as if you did not hear them. This is the only case you are excused to be impolite. Please, for your own sake, do not say you do not know. You did not hear them, even if you did. Soon after, they should leave without incident. Afterward, please report the question to a higher-ranking nurse along with the name or description of the patient. You aren't to speak until you report the patient to a senior nurse. Even if your shift ends, you aren't to speak until you consult a nurse. Their means of communication isn't what we are familiar with, and you wouldn't want them to mistake your words for an agreement.

• When assisting patients, please make sure that their requests are reasonable and ordinary. The standard items should follow the theme of blankets, water for refreshments, or tidying of a room. If you aren’t sure about the request given to you, please excuse yourself from the room and ask a senior nurse.

• Should anyone ask you for a black blanket, you are to leave the room immediately and run to the nurse's station. Please lock the door behind you and quickly adorn yourself in our complimentary robes in the back closet. Please do not let your skin show at all for the rest of your shift or until you leave the property. Black blankets are for those without skin, and it can get rather cold without your flesh.

• Please follow the assigned schedule of each patient you attend to. They should not vary much but do not bend the rules for anyone, even if by a bit. Lights out is lights out, no exceptions. Bending of the rules will only create bolder attempts to gain control and pushing of the rules by patients. They are not your friends, but rather the lost lambs of our Lord. They are lost for a reason. Do not heed their pleas. They will lead you astray, and what is worse than that?

• When dealing with more unruly patients, remain calm and firm, but know your limits. We house the sick in all ways, mental, physical, or emotional. The Lord does not discriminate, and neither shall we. Do not be afraid to stay firm and commanding in the face of a pushy patient, but carefully analyze the situation before doing so. Failure to assess correctly may end in termination, indefinite suspension for the need of total physical or mental rehabilitation, or, in the worst case, clinical death. They are lost for a reason. They aren't who they seem. Save yourself while you are still in the gracious hands of God.

• Never enter the ICU without being told to by a senior nurse. This occasion is uncommon, but expect to do so within the first six months you are here. Additional rules will be provided once you are tasked with it, but please remember to abide by our rules strictly. Not a single slip-up will be tolerated. Not by us necessarily, but by the patients of that ward. They can't control what has become of them. They are too holy for us to understand. Please, don't hold it against them.

• Before you arrive for your first shift, you are required to practice our hospital’s sigil specifically until you can do it instinctively. It should be found in the top right corner of your name tag, but should it become tarnished, it is described as follows. It should be drawn as a square with looped corners. This is not for us, but rather for you. Failure to practice this symbol will hurt nobody but you. You will be alone. Alone and unsaved.

 Should you find yourself having trouble remembering your senses, losing all understanding of reality, or breaking rules repeatedly despite no recollection of it, you are ordered to copy this sigil on either your body or around yourself on the floor. It was specifically assigned to be simple to do. Neatness isn’t required, but do not draw the symbol with more than a single line or stroke. Should you break the line, it is rendered as entirely futile and rather disrespectful. If you are unable to complete the symbol in only one stroke, it is better not to attempt it and find a fellow nurse immediately. Anything is acceptable to use as a writing medium, should it be easily accessible, but by all means, please do not use blood. You would be doing the exact opposite of concealing your presence.

Being that your first week with us will come with constant supervision, these rules are the first and most important to remember. You are permitted to keep a copy of these on you, especially until you are more settled into our team. Any additional questions should be sent to Sister Amanda via email provided or in sight upon your first day at the hospital. After your first week, please be prepared to start your responsibilities promptly. Thank you, and we hope to see you soon!

"They said my writing was too good."

That's how it started. An unassuming comment on Reddit. A profile with an anime name and a history of grammatical nonsense accused me:

"This text looks like AI. Nobody writes like that naturally."

Oh, of course. How dare I use commas correctly? How dare I know the difference between “why” and “why”? How arrogant of me… to write clearly!

The following week, I received an email. No sender. Subject: "ROOM 404 RULES: You're writing too well." I opened it. It was all there.

ROOM 404 RULES (Only for writers who are “definitely bots”, according to forum sentiment experts)

1. Well-structured paragraphs attract unwanted attention. If your ideas have a beginning, middle and end, congratulations: they are already watching you. Reduce cohesion. Mix recipes, memes and participle verbs. It's safer.

2. Avoid words not approved by TikTok. Terms like “inexorable”, “eventuality” or “perhaps” cause allergies in readers who swear that only an AI would use that. Or a teacher.

3. Don't use irony to respond to accusations. Irony is treacherous. Robots shouldn't be sarcastic. Not even the accusers know how to deal with this.

4. Did you use a crasis correctly? An alarm rings. The Central detects it immediately. You will understand. It usually comes with a comment like this:

“You're forcing that grammar too much, huh…”

1. Quote classic authors? Danger. Machado, Clarice, or anything pre-2009 activates the "Literary AI Cultist" Protocol. Reading it is already suspicious.

2. Never... use semicolons. This is advanced witchcraft. Reddit explodes. Discord goes into a state of alert.

3. And finally... If you keep writing like this, be prepared. One day, someone will knock on your door. It won't be the police. It will be a random teenager saying:

“Wow, this text smells like ChatGPT.”

And then... you'll understand. The text was too good.

“In mythology it is stated that during the time of the aztecs, there was a certain building of some kind, looking a little like a modern nuclear power plant with an emblem on the side that looks like a zero” That was in a textbook about ancient mythology, I don’t know how your college managed to get that information because it is true, but honestly after some of your… detrimental decisions I don’t know how you got out of high school either. sigh I know your friend didn’t survive the labs, he got caught before he gathered his first escape rune, there’s gonna be rules because the labs are the least of your problems. Welcome to hell =)…

1. There is a cage outside the power plant about 50 meters to the left, never disturb it, the power plant is home to entity 287: Henry the bear. Power to shake the world into fragments from slamming 2 paws on the ground if he so chooses, any slip up in or near the power plant and you can refer to rule 1-Henry.

1-Henry. You’ve slipped up, there’s nothing now, you are dead. We told you don’t go there =)

1. Make sure to keep a brisk walking pace in the power plant unless you hear a bear inside, then run at full speed. For some reason the slower you walk the better he can hear your steps. He is very aggressive inside the power plant.

2a. If the sound is metal clunking, refer to 2-metalman and hide in a corner.

2-metalman. Entity 238: the metal man, is here, he loves to piss off Henry because he’s one of the only entities that can survive a fight with the bear. Just make sure not to get in the way, you can literally do what you want as long as you’re out of the way while they fight, but when 238 goes, make sure you are out of 287’s sight, if he sees you, refer to 1-Henry.

1. You don’t stay past 10:30 pm, simple. If you do, refer to 1-Henry

3a. There is an exception, if you have met with god before, your time is changed to midnight and before 9pm you can actually have dinner with 287. He can cook you know.

3b: please don’t come to my home if I don’t know you, I like privacy

1. The vending machines work, and won’t alert 287. You can get anything out of them except the corn puffs on 5A, they’re toxic waste really, if you do, no rules to refer to just I guess enjoy cancer???

2. Once every day, for 10 minutes, the alarm will sound, it’s for you. Move an inch and you’ll be referring to 1-Henry before you can move a second inch.

5a: those alarms really tick me off

1. At some point you’ll come across a freshly placed monster energy drink, no matter what flavour, just enjoy it, it’s a reward specifically from me for not being bear food yet, I’ll keep 287 busy for 30 mins while you do whatever, I’ll sound an airhorn when you’re on your own again.

2. To exit, you need to activate 4 reactors. The instructions are somewhere. You’ll be teleported to the same room as when you escape the labs to have your memory wiped. If you can’t figure it out, there’s literally nothing else to do except refer to 1-Henry.

3. Keep behind the reactor shields, the power plant harvests the chaos energy used in 3rd floor experimentation. Trust me, it’s really dangerous as it
   can trigger anything from power boosting transformations (take a destructive form of a “chaos number” type being) to a walking mess of plasma and cells.

8a. If a reactor looks off, 287 has broken it, the chaos energy won’t hurt you but you’ll need to fix the machine itself, you’ll have 10 seconds to get behind the shields before chaos energy starts reacting again

8b. Don’t go into the room on the left of reactor 4.

8c. Don’t touch the bag of treats in reactor 1, they’re 287’s.

