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The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/MRK2668 on 2024-07-01 22:09:38+00:00.

“Mark? Something’s crawling on my foot” were the last words I heard from my best friend.

It was a snowy December night in 2017. My best friend, Jack, was staying over at my house for a sleepover. We were chatting, having fun, and trying to find ways to cure our boredom. Jack mentioned that he had read articles about rituals. I burst out laughing and exclaimed, “Rituals? Are you a crybaby? Do you really believe that?” He laughed nervously and said, “Not really, but let’s try it anyway. Even if they don’t work, it’ll be a memorable experience.” I reluctantly agreed, a decision I would soon regret deeply.

Jack had found a website called “The Ghost In My Machine” and began browsing through various rituals. One in particular caught our eye: “The Closet Game.” The requirements were simple: a closet and matches. I joked about him trying to burn my closet down, but Jack assured me it would be fine if I just took the clothes out. Reluctantly, I agreed.

We gathered the necessary items, and as the ritual required only one person, I was the one to perform it. Jack waited outside my room, scrolling through Instagram and YouTube, and chatting with my parents. I turned off the lights, entered the closet, and mentally rehearsed the instructions: “Darken the room, begin at night…” I followed the steps meticulously, counting the minutes in my head before saying, “Show me the light or leave me in darkness.” I was supposed to hear whispers and light a match if I did, but I heard nothing. Ignoring the instruction to never look inside the closet again, I switched on the lights and found nothing unusual. Laughing, I called Jack in and told him it was nonsense.

Later, as we were eating snacks and watching YouTube, Jack proposed trying another ritual he had read about: the Staircase Ritual. Skeptical but curious, I agreed to give it one more try. We spent about 20 minutes on it, but again, nothing happened. Frustrated, I vowed never to attempt these rituals again.

A few days later, Jack messaged me on Discord, suggesting we try a ritual in an abandoned house. I asked if he was serious, and he pleaded, “Please, give it one more try.” I asked if he had done any rituals alone, and he admitted he had, but they all failed. Reluctantly, I agreed, hoping this would be the last time.

On December 20th, Jack came over, and we rode our bicycles to an abandoned house on the outskirts of our village. As we approached, a local named Jeff warned us about the house’s dark history, mentioning a couple who had died there in the 60s and the eerie sounds of banging closet doors experienced by a previous resident. Undeterred, we continued.

The house was decrepit, with dirt and shattered glass everywhere. Despite my initial reluctance, I asked Jack which ritual we were going to perform. He explained it was “The Midnight Game,” where we would supposedly be hunted by a shadowy figure. However, Jack then mentioned an alternative: an apartment in the city that was recently vacated and up for sale. We decided to change our plans and perform the ritual there instead.

We arrived at the empty apartment late at night, prepared our materials, and began the ritual. We wrote our names on paper, pricked our fingers to drop blood on it, and lit candles. The ritual commenced around 2:34 AM, and we were supposed to keep moving until 3:33 AM.

As the ritual started, I felt a shiver down my spine, and Jack was visibly sweating despite the cold. We hid in a large closet, quietly walking in place. Suddenly, we heard a loud bang. Terror struck Jack’s face, and he whispered, “Mark? Something’s crawling on my foot.” Those were his last words. In an instant, something snatched him, dragging him into the darkness. I could only hear his screams.

Panicking, I broke a window and fled to the police station, where I recounted the horrifying events. The police arrived at the apartment and reported a strong, rotting smell and a liquid dripping from the ceiling, but they found nothing. The homeowner, who was due to move in, also went missing.

The incident left me traumatized. I had nightmares and deep regrets about ever dabbling in these rituals. To this day, the memory of Jack’s disappearance haunts me.