Being a teen in the 2010s, I grew up frequenting the internet. I was into all the usual stuff a teenage boy would be into, creepypastas, strange internet stories and most prominently, paranormal YouTube. I watched a lot of “investigation” stuff and all those challenges that were popular. You know the kind, internet myths or stories that got turned into “challenges” that could be milked for views. I’m not sure I ever fully bought any of it, but I do know for sure that I was too afraid to try anything myself.
Nowadays I haven’t been into that kind of stuff, as I’ve been busy with work, and I suppose I just grew out of it in general. I live out in the country in a very rural town. Only 300 people or so with lots of space between houses. I’ve always liked the quiet, even as a kid. No noisy neighbors or busy streets to disturb me. My town is only about a 30 minute drive from the nearest city, so I have to drive out for work, but it’s not too much of a hassle.
Anyways, recently I went out on a work trip where I had to be in a different city for a few days. The hotel I was staying at was a fair size, with well over 10 floors, though I don’t remember the exact number. I don’t like to think about that place.
I had already stayed there for two nights. On the third, as I was heading up the elevator to go to my room for the night, I remembered something. Seeing the number of buttons in the elevator reminded me of a challenge I saw a lot of back when I was a teen. It was called “the elevator challenge”
It was dumb as hell and no one believed it, but I couldn’t help but think about it. As a kid, even though I knew it wasn’t true, something about it still scared me. I haven’t heard about it in years, so If you’re unfamiliar, the premise of the game is to follow a set of instructions using an elevator in a building of at least 10 floors, and you will end up in some creepy alternate dimension or something. When I arrived to my room, I looked it up out of curiosity and sure enough, the instructions were still avaliable. I knew everything about it was bullshit, but for some reason a part of me wanted to try it. I think for my inner child or something. Since it was my last night at that hotel I said fuck it, why not. I stayed up pretty late, around 2:00am in hopes that most people would sleep, and I wouldn’t have to deal with restarting if someone got in the way. Hey, if I’m going to do it, might as well commit right?
When I entered the elevator and hovered my hand over the button for the 4th floor, part of me was nervous. I didn’t know why but there was something uncomfortable settling in the bottom of my stomach. I ignored it, and pressed the button, officially beginning the game.
The elevator rose to the 4th floor and the doors opened. No one entered and I breathed a sigh of relief. I continued to follow the instructions carefully. 2nd floor, then 6th, then 2nd again. So far so good. I pressed the 10th and my stomach dropped as the elevator lurched upward. The feeling happened every time, but something about this time felt worse. Next it was time to press the button for the 5th floor. Supposedly, a woman is supposed to enter, and if you speak to her or even look at her, something bad will happen.
I pressed the button and the elevator moved downward, seemingly slower than before though it was probably my nerves. When it went still and the doors opened, no one was there. I think I felt both relief and disappointment. I was glad to not have encountered her, but it would have been interesting if I did. I waited for the doors to close, but right before they did I heard the thumps of light footsteps rapidly approaching the elevator.
A woman practically ran into the elevator, and it was clear she was trying to get in before the doors closed. I think at that point I had totally forgotten the rules. I didn’t say anything to her but I did look at her. She wore a light floral dress and sandals, which stuck out to me because it was mid autumn. Her hair was long dark and wispy, loose over her shoulders. I gained some sense and looked away quickly, making sure to avoid her face. I didn’t get a glimpse of it and hoped that the few second I did look wouldn’t ruin things. I quickly pressed the final button, for the 1st floor. Supposedly if the elevator goes down to the 1st you failed, but if it goes to the 10th, that meant you entered the other dimension.
Unfortunately, the elevator lowered, taking me to the first floor. Though I expected it, it was a bit disappointing. I left the elevator without looking back as instructed and headed for the stairs to call it a night. Something was weighing on me though as I walked. I wasn’t sure when it was okay to look behind me, but as I approached the doors to the stairs I felt like if I didn’t look back right then and there, I’d die. It sounds crazy but I swear that’s what it felt like. I glanced behind me and to my confusion, the elevator doors remained open, despite usually being closed and already moving again by now. The woman remained inside the elevator looking at me. She wasn’t standing creepily though. It sounds creepy when I explain it like this but she was smiling. The smile itself was empty, and it didn’t feel like she was smiling at me. She just looked simply content. She stood still, but comfortable. I was too tired to keep thinking about the stupid game, so I turned back and headed up to my room for the night.
The next day I tried to push the game out of my mind. It’s one of those times where you do something pointless and choose to pretend you never did so that you don’t feel like you wasted time. When I got home I went about my day as usual. There was an odd feeling in the back of my mind but I ignored it. That night I struggled to fall asleep. I had this odd sense of dread but I couldn’t pinpoint why. The next week went the same way. Normal days aside from an odd feeling, followed by a struggle to fall asleep because of a heavy feeling of dread.
One night, a week after I got home was when everything went to shit. I got into bed at my usual time, around 10:00pm, and fell asleep in a normal amount of time. No dread, no weird feeling. This time though, I woke up and it was still dark. I looked at the clock on my nightstand to find that it was around 2:00am. Then I heard it. The quiet sound of breathing. It wasn’t my own. My stomach dropped and I started to panic. All I could think was “who the fuck is in my room right now.”
I don’t know how but I managed to calm myself down. I grew up in a very spiritual household. I was told growing up that if there’s a ghost, or demon in the house, to ignore it. That’s what I chalked it up to. I don’t know how in the world I managed to come to that conclusion. Maybe it was the past week of sleep deprivation, or maybe iw as just plain stupid. Either way, I went back to sleep. When I woke up in the morning, the breathing wasn’t there. In fact, I had completely forgotten about it. That was until night time again. I was in bed trying to fall asleep when I heard it again. The soft, shallow breaths. That was when I realized it was coming from underneath me. I gathered the courage to look over the edge of my bed and I saw what confirmed my fears. Peeking out from under my bed, were the ends of long, dark, wispy hair. I didn’t dare look further. I slowly got out of bed, grabbed my phone and walked out of the room. When I looked back to close the door, I saw her. No, she saw me. Two wide eyes were staring deep into my soul. She didn’t move from her place under my bed, and she wasn’t smiling anymore. Her light floral dress that once fit her perfectly was now dark and sagging.
I ran out of my house frantically, grabbing my keys on the way out and slamming the door behind me. No way in hell was I going to spend another second with that thing. I got into my car and drove. I drove and drove, not even thinking of a destination. I just needed to get away. I probably should have called the police but that was the last thing on my mind.
I’ve been staying at my parent’s house for the past few days. I can’t go back there. My parents got me to call the police, who searched the house but found nobody. There was no sign of forced entry and nothing to suggest there was a woman there. Not even a hair.
The first few days I was staying here everything felt okay for once, but these past few nights the feeling came back. That unexplainable fear I felt every night. I’m terrified that I’ll hear her again. I’m so scared. I think this means she found me again.
I don’t know what to do. I don’t even know if she’s a part of this sick and twisted game, or if I just happened to accidentally cross paths with some crazy bitch. I don’t beleive this was a coincidence. I shouldn’t have looked at her. The instructions said that if I looked a her, I wouldn’t be able to return to “the real world.” Maybe she wants to take me to her bullshit dimension. I don’t even know. I’ll cling to anything at this point.
I’m thinking of going back to the hotel. Maybe if I do the ritual properly again and leave for good, she’ll leave me alone. As of right now, I think I hear her breathing again.