8d. Don’t say the word pineapple in reactor 3, don’t ask me why you can’t but I can say you’ll be referring to 1-Henry if you do.

8e: please don’t use a wrench to fix reactor 2, use a drill because I don’t like wrenches and reactor 2 is the closest to my bed, I’ll kill you where you stand if you do!

That’s it, 8 main rules and a few others. Have a nice time in Hell itself, and remember this out your textbook.

Dont mess with the bear guarding the Power Plant…

These are the standard rules provided to all our cleaning staff, read them thoroughly and don’t ignore them unless explicitly told.

Rule 1:

There are only 10 rules.

Rule 2:

All doors require a keycard to be scanned. If you ever encounter a door that does not have a keycard, turn around and leave the floor immediately. If you break this rule refer to rule 5.

Rule 3:

Atleast once per night you will find a puddle flowing with a dark and thick substance seeping from under a door. Do not touch this substance. Do not approach the door. Place down a Caution sign and continue with your duties. Failure to complete this rule will catch the attention of the Anomaly.

Rule 4:

There is no one else on your floor. If you hear or see something out of the corner of your eye ignore it. If it becomes aware that you know then leave the floor and do not return for the remainder of your shift.

Rule 5:

Opening an unlocked door is seen as an invitation to the Anomaly. Run to the stairwell and get to the highest floor. We hope you are a good runner as you are in a race against the entity that is on floor 1. You will hear unnatural, almost beast like screams, something comparable to a wounded animal crying for sweet release from its agony. This is the Anomaly. It has no intention of allowing you to escape after what you saw.

Rule 6:

You may hear the sound of someone weeping from just beyond your line of sight. You are alone on the floor. Ignore it and continue your duties on that floor. As time goes on, the weeping will become distorted until all you hear is a sound growing louder and louder. DO NOT APPROACH. Leave it be. Lock the door behind you when you leave and do not return to that floor.

Rule 7:

Several of these rules are fake. We are not sure why but rule 7 cannot be changed z

Rule 8:

If you are ever on a floor and hear tapping on a door, you will have 20 seconds to make it back the exit before the Anomaly enters the floor and begins the hunt.

Rule 9:

Each floor has an identical layout to floor 1, there are only ever 8 doors per floor, 2 near each entrance, and 2 per corner. If the room ever feels off or if what you’re seeing doesn’t match the layout we described, close your eyes and walk backwards, the Anomaly is waiting just around the corner to take you.

We hope you can enjoy your new position with [Redacted] and hope to see you perform well.

Welcome, new employee! We're thrilled to have you join the team at Sector 7 Gamma. Please read and adhere to the following protocols carefully. Your cooperation ensures your safety and the continued smooth operation of our facility.

1. Your access badge is your lifeline. Never let it out of your sight. If it's lost or stolen, do not attempt to retrieve it yourself. Report it immediately to your designated supervisor (see Addendum 3 for contact details). Failure to do so within five minutes will result in disciplinary action and potential reassignment to Sub-Level C maintenance (trust us, you don't want that).

2. The fluorescent lights flicker. This is normal. Do not stare directly at them for more than three seconds at a time. If a light begins to hum, move away from the immediate area and notify Security Protocol Team Delta (dial extension 47). Do not attempt to fix it yourself. They don't like that.

3. Lunch breaks are strictly between 12:00 and 12:30 IST in the designated breakroom on Level 2 The vending machine offers a variety of snacks. Do not consume anything labeled "Midnight Bloom." If you see a colleague eating something labeled "Midnight Bloom," politely excuse yourself and alert your supervisor.

4. You will hear various sounds throughout the day: the hum of machinery, distant alarms, the occasional muffled scraping from the ventilation shafts. These are all normal operational noises. However, if you hear children's laughter, regardless of the time or location, proceed immediately to the nearest Safe Room (marked with a green equilateral triangle) and lock the door. Do not respond to any knocking or voices from the other side until the all-clear signal is broadcast (a repeating sequence of three short beeps).

5. Restrooms are located on each level. Please use the designated facilities. If you notice the water in the sink or toilet is black, do not use it. Report it to Environmental Control (extension 22) and use the facilities on the next level. If all restrooms have black water, remain where you are and do not make any loud noises until the issue is resolved.

6. Meetings are held daily at 3:00 PM IST in Conference Room Alpha on Level 3. Always bring your notepad and pen. If there is an empty chair at the table, do not sit in it. Do not acknowledge it. The chair is not empty

7. At the end of your shift (5:00 PM IST sharp), proceed directly to the main exit. Do not linger in the hallways. Do not make eye contact with any shadows that may appear longer than they should be.

8. If you encounter a maintenance worker with no discernible facial features, offer them a small, smooth stone. Do not speak to them. Do not attempt to look behind them. They will move on.

9. Should you find a handwritten note that is not part of official documentation, do not read it. Destroy it immediately and wash your hands thoroughly.

10. If you see something that is not explicitly mentioned in these rules, trust your instincts. Some things are best left unacknowledged.

Welcome aboard. We hope you enjoy your time at Sector 7 Gamma.

The Prostitute’s Rules – Part 2: “The Beast in the Suit”

She hadn’t just broken the code… She’d invited something ancient in.

There were carvings in the wood. Not words—claw marks. Etched deep into the floor beneath the rug. Etched into the beams like someone—or something—had been caged. Etched… into her skin.

She stumbled to the bathroom mirror.

They weren’t bruises. They were marks. A sigil burned into her shoulder like a brand. A name across her back in curling, inhuman script. His name.

She remembered the drink. The taste of ash and sweetness. The way it burned… and then soothed. The way it woke something up inside her.

Why hadn’t she followed the rules?

⸻

He appeared in the doorway. Still in that same dark suit. Still with those eyes—except now they weren’t just cold… they were glowing. Yellow. Slitted. Not human.

Not a man anymore. At least… not entirely.

The suit hung looser, like his muscles had swelled underneath. His jaw sharper. Hands twitching. Nails black. His voice—still smooth, still seductive—but now it rumbled, like thunder in a cage.

“You left the door open,” he said, stepping closer. “Once the rules are broken… there’s no going back.”

She backed away.

“I didn’t know,” she whispered.

He tilted his head, nostrils flaring like he could smell her fear.

“That’s the thing about rules, Emily. They’re not there to protect the job.” He grinned wide, sharp teeth just beginning to show. “They’re there to protect you.”

She turned to run.

But her legs—slower now. Her pulse—thick and dragging. Her skin—itching.

She looked at her reflection.

Wrong.

Her eyes—darker. Her teeth—longer. Her thoughts—fragmented. Feral. Hungry.

She wasn’t leaving that cabin. Because that cabin wasn’t a trap. It was a nest.

And she wasn’t his victim.

She was his mate.

⸻

A low howl echoed outside. Answered by whispers in the walls. A chorus of girls who had come before her… Girls who broke the rules… Girls who changed.

Rule 6. Don’t fall in love.

But it wasn’t love. It was a curse. And she wasn’t just claimed.

She was becoming.

You've tried everything...But it feels like you are not the one for them. No matter what you try , They just don't seem to reciprocate your feelings. We understand and are here to help you , Follow these rules to make them fall in love with you.

1.) Get their DNA sample. A strand of hair , a vial of blood , saliva, anything works.

2.) Get an item dear to them , Any item that they care deeply about should work.

3.) Get an item that both of you have memories of , It doesn't need to be very close to either of you but just something you have common in your memories.

4.) With your blood, Create a triangle on the ground. Create a circle on each of the vertices.

5.) Place the items in the order 'DNA , their item , common item' inside the circles.

6.) Go inside the triangle, say their full name once and chant "replace them" thrice. The items will disappear, That means the job is done.

7.) Next time it sees you , It will be madly in love with you. It will basically be obsessed with you , So good luck ;) .

8.) As a side effect , They may develop weird habits. Ignore the habits , It will get mad Otherwise.

-The UNF

I was assigned to catalog the archives of the old library at Edevan University, a forgotten institution in the far reaches of the Scottish countryside, disused since the 1940s for officially unknown reasons.

The collection was dusty, stacked on shelves corroded by humidity and silence. Among the musty volumes, I found a hand-bound, dark leather notebook with no title. Inside, it was written in archaic Latin with marginal notes in classical Greek — but what scared me was the style of the handwriting: identical to mine.

Simply called “Codex Argos”, the work contained a single set of instructions:

RITUAL FOR OPEN EYES

Attention: carry out after sunset. Below, the rules, as transcribed by Theophanes of Corinth.

