I noticed a homeless man with a shopping cart filled with tons of dusty VCR tapes approaching me while I was on my trip to the nearby grocery store.
I tried ignoring him, but he looked me straight in the eyes and said “Hey, buy a tape, I promise they’re worth it!”.
I just ignored him and sped up to enter the store as soon as possible, he wasn’t disappointed at all and calmly said “Don’t worry, first batch of tapes is free, I’ll even deliver them to you!’.
I quickly understood the creepy tape seller was a man of his word, not even 20 minutes passed after I returned home and I had a box of VCR tapes waiting for me at my doorstep, only it wasn’t really your normal delivery.
It was more of like when a kid tries to prank you by ringing your doorbell and then running away, so you’re greeted with nothing after you open the door, except instead of nothing, I was greeted with a box filled with 10 VCR tapes.
Curiosity got the better of me, so after a bit of searching, I ordered a VCR player from eBay.
It arrived fairly quickly, luckily I already had a compatible old TV stashed up in my garage.
My viewing experience began after I excitedly hooked up the VCR to the dusty TV that looked more like a mini fridge than a TV.
To better keep track of what I’ve watched, I’ll transcribe these videos, one by one.
TAPE 1: POSTMAN
Ring
Robert (Opens his eyes): What the hell?
Ring
Robert (angrily whispers to self): I’m too damn hungover for this…
Robert groggily walks to the door while the ringing continues, he looks at the peephole, strangely it seems to be either covered with something or blurred by some kind of liquid.
Robert: Umm, hello?
Person at the other side of the door: Hello, Mister Robert! Got a package here for you!
Robert (scratching his head): Package, what package?
Person at the other side of door: Oh yes, your name and address is written on it, says here you don’t even have to pay for it.
Robert: Well, I didn’t order anything recently, must be some kind of mistake.
Person at the other side of door: I don’t think it’s a mistake, sir!
Robert: Yeah, how so?
Person at the other side of the door: Well, I looked at the info written on the package itself, looks like you won some kind of prize from the Coca Cola company.
Robert: No way!
Person at the other side of the door: I heard there’s a random prize giveaway organized by the Coca Cola company going on recently, seems like they picked you as the winner, it’s your lucky day, sir!
Robert (whispers to self): Was about time Coke rewarded me for drinking their bottled cancer for ages!
Robert: You sure I don’t even have to pay for the delivery fees?
Person at the other side of door: Everything is paid for already, the only thing I need is your signature.
Robert: You really made my day, man! Been a while since I won anything! Let me just find my wallet and I’ll give you a tip for your trouble.
Postman: That won’t be necessary. Not trying to be rude, sir, but we postmen are busy people, we can’t afford to lose too much time, so If you could kindly just open the door and take the package, I would be very grateful, As I already said, I’ll just need your signature as proof that you received the package!
Robert: Sure thing, man! Let me just grab a pen so I can sign it!
Robert scrambles to the living room, he tries to find a pen in his messy room, but he notices something that makes him freeze in place.
Robert (YELLING) I’M CALLING THE POLICE!
A blood chilling, almost animalistic screech followed by heavy, yet fast footsteps emerges from the other side of the door as soon as Robert finishes his sentence. In no more than 30 seconds, the sound of the main building door slamming shut is heard.
Robert quickly takes a peek at the window trying to see who or what exited the building, he momentarily sees an extremely tall figure that would put even the tallest of basketball players to shame disappearing in the darkness.
Robert slowly approaches the clock in his living room.
Robert (while looking at the clock): Thanks buddy, I owe you one!
TIME ON THE CLOCK: 2:53 AM
The Screen flashes as an eerie warning appears
WARNING: START WATCHING THE SECOND TAPE NOW OR SUFFER!
TAPE ENDS
I stare in confusion at the tv, wondering what the hell I just witnessed.
I pour myself a glass of water and take a sip, a sharp pain hits me as soon as I do. I spit out the water and with it a bloody tooth. I try picking up the tooth to try an examine it, but before I can even take a better look, another wave of extreme pain hits me, but this time I feel it coming from my fingers, more specifically the index finger of my right hand, as I take a look at my index finger, I see the nail is completely missing, the only thing left is bloody flesh.
While processing the disturbing mix of pain and fear, I remember the warning at the end of the tape, “No way!” I whisper to myself as I begin to realize the warning might be serious. In an act of desperation, I put the second tape in the VCR player.
The tape starts, immediately my tv screen flashes brighter than ever before, it was so bright that I had to close my eyes for a couple of seconds. Miraculously, as soon as I opened my eyes, my wounds were gone, not only did the pain and bleeding stop, but I looked like nothing even happened to me, my nail was back on my finger, I poked my teeth with my tongue and confirmed the bloody tooth that was on my table just moments ago, was now in my mouth and in perfect condition.
The realization hits me, looks like I’m not leaving until I watch all 10 tapes, even a short bathroom break could be my doom.
I prepare myself as my eyes stick to the tv like super glue.
Tape 2: Chickens, Begins.