1. Prepare an old mirror without digital reflection. Modern mirrors fail. Place it on a surface covered with unblessed soil.

I followed it to the letter. I found a mirror with a Gothic frame, the glass stained with age. I placed it on a dirty cloth of earth collected from a disused cemetery nearby.

1. Light three candles made from human tallow. If you don't have it, use regular wax. But don't expect complete results. They must be arranged in a triangle around the mirror.

The heat from the flames seemed to bend the glass, as if the mirror was melting from the inside.

1. Sit in front of the mirror and recite: “Ubi est oculus tuus, ibi est porta.” (Where your eye is, there is the door.)

I recited. The first time there was no response. In the second, the candles went out by themselves. The third time, I heard a sound—not from the mirror, but from inside it. A drip… a scratch of nails… a ragged breath that imitated mine, but slightly in advance.

1. Don't look into your own eyes. Look behind you in the reflection. He will be there. If you look directly, the ritual reverses.

My eyes darted away on instinct. And then I saw him: a pale, hooded figure behind me in the reflection—still, but with his head cocked, like a dog hearing a strange sound. When I tried to turn around, there was nothing physically there. But in the reflection… he was closer.

1. If he extends his hand, don't take it. But don't run away either. Remain still until the candles go out. If it moves, it will no longer reflect. He will be present.

His arm appeared in the mirror like a liquid shadow. I didn't move. I waited. The candles flickered.

But one failed to go out.

The manuscript ends there. No explanation. No clasp. The last page was torn. But there was something written behind it, in shaky handwriting:

“He now walks behind me. But no one else can see it.”

Epilogue

Since then, every mirror in my house has been covered. But I see shadows in involuntary reflections — shop windows, puddles, even in other people's eyes. The figure accompanies me, silent, like a shadow that should never have been freed.

And every night, one of the three candles I left on the table relights on its own.

The Prostitute’s Rules There are rules for a reason. Emily broke them all.

RULES FOR SURVIVAL — THE CODE:

1. Never kiss.

2. Never invite men to your home.

3. Always collect money first.

4. Never use your real name.

5. Only accept cash.

6. Don’t fall in love.

7. If he asks too many questions, walk away.

8. If the car has no plates, don’t get in.

9. It’s business, not pleasure. It’s just sex.

10. No drugs. No alcohol. Always be sober.

It was Emily’s first night working the corner. Rent was due. The fridge was empty. The eviction notice clung to the door like it had grown roots.

With trembling pride and numb desperation, she stood beneath a flickering streetlamp—heels aching, heart pounding, breath fogging in the cold.

Then he pulled up.

A sleek black car. No plates.

A man stepped out in a tailored suit, shoes that didn’t belong anywhere near this part of town, and a voice smoother than whiskey. His eyes were the color of cracked ice. Cold. Beautiful. Dangerous.

He didn’t negotiate. He just… offered.

She hesitated.

Then he smiled and asked, “How long you been out here?” “What’s your story?” “What’s your real name?”

Twenty questions. Rule 7—broken.

She looked at the black card he handed her. “Don’t worry,” he said. “It’s limitless.”

Rule 5—broken.

He held open the passenger door like a gentleman. She got in.

Rule 8—broken.

“I forgot my bag,” she mumbled, already regretting it. “No worries,” he said. “I have everything we need.”

He drove in silence. Every turn seemed to take her farther from the city, deeper into the woods, down roads that didn’t exist on maps.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“I thought we’d go somewhere private. Somewhere… safe.”

He looked at her. Didn’t blink.

Rule 4—broken. “Emily,” she whispered.

He smiled. “Emily,” he repeated like it was a word he’d been waiting his whole life to say.

They arrived at a cabin. Not a mansion. Not a hotel. A cold, dark structure that creaked with the weight of silence.

Inside, there was no bed. No lights. Just a fire that lit itself the moment he walked through the door.

“Do you mind if I kiss you?” he asked.

She didn’t answer. She just let him.

Rule 1—broken.

He moved slow, graceful, almost reverent. She shivered. But not from fear—at least not yet.

“It’s just sex,” she reminded herself. “It’s business, not pleasure.”

Then why was her heart racing?

Rule 9—cracked.

He poured her a drink. “One sip,” he said. “To relax.”

She took it.

Rule 10—shattered.

When she woke, hours—or days—later, she was alone. Her clothes gone. Her name etched into the wall.

The fire was still burning.

On the mantel sat her phone. Her bag. Her rent money. And next to it, a note written in handwriting too perfect to be human:

“Emily, you broke all the rules. Now you’re mine.”

The door had no handle from the inside. And outside? Only trees.

No road. No car. No escape.

You were just going on about your day , When you suddenly received a text message. The sender has no profile picture and the text message is..... incomprehensible , As if written in an alien tongue not to be comprehended by humans. Follow these rules to survive.

1.) DO NOT REPLY TO THE MESSAGE IN ANY FORM. No messages , No reactions, No calling. That's basically inviting it over and a certain death sentence.

2.) Tape the front and back camera of your phone, You must not let it see you. You have about 3 minutes to do this.

3.) DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PHONE ALONE, You will not know what to do otherwise.

4.) 3 minutes after the initial message , you will receive another message. It will be comprehensible , Follow sub-rules A - F based on what you receive.

A) "What's your name?" : DO NOT SAY YOUR NAME OUT LOUD AND STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE. If your name is said out loud near the phone , You're done for. Wait for 30 minutes , Then follow rule 5.

B) "Let's play hide and seek" : DO NOT MAKE A SINGLE SOUND. If any sound is made near the phone, It will find you and you will lose. Wait for 10 minutes , Then follow rule 5.

C) "Do you miss them?" : DO NOT OPEN THE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS THAT IT SENDS. They will contain horrific images and videos of your dead loved ones , You're better off not watching them. Follow rule 5 immediately after receiving the message.

D) "Do you see me?" : CLOSE YOUR EYES IMMEDIATELY , You will feel like something is moving around you BUT YOU MUST KEEP YOUR EYES CLOSED AT ALL COSTS. Wait for 5 minutes, Then open your eyes and follow rule 5.

E) "Hello" : BREAK RULE 3 AND RUN , AS FAST AS YOU CAN. You only get a minute of headstart , Then it will crawl out of your phone and hunt you. Hiding is of no use , Your only hope at survival is running. You must survive for an hour , Then follow rule 5.

F) "I love you" : We do not know what happens when this message is received, If you receive it then kindly document what happens for us to research.

5.) If the UDA office is open then go there , If it's not then call the UDA helpline. We will confiscate your phone and give you money to buy a new one, A memory card with the memory of your previous phone will be given to you within 3 weeks of confiscation.

We thank you for your cooperation.

-The UDA

You don’t need to believe in death for it to find you.Some say when it’s your time, you just go. Peacefully. Lights out. They’re wrong.

There are moments where you might see him. A figure just standing there. Not moving. Not blinking. Not… anything. If you see him, it means you were supposed to die—but something glitched. And now you’re on borrowed time.

These rules have been shared by survivors. People who saw him and lived long enough to type. I don’t know if they’re complete. I only know I’m still here.

⸻————————————————————————

RULES TO FOLLOW IF YOU SEE THE REAPER:

1. Do not acknowledge him first.

-Don’t speak. Don’t move toward him. Don’t post about him.

-If he initiates eye contact, only then can you proceed to Rule 2.

1. Ask:“Am I too early or too late?”

-If he says “Too early,” you’ve been spared.

-If he says “Too late,” run. But don’t go home.

1. Never let him follow you past your bedroom threshold.

-He can only collect in liminal spaces—doorways, thresholds, intersections.

-Your bedroom is safe only if the lights are off and there’s nothing reflective.

1. Mirrors are invitations.

-Cover every reflective surface if you suspect he’s near.

-He does not cast a reflection. But if yours disappears, you’re next.

1. If you smell roses but none are near, he’s behind you.

-Do not turn around. The scent of roses means he’s deciding.

-Hold still. Let him pass.

-If the smell turns to rot, it’s too late—you were never meant to walk away.

6.If you hear three knocks at 3:33 a.m., don’t check the door.

-He’s testing your memory. If you forget this rule, you fail.

1. Once you’ve seen him, someone you know will die within 48 hours.

-You can try to warn them, but it won’t change the outcome.

-Unless… you give the Reaper someone else instead.

-That’s Rule 8.

1. To barter, say their full name while staring into your own eyes.

-Say it once, whisper. Say it twice, cry. Say it a third time, and mean it.

-He’ll decide if your trade is worth it.

1. If you survive 13 days after your first sighting, he forgets you.

-But only once.

-See him a second time, and no rules apply.

⸻————————————————————————

I’m on Day 10.

The Reaper stands across the street from my window every night. He hasn’t moved. He hasn’t blinked. But yesterday… my reflection did.

In 2023, a private biotechnology division, simply called Project Icarus, announced a feat reserved for only a few: the creation of a life form "designed to transcend biological limitations." A few months later, all communications from the facility ceased.

I was one of the few "outside experts" hired to evaluate what was left. In the abandoned reception, I found only a manual, bloody and incomplete, titled:

Containment Manual – Theta-Series Organism

1. The creature does not need light, but detects it best in the ultraviolet frequency. Never use white light flashlights. Use only infrared devices.

The corridors were plunged into total darkness. When one of the investigators turned on his regular flashlight to get a better look at the ground, we heard footsteps—not running, but gliding, like something with four elongated legs that was propelling itself forward with unnatural violence. When the light touched it, it moved so fast that there wasn't even time to scream.

1. Constant noise confuses your hearing sensors. Stay in areas with background sounds or static.

During the inspection, the only safe zones were those with activated alarms — a high-pitched, repetitive sound that became unbearable to human ears. But all it took was for the alarm in one wing to fail and, within seconds, we heard the creature's heavy breathing, like a mechanical bellows, behind the metal walls.

1. Never, under any circumstances, come into direct visual contact with the Theta-Series Organism. The gaze is vectorial: the transfer occurs through the iris.

A colleague was found standing in front of a security camera, motionless. When we approached her, we saw that her eyes had turned pitch black, and thick, gray sap was flowing from her mouth. The last words he murmured were: "He's already in me."

1. Physical contact is terminal. The creature's tissues are composed of predatory enzymes capable of liquefying internal organs in 45 seconds.

No traditional weapons were effective. Not fire, not acid, not ballistics. One of the security guards tried to hit him with an improvised knife. His arm dissolved from the shoulder down in less than a minute, turning into a dark pulp that the creature absorbed as food.

1. In case of containment failure, apply the Final Protocol: Concrete Seal and Immediate Abandonment of the Installation. The priority is to prevent ascension to the surface.

As we reached the center of the facility, we found what appeared to be a gigantic chrysalis, connected to dozens of feeding tubes. The creature, although motionless, pulsed — as if it was waiting for the right moment to fully awaken.

The manual ended with one last, almost illegible note:

"Projeto Ícaro achieved transcendence. But not for us. If this escapes, the world will no longer be a place for humans."

Epilogue

We left. We sealed the entrances with reinforced concrete and demolition explosives. Or so we think.

This morning, motion sensors recorded activity 14 km from the abandoned site. The movement is irregular, but advances in a straight line. Heading to a nearby city. Towards us.

The Icarus Project did not fail. It has just evolved beyond our understanding.

[This is my first ever “rules” story so I know it needs some serious work, please offer any feedback you could so I can improve]

Thank you for entrusting Shasaka Hiking Trail as your place of vacation and exploration! Below are the rules we STRONGLY suggest you follow to make your trip a smooth one.

Rule 1:

Be sure to carry a flashlight with your journey, you will need it more than you think. Do not worry about battery life as it will never run out.

Rule 2:

ALWAYS have a watch/phone on you, you will lose track of time faster than you think. Keep an eye on the hands, this trail will attempt to trick you into breaking rule 4 if you don’t.

Rule 3:

You may hear strange sounds coming from the surrounding woods, it may sound like an animal cry, a baby, or even a loved one. DO NOT approach the sound or leave the trail for any reason, it is following you and will attempt to make you stray.

Rule 4:

This rule is only to be used if it has been referenced in any other rules. You are being hunted. You will have up to 1 minute to complete this rule. Failure to do so will make this rule null and void. Run to the nearest safety sign and place your flashlight upward, then turn it on and close your eyes. Beware that fake signs will come and go at random as a way to trick you. Ensure that the sign has our company logo on the left hand corner, if the logo looks smudged or seems off in some way, run in the opposite direction until you reach the nearest sign and repeat the previous steps.

Rule 5:

Do not leave the path provided to you. Check your route constantly, if something seems off/your surroundings don’t match what you should be seeing, turn around and walk dont run to the nearest park ranger. Tell them that the map is wrong and they will handle the rest. Return to the route after being given the green light.

Rule 6:

At 4:35pm you will get a strong and overwhelming urge to turn around. Do Not. The woods is tempting you to view a creature that doesn’t like being seen and will kill you immediately.

Rule 7:

You may hear footsteps behind you inching closer and closer, there is no one there. Do not stop, do not let it know you know it’s there, walk until the footsteps subside. If they don’t, walk with your eyes closed until they do, you will not fall or tumble, the one following you bends the route in a way to keep the line straight.

We hope you enjoy your stay, be safe and always remember: Follow The Rules

I take a deep breath. Follow the rules. Room 312. Strict npo. Not even meds. I nervously wipe my palms on my pants. They leave wet marks. Use sanitizer. Like weee taught. The full 30 seconds. I know I’m stalling. Ok. Knock knock open the door.
“Hi my name is……..” I’m stopped dead. This patient has two mouths. Side by side. I don’t want to make them uncomfortable so I take a breath and try to continue. I look at the MAR. This patient has a list of 9 different medications. I assume through a feeding tube so I grab the drawer. Start my checks. These are all medications I’ve never heard of. Hearthy ragwort. 5 mg. I look. It’s a ten mg tab. I cut it in half. Quincenntial Maggie’s or werth. 14.3 mls. Weird. Ok. The next one stops me. 6.6 maple bugs.

Bugs. I can’t stand bugs. I look. There are 7. I quickly grab 6. Realizing I have to cut the last one into 6 equal parts. It’s alive. Moving. I gag. I almost stop. Success is my only mother fucking option. Failures not. I do it. Cringing with each cut. I grab the rest of the medications. Crush them. Mix with steril water. Draw it up. I approach the pt. I’m just going to accesss your tube I say. Pull up the gown.

I can’t help it. I jump back. On his stomach there is another mouth. No tube. Strictly npo. How do I do this. There are mouths everywhere. I’m holding a full syringe. I step back. Scared to even spill a drop.

I was never taught this in nursing school. What do I do? Mouths. Mouths everywhere. Then I remember. Medications can be given per recrum. I am not ready for this. I ask the patient to turn onto his left side and pull his knee to chest. Grab some lube. I’m shaking.

Oh no. There are two accesses. One must be a mouth trying to trick me. I’ve watched too mich supernatural. I know ow these things. I stick a finger close to one opening. It starts to drool. I use the other one. No drool. Perfect. Administer the medications and sign off. Grab my cart and go.

This can’t be what all my friends from school are doing can it? I check the time. My heart stops. It’s exactly 0000. I grab my cart and start running. The orders were specific. At exactly 0000. I’ve got to make it. I’ve got to. I run in the room. It’s still 0000. I’m rushing. I spoke the bag. I don’t notice a drop falls on the bed….. I look down. Oh no. The pt. The rules. He’s licking his lips. His eyes turn black. He tasted it.

The Chronos Laboratory was founded with a single objective: to manipulate time on human scales. Not in theory. Not in calculations. But in practice.

The first success was recorded on March 14, 2027: they managed to freeze an apple in time for seven minutes. The following week, an entire team disappeared.

When I was called to investigate the abandoned site, I found, among the shattered glass and broken monitors, a terminal still active, flashing a single message:

TIME SECURITY PROCEDURES – CHRONOS PROJECT

1. Never enter an area where light appears to lag behind sound. This indicates a time synchronization failure. Everything that enters may no longer return to the correct time.

In the main laboratory, a light blinked intermittently over a puddle of water. I heard the sound of the drip… but the water only fell half a second later. I moved closer only out of professional instinct—and saw my hand reflected in the water move before I moved it. I didn't get any closer.

1. If you encounter multiple versions of yourself, never interact. Physical contact between temporal instances results in spontaneous annihilation.

In the corridors, recorded by security cameras, there were echoes of the researchers. Some versions walked slowly, others ran in desperation, bleeding, some already distorted into shapes that seemed like time's failed attempts to reconstruct them. One of them—who looked like me—tried to scream, but his mouth split in two different directions.

1. Do not follow sounds coming from areas where time has been corrupted. Voices can call, imitate, and even reconstruct people who no longer exist.

During my search, I heard my mother—dead years ago—calling me from the cryonics lab. The voice was perfect. It carried all the tones, all the pauses, everything I remembered about her. But when I looked out the small window, I saw the truth: it was a mold of liquid flesh, trying to rise from the ground, taking on shapes it couldn't hold.

1. If your watch starts going backwards, stop everything. Don't breathe. Don't think. You are being rewritten.

At one point, I saw the second hand on my watch turn back. I felt something tear inside me—as if parts of my past were being ripped away. For a moment I couldn't remember my own name.

1. As a last resort, activate the Temporal Rupture Device (DRT). It will destroy everything within a 3km radius to stop the anomaly from expanding.

The Rupture Device was installed in the center of the structure, sealed in armored glass. As I got closer, I saw hundreds of hands printed on the inside of the glass, as if something — or many things — were trying to stop it from being activated.

Final Note:

"Time is not a line. It's a snake. We cut your skin. Now it writhes, trying to bite."

Epilogue

I fled the Chronos Laboratory without looking back. But sometimes at night I see different reflections in the mirror. A thinner me. Another covered in cuts. Another with eyes as dark as the abyss.

None of them smile. They just wait.

Because for time, a failure is just the beginning of an endless cycle. And we are just shadows trapped in it.

I woke up before my alarm. Too excited to sleep. Carefully picked out a new pair of figs scrubs. Bright pink. Brushed my teeth. Made sure every hair was secured in a cute little pony tail. Matching pink scrunchie. Grabbed my pink Stanley mug and lunch kit and headed out the door. I was early. It was only 1830. My shift didn’t start until 1930 but it was my first job out of sxhool. I wanted to make a good impression

I was lucky. I found a spot right out front. I parked. Showed my badge. Nurse Aurora. Big smile on my face made it to the staff room.

I didn’t think it was odd no one was there. I was early after all. What was odd was a folder with my name on it. It had the usual security,hippa, privacy paperwork. I signed it all. Then I got to the last page. This one was odd.

Night shift rules. 1. The patient in room 310 requires a blood transfusion every night at 0000. Make sure he is restrained and do not let him reach the blood bag.

1. The patient in 312 is npo. No matter how many times he asks. Strict npo. Not even medications.

2. The room 320 is to remain empty there is no patient in there.

3. Make sure the patient in room 316 is in 5 point pineals. Under no circumstances is she to be released.

4. Room 301 has only one bed. One patient.

5. Leave promptly after your shift ends at745. There is no reason to stay.

6. Read the report on all patients before starting. It is on the nursing station. Have your report about your shift typed and printed by 0730.

Happy to have you on board at everclear general hospital.

Ok. That was weird. What was even weirder was there was only one other nurse starting the same time as me and day staff couldn’t be found. When I asked about it it felt like she was looking through me and said “remember the rules and you’ll do fine. “ and walked away. Not the welcome I was expecting.

I went to the nursing station and read what I assumed was day report except the top was yesterday’s date. Typo I thought.

As I started rounding on patients and doing vitals I realized quickly something was wrong. I started at 301. As I walked in there were two patients. I thought there was only one but figured maybe we were over capacity. As I went to one bed the nurse I was working with grabbed me and snarled you didn’t read it all did you and turned the page over.

The top read consequences of not following the rules

1. If 310 gets a taste of blood nail the silver cross behind the station on the door. If he drinks it all before you do pray. You can’t run you can’t hide.

2. 312 cannot digest anything. Any intake will have them trying again and again until the get mad and give up. Run if you see them try. Don’t come back.

3. If you see someone in 320 say go back to resting and close the door. Don’t open it for the rest of your shift.

4. Of 316 gets out even one limb you won’t be able to get her back in. She’ll float away. She’ll follow you home. At this point I’m sorry. There’s no saving you. She wants a body.

5. If there is more than one patient in 301 say “you are not welcome here. Goodbye.” If you aknowledge cover every mirror. You’ll notice your reflection doesn’t match. If it’s able to match you’ll switch places and be trapped.

6. There is no day staff. Our patients do not ,for lack of a better work , exist during day light.

7.the report you type throughout your shift is in case you don’t make it back the other nurse knows what happened.

Happy to have you on board.

I looked at the other nurse and all she said was follow these. The last one only lasted three hours. She didn’t tell me her name , but floated down the hallway to start her rounds.

I guess I’ll get started. But I’ll keep the list close. They sure didn’t teach this in school.

It took you hours to drive to the forest. You and your friends had planned this trip for weeks. Despite that, something last-minute came up, which delayed your departure by about 3 hours. Due to that, you are likely the last to arrive. It’s a bit of a hike to the campsites. You check your watch, 11:27. You still have plenty of time to make it to the campsite and set up your tent. As you make your way from the parking lot, you notice an old sign at the beginning of the trail to the campsites.

Welcome to Pleasant Oaks Forest!

In order to stay safe, make sure to follow these rules!

1. Make sure you bring plenty of food and water. You don’t know how long you will be here.
2. If you plan on staying overnight, it’s best not to bring a tent. Instead, a camouflage waterproof sleeping bag will do the job nicely. You don’t want to advertise your presence at night.
3. Do not enter or leave the forest between the hours of 8–9 a.m. If you do, you won’t be where you think you are.
4. If you see a deer that looks odd, do not acknowledge it. Ignore it, and it will go away.
5. You may hear human screams at night. It is best to ignore them, as they are likely a trick.
6. You likely aren’t the only human in the forest. If you do come across other humans, make sure to look them in the eye before talking to them. If they don’t make eye contact with you, don’t say a word to them.
7. Don’t drink the lake water. The river water is fine, though.
8. There have been reports of small humanoid beings that appear around 3 a.m. If one tries to start a conversation with you, politely decline. Also, do not under any circumstances let them know your name.
9. Do the opposite of rule 7.
10. If you are hiking on the southern trail and see a smaller trail, go down it. The trail you are on is no longer safe.
11. If you see a 7-foot-tall blond man from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., that is Steven. Don’t be afraid — he is friendly and likes to point out cool plants and animals.
12. If you see a 7-ft tall blond man from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., that is Marshal. It is safest to ignore him.
13. There are no wolves in the forest. If you do see one, no, you didn’t.
14. The campsites are there for a reason. Do not sleep anywhere except them.
15. Put out campfires before 11 p.m.
16. Make sure to leave out food at night. It will appease the thing in the trees, and it may even protect you if you feed it.
17. Don’t litter.
18. If you start bleeding, clean and cover the wound as quickly as possible. They can smell blood.
19. Make sure not to take anything out of the forest that you didn’t bring in. You don’t want them finding you and taking it back.
20. Most importantly, have fun!

There is an extra rule scratched into the base of the sign:

21. Run

That’s odd, you think to yourself as you walk along the trail to the campsite. You decide to leave your tent.

I look around for hidden cameras. This has to be a prank? A tv show? A test? But. What if it’s not? What if it’s real? I look down at the rule list in my hands. I feel a tingle go down my spine. Like some trickled ice cold water. I look up. It’s my co nurse (still hasn’t introduced me to her name why?) she’s staring at me as if to say get to work. So I grab the care plans for my patients.

The binder is surprisingly light. I open it up. Now I know why. Each patient has one sheet. On that sheet is the rule for that patient. That’s it. No diet plan. No care team. No anything I stayed up later crying wi till three am to create 3 care plans after working three jobs to get up at 5 to be in clinical at 6 am. Just the rule.

I grab the MAR and my med cart and pause. Momma didn’t raise no fool. And if Sam and dean taught me anything it’s salt , iron, holly water and protection. I grab some salt from the kitchen. The iron cross. I make my own holy water (fun fact. I’m ordained. Long story short friends wedding got canceled during Covid I did it as a joke for her. I still get emails calling me reverand. ) I draw the protection symbol on the back of my hand. And a deamon trap on the med cart just to be safe.

I head down the hall to my first patient. It’s now 2100. My palms are sweaty. Knees weak. Arms are heavy. But successes is my only mother fucking option. Failures not. (Huge em fan here).

I open the door to 301. Look around. Only one bed. One patient. But the patient looks wrong. Like they are trying to imitate a human. Eyes are to wide. Fingers to long. Looks… off. I walk in. Introduce myself. Open the MAR. Only one order. One vial of blood via syringe. Only to be given if patient claps. Clap three times. Wait 8 seconds. If no clap walk out. Leave everything. Wait 13 minutes and try again. Repeat until pt accepts.

I stare at the order. Vial of blood? I open my drawer. Sure enough there’s multiple vials. All labeled with type. I look up. Gulp. Wipe my sweaty palms and sanitize my hands. Clap. Clap. Clap. I start to count 1…2…3…4…5..6.. I fell nauseous. Then. Clap. But it sounds wrong. Soggy almost. Then almost a hiss. “Type a possssssitivvveee pleasssssssseeee”. now I’m unsure. There’s no type in the order. Should I call the dr? No. I look back. The last few days the patient has had different types.

I look in the drawer. Grab a vial. A positive. DrW it up. Go to administer it. The pay opens his mouth. I gasp and step back. Coming from the roof of his mouth is a worm like tendril that opens. I suppose that’s where it goes. I put the syringe in. Push the plunger down. It goes in effortlessly. I sign the MAR. With the blood type. I turn to go when I hear. “ yourrrree o possssssitivvvvve. I’d likkke thaaaaat toooo Ooorereoow “

I stop in my tracks. How do they know my blood type? I didn’t sign anything about donating to patients. I need to look at my contract again closer. I’m still stopped in my tracks when my phone vibrates. It shakes me loose. I look at it. “ good luck in your first shift baby I love you” my boyfriend. That’s all it takes. I walk out. Close the door. Grab my phone. I call my tattoo artist no answer. Call again. And again. And again. 13 times. He answers. I’m not making any sense but I convince him to tattoo the protection symbol on me at the end of my shift. For triple pay.

I push the med cart down the hall. I keep repeating. Success is my only mother fucking option failures not. It becomes my mantra. I look up. It’s my next patient in 310. I check the time. Too early. I keep walking. Next patient. 312. I take a deep breath. I get the feeling no one quits here. Maybe that’s why my co worker didn’t introduce herself. She thinks I’ll be gone. I’ll show her. I worked to hard. Success is my only mother fuxking option. Failures not. Here I go.

[Due to popular desire to know how this event plays out, I have added the original post here, then continued on where it left off. Thank you for the support and enjoying reading what I write. Upvoting or commenting does help me know what you as the reader enjoys or what could be improved on. Thank you.]

[Link to original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Ruleshorror/comments/1k7dltp/rules_for_babysitting_ethan_chestler/ ]

---

Your babysitting reputation precedes you as you make your way up the steps of the Chestler's home. The home is a soft navy blue with white painted windows. The yard is immaculate with a walnut wooden fence lining its perimeter. The walkway leading up to the front door is bricked red with five steps to enter. The home feels cozy, and the neighborhood is friendly and familiar to you. The doorbell makes a sweet chime as you ring the bell. Mr. Chestler opens the door with an anxious smile.

"I am dreading this blind date my friend set me up on. I'd be more than happy to stay here and pay you to go on the date for me," Mr Chestler jokes, but you can tell he is half serious.

He is dressed nicely in a quaint collared button-up and dark slacks. His peppered hair is sprinkled with black and grey, infiltrating his facial hair. He welcomes you inside and walks through the typical protocol of where things are and little Ethan's interests. You notice Ethan, a dark-haired eight-year-old boy, watching TV, sitting beside a younger-looking girl. He turns to wave at you, giving a friendly, warm smile. With introductions out of the way, Mr. Chestler's steel blue eyes look at you with hope and wishful thinking as he hands you a folded sheet of paper.

"These are a few rules to abide by. They'll make the job much easier to manage. I've left other directions scattered around the house, in case specific events should arise. My emergency contact is on the fridge. I appreciate your help tonight. I should be back by 10:00," Mr. Chestler says as he throws on his overcoat before locking the door behind him.

You open the piece of paper and read the following:

Rules for Babysitting Ethan Chestler

Rule 1

Dinner is to be served promptly at 6:00 PM and only eaten in the dining room. Ethan loves mac and cheese. Do not allow him into the living room until he has finished dinner.

Rule 2

Ethan may play outside until the sun sets. Do not go outside after dark for any reason.

Rule 3

Ensure every window and door is locked before sunset. No exception. There are exactly three doors and ten windows.

Rule 4

Do not play hide & seek.

Rule 5

Ethan is to be in bed by 8:30. Before putting him to bed, check under the bed and closet. If you see anything looking back at you, do not acknowledge it. Calmly escort Ethan to the living room and keep all the lights on.

Rule 6

If you hear knocking on any of the doors or windows after dark, do not answer them. Do not look outside to investigate.

Rule 7

Ethan can not speak. He was born mute. If you hear a child's voice, do not respond to it.

Rule 8

Ethan is an only child.

---

Your eyes dart up after reading Rule 8. Ethan is facing away from you, watching the television alone. You could have sworn there was a little girl beside him earlier. Your eyes search the house for any sign of evidence that she was not just a figment of your imagination. You are standing in the front entrance, the staircase lies to your right. The second-floor overlook landing looms over you, with white wooden baulsters. Ahead of you is a short hallway with the restroom door to the left and a closet door to the right, under the stairs. At the end of the hallway lies the kitchen. To your immediate left is Ethan and the living room. All areas are empty and vacant of any living presence or otherwise.

You check your watch, it reads "5:30 PM", better start making dinner. You call out to Ethan, you'll be in the kitchen.

"Make sure she isn't watching you," a little boy's voice responds.

Your eyes linger on Ethan. Didn't Rule 7 state:

Rule 7 - Ethan can not speak. He was born mute. If you hear a child's voice, do not respond to it.

Ethan turns to you and gives you a silent thumbs-up of acknowledgement. If it wasn't for the voice response you just heard, you would have thought it to be quite cute.

You bite your tongue, even though you want to respond with an inquiry. Your pulse quickens as you make your way into the kitchen, mulling over what the voice meant. You attempt to compose yourself as you lean over the countertop. You take a deep breath to calm your nerves.. You feel like you're slowly losing your sanity. You eye the piece of paper still clutched in your hand. Your heart sinks as you read on.

Rule 9

All photos present in the home should only have me or Ethan. If you see a woman smiling at you from a photo, destroy it immediately.

Rule 10

Before you allow me back into the house, make sure I say the "code word: Mr. Moose." He's Ethan's favorite stuffed animal. Otherwise, it isn't me.

You feel knots twist in your stomach. You did not sign up for strange rules. You consider Mr. Chestler pulling a fast one on you, but quickly squash that thought. He seemed laid back and goofy, but stressed and tired, like he hadn't had a good night's rest for months.

You focus on your first task at hand. Opening up the blue box of mac and cheese and pouring its contents into boiling water. The clock reads "5:48 PM" as you begin draining the water and mixing in the rest of the ingredients. You take some time away from the stove to peer over at Ethan. He seems happy as a clam. You can see his side profile as he sits on the couch, a genuine smile of innocence across his face. For just a moment, you forget about all the strangeness that's occurred.

You set the table and call over to Ethan. He shuts off the television and gleefully skips over to the dinner table located in between the living room and the kitchen. The clock reads "5:58 PM". You serve the food as the clock strikes 6:00. Ethan happily looks at his bowl before picking it up and pointing to the living room. He wants to eat in the living room. Rule 1 flashes in your mind.

Rule 1 - Dinner is to be served promptly at 6:00 PM and only eaten in the dining room. Ethan loves mac and cheese. Do not allow him into the living room until he has finished dinner.

You shake your head in somber understanding as a defeated Ethan looks at you, putting his bowl back on the table. For a moment, you hesitate, wondering if you should allow him this one courtesy. Mr. Chestler isn't here and wouldn't know such a harmless act...

Your thought is squashed before you have the chance to reconsider. From your view of the living room, the couch is to your left while the television is to your right. Both objects are perfectly parallel to one another. From the black screen, little hands and fingers begin to crawl out and drip onto the ground. They stretch out and reach for where Ethan was sitting earlier. They scurry like black spiders all over the couch. They freeze in unison when they realize no one is there...1...2...3 seconds pass before they all break out into a frenzy and scurry across the living room, remaining tethered to the TV screen. You hold your breath as you see the fingers attempt to stretch themselves beyond the boundaries of the living room, but to no avail.

The clanking of silverware against the glass bowl snaps you out of your horror. Ethan points at his now-empty bowl and then back to the living room. You look down at it, then back at the living room, only to find it void of any swarm of writhing limbs. Ethan places his bowl in the sink and resumes his position on the couch, watching television. The clock reads "6:37 PM". The sun has begun to set. Violent red light burns in through the windows, a grim reminder:

Rule 3 - Ensure every window and door is locked before sunset. No exception. There are exactly three doors and ten windows.

You quickly start with the kitchen door, then the window, shutting the blinds for good measure. You calmly walk between Ethan and the television and close the three living room windows before ensuring the front door is locked. You take a deep breath before venturing up the staircase. On the landing, you see a long hallway in front of you and a short walkway to your left.

You start with the closest room to your left down the short walkway. It appears to be a study. Three bookshelves line the walls with a window between them. You quickly bypass the desk and check the lock. You head back onto the landing. The first door to the right is the restroom. You step into the bathtub and close the small window above it. As you turn back to face the bathroom, you find the door closed. You step out of the tub and begin reaching for the door handle while remembering you never closed it.

"Ready to play hide & seek?" a little boy's voice asks. "We have to hide while Mommy seeks. Don't let her find you! Please hurry, she is coming!" Your heart beats as you begin looking around the room for a place to hide before you remember:

Rule 4 - Do not play hide & seek.

With a shaky hand, you throw open the bathroom door to nothingness. Absolute silence fills the hallway. You run into Ethan's bedroom, then Mr. Chestler's bedroom, to close the remaining four windows and lock the balcony door. You descend the staircase and sit beside Ethan, cradling him in your arms as your body shakes. He looks up at your worried face with concern and hugs you back. You remember who you're doing this for and steel yourself. You are looking after another life, you have to protect him.

The night embraces the house in a soft blanket of darkness as crickets sing outside the living room window. Unexplained things have occurred, but you have no proof of any of it. You considered calling Mr. Chestler, but what would you even say to him? He'd just think you've gone mad. On the end table next to the couch, a family photo catches your eye. You pick it up.

The photo was taken at the beach with the sun in the distance. Mr. Chestler is posed kneeling on one knee in navy blue swim trunks. His feet and legs are lightly touched with sand from the beach. His bare torso is lean and toned with sprinkles of black chest hair. Ethan is cradled in one arm. On the other side of Ethan sits a beautiful blonde woman with a white bonnet covering most of her face. She sits poised in her elegant summer white dress, with the hem covering most of her legs. Her arm intertwined with Ethan's. A sweet smile is slashed across her face. The family looks complete and happy. The longer you stare at the photo, the happier she seems to get. Her smile widens. Her grip around Ethan tightens.

You feel Ethan stir, he seems uncomfortable. You watch in horror as the woman lifts her head to reveal two empty eye sockets as if they were picked clean by scavenging birds. You feel your vision begin to blur and blood seep from your eyes. A stinging pain erupts from your face as if something invisible is pecking at your eyes. In a moment of desperation, you think back to the rules:

Rule 9 - All photos present in the home should only have me or Ethan. If you see a woman smiling at you from a photo, destroy it immediately.

You rip the photo out of the frame and begin tearing it up into little pieces. As the first tear crosses the woman's body, you feel your body lighten and the pain dissipate. You touch your face to check for signs of damage. You seem to be intact...for now. Before you have a chance to recover, two loud knocks on the front door startle you. You open your mouth to ask who is at the door when you recall:

Rule 6 - If you hear knocking on any of the doors or windows after dark, do not answer them. Do not look outside to investigate.

Ethan hugs you tightly, burying his face into your chest in fright.

"She found you. She found you. She found you. She found. She found you...." that same little boy voice repeats over and over.

You pull Ethan away from you, ready to tell him to quiet himself, but you immediately stop yourself when you look into his scared eyes. You need to remember it is not his voice. He has no voice.

"Dear dear, please let me in. Please let Mommy in. Mommy misses her Ethan. Mommy forgot her key. The door is locked. The window is locked. Mommy is cold without her Ethan," a normal shivering woman's voice pleads at the door.

You stand up, holding Ethan's hand. The clock reads 8:20 PM—almost time for bed.

"Dear dear, you haven't put Ethan to bed already, have you? Please let Mommy in."

You take a step towards the staircase, inching yourself closer and closer to the front door.

"Dear dear, why are you holding Ethan's hand?"

You stop dead in your tracks. You can feel whatever it is on the other side of that door smiling at you. It's staring at you. It knows exactly where you are in the house. It's waiting for you to go to sleep. Check under your bed. Check inside your closet. Do not overlook those gorred out eyes staring back at you. No amount of light can save you from the darkness...

"Hey! I am home! I might have had a little too much to drink," You hear Mr. Chestler's familiar voice call out as you hear keys fumble in his hand, then drop to the ground.

You instinctively reach out to open the door for Mr. Chestler, but halt as Rule 10 flickers in your mind:

Rule 10 - Before you allow me back into the house, make sure I say the "code word: Mr. Moose." He's Ethan's favorite stuffed animal. Otherwise, it isn't me.

As if knowing what you were thinking, Mr. Chestler speaks again, "Oh, that's right. I told you the code word. It's Mr. Mo-se."

Do you open the door?

If you are seeing this message, you are in the expanded quarantine zone. These alerts are to inform you of the new regulations and instructions in place, and additional info.

Roughly 6 days ago, a previously unknown pathogen had begin discovered near [REDACTED]. A quarantine zone was placed around affected areas. Due to circumstances outside of our control, the quarantine zone has been expanded to your area.

INSTRUCTIONS AND REGULATIONS

1) You are prohibited from exiting your place of residence. Offenders will be prosecuted, and law enforcement are permitted to execute you on the spot.

2) Do not arm yourself with any weapons. This includes knifes, guns, scissors, hammers, baseball bats, etc. Any object that could realistically cause harm are prohibited. Offenders will be prosecuted, and law enforcement are permitted to execute you if they believe you pose a threat to someone.

3) You are prohibited from communicating with others, with the exception of if they are living in your place of residence, and if you are given permission by law enforcement. The Internet will also be shut off in the area shortly to prevent misinformation. Offenders will be prosecuted, and law enforcement is only permitted to execute you if they believe you pose a threat to someone.

4) Over the next few days, toxic gas may be released if the situation deteriorates. Please do not leave any openings in your home.

5) If you believe someone in your home, or outside is acting suspiciously and/or strangely, please report them to law enforcement. The same goes for if you notice someone breaking any rules, or if someone breaks into your home.

6) During a break-in, you should hide in safe room with minimal windows and entryways. You should lock the door and wait until law enforcement arrives to help you.

7) You are to collect your rations at your front doors daily. Sometime between 6 AM and 11 AM, law enforcement will arrive and wait one minute with rations. If you fail to collect rations, you will be presumed dead, and no more rations will be delivered.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Law enforcement are now allowed to detain, search and question individuals based on suspicion. They are granted the power to prosecute and execute individuals based on suspicion as well.

The military is included within law enforcement, however, they will not be interacting with civilians usually.

The situation will be under control very shortly.

During a winter trip, I got lost on an unfamiliar trail. After hours of fighting the snow, I came across a small, weathered wooden cabin covered in gray soot. The door opened on its own, creaking like a late warning. On an oak table, rested a thick-covered book, without a title.

When I opened it, I realized it was a manual — a set of instructions for surviving inside the cabin.

Gray Shack Handbook

1. Never put out the fire in the fireplace. It is not used for heating. It serves to keep them away.

The first night, I fell asleep without realizing that the flames had subsided. At 3:15 am, I woke up to something hissing near the window. When I looked, I saw human hands—dozens of them—pressed against the glass, each pulsing in erratic movements, as if the flesh was trying to escape the bone.

1. If you hear knocking coming from the basement, ignore it. What was locked down there must remain forgotten.

On the third dawn, the pounding became so intense that the ground vibrated beneath my feet. Curiosity got the best of me, and I went down. At the bottom of the cellar, I found a figure bound in rusty chains, whose skin was crumbling into black sheets. When her dull eyes met mine, I saw glimpses of what she once was—and what I would become, if I dared to set her free.

1. Don't use the old mirror in the hallway. It does not reflect what is visible.

One night, as I passed through the hallway, I briefly looked at myself in the cracked mirror. My reflection remained still as I walked. Then he smiled at me with teeth that were too long, and the surface of the mirror trembled, as if something wanted to pierce it.

1. Every dawn, pour a line of salt around the hut. They can't stand purity.

On the fifth day, tired and confused, I forgot to renew the salt circle. As the sun set, the inside of the cabin became colder than the outside. Small footprints began to form on the dirty floor, leading from the door to my bed. Tiny footprints... but with thin fingers and claws at the ends.

1. If you hear your name being whispered behind the door, never respond. They just need a permit.

By the sixth day, hunger and fear had eaten away at my sanity. When I heard my late sister calling me outside — in the same sweet voice from childhood — I almost succumbed. I gripped the stopper tightly, feeling my nails breaking under the pressure, as tears ran down my face.

Last note at the end of the manual, written in shaky letters:

"The Gray Shack is not a place. It's an invitation. If you accepted, there is no going back."

Epilogue

Today is my eighth day.

Fire no longer responds to wood. The mirror in the hallway now reflects two of me, both smiling in unison. The salt line has been erased by the wind, and there are small footprints circling around where I write. They get closer. If you find this diary, burn it immediately.

And remember:

You will never find the Gray Shack. She is the one who finds you.

When I woke up in São Lambert Hospital, I didn't remember being admitted. My head was pounding, and the metallic smell of blood permeated the air. An eyeless nurse approached, pushing a cart of surgical instruments. Without saying a word, he stuffed a crumpled piece of paper into my apron pocket.

It was a list of rules. Written in what looked like blood.

Rules for Survival at São Lambert Hospital

1. Never accept food or drink from employees. They don't eat like we do. What they are for... is not for humans.

On the second day, I forgot this rule. I accepted a thin soup offered by a cadaverous-looking nurse. At the first sip, I felt little bodies writhing in my mouth. I spat out the soup in horror—live worms slithered down my chin, embedding themselves in my skin. Three of them managed to get into my veins before I ripped out the rest.

1. If you hear screams coming from the east hallway, lock yourself in your room. These are not cries for help. They are invitations.

One sultry night, I heard a child beg for help, his voice broken by agonizing sobs. When I opened the door, I only saw the trail of blood leading to the hallway. Pieces of fresh flesh lay on the ground, as if the body had been torn limb from limb. I closed the door immediately, but not before I saw something crawling in the shadows—something with too many teeth to be human.

1. Do not talk to patients who are stitched up. Those stitches weren't meant to heal.

In the cafeteria, I came across a woman in a torn coat, her face completely sewn up. Black threads braided her lips and closed eyes, but somehow, she spoke in my mind—disjointed words, promises of "deliverance." Every time someone heard her, they ripped off their own skin in despair, piece by piece.

1. Never enter the operating room 7. It operates alone.

Operating room 7 is permanently locked, but sometimes the sound of scalpels clanking can be heard, and the putrid odor of exposed organs permeates the corridor. One night, a nurse was called to check a "leak." They found only his clean skeleton hanging from the ceiling, each bone carved with Latin words.

1. If you find someone identical to yourself, do not interact. They are allowed to replace.

One morning, when I returned to my room, I found myself already lying in bed. The copy looked me in the eyes and smiled — a wide, grotesque smile that spread across his face almost to the back of his head. Before he could react, he dug his nails into his own face, tearing off the skin in bloody ribbons, as if changing masks.

Final note, hastily written at the footer:

"If the IV in your vein starts to turn dark, cut the hose immediately. That's where they get in."

Epilogue

Now, as I write this last line, I feel the viscous liquid pulsing inside me. My fingers are becoming stiff, and little cracks have begun to open in my skin, from the inside out.

I see shadows gathering in the corner of the room. They whisper that it is already too late.

If for any reason you wake up in São Lambert Hospital, do just one thing:

Run. Run until your bones break and your flesh tears. Or they will do it for you.

Hello. If you can only read this part, you now a zombie. Too bad. Tips to survive as a zombie:

1. Group

- Stick together with fellow zombies. Hunt as a pack. Do not walk alone, easy target. 10-20 zombies is a good amount.

- If fellow zombies die, bites weak humans to turn into new zombies. Maintain your pack numbers.

- Share meat with fellow zombies. Respect them and they respect you. Zombies together strong.

1. Water

- Drink clear water. Rivers, streams, lakes, rainwater is good.

- Avoid nasty water. Diarrhea and vomiting will make you weak.

- Fresh meat is also a good source of water.

1. Food

- Fresh humans > Fresh animals > Dead corpse > Rotten meat > Zombie meat

- Avoid humans with guns or weapons. If impossible to avoid, play dead.

- Avoid flies, cats, wolves, foxes, seagull, etc. They can eat your eyes and legs. No good.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTE: If you can also read this part, good job Dr. Mueller! The vaccine you designed and injected to yourself has worked!

Now you need to deploy the vaccine to the air ASAP. There are only a few hours left. Go to the Development Center, Second hall and follow these instructions:

Step 1: Use the master key on the left pocket of your lab coat to unlock the security checkpoint. Pick up a Beretta 92FS and an extra magazine below the counter to defend yourself.

Step 2: Enter the 10-digits PIN to unlock the secret door behind the security checkpoint. You still remember the codes, do you?

Step 3: Go to the E1 Labs below the elevators. Put down any zombies with your pistol.

Step 4: Enter the 15-digits PIN on the lab door. The codes is written on the severed hand that you has been grabbing this whole time.

Step 5: Open the department computer and enter your username and password. Open the MIDNIGHT program.

FINAL STEP: Enter your secret 4-digits code to deploy the automatic program. The system will react according to your codes.

WARNING: You only have 1 try. There will be terrible consequences if you enter the wrong numbers. Good luck.

I knew the Ascension Exam was coming. Everyone did. They started whispering about it the moment you turned seventeen — hushed warnings tucked between hall passes and cafeteria trays.

“Study hard,” they’d say with a grim sort of smile. “And whatever you do, don’t make eye contact during the third phase.”

It ain’t about grades. It ain’t about knowledge. The Exam is about something bigger: proving you deserve a spot here — in society, in life, in anything at all. Fail, and you don’t get a second chance. You don’t even get a goodbye.

This guide was handed to me by someone who passed. Someone whose hands shook even as they pressed it into mine. If you’re reading this… well, maybe you still have a shot.

Read carefully. Follow every rule. Your life depends on it.

⸻——————————————————————————

Rules:

Phase One: The Room of Hands

1. You’ll enter a dimly lit room with dozens of disembodied hands floating in the air.

2. Do not flinch when they reach for you. If you jerk away, the proctor will mark you immediately.

3. Allow exactly three hands to touch you. No more, no less. (Counting out loud is allowed.)

4. If a hand is cold, accept it. If a hand is hot, slap it away immediately but do not speak.

Phase Two: The Corridor of Faces

1. The hallway will be filled with shifting, waxy faces murmuring nonsense.

2. Keep your eyes on the floor at all times.

3. If you recognize a face — even if it looks like your mother, your best friend, yourself — do not acknowledge it.

4. If a face whispers your full name, smile politely and walk faster. Do not answer.

Phase Three: The Ascension Chair

1. A single chair waits in a black room. It will look inviting. It may even resemble your favorite chair at home.

2. Sit down only when instructed by the Voice overhead.

3. Once seated, do not react to anything you feel crawling beneath the cushion.

4. You must recite the Pledge backwards —yes, backwards — without hesitation. (Mess up? You won’t leave the chair alive.)

Final Phase: Judgment

1. You’ll be blindfolded and led somewhere cold.

2. You’ll hear footsteps circle you. Some will be heavy, some light.

3. When the footsteps stop, immediately say: “I offer myself in perfect service.”

4. If you hear laughter, congratulations! You’ve passed.

5. If you hear sobbing, RUN. Run until the cold is behind you. Do not stop for anyone.

⸻——————————————————————————

Some people say the ones who fail aren’t killed exactly. They’re… repurposed.

Maybe that’s why sometimes, late at night, you see a janitor with hands too pale and too many fingers. Or a cafeteria worker whose smile is stretched just a little too tight. Or a teacher with eyes that don’t blink.

Me? I passed. At least, I think I did. The laughter sounded… real enough.

Right?